# Trying really hard



## TiredOldGal (May 20, 2020)

Good morning everyone!

I’m currently really trying hard to lower my HBA1C- I’m using mySugr app to log my readings, and currently am  getting towards 59.  I was 104 when first diagnosed in October.  I have been trying since diagnosis, and have changed what I eat, and make sensible choices etc.

Following the news about Covid and diabetes I’m trying to be more active and have started using the exercise bike that had been hiding in the garage.  I’m not going mental with it, just 30 minutes a day (and am just about to do today’s session).  What I’m really posting for is to ask whether that news has spurred anyone else on to try that little bit harder?


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## grovesy (May 20, 2020)

I don't find the mySugr or my Libre View estatmiations are not reliable for me, mine are usally out, and been an underestimation.  Some find the same.Though some find it ok.


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## TiredOldGal (May 20, 2020)

Oh   I thought they'd been quite accurate for me - it's just a ballpark figure so at least I know I'm going in the right direction


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## grovesy (May 20, 2020)

I compare with my actual HBA1C I have sent to the lab. For me neither are near enough to the lab results.


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## trophywench (May 20, 2020)

So - how do the individual results compare to the fingerprick tests you do at the same time @grovesy ? (or should I say 10-ish minutes before you do the scan, since we know it's always 10-ish mins behind blood)


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## rebrascora (May 20, 2020)

A am quite sure that you can reasonably assume that your HbA1c has reduced quite dramatically if it was 104 and My Sugr is now predicting 59.... even if it is actually 65 or 70 in reality, and I doubt it will be that much out, *you are making great progress*, so don't be disheartened by @grovesy 's comments.

I think it is a very positive thing that the Covid 19 data is encouraging you to be more proactive in managing your diabetes and I think it may be having a slight impact on my efforts too although I am quite motivated most of the time already. The warm fine weather is also playing a part.... both in terms of making exercise and salads more attractive, so all helpful


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## TiredOldGal (May 20, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> A am quite sure that you can reasonably assume that your HbA1c has reduced quite dramatically if it was 104 and My Sugr is now predicting 59.... even if it is actually 65 or 70 in reality, and I doubt it will be that much out, *you are making great progress*, so don't be disheartened by @grovesy 's comments.
> 
> I think it is a very positive thing that the Covid 19 data is encouraging you to be more proactive in managing your diabetes and I think it may be having a slight impact on my efforts too although I am quite motivated most of the time already. The warm fine weather is also playing a part.... both in terms of making exercise and salads more attractive, so all helpful



Thank you for this.  I started using mySugr just after Christmas, and the levels it said for Hba1c were spot on with my result in January so I’m hoping it is remaining accurate.  The app is only as good as what I put in, and even if I have a spike, I put down what it is because I want a true reflection of what I’m doing.


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## TiredOldGal (May 20, 2020)

grovesy said:


> I compare with my actual HBA1C I have sent to the lab. For me neither are near enough to the lab results.



I log all my readings, no matter if they’re high because I’ve eaten too many carbs etc.  I’m hoping it’s accurate. Time will tell


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## grovesy (May 20, 2020)

trophywench said:


> So - how do the individual results compare to the fingerprick tests you do at the same time @grovesy ? (or should I say 10-ish minutes before you do the scan, since we know it's always 10-ish mins behind blood)


They vary, sometimes they are pretty much the same other times they are 1-2 out and they are not always the same through the life of the sensor.


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## grovesy (May 20, 2020)

TiredOldGal said:


> Thank you for this.  I started using mySugr just after Christmas, and the levels it said for Hba1c were spot on with my result in January so I’m hoping it is remaining accurate.  The app is only as good as what I put in, and even if I have a spike, I put down what it is because I want a true reflection of what I’m doing.


Well it sounds like for you it is fairly near. We had thread a while back and I was not the only one who it was not spot on. I also use a Libre sensor,which gives a HBA1C estimate, and that records my levels all the time, even that is out that is what the Libre View.


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## TiredOldGal (May 20, 2020)

I don’t know the Libre sensor but I guess I will just have to wait and see.  Thank you for your comments though


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## trophywench (May 20, 2020)

My point being @grovesy that if Libre doesn't match BG then the algorithm will be making its calculations based on the 'wrong' glucose measurements recorded by it, so therefore it can't possibly be correct.


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## ColinUK (May 22, 2020)

TiredOldGal said:


> Good morning everyone!
> 
> I’m currently really trying hard to lower my HBA1C- I’m using mySugr app to log my readings, and currently am  getting towards 59.  I was 104 when first diagnosed in October.  I have been trying since diagnosis, and have changed what I eat, and make sensible choices etc.
> 
> Following the news about Covid and diabetes I’m trying to be more active and have started using the exercise bike that had been hiding in the garage.  I’m not going mental with it, just 30 minutes a day (and am just about to do today’s session).  What I’m really posting for is to ask whether that news has spurred anyone else on to try that little bit harder?


Whether or not the app is 100% accurate or not is immaterial when you’ve pretty much halved the figure. You’ve done that. It can’t be that the app is suddenly way out so own your success and celebrate it because it’s great work!


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 24, 2020)

Sounds like you are doing amazingly @TiredOldGal 

Hope the mySugr prediction comes up trumps for you again. As long as you arent pinning your hopes on it and treat it only as a ballpark prediction I’m sure you will be fine.

Sounds like you are logging all of your results (not just the good ones!) which is the main thing.

Great that you’ve been inspired to really crack on with your activity, exercise bike and dietary changes as a result of the Coronavirus. Well done you


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## NotWorriedAtAll (May 27, 2020)

TiredOldGal said:


> Good morning everyone!
> 
> I’m not going mental with it, just 30 minutes a day (and am just about to do today’s session).  What I’m really posting for is to ask whether that news has spurred anyone else on to try that little bit harder?



I've not been on my exercise bike for a week now and yes your post has inspired me to get back to it. I will do it today.  Thank you and I think you are doing wonderfully well - keep it up!


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## SB2015 (May 27, 2020)

TiredOldGal said:


> Good morning everyone!
> 
> I’m currently really trying hard to lower my HBA1C- I’m using mySugr app to log my readings, and currently am  getting towards 59.  I was 104 when first diagnosed in October.  I have been trying since diagnosis, and have changed what I eat, and make sensible choices etc.
> 
> Following the news about Covid and diabetes I’m trying to be more active and have started using the exercise bike that had been hiding in the garage.  I’m not going mental with it, just 30 minutes a day (and am just about to do today’s session).  What I’m really posting for is to ask whether that news has spurred anyone else on to try that little bit harder?


Just to say a big WELL DONE.  That is an excellent achievement since October.
The HbA1c in any app will give you some idea of what it will be, as others have said it may be a bit up or down, but certainly will show the pay back for all that you have already been doing.

I think Covid lockdown has had a variety of impacts on people with their management.  It is good to see that you have put this time to good use.


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## annealex1 (May 28, 2020)

You are doing great! My blood sugar meter is Contour Next One and it transfers the reading onto my phone app. It also has the availability on the app, to put notes and it gives average readings .


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## rebrascora (May 28, 2020)

annealex1 said:


> You are doing great! My blood sugar meter is Contour Next One and it transfers the reading onto my phone app. It also has the availability on the app, to put notes and it gives average readings .



The test strips for the Contour Next One are really expensive though for people who are self funding.


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## annealex1 (May 28, 2020)

Ah, okay, What is the alternative as I am self funding.


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## rebrascora (May 28, 2020)

The SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Healthcare Tee2 are just basic meters so will not Bluetooth readings to your phone or anything like that but the test strips are just £8 for a pot of 50. If you are testing before and 2 hours after meals each day, you can go through quite a lot of test strips in a couple of months, so it can amount to a significant saving.


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## annealex1 (May 28, 2020)

Thanks for that I will have a look. I pay approx £14 for fifty but I have paid £22 when I needed therm urgently.


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## rebrascora (May 28, 2020)

I would guess the £14 may have been off ebay where there are often people fleecing the NHS by getting extra test strips on prescription (diabetics are exempt from charges) and then flogging them..... you can usually tell if they just have one or two boxes to sell and their other items are none medical stuff like clothing or kid's toys etc.... ie clearly not a pharmacy business.  £22 would be the correct price for those test strips. 
I guess it depends how you feel about people profiteering off the back of the NHS as to how comfortable you are to support such a market.


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## annealex1 (May 28, 2020)

I did not know NHS gave test strips as my Dr told me they don't. In fact when I told him I was buying my own he said that I may have problems with the diabetic nurse which I couldn't understand. In my surgery I think it's which Dr you have as I rang up to beg to have Metaformin as my Hba1c was 69and the year before 60.  That Dr gave them to try again Metaformin SR one 500 tablet per day. I decided on the testing as I was concerned with the strong feeling in my feet almost like walking on a sock stuck in my shoe. Thanks for your replies.


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## rebrascora (May 28, 2020)

GPs no longer prescribe test strips for Type 2 diabetics unless they are on Gliclazide or insulin, both of which can cause the patient's BG to go dangerously low. Most Type 2s have to self fund their meter and test strips and you would be in that category. There is a little leeway I believe, if for example your HbA1c was hugely high (ie 100+) but in general, health care professionals do not seem to realise the power of using a meter to help tailor dietary changes in order to control BG. This is partly because they promote a low fat, moderate wholemeal carbs way of eating for diabetics which is often not helpful. More fat and very low carbs will have a much bigger impact on reducing BG and HbA1c but the NHS are still stuck with the rather dated theory that fat is bad. If they advised you to eat low carb and low fat, you would be very hungry and have no energy because you would not be getting the calories you need, so it would be unsustainable. They have been telling us for the past 70 years that fat is bad, so it is hard for them to move away from that...... it would be a U turn of massive proportions! So they stick with low fat, moderate wholemeal carb advice and prescribe medication and have no idea that a low carb, higher fat way of eating would be much more effective than the medication in many cases.


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## annealex1 (May 28, 2020)

Thank you so much, I now understand a lot more.  I am counting calories and carbs but will now look into how much fat I need and from which foods.


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## rebrascora (May 28, 2020)

The great thing about protein and fat is that they take much longer to digest and therefore keep you feeling fuller for longer as well as providing slow release energy whereas carbs are broken down quickly giving you a rush of glucose followed by a drop which makes you want to eat more. 
It is even possible that the low fat diet that we have been encouraged to follow all our lives may have contributed our current diabetic epidemic because of this problem with feeling hungry 2-3 hours after food and wanting a snack because we have no dietary fat to keep us sated and slow the digestion of the carbs we have eaten. Also many low fat foods like yoghurt have added sugar or starch to improve their flavour or texture, so we have been getting extra carbs whilst reducing fat and things have got out of balance. I eat much less food now (usually just 2 meals a day) and don't feel hungry, as a result of eating more fat.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (May 29, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> The SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Healthcare Tee2 are just basic meters so will not Bluetooth readings to your phone or anything like that but the test strips are just £8 for a pot of 50. If you are testing before and 2 hours after meals each day, you can go through quite a lot of test strips in a couple of months, so it can amount to a significant saving.


I just bought myself one of these - the Gluco Navil one - the GP gave me a One Touch Select Plus and I can get my strips and lancets by prescription but they are expensive and I have to have a volunteer pick them up from the pharmacy so I bought the Gluco Navil one and buy the test strips myself and they come by post.  

I already have a huge number of lancets and I hardly ever change them so I have kept the stabby thing from my One Touch but I can dial it down to a gentle stab because the new monitor uses a much smaller blob of blood and my fingers are much happier for it.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (May 29, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> The great thing about protein and fat is that they take much longer to digest and therefore keep you feeling fuller for longer as well as providing slow release energy whereas carbs are broken down quickly giving you a rush of glucose followed by a drop which makes you want to eat more.
> It is even possible that the low fat diet that we have been encouraged to follow all our lives may have contributed our current diabetic epidemic because of this problem with feeling hungry 2-3 hours after food and wanting a snack because we have no dietary fat to keep us sated and slow the digestion of the carbs we have eaten. Also many low fat foods like yoghurt have added sugar or starch to improve their flavour or texture, so we have been getting extra carbs whilst reducing fat and things have got out of balance. I eat much less food now (usually just 2 meals a day) and don't feel hungry, as a result of eating more fat.




Yes - today was exactly that for me. I had laverbread and a fried egg for breakfast and then wasn't hungry until the evening when I had a huge duck breast with some konjac and home grown mushrooms and spring onions.

Plenty of fat, a good helping of low carb veg, lots of fibre and I feel as if I've pigged out.


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## TrevA (May 31, 2020)

As a type 2, don’t you get free prescriptions? I do. I just filled in a form at my doctor’s surgery, got him to endorse it and they sent it off to the NHS in Newcastle. 2 weeks later I received a card exempting me from all prescription charges for 5 years, even prescriptions that have nothing to do with my T2D.


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## trophywench (May 31, 2020)

You don't get free scrips if you are not on medication for your diabetes - as NWAA no longer needs to take Metformin, they don't!


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