After two years of nurse putting me on metformin 2,00 mcg a day and my doctor taking me off and saying I am not diabetic I gave up and have had no medication for over a year. Many month ago my blood sugar av was around 7.5 so following the doctors advice I stopped doing any testing. Today however I have been for cataract surgery and they took a reading of 9.4 which the nurse said was rather high.I have just tested again after waking up(always tired lately) and it is now 9.6. My question is do I need to book in to see the nurse oror the doctor or just keep testin myself to see how it goes.Any advice much appreciated.
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Do I need to bother anyone with this.
- Thread starter jaspajax
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mazza 2
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- Type of diabetes
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Hi Jaspajax, I would definitely make an appointment to see your doctor. Those numbers are higher than they should be if you are not diabetic. Can I ask why the doctor said you were not diabetic but the nurse obviously was treating you for diabetes. I am still relatively new to this condition so other members will be able to advise you better than myself, but if it were me, I would carry on testing my blood sugars and the advice is usually test on waking, before a meal and 2 hours after, not sure what your diet is like but the recommendation is to lower your carb intake. Anyway, hope you get it sorted and I'm sure others will be along soon to give you advice. Take care.
M
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Hi there. You most certainly need to go and see a doctor. Preferably a different one 
JoKalsbeek
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Strange goings on... Get a HbA1c test done. You're not "bothering" anyone, and you need to know where you stand!
Thank you for your reply The doctor said I am only slightly diabetic whatever that means and to just watch what I eat, no chocolate or sweets etc, where as the nurse says I have been prediabetic for years and after blood test a couple of years ago confirmed that I was definitely diabetic now. I didn't know you could be slightly diabetic. I will carry on checking my blood sugar over weekend and then choose nurse or doctor not sure which.
You are probably right I really dont feel well.thanks for replying.Hi there. You most certainly need to go and see a doctor. Preferably a different one
Your best bet would be to check yourself in for an HbA1c test. This will show an average level of your blood sugar over the past 8-12 weeks and is used as a diagnostic indicator by UK GP's and nurses. At least then you'd have a proper diagnosis and could take action on the back of that.
Is a HbA1c a blood test of some sort. I will ask for one
mazza 2
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- Type 2
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Yes, an HbA1C test is when a sample of blood is taken from your arm and sent off for checking. You don't need to fast for it. Maybe you could ask your nurse what your previous A1c result was so that you have a point of reference. Your'll get there.
JoKalsbeek
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Mazza 2 has already adequately answered, but yes... A simple bloodtest with the average of 3 months' bloodsugars.
HSSS
Expert
From what you’ve said so far I’d be going to your nurse. “Slightly “ diabetic is still diabetic and the time to do something about it before it becomes “very” diabetic.
Take a look at @daisy1 post for some basic info to get you started. Many if not most type 2’s in here do some form of low carb eating. @JoKalsbeek gives a great explanation of what that’s about if I can be so presumptuous as to tag her for it.
Definitely find out the actual numbers for previous tests and just what it was (fasting or hb1ac) and get up to date ones. Ignore being told not to test, fundamentally its financially driven rather than anything else. Would you cross the road with your eyes closed? A few people will be caused stress by it but the majority will be able to see exactly what their current diet does to them and use that to make better choices. Information is power and how else do you make decisions about what to do next? And those decisions are yours with advice and guidance by medics.
Take a look at @daisy1 post for some basic info to get you started. Many if not most type 2’s in here do some form of low carb eating. @JoKalsbeek gives a great explanation of what that’s about if I can be so presumptuous as to tag her for it.
Definitely find out the actual numbers for previous tests and just what it was (fasting or hb1ac) and get up to date ones. Ignore being told not to test, fundamentally its financially driven rather than anything else. Would you cross the road with your eyes closed? A few people will be caused stress by it but the majority will be able to see exactly what their current diet does to them and use that to make better choices. Information is power and how else do you make decisions about what to do next? And those decisions are yours with advice and guidance by medics.
JoKalsbeek
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- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
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Not presumptious at all, but usually on Friday evening I'm kindof off the computer until Monday.
I'll try to be quick though, before my husband misses me. Most important thing for @jaspajax to know: practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested. So... If your testresults come back and you are a T2: Lower your intake. It really is that simple, but I'll not leave you hanging with just that. There's 3 macro-nutrients: Fats, protein and carbs. Carbs spike us something awful, as T2's. Protein can raise our bloodsugars a little, but fats.... Not at all. Plus, whatever carbs you do ingest, fats mitigate the effect they have. So yay, fats. Those three macro-nutrients get you the micro-nutrients you need: vitamins and minerals... So if you cut one macro, you up another, so you don't become deficient and malnourished. And the best choice to dial up, for T2's, is without question, fats.
So, the things you want to get rid of... Bread, or anything made with flour/oats/grains, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals (including but not limited to weetabix, muesli, shredded oats, whatever), and most fruits. Things that won't spike your bloodsugars are meat, fish, poultry, cheeses, heavy cream, full fat greek yoghurt, eggs, butter, above ground veggies/ leafy greens (no beans, too starchy!), avocado, berries, starfruit, tomatoes, nuts, olives, extra dark chocolate (85% and up), that sort of thing... I've replaced my pasta, rice and spuds with cauliflower rice and brccoli rice, and they do perfectly well. Bulk them up some with cheese and bacon. Yum!
So you could eat, without issue:
Scrambled eggs with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, tomato, maybe some high meat content sausages?
Eggs with ham, bacon and cheese
Omelet with spinach and/or smoked salmon
Omelet with cream, cinnamon, with some berries and coconut shavings
Full fat Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries
Leafy green salad with a can of tuna (oil, not brine!), mayonaise, capers, olives and avocado
Leafy green salad with (warmed goat's) cheese and bacon, maybe a nice vinaigrette?
Meat, fish or poultry with veggies. I usually go for cauliflower rice or broccoli rice, with cheese and bacon to bulk it up. Never the same meal twice in a row because of various herbs/spices.
Snacks? Pork scratchings, cheese, olives, extra dark chocolate, nuts.
Don't take my word for it, but get yourself a glucose meter. Check before a meal and 2 hours after first bite. If you go up more than 2.0 mmol/l, the meal was carbier than your body could process out again. (You're making plenty of insulin, but you've become insensitive to it, so... If insulin isn't helping your body burn the glucose for fuel, it just float around doing damage instead. And nobody wants that to happen.).
All of this, of course, if your testresults come back and a T2 result is definitive. In the meantime, you might want to read Dr. Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code. Besides giving excellent advice, you'll also know what to ask your GP about and you'll understand the answers you'll get. And for low carb recipies check this forum's website or dietdoctor.com, both excellent resources.
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but one of these days i'm going to have to write an infosheet much like Daisy1's, haha.
(Granted, I'm already copy-pasting the meal suggestions a few times a day, because I'm sure I'll forget something or other if I don't!)Seriously though, @jaspajax ; whatever the testresults will be, you'll be okay. We've got your back. And hey, on low carb I dropped 50 pounds I really needed to loose, got my diabetes into remission, my fatty liver is doing a lot better, and even my cholesterol went down, in spite of having two (!) helpings of bacon a day. So whatever these testresults throw at you... You'll be fine.
...And now I'm off to watch me some Death in Paradise!
Have a good weekend!Jo
daisy1
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@jaspajax
Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find this interesting and helpful.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
Hello and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find this interesting and helpful.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
Pinkorchid
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Yes do see a doctor and get a proper blood test done to find out exactly where you are with diabetes and what type if you are before you think of changing anything . Sorting it out is more important than diet at this stage especially as you are feeling so unwell
