Glucose Levels

[cblack1966]

hi, I've just started monitoring my levels after being diagnosed for a about a year.

the pills have stopped my constant need to go to the loo, and I feel generally ok.

i take two 500Mg Metformin and 1 glixzade (sp) tab twice a day.

however after monitoring my levels, I note that I'm consistantly around 10 to 14 - way above the 4 - 6 I should be.

i take a regular porridge and raisin breakfast, lunch is usually a lentil based soup and a turkey sandwich and dinner is normally a chicken based affair.

i get regularly tested at my GP too, these levels can't be good I presume - should I raise it with my GP?

 

[Daibell]

Hi. How old are you and is your weight in the normal range? Your food is slightly high in carbs but not bad from what you say. If normal weight and younger then there is always the background possibility of being late onset T1 rather than T2. Do give us a bit more info and what was your last HBa1C?

 

[Bluetit1802]

It looks to me like you need to re-think your diet. Carbs are the things to watch and reduce. Are you testing before and 2 hours after each meal to see which foods spike your levels? Raisins and other dried fruits are full of sugar, your porridge may also be full of carbs, and your sandwich (bread) most definitely is. Is the lentil soup tinned? If so, check the nutrients and ingredients on the label. I bet it contains potatoes or other starchy veggies and added sugars - check the carb amounts. You really need to start counting how many grams of carbs you are eating. Reducing them is the only way to control those levels, which are much too high. The most important things to avoid or seriously reduce are bread, potatoes, cereals, rice, pasta, pastry and batter.

 

[cblack1966]

Thanks to both for your replies.

I'm 47, and I'm 15st 7lb's - so yes a fair bit over my ideal wieght. I suffer from angina, so I'm on blood pressure, beta blockers, aspirin, a couple of nitrates.

I just thought that my medication would have kept this in track, when I was diagnosed my fasting level was 7ish, so with medication it's gotten quite a bit worse.

yes my HB1AC reading was a little off the scale, 130, so trying yo get that under control too.

Doc didn't really say much in regards diet etc, so i've just cut out sugar and sweets to be completely honest.

time for a bit of a major re-think.

 

[dawnmc]

Medication alone wont reduce your levels, and Metformin by only a little too. Its the carbs in your diet that need reducing, in fact if I was to eat any of and I mean any of your meals my sugars would be through the roof, and I'd be asleep most of the day.
For breakfast I have scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, or bacon and eggs with tomato and mushrooms. Lunch would be a small salad with avocado and tuna or chicken. Or a plate of cheeses. Tea I have chicken with green veg, e.g. green beans, cabbage, broccoli etc. I put a dollop of butter on my veg and cook my meat in coconut oil. Double cream in my coffee, and for snacks, nuts or boiled eggs with mayo.

 

[cblack1966]

Medication alone wont reduce your levels, and Metformin by only a little too. Its the carbs in your diet that need reducing, in fact if I was to eat any of and I mean any of your meals my sugars would be through the roof, and I'd be asleep most of the day.
For breakfast I have scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, or bacon and eggs with tomato and mushrooms. Lunch would be a small salad with avocado and tuna or chicken. Or a plate of cheeses. Tea I have chicken with green veg, e.g. green beans, cabbage, broccoli etc. I put a dollop of butter on my veg and cook my meat in coconut oil. Double cream in my coffee, and for snacks, nuts or boiled eggs with mayo.

I see where you are coming from, I'll drop the porridge, but I'm gonna struggle with the double cream etc with my heart issues.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Totto]

I see where you are coming from, I'll drop the porridge, but I'm gonna struggle with the double cream etc with my heart issues.

Thanks for the reply.

I shouldn't worry about fat. Contrary to what we have been told, fat seems to have no adverse effects on health. But stay away from the vegetable oils except for olive oil and coconut oil, these are fine to use.
http://www.dietdoctor.com/science

 

[jack412]

also if you are on statins, you may like me even get the chol too low with high fat, see below

 

[Bluetit1802]

I notice from another thread you started that last night you had 3 pork sausages and new potatoes for your evening meal.

It looks like you really need to re-think your diet. Potatoes are really bad for blood glucose and are on the list of foods to be avoided or at the very least substantially reduced in quantity. Try cutting down to say 1 or 2 new or roast potatoes at most and see if your levels drop. Some people can manage maybe 3 spuds but some people can't cope with any. The same goes for bread, rice, pasta, pastry. I understand your worry about increasing fats with your heart complaint but it isn't necessary to go overboard with fats. Just cut down on these bad carbs and eat sensibly.

 

[Thommothebear]

My total cholestrol dropped by 30% when I moved to low carb highish fat. So did my triglycerides, and the cholestrol ratios are now excellent too, as is my blood pressure.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Bluetit1802]

My total cholestrol dropped by 30% when I moved to low carb highish fat. So did my triglycerides, and the cholestrol ratios are now excellent too, as is my blood pressure.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Thommo, may I ask if this was due entirely to your diet, or to your exercise?

 

[cblack1966]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Alanp35]

My total cholestrol dropped by 30% when I moved to low carb highish fat. So did my triglycerides, and the cholestrol ratios are now excellent too, as is my blood pressure.


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Crikey !
Can't wait now for my next A1C as it will be the first since I started LCHF.



Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

 

[jack412]

Crikey !
Can't wait now for my next A1C as it will be the first since I started LCHF.

what was your chol last time? with Atorvastatin 20mg and lchf it might finish too low like mine

 

[Alanp35]

what was your chol last time? with Atorvastatin 20mg and lchf it might finish too low like mine

Thx Jack
Let us hope that that is the case and my medication can be reduced - it was 3.9 last time but it gets checked only once per year, next time around Oct 2014.




Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

 

[Totto]

Thx Jack
Let us hope that that is the case and my medication can be reduced - it was 3.9 last time but it gets checked only once per year, next time around Oct 2014.




Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

That is low. What is the break down? I would have been worried with cholesterol that low.

 

[Alanp35]

Crikey again Jack
That was the target I was given 3 years ago and that what I went for. A lot of hard work believe me. I have some cardiac issues, perhaps that is why they need it low. To be honest I didn't know that 3.9 was low.




Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

 

[Bluetit1802]

That is low. What is the break down? I would have been worried with cholesterol that low.

Why is it low? The target levels for "normal" total cholesterol is 3 to 5.

 

[Spiker]

Why is it low? The target levels for "normal" total cholesterol is 3 to 5.

The NHS target for diabetics is below 4.0. So 3.9 is not low, it's excellent.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[jack412]

Crikey again Jack
That was the target I was given 3 years ago and that what I went for. A lot of hard work believe me. I have some cardiac issues, perhaps that is why they need it low. To be honest I didn't know that 3.9 was low.
.

4 is what is recommended, so 3.9 is fine. as you can see in my signature below I had 2.7 at my last test and I cut the statin back to 5mg.
given my rapid drop, I would get your lipids checked after a couple of months on LCHF