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Diet and exercise no longer working

M

Mikeee

Active Member
Messages
33
Just been prescribed slow release metformin as my hba1c has gone up again (82). Still struggling to accept that I have T2 diabetes as I've always been relatively fit. I'm still eating sensibly and go to the gym two or three times a week. I do like a drink of red wine on an evening and wondered if it had anything to to with my high levels. I asked the nurse about this and she didn't seem concerned about red vino. I've been without a glucose monitor for about a year as the doctor cancelled the repeat prescription for my jazz test strips. The doctor said they were pointless as I wasn't taking any blood sugar lowering medication and the monitor would give an inaccurate reading. I thought it was quite helpful when I was first diagnosed a few years back.
 
I don't understand why your monitor would give inaccurate reading if you don't take meds. Surely our bgl is our bgl no matter what medication we take.

Take a look at the code free meter the strips are the cheapest so people on here say.
 
I think the doctor was referring to glucose monitors in general Woody. She definitely said the reading wouldn't mean anything as i wasn't taking any blood sugar lowering medication.
 
Mikeee said:
I think the doctor was referring to glucose monitors in general Woody. She definitely said the reading wouldn't mean anything as i wasn't taking any blood sugar lowering medication.
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Ah right I get it.
 
Are you sure your diet has been one that would give the best chance to control your BS?
 
Mikeee said:
I think the doctor was referring to glucose monitors in general Woody. She definitely said the reading wouldn't mean anything as i wasn't taking any blood sugar lowering medication.
Click to expand...

She is very wrong. You said you found it helpful at the beginning, then stopped using it, and look what happened!
If replacement strips are expensive, try either the Codefree or Tee2 meters. Both have cheap strips and both are popular on this forum.
You can't buy them in pharmacies.

Try here for the Codefree meter
http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

The Tee2 is here and the meter is free.
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/

Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for either meter)
 
Mikeee said:
I think the doctor was referring to glucose monitors in general Woody. She definitely said the reading wouldn't mean anything as i wasn't taking any blood sugar lowering medication.
Click to expand...

With respect and I'm not a GP. that is a load of cods. From my own experience the relationship between what I eat and what my BG is pretty tight, I eat carbs my numbers go up and I am diet and exercise only. I thought I was pretty fit, a little heavy round the waist and still got a T2 ticket. The weight has gone and the BG's are okay.

I would suggest testing before and after meals is a good way to see how your BG control is.

Have a look around the forum, low carb is not for everyone but it is worth a look.
 
The red wine in moderation won't harm your blood sugars, but you do have to watch the calories if you are trying to lose weight.

Do get a meter and start testing before eating and 2 hours after first bite. If the rise from before to after is more than 2mmol/l there are too many carbs in that meal, meaning you need to analyse what you ate and try again with reduced portion sizes, or eliminate some. Keeping a detailed food diary including portion sizes is a good plan.
 
I think I may be eating slightly more carbs than when I got my levels down a couple of years ago. I was taking my pilots license and it was the doctor that did my medical that advised me to drop the carbs.
 
Mikeee said:
I think I may be eating slightly more carbs than when I got my levels down a couple of years ago. I was taking my pilots license and it was the doctor that did my medical that advised me to drop the carbs.
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He was quite right, but unless you test your meals you will never know whether you are eating too many for your body to cope with. It is the easiest thing in the world to allow carbs to creep back on your plate ... another spoonful won't hurt. But it will.
 
Thanks for the input everyone very much appreciated. I now have a monitor, tested my sugars this morning before food and was at 11.5. I've just started taking the 2nd metformin with my evening meal, sticking to exercise and a low carb diet, hopefully my BS levels will improve.
 
Mikeee said:
My hba1c was at 82, which I was told by the nurse is well into the danger zone.
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It is high, but not as high as some members on here had when diagnosed. Cutting right down on carbs will help you bring this down, and your meter will tell you if you are eating too many carbs. Test before you eat and again 2 hours after your first bite and look at the difference between the before and after levels. This needs to be less than 2mmol/l and preferably less. If it is more, there are too many carbs. Keeping a detailed food diary including portion sizes will also help. You can record your levels alongside the diary and look for patterns. Your personal danger foods will become obvious, allowing you to reduce the portion size or eliminate some.
 
You mentioned apps?
Personal recommendation: i currently use Diabetes:M, on android. You can customize it to your meal times, what medications you take, what meal category, etc. It records results of your BG tests, and also your hba1c / weight / height / blood pressure / triglycerides etc. Some features need payment but i feel payment isn't necessary. There are still other apps you can find in Play store that are similar, this is just one of em, you can choose accdg to your needs.
 
@Mikeee it seems you have had some good advice by all who have posted on your thread, and this may seem like teaching a granny to suck eggs (which are low carb and good for you!) but avoid potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice as well as the more obvious carby/sugary foods.

Do you have a balls to set him straight the next time you see your Doctor......sorry perhaps just politely point out your rise in Hba1c coincided with the dropping of test strips being on prescription............
 
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