Understanding my daily blood sugar levels

[Vickyc2804]

Hi all, I am newly diagnosed and haven’t a clue what I’m meant to be looking out for. I have adjusted my diet, dropping all sugar and low carb. I am very overweight but don’t seem to be losing anything despite logging my food and eating a healthy limit of calories. I have been testing myself before and after meals and tend to go from 6.8 to 7.1 respectively. But I don’t know what these figures mean. I have been on metformin for 1 week on 500mg, now half a week increased to 1000mg. But again, my gp never said what I should go up to as a dosage. A lot of points there but if anyone could throw any light I would be grateful. I’ve had no GP help.

 

[Pipp]

Hi @Vickyc2804
This information may be of use to you.

Normal and Diabetic Blood Sugar Level Ranges

Normal blood sugar ranges and blood sugar ranges for adults and children with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and blood sugar ranges to determine diabetes.

www.diabetes.co.uk

Good that you have reduced sugar and carbs. Can you give some examples of what you are eating, so that members can have some understanding, and be able to offer advice?

Metformin is generally started fairly low dose, and increased gradually over a few weeks. Which seems to be what is happening for you.

 

[Vickyc2804]

Hi @Pipp thanks for your reply.
Yes sure, examples are:-
Greek yoghurt with mixed seeds and blueberries.
Eggs with wholemeal reduced sugar bread.
Chicken cooked with fry light in air fryer with garlic, chilli, various vegetables and small amount of wholemeal rice.
I am introducing foods such as quinoa and Pearl barley into my diet. Upping the vegetables etc
Having the odd low calorie cereal bar and occasional a few chunks of chocolate. I’ve switched from eating a lot of sugar to nothing and fixing that really difficult.
I’ve been trying to keep carbs under 50g a day but finding that extremely hard. But can keep under 100g

 

[LeafyArts]

I am fairly new to this too, I am not as knowledgeable as so many on here, but here is my experience so far:

I got the diagnosis months ago, but at that time, I just thought cutting out sugar and switching to brown bread/rice/pasta etc was enough, but then a second blood test was worse, despite the metformin. Then I read up more and realised I needed to cut back the carbs a lot more, so I try to stay under 100g. I am now having a higher fat/protein:carb ratio and my weight is going down quite well now. I am extremely overweight with mobility issues to boot, so at the moment I am not exercising, but I do hope to introduce it in the future. I don't know if my story is any help or encouragement, but I hope so.

Oh and there is a weightloss thread here, come and join in, it is nice to lose weight in good company!

 

[Vickyc2804]

@LeafyArts thank you for your reply, it is really good to hear from someone experiencing the same, thank you. I have done the same with the higher fat/proteins to carbs. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon. It’s only been a week and half. I will definitely come have a look at the weight loss forum.
Although I am mobile, I had got to the point I was too exhausted to get to the end of my road, and had been off sick for two months. If I hadn’t insisted on a blood test I still wouldn’t know.
Good to hear you are now losing the weight, hopefully you will be mobile soon

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Vickyc2804
From the food you describe I'm surprised that you say you are eating Low Carb/ Whole grains contain roughly the same amount of carbs as the 'white' ones do - just with a little indigestible fibre and a miniscule amount of vitamins. So they are almost identical at spiking your Blood Glucose.
Since carbs retain water, I would have expected that if you really were eating low carb you should have lost about 1 to 2lbs of water at least.
Personally I feel it's not good to cut calories (unless your norm is to over-eat), nor to try to lose more that 1lb to 2lbs of weight per week. This new way of eating needs to be sustainable for you in the long term - it isn't just a short term thing.

The best way to tell how you are doing is to buy a Blood Glucose meter (the Gluco Navii or the TEE2 are popular and have cheaper testing strips which is the main expense). Then you can test both how each meal affects your Blood Glucose and how you BG levels are doing in general.
More detail about food. meters etc here: https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html

 

[Mr Hairyman]

Like you, I was diagnosed recently (2 weeks ago).
My Diabetes Nurse told me I was to do
- Week 1 500mg of Metformin (after breakfast)
- Week 2 1000mg of Metformin (after breakfast and after dinner)
- Week 3 1500mg of Metformin (2 at breakfast, 1 at dinner)
- Week 4 2000mg of Metformin (2 each time)
Then I'm to continue at 2000mg.
I'm intending on reversing T2D - have already lost 10lbs+ and my nail polish smelling breath tells me I've even managed Ketosis, though I wasn't trying for that. I've cut out pretty much all cereal, rice, quinoia, buckwheat etc.

 

[niblue]

I was diagnosed about 6 weeks ago with hb1ac of 106 and put on metformin straight away. That was 1 x 500mg for the first 2 weeks, then moving onto 2 x 500mg after than (which is also what I'm on now). When I spoke to him last week the doc was talking about upping my dosage after my next blood test results but I expect we're going to have a difference of opinion on that, as I'd like to get off it completely as soon as possible.

I've lost nearly 12kg since I was diagnosed and my BMI is now slightly under 25, plus I've also switched to low-carb (typically 50g to 100g a day) - so I'm hoping that'll have resulted in a decent improvement.

 

[Mr Hairyman]

I was diagnosed about 6 weeks ago with hb1ac of 106 and put on metformin straight away. That was 1 x 500mg for the first 2 weeks, then moving onto 2 x 500mg after than (which is also what I'm on now). When I spoke to him last week the doc was talking about upping my dosage after my next blood test results but I expect we're going to have a difference of opinion on that, as I'd like to get off it completely as soon as possible.

I've lost nearly 12kg since I was diagnosed and my BMI is now slightly under 25, plus I've also switched to low-carb (typically 50g to 100g a day) - so I'm hoping that'll have resulted in a decent improvement.

Well done on your efforts. 12kg in weeks is no mean feat.
It got me thinking though - if you are on a high dosage of Metformin, and your next HbA1c comes in at under 47, you wouldnt know if it was the drugs or the diet that helped?
I guess if that happens, you stop taking the Metformin for 3 months and get another HbA1c done?

 

[niblue]

Well done on your efforts. 12kg in weeks is no mean feat.
It got me thinking though - if you are on a high dosage of Metformin, and your next HbA1c comes in at under 47, you wouldnt know if it was the drugs or the diet that helped?
I guess if that happens, you stop taking the Metformin for 3 months and get another HbA1c done?

It might well come to that, although I'm already in the bad books with the doctor due to not taking the statins he prescribed.