• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Type 2 First ever testing levels

kimbo1962

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,293
Location
skegness
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi folks! Got my codefree meter today from amazon- i did a test before eating this morning and got "low" as the result- i guess due to having not eaten for over 11 hours?? 2 hours after eating it was 8.7?? Im doing lchf had bacon scrambled egg and only a small portion of baked beans, was on metformin 500mg twice a day but nurse practictioner told me to stop them friday till i see him monday due to bad side effects of tummy problems!! Guess i need to get a few readings to see what is going on with me?

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Congrats on getting your meter ! Finger tips beware,,,lol !
As far as your post meal reading, from experience, I know that beans raises my BG ,,,try leaving them out of tomorrow's breakfast and see what your 2 hr reading is. Also, check to see what your 3 hr reading is , if it's still possible, after the beans today.
I had to go off my Metformin because of bad side effects and I can tell you, it really taught me to tightly control my BG by testing most of my foods, and if you can do it without medication,,,,all the better,,, I think all doctors should be striving for this with their patients ! :)
 
I've got the Codefree, but never seen a 'low'. Perhaps the blood drop was too small? Did the blood suck up the little line properly?

If you get a weird one, I should test again, just to double check the weirdness. :)

I tend to get highish readings after baked beans, but it always depends on the amount of sugar they have stuffed into the sauce. Some people buy the expensive sugar free ones, others drain the sauce off. I tend t avoid them, because...well... the repercussions... (trying to be delicate here).

Glad you are getting to grips with it.

What are your plans? I am tempted to suggest that you try eating 'normally' while testing everything, for a week or so. It is stunningly educational!

But if you've already started LCHF, then derailing that would be a backward step.

Have fun.
 
I was avoiding the beans due to the high-ish carbs but just fancied them today, it was more brunch as i hadnt had breakfast and was leaving for work at 2pm so ate at midday! Have cheese, ham and cuecumber for later at work, with sugar free jelly and cream for desert !!

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
You will find that changing your meal times etc will throw off your BG readings as well ,,, don't get alarmed,,,after all, we can't live like robots ! :) Sounds like a good lunch !
 
Ok....four hours after eating and i just got 7.7 so its obviously down, my diagnosis reading was 7.6 , 9 days ago- been doing lchf for 6 days now

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I have a Codefree meter too, and although I have never seen a reading that reads as "Low", I do get an extra part on my display every time I have a reading under 4.0 (which happens plenty for me), and an alarm beeps. But, I always have a score, display boldly in the middle of the screen.

The high/low alarms are self-set, so maybe something to consider in the setup mode. I can't recall what the default value is for that. I must change mine, as I'm quite comfortable well into the 3s, and all that beeping is just a pest.
 
And, don't forget to apply the discount code when you top up on strips.......
 
Well......obviously early days and I need several days readings to get a picture but just got 7.3 - I was expecting lower as I last ate at 6pm last night!! I had a couple of vodka and diet coke as I was out for the evening straight from work at 7pm. I'm glad I can test, important we can see for ourselves but after eating low carb 6 days I guess I wanted to see lower??
 
I've been low carbing for years, but my morning fasting readings are never below the mid 5s, and are sometimes in the 8s (usually in the middle of that range).

It annoys me too, but my hormones are f**ked, and my dawn phenomenon is a pain. So there are more factors than just diet...

I cultivate the mindset of imagine how much worse it would be if you didn't low carb!
And suddenly I really like my morning readings... :happy:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well......obviously early days and I need several days readings to get a picture but just got 7.3 - I was expecting lower as I last ate at 6pm last night!! I had a couple of vodka and diet coke as I was out for the evening straight from work at 7pm. I'm glad I can test, important we can see for ourselves but after eating low carb 6 days I guess I wanted to see lower??

You hit the nail on the head Kimbo. You do need more readings before you can draw too many conclusions.

For some people, fasting from 6pm until the morning is too long, but I'm fine with that. For me, my fasting level was the last to drop into line with my other readings, over a few weeks, when I reduced my carbs.

Don't set your expectations too high, to begin with. I suggest you set yourself mini targets, shaving a bit off your readings, then reset the target when you achieve the initial goal. Ideally, you do want to be lower than you are now, but give yourself a credible time frame to get there.
 
You hit the nail on the head Kimbo. You do need more readings before you can draw too many conclusions.

For some people, fasting from 6pm until the morning is too long, but I'm fine with that. For me, my fasting level was the last to drop into line with my other readings, over a few weeks, when I reduced my carbs.

Don't set your expectations too high, to begin with. I suggest you set yourself mini targets, shaving a bit off your readings, then reset the target when you achieve the initial goal. Ideally, you do want to be lower than you are now, but give yourself a credible time frame to get there.
Thank you , I guess I am being a little harsh on my expectations! At least with now having my meter I know what's going on rather than just doing lchf and being oblivious!! I just had a Cauvery meal out, had meat, cabbage, cauli, broccoli and just one small new potato.........reading after 2 1/2 hours 9.2, I guess that's not too bad?
 
Back
Top