How long does it take?

FloraDora said:

Just wondering how long it takes on average to get BG levels to acceptable levels. It's been less than a month since I was diagnosed and I have made great progress but feel a bit disappointed with my meter readings over the last couple of days. First thing this morning it was 9.6 which is the highest it has been for a couple of weeks.

I know everyone is different and I started with an exceptionally high BG level - which to my mind makes it even more important that I get it down to a nice steady even reading! Three things I need to improve - drinking more water and exercising more and losing weight. The LCHF diet is not so difficult!

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If you are specifically referring to your fasting reading in the morning, then that is usually the last reading to moderate for most people.

Drinking plenty is very important, as is your diet. Exercise is almost like the icing on the cake. Losing weight often happens by default when beginning a lower carb diet. If it doesn't, then a good look at the accuracy of your carb counting and a look at the number of calories you are eating can be useful.

As you rightly say, not everyone is or will behave quite the same when it come to lowering and maintaining B/G levels at that new level. We're all different and some people will notice significant change in a matter of days, where-as with others it might take several weeks if not months.
Your on the right course of action, with a LCHF diet, exercise and drinking plenty of pure water, but don't expect changes to occur too soon, for after all your body has probably got itself accustomed to things as they once were over a period of many years. so it will may take time to reverse things, but any change no matter how small if it's in the right direction is what you are looking for.
Remember that things do go up as well as down and it's the 'AVERAGE' of all the readings that you are interested in as well as any high spikes.
Your B/G meter is the key to success and you should eat to the meter's response. Just be patient and you'll get the results you are looking for.

Hi and welcome. Fasting blood sugar levels are not as important as the post-meal 2 hour readings and of course the Hba1C. If your HBa1C doesn't come into the sub 7% range and near to 6% then further medication may be needed. Weight loss is the highest priority and the low-carb diet and Metformin should get you there. Excercise always helps. Drinking enough water applies to everyone but is not directly relevant to diabetes other than for DKA. Keep at it and you should get there.

This should help.....

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/downloads/infographics/50shades.png

Second line down HbA1c (DCCT) is the %

FloraDora said:

Where can I find my % reading on my Hba1c print out. I can see HbA1c level - 103.0 mmol/mol but no percentage?

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103 is the new measurement protocol, but the conversion is below:



You can find the converter here: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.html

As you can see, your diagnostic level indicates you were running at an average of 15.8 for the weeks before diagnosis, so you've probably come down quite a bit already. Be patient.

If you're in the UK you don't need to worry about the percentage value for your HbA1c - it's the mmol/L units we currently use. Our main UK Diabetes site has the conversion table that @AndBreathe linked for you, and it also has a table of NICE recommended glucose levels which you can use for your ultimate target levels.

But just take it steady - it's not a race, and you have to allow for your body to get used to the changes in lifestyle that you're making. Cutting out the worst starchy and sugary foods spike wise from your diet will probably show quite large changes quite quickly, but things may well slow down while you are fine tuning things.

Robbity

FloraDora said:

Where can I find my % reading on my Hba1c print out. I can see HbA1c level - 103.0 mmol/mol but no percentage?

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I can't get out of the % habit; I used those units when I was first diagnosed.

Daibell said:

I can't get out of the % habit; I used those units when I was first diagnosed.

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All the different ways of measuring the same stuff got me utterly confused and befuddled when I first joined the forum!

Robbity

June_C said:

This should help.....

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/downloads/infographics/50shades.png

Second line down HbA1c (DCCT) is the %

Click to expand...

Thanks for that

You are doing great, keep up the good work, you will get there