Diabetes

[ArlyA]

Bananas make my BG go sky high so I can only do a 1/2 while apples do nothing. Go figure. I only learned this after I got a CGM.

 

[ponytug]

I think that human digestion is fascinating, complex, and very...idiosyncratic, with wide individual variations in individual tolerances/capabilities in both digestive enzymes and nutrient transport. That does not take into account the enormous differences in digestive enzymes that occur when slightly different foods are added or removed from a meal, nor the gastrointestinal impact of even slight changes in the immune system.

For me, I do not know of a better way than tracking what I eat, and monitoring what happens. We don't come with owner's manuals specific to our particular bodies, or at least I lost mine if we did.

Take care of yourselves!

All the best,

Peter

 

[QRTRHRS]

Honey is just another form of sugar. I'd not call it bad, if your BG is kept in check. Cinnamon does not lower blood sugar.

Although I know better, I clicked on one of those "take this common household ingredient for this, that and the other".

It ran on like forever, going on about what causes glucose/insulin issues, etc. Cinnamon was vaguely alluded to to keep up with the household ingredient come on.

Then it got into the more exotic ingredients, reseach, high end laboratories, etc. Finally, the product, Gluco Freedom. Eyedrop bottle package. Six months supply for about 300 bucks for three bottles and three for "free".

Not in my budget. (My A1C was down to 5.3 six months ago. I started with a cold in early Dec. Bronchitis in January. Three Doctor visits, four rounds of antibiotics, exercise routine ceased, stress, comfort food, over the counter cough medicine, sugar free cough drops. March 3rd, my A1C was 6. Glucose 110 although, via finger sticks, my glucose runs 95-110.)

Working on getting back down.

 

[garry1p]

you could do better with a CGM?

I have a GCM and that's how I lowered my A1C from 10.3 to 6.3 I don't think I could have done it without the GCM.
DR is OK with 6.3

At 86 I'm no couch potato, but never had an exercise program, normally outside doing something everyday, I did have to give up my 18" gas chainsaw last year, now get by with a 12" Kobalt, no more ladder work and limit myself to 4 hrs outside work in the summer.
Diabetes and BP both under control with meds, I get by OK normal old age stuff like arthritis.
Dr added low dose (12 units per night) of Toujeo. BMI at 23.3

My major problem, I don't drink enough water and tend to get dehydrated in the summer.

 

[daugen]

has anyone had any experience with this AIC home health test kit?
you get two in the box

Amazon.com

 

[WM75Guy]

has anyone had any experience with this AIC home health test kit?
you get two in the box

Amazon.com

I went Saturday to get a Covid shot as we have a trip planned to Las Vegas in April. I saw the Walgreen's brand A1C kit at the pharmacy was $49.99. It also had 2 test cartridges. I am waiting till 04/01/25 when I get my quarterly $40 on my United Healthcare card to get it.

 

[ArlyA]

Not sure how one would know if these home a1c kits are accurate. Still seems like a good idea to have them available.

 

[Rmart30]

Bananas make my BG go sky high so I can only do a 1/2 while apples do nothing. Go figure. I only learned this after I got a CGM.

banana, blueberry,strawberry didnt really affect mine. Grapes make it jump up there. I could give up cakes, cookies and pies, but giving up a lot of the fruits really sucks.

 

[ArlyA]

banana, blueberry,strawberry didnt really affect mine. Grapes make it jump up there. I could give up cakes, cookies and pies, but giving up a lot of the fruits really sucks.

I'd guess you are using a CGM?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

My dad isnt on a keto diet, but he eats a lot of keto foods, and his A1C is no longer a problem. Go back a year or two, and he went to the hospital nearly in a coma.

It's amazing what his lifestyle change did for his health

 

[Rmart30]

I'd guess you are using a CGM?

thats the only way to go with this stuff. There is so many ups and down you will miss by doing finger sticks alone. The app records your daily averages, and time in range etc.
Without a CGM I would never know that sometimes I will dip down to 50 at night. id never be up at 2 am pricking my finger to ck.

 

[ArlyA]

thats the only way to go with this stuff. There is so many ups and down you will miss by doing finger sticks alone. The app records your daily averages, and time in range etc.
Without a CGM I would never know that sometimes I will dip down to 50 at night. id never be up at 2 am pricking my finger to ck.

Man-o-man you got that right!

 

[ponytug]

has anyone had any experience with this AIC home health test kit?
you get two in the box

https://www.amazon.com/CVS-Monitoring-Glycemic-Control-Operation/dp/B01M10HHY7/

As a medical device, these have to meet the standard for the type of device. In this case, here are the specifications from the equivalent Bayer unit;

The focus here is for A1C values between 6-8.

Here the focus is that the values are within 0.1% of the standard reference method for A1C testing.

FWIW: This particular device (CVS Health At Home A1C Test Kit)
has a recall on it due to a software bug that doesn't display correctly for values under 4% or over 13%;

Class 2 Device Recall CVS Health At Home A1C Test Kit

www.accessdata.fda.gov

All the best,

Peter

 

[NorTracNY]

thats the only way to go with this stuff. There is so many ups and down you will miss by doing finger sticks alone. The app records your daily averages, and time in range etc.
Without a CGM I would never know that sometimes I will dip down to 50 at night. id never be up at 2 am pricking my finger to ck.

And of course with new technology and new data, it opens up new questions. Is BG going down to 50 while we sleep an issue at all? With the Dawn Effect, I found that my BG was lowest around 4am and without eating anything it will gradually go up till 10-11am. So if you're testing you BG with strips, it's highly recommended that you do it at the same time every day when you get up and before you eat anything. That way it's taking out the dawn effect variation.

 

[ArlyA]

And of course with new technology and new data, it opens up new questions. Is BG going down to 50 while we sleep an issue at all? With the Dawn Effect, I found that my BG was lowest around 4am and without eating anything it will gradually go up till 10-11am. So if you're testing you BG with strips, it's highly recommended that you do it at the same time every day when you get up and before you eat anything. That way it's taking out the dawn effect variation.

50 is low, to low.

 

[Rmart30]

50 is low, to low.

Mine will dip to 50 at night once or twice a month but comes right back up. Have not found it to coincide with anything. ie: eating late, or eating a carb etc.
I feel no different when its at 50, than I did when mine was over 600, or when its at 120.
According to the CGM Im averaging 88% of the time below 125. Highest spike ive seen was 201 and that came from a pork chop and gravy biscuit. My spikes go up and come down fairly quickly. I was told when they spike and plateau remaining high for a while before coming down is bad.

Im not taking any insulin. Just diet alone.

 

[ArlyA]

Mine will dip to 50 at night once or twice a month but comes right back up. Have not found it to coincide with anything. ie: eating late, or eating a carb etc.
I feel no different when its at 50, than I did when mine was over 600, or when its at 120.
According to the CGM Im averaging 88% of the time below 125. Highest spike ive seen was 201 and that came from a pork chop and gravy biscuit. My spikes go up and come down fairly quickly. I was told when they spike and plateau remaining high for a while before coming down is bad.

Im not taking any insulin. Just diet alone.

That's pretty low. Your CGM was be screaming at you at this point. My head is usually spinning at 50. (more than normal anyway)

 

[daugen]

lot of metrics here to follow, not only levels but rate of rise and rate of fall
at some point there must be guidelines as to what is
severe and what are normal ups and downs.
seems there are ranges and as long as we don't exceed ranges, then
maybe we are doing ok.
but without a CGM, don't know how you could be informed well enough

is it possible to have dangerous blood sugar spiking and not have an issue with
AIC?

how many things should light up the check engine light?...

 

[Rmart30]

That's pretty low. Your CGM was be screaming at you at this point. My head is usually spinning at 50. (more than normal anyway)

yes, it sounds off below 60 or above 150. if it wasnt for the CGM id never know when I was low or high. When I was over 600 in hospital they asked me 100 times how i felt. It felt just like any other day to me. No headaches, vision problems, lightheaded etc.

 

[Rmart30]

lot of metrics here to follow, not only levels but rate of rise and rate of fall
at some point there must be guidelines as to what is
severe and what are normal ups and downs.
seems there are ranges and as long as we don't exceed ranges, then
maybe we are doing ok.
but without a CGM, don't know how you could be informed well enough

is it possible to have dangerous blood sugar spiking and not have an issue with
AIC?

how many things should light up the check engine light?...

Id like to see a "normal persons" daily charting with a CGM. One of the docs told me spiking is normal, but couldnt tell me spiking to what # is acceptable?
what do normal peoples spike too? 150? 175? 200? or is theirs more of a flat stable line across. I can hit a 175 spike from say 85, and withen 2 hours its back down to 100.
Now, if i eat breads or sweets.it may take 3 hours to come back down to 110.