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[Everything Cats]

Hi I’m new to the forum and reason for delay is I didn’t know it existed. I’ve been T2 for some years (steroid induced) I’ve been managing my levels well with medication but over the last two weeks I can’t get levels lower than 17 and I’ve no idea why.
Today I’ve had
20g of porridge with cinnamon and no added sugar almond milk
A low carb wrap with chicken spinach and tomato
And a Apple
Generally this is my daily eating plan
Tonight I will have lentil and veg curry with veg.
Please can anyone advise me where I’m going wrong. I’ve become so anxious I’m testing sugar 5/6 times a day and it remains between 15-18 which I’ve not experienced before. Nothing else has changed
Thank you

 

[Resurgam]

Hello @Everything Cats welcome to the forum.
Do you know your typical carb intake?
I would not eat porridge, a wrap, an apple, or lentils as part of my everyday diet - but it seems strange that you have been doing so for some time and managing your levels
You might be sickening for something - maybe check your temperature, but if you reduce your carbs and don't see a reduction in blood glucose then consulting your GP might be a good idea, particularly if you feel unwell and have ever increasing blood glucose levels.

 

[Everything Cats]

Hello @Everything Cats welcome to the forum.
Do you know your typical carb intake?
I would not eat porridge, a wrap, an apple, or lentils as part of my everyday diet - but it seems strange that you have been doing so for some time and managing your levels
You might be sickening for something - maybe check your temperature, but if you reduce your carbs and don't see a reduction in blood glucose then consulting your GP might be a good idea, particularly if you feel unwell and have ever increasing blood glucose levels.

The porridge is a daily staple but generally I don’t eat bread/wraps or lentils. I try not to have any carbs after breakfast x

 

[Lamont D]

The porridge is a daily staple but generally I don’t eat bread/wraps or lentils. I try not to have any carbs after breakfast x

If you are T2, then from experience porridge is not very good for you.
It is very high in carbs and if you have milk with it, the spike derived from it will more than likely give you an abnormal high reading. It will Also start you on a rollercoaster ride of BG levels all day.
Find a small low carb first meal of the day.
When do you test?
Readings for a T2, should be taken pre meal and two hours after first bite.
And should be no higher than 2mmols higher than your pre meal reading.
If it is, then something in that meal is not good for you.
It is the high abnormal spikes that keeps your BG levels and hba1c levels higher than normal.
Best wishes

 

[Everything Cats]

Thank you for your reply. I wasn’t taking bloods on a regular basis until recently. I generally take it before eating and last thing at night and on occasions 2 hours after eating. My readings are causing anxiety. I’m trying to look into low carb breakfasts that are quick and easy but fill me up. Steroids make me hungry

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thank you for your reply. I wasn’t taking bloods on a regular basis until recently. I generally take it before eating and last thing at night and on occasions 2 hours after eating. My readings are causing anxiety. I’m trying to look into low carb breakfasts that are quick and easy but fill me up. Steroids make me hungry

The way you're eating now, kind of fits with the numbers you're seeing. We're always ragging on doctors claiming T2 is a progressive condition, but the truth is, it really is... Unless something fundamental changes and stops the progression in its tracks. Still, it could well be you've been stressed, not sleeping well, coming down with something, any and all of that can raise blood sugar levels, and many things more. But also, if you've been having porridge, apples etc all this time, your insulin sensitivity/resistance might've just gotten progressively worse. No idea eh, just guessing. Because it really could be anything.

Personally I'd go lower carb than you are now, and start testing in a useful manner, because what you're doing now is just stressing you out, sounds like. Test before a meal, and two hours after the first bite. You're looking for a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol/l meaning your body could cope with what you've put in there. Keep that rule of thumb going consistently, and there's a good chance your over all numbers will gradually come down. So if you start at 15 and two hours after the meal you're still high at 16,5, but you're still under the 2 mmol/l mark, it is still a win, okay? You have to start somewhere and since we don't know why your numbers are high-ish, any progress in the right direction, is good. And if it's hunger you're worried about, four eggs with bacon, high meat content sausages, maybe a grilled tomato for brekkie....? Does that sound doable? It's filling, should protect your stomach some from the steroid "hunger burn", and shouldn't upset your blood sugars. It's something to try, anyway.

Be good to yourself, and try not to stress too much... Just let it go, learn more about low carbing and experiment. Everything is a learning oppertunity, and anxiety just makes blood sugars go up.

Oh, one more thing... With this season, some people have already been getting their flu and/or covid jabs... I don't know if you've had one recently, but if you have, that might explain why your numbers are up some, and it could then be a temporary issue. Time'll have to tell though.

Good luck,
Jo

 

[Everything Cats]

The way you're eating now, kind of fits with the numbers you're seeing. We're always ragging on doctors claiming T2 is a progressive condition, but the truth is, it really is... Unless something fundamental changes and stops the progression in its tracks. Still, it could well be you've been stressed, not sleeping well, coming down with something, any and all of that can raise blood sugar levels, and many things more. But also, if you've been having porridge, apples etc all this time, your insulin sensitivity/resistance might've just gotten progressively worse. No idea eh, just guessing. Because it really could be anything.

Personally I'd go lower carb than you are now, and start testing in a useful manner, because what you're doing now is just stressing you out, sounds like. Test before a meal, and two hours after the first bite. You're looking for a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol/l meaning your body could cope with what you've put in there. Keep that rule of thumb going consistently, and there's a good chance your over all numbers will gradually come down. So if you start at 15 and two hours after the meal you're still high at 16,5, but you're still under the 2 mmol/l mark, it is still a win, okay? You have to start somewhere and since we don't know why your numbers are high-ish, any progress in the right direction, is good. And if it's hunger you're worried about, four eggs with bacon, high meat content sausages, maybe a grilled tomato for brekkie....? Does that sound doable? It's filling, should protect your stomach some from the steroid "hunger burn", and shouldn't upset your blood sugars. It's something to try, anyway.

Be good to yourself, and try not to stress too much... Just let it go, learn more about low carbing and experiment. Everything is a learning oppertunity, and anxiety just makes blood sugars go up.

Oh, one more thing... With this season, some people have already been getting their flu and/or covid jabs... I don't know if you've had one recently, but if you have, that might explain why your numbers are up some, and it could then be a temporary issue. Time'll have to tell though.

Good luck,
Jo

Thank you so much Jo. Will look and breakfast alternatives as that is generally my only carb meal x

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thank you so much Jo. Will look and breakfast alternatives as that is generally my only carb meal x

The thing with carbs in the morning: the bulk of us have a harder time processing carbs early in the day, than we do in the afternoon or evening. Not quite sure why, maybe it has something to do with Dawn Phenomenon and/or our metabolism needing to wake up. Someone here'll probably know. So personally, I tend to save my carbs for the evening, if I have them. (I might steal a fry or two from my husband for instance. Nothing massive, but just for the taste and mouth-feel. ). In any case, good luck finding whatever ends up working best for you! Might take a while sometimes, but it's worth the search effort.

 

[Daphne917]

Thank you so much Jo. Will look and breakfast alternatives as that is generally my only carb meal x

I tend to alternate between Full Fat Greek Yoghurt with berries and Flaxseed, omelette or Paelo cereal with berries, cream and milk. Probably once a week I’ll have eggs on a low carb (ish) slice of toast - usually Warburtons Danish at 8g carbs per slice. However I am lucky in that I can tolerate more carbs than many forum members so let your meter guide you