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Help with meter readings please.

E

Elizabeth-W

Member
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24
Hi, I am new to the forum and newly diagnosed with T2 diabetes.

I bought my own BG meter as I wanted to know how foods affect my glucose levels. I would love some help in understanding my readings.

Before breakfast my reading is 6.1 every morning. 2 hours after breakfast its 9.1 (breakfast is either 2 slices wholemeal bread with olive oil spread or 30g cheerios with skimmed milk.)

Reading before lunch is 7.5. 2 hours after a cup-a-soup and 4 dark ryvitas with olive oil spread its 8.5.

Reading before dinner is 6.8. 2 hours after chicken, carrots and broccoli (and 500g Metformin) its 8.4. I test before bed and its down to 6.5.

My fasting blood test was 7.7 and after eating was 11.9. My H1bac was 7.7.

Are these levels ok or are they too high. I know I might have to give bread up but I don't know what to replace it with. I like eggs so I could eat eggs for breakfast but would be starving if I ate just a yogurt :)
 
Hi.
The recommended NICE 2011 guideline levels which I think my pal Sue gave you a little while back are as follows:

Fasting (waking and pre-meal).........between 4 - 7 mmol/l. Try to avoid anything below 4.

2 hrs after meals.........no more than 8.5 mmol/l. Try to get this level lower, it helps avoid any complications.

Blood glucose levels will fluctuate minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. Many things will have an effect including, food, drink, stress, exercise, activity, illness etc.......

You are doing well in a short time, reduce some of the carbs you are eating and levels should drop lower after meals.
 
I think the bread and cereal are going to have to go. I am struggling to think of what to eat for breakfast that will fill me up. I want to eat properly even though I really want to grab a big box of chocolates!
 
Elizabeth-W said:
I think the bread and cereal are going to have to go. I am struggling to think of what to eat for breakfast that will fill me up. I want to eat properly even though I really want to grab a big box of chocolates!
Click to expand...

I like the idea of Choccies for breakfast........ :lol: Try reducing if you are not happy with cutting things out, me, I like bacon and egg, mushrooms etc for breakfast, sometimes cold cuts and very smalll slice of bread. Doesn't have too much of an affect on me..... You might be lucky. Try it and see, but test, test test ! Only way to find out at this stage, later you can reduce the testing. :)

Only you will know what you like and what fills you up for the day...... I don't snack at all just 2 main meals and a small kunch. I am never hungry doing this. Reduced carbs/low fat/low salt
 
Hi Elizabeth - you are doing well in a short space of time :D - as to the bread - I can't tolerate any bread - even half a slice of wholemeal affects me - BUT I can tolerate 2 whole slices of Burgen bread! - it helps me enormously that I can have this because I was and still am a big bread fiend - burgen is the only bread eaten in our house now - the whole family love it.

Give it a try and test afterwards to see if its ok for you - not everyone can tolerate it but from everything I have read and personal experience it one of the best to try.

You could also try nimble - some say that they are ok with it - but I personally feel its like eating cotton wool and would rather go without.

Cereal - Lizzis granola is quite good - it can be expensive at about £3.99 but as I only have about 10g with yogourt and berries it goes a long way (if I can stop the rest of my clan putting it on their icecream! :evil: ) - you can get in Tescos in some areas and health food shops often stock it.

Ken's advice to test test test is the best advice for anyone - I tested a lot to begin with but now only test when I introduce something new or feel "not right" - I do still test my before bed and fasting quite often, but as I have to buy my own strips I make every test count!
 
Thanks for the advice. I will try the granola and see how I get on. And the Bergen bread. I love the idea of having bacon, egg and mushrooms. That will fill me up! And I promise I won't have chocolate for breakfast :lol:

Is it ok to have one or two chocolates if I get too sad about missing them? Or should I just accept that I have to cut them out completely?
 
Go for the highest percentage of chocolate you can tolerate ! :D I like the 85% dark chocolate and two squares is generally enough.

Check the carb value on the box or bar, a little need not be too many carbs ! Eat after a meal so it does not have such a big effect as well.....Enjoy ! :D
 
Try this for a healthy breakfast that resembles cereal in taste. Get some ground flaxseed, sesame seeds (I prefer the toasted ones), pumpkin seeds and crush a bar of Happy Valley granola bar putting all this in a bowl. Add a heaped teaspoon full of cinnamon and finally some cold full fat milk. Give it a good mix and hey presto! Super healthy cold porridge.
 
If you like cerals then try Sensat Granola at 17g/42g but 15g is dietary fiber so it can be discounted therefore leaving 2g or 5g/110g compared with normal cerals of 69g/100g if not more. For bread I use Atkins at only 2.5g/slice compared to 14g/slice normal bread. My fasting levle is usually around 4.4 and after Toast/ham/cheese or bacon eggs and a fried slice or two boiled eggs and toast (all with Atkins bread) I rise to around 5.4. My latest H1bAC was 5.4 I have been diabetic Type 2 for over 14 years. I also enjoy super muffins and these have a very minimal impact on blood sugar levels (made with almond floor)
 
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