My Type 2 Diabetic Life: Now that I’m here, what’s my next move?

REPOST from former blog My Type 2 Diabetic Life ©

January 22, 2020

So after I got the email telling me I have Type 2 Diabetes, I got no instructions other than to make a follow up appointment.  For something so life altering, I was hoping for some type of instructions as to what I should do in the meantime.

It has been a long, long time since I have had a primary care physician that I really liked.  I was hoping that this doctor was going to be “the one.”  But even before I got her email, I already had that feeling of disconnection.  She just didn’t have that bedside manner that I was hoping to find – and it felt like she wasn’t really even listening to me during the visit.  

While waiting for my appointment with the endocrinologist, I continued to read the Mayo Clinic Diabetic Diet book, searching for what my next step should be.  As I read, I noticed that it advised me to keep a logbook of my blood sugar (glucose) levels and take them with me when I went to see the endocrinologist.  Well that meant I would need a glucose meter, which I knew nothing about.  

Google is my friend.  I began to search out and read up on the plethora of different meters available.  Which one is best?  Which one is easiest?  Which one is the most accurate?  Which one has an app that will allow me to access my blood sugar log anywhere I go?  YouTube was also a great help, because as I began to see meters that had features that I liked, I looked for reviews and “box opening” videos on YouTube.  That let me see what real people had to say about the various meters out there.

There are so many meters to choose from:  Dexcom, FreeStyle Libra, Contour NEXT ONE, One Touch, CareTouch, ReliOn, Accu-Check, Easy Touch, iHealth, to name a few.  My head was spinning from trying to decipher the differences between all the meters.

Here’s the meter I chose – the Dario meter.
Image: by My Type 2 Diabetic Life ©

I finally found a meter that works for me.  It’s called Dario.  It has an app, and you plug the meterinto the charging port of your phone;  for me, that’s an iPhone.  It saves all of my blood sugar levels, so that I can print, email, or show them to my doctor.  It also gives me statistics like my highest blood sugar level, my lowest, how many days I’ve had a balanced day, how many days I am above or below. 

Four screenshots from my Dario app.
Image: by My Type 2 Diabetic Life ©

And the coolest part is that it gives me an estimate(emphasis on the word estimate) of what my A1C is, based on my cumulative blood sugar levels over the past three months.  I can enter exercise, as well as carbohydrates that I’ve eaten, if I choose.  I can also sync Dario to some fitness apps on my phone – I sync it to the steps in “My Health” on my iPhone.  For a fee, Dario also provides a coach to answer questions and give suggestions.  That part is optional.  

I’m not trying to sell anyone Dario, by any means. (I had to purchase my meter, and got nothing free.) Rather I am just explaining the options available on the meter that I chose.  There are many, many meters to choose from.  It’s ultimately an individual preference.  My insurance didn’t pay for the meter, but I was able to use our flex benefits card to pay for the meter, and for the test strips.  I did choose to pay the yearly fee with Dario, so I get unlimited strips mailed to me for one year.  Then if I choose to renew, it would continue. If you are interested you can click here to purchase the one that I got from Amazon.   

What helped me the most in finding a meter was to read, read, read as many reviews as I could find on glucose meters available to me here in the US.  That is what I would tell anyone – that, and talk with your doctor.  And who knows – down the road, I may decide to switch meters.  Many of the people on the videos that I watched said they had used multiple meters over the years since diagnosis.  

I’m including pictures of my Dario meter, as well as some of the features. (see pics above)  I found the meter easy to use, and it has given me 10 weeks of glucose levels now.  

When I first started – before I went to the endocrinologist – I wasn’t sure when or how often I should be checking my blood sugar levels.  And I wasn’t sure what range “normal” is.  So I tested often.  After going to the endocrinologist, she told me to definitely test first thing in the morning – before eating, drinking, or even taking any medication.  She said just to keep doing what I was doing. 

I usually test about 30 minutes before lunch and dinner, and then again at bedtime.  Other times, if I feel shaky/weak, I test.  My lowest was 72, which you can see in the picture above, actually. As for what is “normal” my endocrinologist didn’t give a definitive answer on that yet – and as I understood, it is because she wants to first see how well I can keep my levels down. She indicated that before a meal, 90s is good. Sometimes I’m there, and sometimes not. It’s been under 130 for some time now, usually between 88 and 118 – so for me, that’s progress. The A1c level at the next doctor visit will be crucial. 

I was afraid at first, because my blood sugar levels were very high – 140s – 150s, but as time has progressed, they seem to be coming down – I’ll spend time in a future post writing about what I’m doing to lower my blood sugar levels. 

The most important takeaway here is to find a meter that you are comfortable with, that fits your budget, and helps you begin to see where your levels are.  

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll continue to follow my journey. Feel free to ask questions in the comments below.  

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