Pre- Diabetes

[NW-Bound]

Make sure you read the expiration date of the test strips. We were given a kit by my wife's friend who was pre-diabetic. She was very vocal in us using it, but we just put it aside because we were not in danger then.

Two years later, when our annual exam revealed high FBG, we took it out to try. The expired strips gave numbers wildly varying all over the place.

 

[Fedup]

Good to know. I must buy new ones then. These strips are much older than 5 years old. You save me time looking for them.

 

[Fedup]

So I went out today and got a brand new blood glucose monitor and test strips from the Walgreens brand. I’ve glanced quickly, but I want to know, when you actually take this test? Early in the morning before you eat anything or after you have a meal.

 

[NW-Bound]

You want to do it in the morning, before eating anything. The fasting blood glucose level should be below 100 mg/dL.

The postprandial BGL should be 140, 2 hours after a meal. I never do this test. I think it is more for people who are already diabetic, and need to know to adjust their insulin injection.

 

[Fedup]

You want to do it in the morning, before eating anything. The fasting blood glucose level should be below 100 mg/dL.

The postprandial BGL should be 140, 2 hours after a meal. I never do this test. I think it is more for people who are already diabetic, and need to know to adjust their insulin injection.

Thanks, I have to read on how to use this thing properly. I’ve just skimmed quickly and I read not to use alcohol to swipe something. I hope to read it tonight and have my first test tomorrow.
But I’m going to have lobster and bake potato, that will screwup the reading for sure. Note that I don’t eat potato often, but it goes with lobster and herbs butter.

 

[NW-Bound]

Good luck to you. It's OK. You will get some data to compare with later tests when you have different foods. Initially, we did it once per week, but now it is every 2 weeks.

We used to cringe when thinking of the finger pricking, but it is really painless. We will maintain this biweekly test forever. The test is a lot less problem than having to inject yourself with insulin in the tummy, after you let yourself become diabetic.

 

[Fedup]

Good luck to you. It's OK. You will get some data to compare with later tests when you have different foods. Initially, we did it once per week, but now it is every 2 weeks.

We used to cringe when thinking of the finger pricking, but it is really painless. We will maintain this biweekly test forever. The test is a lot less problem than having to inject yourself with insulin in the tummy, after you let yourself become diabetic.

Ouch, that doesn’t sound like fun. Is there some pills we can take? What about Metformin?

 

[NW-Bound]

If your fasting blood glucose level stays above 100, I think doctors will prescribe Metformin. Without lifestyle and diet change, it may just slow down the progress of diabetes though.

 

[Fedup]

So what I’ve read so far it says do not share your meter or lancing device, do not use on multiple patients, how do you get around that. Does this mean, I need to get two meters?

 

[Corporateburnout]

Ouch, that doesn’t sound like fun. Is there some pills we can take? What about Metformin?

Are you a diabetic? what's your A1C?

Metformin is one of the drugs that's used to lower blood glucose but it's not without side effects. It had a negative effect on my kidneys with proteinuria.

 

[Corporateburnout]

If your fasting blood glucose level stays above 100, I think doctors will prescribe Metformin. Without lifestyle and diet change, it may just slow down the progress of diabetes though.

Most doctors will not prescribe metformin until your A1C is at 6.5 or above which is equivalent to 140 fasting glucose.

 

[NW-Bound]

So what I’ve read so far it says do not share your meter or lancing device, do not use on multiple patients, how do you get around that. Does this mean, I need to get two meters?

The test strips and lancing needles are one-time-use devices. I guess infectious diseases can still spread by handling of the non-disposable parts, particularly between strangers.

But between family members, there's enough contact for infectious diseases to spread anyway. It does not make sense.

In hospitals, nurses go around making blood glucose tests, and they use the same meter between patients. Of course they put on disposable gloves and carefully handle parts tainted with blood.

 

[Fedup]

Are you a diabetic? what's your A1C?

Metformin is one of the drugs that's used to lower blood glucose but it's not without side effects. It had a negative effect on my kidneys with proteinuria.

No, I’m not, at least not according to my blood work early this year. I forgot what it was but maybe below 5.6. My husband could be 5.3. But we do have belly fat.

 

[Corporateburnout]

No, I’m not, at least not according to my blood work early this year.

Then why would you want to take Metformin?

Besides no doctor will prescribe it if your not.

 

[Fedup]

The test strips and lancing needles are one-time-use devices. I guess infectious diseases can still spread by handling of the non-disposable parts, particularly between strangers.

But between family members, there's enough contact for infectious diseases to spread anyway. It does not make sense.

In hospitals, nurses go around making blood glucose tests, and they use the same meter between patients. Of course they put on disposable gloves and carefully handle parts tainted with blood.

Good to know because it states not to share meter with other family members. I think they want us to pony more money.

 

[Fedup]

Then why would you want to take Metformin?

Besides no doctor will prescribe it if your not.

No, not now. My comment was in response to NW-Bound’s comment about injecting yourself in the tummy if you have diabetes. I don’t like needles.

 

[Katsmeow]

So I went out today and got a brand new blood glucose monitor and test strips from the Walgreens brand. I’ve glanced quickly, but I want to know, when you actually take this test? Early in the morning before you eat anything or after you have a meal.

I remember I did what was in the Jenny Ruhl book or a variation of it. She may have some stuff about it on her website but I don't recall. I got her Kindle book.

Anyway -- what I think I did if memory serves me is that...

OK, I went back and looked at the my old posts. First I did this thread:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/a1c-and-carbs-and-me-75852.html

I posted my issue at the beginning and then gave data on what I found from my testing.

I did a fasting test every morning, first thing I got up.

I then tested after meals usually 1 and 2 hours after. I talk in one of my posts about what I was aiming for was 120 after 1 hour and 100 after 2 hours although I wasn't too panicked if it was more like 140/120.

From that I was able to find out which foods were usually OK for me versus those that were more of an issue.

I did a follow up post after about a year as well:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/a1c-vitamin-d-thyroid-cholesterol-75625.html

 

[zinger1457]

Good to know because it states not to share meter with other family members. I think they want us to pony more money.

More money may be the main reason but most new meters will save your test results to memory with a date/time stamp so you can go back and review and download if desired. Don't believe they have any way to put separate ID stamps on the readings. In any case meters are cheap, I picked one up at Walmart recently for $9 and it works well. I think the meter companies make most of their money from selling the test strips.

 

[Fedup]

More money may be the main reason but most new meters will save your test results to memory with a date/time stamp so you can go back and review and download if desired. Don't believe they have any way to put separate ID stamps on the readings. In any case meters are cheap, I picked one up at Walmart recently for $9 and it works well. I think the meter companies make most of their money from selling the test strips.

I got the Walgreens Air version because after discount it’s still cheaper than the regular one. Plus this morning when I opened the package there is a mail in coupon for $29.99 so it’s technically free for me. I paid $37 with a vial of test strips.

 

[Fedup]

I remember I did what was in the Jenny Ruhl book or a variation of it. She may have some stuff about it on her website but I don't recall. I got her Kindle book.

Anyway -- what I think I did if memory serves me is that...

OK, I went back and looked at the my old posts. First I did this thread:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/a1c-and-carbs-and-me-75852.html

I posted my issue at the beginning and then gave data on what I found from my testing.

I did a fasting test every morning, first thing I got up.

I then tested after meals usually 1 and 2 hours after. I talk in one of my posts about what I was aiming for was 120 after 1 hour and 100 after 2 hours although I wasn't too panicked if it was more like 140/120.

From that I was able to find out which foods were usually OK for me versus those that were more of an issue.

I did a follow up post after about a year as well:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/a1c-vitamin-d-thyroid-cholesterol-75625.html

This morning after one false starts and with the help of my husband I got it right. The result of my early morning before food is 93. I will try to test again after 1 hour and 2 hours after meal.

 

[Corporateburnout]

This morning after one false starts and with the help of my husband I got it right. The result of my early morning before food is 93. I will try to test again after 1 hour and 2 hours after meal.

Then you should relax and stop worrying about diabetes. Test your fasting glucose every couple of weeks and with moderate exercise and proper diet you should be fine.

 

[NW-Bound]

Hey Fedup, your FBG is good. What made you so worried in the 1st place?

In any event, complacency is no good, particularly for pre-geezers. We are no longer invincible, and can eat anything we want. Being alert may just buy us a few more years of good health, and to allow us to debate early vs. late SS, tax strategies, WR, etc...

 

[Fedup]

Hey Fedup, your FBG is good. What made you so worried in the 1st place?

In any event, complacency is no good, particularly for pre-geezers. We are no longer invincible, and can eat anything we want. Being alert may just buy us a few more years of good health, and to allow us to debate early vs. late SS, tax strategies, WR, etc...

Belly fat and also I’ve heard it’s hard to lose weight when your body has insulin resistance. Last year, I went to a wedding on my mom’s side and let’s put it this way, in the group photo, I was the fattest. Both of my aunts are still very slim in their 90s, that makes me think, if I want to live long, I better lose weight. I did lose 10-15lbs, but I want to lose more.

On the glucose test, I will test for a few months until I run out of strips. I also will test my husband tomorrow just to put my mind at ease.

But thanks to this thread, we now immediately walk after dinner for at least 20-30 minutes, before even doing dishes and I get comfortable settling in my couch. We have been sleeping very well since we’ve started walking at night. We did sleep well before, but this is extra well, haha. We normally sleep from 10pm-6am. But sometimes I wake up around 4:30 AM and can’t go back to sleep. Lately I haven’t, lately I sleep through and don’t get up until 7ish in the morning.

Yes, no complacency here. Since I’m betting on longevity when it comes to SS, I better increase my odd toward longevity.

 

[Katsmeow]

What I did was that I tested certain meals very carefully for a few months. So I would test the same meal a few times and if I got consistent readings then I wouldn't test that same meal any more. But, if I ate something new then I would test carefully for a few times. This helped me to learn which foods caused a higher rise in blood sugar than other foods.

 

[Fedup]

What I did was that I tested certain meals very carefully for a few months. So I would test the same meal a few times and if I got consistent readings then I wouldn't test that same meal any more. But, if I ate something new then I would test carefully for a few times. This helped me to learn which foods caused a higher rise in blood sugar than other foods.

That’s a good idea. I’ve been avoiding eating bananas, a good source of potassium, because I worry about my glucose level.