High Blood Sugar Levels / Type 2

[P. ONeill]

mike9009 said:

Highly recommend the Libre sensors mentioned above. Transformed my diabetic control and I can imagine they would really help a T2 too.

Edited by mike9009 on Friday 20th May 17:14

I received one of those Libre sensors in the post, I assume it was from/through my doctor. I didn’t like the look of it, I imagined it would be extremely uncomfortable.

I’m down to 7.2 this evening. That’s my lowest level in over two weeks. This has been a scare, but I had to make changes.

Would love a warm brandy tonight

[Phil.]

P. ONeill said:

I received one of those Libre sensors in the post, I assume it was from/through my doctor. I didn’t like the look of it, I imagined it would be extremely uncomfortable.

I’m down to 7.2 this evening. That’s my lowest level in over two weeks. This has been a scare, but I had to make changes.

Would love a warm brandy tonight

The sensor is not painful to apply and you quickly forget it’s there. Follow the application instructions carefully especially where to place it on your arm. Then download the App and off you go.

It’s enlightening and helps you understand about your condition. If you don’t like it then pull it off, also painless. The GP sent it to you so they obviously think it’s a good idea.

Let us know how you get on.

[mike9009]

Phil. said:

P. ONeill said:

I received one of those Libre sensors in the post, I assume it was from/through my doctor. I didn’t like the look of it, I imagined it would be extremely uncomfortable.

I’m down to 7.2 this evening. That’s my lowest level in over two weeks. This has been a scare, but I had to make changes.

Would love a warm brandy tonight

The sensor is not painful to apply and you quickly forget it’s there. Follow the application instructions carefully especially where to place it on your arm. Then download the App and off you go.

It’s enlightening and helps you understand about your condition. If you don’t like it then pull it off, also painless. The GP sent it to you so they obviously think it’s a good idea.

Let us know how you get on.

I have had a Libre sensor on for almost two years now (changing every two weeks). Even when first installed I didn't notice it. My watch is 100x more inconvenient.....

Installing it is simple, there are on line videos. A finger prick for a regular blood glucose test is far worse/ painful.

Give it a whirl......

Glad your blood sugars are dropping and hopefully you are feeling much more 'alive' again.

[Ruskie]

You need your HbA1c doing, daily BM isn’t relevant here. If you were pre diabetes previously, and have put weight on then you may have tipped into T2DM.

[Evoluzione]

Ruskie said:

You need your HbA1c doing, daily BM isn’t relevant here. If you were pre diabetes previously, and have put weight on then you may have tipped into T2DM.

^ Exactly this.
Use the search facility, read the previous T2D threads and then get some expert advice.

[P. ONeill]

Ruskie said:

You need your HbA1c doing, daily BM isn’t relevant here. If you were pre diabetes previously, and have put weight on then you may have tipped into T2DM.

I’m booked in to have my bloods done midweek.

[P. ONeill]

Still waiting on my blood tests, couldn’t get booked in until early next week. Should get a better idea then. Eating a lot better and only one alcoholic drink at the weekend, my average is 7.2 over the last few days. Moving a lot more really seems to help.

[mike9009]

After giving blood, it will normally take about a week before getting a result. ....and then you'll need to wait for another appointment, probably.

Sincerely hope you are feeling better. 7.2 average 'feels' better than the results given before....but the hba1c is the acid test. How is the morning result now?

Best of luck....

[P. ONeill]

Morning results are usually between 9 and 10, been 9.2 for the last few mornings. Feeling a lot better, none of the brain fog or at least it’s significantly improved. Still getting tired and hangry so I’m not managing it properly yet, but overall I’m improving.

[P. ONeill]

Finally got my blood test results and I’m now a member of the Type Two Club. Bit of a kick in the stones but it is what it is. HbA1c is 71 which is way up on what it was. Started on Metformin today.
I’m going on holiday tomorrow, doctor has insisted no alcohol and strict diet. He has impeccable timing.
Spent an hour with the doctor yesterday, my head wasn’t in this before our talk. It’s definitely in it today. ‘Tis what it is. Feck.

[mike9009]

P. ONeill said:

Finally got my blood test results and I’m now a member of the Type Two Club. Bit of a kick in the stones but it is what it is. HbA1c is 71 which is way up on what it was. Started on Metformin today.
I’m going on holiday tomorrow, doctor has insisted no alcohol and strict diet. He has impeccable timing.
Spent an hour with the doctor yesterday, my head wasn’t in this before our talk. It’s definitely in it today. ‘Tis what it is. Feck.

st. I suspected it might be this result with the sporadic results you were taking.

Diabetes does involve hard work, but is very livable with. I imagine it is more difficult later in life adapting to the new normal. As previously mentioned, I am a T1 of 41 years with some pretty poor control in my teens and twenties - but I am still here, despite some complications, mainly with my vision.

Don't take liberties, get regular check ups and visit all appointments. Finding bad news early is the key to staying on top of things, as complications can be dealt with. Consistent and constant control is really important to reducing the risk of complications.

I suspect weight loss will give you the greatest initial benefit, through exercise and diet. You have probably been nagged about that already. Sorry....

Alcohol can definitely give some weird results (at least for a T1), so I would heed the advice given. Try slimline G and T first. Over time you will know how your body will react and be able to get back to it.

If you do want an independent chat, PM me, although there maybe others better placed than me with regards to T2.

Lastly, don't worry and enjoy your holiday!

[Ruskie]

mike9009 said:

P. ONeill said:

Finally got my blood test results and I’m now a member of the Type Two Club. Bit of a kick in the stones but it is what it is. HbA1c is 71 which is way up on what it was. Started on Metformin today.
I’m going on holiday tomorrow, doctor has insisted no alcohol and strict diet. He has impeccable timing.
Spent an hour with the doctor yesterday, my head wasn’t in this before our talk. It’s definitely in it today. ‘Tis what it is. Feck.

st. I suspected it might be this result with the sporadic results you were taking.

Diabetes does involve hard work, but is very livable with. I imagine it is more difficult later in life adapting to the new normal. As previously mentioned, I am a T1 of 41 years with some pretty poor control in my teens and twenties - but I am still here, despite some complications, mainly with my vision.

Don't take liberties, get regular check ups and visit all appointments. Finding bad news early is the key to staying on top of things, as complications can be dealt with. Consistent and constant control is really important to reducing the risk of complications.

I suspect weight loss will give you the greatest initial benefit, through exercise and diet. You have probably been nagged about that already. Sorry....

Alcohol can definitely give some weird results (at least for a T1), so I would heed the advice given. Try slimline G and T first. Over time you will know how your body will react and be able to get back to it.

If you do want an independent chat, PM me, although there maybe others better placed than me with regards to T2.

Lastly, don't worry and enjoy your holiday!

This is all great advice, enjoy your holiday but when you get back take it seriously, as if you ignore it and don’t make life style changes, it’s going to cause you lots of problems.

[P. ONeill]

Thanks for the advice it’s very much appreciated. Like a lot of people I became a regular drinker during COVID, before that it was the odd Saturday night or social function. It isn’t a problem and I’ve got it in my head now that I’ve stopped.
If I was to live on my three home cooked meals a day I wouldn’t have this problem, wife is a wonderful cook, we are both foodies, but I drink way too many sugary drinks and they are always accompanied by a bar of chocolate. I started grazing in the evenings as well. I’m preaching to the converted.

Just how bad is my score? 71

[sawman]

P. ONeill said:

Thanks for the advice it’s very much appreciated. Like a lot of people I became a regular drinker during COVID, before that it was the odd Saturday night or social function. It isn’t a problem and I’ve got it in my head now that I’ve stopped.
If I was to live on my three home cooked meals a day I wouldn’t have this problem, wife is a wonderful cook, we are both foodies, but I drink way too many sugary drinks and they are always accompanied by a bar of chocolate. I started grazing in the evenings as well. I’m preaching to the converted.

Just how bad is my score? 71

71 mmol/mol is sub-optimal by some margin, it is sufficiently high that if you were waiting for an elective surgery it would be cancelled because that level of poor control leaves you much more vulnerable to complication
You should be aiming for mid 40’s

[mrsshpub]

P. ONeill said:

Just how bad is my score? 71

There's useful info about HbA1C here: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/mana...

[mike9009]

My HbA1C is currently 50 and has been for a couple of years now. My doctors seem happy with this level and actually do not seem to want it lower. I suspect, as an insulin dependent diabetic (and T1), there is a worry about the frequency of low blood sugars by pushing the HBA1C down further. This is not a risk to you, as you are not injecting insulin (as most T2's are).

71 is 'high'! But now you are aware and being treated (and hopefully a significant (positive!) change in lifestyle) that will drop over the coming months. You will start feeling so much better too...... Get it as far below 42 as possible and you are a winner!

[boxst]

My doctor missed the type 2 diabetes a a few years ago and only picked it up after another test a couple of years ago. Irritating as the hb1ac was at 80 something by then.

I did not want to take metaformin if I could help it so decided to reevaluate my life. I have a relatively sedentary job that involved travelling (ie eating and drinking or snacking) and my weight had crept up to 90kg. I’m short at 5’7”

I cut all major carbohydrates from my diet, stopped drinking beer and started to exercise more (nothing excessive, just doubles walk with the dog). For alcohol I swapped to vodka. I don’t recommend this as I didn’t drink spirits before and led to all kinds of (personal) problems. I also learnt to cook a slightly separate meal for me to the family. Really just more vegetables or cauliflower mash/pizza base. Make sauces from scratch so I can control the sugar content etc.

Within six months I had lost 25kg and my hb1ac was 50. I am now too skinny and need to get to the gym to build up muscle I effectively lost.

So it can be kept under control with just diet If you keep a close eye on things.

I have started to reintroduce some carbs, and will have a roast potato or use celeriac instead for mash.

[P. ONeill]

mike9009 said:

71 is 'high'! But now you are aware and being treated (and hopefully a significant (positive!) change in lifestyle) that will drop over the coming months. You will start feeling so much better too...... Get it as far below 42 as possible and you are a winner!

I was at 41 six months ago. I can’t figure out what has gone so wrong, there has been no real change to my diet in that time.
But it has to be dealt with I cannot let it get any worse.

[Derek Smith]

skeggysteve said:

My wife has been type 2 for years, sugar levels controlled with metformin and diet.

Then suddenly about 2 years ago she complained of not feeling very well. Did her sugar level and it was well over 20, called our doctors and they told me to get her to them ASAP. They were worried about something like a Keto thing.

Anyway next day she is seen by the diabetic nurse and now injects insulin 4 times a day. They gave her a new bs tester/meter and we email the results every 2 weeks and speak with the nurse every month to adjust the insulin dose as necessary.

One unexpected bonus is that if either of calls the doctors we get to speak to someone straight away!

OP It could be a big change but you very quickly get used to it so please don't worry about it.

Just to make you smile - we asked what to do if her sugar levels get to low (below 5) nurse says eat 3-4 jelly babies! Apparently years ago Lucozade (sp) was the go to, but they changed the recipe.

I had blood/sugar problems for years without knowing it. After exercise, my blood sugar would drop, as you'd expect, but would take a long time to resettle. I fainted a couple of times. I used to carry sweets with me and the symptoms are easily recognised. I tried jelly babies but ended up with licorice allsorts. I was told it might lead to problems in later life but at the moment things seem ok. My older brother has the same problem and, oddly, we both went to our respective doctors within a month of each other about 5 years ago. We were both asked in anyone else in the family had it. Our phone call was hilarious. My wife reckoned it was as if she'd been transported to an old people's home for those with memory problems.

We both had to monitor our blood sugar levels and it was something of a competition between us - back to the old days - as to who would take the longest to get to normal. I have blood test regularly and blood/sugar levels have raised no problems, although I've been putting on some weight recently and the last nurse suggested it was a bad risk factor for me. I'm having radio therapy in the next three weeks and I'm told my appetite should collapse. I'll lose weight. Great to get something positive out of it.

My doctor has been very supportive. Treats it seriously.

[mike9009]

P. ONeill said:

mike9009 said:

71 is 'high'! But now you are aware and being treated (and hopefully a significant (positive!) change in lifestyle) that will drop over the coming months. You will start feeling so much better too...... Get it as far below 42 as possible and you are a winner!

I was at 41 six months ago. I can’t figure out what has gone so wrong, there has been no real change to my diet in that time.
But it has to be dealt with I cannot let it get any worse.

T2 is a cumulative issue, so over the years of not 'caring' it strains the pancreas. Eventually, the pancreas says 'I cannot cope anymore' and stops producing enough insulin to cope with the carb loading from all the eating and drinking. So, there doesnt't need to be a change in diet to suddenly become T2. It has been brewing all your adult life.

Now is the time to do something about it though.......

As previously mentioned, it is possible to reverse a T2 diagnosis, but that requires a massive step change and depends where your starting position is.....

By talking you are definitely helping yourself. You are on a steep learner curve now, but you need to make a step change from where you are now, otherwise you are on a trajectory to complications, which can happen quite quickly (a few years), if you don't change. It also makes you more vulnerable to other things, COVID, for example, and flu, pneumonia, etc. Of those 'vulnerable' groups during the last two years, diabetes was the highest (in number) vulnerable group to die from COVID.

Basically, take it seriously and you will be fine and perhaps even healthier. Don't take it seriously and don't tell me I didn't warn you!!

Ps, I had COVID in October last year and was absolutely fine except for a foggy head and loss of smell. I am by no means the perfect diabetic either, currently enjoying a bottle of Sauvignon......

Now, go and enjoy your holiday and try a Chicken Caesar salad every day, but lay off too much dressing......