My story

[BigAl57]

Hi my name is Alan I am 57 years old and weigh 109 kilos.I went to my gp to be tested for diabetes as brother had it and he is insulin dependant. My first test had a Hb1AC of 64, my gp said try a low carb diet for 6 weeks and we will test again. I tried as best I could and was retested and my Hb1AC was 62 and my cholesterol was 5 but 3 of that was triglycerides. Type 2 diabetic says he and sent me off with a script for 500mg Metformin and Avorstatin and some printouts on type 2 diabetes

I came away totally confused. So I called the surgery next day and asked my I was not given a testing kit.I was told I do not need to test myself, blood test in surgery every 6 weeks will suffice, since then I have booked on a Desmond course and have a retinopathy appointment hopefully the Desmond course will enlighten me further.

How do I know the Metformin is working if I cannot test myself?

 

[Mike d]

Hi my name is Alan I am 57 years old and weigh 109 kilos.I went to my gp to be tested for diabetes as brother had it and he is insulin dependant. My first test had a Hb1AC of 64, my gp said try a low carb diet for 6 weeks and we will test again. I tried as best I could and was retested and my Hb1AC was 62 and my cholesterol was 5 but 3 of that was triglycerides. Type 2 diabetic says he and sent me off with a script for 500mg Metformin and Avorstatin and some printouts on type 2 diabetes

I came away totally confused. So I called the surgery next day and asked my I was not given a testing kit.I was told I do not need to test myself, blood test in surgery every 6 weeks will suffice, since then I have booked on a Desmond course and have a retinopathy appointment hopefully the Desmond course will enlighten me further.

How do I know the Metformin is working if I cannot test myself?

Last sentence first.

1. You won't know and treat that advice for what it's truly worth ... let's call it stupidity to be kind. You MUST know how foods affect you and to do that, you MUST test pre meal, post meal (at one hour) and post meal 2 hours. Get a blood glucose meter (and strips) and start testing.

2. Do not expect Metformin to be the magic bullet ... it isn't .... it helps to some degree, but without control of your diet (with associated exercise) it might as well be a placebo.

I often take the blunt approach with such idiotic advice as you've been handed, so forgive me, but you're now in the drivers seat and this community are the instructors.

So first things first to get that HB1aC back down to good levels. What are you eating? Meal by meal if you can and if it varies. Then we can kick off and offer help.

Mike

 

[Daibell]

Last sentence first.

1. You won't know and treat that advice for what it's truly worth ... let's call it stupidity to be kind. You MUST know how foods affect you and to do that, you MUST test pre meal, post meal (at one hour) and post meal 2 hours. Get a blood glucose meter (and strips) and start testing.

2. Do not expect Metformin to be the magic bullet ... it isn't .... it helps to some degree, but without control of your diet (with associated exercise) it might as well be a placebo.

I often take the blunt approach with such idiotic advice as you've been handed, so forgive me, but you're now in the drivers seat and this community are the instructors.

So first things first to get that HB1aC back down to good levels. What are you eating? Meal by meal if you can and if it varies. Then we can kick off and offer help.

Mike

Agreed|!

 

[4ratbags]

Hi and welcome to the forum you are in the right place. Definately get yourself a meter asap, it is essential and as stated above please let us know what you generaly eat in a day as you stated you tried low carb , do you know how many carbs per day you were consuming as everyones definition of low carb is different

 

[BigAl57]

To be honest I don't have a clue what my carb intake is. I have cut out sugar white bread and alcohol.i take a packed lunch to work consisting of chicken on seeded loaf and a apple, peach, strawberries.when I get home I cook something that will contain veg, fish or meat,potatoes as my go won't give me a tes meter I don't have clue what's going on

 

[Mrsass]

Hi Al welcome to the forum, as the others have said you need a meter, if the dr's won't give you one you can buy one.

As Mike suggested if you tell us meal by meal what you eat we can try and give you some pointers that may help

Start reading the packets etc on stuff you are having and download the app/buy the book 'carbs and cals' it is extremely useful

Abbie

 

[Clivethedrive]

To be honest I don't have a clue what my carb intake is. I have cut out sugar white bread and alcohol.i take a packed lunch to work consisting of chicken on seeded loaf and a apple, peach, strawberries.when I get home I cook something that will contain veg, fish or meat,potatoes as my go won't give me a tes meter I don't have clue what's going on

Hi bigA157, welcome to the forum, i got the same bum advice from my doc' last sept' but on finding this forum , i was advised to lchf diet,this was very good advice and saved me untold complications that can arise with poor bs controls, i'll tag @daisy1 for you tomget the info given to new posters, please keep posting ,you will get answers that will make sense and , this illness is controllable with good diet and exercice.

 

[BigAl57]

Do if I buy my own meter ehat is the ideal one to get

 

[Clivethedrive]

Do if I buy my own meter ehat is the ideal one to get

If your doc' won't give you one , i'd get my own , i personally use the accu chek which has the fast clix lancing device included( other meters are available) but i have found this is a good reliable and the fastclix lancet is fairly painless compared to others.have you been given the info for new posters yet?

 

[Mike d]

That is up to you .... others will weigh in with their recommendations. Apples / peaches / strawberries and potatoes would not do me any favours, so the sooner you get that meter the better. Full of starches and fructose. You REALLY need to read the forum, do your own research and answer the questions you might have that arise from those studies. Nothing is too stupid, so do not be afraid of appearing ignorant. We'll help all we can but I repeat, this is back in your court. I started out blind and dumb, but I know everything I need to know from the experts who frequent this place .... take that advice and use it.

Cutting bread, alcohol and sugars is a good start .... and up the exercise (albeit slowly at first) and be prepared to adopt a new lifestyle.