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So many mixed messages...

K

KittyKatty

Well-Known Member
Messages
79
Location
Down South
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello Everyone.

I'm newly diagnosed. I saw a diabetic nurse who I felt spoke a lot but gave me no real information on how to manage things. This second meeting with her two weeks later, I found out a little bit more but it left me with even more queries! She gave me a blood monitor but no info on how to set it up. In Particular:

1. What are the acceptable HIgh and Low levels of blood? She just gave me the monitor sealed in the box.. In my naivete I assumed everything in the monitor was done for me and there was a universal High and Low reading. But getting the monitor home and setting it up is terribly confusing. the monitor is asking me to put in my own maxims. I have absolutely no idea what is High and Low for me. I've never done this before!

2 Also the monitor needs lancets and glucose strips. Do I get them free or do I have to pay for them? Can OneTouch monitors have other lancets and glucose strips because I'm not sure where to find their own brand?

It seems most logical to go back and see her again. But because of the distance I work, I had to take a day off work for the last appointment because her appointments are naturally often fully booked and the midday choice was the only available.

So here I am asking you!

If anyone can give me advice on the above I'd be most grateful.
 
Hi KittyKatty and welcome to the forum :)

Other members will be along soon to answer your questions, but in the meantime here is the information we give to new members which includes information on blood levels and carbs. Ask more questions and someone will help.



BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 100,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
Hi Kitty Kat,
Welcome, and don't feel upset, I think everyone goes through the same feelings as you when first Diagnosed.
Are you a Type 1 or 2, and are you on any medication. ? This would help answer if you get Strips for free or not .
I do not know the NHS systems , but generally type 1 get equipment, and as you got it you are possibly type 1 (However some type 2 get them by luck)
As regards Lances, if you did not get a device, you can use any type.
You have to use Strips that are compatible with your machine, there should be a few in the pack to start, but as you got the machine, you should get a supply of strips free. You will have to ask. If not you will have to buy them and they can be expensive
Look at the following site for info, on Blood Sugar
http://www.bloodsugar101.com/.
Setting levels are up to you to decide, but the above will help.
Please feel free to ask any further questions the people on the site are all willing to help
Good Luck
 
...Hi KittyKatty, love your name! Welcome to the forum :).......no wonder you're feeling confused, its a shock when you learn you have diabetes and on top of that you have to learn how to manage it... have a look around, there are some great people on here, plenty of information and advice available....

..If you find the strips for your meter too expensive to buy, there's a meter on Amazon, Code Free, the strips and lancets are far cheaper than most and many of us on here use it..
 
Welcome and here is some useful info on blood sugars. Take your first bloods just before you put your first mouthfull in and 2nd 2hrs later

We do need to know if you are t1 or t2 below is based on t2 but can be applied to t1 however carb amounts are different as t1 inject.

Goes without saying to avoid sugar but foods avoid pasta, rice, bread, potatoes all starches convert to glucose. look on packs of everything for carbs and avoid any that say more than 5g/100g if you get that item decide how much of it you want to eat of it A carbohydrate is actually a sugar. Are you in UK or USA l think UK by your bad start if so just read the carb values that is total sugars.
A food diary is a big help

You need to cut your carb intake some of us are 30g/day others around 50 or 100 or 150 if you do go low carb drink lots of water

A lot of us do low carb high fat dont go panic at the terms read this info l used food and menu's off vivs info off this forum for a start go to main form page of this site scroll to low carb high fat (recipes and advice there)

Hope the above is a help for you as said just ask dont panic and all will be fine
 
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