# Hullo All



## LordVauge (Dec 14, 2021)

Happy to be here having read Dogsitters thread seems like the right place !


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## rebrascora (Dec 14, 2021)

Hi and welcome.

Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself and your diabetes diagnosis....
Things like how long you have been diagnosed..... and how that came about?
What if any medication you have been put on to manage your diabetes?
Your HbA1c reading if you know it? This is the blood test used to diagnosed and track/monitor your diabetes management.

Anything else which might be appropriate or of interest or causing you concern. Please ask whatever questions you need answers for. We all know that it is pretty overwhelming at first and a lot of what the nurse told me in my first few appointments just went over my head until the kind people here filled in the gaps for me, so that I had a better understanding.


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## LordVauge (Dec 14, 2021)

Will add a detailed responce in the morning ,thankyou


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## LordVauge (Dec 15, 2021)

I was informed two weeks ago and had a less than helpfull meet with my practice nurse last friday

HbA1c       85
114 kg
1.8mt

While I have six monthly blood tests for the last five years 
the Practice had not previously tested and when they decided to
this was the result.

Prescibed Metformin 500 x 2  no self testing  suggested, three
months till my next blood test.

Told I should eat and drink moderatly?

I have reduced my carb intake but have no real idea how to make a 
"Carb limit plan" for each day . How much carb?
I like beer and just bought some 3 carb 250ml Skinny

I love oily fish, eggs and slow cooked stews have problems with salads
no teeth

I have been sedentary since my legs and feet became swollen in 2019
shoe size increased from 10-12 and last year began to feel vertigo
particularly in the shower but this has become more pronounced when
getting up also have very little energy COPD 

Its a lot to understand and Im just at the begining so happy to be here


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## Lily123 (Dec 15, 2021)

Low carb is counted as anything below 130g


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## Lily123 (Dec 15, 2021)

I think you should get yourself a blood glucose meter so you can see the effect certain foods have on your BG. The two that are most recommended on the forum are Gluco Navii and SpritTee2. @rebrascora are those the right names?


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## rebrascora (Dec 15, 2021)

@Lily123  Hi, yes, the Gluco Navii and the Spirit Healthcare Tee2 are the 2 meters most used by members of the forum who self fund because they are reliable and pretty much the most economical on the market to use because of the test strip price which is the key issue to consider when self funding. 

@LordVauge Using a meter is something which most of us find invaluable to see how particular foods impact our Blood Glucose (BG) levels and helps us to make informed decisions about portion size or which foods are just not worth the aggravation and BG upheaval. It enables us to see what our body can tolerate carbs wise and what they can't and being able to actually "see" the impact each meal has on our levels makes the diabetes more visible in general, especially if we are not experiencing any particular symptoms..... It can be all too easy to bury your head in the sand and ignore it because it may not really be causing us any obvious problem, but slowly and insidiously in the back ground, those high BG levels can be causing irreversible damage to eyes and feet and by the time we start to have problems in those areas it can be a question of preventing further damage rather than reversing it. Taking control in the early stages of diagnosis is really helpful in preventing such damage and the BG meter when used with a structured testing strategy of just before and 2 hours after each meal will show you which foods are causing you problems. Keeping a food diary or everything you eat and drink along with an idea of the carb portions, like 3 pieces of potato or 2 serving spoons of rice of 1 slice of bread or 1 small Yorkshire pudding etc along with the before and after readings will help you to trim things down if you need to when you next have to same meal and gradually you will develop a range of meals, the portions of which, your body can comfortably cope with. ...... You are looking for an increase of no more than 2-3 mmols from starting the meal to 2 hours later.... So if your premeal reading is 8.7, you are looking for your 2hr post meal reading to be no more than 11.7 If it is higher, you are too many carbs, so maybe reduce by 1 potato piece or 1 Yorkshire pud or 1 slice or bread etc and bulk the meal out with other low carb elements like eggs or meat or fish and leafy green veg etc or cauliflower mash instead of potato or celeriac chips instead of ordinary ones. There are lots of alternatives and suggestions so do ask once you get to that stage, but getting a BG meter and learning how to use it will put the power in your hands. 

If you decide to follow that advice, remember to tick the box which confirms that you are diabetic as this will remove the VAT from the price. You would be well advised to purchase at least 2 extra pots of test strips (50 per pot) withe the kit as most kit's just come with 10 strips and you will go through them in the first couple of days. I believe the Gluco Navii is currently slightly cheaper thatn the Tee2 for test strips at £14 for 2 pots of 50 (ie 100)  and the test meter kit is about £15 so shouldn't break the bank but could turn out to be the most useful present anyone ever bought you if you have family members looking for suggestions this festive season.


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## LordVauge (Dec 15, 2021)

"I believe the Gluco Navii is currently slightly cheaper thatn the Tee2 for test strips at £14 for 2 pots of 50 (ie 100)  and the test meter kit is about £15"

Where do i find these ? could someone link please


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## rebrascora (Dec 15, 2021)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GlucoNavii-Blood-Glucose-Monitor-Starter/dp/B082MP5XN5/ref=asc_df_B082MP5XN5?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79989563295121&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583589109690035&th=1
		


In a bit of a rush at the moment but I think the above is a link to the basic meter kit... I am sure extra test strips will also be available from Amazon or you could purchase the whole lot direct from the manufacturer


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## LordVauge (Dec 15, 2021)

ordered thankyou


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## Felinia (Dec 15, 2021)

Hi and welcome
Lots of helpful information here.  I keep my food diary on an app.  There are free ones available, but I use NutraCheck at £7.99 a month.  I fill in my meal plan at the start of the day, so know just how many carbs I plan to have.  Everyone is different, so I experimented between 50gm and 130gm a day, settling on 90gm.

You mentioned eating difficulties.  My friend has the same problem, so has a lot of home made soup, as do I (pictures below). I just chuck the vegetables in a pot with stock, simmer, tart it up a bit with seasonings or spices, light coconut or skimmed milk, then par blitz the lot.  Plenty of ideas on the Food/Recipes Forum if soup's not your thing.  Shop bought soups, even the fresh ones, have lots of thickeners/additives like potatoes, so I find are best avoided.


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## LordVauge (Dec 15, 2021)

I do a fair amount of slow cooked soups and ditto shoulder of lamb in tinfoil slowly in the oven so no problems there 

I dont have a sweet tooth either so that helps

the closest to fast food I have is Kimchi noodles with some pork sausage and spinach with some shoyu and chilli in olive oil I will be interested to see how that is as It means I can have a couple of bowls over an hour and its something i like
Sausige the first noodles second as I said two bowls still got enough for first meal tomorrow any comments welcome as this also really hits the spot for me especially if Im not feeling like long preparation times

Net Contents​160g ℮
Nutrition​
Typical ValuesPer 100gPer 53g servingEnergy 1002kJ/241kcal531kJ/128kcalFat 18g9.4gOf which Saturates 7.4g3.9gCarbohydrate 4.2g2.2gOf which Sugars 1.6g0.85gProtein 16g8.5gSalt 2.0g1.1gThis pack contains 3 servings--

Net Contents​90g
Nutrition​
Typical Valuesper 100 g prepared productEnergy316 kJ / 75 kcalFat2,8 gOf which saturates1,5 gCarbohydrate11,0 gOf which sugars0,7 gProtein1,5 gSalt1,1 g


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## gll (Dec 16, 2021)

This is where the testing comes into play, what would be ok for me might sent you soaring and visa versa. 

Eat, test, see.
Some things I have been pleasantly surprised at although there were ugly cry tears when I had to break up with my beloved pasta 

We are all different.

I'm assuming your meter wont arrive today so not much you can do but have it and test next time you make it. Don't get overly worried about it. 
Your HBa1c didn't get to where it is in one meal  (I'm not saying eat anything anytime but first few weeks are rough and allow yourself some room to breathe and figure it out).


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## Leadinglights (Dec 16, 2021)

gll said:


> This is where the testing comes into play, what would be ok for me might sent you soaring and visa versa.
> 
> Eat, test, see.
> Some things I have been pleasantly surprised at although there were ugly cry tears when I had to break up with my beloved pasta
> ...


You could reconnect with your pasta if you try edamame or black bean pasta as it is only about 15g carb per 100g and I find a 25g dry wt  perfectly adequate. EXPLORE brand but sometime ALDI have it.


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## Sharron1 (Dec 16, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> You could reconnect with your pasta if you try edamame or black bean pasta as it is only about 15g carb per 100g and I find a 25g dry wt  perfectly adequate. EXPLORE brand but sometime ALDI have it.


I found the black bean.pasta today and am going to give it a go during xmas week. The picture doesn't  look very appetizing but will give it a go..


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## LordVauge (Dec 16, 2021)

gll said:


> This is where the testing comes into play, what would be ok for me might sent you soaring and visa versa.
> 
> Eat, test, see.
> Some things I have been pleasantly surprised at although there were ugly cry tears when I had to break up with my beloved pasta
> ...


Meter arrives 20-22nd Dec so all I can do is best guesse till then

I was really just looking at 
A) What I already like and 
B) has very low carbs in this example the "soup" 
plus extras for 2 meals has 18 grms carbs plus .5 for spinich 
lets say 20 and I am already happy with 
yesterday I had two slices of bacon and 3 eggs 0 carbs?
and two soup @14 grms 
2 skinny beers @ 5-6 grms carbs
If that resulted in a high reading 
I would feel pretty stuffed


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## LordVauge (Dec 16, 2021)

I may be havnt yet grasped that carb counting is not "mechanically " connected to BG


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## rebrascora (Dec 16, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> I may be havnt yet grasped that carb counting is not "mechanically " connected to BG


Firstly you have to understand that BG levels are affected by much more than just food..... There are something like 42 factors which can push it up or down or more frustratingly, in both directions. Food and exercise and medication are the 3 main players, but it's certainly not a mathematical absolute. Biological systems are "messy" and you have to look for trends rather than solid reproduceable results.

As regards foods, the speed of your digestion, the ability and speed of your pancreas to respond to it and produce/release insulin, the composition of your gut biome in breaking it down which can be highly individual.... this has a particular impact with higher fibre foods like pulses (beans, peas and lentils) as some of us seem to be able to extract much more glucose from them than their carb content would suggest.... Anyway, it is all very complicated, which is why testing to see how your particular body responds is so massively helpful and generally this will be reasonable reproduceable for you, so you will get a sense of which foods cause you too much BG upheaval to be worth bothering with and which and in what portion size are OK, but don't ever base a decision on any one individual test. Always do at least 2 or 3 before discarding a food from your menu.


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## Alan S (Dec 17, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> Prescibed Metformin 500 x 2  no self testing  suggested, three
> months till my next blood test.
> 
> Told I should eat and drink moderatly?



G'day from an old type 2 with no complications after 20 years on the far side of the world. I am so sad to see how limited your advice has been, especially "no self-testing". You will understand why I feel that way after you read this and the pages it links to: Getting Started

Incidentally oily fish, eggs and slow cooked stews are marvellous foods but be careful of the carbohydrate content of your stews. I like an occasional beer too but you need to look for low carb beers. Your UK locals should be able to offer advice on those.


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## trophywench (Dec 17, 2021)

G'day to you too, Alan!  Long time no communicate.  Hope all's well down under.


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## Alan S (Dec 17, 2021)

trophywench said:


> G'day to you too, Alan!  Long time no communicate.  Hope all's well down under.


G'day again Jenny. Trophywench? I won't ask . I hope you and yours are well too.

All's well, still no complications, triple vaxed and haven't caught covid so far, same for the family, busy renovating a house among other things and hoping to eventually start travelling again before I become an octogenarian. 

I have regained some time after the demise of the ADA forum. It was a strange progression there. I joined in 2004 to rail against the prevailing high-carb ADA advice; I expected to be swiftly ejected. I wasn't, but sailed pretty close to the wind and over the next ten years others slowly joined the chorus and they started listening. For the past few years I was, believe it or not, a moderator! But then the bean-counters in the organisation decided forum software management was an expense they did not need and without much warning and zero communication to moderators or members the forum ceased earlier this year. Sadly, DSFUK has now gone too. So here I am .


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## rebrascora (Dec 17, 2021)

Alan S said:


> G'day again Jenny. Trophywench? I won't ask . I hope you and yours are well too.
> 
> All's well, still no complications, triple vaxed and haven't caught covid so far, same for the family, busy renovating a house among other things and hoping to eventually start travelling again before I become an octogenarian.
> 
> I have regained some time after the demise of the ADA forum. It was a strange progression there. I joined in 2004 to rail against the prevailing high-carb ADA advice; I expected to be swiftly ejected. I wasn't, but sailed pretty close to the wind and over the next ten years others slowly joined the chorus and they started listening. For the past few years I was, believe it or not, a moderator! But then the bean-counters in the organisation decided forum software management was an expense they did not need and without much warning and zero communication to moderators or members the forum ceased earlier this year. Sadly, DSFUK has now gone too. So here I am .


Wow! Really sad for our antipodean friends that they have lost their forum, but great for us that we get to benefit from your experience and wisdom here again now and hopefully others from that forum will join us here too. 

I would like to say many thanks for your blog and particularly the "Test Review Adjust" post as it was a great help to me when I was first diagnosed nearly 3 years ago. The low carb way of eating has helped me to control my disordered eating and improve my diabetes management enormously, even though I am actually Type 1. It really has made a massive difference to my life and I am fitter and slimmer and healthier that I have been for 20+ years.


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## trophywench (Dec 17, 2021)

I've always thought the NHS could save a lot more time effort and money if they just handed a copy of 'Test, Review, Adjust' to anyone whatever Type they happened to be, the same day they were diagnosed. 

(It's so bloomin sensible of course there's never been much chance of that happening .....)

We're both OK thanks - triple jabbed too - are you still sizzling snags on Saturday mornings these days? - or has most of that sort of thing ground to a halt because of you know what?

The TW handle came once Pete had bought a Triumph Trophy motorbike and joined a bike forum where he called himself Trophychap - (chap being the contraction of his surname) and since I was the only wench that was going on the pillion, it just followed.  I could have got Admin here to change my user name on here but since it's the same avatar photo and folk on here already knew me as TW anyway, I just left it.


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## LordVauge (Dec 17, 2021)

"Test Review Adjust"
Is there a link for this?


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## trophywench (Dec 17, 2021)

Link is in Alan's signature below his posts, but anyway here's that specific page





__





						Type 2 Diabetes - A Personal Journey
					

Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.




					loraldiabetes.blogspot.com


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## Alan S (Dec 17, 2021)

rebrascora said:


> Wow! Really sad for our antipodean friends that they have lost their forum, but great for us that we get to benefit from your experience and wisdom here again now and hopefully others from that forum will join us here too.
> 
> I would like to say many thanks for your blog and particularly the "Test Review Adjust" post as it was a great help to me when I was first diagnosed nearly 3 years ago. The low carb way of eating has helped me to control my disordered eating and improve my diabetes management enormously, even though I am actually Type 1. It really has made a massive difference to my life and I am fitter and slimmer and healthier that I have been for 20+ years.


Thanks Barbara. Appreciation is always appreciated .

I am afraid I never discovered an Aussie forum which is why I began on usenet's alt.support.diabetes and misc.health.diabetes when I was first diagnosed. I met Patti and other very wise people on there and learned a lot. The ADA I referred to was the American Diabetes Association. As most of the western world - including the NHS and the Australian Diabetes Association -  slavishly followed the ADA's dietary advice for diabetics I felt it was vital to do what I could to change the "eat lots of whole grains, avoid fat like the plague and take meds or insulin to manage blood glucose" advice of that era. I was not alone, many others felt similarly. Over time we chipped away at the wall; thank goodness that old advice has slowly changed but too many doctors and dieticians have still not woken up to that change.


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## Alan S (Dec 17, 2021)

trophywench said:


> We're both OK thanks - triple jabbed too - are you still sizzling snags on Saturday mornings these days? - or has most of that sort of thing ground to a halt because of you know what?


Sadly the pandemic put paid to the sausage sizzle. After 17 years behind the barby at 6am twice a month if it ever re-starts I might leave it to a younger volunteer.


trophywench said:


> The TW handle came once Pete had bought a Triumph Trophy motorbike and joined a bike forum where he called himself Trophychap - (chap being the contraction of his surname) and since I was the only wench that was going on the pillion, it just followed.  I could have got Admin here to change my user name on here but since it's the same avatar photo and folk on here already knew me as TW anyway, I just left it.


I recognised the beautiful avatar instantly. Nice to see a friendly face immediately on my return.


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## trophywench (Dec 17, 2021)

..... and the only time we've ever met, both of us looked like our avatar pics too!


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

my testing device came and my first test after sleep without food was 3.5
there is a single red strip in the contents (ten test strips) in a baggy 
any idea what it does? Navi2


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## Lily123 (Dec 18, 2021)

A BG level of below 4 is hypo so you need 15grams of carbs such as a small 150ml can of full sugar coke


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## rebrascora (Dec 18, 2021)

Lily123 said:


> A BG level of below 4 is hypo so you need 15grams of carbs such as a small 150ml can of full sugar coke


This should not be necessary for someone who is not on insulin or Gliclazide as the liver is quite capable of rectifying any slight low like this and bringing levels back up. The only reason below 4 is dangerous for those of us on insulin or Glic is that it can go much lower due to a artificial surfeit of insulin and the liver may not have enough stores to bring it back up and also that regular readings below 4 mean that we are at risk of losing hypo awareness, but a reading of 3.5 does not pose a danger to the average person. 

@LordVauge Unless you have already dramatically reduced your carb intake, I wonder if this is a rogue reading. It is always a good idea to recheck any unusual readings and make sure hands are clean and dry before doing so. 3.5 is lower than I would expect for a morning reading particularly as our liver usually releases more glucose into our blood stream on a morning to give us energy for the day.... unless you indulged in some alcoholic beverages last night and your liver is still trying to process the alcohol.


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## Lily123 (Dec 18, 2021)

rebrascora said:


> This should not be necessary for someone who is not on insulin or Gliclazide as the liver is quite capable of rectifying any slight low like this and bringing levels back up. The only reason below 4 is dangerous for those of us on insulin or Glic is that it can go much lower due to a artificial surfeit of insulin and the liver may not have enough stores to bring it back up and also that regular readings below 4 mean that we are at risk of losing hypo awareness, but a reading of 3.5 does not pose a danger to the average person.
> 
> @LordVauge Unless you have already dramatically reduced your carb intake, I wonder if this is a rogue reading. It is always a good idea to recheck any unusual readings and make sure hands are clean and dry before doing so. 3.5 is lower than I would expect for a morning reading particularly as our liver usually releases more glucose into our blood stream on a morning to give us energy for the day.... unless you indulged in some alcoholic beverages last night and your liver is still trying to process the alcohol.


Oops sorry. I wasn’t aware of this


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

rebrascora said:


> This should not be necessary for someone who is not on insulin or Gliclazide as the liver is quite capable of rectifying any slight low like this and bringing levels back up. The only reason below 4 is dangerous for those of us on insulin or Glic is that it can go much lower due to a artificial surfeit of insulin and the liver may not have enough stores to bring it back up and also that regular readings below 4 mean that we are at risk of losing hypo awareness, but a reading of 3.5 does not pose a danger to the average person.
> 
> @LordVauge Unless you have already dramatically reduced your carb intake, I wonder if this is a rogue reading. It is always a good idea to recheck any unusual readings and make sure hands are clean and dry before doing so. 3.5 is lower than I would expect for a morning reading particularly as our liver usually releases more glucose into our blood stream on a morning to give us energy for the day.... unless you indulged in some alcoholic beverages last night and your liver is still trying to process the alcohol.


Having my morning coffee after a long night
the meter having just arrived I normally dont
eat for a few hours having a single tea spoon
of sugar ,no milk 1lt of strong coffee so 3.5 was
enough for my missus to push a bannana at me
lol my one hour reading is 14.7 ouch

I have been on faily low carbs for a week my body/mind
seems to be convinced theres something missing ,a big
empty hollow feeling and taste of food/drink is somehow
off/metalic


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## Lily123 (Dec 18, 2021)

For a reading after eating you would need to wait till it had been 2 hours after eating as your BG will change over that 2 hour time and after 2 hours you have your after eating BG


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

Im just in test test test mode , new tools 
i will settle down in a couple of days


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> Im just in test test test mode , new tools
> i will settle down in a couple of days


I know with new toys it is tempting to keep testing but it is better to establish a sensible testing regime that will give you useful information on which to base dietary changes or if you feel unwell to see if it is related to either high or low levels.
Testing before you eat and after 2 hours will tell you if that meal has been OK for your body to tolerate.
Just randomly testing will not tell you much as everybody's blood glucose varies during the day for many different reasons.


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

just did the two hour test 11.6 feel a bit headachy so will eat some soup and test in two hours


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> just did the two hour test 11.6 feel a bit headachy so will eat some soup and test in two hours


If your level was 11.6mmol/l 2 hours after eating that is pretty so that might be why you are feeling headachy , you probably would like to see it somewhat lower before having anything more to eat. 2 hours between meals is quite short. I would try to drink some water to try to rehydrate yourself and flush some of the excess glucose out of your body. 
What was your level before eating. You do not want more than 2-3mmol/l increase otherwise your meal was too carb heavy.


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## Lily123 (Dec 18, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> just did the two hour test 11.6 feel a bit headachy so will eat some soup and test in two hours


What was your level before eating? As @Leadinglights says you don’t want more than a 2-3mmol/l increase 2 hours after eating


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> If your level was 11.6mmol/l 2 hours after eating that is pretty so that might be why you are feeling headachy , you probably would like to see it somewhat lower before having anything more to eat. 2 hours between meals is quite short. I would try to drink some water to try to rehydrate yourself and flush some of the excess glucose out of your body.
> What was your level before eating. You do not want more than 2-3mmol/l increase otherwise your meal was too carb heavy.


pretty Low/High ?

it was 3.5 before 1 banana 1 teaspoon sugar in my coffee see above

i felt a bit heady and sleep deprived (my fault) before eating


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## Lily123 (Dec 18, 2021)

11.5 is a out of range number as it is high but it could be alot worse


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## rebrascora (Dec 18, 2021)

If that rise was down to just a banana, then it looks like they are off the menu, which for most of us would be unsurprising but my gut feeling is that your 3.5 reading was incorrect in the first place..... maybe a rogue strip or something. For someone with your HbA1c I would be very surprised for you to be able to get such a reading on waking unless a lot of alcohol was involved. 
Are you saying you have a spoon of sugar in each cup of coffee or 1 spoon of sugar in a litre of coffee?
Also be aware that coffee can dehydrate you, so drinking that could be both inflating your BG reading as your kidneys remove fluid from your body and causing the headache.


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

Your testing results do look a bit bizarre, so I would keep a good record of the time you test, the before eating reading, what precisely you ate and drank and the 2 hour after reading.
Make sure you wash your hands before taking the sample and make sure it goes on the strip properly, enough blood but not too much so it over fills.


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

rebrascora said:


> If that rise was down to just a banana, then it looks like they are off the menu, which for most of us would be unsurprising but my gut feeling is that your 3.5 reading was incorrect in the first place..... maybe a rogue strip or something. For someone with your HbA1c I would be very surprised for you to be able to get such a reading on waking unless a lot of alcohol was involved.
> Are you saying you have a spoon of sugar in each cup of coffee or 1 spoon of sugar in a litre of coffee?
> Also be aware that coffee can dehydrate you, so drinking that could be both inflating your BG reading as your kidneys remove fluid from your body and causing the headache.


1 teaspoon in my cup for entire pot

i did have two skinny beers .500ml total night before (5 carbs)and a stiff wiskey and 0 sugar dry ginger ale

Im having to push myself to drink water as lack of beer is reducing urine flows 

Im begining to see the depths of our rabbit hole


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

So two hours ago my BG was 11.6 now 13.1 Im thinking
thats ok ish because the start range was high but the soup didnt add a big spike?


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## Lily123 (Dec 18, 2021)

That is a rise of less than 3mmol/l so yes it is okay but you will need to bring that number down that you started with. ( I’m sorry that the way I worded that is confusing)


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## rebrascora (Dec 18, 2021)

If you stick to foods which give you a rise of less than 3mmols, gradually your pre meal reading will start to come down naturally..... So yes your soup was a good choice.


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

Hopefully by the time you next eat your levels will have dropped.
What are you intending to have for your next meal.


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

Still got some soup which has given me 4 meals in two days it consisted off
200grms Brisket
1 large spud
handfull of spouts
4 cubes frozen spinach
handfull carrot battons
handfull mushrooms
60grms oinions
2 beef stock cubes
olive oil for browning


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> Still got some soup which has given me 4 meals in two days it consisted off
> 200grms Brisket
> 1 large spud
> handfull of spouts
> ...


That looks pretty low carb but not much protein or fat. Are you eating anything else during the day?


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

I will have some blue cheese and half a dozen ritz after dinner if i feel very hungry 
my "normal" pattern prior to diagnosis would be 
8am coffee
11am eggs and bacon with 2-4 bread slices (had no bread for 8 days)
8pm large dinner meat/fish two veg lots of boiled spuds
although my interest in food has been patchy for the last year
beer however was a 2lt a night regular regardless
now im having 500ml but its not hitting the spot having changed from a craft beer to low carb
the brisket was 360 grms around 25 grm protien per meal and 5-6 grms fat


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

just testing befor dinner BG 8.7 ive added 25grm carbs of noodles and a couple of eggs to the last of the soup


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> I will have some blue cheese and half a dozen ritz after dinner if i feel very hungry
> my "normal" pattern prior to diagnosis would be
> 8am coffee
> 11am eggs and bacon with 2-4 bread slices (had no bread for 8 days)
> ...


A pint of normal beer is about 20g carb the same a 4 small new potatoes.
Your bacon and egg with maybe just 1 slice bread for breakfast would most likely be OK as would your dinner but without so many potatoes, you could add some grated cheese to your veg.
Your new regime is very slim on protein, if you are cutting your carbs so much you need something to give your body energy.


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## LordVauge (Dec 18, 2021)

Just done the two hours after dinner test BG 10

I would agree with"slim on protein" im 111kg 1.77 mt and almost completly sedentary due to mobility issues , no stamina , breathlesness and vertigo so my thoughts were to see if i can loose some kilos and when i go back for another HbA1c in very early March see where i get to.

I havnt yet reached any idea of what would bring me into balance but at least I have a usefull tool now and all your kind suggestions


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## Leadinglights (Dec 18, 2021)

LordVauge said:


> Just done the two hours after dinner test BG 10
> 
> I would agree with"slim on protein" im 111kg 1.77 mt and almost completly sedentary due to mobility issues , no stamina , breathlesness and vertigo so my thoughts were to see if i can loose some kilos and when i go back for another HbA1c in very early March see where i get to.
> 
> I havnt yet reached any idea of what would bring me into balance but at least I have a usefull tool now and all your kind suggestions


Just reading back through your earlier posts, you do seem to have reduced your carbohydrates quite quickly and that can sometimes give you a few problems like headaches and eye issues as your body has to get used to lower levels of blood glucose. It is suggested you reduce the amount of carbs gradually over a few weeks. So estimate what you are having before then reduce by one third for a week then another third until you get to where you want or need to be. 
People find success with a low carb diet less than 130g per day as that is more sustainable than a very low carb regime but they do need to compensate for the low carbs by increasing protein and healthy fats. That sort of regime both enables them to reduce blood glucose levels and lose weight.
There are obviously other regimes that people have tried with success, it all comes down to what suits you and is sustainable.


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## Alan S (Dec 20, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> I know with new toys it is tempting to keep testing but it is better to establish a sensible testing regime that will give you useful information on which to base dietary changes or if you feel unwell to see if it is related to either high or low levels.
> Testing before you eat and after 2 hours will tell you if that meal has been OK for your body to tolerate.
> Just randomly testing will not tell you much as everybody's blood glucose varies during the day for many different reasons.



Two hour tests might tell your doctor whether you need a regimen change but do little to help you understand the effects of your food choices. The best test time for that is your post-meal peak time. Here is the longer version: When To Test?


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## Mrs Mimoo (Jan 10, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> You could reconnect with your pasta if you try edamame or black bean pasta as it is only about 15g carb per 100g and I find a 25g dry wt  perfectly adequate. EXPLORE brand but sometime ALDI have it.


Konjak pasta is an 'acquired taste' but it's 9 calories  serving and good fibre. I now eat it exclusively> i have had a messy sad divorce from real pasta. (my carb true love......)


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## Leadinglights (Jan 10, 2022)

Mrs Mimoo said:


> Konjak pasta is an 'acquired taste' but it's 9 calories  serving and good fibre. I now eat it exclusively> i have had a messy sad divorce from real pasta. (my carb true love......)


I get on fine with the edamame or blackbean pasta but tried the Konjack rice, the worse thing I have tried in my life.


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## LordVauge (Mar 17, 2022)

LordVauge said:


> I was informed two weeks ago and had a less than helpfull meet with my practice nurse last friday
> 
> HbA1c       85
> 114 kg
> ...


Hi all update

After my diagnosis and lots of helpfull posts here ive been back to my GP for a 3 month blood test and the result is 85 origional HbA1c    and now its 60    a combination of me reducing carbs and two 500mg metaformin my other bloods are all normal and im going to see the nurse tomorrow what should i be asking them?


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## gll (Mar 17, 2022)

Thats great news! Well done.

Do you have any concerns?
has metformin been okay for you? I wouldn't be totally surprised if they up the dose but so much depends on who you see.

If you haven't had your eye screening or foot check (or at least an appointment for them through) you could ask about those.


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## Mrs Mimoo (Mar 17, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> You could reconnect with your pasta if you try edamame or black bean pasta as it is only about 15g carb per 100g and I find a 25g dry wt  perfectly adequate. EXPLORE brand but sometime ALDI have it.


or hardcore, Konjac slimpasta from holland and barrat or amazon. 20 calories a portion, almost no carbs. A bit slimy at first but you get used to it and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Ideal for pasta addicts.


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## Leadinglights (Mar 18, 2022)

Mrs Mimoo said:


> or hardcore, Konjac slimpasta from holland and barrat or amazon. 20 calories a portion, almost no carbs. A bit slimy at first but you get used to it and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Ideal for pasta addicts.


It was both the smell and the texture that put me off the Konjac rice. But happy with the edamame bean and black bean pasta.


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## LordVauge (Mar 18, 2022)

gll said:


> Thats great news! Well done.
> 
> Do you have any concerns?
> has metformin been okay for you? I wouldn't be totally surprised if they up the dose but so much depends on who you see.
> ...


Saw the nurse , who is a generalist , she said that ive lost 4 kilo,s and bringing my levels down from 85 (9.9) to 60 (7.6) is controling my type 2 well that was about it heh ho as a treat ive just had half a Quiche (35 carbs) for lunch will wait another 3 months


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## LordVauge (Mar 18, 2022)

Mrs Mimoo said:


> or hardcore, Konjac slimpasta from holland and barrat or amazon. 20 calories a portion, almost no carbs. A bit slimy at first but you get used to it and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Ideal for pasta addicts.


Might try that as i like noodles in asia type soups so slimy lol is fine


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## rebrascora (Mar 20, 2022)

Congrats on your HbA1c reduction. Fingers crossed you can make a little bit more progress on that for your next appointment.
It is important to drain and rinse the konjac noodles or rice to reduce the sliminess but also I believe the fluid contains preservative so best ditched before you eat.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Mar 20, 2022)

Thanks for the update @LordVauge 

Great news that all your hard work has been paying off so far.

Onward and downward!


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## LordVauge (Mar 27, 2022)

If I continue down at my next 3 month blood tests would that be a moment to drop the metaformin and perhaps the statin?


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## LordVauge (Jun 14, 2022)

Just got my 3rd quarterly test results  HbA1c  47  (previous 85-60)


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## Felinia (Jun 14, 2022)

Well done - now pre-diabetic - so all your hard work has well and truly paid off.  You should certainly ask about the metformin.  Not so sure about the statin as I suppose it depends on your cholesterol levels, but no harm in asking as well!  I got this pasta from Amazon (not cheap but worth it).  It is just like pasta, without a slimy taste and is quite al dente.  I made a low carb sauce of peppers, tomatoes, onions, courgettes and herbs (6 portions) which was delicious with the pasta.

The Only Bean - Organic Soy Bean Spaghetti Pasta - High Protein, Keto Friendly, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Low Carb, Plant-Based Bean Noodle


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## LordVauge (Jun 14, 2022)

Thanks they are out of stock @£30 kilo I may stick to steak lol I bought the slimy stuff @£2.70 a pack but doesnt hit the spot for me , Im allowing myself a bit of what i fancy including beer and it seems to be on track 

There appears to me to be no actual engagement with my GP practice or interest at least its clear its up to me


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## rebrascora (Jun 14, 2022)

Many congratulations on a fantastic achievement! Great result!


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## LordVauge (Oct 23, 2022)

LordVauge said:


> Just got my 3rd quarterly test results  HbA1c  47  (previous 85-60)


4th test 52 so up a bit and today i feel dizzy just got a mm finger prick test of 11.8 an hour after eating and taking 1 metaformin


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## everydayupsanddowns (Oct 23, 2022)

What did you eat @LordVauge ?

Seems like your metabolism struggled to process it effectively, and couldn’t keep up with the rate/amount of glucose that was extracted from the total carb content of the meal?


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## LordVauge (Oct 23, 2022)

two toast and a small portion (half pack) ramin noodles with pork eggs fried oingion


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## Leadinglights (Oct 23, 2022)

LordVauge said:


> two toast and a small portion (half pack) ramin noodles with pork eggs fried oingion


Pretty low carb except for the toast.
What were you before eating.
Metformin will not have a direct effect on the meal.


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## LordVauge (Oct 23, 2022)

I havnt been regulkarly testing after the first and second blood tests I only tested today because I felt off,dizzy and generally out of sorts P.S. im feeling much better now


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