What am I doing wrong?! ( blood sugar levels)

[user1471556443]

I did a fasting blood sugar test at home with a glucose meter and obtained a reading of 5.5 which is classified as being pre diabetic!!
I am very slim, 5'5 weighing 8 stones 2 with a bmi of 18.9.
I do have a serious sweet tooth and regularly eat chocolate and cake every day.
I am now going to cut down on my sugar consumption but has anyone any other ideas how I can reduce my sugar levels.
Apart from eating lots of cake, I think my diet isn't too bad but maybe I am wrong?
Breakfast - one cup of coffee, no sugar plus one banana.
Lunch - fruit and vegetables and water
Dinner - large portion of pasta / curry / fish etc.
Cake is eaten after dinner daily.
Will now stop the cake but should I be cutting down on all carbs at dinner even though I am eating v little during the day?

You need to read the thread. The OP has not heard a word of advice been said to her.

I have been harsh. Probably too much. But you can't tell someone who has made their mind up and knows nothing

No user, you didn't say all you said the majority? Which is completely ridiculous.
No gp would send away a patient in such circumstances without ordering further testing.
I am sure they would not deem it necessary for data to be provided in order to arrange further testing

Do it then
Go see your GP.

User, honestly it is you that is not reading a word of what anyone else is saying if it's contrary to your ridiculous assertions. A reading of 5.5 IS high for fasting whether you admit it or not.
Please stop misleading ppl and lulling them into a false sense of security

As I have said about ten times if you have been reading anything on this thread, I will make dietary changes first THEN go to see the gp if the reading is still high.
The gp isn't going to give me a miracle cure to lower my sugar if I go now are they??

Same drop of blood just now.

7.7

7.5

Talking to a brick wall.

Funny how you are so against testing again? why would that be such an unusual thing to be asked by the Dr? Their tests are expensive. I can well believe a GP would require more than one reading to request an expensive hba1c.

User perhaps you need a new machine?

Oh whatever. You will do what you want anyway. I just don't want anyone else reading this and panicking after some dozy mare on here doesn't know her tit from her elbow.

For someone supposed to be a scientist, you know that you would never make changes to anything based on one reading. Degree my arse. Do what you want.

I am not lulling anyone into a false sense of security. I am explaining you need a range of DATA to ascertain whether action needs to be taken.

High morning sugars a we a week? Fine, take action to cut carbs. Readings over a week show a one off high(ish) reading....possibly down to meter or even down to the way the bloody wind is blowing (in my case)? Maybe don't take any drastic action.

If you'd come on here and said your fasting reading was 10.5 my advice would still be the same!!! What don't you get?!

I don't know what you are trying to prove as even if it was 0.2 higher when I took the reading it could equally have been 0.2 lower as someone quite rightly pointed out earlier

New machine? No. You need to understand something called instrumental error.

Every machine is the same. Head. Banging. Brick wall.

OP. Test in the morning (wtf wouldn't you?). If you like, post your result. If not, 🤷.

You seem to be struggling with it so I'm going to leave it.

I am not proposing drastic action on one reading? I am saying that a high reading has been obtained and I feel that I should alter my diet so that I am able to lower this reading? I don't understand what you find so objectionable about this?

I am not coming online saying that I now need to take metformin?
It is you who is v daft and v confused user

Hallelujah user, yes please do leave it, you've said more than enough already

Can I ask why you tested? It seams like a strange thing to do at home.

Why wouldn’t you just go to GP

OP you never answered anyone's question on what exercise you do and how much. Exercise is known to help with insulin levels and to lower blood glucose.

A single reading is at best inconclusive. There are various factors which could have influenced it, what you ate and drank the day before, activity level, how well you are etc. Do you even have any symptoms such as thirst (presumably not if you drink so little), fatigue, needing to get up in the night? I'm not sure why you are so resistant to following up your concerns with a gp or practice nurse to get advice on your diet (keep a food diary for a week or so) and whether you should monitor or not. Our area has Well-being Advisors who offer non medical appointments for those who benefit from support and motivation.

The op asked why I am determined that she must have an eating disorder. The answer is because I’ve read lots of posts like this in the past. You’re just like the others op, doing a test or diagnosing yourself with something on the base of slim evidence and then using that to restrict an already restricted diet. And of course you won’t go to the GP, they never will. Because they know what to do they say.
Your BMI is just in the healthy range atm. How much do you think you will lose if you stop eating carbs? Have you got a plan to keep the weight on?

Regardless of whether you’re pre-diabetic or not (doesn’t sound like you are), your diet is lacking in protein and healthy fats. I know raw vegans would tell you different but you can’t almost solely get by healthily on fruit and veg and a banana for breakfast isn’t enough.

T1 diabetic here.

Pre-diabetic just means you are at a higher risk of developing T2 diabetes. It’s not an absolute guarantee that you will develop it, even if you have other risk factors.

As a T1 diabetic if I get a high or low reading I always test again as machines are frequently out by as much as 0.2 (like user demonstrated). I wouldn’t read much info one reading.

Stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, ill health, heat, cold, how much exercise I have or haven’t done can all affect my waking blood sugar level 🤨

Hb1ac much better indication of diagnosis. It’s a 3 month average basically.

As for diet, I eat low carb. I eat way more in a day than you do. My BMI is 21. My hb1ac is 32, which is well and truely in range.

Fantall What does your diet consist of please? I have been told by my GP that I am pre diabetic for some time now - blood glucose level has been just above 6.00 for 18 months. How does an Hb1ac test differ? TIA

sunshine - have a look at the low carb boot camp it’s a fair approximation of what I eat.

Basically meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruits like berries, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, Greek yoghurt, cream, butter, oils such as coconut, avocado and olive. I eat between 20 and 60g carbs a day. If you cut carbs you need to increase fat. I recommend this book - “What the Fat?” includes the science and also recipes.

I am using the hb1ac unit of measurement they give in New Zealand (where I live). It might be different in the UK I think. Yours is a %?

Fantail your diet sounds great - just the kinds of things I should be eating
What are the best nuts and seeds to eat?
Also I will definitely be adding cheese to my diet - does anyone have any recommendations? As I like mozzarella and cheddar - which would be better?

Thanks fantail I love cheese, eggs, avocados, olive oil and Greek yogurt. I eat bananas for potassium (lost my swollen ankles as a result!) but eat very little meat or fish. Not a fan of salads but love all Mediterranean vegetables I'll check out the book now.

Guess it means giving up pasta then?
Yes it is a %

I eat all types of cheese. Actually quite a lot of it.

I worked with a nutritionist to get my diet balanced.

Yes, sorry no pasta.

You don’t have to eat lots of meat. I don’t actually. But I pay a lot of attention to the amount of fat I eat to ensure I stay a good weight and full.

Salads can be made with cooked vegetables too! Grilled vegetables, goats cheese and a good drizzle of olive oil is a nice summer supper.