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Update - Numbers on the way down!

RFSMarch

Well-Known Member
Messages
693
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Just went to pick up my blood tests and popped in to see the pharmacist on the way home for a chat. Appointment booked for next week (same GP so will be interesting to see if his opnion has changed about (a) control (b) usefulness of a Libre scanner)

My hbA1C is down from 111 at diagnosis to 59 - still high and I expect the GP to be quite mardy and still maintain that is (of course) far too high to demonstrate control (I would argue reducing it by a hefty whack just goes to prove when I am at home things are manageable...!)

Fasting BG is agonisingly close to normal... dammit!!! Next time!

The one that makes me the happiest though - Cholesterol down to normal - he had mentioned statins and wanted to get me on those at the next appointment - hopefully we can skip that horror altogether.

BP frustratingly refuses to budge from Pre-high to normal. I blame being behind in my accounts though! Hopefully this week that should be 100% up to date before last two tournaments of the season, and with money coming in from freelancing elsewhere that should relieve some of the stress. I need a PA, I really do!
 
Congrats,@RFSMarch,

Brilliant results. You are just three months in, your six-month results are bound to be even better. Be proud of your achievements and go celebrate. You earned it.
 
Well done. Hard work all worth it.

How do you know about your bp? Do you measure your own or just take it at the surgery? I ask because I have an awful case of white coat syndrome ( ironic really because I was a reg nurse). Have been given hypertensives. But started testing at home and its really low a lot of the time.
It didnt even occur to me that I had this problem.

And again, bravo!
 
Well done. Hard work all worth it.

How do you know about your bp? Do you measure your own or just take it at the surgery? I ask because I have an awful case of white coat syndrome ( ironic really because I was a reg nurse). Have been given hypertensives. But started testing at home and its really low a lot of the time.
It didnt even occur to me that I had this problem.

And again, bravo!

I measure my own ... and hahah yes that's EXACTLY why I take it at home. I don't know why but the second I walk through that surgery threshold it is a nightmare!!! But at home I can sit quietly for 5 minutes and feel a lot more relaxed - I calibrated it with the nurse when I first got it ... there must be some guideline as to how often I should do it
 
I measure my own ... and hahah yes that's EXACTLY why I take it at home. I don't know why but the second I walk through that surgery threshold it is a nightmare!!! But at home I can sit quietly for 5 minutes and feel a lot more relaxed - I calibrated it with the nurse when I first got it ... there must be some guideline as to how often I should do it
I do mine every couple of months at home and then just tell whoever I happen to see at the surgery what the reading was.. they note that in my records and seem quite happy...
 
Well done on your numbers. It is still early days so improvement is ongoing, keep up the good work.
 
I do it when I am not on an early shift... so most days are fine. I just will take in a big folder full of facts and figures for the GP next week. Honestly I don't care now if he disses the Libre as unnecessary. I think for my job it is VERY necessary... and as long as I can afford to self-fund, I will.
 
there must be some guideline as to how often I should do it
i've been monitoring mine at home for years, as mine always go up in a clinic - and it can vary dramatically. i've had it read 190/90 in the clinic, and next day at home it was 128/78 - and i've had my monitor checked and calibrated. so i only do it every few months now - to be honest, mine can swing around so much that i don't really see the point of doing it too much, plus if i do and it's up, i start to get obsessive and worry about it, which doesn't help things at all! i was on antihypertensives for a few years, but i found that they had no effect when my bp went high - even taking double my dose didn't bring it down noticeably. i took myself off to a&e in prestatyn a few years ago, as i was walking offa's dyke path and it went insanely high - 210/95. they did an ecg, and i was told that it showed absolutely no sign of chronic hypertension - i stopped the tablets gradually myself over about xis months, and i haven't noticed any appreciable difference in my bp with or without them. it's been pretty good over the last year or so, 130/76-ish, though i occasionally get slightly higher ones. and if i do decide to see what it's doing, i still disregard the first reading, because there's a dim bit of my brain that always goes, 'ohmigod, what if it's really high?' just before i take it - so guess what happens ......
 
I do it when I am not on an early shift... so most days are fine. I just will take in a big folder full of facts and figures for the GP next week. Honestly I don't care now if he disses the Libre as unnecessary. I think for my job it is VERY necessary... and as long as I can afford to self-fund, I will.
If you fund your Libre then it really isn't up to the GP to dismiss it. Mind you my DN said of course after a awhile you won't need to use one anymore. I actually enjoy seeing what effects different things have on my BS. Having a tooth out raised it, and this morning it was reassuring to me when I had a hypo type moment and I could see that my liver had responded so could carry on my Qi Gong class. But enough of this.

Well done on your results. What an improvement.
 
another thought about blood pressure - i was once with a young friend who was in labour, and her partner kept reminding her to relax her face - apparently it's really hard to stay tense if your face is relaxed. i've tried it and it seems to work - and i've experimented when i'm measuring my bp - being aware of relaxing my face makes a difference to the readings i get.
 
Well done @RFSMarch - That's a great shift you've made there.

I totally agree with you that personal, real time feedback can be a game changer in tackling blood sugar levels.

I'd be very disappointed if the messaging from your GP wasn't along the lines of "keep doing what you're doing".

My GP was fascinated by the Libre, and the graphs, although to be fair she's very open to educated, self-management.

Onwards and hopefully another notch downwards at your next tests?
 
Thanks all - I really appreciate the support, and re: BP - yes I suppose I am getting hung up on it. It was such a jolt to the system to be told last time everything was high High HIIIIIGHHHHHH!

I am sure it will come down in its own time.... but yes.. ownards and... umm... downwards!
 
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