Oranges.....Good or Bad ?

Del 80 said:

Just tested at 4:15pm.......6.8......that's the lowest it has been since I started testing.......now, is it because of my diet, or the higher dose of Metformin ?.

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It will be due to what you have eaten.

The Metformin will have an affect on your HbA1c result, hopefully lowering it by a couple of mmol/mol, but it will not show any noticeable affects on your finger prick tests.

Something else I got out of that metformin vid is the lack of research.

There is only 1 large scale trial that shows metformin offers significant benefits. 700 ppl I think. He keeps saying what a good study it is, but the findings have never been replicated!

Other smaller studies failed to show the same and tend to be dismissed.

Yet, all over the world metformin is seen as the first, best, most reliable... And is prescribed to millions every day.

It also appears that many doctors have misunderstandings about how the drug works, believe it should never be prescribed to patients with reduced kidney function (it is not as simplistic as that), and that other D drugs are... um... how can i put this...? A lot less useful than advertised.

It has strongly reinforced my enthusiasm to manage without pills for as long as humanly possible!

Brunneria said:

It has strongly reinforced my enthusiasm to manage without pills for as long as humanly possible!

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Yes, but what about Oranges

Del 80 said:

Just tested at 4:15pm.......6.8......that's the lowest it has been since I started testing.......now, is it because of my diet, or the higher dose of Metformin ?

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Well done @Del 80 , please don't think it's the medication and go back to your old way of eating, I know a few T2s who rely on the meds and don't take care of themselves. Keep the carbs low and hopefully you'll lower the meds too. Keep checking with your meter and bin the foods that cause your readings to rocket, and your HbA1c will soon drop.

Del 80 said:

Just got back from seeing diabetic nurse.......blood test result was ''horrendous''.......now on 2x 80mg Gliclazide a day, as well as the 1500 mg Metformin......self tested this morning......6 .6.....thought I was doing O.K......now not so sure........Del.

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What was the actual test result? And which test was it? If it was your HbA1c, then that covers your average (ish) blood glucose over the last 3 (ish) months. So while your recent dietary changes will have improved it, it really depends when it was taken, and how high it is.

I do wish that NHS staff wouldn't use these vague, emotive terms like 'off the chart' and 'horrendous'. They are so unfair. Almost as if they want to scare the living daylights out of you and then throw pills at you so they can feel like miracle workers. Yes, I AM bitter.

See if you can get the ACTUAL NUMBER of your test result, by ringing the surgery. You may need to ask to speak to the doc or the nurse, but it would really help your peace of mind!

And yes, 6.6 is fine and dandy as a T2 fasting number. Mine was 6.3 this morning, and I have been doing this for years. We all get a different 'range' for our fasting results, based on anything from stress, sleep deprivation, carbs the day before, background diet, meds, etc. So never compare yourself to anyone else, just rundle along checking your own, and noting what makes it high, or low, and tweaking things as appropriate. Hope that helps.

Actually, just had a thought!

If your nurse has prescribed you glic based on your old blood glucose scores of 'horrendous' while you have done so much hard work with your diet and brought your numbers down a lot ( and are now well below 'horrendous'), then that glic may be too big a dose for you and push you down into hypos.

PLEASE NOTE: I am guessing!

However, it makes it even more important that you get that result from the surgery.

Del 80 said:

Thanks for that......hope I have got this right .....HbA1c is 109......presumably that is regarded as very high ?........Del.

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VERY high indeed. From what I can see, you are only testing in the mornings. Your post meal readings must be sky high to achieve an HbA1c of 109. It sounds to me like you are being too complacent with your diet and relying on an OK fasting result rather than looking at what is happening throughout the day. Diet is the key to controlling this disease, and if you don't control it you run the risk of some very nasty complications down the line.

Hi @Del 80

As others have noted the testing is still directly impacted by your diet. Now with the increased meds it s even more important to manage your diet well. Keep testing and posting for some feedback. Cheers Mate

Del 80 said:

O.k Thanks........I am testing twice a day.......mornings it is between 6 .0 and 8.0......evenings between the lower 7's and upper 10's......mainly around 8.5.......Del.

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You need to test more frequently. Before eating, then 2 hours after first bite. Do this every day, keep a food diary and record your levels alongside. This way you will see which foods are doing the damage. The rise from before to after should be as low as possible and definitely no more than 2mmol/l, preferably 1.5mmol/l and much, much less if there were no or few carbs in that meal. It's the only way. Your fastings and evenings mean nothing on their own and do not show the full picture. With an HbA1c of 109 your average levels are 16.6mmol/l so goodness knows how high your post meal levels are.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-to-blood-sugar-level-converter.html

Hi @Del 80 , some great advice from everyone, but just wanted to highlight what @Brunneria has already said. The HbA1c is your last 3 months average and so, from where you were before with your blood sugar readings, it's no real surprise that it's as high as it is, and would have been higher if you hadn't cut back on the carbs and started testing. With being prescribed Glic you'll need to test more often in case it goes too low as well. The nurse should have taken your change of diet into consideration before prescribing Glic. Unless you've gone back to the carbs......Good luck!

I think it would be useful if you let us know what you're eating (and amounts) for breakfast, lunch and dinner Del? Also include any snacks too. Looks like something isn't quite adding up if you are getting 10's on the meter so a closer look at your diet may help.

You really do need to be testing your meals.
Personally, i can't tolerate any bread at all, brown or white (except for Lidl High Protein rolls).

On your list, i couldn't eat porridge, toast, sweet potatoes, granary bread or digestives.
That is over half of your food for the day.

It may be that you can tolerate some of them - but you are only going to find out which by testing before and 2 hours after.

Start back on page 1 and read the advice everyone has given to you. Then adopt it. The "probably not good" statements are wearing a little thin when you've been told what to avoid. Yet you still do it .....