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Glucose testing

S

Stevefranky

Active Member
Messages
42
Hi was diagnosed on the 7th and have just to see the diabetic nurse for the first time and was told to carry on with the healthy eating but was told they don't supply glucose testing machine straight away as it cost to much. I have ready that the best way to control your sugars is to test regularly is this normal for them to wait until I have my best blood test in September.
 

Blimey ---- an honest nurse!! Most of them come up with some rubbish excuse why we shouldn't be testing (sore fingers/won't understand the results/ stressful/ waste of time/ HbA1cs are the best guide and so forth.

It is rare for a T2 not on insulin or drugs that cause hypos to be prescribed testing equipment. Very rare. The vast majority of us self fund. Testing is by far the best way of controlling this condition and learning which foods are OK and which definitely are not.

What does she mean by healthy eating? Low fat and brown bread?
 
She was on about low carbs and low fat. She said that if my levels haven't dropped by September they will think about getting me a machine can you or anyone recommend a good one if I get my own as do t know what to look for as I think it would help to find out which foods are better for me
 
Just buy one, it's the most valuable asset to tell how you're doing and what your BG's are doing. The best investment you will make.
 
Stevefranky said:
She was on about low carbs and low fat....
Click to expand...
Low carbs will help your glucose levels but low fat as well will leave you very hungry, you have to get your energy from somewhere!
 

@bulkbiker has recommended a meter that many on here use. There are many others, but do be careful because the manufacturers make their money from the test strips, so choose carefully as they range from about £8 for 50 to about £30 for 50.

Yes, they all tend to say low fat, BUT you cannot do low fat with low carb. You will starve yourself of energy. As you lower carbs so you must increase your good fats - like a sea-saw. One up, one down until you find a suitable balance. A good start is to ditch any low fat products and eat the real thing, such as butter, full fat yogurts, cream. No artificial chemical ridden pretend ones.

A meter will help you discover which foods are suitable and which are not. Once you get one, and I urge you to buy one, we can help you use it to your best advantage. Meanwhile, have a look at dietdoctor.com for food ideas and some lovely recipes. These are the food lists

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods#foodlist
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods#foodtoavoid

and the main website
https://www.dietdoctor.com/
 
Thanks for that I will look into it
 
Good advice. I use the Tee2 as well. Bank on around 200 strips per month to begin with. Testing is not forever but you need a lot at the beginning to get going. Keep a food diary. Use an app such as mysugr to record food and readings. If you choose the Tee2, phone them up, they may well chuck in the meter for free. Don't forget to declare you are diabetic, you will be vat exempt.
 
Well, at least she got it half right, which is more than most people's nurses do... There's 3 macro nutrients. Carbs, Fats and Protein. Cut one (carbs), up another (fats). Otherwise you will be hungry all day every day, and will get malnourished as well. Have to get energy and vitamins & minerals from somewhere. Carbs make your bloodsugars go up, as almost all carbs turn to sugar once ingested. Protein can also affect bloodsugars, but not as dramatically as carbs do, so you just go moderate on those, and fats... They're a bloodglucose flatline. So fats are perfectly safe for a T2 to go for.

Bit more on nutrition here: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ and a LOT more on it here: www.dietdoctor.com . And then there's the forum's own website, it's got loads of information too.
But yeah... Get a meter. It lets you know where you're starting from, how you're doing, and is very motivational, because not only can you see what does and doesn't agree with you, it also shows you the progress you're making.

Good luck!
Jo
 
Thanks for the info jo will check out them links later
 
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