High blood sugars in the 20's

Hi @mickellwife

I wouldn't bother with the tea personally. However, I do think you should speak to,your diabetes nurse or doctor.

Could it be possible you actually have late onset Type 1/LADA?

You'd be surprised how many adults are automatically assumed to be Type 2 when they're not.

Hi Marie, Try not to panic just yet . Can you set out a bit more background- you say you've only just been started - is that on both the lantus and the metformin? Did they give you the lantus before and only just the metformin? Do you eat a low carb diet? Do you now what your Hba1C is ?

Once the system starts to go wrong, at least for me, my blood sugar got a tiny bit sweeter every day until I was diagnosed - once I changed my diet it promptly reversed and has been getting a tiny bit better instead until cumulatively I am now doing ok You might find the same thing with you. Have a read round and let us know a few more details and I am sure other people will be able to chip in and you won't feel quite so alone or scared. You came to the right place1

As a type 2 you could see improvement eating low carb - though I found that it was more difficult to return to this time - had a day or so of false hypos as my blood glucose dropped.
Now I am seeing very little variation in my blood sugars, even though I have added in a few more carbs to keep my weightloss steady. I test before and two hours after eating, usually in the evenings.

Hi. I would suspect you may be Late onset T1 (LADA) and not T2; mis-diagnosis is common. This is even more likely if you are not overweight or have lost weight recently. There are two tests for this i.e. GAD and c-peptide. Ask your GP to add a rapid Bolus insulin as well as your Basal and to give you guidance on carb-counting. If you are not already having low-carbs then do keep them under control.

mickellwife said:

My HBA1C was awful at 135. I've just started the Lantus and the Metformin about a week ago. My sugars are normally in the 20's but i've just had my lowest for ages at 16 so it seems to be going in the right direction

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You still haven't told us what type of diet you are following ? cutting out the carbs seems to make the most difference for most of us? I went from a daily reading of 17 to around 8 within ten days of a strict low carb diet no drugs .

Hopefully, if you control your intake of carbs your blood glucose levels will continue to fall - but as you are taking insulin you need to check your glucose levels regularly as eating low carb is very effective - I am down over 10mmol/l from my diagnostic test, eating low carb puts me in control of blood glucose and weight loss. The longer I stick to low carb the lower my numbers go, so if you can just trust that there is something you can do that will make all the difference for you - bring your stress levels down as that can elevate blood glucose, roast a large chicken - there is nothing like viewing the world through a haze of steam rising from a large chicken to put things in perspective - add in a large salad, coleslaw perhaps - then later on simmer a leg with some low carb veges for a tasty casserole - it is quite difficult to feel anxious after such a lunch and dinner.

mickellwife said:

I'm on Lantus which has just been upped to 14

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Since you are already on Lantus (long acting insulin), you should not add any additional herbs/tea/medication that would further lower your blood glucose level. That would only complicate the situation.

In this situation I would rather stay with the prescribed dosage of medication and work on the diet, gradually reducing carbs (potato/pasta/bread etc) to a level that improves your meal glucose reading.

mickellwife said:

The last few days, I've managed to reduce my sugars from mid 20's to 14-16's. I'm so pleased. I've even had a couple of 9's which I was shocked about. It tried telling me my sugar was 2.2 this morning so I did again as I knew it was wrong x

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Looks like you are on the right path. But do be watchful of the lows as your carbs intake reduces.

Those numbers are reassuring, you can take control.
After two months of low carbing I got a 5.6 a couple of days ago - so delighted - but remember - test your blood and read the backs of the packets. Those traffic light on the front of packs are totally useless.
Constant vigilance!!

It's good to see improved numbers. I was diagnosed the week before Christmas, and was told my BG level was 20. I started testing and was getting 16s. Today I was 5.1 just before I left work, getting to the stage where I'm worrying about going too low rather than too high. Not had anything above 8.7 in a few days either. Two Metformin 500s plus 40mg Gliclazide per day, plus LCHF eating. Hopefully will drop the Gliclazide after next weeks GP appointment. My message: keep going, you will get there.