Newly diagnosed

[Merls]

Hi everyone.
I have been lurking on these boards since i got diagnosed in February.

Sorry in advance for the long post.

Have been told I'm type 2, had blood levels of 86 then and was started on metformin... i can't stomach 4 tablets but fine on 3.

Since being diagnosed i have cut down on carbs, haven't had pasta in 3 months, only ever eat chips if I'm out for dinner which is rare, potatoes i may have the odd spoon of mash to go along side mashed swede, and with bread i do eat the multi seed bread at times but not as much as i used it.
I still drink alcohol but have cut down.

So with all this got my 3 month results this week... 55. Dr said this was good news but needs to be lower. Should i have managed to get this lower in this time?

They did cholesterol too which they didn't do the first time. This was 6.1 which he said is in the high range of normal and wants it down to in the 4s so starting on another tablet.
Blood pressure slightly raised at times hes going to review that in 6 months so want to try and get that down as don't really want to go on another tablet if I can help it.

Sorry for the long post... just nice to talk to people in the same boat.

 

[Resurgam]

Perhaps if you tried testing your blood glucose levels it would give you some indication of what foods raised your levels the most and then you would know what to reduce or do without.
I found a meter very useful - though it did show me that I was really sensitive to carbs and could only cope with small amounts of low carb foods - but I am fairly unlucky in that many people seem able to cope with more.

 

[Merls]

Thankyou for your reply Resurgam.
I do have a monitor but i will admit i only ever check it occasionally.

 

[Resurgam]

Checking after eating - two hours from starting to eat, seems to show up both progress and the effect of a meal - starting out, checking just before starting to eat as well as the two hour point should show you how much a meal raises glucose, but it only takes a few tests to see the general pattern.
It was a great help to me to have the numbers.

 

[Merls]

Thats great thankyou

 

[ianf0ster]

I echo what has been said about measuring your body's reaction to carbs in food by using your BG meter. An HbA1C test even if done every 6 months isn't much use to tell you whether that mashed swede was OK for you or whether you should have had mashed cauliflower instead for example.

I also advise that you get hold of your full Cholesterol results because a Total Cholesterol figure can't tell you if you are in the low risk or the high risk section. What matters most is that HDL should be as high as possible and triglycerides should be as low as possible- ideally HDL around 2 and Trigs around 1. What is often overlooked is that it is the quality of LDL that matters more than the quantity, because LDL is not inherently bad - life is impossible without it since it is used by the immune system and for building hormones. The brain is also built from Cholesterol so one of the side effects of Statin drugs is sometimes 'brain fog'. Statins can also raise blood Glucose (which is the last thing that a T2 Diabetic wants).

 

[muzza3]

I do have a monitor but i will admit i only ever check it occasionally

Great that you have a monitor and using it gives you control. Not only will it give you a guide to what meals/food to avoid but by checking you Fasting Levels (first thing before eating in the morning) you will know whether you are improving your T2 rather than relying on 3 monthly tests. There is even a forum here where you can post your fasting blood glucose levels each day and get some feedback from the good people on here

I highly recommend it.

 

[danziger]

I agree with others that testing with a meter is really helpful! I also don’t think you “should” have brought your HBA1C down any more — you’ve done really well, it’s just a matter of keeping going to get it in the non-diabetic range, three months isn’t very long to have made the changes you have, so be proud

 

[Merls]

Thankyou all for your amazing replies. Im definitely going to start monitoring my levels. Too late to do the fasting one today.. but ill leave it out ready for doing it first thing whilst making my morning cuppa.

Thankyou Danziger.. i do feel quietly proud. The dr did say some good news but then followed it by saying I need to keep going. So weren't sure if maybe i should have done better. But you're right.. 3 months isnt that long really.