It has been a while

[If_only]

Its been a while since I last posted.
Generally I can keep my BS between 36 and 42 without meds but its still causing eye issues. My ophthalmology dept blame my BS levels and what I eat. But I have been carb and sugar free for 18 months. I swear there are days I almost go insane with the "monk" like approach to food. I haven't had a sandwich, rice, pasta, cakes, biscuits etc since I started this. The only carb other than some trace amounts in food I do eat is about 150g in oatcakes spread across the day, some nuts and seeds now and then. I have only drunk water and the occasional tea. I feed off protein and veggies. Nothing cooked in sauces unless I make my own and believe me it is such a mental battle sometimes, but I continue to push through. I did have an amazing DN at my GP but she left and since then I don't really have any proper guidance I can go to, other than make an appt with a GP who is so busy and just wants to move through their list of patients for that day. My question is that I hate needles. I hate the idea of finger pricking and how it messes up your fingers. But I want to know what is happening when I sleep as I think that is where I am not controlling things. Are there any alternatives to finger pricking to get a short term picture? I was thinking of continuous monitoring for a month but they are sooooo expensive and I was hoping the non invasive tech would be around by now (glucosewise or glucosetrack).
Any suggestions?

 

[Antje77]

I was thinking of continuous monitoring for a month but they are sooooo expensive and I was hoping the non invasive tech would be around by now (glucosewise or glucosetrack).
Any suggestions?

If you're in the UK, Abbott does a 2 week Freestyle Libre free trial:

free-trial

I would still do the occasional fingerprick if you try the Libre, the numbers aren't as exact as a fingerprick, for some people they always read lower or higher and of course you can have the bad luck of a dodgy sensor.
Still, it's a great device to spot trends!

 

[Resurgam]

If that is 150gm of oatcakes - which would be around 80 gm of carb - that is twice what I eat in a day.
I am very sensitive to carbs, so keep to small amounts of carbs in order to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
Adding in any other carbs you might eat, from vegetables for instance, could mean that you are far from zero carbs.
I eat meat, fish and seafood, eggs, cheese and full fat dairy, and add stir-fry, low carb vegetables. mixed berries, a few nuts once in a while. I drink coffee with cream once or twice a day several times a week.
An ordinary type 2 would usually see that lowering intake of carbs would mean lower BG levels, certainly not as high as you are getting - so I am somewhat uneasy about your diagnosis. Have you been checked for other types of diabetes, and are you losing weight?

 

[Antje77]

lowering intake of carbs would mean lower BG levels, certainly not as high as you are getting

Generally I can keep my BS between 36 and 42

I think the quoted BS refers to hba1c numbers, not daily blood glucose levels, please correct me if I'm wrong, @If_only .
For one, home meters don't go that high, and secondly, blood glucose that high is reason for acute hospitalisation.

But if those are hba1c results it means you're below pre-diabetic levels.

 

[mouseee]

If you change fingers each time you test and use the side of your fingers you will be ok particularly if you are testing short term.
I go through phases of testing 4 or 5 times a day for a few weeks and my fingers have survived.

 

[Antje77]

I go through phases of testing 4 or 5 times a day for a few weeks and my fingers have survived.

Same with testing at least 11 times a day for months.