I have the same issues as you with hypothyroid and diabetes. I was just diagnosed about a month ago after years of suffering with hypo symptoms and Dr's blowing me off with my complains of symptoms. I hope the thyroid is the reason for your diabetes as mine, I hope is.
I second the testing-various-meals idea, rather than after every meal. Doing fasting and after every meal is four strips a day. THat can add up.
I tend to do my fasting one day, and another day test at one-hour-after and two-hour-after a meal. The next day I might test after another meal.
Basically, I tested breakfasts until I found a couple breakfast menus that didn't spike me. So I ate those in rotation for the next few weeks while I moved to testing my lunches. And then dinners. So as I went along I built my "repertoire" of meals-that-don't-spike-me. Now I have a good base of "safe" meals, and only test after meals that include new things or bigger portions of things I've already tested.
Another strategy I've heard folks talk about is to go very low carb (like Atkins "induction", which is salad, meat, eggs, and low-starch veggies) so you know you won't be spiking, and then occasionally add in a more moderate-carb meal and test after that to see how your body reacts.
I also recommend testing at 1 and 2 hours during this initial testing phase, because some folks spike earlier than others.
Personally, I've found that I am usually fine if I avoid carbs in the morning (no oatmeal for breakfast, but I can tolerate one slice of high fiber bread), and if I limit other meal carbs to about 30 grams (two slices of bread, or an apple, or 1/3 cup rice). If I eat more carbs than that in a meal, or without adequate protein with it, I spike.
Remember, though, that you don't have to figure it all out today and tomorrow. Every time you test, you'll add more to your knowledge of how your body reacts to food... and you'll build up a knowledge-base of meals that work for you (and the foods that don't!).
i just got dx with gestational diabetes and am trying to find what in my diet works for me. my insurance does cover my test strips. My dr. wrote my strip refills prn.
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So, I'm wondering, should I be doing that, testing after meals now so I know how I'm doing and what works for me and what doesn't? ....
There is a school of thought that says you should measure your BG 1 hr after meals, and try to eat meals where your BG at this measurement time is < 140. For people without diabetes, this is always the case. For people with diabetes, this only happens if you chose the size and type of meal carefully. For most of us with diabetes this means low carb meals
Jenny Ruhl over at bloodsugar101 talks about this method.
The thing is, each of us is a little different, and depending on the stage of the disease some can eat more carbs than others.
I am somewhat in the same boat. I ignored some health issues until I was in a car accident and HAD to go to the doctor. My blood pressure was high so she put me on meds and it helped but something was still "off" I asked her to test my blood sugar and after giving her some of my symptoms she was certain that my tests would come back positive for diabetes. Well....it did. But my A1C was 6.5--right at the lowest level to be considered diabetic.
I thought I would be testing over the next few months but she told me to adjust my diet and excercise and come back in 3 months. She also put me on metformin 2x a day. She wants to see how my numbers are then before she puts me through testing every day. Sometimes adjusting carbs and losing weight and excercise is all it takes to get it under control.
I will say I feel sooo much better than I did. I think Im on the right track. I hate the idea of testing multiple times a day. ugh!
I thought I would be testing over the next few months but she told me to adjust my diet and excercise and come back in 3 months. She also put me on metformin 2x a day. She wants to see how my numbers are then before she puts me through testing every day. Sometimes adjusting carbs and losing weight and excercise is all it takes to get it under control.
I will say I feel sooo much better than I did. I think Im on the right track. I hate the idea of testing multiple times a day. ugh!
Unless you are type 1, there is no real need to test several times a day. My BIL doesn't test at all, just does a1c every few months. This may not be bad, but I personally prefer to be very hands on and in touch with what I can manage.
You are doing really great, losing weight and doing well, so you may prefer to do things this way.
Since type 2 runs strongly in my family, and was just barely obese (by bmi status, just into the obese range) when diagnosed, and every in the family had progressive diabetes, I chose to confront the beast head on and try to carefully control my sugars to prevent blood vessel damage, (lots of family with kidney damage, amputations, vision loss etc) to deter the long term effects. Paranoid? maybe, but its tolerable.
Feeling better is a great way to "test" yourself too, so congrats, and keep up the good work. And welcome, feel free to join us in the chat line.
Unless you are type 1, there is no real need to test several times a day. ....
Depends...
I have a (bone thin) friend in Paris that is a T2 on insulin. She's always fighting here doctor for more strips for testing. Her problem is low BG. Last time I saw her, she told a tale of passing out on a bus, only to be woken by the driver at the end of the line. Even T2 diabetics can have lows.
The other problem is control. The method of eating to your meter helps quite a few get control
Depending on the stage of the T2, the only problem could be high BG, and though it will eventually kill you, it won't do it right away. Those who are in the early stage of T2 diabetes, can often control with diet and exercise alone. For these people, an occasional A1C is sufficient
I have a (bone thin) friend in Paris that is a T2 on insulin.
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of course I meant in your basic situation. The above illustrates some of the (medically) interesting arguments about diabetes. For instances, how do we define the difference between type 1 and t2? Your friend sounds like a true type 1, but the onset was not typical. Of course anyone on insulin needs to test regularly, and isn't a "typical" type 2 anymore. If diet, exercise and meds other than insulin don't help enough, (and for some, even doing everything "right" they still progress, and there are many who are unable to change their lifestyle enough to prevent the disease from progressing) they will have to get to where they are testing regularly,
Another interesting argument is occurring about "eating to your meter" with a new idea of injecting to the intake. So my friend who is also a type 2 who has progessed to insulin/type 1, counts his carbs with the meal and takes insuline to match carb intake. He has been more stable, less brittle this way, since starting a month ago, but we will see in the long run. He has also had times when he did really well for a while, and then his system goes haywire, an infection starts somewhere for no reason, and its months trying to get back to normal. So we are hopeful, but not convinced yet.
