2 months in on my diagnosis, my question is

[JayL]

I am now on 2,000 mg a day of metformin, I started at 1,000 for 1 month. During the 1st month
my metered bs levels were reading anywhere between 140, and 170 every morning before brekky.
Now that I'm on the 2,000 they are reading between 130, and 150. Once it read 120. My question is,
this seems still to high, does it typically take this long to go lower, or is this common. Maybe I'm
eating to many carbs, I'm allowed 45-60 per meal, and I do not go over, many times I have no carbs, and
I really am being watchful of what I'm eating, and I've lost 7 pounds in these 2 months. I won't be talking
to the doctor for a few more weeks, so I was wondering if this is normal? Thanks in advance.

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. Metformin is a good safe drug but never has that much effect on blood sugar. Diet has the most effect when T2 so just keep going with the lower-carb diet. I wouldn't be too rigid on the carbs per meal but keep the daily total below a level you set yourself. Some go below 100gm/day. You don't need any particular amount of carbs but carbs if low-GI have fibre and other nutrients.

 

[4ratbags]

If you are relying on medication instead of modifying by diet as well then it may take longer to come down. If you find it isnt coming down with time you may have to reduce carbs even further as even though you have reduced your carbs to between 135-180gr per day that is still quite a high amount.

 

[Indy51]

Where did you get the information that you are allowed that many carbs per meal? Unless you are measuring your blood glucose before and after meals, you don't know how many carbs you can tolerate. Indeed, many people find that they can tolerate less carbs at certain meals than they can at others.

People's carbohydrate tolerance (especially their tolerance for starchy foods) varies enormously. The following video may help you work out what your personal tolerance is:

 

[JayL]

Thanks you guys, yeah, I'm relying on both, meds, and diet to bring my levels down. My doctor told me I'm allowed 45-60g per meal, but it looks like I'm going to have to reduce the 25-35g per that I'm roughly having now. Some meals, I have less than 10, it varies a lot, but I try to watch my diet very close. I haven't been testing two hours after, so I better see what may be spiking

 

[4ratbags]

Definately test 2 hrs after eating that way you can start to eliminate the foods that are spiking your BS and you should gain better control.

 

[Robbity]

The main reason for testing just before you eat and two hours after is to see which are the starchy and sugary carbs that are the worst offenders that you'll need to reduce or avoid so you can modify your diet to achieve better, lower levels.

It's probably easier to decide how many carbs you can eat per day to start with, and you can then adjust downwards gradually as required. Eating a fixed number per meal AFAIK may have been/be one way for diabetics on insulin to work out their doses. Someone correct me if I'm wrong?

Robbity

 

[JayL]

Thanks everyone for the reply's....I'm kinda surprised the doc didn't ask me to do the 2 after meal test, but then again, I'm not...lol. Anyways, I'm always looking at the labels, and if there isn't any labels, like tonights Turnips, and parsnips dinner with beef ribs, I've found out the parsnips are high in carbs, and the turnips are low. It's going to take some time, but I'm well on my way.

 

[Robbity]

@JayL If you can't find nutritional info for fruit and veg, try looking at on-line supermarket sites - Tesco and Waitrose I know are pretty good at listing this data. Alternatively do a search on Google, but be aware that on USA sites you will need to look for net carbs, or deduct the fibre(fiber!) content from total carbs. In the UK look for total carbs... of which sugars.... - we list fibre content separately.

In general root vegetables will be highish carb, and above ground, green, and leafy ones are much lower.

Robbity

 

[Totto]

I find it useful to test at one hour and then regularly until I'm back to baseline, not only at two hours. Some things can play tricks on you. I will never forget when I tried glass noodles, fine at one and two hours but got very high at three and four hours, was back to baseline after five hour!

 

[JayL]

ok, I'm gonna go through some strips, but it will help me learn whats good, and bad for ME. I'm down in the 120's every morning now, still high, but not dangerously high. I have tested twice after meals since this thread, and I was at 199, and 176 2 hours after eating. Not sure if those levels are moderately high, or other.

 

[4ratbags]

Good on you for starting to test, its the only way you will find out what foods you can tolerate. Did you test before eating as those post meal numbers are a.bit on the high side but without knowing what level your BS was before eating you cant really gauge the effect the food is having.

 

[JayL]

yes I was 130 before brekky, and 164 / 2 hours after brekky this morning

 

[4ratbags]

Thats not too bad, thats only a rise of 2.1mmol so you are on the right track and with time Im sure it will continue to come down. I remember when my morning FBG was in the 300's, I would have a heart attack if they were still like that.

 

[JayL]

last night before dinner I was 120, and two hours after dinner I was 116..I had perch lightly coated in flour, and canned carrots, this morning when I woke i was 118....getting better

 

[4ratbags]

Well done it is starting to come down nicely, keep us posted on your progress, you are.doing great