Out of denial and into the frying pan

[tabekat]

I'm going to drag out my freestyle meter and start testing my blood again. Any opinions as to the best time to do it? Before eating? After eating? How many times should I test a day? (I'm a type 2
, not taking any medication or insulin at this time. )

I'm just trying to get a low key idea of how I'm doing lately.

And yes, I know I should be under a doctors care, but I'm not.
I owe doctors too much money as it is. I can't pile on any more
medical bills right now, I'm already drowning in them.

[RunAwayMichelle]

I'm also a type II and here is what I do. I AM NOT a doctor and this is not medical advice. But it is based on conversations with my doctor over the years.

Test before meals and two hours after meals. The before meal test is to see how low you are before eating. The after meal test is to see how high your meal has pushed you. If both are in the normal range you are laughing all the way to the bank.

If the two hour after meal are slightly elevated, no big deal. But if this number is high then review what you ate and make adjustments next time.

If before meals is high and after meals are really high get your fanny back to your doctor for proper meds.

I use a Canadian scale of 3 to 7 for normal and less then 10 is fine for after meals. I don't know the US equivalents.

[2Bthin]

I'm type 2 and on metformin. My doctor has me test once a day and vary the times. Before breakfast one day, 2 hr. after breakfast the next, 2 hr. after lunch, 2 hr. after dinner, before bed or any time you feel out of sorts. When I was first diagnosed he had me testing 4 times a day.

[canuck]

Interesting topic. The metabolic center for type II on no drugs nor insulin uses these guidelines:

First thing upon rising prior to anything, it will escalate as you move around

2 hr after each meal as it will show you how you process the food you are eating, it should be low before eating, only test before eating if on insulin as that is only way to determine how much insulin to inject is if you know your bg reading and how many carbs you are about to ingest. then before bed .

Typically, you can be low like a 4.5 before bed and wake up at an 8. That is a phenomenon that riddles type II and make life miserable, as is the hardest to get a grip on. Maybe you will be OK but you don’t know without doing it 4 times a day for few weeks what is your body’s norm.

I would test everyday for a few weeks since you have not been doing it to grasp how severe your situation is and how to make it better, not knowing is like driving in the dark with a blindfold on which I know you know is just dumb and I hear ya that you have mo medical plan, but its also you who will die younger if you don’t master it so I am so relieved and happy to know you are taking steps to be responsible for your own health.

You already know how great you feel and within a while, it will be easy to feel even better as you coast along. Once you get a pattern then you can test randomly as mentioned above.

You should be between 80 to 120, preferably in am should be under 110.
In Canada it is 4 to 7, under 10??? Not in my books that is 10x18 and makes 180.
I do UNDER 8 as we all know over 140 is causing minute damage that accumulates over the ys and makes eye damage and kidney damage . This all starts right away so cause it’s not showing now doesn’t mean it won’t show. Sorry to blow your bubble about the 10. my dietician used to tell me 10 was ok but ya it wasn’t her body to be playing with and her life that would end a few decades early with.

I would buy Dr Bernstein’s "The diabetic sol'n. "He has a website too. Just key it in. My sidekick coop if off for awhile, she always rushes in with this info and websites. I just don’t have the time to look it up. It is in old posts here. Also Dr Atkins “The Diabetic Revolution”
.
Sorry. My work is I own a busy B&B and am renovating and rushing my bums off and try and check in here few times a day.

Methinks testing is the main way to understand how to handle your illness and man I am proud of you for taking this step and we didn’t even have to rattle dem bones of yours LOLOLOLO

Call your public health unit and ask about free testing supplies or an agency that will help. Go to the free clinic, tell them you are taking control of your illness that been out of control, what you are doing and how much better you feel. In addition, you need a baseline done of blood work.

Ask for A1C, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, ratio of cholesterol, creatinine levels, homosycstiene (sp) levels, c reactive protein and lipoprotein (a).

Then do this again in 6 month or so and it will blow you away.

I used to belong to a diabetic board and we got diabetics from the states that had no funds for testing nor for meds to call Bush’s hotline, it is a 1800 number and leave a message and ask for a call back and let them know you need help.

We had thousands and thousands of diabetics calling in and he had announced he would develop a program for better healthcare for diabetics but then he decided to find these weapons of mass destruction and improve the life of the everyday Iraqis.

Now he lost his goal of healthcare for American diabetics. I belevie in being politically active for your health care so start calling again.

Also, call your local elected gov rep and ask them about services for diabetics without enough money.

It is your right to have basic human health care and you must speak out. If you sit by the sidelines life will pass you by, it is your right to be heard that you are not getting the healthcare you require to manage your illness. It wouldn’t matter where you live, basic healthcare is a human right. The unfairness of it infuriates me but I don’t live in the USA and I cannot be politically active there.

If you find the 1 800 line let us know here as I don’t have access to the 1 800 directory for the USA here in Canada.

Best Luck.
:wave

[tabekat]

I feel comfy here

Great advice my friends. Thank you - As soon as I can find my meter (I just moved....!) I'll post my results and get your feedback. Thanks for your help and caring about others so much.

[canuck]

hey tab all I need in way of thanks is to know another diabetic "got it' and is taking care of self in a way that works and all that garbage we have been fed for decades is going down the tubes. You hang in, eat low carb, drink water, excercsie and soon you'll be zippin along. goodonyagirl!!!


you'll live to be old and can wear any darn color you like!!!