scared of high sugars

I've managed to get my levels down on metformin and exercise. To be honest, the exercise works a lot more than the metformin.
7/8 isn't so bad. Mine is often above 8 on a morning, thanks to the dawn phenomenon.

How many carbs a day are you eating mortigger? Cutting carbs is one way of getting your levels down, but if this isn't enough, older drugs such as gliclazide can help and they don't have the pancreatic cancer worries. I'm on 2000 mg of metformin and 40 mg gliclacide and I'm happy with a HbA1c down from 7% to 5.4% (sorry I don't know what these are in the new figures).

I'm on Januvia.
I had to have a three month trial to see if I had any adverse affects, such as pancreatitis.
I didn't, so I've been on them for over a year.

Hi Denise, your figure of 5.4% translates as follows:-
[DCCT] 5.4% = [IFCC] 35.5 mmol/mol = 6 mmol/L

Whilst too high, 7s and 8s are only just a couple of footsteps over the border. I don't take any medication but from what I have been told, exercise is more effective than metformin for some people, so if you possibly can, try increasing your physical activity. Cycling drops my BG levels substantially. In addition, if you can, cut down on your carbs or the type of carbs that you are eating. It is worth trying both of these interventions and seeing how it goes over the next few months.

mortigger1968 said:

i thought 7/8 wasnt bad thought damage was done in double figures,nkw scared for future.so come here for help

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It is below the 8.5 that the NHS recommends for type 2 diabetics, but that figure is too high anyway. I don't know why they use it.

7s and 8s won't do too much damage directly but if you are often in 7 and 8 territory, the condition will deteriorate over time. It is this loss of control and the subsequent higher readings that cause most problems. This is what Taylor has to say:

"The extent of weight loss required to reverse type 2 diabetes is much greater than conventionally advised. A clear distinction must be made between weight loss that improves glucose control but leaves blood glucose levels abnormal and weight loss of sufficient degree to normalize pancreatic function. The Belfast diet study provides an example of moderate weight loss leading to reasonably controlled, yet persistent diabetes. This study showed that a mean weight loss of 11 kg decreased fasting blood glucose levels from 10.4 to 7.0 mmol/L but that this abnormal level presaged the all-too-familiar deterioration of control."

And to underscore my previous post, he adds:

"The role of physical activity must be considered. Increased levels of daily activity bring about decreases in liver fat stores and a single bout of exercise substantially decreases both de novo lipogenesis and plasma VLDL."

Type 2 diabetes seems to be the consequence of a self reinforcing cycle whereby there is a build up of liver and pancreatic triglycerides. You can think of hese fatty acids as intermediate stages between blood glucose and stored fats. Whilst overall weight loss will reduce fats that have been laid down, exercise will help to stop any new fat stores forming by reducing the fatty acids circulating in the blood. It is so substantial, you can easily see the reduction in a test tube of centrifuged blood.

glennd11 said:

Hi Denise, your figure of 5.4% translates as follows:-
[DCCT] 5.4% = [IFCC] 35.5 mmol/mol = 6 mmol/L

Click to expand...

Yes I know this, it was the figure in the 7's I was talking about, there is a calculator on the main site here, but I didn't go and look it up.