Progress

[Caterham]

Hi All

I just wanted to say 'thanks' for an excellent forum, and in particular to the few stalwarts who seem to take a lot of time to answer questions.

I was diagnosed type 2 three months ago with a high fasting sugar of 16.3 (Not good). I was very thirsty, up 2-3 times a night, and had bad recurrent thrush (TMI, I know). I was put to 1x500g metformin twice a day, and told to come back in 3 months for another test. I have had kidney, feet and eye tests, which have all come back negative, a big relief.

Since then I have tried to get my weight and diet into some sort of control and have made the following progress..

- My weight (I lost some before diagnosis) is down 47lb from its highest, and my BMI has gone from 40 to 32. More to come hopefully. My waist has gone from 43' to 38'.

- I have been restricting carbs to 150g per day, and am now trying to get to 130g
- My symptoms have all gone. I never had the tiredness some other people have had though. I am generally feeling very good, apart from the odd 'Metformin 10 metre dash'
- I need to get a blood tester, but I have been using urine sticks. 3 months ago they were all positive for sugar in my urine, and some very high. Now they are all negative. I know this is a poor indication of blood sugar, but I did not feel ready for blood testing. I do now.

My questions are,

- Will I hopefully see a good reduction in my HBAC1 in my next test, or will the changes I am making take more time to come through?
- Can someone recommend a good 'first' meter? I was thinking of the Accu Check mobile. Is this an OK choice, or are there better ones?
- Does anyone else struggle with food in the evening? I am fine until then. Breakfast is normally a boiled egg and 2 ryvita, lunch is some chicken and a salad, plus a green apple and an orange. I tend to struggle after the evening meal until bedtime. Can anyone recommend some low carb pre-bedtime snacks?

Many thanks for your help again.

 

[Grazer]

Will I hopefully see a good reduction in my HBAC1 in my next test, or will the changes I am making take more time to come through?

Your Blood sugars in the last month will have the biggest effect on your HbA1c result, so you should see some good improvement.

Can someone recommend a good 'first' meter? I was thinking of the Accu Check mobile. Is this an OK choice, or are there better ones?

ANY meter is fine - you neeed to choose the one with the cheapest strips, as that's where the cost is. There's one you can get on the internet called the "SD Codefree" which has very cheap strips. People seem to find it's fine. Could also ask the doctor for a free one with strips on prescription. Tell him you want to actively manage and work out what foods are right for you. Never know, you may be lucky.

Can anyone recommend some low carb pre-bedtime snacks?

I have nothing 2 hours before bed as that seems to raise my BGs overnight. Before then, in the evening after my main meal, I eat quite a lot of nuts. Low in carbs, low GI. Not cashews though! They aren't nuts and are highish in carbs. Occasionally a cold hard boiled egg. Pork scratchings are good too, zero carbs. Bags of Biltong or beef jerky from sainsburys are virtually zero carb. Or high quality (high meat content) cold cocktail sausages. A few.