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lacasa

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed with type 2 five years ago and have managed to keep good control by diet...until now! Two months ago my HbA1c went from 52 mmol/mol to 93mmol/mol and my doctor started me on Metformin. I was told because I was taking Metformin I did not need to test my blood, how can I keep check without testing? I am a pensioner aged 70 and can not really afford to buy a monitor and the ongoing costs of test equipment, any suggestions please?
 
What sort of diet are you following? What is your weight like? Your GP is barmy to say you don't need to test because you are on Metformin. It is essential to have a meter; it's not an option. The SD Codefree is very low cost and so are the test strips
 
Thank you for your reply. I am trying to follow a low carb diet, my weight is stable but higher than I would like. I do realise that my doctor is wrong in saying I don't need a meter. I shall look into the meter you recommend. I have only just started on my low carb eating but I am finding it a bit confusing.
 
Iacasa, can you make an appointment with your diabetic nurse? Mine are pretty good at explaining how best to eat?

Plus you do need a monitor.
 
Thank you for your reply RazzleDazzleDavey. My diabetic nurse and my doctor both say I should continue eating a "balanced diet" including bread, pasta and potatoes, avoiding butter, but eating low fat spread.
 
lacasa said:
Thank you for your reply RazzleDazzleDavey. My diabetic nurse and my doctor both say I should continue eating a "balanced diet" including bread, pasta and potatoes, avoiding butter, but eating low fat spread.
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Although I appreciate it's sometimes difficult to challenge them, you need to query that advice again with your GP and Diabetic Nurse, given the simple fact that your HbA1c has risen sharply in spite of your 'balanced' diet and they need to reappraise what can be done to redress the problem, other than just putting you on Metformin (which is all my former GP originally did with me, BTW).

As you'll notice if you read the various threads on this site, quite a few people on here (me included) have achieved/regained better control of our BG by significantly reducing, or even cutting out completely, food that is high in carbohydrates (e.g. bread, potatoes, rice, pasta etc. and generally sugary food and fruit), in favour of increasing our intake of low-carb vegetables, with meat and fish and some fatty foods (such as cheese) making up the remainder of our diet. If excess weight is a concern, we'll reduce our fat intake, but otherwise we'll not avoid fat in our daily diet.

We're all different, however, and some foods will cause different responses in BG, from person-to-person. A meter will not only help you see which foods do that but it will help you track progress and make adjustments to your diet, day-to-day. It' also invaluable as a morale booster, when you are able to see you're making progress - provided you're not too downhearted when your readings sometimes unaccountably go the other way .....

Best of luck with it all.
 
Thank you 2131tom. I have only recently found this site and I have been reading many of the threads and learning so much. It is all a lot to take in but I will get there...eventually! I have challenged my GP but she insists a meter is not necessary. I am now looking to see which meter will be suitable for my pocket, which is reliable etc., then I shall purchase one.
 
Hi lacasa

This is a link to a good low carb diet site http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf. It is not fancy or faddy, just honest food that will help to keep your levels down. My doctor also refused me a meter. As mentioned above, the SD Codefree seems to be the most affordable.
 
Thank you Avocado Sevenfold. You would think that doctors would save more money by helping us to help ourselves and stopping further expenditure when we become ill because of bad control. Another very useful site.
 
Yes, it does seem very short sighted to refuse testing kits. I can understand that they have budgets etc, but it seems just dangerous to discourage a person from testing even when she want to fund it herself. Be a rebel lacasa...test, test, test :)
 
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