My ex BIL just had an experience similar to the OP’s. He called me for support (he was freaked out). I suggested he see an endocrinologist. He did, had some more involved tests done, and is doing well.
Agreed…finding a good endocrinologist made a tremendous difference for me, as well. I was diagnosed by a GP who told me very little, and who, in retrospect, I believe probably didn’t know a whole lot about the disease.
Most testing meter companies will send you a meter for free, if you ask for it. The sticks are cheap, but the test strips can get quite expensive. The strips also have an expiration date, so don’t over-buy.
Several comments since I had a similar experience, but with, I think, a more experienced doctor. First I should explain that blood sugar here is measured in mmoles/liter so you have to multiply by 18 to get the US reading of mg/deciliter (the molecular weight of glucose is 180). So I had a reading 7 years ago of 8.1, where the threshold for diabetes is 7. So I was put on a diet and given a glycophage (metformin). A year later I had lost 20 pounds and the blood sugar was something like 6.8. The thing is that the metformin actually helps you lose weight. I don’t understand the mechanism, but it is a known side-effect. Since then, I have lost about 45 pounds and the last blood sugar measurement was 5.6. The A1C was also below 6% so my doctor is happy and so am I. I still take the metformin for its effect on my metabolism. I have always been fairly active, so that didn’t change. I try to take a 3-4 mile walk every morning and do most of the time. In the winter I drive up to the local mall and walk there (and occasionally on a very hot humid summer day too). Incidentally, I have no glucose meter and my doctor didn’t recommend it either. And aside from eating less (basically, no snacks), I don’t pay much attention to what I eat. I like bread, especially the multi-grain loaf I make, and eat a fair amount of it.
The trouble with glycemic index is that it takes no account of how much of the carbs in the food is utilized. In particular, you get almost none of the sugar in carrots unless you either cook them or chew them for a long long time. Raw potatoes are essentially indigestible, but then nobody eats raw potatoes. But raw carrots are a common and healthy snack. Read Richard Wrangham’s “Catching Fire” for some insight into the effect of making nutrients available by cooking (which is his thesis).
My grandmother had one high blood sugar reading (this would have been 70 years ago), lost 80 pounds (from about 220) and never had another high reading and, of course, never took insulin.
I have nothing but respect for people who can radically change their diet and lifestyle.
But that ain’t me.
My first test last November was over 200 fasting. When they got me back into the office in January, it was 200 even. He got me on Januvia and Metformin, testing twice a day, wanted me to see a dietician and do all sorts of things I just could not afford.
What I could and did do, which was very easy for me, was this;
Cut out sugared pop. I used to drink 3-4 cans a day. Now I allow myself no more than 1 a week (in theory), but in practice this is one per month. Usually when I’m out and about somewhere.
Severely curtailed candy and sugared snacks. I can have one candybar or the equivalent about every two weeks is what I allow myself. Usually it’s something like a pack skittles or peanut M&M’s or red licorice spread over a couple of days. I allow myself up to several pieces of dark chocolate a day. I know it’s sugar, but it doesn’t seem to bother my blood sugar very much.
Watch what else I might eat that spikes my blood sugar. White rice does, but damn, I’m not giving up chinese food. I skip pretzels and anything involving white bread. I always liked oat bread, and it agrees with my blood sugar, so that’s what I eat, or wheat buns when I’m out and I have a choice.
One of the things the Metformin/Januvia combo seems to do is spread the absorbtion of sugar out and level things out, so I’m testing in the 120’s most of the time lately. I know I can do better than that, but given that I’ve been doing this for less than a year and it’s down from steady 200+ readings (or higher), I think I’m doing pretty damned good.
The point it, like any other diet, the more radically you change it all at once, the less likely you are to be able to stick to it. So start with the little things, like seriously cutting back on sugared pop and snacks, while still giving yourself permission to indulge on occasion so that you don’t get so frustrated with it that you wind up throwing the entire thing out the window. The worst thing you could do would be to make a radical change, end up hating and resenting it, then deciding that it’s not worth it and fighting it.
Good job Chimera.
My last A1C was around 6 and all my siblings are diabetic.
I too find small changes work better and that it takes time to develop new eating habits. It took me about 2 years to convert to mostly healthy eating, and now I try to make half my plate fresh veg/fruit, 1/4 carb and 1/4 protein. My biggest happiness today is that last night all the fruits and veggies on my plate came from my garden: Cuke/tomatoes salad Greek style, stewed okra with tomato, Asian seasoned green beans, and cantaloupe. I had a nice piece of salmon, which I have learned to like quite a bit. The first time I ate it, I felt slightly repulsed by the fact that it was fish and it was pink. Now I enjoy it very much.
I also joined a gym recently and noticed I had to pull my pants up a few times yesterday. Something new for me!
So if you thing of changing your diet and preferred foods over a span of time instead of a week or month or so, I think you will feel better on the days you don’t do so well. It absolutely does take time to change a lifetime of tastes and habits, especially if you are doing it on your own and without a person to guide you such as an experienced family member, nutritionist, etc.
As for the rice, that gives a lot of people trouble. My brother can eat any kind of rice- white, brown, low glycemic, basmati. They all give him a spike. Just try to whittle the serving down to 1/2 cup.
OP update!
Things have been not so good on the doctor front, I’ve been shuffled around a couple times and ran into problems finding good doctors. Anyway, I had a follow-up appointment where I had my fasting glucose and A1C done. Fasting glucose was 9.6, which is still bad, but my A1C was only 6.1. I would have expected it to be way higher with the fasting glucose the way it is. This is my first day with the glucose meter. My insurance covered it 100%, and even if it didn’t, it’s still much cheaper here in Canada.
Diet changes and exercise have been coming along, I’ve lost ~10lbs since I started the thread. Noticing it with my pants 
It’s been a switch from frozen dinners, fast food, granola bars and chips to a chunk of meat, a big salad, some nuts and a whole lotta snap peas. Damn I love peas in a pod. Thank God I can afford the giant bags.
I do hope you bought the Gretchen Becker book. It is EXCELLENT, and you can keep referring back to it as you become more aware of what is involved.
The ADA 1500-calorie “exchange” diet can set you up for failure and a feeling you just want to say the Hell with it all. The Glycemic Index can work for you, and understanding the value of fiber and fat in metabolizing carbohydrates will make the whole diet business less like a prison sentence.
Drink water and WALK.
~VOW
Most excellent! That fasting number’s high, yes, but it’s one snapshot. The A1C is outstanding, and losing 10 pounds is great, too! Way to go. 