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Magic 7

H

hanadr

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I've done a lot of research recently to support my plea for test strips( appointment next Friday ) I have been convinced that the targets set by the medics are too loose. On the Blood sugar 101 website, there's an article which says that damage starts at 7.8mmol/l. that's measured using a plasma calibrated machine. Most of the meters in use in Britain are whole blood meters. the conversion factor given in the article is 1.12 7.8 /1.12= just under 7. (check me Fergus!)
therefore any reading above 7 that I get on my meter means I'm hurting myself. I personally stay below 6 and usually below 5, just to be sure.
I'm a T2 using Metformin and diet and exercise. I am 5 years past diagnosis and have kept reducing my carb intake and medication for about 18 months to get here. I'm also lighter than I was at age 40. Still overweight, but gtting there. I had to ditch the gliclazide to make weight loss possib;e at all.
I know it must be much more difficult for a T1 to keep this tight. For a T2 it's not that hard. It's a matter of getting used to it.
I'm a stubborn "old biddy" I know. I have survived a stroke and could have settled for sitting in a wheelchair for the rest of my days, but wasn't prepared to do that.
the word "I" has appeared too often in this piece, but only genuine personal experience is cited
 
Personally ,I'm also aiming to keep under the 7,both in Hba1c and daily readings.If I can get it lower I will but 7 is the most I ever want to be.
 
Hana, Sue:

I finally received definitive advice from my GP yesterday who stated I should be aiming for between 5 & 7, although that's was I what I was happy with before my session with her yesterday - although when I get lower than 5 there is a certain feeling of self satisfaction one gets.

I can recognise now when I'm feeling hyper (thank you testing!) which is around 8, although I can't do anything about it other than give my face a quick rinse with cold water to shake the tiredness away and move around a bit, I am aware of what took me there (last time was on a train from Edinburgh to Birmingham, felt a right pranny marching up and down the carriages!) and can learn from that.

The eighteen months before diagnosis were a stressful time for me I was leaving home at 5am and often getting back just before midnight, just to do the same the next day. I have mentioned in previous posts that my diet wasn't the best, but looking back I can see that I was taking comfort from being hyper and giving into the tiredness because it was the only way I could get any sleep - Saturday afternoons were terrible, I'd have some wine gums, some full fat Coke, wait for an hour and then succumb to sleep which must have been awful for my family. I still have occasional bouts of insomnia but thankfully they are few and far between. The weight loss has affected my snoring (in a beneficial way) and even Mrs. Tubs has stopped complaining (which is always a good thing).

Regards, Tubs.
 
At the moment my morning readings are in the 5's mostly so I'm happy with that.Next hba1c is January so will have to wait and see!
 
I don't know when they plan to HbA1c me next, but if it's once a year!! it will be january. last one was 6.1% which I was a bit disappointed with. Still I've tightened up since then.
 
hanadr said:
I don't know when they plan to HbA1c me next, but if it's once a year!! it will be january. last one was 6.1% which I was a bit disappointed with. Still I've tightened up since then.
Click to expand...

If you carry on the way you are you'll be in the 5% Club for certain sure.

One thing I don't understand about this influx of people preaching mediocre control, don't they feel as **** as I do with out of range BG?

Admittedly some Type 1s who don't suffer the problems with insulin resistance etc. seem to be able to run high numbers asymptomatically and probably don't have the same likelihood of damage, but like you I try never to run over 7 as that's when I start to lose energy. If I hit 8 my feet and fingers start to twinge and I get an extra nocturnal potty trip. Over 10 and I'm exhausted, and in and out of bed every couple of hours, and these symptoms take several hours to wear off even after a single spike.

At the other end I'm quite functional down to 4 and only start to fall over below 3.5. This was not always the case.
 
I am not aware of what I feel like at 8, beccause I haven't been there for a couple of years. I also virtually never drop below 4.5. I use Metformin 500s only and diet. I also exercise. Walking and water exercise. I have managed to drop Gliclazide and although I used Starlix to replace it for a while, I don't need that either now. I've got some stockpiled and cut in half for "special occasions", like my nephew's wedding, where I ate a sliver of cake and a couple of other things and kept below 5 on the Starlix. It has a short active time. I wonder if I shall ever be able to do without the Metformin. I don't mind taking it, because it's a safe medicine.
Howeer David Mendosa has been able to come off ALL medication and maintain a non-diabetic bg on diet and exercise alone. and he's slightly older than I am.
 
Hi
Read this with interest, posted by Trinkwasser

If I hit 8 my feet and fingers start to twinge and I get an extra nocturnal potty trip. Over 10 and I'm exhausted, and in and out of bed every couple of hours, and these symptoms take several hours to wear off even after a single spike.

I was diagnosed 6 weeks ago and still feeling rotten (felt absolutly NOWT before dx, except few days of urination/thirst even though bs found to be 27 on dx). Have had additional tests to rule out other autoimmune/anaemia etc and all fine so have come to conclusion that it is 'just' diabetes causing this. Its actually affecting daily routine - I can only go out during the day when I feel ok-ish as otherwise I am a space cadet!

I have been banging on to DSN that I feel the increase in my sugars/movement in my sugars are what is making me feel lightheaded/off kilter and yesterday I had to go back to bed. Felt hypo and tested though nearly 2 hours after breakfast to find was nearly 11 :o . Starting point had been 5.6 and have already been (patronisingly) told when I have said similar that my sugars are not 'swinging wildly' (excuse me DSN, I BEG to differ....) THis is especically so as I need to snack due to premix. Have tried not doing so, and end up hypo. Have cut carbs to very large degree so am stumped as how to move forward. No one seems to be able to tell me either.

I also get twinges in feet but was told effects of hyperglycaemia were prolonged, and I have still to settle. Getting fed up waitng to settle, quite frankly.

Are physical 'side effects' common on a day to day basis with hyperglycaemia with everyone? HAve asked to be taken of premix on basis that I want to be able to control pp sugars better - so far have been refused on basis of honeymoon period and TDD is too low to titrate - though I cant get my head round the science. Surely I'd be better on low b/b than low premix
 
Ask around, see if you can't get a recommendation for a doctor or Endo who actually knows something about diabetes.

As to symptoms it seems to depend especially among Type 1s, just as some have hypo unawareness so some seem to run humungously high numbers without any symptoms, I don't know if insulin resistance is a factor.

Sometimes neuropathy pains can actually get worse as control improves, as the nerves heal they start conducting signals again and pains can replace numbness. This is temporary.

It's possible that due to your **** insulin regime your numbers actually ARE swinging wildly. Not only lows but rapid BG drops can produce high levels of neuroendocrines such as epinephrine norepinephrine and cortisol, and also glucagon which will generate liver dumps, so the whole system starts "hunting" ie. oscillating instead of settling down.
 
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