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Do I have diabetes or not?

@rosserk

The HbA1c blood test is a measurement of the amount of glucose that is sticking to your blood cells over a three month period. That is the reason why the HbA1c test is considered a good means to diagnose diabetes.

The glucose monitor only gives you a snapshot in time but does show how your system is handling your food intake.

My friend was worried about how she felt at certain times. I gave her a monitor so that she could test after meals and when she felt odd or not quite right. The conclusion she has arrived at shows that she handles food efficiently but does have times when she hits the low 3s when she has had a long interval between meals.
 
rosserk said:
Ok I gave the Special K a miss this morning in favour of whole meal toast. Before anyone starts shouting that's just as bad, I know. I am trying to establish which foods effect me and how badly to gather my evidence for the doctors on Thursday.

Before breakfast my BS were

5.2
2 hours later they were
7.7

After some mild cleaning dishes, making bed etc, which left me feeling like I had just run a marathon my BS were

5.7 three hours after eating which I assume is fine?

I am full of cold and have a sinus infection that isn't responding to antibiotics so I may be tired from that and that could be what's spiking my temperature.

I also wake up every morning with a mild headache which has been going on for months! Not sure if that's significant
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Those readings are quite good - any rise of less than 2 after 2 hours is good and yours is 2.5 so not too bad.
 
Daphne917 said:
Those readings are quite good - any rise of less than 2 after 2 hours is good and yours is 2.5 so not too bad.
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My reading was 5.9 before dinner this evening and - I had a reading of 11.0 one after dinner 13.0, 2 hours after dinner. So that would wipe out anything good about this mornings readings. I have one more day to go before my appointment and I would like to bring them right down if I can. How many carbs do I need to stay below to see if I can keep them low tomorrow?
 
I understand that you are seeing your GP on Thursday for confirmation of your diagnosis the other day. If I were at your stage, I would eat normally without skipping meals. I would also keep a log of what you have eaten and the monitor results including the results you have told us about.

Good luck with your appointment. Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes,
 
Ambersilva said:
I understand that you are seeing your GP on Thursday for confirmation of your diagnosis the other day. If I were at your stage, I would eat normally without skipping meals. I would also keep a log of what you have eaten and the monitor results including the results you have told us about.

Good luck with your appointment. Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes,
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I have been eating normally now I want to see if I can control them through diet restrictions alone. Not sure what the recommended carb intake is for a type two diabetic?
 
rosserk said:
My reading was 5.9 before dinner this evening and - I had a reading of 11.0 one after dinner 13.0, 2 hours after dinner. So that would wipe out anything good about this mornings readings. I have one more day to go before my appointment and I would like to bring them right down if I can. How many carbs do I need to stay below to see if I can keep them low tomorrow?
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What did you have for dinner @rosserk ?
 
Mike D said:
What did you have for dinner @rosserk ?
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Way too many carbs for someone with diabetes by the readings. Looks like my normal diet is definitely going to be out of the window! I just need someone to give me advice on how many carbs I need to stay under. I haven't had the benefit of seeing a nutritionist or a DN.

I thought if I had scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow and boiled fish and veg for lunch and chicken salad for dinner. Would that be sensible?
 
rosserk said:
I just need someone to give me advice on how many carbs I need to stay under. I haven't had the benefit of seeing a nutritionist or a DN.
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Unfortunately, there simply isn't a "one size fits all" figure for carbs that will suit everyone - it depends on how resistant to insulin you are, how much insulin your pancreas is still producing and a whole host of other factors. Some people can easily manage 100g or more a day without any adverse effect and some (like myself) have to restrict things much more severely (I stay around 20g a day).
The best answer is eat to your meter: If you have something and it spikes you then don't have it again! After a while you'll get a feel for what you can and can't eat
 
rosserk said:
Way too many carbs for someone with diabetes by the readings. Looks like my normal diet is definitely going to be out of the window! I just need someone to give me advice on how many carbs I need to stay under. I haven't had the benefit of seeing a nutritionist or a DN.

I thought if I had scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow and boiled fish and veg for lunch and chicken salad for dinner. Would that be sensible?
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Those choices for tomorrow all sound good but again, it'll be down to testing. I'd still like to know what was in that dinner
 
phil1966 said:
Unfortunately, there simply isn't a "one size fits all" figure for carbs that will suit everyone - it depends on how resistant to insulin you are, how much insulin your pancreas is still producing and a whole host of other factors. Some people can easily manage 100g or more a day without any adverse effect and some (like myself) have to restrict things much more severely (I stay around 20g a day).
The best answer is eat to your meter: If you have something and it spikes you then don't have it again! After a while you'll get a feel for what you can and can't eat
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Thank you, sorry to sound stupid, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing! I am so angry that the diabetic nurse refused to see me and advise me and that she over ruled the doctor without seeing me is reprehensible. IF it transpires that I am diabetic and she put me at any risk I am going to be even more angry than I am now. I feel totally isolated and completely confused. I am really grateful you've taken the time to respond to me thank you!
 
Mike D said:
Those choices for tomorrow all sound good but again, it'll be down to testing. I'd still like to know what was in that dinner
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I had Uncle Bens vegetable rice and pork ribs. Which I won't be eating again. Before you admonish me, I won't be eating it again. Dont forget it's not a bad meal for someone not suffering diabetes. I also have absolutely no idea what I am doing!
 
You'll be fine ... just stick by us as we advise you. The rice will have spiked you but I guess you know that.

.... and no, I will not admonish you as you're new to all this. We all learn. There is still that disconnect between your HB1AC and those blood sugars .....

Mike
 
rosserk said:
Thank you, sorry to sound stupid, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing! I am so angry that the diabetic nurse refused to see me and advise me and that she over ruled the doctor without seeing me is reprehensible. IF it transpires that I am diabetic and she put me at any risk I am going to be even more angry than I am now. I feel totally isolated and completely confused. I am really grateful you've taken the time to respond to me thank you!
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We've all been there - it's only 4 months ago that I was lost and confused, but the best thing to do is take control as soon as possible. I started by keeping a food diary on my phone using MyFitnessPal, and a log of my blood sugars using MySugr. I logged absolutely everything that passed my lips into MFP and it gives you a breakdown of all the macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) that you've eaten.

I used that information along with my blood sugar readings to determine what food was bad for me and started avoiding it. In my case it was bread, rice, pasta and potatoes so I no longer eat them, and fill up instead on green vegetables

I fully understand how you are feeling, and it's a very daunting prospect but if you take control now you will hopefully keep your blood sugar at normal levels, which should help avoid or delay the complications of diabetes.

Good luck and remember that you're never alone on here :)
 
rosserk said:
Way too many carbs for someone with diabetes by the readings. Looks like my normal diet is definitely going to be out of the window! I just need someone to give me advice on how many carbs I need to stay under. I haven't had the benefit of seeing a nutritionist or a DN.

I thought if I had scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow and boiled fish and veg for lunch and chicken salad for dinner. Would that be sensible?
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Everyone is brilliant here rosserk and you'll get all the help you need.
:)
 
Hello again ..... if you read back over the pages, many have questioned the high BS readings and one member stating outright that she believes you are diabetic.

I won't be drawn into that given your HB1AC readings against your recent readings that prompted my "disconnect" comment. But clearly it's something I do not comprehend. There is (from my experience) a correlation between the two. In your instance, that doesn't appear to be the case .... why, I do not know.

But I can say this ...... another HB1AC is something I'd get done so you know what's going on.
 
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If you have a recurrent, resistant sinus infection, that could also be affecting your BG levels.

As mentioned previously, please ask for a fructosamine test instead of the HbA1c as there are many things that can affect the accuracy of the A1c test.
 
rosserk said:
I had Uncle Bens vegetable rice and pork ribs. Which I won't be eating again. Before you admonish me, I won't be eating it again. Dont forget it's not a bad meal for someone not suffering diabetes. I also have absolutely no idea what I am doing!
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Rosserk - we've all been there and, in my case anyway, I still have the occasional blip when I think that something with 20g carbs will have the same, or better, affect than something with 28g carbs and in fact it's worse!!! Don't beat yourself up about it keep testing and you will soon find what foods you can eat or need to avoid and remember that we are all individuals and you may be able to eat something that another cannot and vice versa.
 
Hi to all those who have been helping me.

I have been very good at avoiding those carbs today.

Dinner

Chicken Breast
100g Puy Lentils
Mixed lettuce leaves
cherry tomatoes
spring Onions
Reduced fat mayonnaise with pepper

5.3 before dinner
6.9 1 hour
6.7 2 hour 40

I assume all of the above are ok? Can someone tell me if the goal is for the sugars to return to what they were before you ate and if so how long does it take? The meal I ate was very low in carbs.. Does the above mean it is possible for me to control my blood sugars and not go in medication? Not sure I could survive on so few calories though, really not sure how it works?
 
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