# recently diagnosed and very confused.



## davie533 (Jan 3, 2016)

Hi there,my name is Davie I am 56 and I am type 2 and I am looking forward to be part of this forum as you are all so helpful when questions are asked and hopefully you will keep me right as since being diagnosed its all been very daunting and I am struggling with it all and very unsure where I go from here.
At the moment I don't need tablets and I am trying to lose weight and do more exercise to see if it can be controlled that way and I have another test in three months so we will see what happens then.
Thanks for reading this and any advice given would be much appreciated.I do have lots of questions which will be asked on the general message board.thanks.


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## Lynn Davies (Jan 3, 2016)

Hi and welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of very knowledgeable folks round here. I'm new as well so we can learn together.


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## Mark T (Jan 3, 2016)

Welcome to the forum davie


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## Stitch147 (Jan 3, 2016)

Welcome to the forum Davie. I'm sure you'll get the help, advice and support you need and want on here.


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## trophywench (Jan 3, 2016)

Hi Davie.

So - were you given a fingerprick blood glucose meter, so you can test and see what different foods and/or exercise are doing to your BG ?


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## davie533 (Jan 3, 2016)

Hi everyone and thanks for your replies.Have not been given a test meter all I have seen since since my diagnosis is my diabetes clinic doctor who said as my bloods had dropped from 61 to 55 I wouldn't need tablets.He told me to stop eating sweets get more exercise and handed me a 2014 information pack and asked me to hand in a urine sample for testing and he would see me in three months for more blood tests.


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## Diabetes Nerd (Jan 5, 2016)

Hi Davie. Do you understand much about the blood test you have had done? Its good news to see it has dropped from 61 to 55. This blood test is called a HbA1c blood test. It works out on average a three month average of your blood glucose levels. It is used to diagnose diabetes and also used to check on the progress of someone's diabetes.
A HbA1c reading between 48-53 is a very good range to sit in in order to feel well and prevent any future complications, so it is good news that you are sitting very close to that range. You have obviously changed some things for the better for it to improve so keep it up and good luck!


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## davie533 (Jan 5, 2016)

Hi there and thanks for your reply and your good wishes.I don't understand much about the test I had done to be honest and I'm grateful for you telling me what the good reading range is and its a relief to know that I'm not that far above it at the moment .I'm trying to decide which book to get which would help me to understand it all more but there have been several books mentioned in other posts so there seems to be plenty out there but its trying to get the one that would help me more.
One question I have is should I be checking my blood myself as it seems some do and some don't and would I be better spending more on a higher spec tester or are they much and such the same regardless of price.


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## Diabetes Nerd (Jan 6, 2016)

Hi Davie.

Glad it helped. Personally I would advise against getting a glucose meter for a number of reasons. Firstly you aren't on any treatment at the moment, and usually you only need to monitor your own glucose levels if you are on medication which is quite potent at getting your sugars down (insulin being one of them, without confusing you).
As your bloods are within a decent range at the moment I also think finger pricking yourself could get you a bit stressed out if you don't understand why your levels differ from day to day or at different times of the day. I'd rely on your three monthly average blood test for now.
Your GP or diabetes team won't usually give you a meter u unless your on a treatment that requires you to monitor your levels, so that would mean you would have to buy your own and supplies (ie strips for the meter) can be costly. I hope this helps?


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## Diabetes Nerd (Jan 6, 2016)

Also I'm sure you can order a booklet on type 2 diabetes from this website for more information, it is really really informative. Great to refer to if something pops in your head that you are unsure of.


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## davie533 (Jan 6, 2016)

Thanks again for that,I will just keep going with the diet and exercise and see what happens in the next test.Your help is very much appreciated.


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## Diabetes Nerd (Jan 6, 2016)

Your welcome mate. Any time. Good luck!


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## Northerner (Jan 6, 2016)

davie533 said:


> Hi there and thanks for your reply and your good wishes.I don't understand much about the test I had done to be honest and I'm grateful for you telling me what the good reading range is and its a relief to know that I'm not that far above it at the moment .I'm trying to decide which book to get which would help me to understand it all more but there have been several books mentioned in other posts so there seems to be plenty out there but its trying to get the one that would help me more.
> One question I have is should I be checking my blood myself as it seems some do and some don't and would I be better spending more on a higher spec tester or are they much and such the same regardless of price.


I'd suggest for a quick and useful introduction Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter. The best book available for Type 2 is the excellent Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, recommended by many of our members over the years (plus look at the amazon reviews! ) This is the one book that every newly-diagnosed Type 2 should be issued with at diagnosis


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## Robin (Jan 6, 2016)

I agree about the Gretchen Becker book, I was originally misdiagnosed as type 2 and found it invaluable. For example, it starts by explaining what all the blood tests mean, then guides you through the learning process.
It's a personal preference as to whether to test or not. If if would just worry you, then maybe it's not for you. It can be useful, however, for working out which foods send your blood sugars rocketing and are best avoided. I bought an SD Codefree meter as a spare, it and the strips are reasonably priced and it is just as reliable as my main meter. It's available via Amazon, and I gather if you subsequently order strips in bulk direct from the manufacturer, they give a good discount.


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## davie533 (Jan 6, 2016)

Thanks both very much for the advice will order up that book.My mind has been very much put at ease with the advice iv'e received on here already and it's all very much appreciated.The whole experience is so daunting and the diagnosis is just the start but talking with people that have experienced it all makes it all so much easier for me as I was really getting stressed by having diabetes which I knew nothing about.


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## Stitch147 (Jan 6, 2016)

It was very daunting for me when I found out too, ive only been diagnosed since august 2015. I felt that I had no one to talk to or support me through everything. But I was wrong. My partner has been great with everything and this forum has been a huge help to me. I had no symptoms of diabetes before I was diagnosed, I purely found out by chance when I went along to a health fair at work and my finger prick test came back at 26!!! Im also lucky that I have found a great gp to see at my surgery (much better than the first one that i saw) and he has been a great help too. You will get there in the end. There is a lot to take in too.


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## Amigo (Jan 6, 2016)

Diabetes Nerd said:


> Hi Davie.
> 
> Glad it helped. Personally I would advise against getting a glucose meter for a number of reasons. Firstly you aren't on any treatment at the moment, and usually you only need to monitor your own glucose levels if you are on medication which is quite potent at getting your sugars down (insulin being one of them, without confusing you).
> As your bloods are within a decent range at the moment I also think finger pricking yourself could get you a bit stressed out if you don't understand why your levels differ from day to day or at different times of the day. I'd rely on your three monthly average blood test for now.
> Your GP or diabetes team won't usually give you a meter u unless your on a treatment that requires you to monitor your levels, so that would mean you would have to buy your own and supplies (ie strips for the meter) can be costly. I hope this helps?




I'm afraid I couldn't agree with your advice not to test Diabetes Nerd. My type 2 is diet and exercise controlled only which means I have nothing to rely on except the effect that food has on me and how I adapt and regulate it to keep my levels on an even keel. Often doctors will suggest diet only to begin with to see if the patient can make inroads themselves or medication may disagree with them (as it did me). Having a meter put me on a steep but immensely useful learning curve and although I now don't have to test so regularly, I'm still taken by surprise on occasion at how certain foods can cause me to spike unexpectedly. Without testing I'd keep on eating them oblivious to their adverse effects. The HbA1c is useful for averages but it doesn't tell the whole story and to me it's like saying I made it to the destination safely but didn't take into account all the crashes en-route! A Hba1c of 55 still indicates some significant spikes. 

We are all different and some people are quite happy to put their care totally into the hands of a nurse every 3/6 months but I prefer to be instrumental in controlling my own health and I've found using a meter provides that. Truth is it's too easy to cheat when you have no evidence to confront you! It stopped me taking it far too easy over Christmas too.

If my doctor wouldn't provide testing strips (he's very pro patient involvement/personal management however) then I'd feel I had to fund it myself.

Good luck Davie! You do what you feel suits you and I'm sure with the support in here, you'll get there.


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## Lynn Davies (Jan 6, 2016)

I don't agree with not testing type2's either - how are you supposed to know what is going on if you just blindly stumble along with no guidance?  I am still at the experimental stage and adding new foods in almost daily so I need to know how they affect my BG if at all.

My surgery does not provide meters or test strips for type 2's so I am self funding.  Very shortsighted if you ask me.  Its a brilliant little tool to learn with.


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## Northerner (Jan 6, 2016)

Well, I have to say that I have been involved with this forum since day 1 and have witnessed the benefits reported from countless numbers of people who have tested to discover their tolerances, regardless of what medication you are on. I excluded quite a few things from my diet soon after diagnosis because I saw the effects on my levels - even though in theory I am on insulin and can eat 'what I like'. These were foods I was told were 'healthy', and indeed generally regarded as being so *if you don't have diabetes *- in my case things like cereals and certain types of fruit. Ask anyone if they think a glass of fresh orange juice is healthy - for us, it's not it will send your levels through the roof! 

I think that generally people who seek out support from forums such as ours are people who are highly-motivated to take charge and look after their health - they want to understand things and know what is going on so they can take appropriate action. These very people would feel out of control and anxious if they were told to just do their best without any real knowledge of what that means. If you are motivated to test, and use the information to improve your diet and activity levels, then you should be supported by your healthcare professionals in doing so. Many HCPs agree with this, and will try to motivate and explain to those who aren't motivated what can be achieved, but many do not in some misconceived perception that you only need to test if you are at risk of hypos, plus they might make some short-term savings.

It is an indivdual choice, but people should be made aware of potential pros and cons, and not simply refused because it's easier to do that than educate and support people (in which case the big costs come along down the line when complications start to appear ).


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## davie533 (Jan 6, 2016)

Thanks all for your comment's.I'm thinking while I would be anxious about differing readings while doing testing that would be better than me going on thinking things were ok but testing would show they were not.Hope that makes sense.I have made an appointment with the diabetes nurse tomorrow so will ask her opinion and see what she says about testing.Everyone has an opinion and I'm grateful for all yours.


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## jacfburcham (Jan 6, 2016)

Dear davie533,  I am a newbie diagnosed three weeks ago,  got myself a monitor and read all the information I could on the diabeties website and forum.  Got to grips quickly and have been able to reduce blood sugar from 19.6 to average of 8.1 morning reading to 6.5 to 7.5 two hours after meals, the monitoring has enabled me to find out what foods I was eating that were causing the spikes.  I hope this is helpful.  I think the price of a good night out is worth knowing how you can take personal control of the diabeties.


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## trophywench (Jan 6, 2016)

I don't agree with not testing either - to me - that's like driving up the motorway and not bothering to look through the windscreen or the mirrors after you pull off your drive at home.

Don't be at all surprise if the nurse advises against testing, Davie.  If they prescribe test strips - they are expensive - so an awful lot of the NHS have come up with 'reasons NOT to test' - you see, it actually is absolutely no good whatever, merely testing.

What you have to do actually, is learn to Test, then Review that reading and work out why it was that number, then if it was too high or too low, Adjust your food intake and/or your behaviour to try and avoid the same thing happening time after time after time.  So it's no good whatsoever, only doing the 'Test' bit, without doing the second bit and then if it's necessary, the third bit.  It is explained perfectly simply here - http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html
- written by a perfectly normal ordinary Australian Type 2 chap, years ago.


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## trophywench (Jan 6, 2016)

PS Diabetes Nerd - you don't appear to have introduced yourself anywhere, so we have no idea of your background in diabetes though we know you are not diabetic yourself this does not disbar you of course, however it's useful to know in what way you have come by whatever knowledge in the subject you have.  Why on earth do you not agree with T2s testing for instance?  What would make you think that?  You clearly haven't seen the value of it wherever you've been prior to this - we have !


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## AlisonM (Jan 6, 2016)

*[RANT]*Testing, no matter what type you are is one of the most important weapons in the diabetic arsenal. It's vital that every diabetic should understand how different foods and activities affect their BG levels and the *ONLY* way to learn that is to test and note the results. Time and again we've helped members in here do this and seen the marked improvements they've been able to make in their control. Not allowing proper testing is short sighted in the extreme. That way very likely leads to unpleasant complications that will prove far more expensive in the long run, as well as shortened lives and much suffering for those affected. Proper training in how to test and interpret the results would be far more cost effective as well as giving folk more control over their own destiny. The evidence for this is all through this forum. My advice to anyone who thinks testing has no value is to read what's here and think on.*[/RANT]*


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## davie533 (Jan 7, 2016)

Thanks for all the comments.The diabetes nurse did say not to test only need to do that when and if I go on tablets.I have ordered a tester anyway so will see how I get on with it when it arrives.


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## HOBIE (Jan 7, 2016)

davie533 said:


> Hi there,my name is Davie I am 56 and I am type 2 and I am looking forward to be part of this forum as you are all so helpful when questions are asked and hopefully you will keep me right as since being diagnosed its all been very daunting and I am struggling with it all and very unsure where I go from here.
> At the moment I don't need tablets and I am trying to lose weight and do more exercise to see if it can be controlled that way and I have another test in three months so we will see what happens then.
> Thanks for reading this and any advice given would be much appreciated.I do have lots of questions which will be asked on the general message board.thanks.


Welcome davie. I am 4yrs younger than you & coming up to 50yrs T1. You are miles better keeping active & when you have the chance walk/use stairs etc. Good luck


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## davie533 (Jan 7, 2016)

Thanks Hobie. Fifty years that's a long time just shows people like myself that once you get over the shock of the initial diagnosis this is an illness that can be managed and its not the end of the world.Due to spondylosis problems in my neck the only exercise I can do is walking and being two minutes from the countryside its a nice walk even better if the rain would stop though.Take care mate.


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## HOBIE (Jan 7, 2016)

I know what you mean about the rain. One end of my road is closed because of the water. I also live near the country On a nice day brill


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## Carolg (Jan 8, 2016)

davie533 said:


> Hi there,my name is Davie I am 56 and I am type 2 and I am looking forward to be part of this forum as you are all so helpful when questions are asked and hopefully you will keep me right as since being diagnosed its all been very daunting and I am struggling with it all and very unsure where I go from here.
> At the moment I don't need tablets and I am trying to lose weight and do more exercise to see if it can be controlled that way and I have another test in three months so we will see what happens then.
> Thanks for reading this and any advice given would be much appreciated.I do have lots of questions which will be asked on the general message board.thanks.


Hi Davie-yes,i find it all a bit daunting as well.think the forum will be a great help


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## davie533 (Jan 8, 2016)

Hi Carolg,welcome to this wonderful forum,I have been a member for only a few days and have learned so much already so the forum will be a great help for you as it is for everyone else.good luck.


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## Diabetes Nerd (Jan 12, 2016)

trophywench said:


> PS Diabetes Nerd - you don't appear to have introduced yourself anywhere, so we have no idea of your background in diabetes though we know you are not diabetic yourself this does not disbar you of course, however it's useful to know in what way you have come by whatever knowledge in the subject you have.  Why on earth do you not agree with T2s testing for instance?  What would make you think that?  You clearly haven't seen the value of it wherever you've been prior to this - we have !



Well, without coming across wrong, the diabetes nurse gave the same advice as I did it seems. I do agree with other comments that its up to the individual and that's fine. Each to their own!


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## trophywench (Jan 12, 2016)

So - you still don't tell us anything about you - I wouldn't hold any confidence in ANYTHING said by someone whose background I wasn't are of.  eg on a 'car' forum if I had engine problems, I would listen to the advice of a person who has said he's a mechanic and may have evidenced this before based on the correct advice about something else engine-oriented which I knew to be correct but I wouldn't listen to my advice since I admit freely to knowing sweet FA about engines, have never worked with them or done anything whatsoever to do with the motor trade except typed estimates and invoices for someone who was involved in it.

We have already explained - as we always do - why WE individually regard testing as essential - however you  disagree with that -  you need to explain exactly why you say that, which explanation needs to be sufficiently persuasive to change our minds completely, to have a snowball's chance in hell of anyone doing that volte face.  If you are not prepared to say in what way YOU were persuaded it was 100% correct - how can you expect us to even contemplate changing our minds?

Thing is if you only try one way, and then in 20 years time your legs drop off and your kidneys fail - it's a bit bloomin late to see if a change in regime might help, isn't it?


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## Carolg (Jan 12, 2016)

jacfburcham said:


> Dear davie533,  I am a newbie diagnosed three weeks ago,  got myself a monitor and read all the information I could on the diabeties website and forum.  Got to grips quickly and have been able to reduce blood sugar from 19.6 to average of 8.1 morning reading to 6.5 to 7.5 two hours after meals, the monitoring has enabled me to find out what foods I was eating that were causing the spikes.  I hope this is helpful.  I think the price of a good night out is worth knowing how you can take personal control of the diabeties.





jacfburcham said:


> Dear davie533,  I am a newbie diagnosed three weeks ago,  got myself a monitor and read all the information I could on the diabeties website and forum.  Got to grips quickly and have been able to reduce blood sugar from 19.6 to average of 8.1 morning reading to 6.5 to 7.5 two hours after meals, the monitoring has enabled me to find out what foods I was eating that were causing the spikes.  I hope this is helpful.  I think the price of a good night out is worth knowing how you can take personal control of the diabeties.


Hi.i wasn't advised to test although prescribed metformin. Having read lots of these posts, ive ordered a monitor to try to take control and quite agree that tying the results with what you eat is the way forward rather than going "blind".carol


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## Diabetes Nerd (Jan 12, 2016)

trophywench said:


> So - you still don't tell us anything about you - I wouldn't hold any confidence in ANYTHING said by someone whose background I wasn't are of.  eg on a 'car' forum if I had engine problems, I would listen to the advice of a person who has said he's a mechanic and may have evidenced this before based on the correct advice about something else engine-oriented which I knew to be correct but I wouldn't listen to my advice since I admit freely to knowing sweet FA about engines, have never worked with them or done anything whatsoever to do with the motor trade except typed estimates and invoices for someone who was involved in it.
> 
> We have already explained - as we always do - why WE individually regard testing as essential - however you  disagree with that -  you need to explain exactly why you say that, which explanation needs to be sufficiently persuasive to change our minds completely, to have a snowball's chance in hell of anyone doing that volte face.  If you are not prepared to say in what way YOU were persuaded it was 100% correct - how can you expect us to even contemplate changing our minds?
> 
> Thing is if you only try one way, and then in 20 years time your legs drop off and your kidneys fail - it's a bit bloomin late to see if a change in regime might help, isn't it?


 
Trophy wench the advice I gave which Davie found very helpful, was supported by the specialist he went to see and is also supported by 2015 nice guidance, unfortunately the advice you gave wasn't supported by either. Good night


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## khskel (Jan 12, 2016)

I know some of the medical profession use the arguments that T2s shouldn't test because the results may cause worry or confusion. I would be more worried if I wasn't in possession of the data I needed to manage my condition, especially if that data was easy to obtain. As for causing confusion, what an insult to the intelligence.


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## Northerner (Jan 12, 2016)

Care and advice is supposed to be decided on an individual basis. This is a highly complex condition and needs input from both patient and healthcare professional, if at all possible. Self-management comprises 99.999% of a person's experience of diabetes, the HCP's input is the remainder of that time... Studies and guidelines should simply be a starting point and cannot successfully be applied to everyone and anyone.


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## Robin (Jan 12, 2016)

I'm not sure that the NICE 2015 guidelines do in any way support a refusal by HCPs to facilitate self testing. The wording is not to 'routinely' offer self-monitoring, and is modified by the opening paragraph of the guidelines,
'Adopt an individualised approach to diabetes care that is tailored to the needs and circumstances of adults with type 2 diabetes, taking into account their personal preferences,'
A blanket refusal is not an individualised approach. If the person with diabetes decides testing is the right approach for them, then they should be supported to do so.


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## Amigo (Jan 12, 2016)

Diabetes Nerd said:


> Trophy wench the advice I gave which Davie found very helpful, was supported by the specialist he went to see and is also supported by 2015 nice guidance, unfortunately the advice you gave wasn't supported by either. Good night



Hi Diabetes Nerd, I have no wish to embark on a confrontational exchange with you. Life is too short and this is meant to be a friendly, supportive environment. However I do share certain concerns expressed that you like to assert certain advice and quote policy guidelines like NICE without reference to how or why you hold those views. Rightly or wrongly I thought that this was an experiential site with diabetics and their carers supporting and advising each other to maintain good health and symptom free futures. I think that if a 'professional' seeks to join the site purely in an advisory capacity or to debate issues, then a declaration of their position should be made. Reading your posts I have the sense that you are perhaps a nurse or 'academic' with an interest in the subject. If this is the case, would you have any difficulty in saying so and why?

If you are a diabetic or a carer, I do think your position would be strengthened by sharing that information because otherwise members like myself start to feel that there are 'floating contributors' using the site simply as a debating society. 

Surely it's not unreasonable to ask what your interest in diabetes is?


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## trophywench (Jan 13, 2016)

I firmly believe that HCP's contribution to my own care, is as advisers (and we can choose to take or ignore advice from anyone, there's no need for an argument and most certainly shouldn't be one.  If I have a difference of opinion with any of mine, I enquire these days (hadn't used to! what makes them so firmly believe that whatever is a Good Idea for me?  One can then assess reasonably quickly if they don't actually hold very form views on the subject, can't one?  LOL) and that part is essential when one is first diagnosed - but mainly for myself now really - as facilitators to enable ME to treat MY diabetes.


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## robert@fm (Jan 13, 2016)

Amigo said:


> Surely it's not unreasonable to ask what your interest in diabetes is?


This is mainly a helpful and friendly forum, but we have over the past year or so had at least three Afrezza spammers who failed to declare their vested interests.  I don't use the Ignore feature (so far), but am sorely tempted to make one exception.


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## Diadav99 (Jan 16, 2016)

Ive read this thread with interest as home monitoring is one of the areas where I'm unsure of what I'm trying to achieve ? I'm recently diagnosed type two and do not require medication. At 58 weighing in around 12st 12lbs and fairly fit , I do not consider myself overweight or unfit so I'm struggling a bit to get my head around the diet thing. My reading in morning using a code free tester is 6.7. Two hours after food it can double . What should I be looking to achieve ?


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## khskel (Jan 16, 2016)

Diadav99 said:


> Ive read this thread with interest as home monitoring is one of the areas where I'm unsure of what I'm trying to achieve ? I'm recently diagnosed type two and do not require medication. At 58 weighing in around 12st 12lbs and fairly fit , I do not consider myself overweight or unfit so I'm struggling a bit to get my head around the diet thing. My reading in morning using a code free tester is 6.7. Two hours after food it can double . What should I be looking to achieve ?



Guidelines say T2 should aim for 8.5 or lower after meals.  Do you keep a food diary? This will help you identify which foods send you high and which are OK. We are all different so it's a case of seeing what is suitable for you.


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## Diadav99 (Jan 16, 2016)

Appreciated Khskel , what happens if I'm over 8.5


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## trophywench (Jan 16, 2016)

Not eat that again, not eat so much of it, run round the block - choice is yours!

But - better to reduce your pre-meal reading to less (around the 5 mark) and acieve no more than a 2.8 rise after eating.

Have a read of the following -  http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html  - which explains it all.  Alan Shanley wrote that especially for you!

You might read the rest of his 'Personal Journey' - some damn good tips in there, and really good explanations.


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## Robin (Jan 16, 2016)

If it's over 8.5, it means the carbohydrate in the meal hit your bloodstream faster than your pancreas could keep up with it. Have a look at what you ate, and see whether you could reduce the amount of carb in the meal, swap it for a slower release carb, or eat it mixed in with fat and protein to reduce the i pact on your blood sugars. See if exercising before or after eating helps keep the figures down. Have a look at the meals you ate where you did achieve 8.5 or lower, and see what you did to achieve that, and try to replicate that at other meals. Once you see a pattern emerging, it gets easier to plan what to eat and when to exercise. If, on the other hand, no matter what you do, you're always too high, then time to contact your GP or diabetic nurse.


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## Diadav99 (Jan 16, 2016)

Thanks for the info tropywench , Robin understand a bit better now and I'll read the blog. 

Davie533 apologies for hijacking your thread


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 18, 2016)

Just catching up with this thread with interest.

It was a great disappointment to me that the new NICE guidance for type 2 did not support SMBG for the avoidance of *hyper*glycaemia. In fact I could not find a section that recommended target levels for pre/post meal BGs at all any more. I wish the patient reps on the Guideline Development Group had been experienced self-testers and/or had been able to put the case for active D&E management more clearly - as many of our members could clearly have done.

This new NICE T2 guidance had quite a difficult birth and its publication was put back because of some significant and potentially dangerous problems with some of the recommendations that were identified when it went out for consultation. Various bits were then re-drafted I think.

Interestingly, one of the people on the Guideline Development Group for this guidance was Andrew Farmer - some long-term members may remember a 2009 paper 'Farmer et al' which found benefit in SMBG for glycaemic control in some, but had concerns over people getting depressed when they were just told to take BGs and not what to do with the results (surprise surprise!). The more intensive group were aiming to 'maintain adherence to a healthy lifestyle', rather than specifically adjust food choices base on pre vs post meal BGs I think.


> *While the data do not exclude the possibility of a clinically important benefit for specific subgroups of patients in initiating good glycaemic control*, SMBG by non-insulin-treated patients, with or without instruction in incorporating findings into self-care, did not lead to a significant improvement in glycaemic control compared with usual care monitored by HbA1c levels


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19254484 - Basically he'd already made his mind up.

Meanwhile more recently I have seen this research:
_Scientists have released new results underscoring the importance of a personalized diet, prepared based on complex factors such as your gut microbes and lifestyle. *Surprisingly[sic!]*, the foods that raise blood sugar levels differ dramatically from person to person._
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151119143445.htm

And this:
https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2015...sely-when-it-comes-monitoring-type-2-diabetes
Essentially showing that *structured* SMBG in people with T2 (whether on meds or not) *works*. Structured, in this case being testing before a meal and, say 2 hours after a meal... then reviewing food choices based on that . Sound familiar?!

Sorry to derail the thread with all this technical stuff, but hope some find it interesting.


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