MickinMD ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #1 Posted November 11, 2020 Somehow I created this yesterday and forgot to "Submit Topic" after copying it to an email. My avg. blood sugar reading since beginning the Freestyle Libre sensor has been 179 mg/dL, which is equivalent to an A1c reading of 7.9 - not great but not awful and beats the hell out of the 11.3 A1c (278 mg/dL) reading from my last doctor's office blood test which prompted him to change my prescription. Being able to get a blood glucose reading whenever I want it by simply using a smartphone app has allowed me to really focus in on what spikes my sugar and what doesn't. I have always been lazy about sticking my finger or arm to get a blood drop with which to test my mg/dL of glucose. Most of the time, my type II diabetes was well controlled but that hasn't been true for the last couple of years, mainly because I've been lazy about my diet. I began using Abbott Labs Freestyle Libre (smartphone screencaps at bottom) on Saturday, Nov. 7, to frequently monitor my blood sugar - and my doctor added small doses of 4x/day quick acting insulin - and it has really opened my eyes. Just this afternoon, I finally got my blood sugar down to a normal between-meal level (110 mg/dL) Healthy blood glucose numbers are in the 70-160 mg/dL range which corresponds to an A1c of 4 to 7. Since an average of 7 or less (6.5 or less if you can do it) is desired for type II diabetics, clearly an average of 160 is tolerable. My early numbers averaged well over 200 - beginning with 250 before breakfast the first day. Since I began using the continuous sensor, I've been in that range only 14% of the time and only 10% today, though my highs today have been under 240 (= A1c of 10) more consistently. Doctor's office blood tests measure "A1c" which measure the avg. number of glucose molecules that are stored in your red blood cells and that gives an approx. 8-week average of the concentration of glucose in your blood. I didn't realize it, but the A1c reading on my last doctor's office blood test, 11.3, corresponds to VERY unhealthy avg of 278 mg/dL. At that point, the sugar begins to thicken the blood and adds more work to the heart and threatens to burn-out the pancreas - which is often producing more insulin than in a non-diabetic person but the cells do not utilize it. I finally got my blood sugar, right now, down to 110 mg/dL for the first time with the sensor. The 187 mg/dL avg. since I started using the Freestyle Libre corresponds to an A1c of 8.1 which is not awful. For lunch at 12:17 pm I had Campbell's 18.8 oz, 430 Cal. Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheese with Potato Soup (basically Cream of Potato Soup with Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheese) and, as you can see from the graph below it hardly generated a spike, only half that of my 7 am, 475 Cal breakfast of 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bread with butter, 2 links of chicken sausage and coffee with half-and-half. I'll have to get more of that soup, but I'll have to eat it sparingly due to 1900 mg of Sodium per can. Maybe my homemade Mulligan Stew and Chicken Soup with do better. Beans are a diabetics best friend, so I'll have to make some Ham, Bean, and Zucchini/Butternut Squash soup, too. I getting ready to eat dinner which is homemade chili with lots low extremely-low-GI-Index tomatoes and beans and we'll see how that does! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #2 Posted November 11, 2020 It seems like a neat piece of tech! Good luck making it work well for you! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #3 Posted November 11, 2020 Thanks for explaining being lax about taking earlier readings. For the life of me, I could not understand an 11 A1C if you were testing 4 times per day. May have to consider using my Dexcom G6, as my readings have been low (59-65) at my early afternoon reading the last 2 days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted November 11, 2020 Share #4 Posted November 11, 2020 I hope this gadget works out for you. It is understandable that it is really hard to stay on track and be prefect. Especially, this year, as it has been super stressful. Do pay attention. My husband sees people for diabetic crash situations and he told me it can be very dangerous and a scary situation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Posted November 11, 2020 Share #5 Posted November 11, 2020 Glad you're focusing on it now and are motivated to take action. We want you to stick around! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #6 Posted November 11, 2020 38 minutes ago, Kirby said: Glad you're focusing on it now and are motivated to take action. We want you to stick around! Yes! Maybe the good Dr Mickin will get selected as new Jeopardy host! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #7 Posted November 11, 2020 I knew you would be in nerd heaven! You can do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted November 11, 2020 Share #8 Posted November 11, 2020 Good news Mick keep it up. As many of the diabetics can attest to it’s a constant struggle. I would often stick after a particular meal to see what it did to me and your reader looks like a cool option than multiple sticks. My A1C had been creeping up and I knew it was self inflicted. My Dr was going to adjust my meds and I asked her for another 90 days to see if I could self correct. I made a couple of dietary changes and I’m seeing my numbers come back down. Diabetics really can’t cheat as you can’t hide from the numbers... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted November 11, 2020 Share #9 Posted November 11, 2020 2 hours ago, Dirtyhip said: I hope this gadget works out for you. It is understandable that it is really hard to stay on track and be prefect. Especially, this year, as it has been super stressful. Do pay attention. My husband sees people for diabetic crash situations and he told me it can be very dangerous and a scary situation. High blood glucose kills you slowly, low blood glucose kills you quickly. After my moms stroke she rebounded to about 85% of her old self so we ended the at home nurse. A couple of weeks later I came by to take out her trash and found her sleeping on the couch. Usually she would get up and say hi, I found it odd she wasn’t waking up. So I went to wake her, and couldn’t. I grabbed her glucose meter, did a stick and she was 20! She was slipping into a coma. I knew she was too far gone to get her to eat or drink so had to call 911 and the paramedics gave her a glucose IV. It was kinda funny too as when she snapped out of it she started yelling at the paramedics. Why are you here!?!! Who let you in my house!?!! Come to find out she double dosed on her insulin and If it wasn’t trash day she would have died. We locked up her insulin & brought the nurse back after that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #10 Posted November 11, 2020 You diabetics are an inspiration to those of us who are slowly killing ourselves by being overweight. A scale or fit of clothes is so much easier than getting stuck, but still it is a battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkpow Posted November 11, 2020 Share #11 Posted November 11, 2020 2 hours ago, MickinMD said: I've been really, really stupid I imagine this has been the first time for you. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I have. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2020 Share #12 Posted November 11, 2020 3 minutes ago, donkpow said: I imagine this has been the first time for you. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I have. Me too! It snot so bad! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted November 11, 2020 Share #13 Posted November 11, 2020 Please take better care of yourself. We need you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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