I am a type 2 diabetic and I know 4+ yrs later, I still find it hard to cope with being a diabetic. A previous doctor told me and tried convincing me to be on Metaformin but I did not feel comfortable being on a "horse pill" as I call it. This doctor did not listen to what I was saying at times and kept putting me down and really not working with me. I felt this doctor only wanted a "pay check" and I felt like okay...I do not care at times about myself.
This doctor criticized me for who I was and always was pushing me do be on Metaformin. Yes at times, I failed to go see this doctor ... why ? Because I disagreed with her mostly and the nurses that worked with her did not know what they were doing half if most of the time. Miss place kits to test A1C, did not know how to properly prick someone, no gloves and so forth. They overdrew my blood and the machine got stuck.
I found someone else who actually listened to my concerns and did not pressure me of taking a new med. Instead the doctor kept me on what I was on and just adjusted one of my med's doses. Plus, I felt comfortable talking to the doctor. I never second guessed myself with this new doctor. I am quite pleased with this doctor. Granted, I still have a long way with losing weight but I do not feel pressured at all. I do a lot of walking for one. I do not tend to stick to a diet. But I try to what I can as a person with what I feel and got compared to what doctors think and know. Sometimes, you know yourself way better than doctors do.
If you want to go without Metformin you have to work with diet and exercise to control your blood glucose levels. And test frequently to see what foods spike you.
I think the only way to know for sure is BG testing, both your own results and the A1C testing results.
What is BG testing? I never heard of that. What does that do for a diabetic?
Blood glucose testing with a meter? It tells you what your blood sugar is. It can also suggest conclusions, like if you take 4U of insulin, eat a chocolate glazed donut (33G of carbs…) and your BG hits 200, you can conclude that your carb/ insulin ratio is less than 8.25-1. I realize you aren’t taking insulin but that’s sort of how those of us who are figure things out with BG testing? Sorry for overabbreviating!!
You don't have to be sorry for expressing things of helping others with diabetes. I am on two different meds that has helped me. One supports the other med.
@acidrock23 hi ...i like to have more information about carb/insulin ration...how to calculate it and consequently managing the insulin dose...can you forward some details on the blog or to me...thanx :)
http://www.diydiabetic.com/calculating-your-insulin-dose/ It can be useful to eat an amount and type of food with known food values repeatedly to help establish a ratio more accurately. For a very good "manual" about diabetes, I would recommend the book "Think Like a Pancreas", which has very good instructions on calculating dosages and making adjustments.