[andrews]

Hi, please to meet you.

I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, four months ago and still to this day cannot get a it lower than 7.3 (morning test before breakfast).

The medication i have been perscribed is Metaformin 500mg morning and the same at evening, total of 1000mg per day.

I have researched for MONTHS on GI foods, complex and simple carbs, sugars, designed diabetic meals and purchased books, DVD, chinese tea on diabetes but still cant get below the 7 mark.

Little about me (so you can have an idea on my circumstances), i'm 39 yrs old from South Wales UK, 19st in weight but looks 17 st as i am quiet soft muscley dont look fat - typical rugby player build. Dont drink booze, dont smoke, grill foods and dont have fast foods often or lots of process foods and for some strange reason cant loss weight???.

All help welcome, willing to learn so please, please get in touch as all help and advice will be appreciated.

Brilliant website, i have has already learnt so much and more importantly cut though the rubbish, lies, con men and factless drab on the net. Well done to all involved.

Thank you, kind regards.

Lee

 

[diabetes86]

You need to control your BGL.
your tools

Pills and or insulin
exercise
Food


Food

All foods with carbohydrates (carbs) Raises BGL
​

especially bad carbs are

almost anything white. white bread, potato, rice, sugar and worst of all Honey (eating a potato is worse than eating sugar as far as BGL goes.)

​

Protein and fat

slows down the rise of BGL.
​

fiber

slows down the rise of BGL.
​

meds (pils and insukin)

lower BSL
​

exercise

lowers BSL
​

​

Read the labels on food packages
get to know the Glycemic index of foods.
Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load


Basically those are the tools you have, use them well and you will have a long Happy life.

O ya… To learn HOW THIS ALL AFFECTS YOU … Test, test, test before you eat, test 1 hour after you eat , test 2 hours after you eat test before exercise test after exercise.

Have fun

 

[Shanny]

Well Lee . . . I got the cart before the horse & greeted you over on the other thread . . . never even noticed that you'ld already introduced yourself over here! So now you already know that I'm a ditzy old granny, eh?!

I'm happy you've already found some useful information here - we do aim to please (), but when each of us is so bloomin' independent individually, about all we can do is provide (as diabetes86 has done) the tools we've found effective, and let you try 'em out yourself.

Often when we consult with the medical community about these things, they have a one-size-fits-all response, and with diabetes, one size does DEFINITELY not fit all!

Using the meter effectively is one of our best tools, so we can determine which foods send our sugars into orbit, and which ones we can eat with abandon and never budge our BG.

My own discovery has been that my weight loss comes about gradually when I reduce my carb intake. I was diagnosed about a year ago & spent the first few months trying to get my numbers under 140. My doc even increased my metformin once to get it moving. What it finally took was knocking down the carbs to about 50-60g per day. I do NOT limit fats in my diet - only carbs. So I'm free to eat bacon & eggs, but not toast/muffins/biscuits/etc. So in ten months I've lost 30 lbs., which is fast enough for me - not quite a pound a week. And since I expect to use this diet regimen for the rest of my life, I also expect the weight to stay off.

 

[andrews]

Thank you both.

When i was diagnosed the health centre gave me an information pack of the do's and don'ts, which was great at first. However the more i read and researched the more conflicting info i had.

You must eat carbs for energy, dont eat carbs their bad. Protein is great, protein is bad as it put stress on the liver and organs.

Type 2 diabetes is reversable, not its not... i cant believe the misleading quotes and cons out there and what is worse the medical world dont seem to have the answers to this.

This is why, the support this website gives is vital and fantastic for straight direct answers, when the rest of the world is lost in if's and but's.

What is the difference in the reading, as my blood sugar test gives me a reading of (example) 7.3, while other on here give readings of one hundred plus. Sorry for being think

lee

 

[diabetes86]

Europe uses a different form of numbers, take your number and multiply by 18 to get the US form.
Thats why I say test test test each person acts different.
NO carbs arnt the only form of energy they are the easiest to get. Your body can use protean to get energy (more work for the body)

the symptoms (are not the same as complications) of T2 are reversible, you will always be diabetic, you can postpone the symptoms and complications.

 

[andrews]

Thanks.

So if my morning test is on average 7.9, thats about 142, oh my god!!!.

Is this very high and a serious concern. Sorry for my lack of knowledge but this shows the need of correct information in Wales.

Please, I'm not putting down the NHS or anything, but i dont know or meet anyone who have been diagnosed and explained about the condition and knew what to do immediately. Everyone is left to their own to research.

What is a safe level to aim for, is 7.3 reasonable or high. If i am on 2 x 500 Metaformin per day, what can i do to get the best out of the medication as take with food, after food, before food. Any help please as i really need to get control of thid thorn in my life.

As i said before, please all tips and advice however small will be gratefully welcome as if a person has found drinking or taking something before bed helps, I know there is no miracle cure but as a famous store said "every little helps".

 

[Shanny]

Believe me, Lee, it isn't just Wales! Exactly the same thing happens here in the States . . . it's appalling! If I hadn't stumbled on the forums, I'd still be trying to live by my doctor's advice, which is far too lenient to accomplish the goals I want to attain.

Diabetes doesn't have to be a disease of attrition. We can take control, maintain control, and live long healthy lives without complications. Not saying something else won't kill us, but we have within ourselves the capability to stave off the ravages of diabetes. It isn't always easy, but we have each other for support, advice & sometimes even some tomfoolery . . .

(and your 7.9 or 142, isn't breathtakingly horrible, but it is about as high as I care to go now that I've gotten a grip on things. I think some of the studies show that damage isn't occurring until we get up over 140 and stay there very long.)

 

[diabetes86]

I was told that taking the pills with food can increase the absorption by 30%. when I tryed to find out how much food is needed to do that they didnt know, a snack or meal ? I think the max does of metformin (AKA Glucophage is 2500MG day so you can go up on the dosage. *check with your Doc.

 

[breezeonby]

Thanks.

So if my morning test is on average 7.9, thats about 142, oh my god!!!.

Is this very high and a serious concern. Sorry for my lack of knowledge but this shows the need of correct information in Wales.

Please, I'm not putting down the NHS or anything, but i dont know or meet anyone who have been diagnosed and explained about the condition and knew what to do immediately. Everyone is left to their own to research.

What is a safe level to aim for, is 7.3 reasonable or high. If i am on 2 x 500 Metaformin per day, what can i do to get the best out of the medication as take with food, after food, before food. Any help please as i really need to get control of thid thorn in my life.

As i said before, please all tips and advice however small will be gratefully welcome as if a person has found drinking or taking something before bed helps, I know there is no miracle cure but as a famous store said "every little helps".

Try and aim for 6.0. You will feel much better. I take insulin and it does help to achieve a lower reading. Not everyone will need insulin.

 

[andrews]

Thanks again.

I have learnt more on this condition and in reaching my goals in the past 2-3 days from this forum and thread than the past few months of self research

Please any tips, advice and help given will and is gratefully recieved.

Many thanks for your support.
Lee.

 

[Shanny]

We feel the same way . . . most of us got educated here too! So as you go about learning what works for you, be sure to pass along all the suggestions you have for the rest of us. It's amazing when we start talking with others who know exactly what we're talking ABOUT!

Thanks again.

I have learnt more on this condition and in reaching my goals in the past 2-3 days from this forum and thread than the past few months of self research

Please any tips, advice and help given will and is gratefully recieved.

Many thanks for your support.
Lee.

 

[andrews]

Me again.

If you dont mind, i have a few more questions. I know these may seem basic to people on here, but when you cant get a straight answer though the normal channels it all helps.

1. How long on average do it take to lower blood sugars though diet and exercise and what is the average reading you see the difference. Example from 7.9 to 6.3 weekly, monthly? Basicly what is the normal loss pattern in a week and how long will it take to get to a healthy test?

2. What is the fastest way to lower blood sugar?

3. If i skipped my evening meal, which is usually around 7pm
(19:00) from a meal to a whey protein drink with very low or no carbs will this help?

thanks again.

 

[breezeonby]

Me again.

If you dont mind, i have a few more questions. I know these may seem basic to people on here, but when you cant get a straight answer though the normal channels it all helps.

1. How long on average do it take to lower blood sugars though diet and exercise and what is the average reading you see the difference. Example from 7.9 to 6.3 weekly, monthly? Basicly what is the normal loss pattern in a week and how long will it take to get to a healthy test?

2. What is the fastest way to lower blood sugar?

3. If i skipped my evening meal, which is usually around 7pm
(19:00) from a meal to a whey protein drink with very low or no carbs will this help?

thanks again.

If at 4 months since diagnosis, you are still at 7.0 which is not a bad number, you may need to increase your medication. Talk to your doctor about increasing your medication. With diet and exercise, I don't think that there is a set pace for lowering your blood sugar overall. You may need to exercise more and eat less carbs. The fastest way to lower your blood sugar would be to take insulin. You may not need insulin yet, only you and your doctor can determine this. You can try a protein drink that is low carb and see how it affects your morning BS, but eating a meal high in protein would probably make you feel fuller. A good size chicken breast and some veggies and a low carb dessert would be more calories but I think would be a better choice than a protein drink. You have a good attitude and seem diligent which will help you in your quest to get your BS down. Hang in there!

 

[Shanny]

I totally agree with Breeze. And she gets it said so much more concisely than I ever do!

 

[andrews]

Brilliant thanks.

Really appreciate all your help. I'm still trying to understand the condition, but more importantly. Trying to learn what works for me and at present, where i'm going wrong.

thanks Lee.

 

[AurixLarson]

Maybe just a slow metabolism... anyway good luck to you!

 

[onaughmae]

Brilliant thanks.

Really appreciate all your help. I'm still trying to understand the condition, but more importantly. Trying to learn what works for me and at present, where i'm going wrong.

thanks Lee.

Maybe not necessarily doing anything wrong. Sometimes it takes your body a little longer to get under control. One other factor that could be affecting you is what degree of insulin resistance you have. Type 2's all have varying degrees of insulin resistance. The higher your resistance...the harder it is to get those numbers down. Insulin resistance is frustrating because sometimes it seems no matter what you do those numbers just wont go down...then all of sudden your body decides it is going to give a little and you end up low. Makes it challenging sometimes for the t2's on insulin to calculate their needs because they can fluctuate so much.