Type 2 What am I doing wrong?

Evie-D

Well-Known Member
Messages
55
So, newly diagnosed as type 2 on 30th April with hb1ac of 96. Once I calmed down I immediately started LCHF diet (which is going ok so far) and given metformin starting at 1 a day increasing week to week until 4 per day (currently on 2 per day). Although I have appointments with nurse and clinic, these are not until June.

I’m not happy about taking medication and want to control (and hopefully go into remission) this through diet and exercise.

So I bought a blood glucose meter to check the effects of various foods which arrived today.

I tested before first meal of day and the result is 6.5 mmol/l which is apparently normal. Can this be correct? I thought with such a high hb1ac level it would be higher?

Can anyone please advise me?

Thank you
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Personally I do not consider 6.5 before a meal to be normal. I am aware that the guidance says 4 to 7 before a meal is normal, but that is a guideline for T2 diabetics and is regarded by many as over generous. "Normal" is under 6. However, for someone just starting out, it is fine. What is more important is the test 2 hours after the first bite, looking at the difference between the before and after levels. (which should be less than 2mmol/l and hopefully a lot less once you have sorted a suitable diet)

As you took this test before your first food of the day, it can be influenced by the dawn phenomenon, or liver dump. This implies a degree of insulin resistance. The following website explains it better than I can.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/the-dawn-phenomenon
 

Evie-D

Well-Known Member
Messages
55
Personally I do not consider 6.5 before a meal to be normal. I am aware that the guidance says 4 to 7 before a meal is normal, but that is a guideline for T2 diabetics and is regarded by many as over generous. "Normal" is under 6. However, for someone just starting out, it is fine. What is more important is the test 2 hours after the first bite, looking at the difference between the before and after levels. (which should be less than 2mmol/l and hopefully a lot less once you have sorted a suitable diet)

As you took this test before your first food of the day, it can be influenced by the dawn phenomenon, or liver dump. This implies a degree of insulin resistance. The following website explains it better than I can.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/the-dawn-phenomenon

Thank you - that makes a bit more sense.