Need help - feeling pathetic

[Craigmartin]

Thank you I easily had that much, I suspect I just need a bit more for the meter I have. Thanks so much for posting though and especially for the image.

I had similar experience first time I used my meter.Wasted few strips before I got the hang of it. I use setting 4 on lancet device and either middle or forefinger of either hand. Best tip is be very gentle on touching the blood onto strip and it does sort of suck it up.Ocassionally it will only go halfway and show an error as you get odd faulty strip.Its one of those things that seems tricky at first but by 3rd or 4th successful go it becomes routine.

 

[Flora123]

Thank you I easily had that much, I suspect I just need a bit more for the meter I have. Thanks so much for posting though and especially for the image.

The contour next only needs a tiny amount but a bit more than in the picture. Wash your hands in hot water as mentioned before. It really helps. You need to go further to the side if your fingertip. I don’t get much blood from my middle fingers. Try your little finger or ring finger on both hands and rotate which you use and which side you use. I use setting 3 on the Contour Next and have very soft fingers so perhaps try setting 4. It’s a really good meter. Good luck.

 

[Resurgam]

Oh these GPs do like their little joke - porridge for breakfast - I had decades of the same advice - I burnt the diet sheets starting a barbecue the day after diagnosis.
Eating low carb should make a big difference to your levels.

 

[MrsA2]

I struggled with testing too at first. Wasted loads of strips but it's worth persevering. I find I need a nice rounded drop. Sometimes I can see it is too flat or thin so I just reprick somewhere else. The hot water helps too, but try as I might my left middle finger never gives enough. I was told not to use thumbs or fore fingers as too painful. Setting 2 on the Lancet does me.
Do stick with it tho, the info is instant and so useful. I am finding I am ok with small portions of things that may spike others, carrots for example. I can even stay in limits with 50g of a decent quality ice cream, but 100g sends me over

 

[Daibell]

Hi. As you probably realise your GP/DN haven't a clue about diet but that's fairly normal. My nurse friend told me to run my finger under a warn tap to help the blood which does help. Keep at it - you'll get there.

 

[porl69]

Inulin not Insulin. It's fibre to hopefully help one's bowels along.

Ooops, sorry.....need to learn to read

 

[toddy35]

Thanks everyone I managed to get a meter test this morning for the first time. Reading was 7mmol, let's see how it is before/after lunch today.

 

[Nat...]

Hi, im glad you got a meter. Its unfair that your team arent very helpful. Hopefully you can get some good advice on here. When I was first diagnosed I really struggled getting blood out aswell and I was using the highest setting on the lancing device after a while you'll feel comfortable turning the setting down. Also try to warm up your finger and point your finger down. That helps alot. Good luck

 

[toddy35]

Weakness - this morning after doing a few minor chores I was overwhelmed with a sense of weakness. Like walking upstairs left me needing to sit down. My BS before a late lunch was 5.6 and two hours later 5.7 which is normal right? I had a walk in-between which did help but now I'm feeling a little light-headed. Is this normal?

 

[Brunneria]

Weakness - this morning after doing a few minor chores I was overwhelmed with a sense of weakness. Like walking upstairs left me needing to sit down. My BS before a late lunch was 5.6 and two hours later 5.7 which is normal right? I had a walk in-between which did help but now I'm feeling a little light-headed. Is this normal?

Perfectly normal.
You’ve probably been running on much higher levels than that, and your body got used to them.
You can test your blood glucose when you feel like that, and see what is going on.
If the number is above 4 then it is likely to be what is known as a ‘false hypo’.

once you’ve spent some time back at ‘normal’ levels you will adjust back to them again, and you won’t feel bad at those levels.

IMHO The best way to adjust back is to keep on with the low levels (don’t fall for cravings/temptations to fall face first into plates full of carbs!). When you feel wobbly, then have a sit down, and something like a handful of nuts, or a few squares of dark choc. Those foods contain a mix of fats and carbs, or fats, carbs and proteins, which means you get a smidge of carb, to raise your bg a little, but the presence of fats and/or protein makes it slower release (and more sustaining) than something like a pure glucose or sugar snack.

Obviously, for people experiencing a real hypo, not a false one, it is better to treat with fast acting pure carbs, without the braking effect of fat and protein.

 

[Resurgam]

Make sure you have enough water - I've had a few cramps at night and feeling a bit wobbly before I realised that I'd been a bit lax in the routine of drinking water in hot weather. I don't eat in the middle of the day, but I do need to drink - now feeling a lot brighter after a pint of water.

 

[toddy35]

Make sure you have enough water - I've had a few cramps at night and feeling a bit wobbly before I realised that I'd been a bit lax in the routine of drinking water in hot weather. I don't eat in the middle of the day, but I do need to drink - now feeling a lot brighter after a pint of water.

Thanks I probably haven't been drinking enough. I don't find that easy/natural but I'll keep at it.

 

[toddy35]

Perfectly normal.
You’ve probably been running on much higher levels than that, and your body got used to them.
You can test your blood glucose when you feel like that, and see what is going on.
If the number is above 4 then it is likely to be what is known as a ‘false hypo’.

once you’ve spent some time back at ‘normal’ levels you will adjust back to them again, and you won’t feel bad at those levels.

IMHO The best way to adjust back is to keep on with the low levels (don’t fall for cravings/temptations to fall face first into plates full of carbs!). When you feel wobbly, then have a sit down, and something like a handful of nuts, or a few squares of dark choc. Those foods contain a mix of fats and carbs, or fats, carbs and proteins, which means you get a smidge of carb, to raise your bg a little, but the presence of fats and/or protein makes it slower release (and more sustaining) than something like a pure glucose or sugar snack.

Obviously, for people experiencing a real hypo, not a false one, it is better to treat with fast acting pure carbs, without the braking effect of fat and protein.

Thanks so much, I haven't succumbed to any carb cravings. I just hadn't imagined the tiredness could be so debilitating. My BS has been between 4.4 -5.7 today. I'll read up on false hypo's now. I didn't feel shaky or anything just completely out of energy.