Indeed. Since my diagnosis I've stopped drinking beer but have had the occasional glass or two of red wine (which according to the tracker I'm using seems to be about 4 or 5g of carbs a glass), and the occasional whisky (which is zero carb) and if there has been any effect on my blood sugar levels it looks like they've lowered it.
Another Newbie
- Thread starter niblue
- Start Date
Are you using ther Libre sensor yet? Let us know your thoughts when you get it up and running
They usually lower it, because your system deals with the alcohol first. So any rise from carbs consumed, happens later than it normally would.
I fitted it (which was pretty straightforward) yesterday morning. The first time I checked (after the recommended hour) it roughly matched what I'd expected from a finger prick test (7.2), but dropped continually from there and by 5pm or so it was reporting 3.4. It stayed low right through to 5am (when it was reading 3.0) but then started rising and since about 9am the results have looked more plausible (e.g. a finger prick test at 3pm was 6.1, and the Libre has been giving between 5.9 and 6.2 all afternoon so far).
I've read that for some folks it can take a day or two to settle down and given decent results so we'll see if that's the case for me as well.
That's great. Seems very insightful. What are your readings before and after dinner on libre? I seriously need to get one then you can see the levels for the entire day.
Last night it was under-reading badly so pre-dinner it was at something like 3.9 then went up to about 5.9 an hour so later before then dropping back to under 4 and then stayed there until about 5am. So definitely nonsense!
I've just checked the Libre again there and it's now giving a reading of 4.7 which is very unlikely for me (I've just done another finger prick test and that was a rather more likely 5.9). Ok if you factor in the extreme ends of 15% accuracy for both then 4.7 could actually be 5.4, and 5.9 could be about 5.0 but the general trend does appear to be that the Libre is under-reading (and yesterday and last night it was under-reading by a lot - maybe half the real numbers).
It'll be interesting to see what the Libre readings do after I've had dinner later though but at the moment, while I like the theory, I don't have much confidence in the results it is reporting. I'll wait and see if it stabilises because it is closer today than it was yesterday.
I've just checked the Libre again there and it's now giving a reading of 4.7 which is very unlikely for me (I've just done another finger prick test and that was a rather more likely 5.9). Ok if you factor in the extreme ends of 15% accuracy for both then 4.7 could actually be 5.4, and 5.9 could be about 5.0 but the general trend does appear to be that the Libre is under-reading (and yesterday and last night it was under-reading by a lot - maybe half the real numbers).
It'll be interesting to see what the Libre readings do after I've had dinner later though but at the moment, while I like the theory, I don't have much confidence in the results it is reporting. I'll wait and see if it stabilises because it is closer today than it was yesterday.
The Libre 2 seems to be giving more reasonable readings now although I still think they're a bit low compared to what I get from manual testing. Yesterday ranged between about 5 and 8 throughout the day - compared to the 3 finger prick tests I did which were 5.7, 6.9 and 7.9. Today so far is much the same - ranging between a low of 5.7 and a high of 7.9. It's over a week now since the last test I had over 10, which is also a positive sign I think. It does seem to be the case that if I sleep on the side with the sensor the readings can be very low - but other than that they seem okish now.
I did have one welcome (if expensive!) side effect of the things I'm doing to combat the diabetes and that was having to go clothes shopping earlier as I've now got very few clothes that fit me - having lost somewhere between 2 and 4 inches off my waistline and dropped from L to M for tops.
I did have one welcome (if expensive!) side effect of the things I'm doing to combat the diabetes and that was having to go clothes shopping earlier as I've now got very few clothes that fit me - having lost somewhere between 2 and 4 inches off my waistline and dropped from L to M for tops.
I need to trial this sensor as well. Can you see yourself continuing after the trial period?
Well done on your waist reduction. You managed to do that so fast must be the new diet. I think Metformin helps with weight loss as well.
I'm not sure if I'll continue with the Libre2 or not as I'm not sure it's telling me anything that I'd use to change what I'm doing, although it is nice having the extra information. Still thinking about it at the moment.
I’ve just started a trial of the Libre 2, and as someone who loves data, I think it’s fascinating! I also know that I’m someone who responds to seeing an immediate response (or lack of) to support my change in lifestyle and food choices so I can definitely see myself continuing with it. If you just want to learn what triggers your sugars the trial may be enough for you.
I'm just checking on a dietary question?
Also newly stated on Metformin,
I've aways understood that things like, porridge , wholemeal bread, and pasta were slow release carbs so good for diabetes ? Is this wrong ?
Also newly stated on Metformin,
I've aways understood that things like, porridge , wholemeal bread, and pasta were slow release carbs so good for diabetes ? Is this wrong ?
MrsA2
Expert
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Lobsang Tsultim
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 526
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
You got the short answer above
The longer answer is that having things like whole meal bread instead of white bread doesn’t change how many carbs our body has to handle, it just changes the profile of the raised blood sugar levels: the spike is lower but lasts for longer with “high fibre“ carby foods. In type 2 because of insulin resistance, all carbs are mishandled.An analogy might be to be told to choose between a fatal dose of fast acting poison versus a fatal dose of slow acting poison. The better option is to stop taking poison.
All very high carb so for type 2 diabetes they are not great.
Ooh thank you ! There is so much misleading information ! And had no help from GP ?! Just prescribed the meds and said follow the directions on the pack !You got the short answer above
An analogy might be to be told to choose between a fatal dose of fast acting poison versus a fatal dose of slow acting poison. The better option is to stop taking poison.
JoKalsbeek
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- Diet only
That's what the bulk of us got.... Nothing much at all to go on. So good on you for asking questions and finding out what is actually helpful for your health!
JoKalsbeek
Expert
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- 6,003
- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
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- Diet only
They don't, quite often. A GP has so much to keep up with, having to know something about just about everything... And as you're finding yourself, there's lots of contradictory information, and most of it goes against what the government officially advises, usually. If they could take a week or two and do a deep-dive into the material, maybe.... But what NHS doc has any time to do anything without it cutting into the time they can care for patients?
My doc told me she didn't know what I was on about, but I was welcome to give it a go and be a guinea pig, as long as I got blood work done to keep on top of things. I'm the only one in the practice who went low carb, and far as I know, the only one who got back to normal numbers in these past 7 years. She was supportive, and I know I got VERY lucky to have her.
Yeh , I think it's gonna be a matter of just going it alone ?
What about things like Egg Noodles ?
