Around 8 weeks ago I was diagnosed type 2 diabetes with a HB a1c reading of 60, which was then confirmed with another test which showed 56. Since then I have reduced what I eat and someone in work suggested the BSD book, which I have nearly finished.

I bought myself a freestyle libre blood sugar monitoring device. I don’t know how accurate it is but sometimes my blood sugar goes alarmingly low. I want to keep my intake of carbs low, but without putting myself at risk. There seems to be little mention of blood sugar monitoring in the book.

Perhaps I should forget this monitor and persevere without it.

Thanks

Blood monitors are fine if used at the right time in the right way. There is lots on here if you use the search box by typing in something like blood sugar monitor and you will find lots of good stuff. Low blood sugar can be a real tricky problem and if you are Type 2 then you will know how your own body needs the occasional shot of something sweet. There are many on here who have reduced or stopped their medication after following BSD. If you are otherwise healthy re-read the advice regarding who should and should not start. Take your measurements and try to get the approval of your GP or Diabetes nurse they are getting better in many areas and accepting the evidence produced here and in other places. The book (3 in series) is full of advice and you could look out for posts by Hashimoto who is a bit of an expert you might say. These forums are full of really helpful stuff and most of the questions have been asked many times. I hope that you prepare well and succeed, I am sure that you will.

Thanks for the reply. I have no medical contra-indications for the diet and have mentioned it to my GP and practice nurse, but I am not sure how convinced they are of its potential. If nothing else, I have lost some weight. I will go back for a HBa1c test again in July and see if there is an improvement.

I would say that I am an advocate for the FreeStyle Libre, but you should periodically check it against a finger prick, but they both have their inaccuracies. I am finding my use of the monitoring system very helpful, so looking at food intake, activity levels and so medication levels too. I had been cutting back on carbs for a month, but doing BSD for the last week, my 52 day average is 7.4mmol/l, but my 7 day is 6.3, so I am trying a day with no medication, been below 7.8 since midnight. The interesting thing will be what the reading is in comparison to a HbA1c test, but I do check odd results against the finger prick. I have sent information to my nurse and doctor, not heard anything back yet. I am talking to a medical service used by my client, they have a strict 7.8 or less requirement for travel to some of their Middle East sites. The monitoring system is expensive, but once you have reached and maintained your goal, well you can just periodically use it, so say two weeks every three months, maybe before a HbA1c. I should explain that I have come to this as my last HbA1c had come out at the equivalent 13.5, but what I was told was 10.1, just had not realised that it was the old % scale. Anyway, I have been fearful of lows with the Glimepiride, the increasing does and the advice to have carbs for my breakfast, I have seen levels around 3.8 on previous finger pricks, but it was pure guesswork, I was on a downward spiral. Monitoring system provides more detailed information, so I can do a cross reference finger prick and take appropriate measures, I keep dextrose tablets to hand, only used half of one as a precaution to get from 3.7 to 4.4, then the other half to get from 3.9 to 5.3. The culprit was excess activity on the day, so balancing things today. I took a month of observing and making small tweaks, before applying BSD, probably why I have seen a marked change in the last week!