Hi
@TrishMabey. It’s always a shock to get a diabetes diagnosis. All too often patients don’t really get a whole lot of information and help around a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Many people turn to sites like this for advice and support.
Here you will find members who have been in the exact same position you find yourself in. What were your blood sugar test results? You likely had a HbA1c test that simply put, measures your average blood sugars over the past 3 months. It is the primary test for diagnosing diabetes. They usually perform a second HbA1c test 3 months later to confirm the first result.
Do you have a glucometer? A glucometer, or finger prick device is the primary way we test our blood sugars at home. It’s different from the HbA1c test performed by your HCP. Finger prick devices , as the name suggests, prick your finger and tests the resulting drop of blood. Your meter will then give you a blood sugar reading. This reading shows what your blood sugars are doing in that moment. That’s all it does. That single reading doesn’t tell you much, however, it becomes very useful when you test your blood sugars just before a meal and then 2 hours after. If your second reading is over 2 Mmol/s above your first reading then it tells you that your body has not coped well with the amount of carbohydrates you have consumed in that meal.
Carbohydrates drive your blood sugars up. All carbohydrates turn to sugar, regardless whether it’s whole-wheat bread or a white bun. So by reducing your carbohydrate consumption will usually reduce your blood sugars. That’s a very simple explanation.
We are all different , so testing your blood sugars will give you an idea what your blood sugars are doing after your meal, and whether or not you have consumed too many carbohydrates fir your body to cope with.
Many members control their blood sugars through diet. I will leave dietary ideas for other members to advise you on, should you wish.