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Confused

K

Kathy A

Newbie
Hi everyone. Just joined the forum hoping to get help as still find things difficult. I was diagnosed with Type 2 four years ago.I recently had a new nurse take over and she changed all the advice the previous nurse gave me. I have been struggling with weight, but have now found a book on Low Carbs for Diabetic's. This is a God send the weight is at last coming off. My biggest problem is understanding the numbers. I test at home occasionally, fasting range from 5.2 to 6.5, although I was shocked when I tested an Hour after eating to find it was 9.9. If I mention to the nurse she is not happy I self test am I doing the wrong thing. My last AbA1c was 48 but that was taken while I was still recovering from a bad virus so my liver enzymes were also high. Being retested in Nov so hope for better news. I do take 500mg of Metformin twice a day but want to get off this. I would welcome others views on whether self testing is worth doing or am I making it more confusing for myself
 
Hi @Kathy A welcome to the Forum.
Self testing is absolutely worth it. You can build up a picture of which foods work for you.
@Rachox has some info on good meters.
 
Hi Kathy and welcome to the forum. Well done on improving your HbA1c and weight.
Here is our useful info post incase you haven’t come across it yet:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/ Your nurse is way better than most in that she recommends low carb diet for a type 2. However testing a definitely a useful tool to find out what foods suit you best so I’m glad you have a meter. Here’s the levels you are aiming for:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html
 
Welcome to the forum.

You don't have to do what the nurse says. Carry on testing, as you have found out, is a useful tool, did you test again an hour later. However 9.9 mmol shows you have eaten which you can't tolerate. Can you remember what you ate, we should be able to pinpoint the culprit.
Well done on losing weight, low carbing is the way to go. Everyone's tolerance level to carbs is a very individual. (Tolerance levels can be from 100g, 50g, 30g per day) testing is very crucial.

Good luck and well done
 
Hi @Kathy A

Welcome to the forum. I'm not surprised you're feeling confused and you're not alone in this. Advice re Type 2 appears to be very varied and often quite incorrect.

Carbohydrates, as you've discovered, are your 'enemy', in that they are processed to become glucose once in your body and it's the glucose the Type 2 person can't deal with efficiently. So, it does sound like you've made the greatest discovery.

There is a great post available on this forum (I'll try to locate it for you) which explains lots regarding type 2 and I suspect you'll find it very helpful - see post above by @Rachox - it's the first of the two links

Regarding testing at home, most are told 'no need to test' but this is likely to be so the NHS/surgery don't spend the money on test strips (they can be expensive). Would you be driving your car through speed limit areas without a speedo? Probably not, and the same goes for testing at home. How can you know which foods affect you mostly, how your levels go up and down at unexpected times etc. You'll certainly be in a much better position and control knowing your levels

There is also a very good book, or YouTube, by Jason Fung, called 'The Diabetes Code' which explains Diabetes Type 2 extremely well and many/most, if not all, on here, including myself, recommend it. It's available in various places/sites but here is the Amazon one - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diabetes-C...ords=The+Diabetes+Code'&qid=1571907022&sr=8-1

You'll get lots of information on this forum. Take it at your pace and try not to become overwhelmed by it all. A day at a time, eh?

Good luck
 
Kathy A said:
I would welcome others views on whether self testing is worth doing or am I making it more confusing for myself
Click to expand...

Self-testing is absolutely instrumental in understanding and taking control of diabetes. Without doing so you're sailing into shark infested waters without a rudder. Or a boat. Any health care professional who actively discourages glucose monitoring is clueless and should be ignored.

Oh and welcome to the forums.
 
When I first got diagnosed I was told not to self test. They gave me everything as they said they had to but told me not to test. Last time I went they told me to keep eye on sugars so I have to test.
Filter out the good bits through away the bad bits and ask on here as to which is which!!
Every time I go I get told something different.
 
Agree that the book by Jason Fung - Diabetes Code - is definitely worth reading, it's explained a lot of things that I was struggling with - am on reduced carb eating plan and my numbers are coming down and much more stable - good luck!
 

Hi KathyA,
Welcome to the real world.
In these forums you will find experts who are keeping their Diabetes (of whatever type) under control, or even ( in the case of Type 2's) in 'Remission'.
Your are actually fortunate in finding your ignorant Nurse! Most of us find that all (or most) of our Health Care Professionals are still pushing us to eat lots of 'healthy Carbs' !!!

I'm convinced that all Type 2's (whether on glucose lowering medication or not) should test if they can afford a cheap meter with cheap test strips, or better still if they get a meter and strips on prescription.. How else can they find which types of food (and how much) their body can tolerate without spiking their BG?
 
I had eaten Yogurt Skyr plain which was what she was saying I should eat. I like to eat Porridge as it is filling and I am supposed to eat a Banana a day to keep my Potassium levels up. But she said that was the worse thing I could eat. I am trying to count Carbs rather than calories. Thank you for your help. Glad I have got on here so can ask others how they are doing
 
That's good your nurse said no to bananas as they are sugar in a skin as well as all tropical fruit.
Porridge could be your culprit for your high numbers, Porridge turns to sugar, there lays the problem. You like porridge unfortunately, your system does not. I suggest that you test before eating and 2 hours after first bite. This I why its so important to test. Unfortunately this seems to go over the fast majority of health professionals heads.
 
I agree, test before and after meals and work out what you can eat. I also know when I'm high or dropping quickly as I tested lots when I was first dxd.

I am on holiday and haven't been perfect with carbs but because I got good control before coming away and I know what spikes me I am able to manage my food for a week without it. I know that I am walking lots and lots so that'll be helping too!
 
 
There are other foods which contain potassium, which is great if low carbing, as all the foods contain potassium, some more than bananas.
Win, Win.
Avocados, spinach, Swiss chard, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, courgettes, aubergine, leave veg, strawberries, plain yogurt, mackerel, salmon, almonds, cashew nuts, large eggs. Perfect.
 
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