Diagnosed and confused.

OU812

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi everyone.

This forum kept coming up on my google searches so figured it must be a good place for info, I just wanted to see what people would say about my situation. I will try and keep it brief.

In 2016 my blood sugar number was up (sadly I dont have the number) needless to say it was a wake up call. I lost about 20 pounds (lifestyle changes) and when I went back for retesting my sugars were normal range.

Lots of bad things happened and the weight came back mostly over 2017. I switched family docs as mine retired and was sent for lab work. My glucose results came back in at 7.8. The dr diagnosed me as diabetic (type 2) and as such prescribed Metformin which I just started taking yesterday (1/day). I started changing my eating habits/hitting the gym on Monday.

I also started taking my readings yesterday obviously the sample size is very small:

2018-02-15 Fasting 6.0
2018-02-16 Fasting 4.7

Is it normal to see lower results this quick? I know I have to do pre/post meal readings as well. The plan right now is to make changes/test once per day/up the metformin to 2/day in 8 more days and then go back for testing in 3 months. Depending on the number we go from there?

Thoughts?
 

ixi1429

Well-Known Member
Messages
173
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi,

To answer your question I would say your BG can jump but it would depend on what you had eaten and on the time of day. On a morning (fasting) your BG will be typically higher than usual due to the "dawn effect" as the body dumps glucose into your system. alternately your BG jumps after you have eaten.

I am not sure what impact the meds will have as I am lucky enough not to be on them but other posters can advise on that.

This Forum is a good place to obtain advise on the condition we "special people" have. :)

I am surprised that you are on meds with a BG of 7.8 a that was my diagnosis reading as well and I was told that I was in the diabetes "good control" zone, i.e. no need for meds as long as I kept it at that level or lower.

I follow a low carb high fat diet with good results. I aim at 75g carbs per day (or less) My BG is now averaging 5.6 with the occasional spike (all down to the food I ate). My HbA1C at diagnosis - last June - was 52 and now its 44 (pre diabetes level). It has also had a positive impact on weight and cholesterol etc. It may not be for you but there are other alternatives. I do go off the rails on occaision - meals out etc - and these jump my BG to over 8 and on one occaission over 9 but thats the price i paid and I did know the impact it would likely have.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I am surprised that you are on meds with a BG of 7.8 a that was my diagnosis reading as well and I was told that I was in the diabetes "good control" zone, i.e. no need for meds as long as I kept it at that level or lower.

You are assuming the 7.8 was a fasting plasma glucose test. As he was diagnosed T2 and put on medication, it is more likely it was his HbA1c, which is 62 in new numbers, so moderately high and certainly not in the good control zone.
 
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Phoenix55

Well-Known Member
Messages
577
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
If you are using diet and exercise to try to reduce your HbA1c then you really need to be testing 2 hours after each meal as well as fasting to find out what is going on and what is causing the high result. Why wait when you know that this is what needs to done? It may be that you are now reacting to grains as well as carby veg and the only way to find out is to test and record. If the fasting tests stay at this level or reduce still further perhaps you can contact the surgery and suggest you stay on one Met. and not increase the dosage, it seems that digestive problems tend to start with the increase for those that are going to have them and Met takes time to work on the bg levels and is minimal then. If you keep going you may find that in 3 months you are at non-diabetic levels and do not need medication.
 

ixi1429

Well-Known Member
Messages
173
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@Bluetit1802

I totally agree and will admit thta it is true that it was an assumption on my part but only because all the blood tests my surgey orgasnises are fasting ones - nothing to eat for 12 hours at least.

62 is moderatately high as you say and not in the good zone.
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I also started taking my readings yesterday obviously the sample size is very small:

2018-02-15 Fasting 6.0
2018-02-16 Fasting 4.7

Is it normal to see lower results this quick? I know I have to do pre/post meal readings as well. The plan right now is to make changes/test once per day/up the metformin to 2/day in 8 more days and then go back for testing in 3 months. Depending on the number we go from there?

Thoughts?

I assume your 7.8 was an HbA1c?

Your low fasting numbers are probably unusual, but not unheard of. My own morning fasting tests were around 5 to 5.5 almost immediately. I never did have a problem with them, although I suggest your 4.7 may have been a bit of a rogue test. We all get these from time to time and if the number is unexpected it is wise to wash the hands again and do a re-test. It is your post meal levels that are important right now. Morning fasting depends on many different things, not all food related.

You do need to test before eating and 2 hours after first bite to give you an idea if your food choices are suitable for you and your body. Any rise from before to after needs to be under 2mmol/l, preferably less. If it isn't, there are too many carbs in that meal. Keeping a detailed food diary including portion sizes and recording your levels alongside will be of enormous benefit. You will notice patterns emerging, and be able to reduce portion sizes or eliminate things.

Try not to jump ahead right now. Wait and see what your next 3 month test reveals.
 
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ixi1429

Well-Known Member
Messages
173
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@OU812

To back up what bluetit advsies. I keep a food diary. It invololes a bti of planning and measuring but I can see what I ate (and how much) and what impact it has.

As an example a few weeks back, I decided to "test" weetabix - a nice healthy breakfast - to see if I could eat them. Before eating BG was 5.9, ninety (90) mins after it was 7.6 and then dropped to 5.1 after 2 hours. Without the diary I wouldn't be able to look back and see the impact of various foods.
 
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jayney27

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,643
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
@OU812

To back up what bluetit advsies. I keep a food diary. It invololes a bti of planning and measuring but I can see what I ate (and how much) and what impact it has.

As an example a few weeks back, I decided to "test" weetabix - a nice healthy breakfast - to see if I could eat them. Before eating BG was 5.9, ninety (90) mins after it was 7.6 and then dropped to 5.1 after 2 hours. Without the diary I wouldn't be able to look back and see the impact of various foods.
I do the same, my BG tests are mostly in the normal range (5.0 - 6.4) regardless of the time I test but I use a nutrition app to help keep me on track. I experiment a little now and then to try out different foods and what happens to by readings, as you say you can look back to determine whether its worth eating them again :)
 

OU812

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for all the replies. So if I am reading right most of you are testing mutliples times a day? I was told once a day. I was going to do post meal tomorrow and see where I am at.

Also I am confused by the r"ouge reading" reply. Are these meters not accurate?
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks for all the replies. So if I am reading right most of you are testing mutliples times a day? I was told once a day. I was going to do post meal tomorrow and see where I am at.

Also I am confused by the r"ouge reading" reply. Are these meters not accurate?

Once a day testing is useless ..... it tells you nothing at all. You need to be able to learn something and be able to apply what you learn to your food choices, exercise, and so on. Otherwise you are wasting your time. Also, testing after a meal means nothing unless you have also tested before you eat. It is the RISE that matters, not the actual levels. You were most likely told once a day by your doctor in order to save his surgery money.

No meters are 100% accurate. They only have to comply with the set standard, which is plus or minus 15% accurate 95% of the time. Not brilliant, but its all we have. Rogue readings can be human error (unwashed hands, damp hands, incorrect use of strip/meter) or strip errors (a corrupted strip or a mishandled strip) or a meter error. They happen. We can't avoid them. However, most readings are reliable, and over a period of time any inaccurate high ones or inaccurate low ones will be averaged out and become insignificant.
 

NewTD2

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,563
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for all the replies. So if I am reading right most of you are testing mutliples times a day? I was told once a day. I was going to do post meal tomorrow and see where I am at.

Also I am confused by the r"ouge reading" reply. Are these meters not accurate?

I used to test before and after breakfast, lunch, dinner including before going to bed and each time I eat something that I wasn’t sure of to check whether it spikes my blood glucose levels or not.

That’s about 8-10x a day as a T2!

Since I’ve gone into remission and achieved a normal HBA1C, my endocrinologist said that I can now test once a day, before breakfast (fasting) and when I’m sick.
 
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ixi1429

Well-Known Member
Messages
173
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I know a lot of people test every day but while I tend to test fairly regular I don't do it eveyr day - probably about 4/5 days a week. It depends on you and how much you want to track your BG.

I test for fasting about 2-3 times a week and if I decide to "test" foods. If I am eating a "standard" meal - one I have eaten a number of times - I don't feel the need to test as I already know the results. (NB I may try porridge tomorrow as I am planning a walk of 5-7 miles) I also test after exercise. This lets me see what impact, if any, the food/exercise has.

The metres are not 100% accurate and do have variances. you should google yours to see what the variance is.

Alternatively the rouge result could be just that an anomaly - sometimes my BG has gone to 3 or up to 6.5/7 and I have no idea why. Its the human body, sometimes it just does stuff and we don't know why.
 
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NewTD2

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,563
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Fasting bg levels also depends on a number of factors -

The size and type of food you’ve eaten the night before, sickness, stress, exercise etc.
 

OU812

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Interesting. Are there any good websites or articles that explain testing in more detail?

The pharmacist also said test one per day but gave me the following times to chose from.

Fasting
2 hours before break/lunch/dinner and 2 hours after

So, I wake up (that's when Ive done my fasting) test. Get a reading.
Eat. Wait 2 hours get a reading... and so on.

How do you know what spikes your readings? Do you write off the protein and fats and just focus on the carbs that meal?
 

NewTD2

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,563
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Interesting. Are there any good websites or articles that explain testing in more detail?

The pharmacist also said test one per day but gave me the following times to chose from.

Fasting
2 hours before break/lunch/dinner and 2 hours after

So, I wake up (that's when Ive done my fasting) test. Get a reading.
Eat. Wait 2 hours get a reading... and so on.

How do you know what spikes your readings? Do you write off the protein and fats and just focus on the carbs that meal?

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-testing-for-type2-diabetes.html
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Interesting. Are there any good websites or articles that explain testing in more detail?

The pharmacist also said test one per day but gave me the following times to chose from.

Fasting
2 hours before break/lunch/dinner and 2 hours after

So, I wake up (that's when Ive done my fasting) test. Get a reading.
Eat. Wait 2 hours get a reading... and so on.

How do you know what spikes your readings? Do you write off the protein and fats and just focus on the carbs that meal?

I cannot imagine why a pharmacist (or anyone) would want you to test 2 hours before eating!!

Test immediately before you eat
Test again 2 hours after first bite
Look at any rise and keep it as low as you can by reducing carbs or eliminating some.
This is called eating to your meter.

Carbs spike readings. Fats do not, and in fact they help. Protein may cause a small rise in the absence of glucose from carbs, but is many hours later - maybe even the next day. Just focus on carbs. The worst culprits are bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals, anything made with flour, and also fruit. Testing is the only way to find your personal danger foods, and the quantities. Without regular and organised testing you are working blind and have no idea what your food choices are doing to you.

This site may help
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds
 

OU812

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You are assuming the 7.8 was a fasting plasma glucose test. As he was diagnosed T2 and put on medication, it is more likely it was his HbA1c, which is 62 in new numbers, so moderately high and certainly not in the good control zone.

Sorry I should have clarified on this but I am not 100% sure. It was not a fasting test. I just walked into the lab with a requestion form.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Sorry I should have clarified on this but I am not 100% sure. It was not a fasting test. I just walked into the lab with a requestion form.

It sounds like an HbA1c in that case. What did it say on the requisition form? Can you remember?
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I started off testing before and after eating, but once I reduced carbs enough to be below 8mmol/l after eating then I stopped testing so often - and I only eat twice a day, so with being pretty sure that my first meal is not going to cause problems as it is lower in carbs than dinner, I was just testing to see if I could eat a dessert, and gradually stopped bothering as I was seeing after dinner readings of below 7 then below 6.