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Struggling to get my readings low

R

rowbo764

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1
Hi
Been diagnosed a few years. Only just started taking blood sugar readings (aversion to blood and pricking). Even after fasting for 12 hours overnight I'm lucky to get by reading under7. I have only once got 5.0. After a small breakfast of porridge I do lots of walking up to lunchtime and eat nothing all day until 6pm. Reading often over 6.0 before meal. Then being vegetarian its mostly vegetables and quarter of a quice with fruit pudding. Reading then rockets to 10.0 or more settling slowly downwards. I have lost 2 stone in weight over 3 months but my reading are stubbornly high. I am on glizlacide and metformin only.
Robert
 
Looks like too much glucose in your food. Cut the starch and fruit, and you should see lower blood sugar readings.
 
I’ve avoided porridge and all cereals. For brekkie you could try Greek yoghurt with berries and sprinkling of mixed nuts?

The carbs in that breakfast and in fruit is probably making it harder for you.
 
You might be losing weight because you're eating next to nothing, but your blood sugars remain high because what you do eat, is very, very carby. The porridge, fruit and all, won't do your blood sugars any favors, as practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested, which is exactly what your meter's telling you too. I see you are a vegetarian, but not a vegan then? How would you feel about (organic/bio/happy-chicken-and-cows-or-goats) eggs with cheese in the morning? It's quite filling and practically zero carbs. Full fat greek yoghurt with berries, nuts and/or coconut shavings...? I think there's a coconut yoghurt that'd do well too, just no idea of the brands you have available in the UK. https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/keto-coconut-porridge This might be an option too, to replace the porridge?

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html <-- this might help, but it is geared towards omnivorous T2's... Sorry about all the foods-with-faces in there, just ignore those bits and think I wrote tofu or tempeh or something instead.
 
Though do be careful @rowbo764 , if carbs are dropped too much then the gliclazide may well cause hypos, so if you are going to drops the carbs you will want to talk to your doctors about the gliclazide (though admittedly I believe many docs don't think that low carb is a valid option)
 
I completely missed the gliclazide...! Thank you for being awake this morning, when I'm obviously not...!
 
Hi @rowbo764,

Definitely very impressed with all the work you put in to control your blood sugars -- lots of walking and fasting.

I would agree with the others -- it is possible to reduce carbs while still staying vegetarian or even vegan, though dropping to extremely low levels definitely seems a bit more of a challenge. However, a carb intake of somewhere between 50g and a 100g per day shouldn't present too many difficulties.

You could substitute some of the higher carb choices, with lower carbs food. For example, legumes/pulses (many of which are around 10g of carbs per 100g) are much better than fruit pudding or porridge. Mueslis can be created with different low-carb seeds such as chia, pumpkin, sesame, linseed, sunflower with coconut flakes. Celeriac and cauliflower are good subs for potato. Berries are much better than tropical fruits. You may also want to have a look at dietdoctor.com, a low-carb website with a good selection of vegan and vegetarian recipes (you can access most recipes without signing up).

As to the gliclazide -- I agree with @Rokaab, it might drop you too low combined with a low-carb way of eating. Check your blood sugar levels frequently to avoid hypos and talk to your GP. It might even be a good idea to invest in a continuous glucose monitoring device for a brief period (such as the FreeStyle Libre if you can afford it) to see what is happening to your blood sugars when lowering carbs.
 
If those docs think that they need to do some homework? Yes, reduce the Gliclazide if needed but don't match the carbs to medication as it's a good way to gain weight and have BS swings
 
Hello and welcome,

You've been given some great advice so I will just say hello.

Let us know how you get on and if you have any questions.
 
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