Am I obsessive
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I personally don't think you are, you are just taking care of yourself so you don't have any complications. Non diabetics don't understand. My own sister is like that - she still thinks we can eat lots of sugar.
mo1905
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If you're happy with the amount you test, you have good control and you learn from the results then it's right for you ! The fact that you may believe it's a problem and you've written a post about it may suggest you feel it's a bit OTT but only you can answer that ! I don't think it's obsessive but there is such variation on here that makes it impossible to answer. There are some that test very rarely and others 12 or 14 times a day. At a guess, I would think you are probably average but, purely a guess.
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hale710
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I sometimes feel what I do is obsessive (I'm type 1 so my regime differs slightly but the essentials are the same). Like you I'm just over 3 months in so I think at the moment we are SO conscious of every test etc but eventually it'll be become 2nd nature and what we're doing daily won't be so "weird" any more!
nomistheman said:
Your goal is to get your diabetes under control. It's not obsessing, it's learning and controling. It's your life and health. Do what you have to do and one day you should be able to back off a bit, not a lot though! it's too easy to fall off a path.
Sid Bonkers
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Yes you are obsessed nomistheman.
Anyone who has not been in your shoes will not understand why you are obsessed though, try not to worry about it I think it is very common and if you can get your control levels to stabilise at safe levels then you will in time learn to relax a bit more but at 3 months I know I was obsessed and it was my obsession that gained the control I enjoy now, and I hardly think about diabetes or carbs now.
So I would say its quite normal and you will come through this and become more relaxed about carbs and your diet in general, most do.
Just keep in the back of your mind that diabetes is for life and any very restrictive diet will probably be impossible for anyone to follow for more than a year or so but it is that year or so that could make all the difference to you if you can stabilise your levels and lose weight if you need to. Even if you are not overweight if you are T2 you will probably have some visceral fat which will have caused your insulin resistance and once that visceral fat is reduced then your levels will become easier to manage with or without carbs.
Low carb diets work well in the short term for T2's as do very low calorie diets like the one trialled in the Newcastle study, they work well because they reduce the visceral fat around your internal organs. So dont be too worried about the odd "obsessive" comment just accept it and say its just for a while while you get your diabetes under strict control.
Anyone who has not been in your shoes will not understand why you are obsessed though, try not to worry about it I think it is very common and if you can get your control levels to stabilise at safe levels then you will in time learn to relax a bit more but at 3 months I know I was obsessed and it was my obsession that gained the control I enjoy now, and I hardly think about diabetes or carbs now.
So I would say its quite normal and you will come through this and become more relaxed about carbs and your diet in general, most do.
Just keep in the back of your mind that diabetes is for life and any very restrictive diet will probably be impossible for anyone to follow for more than a year or so but it is that year or so that could make all the difference to you if you can stabilise your levels and lose weight if you need to. Even if you are not overweight if you are T2 you will probably have some visceral fat which will have caused your insulin resistance and once that visceral fat is reduced then your levels will become easier to manage with or without carbs.
Low carb diets work well in the short term for T2's as do very low calorie diets like the one trialled in the Newcastle study, they work well because they reduce the visceral fat around your internal organs. So dont be too worried about the odd "obsessive" comment just accept it and say its just for a while while you get your diabetes under strict control.
I would let it go over your head, you are the one who has to manage your Type2.
For the first four months I tested and gradually got to the point where I knew roughly what I could and couldn't eat. The worst part for me was eating the meal that had good results again, only to find that the numbers were marginally higher and it taught me that some days due to exercise, illness, timing etc.... the readings will be different. My GP was happy for me to test and made test strips available.
We have to manage this chronic condition 24/7 with little input from the medics so why shouldn't we do what we feel is right for us? I have never tested in front of non diabetics unless they were genuinely interested.
It is eleven years on for me and I only test occasionally now but I would recommend testing for any new Type2. I rarely order test strips on my prescription now as I do not need them all the time. I will test if I am ill, taking steroid therapy for an unrelated autoimmune condition or as a one off, perhaps a full day once a month, to see what is going on.
For the first four months I tested and gradually got to the point where I knew roughly what I could and couldn't eat. The worst part for me was eating the meal that had good results again, only to find that the numbers were marginally higher and it taught me that some days due to exercise, illness, timing etc.... the readings will be different. My GP was happy for me to test and made test strips available.
We have to manage this chronic condition 24/7 with little input from the medics so why shouldn't we do what we feel is right for us? I have never tested in front of non diabetics unless they were genuinely interested.
It is eleven years on for me and I only test occasionally now but I would recommend testing for any new Type2. I rarely order test strips on my prescription now as I do not need them all the time. I will test if I am ill, taking steroid therapy for an unrelated autoimmune condition or as a one off, perhaps a full day once a month, to see what is going on.
You are not being obsessive if the readings are leading you to make good decisions that allow you to better manage the condition. I have tested 6 times so far today partly due to a mid morning hypo but all the same I felt it was necessary and I care little about what anyone else might think as they are not me.
Diagnosed type II 1998 2 x 80 mg Gliclazide, 4 x 500mg Metformin and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin - HbA1c - 48 mmol/mol
Diagnosed type II 1998 2 x 80 mg Gliclazide, 4 x 500mg Metformin and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin - HbA1c - 48 mmol/mol
This post reminded me of the time my grandad told me I was a hypochindriac for testing my blood. After all, it was 'only diabetes' and its 'not like anything bad will happen'.
If you have your diabetes under control by testing regularly then you are in a much better position than a lot of people out there. Keep doing whatever you feel comfortable with. X
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If you have your diabetes under control by testing regularly then you are in a much better position than a lot of people out there. Keep doing whatever you feel comfortable with. X
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Better safe than sorry. If you don't test often enough you can become lax and lose the control you have incrementally gained. I test 5-6 times per day. More if I am feeling unwell. Keep up the good work and you will get to know what works for your body through gaining this important understanding of how your body works and responds to certain food-types.
Good luck
Mart
Good luck
Mart
Thundercat
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I don't think its an obsession and of it is ots a healthy obsession! I am type 1 and test on waking, before eating, 2 hours after eating and before bed. If I am unwell or have had hypo then there are extra tests. I like to know where I'm at. My bs tends to be erratic at times even with a regular eating/testing /injecting regime so this is how I keep my levels where I want them. I have been asked if I need to test so often and I just say "yes". If it works for you and keeps you in control of your bs and affords you peace of mind why change it? You will know when you get to a point where you can check less often but in the meantime well done to you for a pro active approach
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