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Can someone interpret these numbers?

3K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  Xenon 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi, I just joined the forum a few days ago. Awesome information and help available here so far. To recap my vitals, I'm 62 yrs old, 240 lbs, 6' tall, and last readings 2 weeks ago after a raft of bloodwork was A1C 14, fasting BG 15. My Dr. freaked out. He has prescribed Metformin at 2000 mg a day (2 500 mg tabs in the am, 2 in the pm) for now, but wants to see me again in 2 weeks after another BG test at the hospital. He said to start with just 1 Metformin in the am and one in the pm for the first week, then go to 2 at a time, so I'm still on 1 at a time.

I got a testing meter (1-touch Verio IQ) and have also started the LCHF diet. Supper last night was scallops fried in butter with some fried mushrooms, and some sliced cucumber and a few mini tomatoes. It was good! Breakfast today was 2 cold hard boiled eggs, a smallish piece of medium cheddar cheese, and a coffee with cream.

My fasting BG like others I have read about is higher that the others. But here's the results I've taken so far. Man, I hate poking my finger so much!

Thursday, 10:32 am (forgot to take the morning reading, but had 2 eggs and a piece of cheese and coffee 2 hours earlier)...13.3
Thursday, 11.45 am....13.2
Thursday, 1.55 pm...12.4
Thursday, 7.59 pm...13.0 (3 hrs after the scallops for supper)

Friday. Fasting BG at 8.10 am....13.3
Friday, 9.21 am....12.8 (1 hour after eating)
Friday, 10.15 am...13.5 (2 hours after eating)
Friday, 11.30 am, 12.7 (3 hours after eating)

It seems to me there's not much movement in the numbers through the day. Any comments would be appreciated.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Ian,

This is where it gets frustrating in the short term.

Your numbers are very high at present but the medication you've been given won't do anything too dramatic until its concentration builds up in your system. That can take several weeks. Metformin doesn't generate insulin, it fights insulin resistance and helps reduce the glucose released by your liver when it feels you're going low.

Your dietary changes are in the right direction but you've got a lot 'in the bank' to burn out before you see dramatic drops there either.

Our body is a creature of habit. Over the last several months you've been running with a blood glucose of the order of 19mmol/L (based on your HbA1c) and your body has 'learned' that that's where you want to be. So every time you get your numbers down to single figures, your liver comes to the rescue and dumps some more glucose to bring you 'back to normal'. It's not funny but it is not unusual that it happens. Diabetes Update: Type 2s: Understanding False Hypos Over the next few weeks your liver will slowly learn that perhaps 5 mmol/L is a better number but for now:(.

Your doctor is playing it safe on the medication front but I suspect that in a couple of weeks he will want to try sometime more than metformin to help get your numbers down.

You are moving in the right direction but it will take a bit of time before those numbers settle down. Stick with it!
 
#3 ·
Thanks very much John. When you say my Dr. might want to try something else....do mean insulin? I hope not, as I really really don't like needles. Or do you think he may try another pill based med? I know, you're just guessing, but I like to be prepared. Thanks so much.
 
#4 ·
Ian,

My personal view is that insulin gets a reputation as the medication of last resort and it doesn't deserve that label. Used correctly is is much closer to our natural hormone reaction to carbohydrates and most importantly you can match the dose to the carbohydrate intake. That way you avoid the extreme highs followed by lows.

Anyway, that's my personal view.

My guess is that in your situation, your doctor will go for one of the oral drugs on offer. When I was diagnosed in 2010, the doctor prescribed a basal insulin to bring my morning numbers down and for meal spike control I was given Prandin

Prandin stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin - whether you need it or not and is a very blunt instrument. A great tool for producing hypos when you decide as I did to go low carb. Another issue is that I worry slightly that pushing your pancreas to produce insulin is rather like red-lining a car with a cracked cylinder head. Is it a good long term idea? I don't think so and some doctors seem to agree with my view.

I've got to say that having done some research, prandin seems to be one of the better options in terms of side effects but even so, if you really want to try it, I've got a four year old unopened packet lying here :).

I'd simply say that should your doctor suggest insulin, don't be too quick to let your dislike of needles get in the way. We're no longer talking about horse syringes - the needles on my pen injectors are virtually invisible and I didn't feel them going in at all.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Ian,

My personal view is that insulin gets a reputation as the medication of last resort and it doesn't deserve that label. Used correctly is is much closer to our natural hormone reaction to carbohydrates and most importantly you can match the dose to the carbohydrate intake. That way you avoid the extreme highs followed by lows.

Anyway, that's my personal view.

...

I'd simply say that should your doctor suggest insulin, don't be too quick to let your dislike of needles get in the way. We're no longer talking about horse syringes - the needles on my pen injectors are virtually invisible and I didn't feel them going in at all.
I wasn't thrilled about going on insulin. With Metformin + Diamicron (combined with going LCHF), I was able to bring my fasting blood sugar from around 20 to around 10, and my A1C from 14 to 8, but that's it... With no progress between January and April, my doctor decided to put me on insulin. And so now I give myself a shot of Lantus every evening, and wake up to blood sugars in the 5 to 6 range. Much better. :cool:

(I had my quarterly blood test yesterday, won't know the results until I see my doctor at the end of next week.)

BTW, it took a good three weeks or so before I saw real results with the Metformin. Apparently it has a cumulative effect that takes time to build up.
 
#7 ·
Fair enough Ian. I suspect that if I had tried to send it to you, I'd have been in breach of French and or Canadian import regulations. I'd certainly have been in breach of this forum's rules and as a moderator I'd have been in big trouble:boink::ballchain:

I'll just stick to suggestions. Place to explore on medication - Drugs

Good luck with the testing.
 
#9 ·
Thanks John! My pre-meal BG was 11.4 tonight, just now. Best reading yet over the past 3 days. Plus I read somewhere on here that one can feel out of sorts for the first few days or week after going on low carb, until one's system adjusts, so hope it's just that.
 
#10 ·
Making the switch from carbs to fat does a number on the body until it adjusts. One of the things that seems to help is to increase salt - some salty broth works well. And be sure you're drinking plenty of water.

And, to be sure you aren't hungry and tempted to sabotage your new diet - eat plenty of fats to fill up well.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for piping in, VeeJay.
Salty broth...check
Lots of water...check
Plenty of fats....still struggling with that, how and what to add. I like nuts OK, and they're fatty, so I could add some of those as snacks. I read somewhere that peanuts are not nuts and not good...true? Love peanuts!
 
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