Type 2 Sugar Levels still High whats next

Indy51

Expert
Messages
5,540
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I agree with all the advice above. We ALL love those foods but I love watching my kids grow up, keeping my eye sight and feeling my toes better. It's just stinking food. Eat what keeps your bs low and watch your kids grow up, keep your ey site and feet. It JUST food. It's not life. We all gave up so much. You can too.

Said with best of intentions.
Amen!

Seriously, now that I now how good I can feel (and at my advanced age) because of avoiding those foods, I wouldn't go back to my old way of eating for quids. I probably feel better now than at any other time in my adult life. Back to my best weight, energy, clarity of thought, mood, less aches and pains - why would I ever want to go back to feeling like I did when I was diagnosed with Type 2?

I sometimes wish we lowcarbers could bottle how we feel for sceptics to sample :p

My suggestion is to start the forum's low carb program for a step-by-step approach:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb/
 
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Kristin251

Expert
Messages
5,334
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Amen!

Seriously, now that I now how good I can feel (and at my advanced age) because of avoiding those foods, I wouldn't go back to my old way of eating for quids. I probably feel better now than at any other time in my adult life. Back to my best weight, energy, clarity of thought, mood, less aches and pains - why would I ever want to go back to feeling like I did when I was diagnosed with Type 2?

I sometimes wish we lowcarbers could bottle how we feel for sceptics to sample :p

My suggestion is to start the forum's low carb program for a step-by-step approach:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb/
Thank you for understanding. Do I love all those foods ? Absolutely. Do I love life more without aches and pains, better mental clarity , better weight ,energy, etc. absolutely. I choose real life. Not food. It's just food. Feeling good is far more important. To me anyways
 
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Winnie53

BANNED
Messages
2,374
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hey @JessT24, I thought it might help to give you a tour of a glucose monitoring kit...

I live in the US. I have two kits, one that's ridiculously expensive, another that's a lot cheaper to use and works just fine. What you see pictured below is a mix of two kits.

IMG_2727_zpscs6917x1.jpg


On the left side of my kit - (from left to right):

In the left pocket is a card that says "right" on one side, "left" on the other. Each morning, I flip it over so I know which hand I'm testing that day. For my first test, I use my pinky finger. We don't test the finger pads, we test on either side of the finger pad: one side for the first test, the other side for the second test. For my third and fourth test, I'll use my ring finger. If test more than 10 times in a day, which would be rare, I start over with my pinky.

In the next pocket is a stash of replacement lancets for my lancet device that I use to prick my finger. Some people change the lancet with every test, others change the lancet once a day, week, month, or couple of months. I'm in the latter group.

Laying on top of the pocket is a new glucose test strip for my glucose meter, and an unused lancet for my black lancet device - (the circle shape on the end of the lancet contains the end of the lancet's sharp point - (to remove, twist off) - and is replaced when disposing of the lancet, preferably in a sharps container or a test strip container).

On the right side of the kit - (from left to right)...

A container of 50 glucose test strips and my glucose meter with a test strip inserted and ready use. On the bottom of the screen you can barely see a "test strip" and "blood drop" symbol that tell me the meter is ready to use.

Below the test kit - (top to bottom)...

Two different styles of lancet devices, one with the cover on, the other with the cover off so you can see the lancet. We test with the cover ON, of course. :)

IMG_2728_zps6huk1nxn.jpg


Here's a close-up of the lancet devices. See those numbers on the black device and those lines on the removed cover the blue lancet device? You turn the cover to adjust the puncture depth. The "1" and the short line represent the setting for a shallow depth; the "5" and the long line represent the deepest depth. As you can see, I use the setting halfway between "2" and "3".

When it's time to test, watch the video below and follow the instructions that come with your kit.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/how-to-test-blood-glucose-levels.html

The first couple of times you test, it's a bit awkward, but it will soon become second nature.

My best advise is to find the cheapest test strips you can find and buy the meter to go with it. If you share which country you live in, forum members will tell you which is cheapest. I say this because the test strips I got with my first meter were 66 or 86 cents depending on where I bought them. The strips I got with my second meter only cost 18 cents each. Which meter do you think I'm more likely to test with as needed when the cost is out-of-pocket? You got it. The cheaper one. :)
 
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JessT24

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@JessT24

This is a quote from a thread you started 12 weeks ago asking about the need to test, and everyone gave you good advice.

Thank you everyone , I be purchasing a testing kit out my own pocket as dr won't prescribe. I hope to get it all under control to avoid going on medication. Thanks again

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/some-advice-please.100328/

I assume you went away and didn't buy one? I hope you have a re-think.
Yeah thats right my mental health got really bad so yeah not back on stright road
Does your mum want to help you? Explain to her that testing is essential if you are to lower those high levels and hopefully avoid all the nasty diabetes complications. Your mum is wrong.

What can you replace the carbs with? The foods I mentioned above. Meat and fish, fill up on vegetables, eat eggs, cheese and salads.

This is an excellent low carb programme you can join

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb/

also have a look at this

http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds


Sent from my GT-I9300 using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 

JessT24

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanknyou everyone so so much , I broke down last night and sent this text to my mum

Fizzy water has very very littke sugar in I better with that than coridal I hate tap water . Yes fair enough but i dont see any professinals tryig to guide me in right direction its all left down to me not know where to bloody start thats why I in this situation ....... anyway leave it nothing I can do jow damage is done . Night night sleep well xx

I cried alot last night started to feel alone in all this . I am about to call my dr and talk ahiut the results

Would it be an idea accept the medication if they do OR ask for bit longer and get testing kit and control with diet ?

Xx

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 

Winnie53

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Messages
2,374
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@JessT24 if and when you start medication is a decision we each need to weigh with our healthcare provider. If you commit to doing the low carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diet as described here http://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes and elsewhere, blood glucose levels will drop and stabilize within 1 week (slight to moderate insulin resistance) to up to 4 weeks (severe insulin resistance).

I have severe insulin resistance. A1c was 9.9% when re-diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 17 months ago - (I crossed over from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes 10 years earlier but didn't take medication and didn't know about the LCHF diet then).

On the low carbohydrate high fat diet, it took me 4 weeks to get my blood glucose levels down. After having been on the diet for 6 weeks, I saw my doctor to inform him that I would not be starting any medication. When he saw my results, he was impressed and saw no reason to start Metformin if I continued to maintain good blood glucose control. My A1c was 5.4% in December 2015.

Whatever you decide to do, we'll support you start to finish. :)
 
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JessT24

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@JessT24 if and when you start medication is a decision we each need to weigh with our healthcare provider. If you commit to doing the low carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diet as described here http://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes and elsewhere, blood glucose levels will drop and stabilize within 1 week (slight to moderate insulin resistance) to up to 4 weeks (severe insulin resistance).

I have severe insulin resistance. A1c was 9.9% when re-diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 17 months ago - (I crossed over from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes 10 years earlier but didn't take medication and didn't know about the LCHF diet then).

On the low carbohydrate high fat diet, it took me 4 weeks to get my blood glucose levels down. After having been on the diet for 6 weeks, I saw my doctor to inform him that I would not be starting any medication. When he saw my results, he was impressed and saw no reason to start Metformin if I continued to maintain good blood glucose control. My A1c was 5.4% in December 2015.

Whatever you decide to do, we'll support you start to finish. :)

yeah i will talk with doctor is it still good idea to monitor sugar levels if using medication ?
 

chalup

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,745
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
It is always a good idea to monitor sugar levels. That is something that should become a lifelong habit. How can you know how you are doing if you don't monitor?
 
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Winnie53

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2,374
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Diet only
@JessT24 on medication or off, testing helps us maintain our blood glucose goals. It's our teacher, our guide...our friend. Not getting a good night's sleep often causes BG levels to rise. Exercising helps us maintain good blood glucose control, also helps us knock high BG levels down. Every food we eat affects our BG levels. If we have a handful of raw nuts for a snack, BG levels may fall. If we have half an apple, BG levels may rise. Additionally, how that half apple affects me will be different from how it affects you. Also, how that apple affects you today may be very different from how it affects you a year from now.

I have to say that I am a perfectionist. And when my blood glucose levels didn't drop in a week, I was frustrated and mad at times. But over time I realized how much testing helps me. I love testing now. After many months of walking every day or every other day, I discovered I could knock high BG levels down by as much as 40 mg/dL sometimes. Later by up to 80 mg/dL. When I made discoveries like that I felt empowered.

I encourage you to give testing a try. My experience is that the more people do it, the more they want to do it. :)
 
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Serena51

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491
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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If you decide on the SD meter this code gets the strips cheaper.-
5 tubs 264086
10 tubs 975833
I was paying £15 for Abbott strips but this way (once I'd bought the SD Codefree meter) it was only £5 something for 50 strips
 
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JessT24

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
If you decide on the SD meter this code gets the strips cheaper.-
5 tubs 264086
10 tubs 975833
I was paying £15 for Abbott strips but this way (once I'd bought the SD Codefree meter) it was only £5 something for 50 strips
very useful was just looking at that the strips are £7.99 for 50 whiich isnt to bad but thank you defo use xx
 

JessT24

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@JessT24 you mentioned drinking Lucozade because you're feeling exhausted and need the energy. That's a symptom of your Diabetes when your sugars are running high. To get your energy back you need to get your sugars under control, and to do that you need to know what they are. Get a meter, do two or three finger pricks a day 2 hours after meals for a month - your readings ought to be below 7.5 most of the time. If they aren't go back to your doctor, talk to her/him and decide what you want to do. Your children need you to stay healthy.

ok and what other times to test or is it just after every meal
 

carraway

Well-Known Member
Messages
977
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
On waking, before food, 1 hour after and 2 hours after. Eventually you can t st less because you know what each food will do to your sugar level.
 

carraway

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Messages
977
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
Get the book Carbs and Cals. It shows photographs of real food with portion sizes and gives you the nutritional information. It was a real eye opener for me. I considered myself really quite educated about food but carbs per portion in somethings really surprised me.

If you make changes to your diet you will quickly feel the difference. When I was a diagnosed I had tingly fingers and feet and could fall asleep sitting up. Once your physical energy picks up mental energy also improves.
 
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JessT24

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have ordered a testing kit to arrive tomorrow

Spoken to Dr got a appointment but they reckon start me on Metformin
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
The book mentioned above, Carbs and Cals, is available on Amazon. It was my second best friend after my meter when I was first diagnosed.

Well done for ordering the meter. You won't regret it. When it arrives let us know and we can guide you through all the steps of using it to your best advantage.

Good luck :)
 
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