Confused

[Django]

Hello All

I am a newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic. I've just been put onto Metaformin after having controlled with diet but now figures have crept up and last fasting blood test was 8.5.
I am using a glucose meter and am getting confusing results. When i test at bedtime the result is usually around 9. However when i test in the morning, when i expected it to be lower, it was 10.1
Last Sunday I tested at 1100 hrs and it was 9 .5. I did an hour of cycling and tested an hour after the ride and it was up to 10.5, however 3 hours after the ride it was down to 6.7 ( lowest i have ever recorded). Today i was invited out for a Chinese meal, had chicken chow mein with chips and 3 hours after the meal i recorded 13.2
I have been on the Metformin for 5 weeks now and there are no signs yet of the reading becoming lower. Does it take that long to work? I had expected the drugs and cycling to have some effect but the sugar levels are remaining stubborn. Anyway I'll keep at it and hope to see some results soon.

Thanks
Django

 

[lucylocket61]

Metformin wont have much effect on your blood sugar levels. It helps to even out the highs and lows, but not reduce the overall level.

Have you had a look at what you are eating? Diet has the biggest effect on blood sugar levels. The time you test is important too. I am sure wiser people than me will be along soon to offer more advice.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello All

Today i was invited out for a Chinese meal, had chicken chow mein with chips and 3 hours after the meal i recorded 13.2
Django

Django, i'm struggling myself, but following advice from others on the forum, I would cut your carbs down low....Chow Mein has noodles( usually quite high in carbs and chips are probably even higher)..

Have a look at the meal ideas on the Low Carb section of the forum. Also if you look in the newly diagnosed posts, Daisy normally posts a link all about Type 2 Diabetes, you might find it helpful to read too

Sharon xx

 

[Anonymous]

Found Daisys link for you, just incase she isnt online tonight, have a read through it and see if it helps you any

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=26870

Hope its of some help to you xx

 

[Django]

Sharon

Many thanks for the link.

Django

 

[Anonymous]

Sharon

Many thanks for the link.

Django

You are most welcome Django, I'm finding it usefull too, was just diagnosed a few weeks ago myself, changed my diet a fair bit and feeling a bit better in myself, just need to sort out a meter now so i can start testing

Good luck

Sharon

 

[Django]

Metformin wont have much effect on your blood sugar levels. It helps to even out the highs and lows, but not reduce the overall level.

Have you had a look at what you are eating? Diet has the biggest effect on blood sugar levels. The time you test is important too. I am sure wiser people than me will be along soon to offer more advice.

Then what is the point of Metformin? The practise nurse expects me to return in 2 months with the levels reduced helped by Metformin!
Forgive my ignorance.

Django

 

[volorg]

HI there, I understand your frustration, docs are sometime rubbish at explaining why they are asking you to do something!

My doc said each Metformin drops your sugar by 1. It helps the body use sugar more effectively, doesn't make you gain weight and increases your sensitivity to insulin. As Sharon suggested, getting a grip on your food is a good way to take control of the beast that this disease is.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
Jane

 

[Sid Bonkers]

HI there, I understand your frustration, docs are sometime rubbish at explaining why they are asking you to do something!

My doc said each Metformin drops your sugar by 1. It helps the body use sugar more effectively, doesn't make you gain weight and increases your sensitivity to insulin.

Its actually more like .5 mmol/L per 500mg tablet as the max dose of 2000mg (4 x 500mg) will only help to reduce bg levels by between 1 and 2 mmol/L.

That said it does help and as Jane mentioned it will help to reduce appetite, prevents the liver from releasing too much glucose and also helps to your body tissue absorb glucose more effectively. It has also been proven to help protect against certain cancers and cardiac problems as well so all in all it is usually considered by most as being very beneficial to T2 diabetics.

And as others have mentioned the best way to help get your bg levels under control is by looking at what you eat, basically all carbohydrates are turned into glucose (sugar) in the stomach and then that glucose is absorbed into the blood stream, therefore one way you can help to reduce your blood glucose is to reduce the amount of carbohydrate you eat.

Try testing before you eat and again two hours after finishing your meal, your bg levels should be returning to close to your pre meal levels at the two hour point. If there is a large difference say 8 mmol/L pre meal and 12 mmol/L two hours after your meal (postprandial) then that will tell you that that meal contained more carbs than you were able to eat safely.

What to do.

The next time you eat that same meal try reducing the carby part of that meal by say 50% and test again before and after eating, you should see a lower postprandial level this time, if it is still high then the next time you eat that meal test again before and after and once again if necessary, each time reducing the carbs until you reach a point where your levels are returning close to your pre meal level at the two hour point.

You will need to test every meal which will mean lots and lots of testing but once you get a feel for what works for you and what to avoid you can stop testing so frequently.

The main carbs to look out for are breakfast cereals, bread esp white bread, rice, pasta and all flour products, most people dont avoid these products completely but reduce them to a level that is right for them. Each one of us is different so no one can tell you what to eat or what to avoid some can eat one food that another will not be able to. This is why it has been found to be so important to test before and after eating. When you test at other times it just tells you how high your bg is but by testing before and after eating it becomes a tool for you to use to help you diet or change your lifestyle is an expression often used.

As regards exercise, gentle exercise is better than hard exercise as with any hard exertion your liver produces more glucose on demand to help your muscles cope with that exertion and that pushes your bg levels up, walking or swimming is great, aim to be slightly out of breath rather than panting for breath, that way your liver will not be asked to deliver more glucose than your muscles already have stored :thumbup:

Good luck and I hope you get those levels down soon :thumbup:

 

[Unbeliever]

Great post Sid. Pity G{s can't ive something similar to all newly diagnosed.

 

[hanadr]

Django
I'm with Lucy on the eating thing.
Metformin cannot do much to your blood glucose if you eat a lot of carbohydrate. Many of us on this forum have found that by going low-carb, we control our BG much better.
If you think you'd like to try it there's enough information on the forum to get you started. NOTE All sugars and starches raise blood glucose. Starches more than sugars
Hana

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Then what is the point of Metformin? Django

If anybody finds out can you let me know. I asked permission to stop taking it for three months and I couldn't see a difference in the numbers or how I felt. The doctor more or less insisted that I go back on it again. I have but I still don't know why.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I agree with Sid's post re Metformin. There are further meds that can be added like the ones I have, but diet is the first option and then tablets if that fails to control your sugars. I wouldn't worry too much about morning readings/fasting tests as the liver may release glucose overnight causing varying results. I would test 2 hours after a meal later in the day. I suspect a lot of HCPs are like mine i.e. shortly after I went onto tablets I discovered from the web and this forum that diet and carbs are a big factor in sugar control but my diabetes GP thinks it's the tablets she has precribed that are sort of working and that I can eat a normal healthy diet and don't need to starve myself; I wish.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

shortly after I went onto tablets I discovered from the web and this forum that diet and carbs are a big factor in sugar control but my diabetes GP thinks it's the tablets she has precribed that are sort of working

Yes indeed, another problem. I don't think I have been to an appointment with my nurse where she didn't change the medication in some way. Has she been prescribing in the belief that it's her tablets that have achieved all the results. She only ever asked me one food based question that I can recall. "Are you eating alright?"

Obviously when we meet again I will have the feeling that I am humouring her when she sees the nice numbers I have achieved and she pats herself on the back for giving me good pills. Diabetes is difficult.