New Type 2 - only got urine sticks - help

Suzzey

Member
Messages
5
Hi could anyone please give me some advice. My doctor has given me water test sticks only and I cannot see the practice dietitian for at least five weeks. I am not eating anything sweet, watching my carbs, but my sticks are dark brown at least once a day. How do I get my sugar down any further, I am totally lost as I have not been told what to do. Doctor said take one table once a day for two weeks, then two, then three, test my water and see the dietitian. I there an amount of carbs I should be eating? :crazy: Should I buy a blood testing kit?
 

Suzzey

Member
Messages
5
Sorry just read - Enough is enough! (Yes, it's a rant) - Yes you are right, I should try and understand this myself and try not to panic. I will research what to do myself. thanks anyway.
 

))Denise((

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,580
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
We are here to help. Urine sticks are useless because they only show levels when they are really high. Get yourself a meter - The codefree is an inexpensive one http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/bl ... esting.htm they also sell them on Amazon and Ebay. Your doc probably won't give you one or a prescription for strips.

With regard to what you are eating, it is not all about sugar, it is about carbs. Carbs are what raise your blood sugar.

Go easy on bread, cakes, pasta, rice, potatoes, veg that grows below ground. Veg that grows above ground is good. Fruit in moderation but bananas and tropical fruit not good.

A good website for a finding out what to eat is http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Read the introduction viewtopic.php?f=39&t=26870 which Daisy usually posts to new members.

We were all newbies once, so stick around.
 

mickey121

Well-Known Member
Messages
140
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Look on the main site there are lots of firms giving meters away test strips normally between 20/25 pounds for 50


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julie54

Well-Known Member
Messages
86
Hi Suzzey - I am thinking that you may have thought that the 'Enough is enough - yes its a rant' forum was directed at you! Please let me reassure you that this was not directed towards you at all - there is a long story behind that 'rant' - but it wasn't anything to do with you. Please continue to ask questions - that is what these forums are for - and everyone on here is more than happy to share their experiences/advice.

Personally - in answer to your question about a blood glucose monitor - I have found this invaluable since being diagnosed with type 2. G.P's used to give these out quite freely - but there has been restrictions laid down which are making them more and more likely to refuse them! Do check out the blood glucose monitor threads - there is some very helpful information there about how to challenge your G.P/D.N. if they refuse - but at the end of the day if they still refuse, you can buy one - the cheapest out there on the marked is the SD Codefree - (its not the monitor which is expensive, it is the test strips). This is available through either Amazon, ebay or direct from the supplier at http://www.homehealth-uk.com. Julie :thumbup:
 

snowballnc700

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Suzzey, I,m newly diagnosed type 2, 3rd sept 13, my doctor would not give me a test meter, beg borrow or steal one, I bought one and can assure you the info you will gain will be invaluable. I have been able to test and see how different foods affect my blood glucose and then structure a diet that works for me.It,s a steep learning curve but achievable . This forum is amazing, so much shareable knowledge, keep a positive attitude I,m 18 days into it and have seen my levels drop nicely. Without the test meter I would have been in the dark. Regards Dave.
 

Pez68

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Arrogant people
Suzzey said:
Hi could anyone please give me some advice. My doctor has given me water test sticks only and I cannot see the practice dietitian for at least five weeks. I am not eating anything sweet, watching my carbs, but my sticks are dark brown at least once a day. How do I get my sugar down any further, I am totally lost as I have not been told what to do. Doctor said take one table once a day for two weeks, then two, then three, test my water and see the dietitian. I there an amount of carbs I should be eating? :crazy: Should I buy a blood testing kit?

Hi Suzzey, I'm 3 months in and the best advice I've received is from this forum, the doc was to put in nicely pretty poor. Get yourself a meter and test before and 2 hours after food. This will give you an idea what kind of foods spike your Bg. As I've said I'm only 3 months in and there's lots of experiment guys/girls that can give you more support and help.

Kind regards

Andy


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carraway

Well-Known Member
Messages
977
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
Hi Suzzey

Welcome. The other post NOT aimed at you.

Please ask any questions you have.

Cara
 

paul-1976

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,695
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Dishonesty
Hi Suzzey!

The other thread was not aimed at you in any way. :wink:

Some good advice above and the SD codefree meter and strips are the most economical I can also find but very valuable a tool to test levels to see how the certain food groups affect your levels,ie comparing your level before eating to the level 2 hours afterwards.

Best

Paul
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. We were all newly diagnosed at one point so ask away. The tablets you have, probably Metformin, even at max dose do not have a dramatic effect on blood sugar but help particularly if you are overweight. You obviously realise that reducing carbs is what you need to do. You may want to set yourself some form of objective; perhaps at least below 200gm/day. Many go for a less but see what the meter tells you. Be a little careful when you see the dietician. Many are excellent but some are just way out of date and will tell you to 'just have a normal healthy diet with starchy carbs'. If you do come across one of these dinosaurs just follow what this forum says and use your common sense.
 

Suzzey

Member
Messages
5
Thank you all very much, I was in panic mode. Now I have had change to take some of your advice I am feeling better and looking forward to being more health. I will take your advice and look at all the information on this site. Many thanks. :D
 

zaphod37

Well-Known Member
Messages
204
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Prejudice and bullying
Hi Suzzey

I have only been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for a couple of months and I have been using the SD Codefree blood glucose meter for most of that time now and it has proved a very valuable tool to find out which foods I cannot eat.I record the results with a smartphone app called 'On Track' which helps keep an eye on blood glucose levels. I also use a free online tool/smartphone app called myfitnesspal which helps me monitor my food intake and carb levels.

We all had to start somewhere and if you can ask all the questions you need to help you take control of this.

Good luck and hope this info is useful to you.

Mark
 

anna29

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,789
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Cruelty to Animals/Children
Liars/Manipulators/Bullying
Suzzey said:
Thank you all very much, I was in panic mode. Now I have had change to take some of your advice I am feeling better and looking forward to being more health. I will take your advice and look at all the information on this site. Many thanks. :D

Hello Suzzey .

Please feel free to ask any questions you feel/wish to :)

Also wander about in the forum browse through any threads/posts too .
This is a great way to learn many more things about our diabetes .
Knowledge and information can help to make more sense in the cloud of any
confusion and if feeling a bit overwhelmed.

We are all here to help and support you .

Anna .
 

zolabud

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,285
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Whelks,winkles... All crustaceous seafood except prawns. Can't do crab.lobster or scallops.
Don't like the way they are killed and cooked. Save our Scallops. SOS !!!
Also HATE evaporated milk.
This one is ok from E Bay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CODEFREE-BLOO ... 336ee68f12

This one has free postage and pretty cheap strips and lancets.

You can get free meters from Glucomen, Bayer and a few others.

Just Google them,find their website and either request a meter online or contact then by phone.

The downside is if you do not know if you will get a prescription for the strips you are looking at a fair bit of cash for them. You could always put the strip name into E Bay and some folk sell off their unwanted strips. Just make sure they are in date.

I was lucky as when I asked my diabetic nurse for a strip and lancet prescription I was given both. Which I wasn't expecting. I sent off for a Glucomen LX+ which I have been very happy with as I like the lancer.

If I was faced with not getting a prescription I would go for the codefree from E Bay. The strips are pretty cheap.
 

murrinmac

Newbie
Messages
4
Hi
I was diagnosed back in April of this year and only given diasitx which are a complete waste of time, as already said it only indicates when your sugar is really high for it to show in your urine. A few weeks ago I bought myself a meter as I was so concerned I wasn't able to keep track of my BS. (when first diagnosed my BS was 24 so dangerously high). The meters aren't costly, you can be them in the supermarket at the pharmacy, it is the testing strips which cost. Usually around 28.00 for fifty.

I had a review Tuesday gone (24th) and the DN was going to increase my gliclazide on the basis of my last HbA1C which was taken in July which was quite high (there were other reasons for this). I pointed out that I had bought a meter, and although I could not test my BS before and after every meal I did with my evening meal (During the day I only have cereal for breakfast with no sugar, and for lunch a piece of fruit and a low fat low sugar yoghurt). I have drastically rethought my eating (I was significantly overweight) I have lost a lot of weight too, so my BS before meals is anything from 4.4 - 5.5 and 2 hours after eating from 5.5. - 6.5 which the DN was amazed at, because at last review in July she told me I probably wouldn't get my BS under control, and gave me so much negative feedback, I left feeling despondant. So on giving her these details, she decided she would not put me on an extra Gliclazide as I was in danger of going hypo before a meal. My point is if I had not bought a meter to monitor my own BS, I would have been given medication which would have been detrimental to me, and possibly affected my driving licence, which is crucial to me as I am a carer for my husband, and live in an isolated village. Why O why do GPs as standard practice not give all those on insulin and oral meds prescriptions for meters and the testing sticks. As someone who has a low income, it is a large chunk out of our budget, to buy them, but I feel vital to me in controlling my diabetes and not vice versa.
 

Suzzey

Member
Messages
5
Reading what you have done is very inspirational for people like me just starting out, and gives me hope that I can be as in control as you in the future. Well done and thank you. I did not realise how may people can be kind at a very worrying time. :D I hope as I find out more I will be in a position to help those who are new to diabetes.
 

murrinmac

Newbie
Messages
4
Anytime we are all in this together. I'm not out of the woods yet, but I'm **** sure it is not going to rule my life. You take care - there is hope. :) x