Diabetic Diet & Blood Gluecose

I’ve recently been diagnosed with PCOS, a hallmark of which is insulin resistance.
I’m not technically a diabetic YET (my last fasting glucose was actually 89, and I’ve been started on Metformin as a preventative)
but I’d like to take a very proactive approach and start monitoring my glucose at the same time every week.

Any recommendations for a blood glucose meter, one that’s not only consistent in it’s own readings but is accurate when calibrated against a physicians?

I’m also a big wuss when it comes to the finger-pricking thing, so are there any that can be used on the arm?

Thanks in advance! (=
Accuracy IS important, Frank. 125 vs. 123 isn’t a problem. 76 vs. 156 IS, and that’s how out of whack I’ve read some of the more poorly-made meters can be.
Thanks for the advice Jessica. I’m guessing the lancing device "pricks" your skin automatically, whereas without one you have to do it yourself? I hadn’t considered that. Excellent point.

There are plenty that can be used on the arm.

First, find out if your insurance will pay for a glucose meter. Many of them will. See if it will pay for the test strips, too.

Glucose meters are kind of like printers…that is, the main device is usually sold at or under cost, because they get you on the ink cartridges/test strips. Those suckers are EXPENSIVE.

I have a One Touch Ultra Mini, and it works pretty well, when I actually use it. I can take a sample from my arm or the back or heel of my hand. It came with a lancet device, and I urge you to use a lancet device, too, no matter what sort of glucose meter you end up getting. Lancet devices will allow you to load a lancet into them, and then just push a button, and the lancet will quickly pop in and out of your site, at the proper depth. It’s much easier to use than just a plain lancet. Most meters come with one.

Edit: a lancet device has a spring loaded mechanism that will quickly "pop" the lance in and out of your skin. You don’t have to try to judge how deep to go with the lancet, and it’s over much more quickly, which is a big plus in my book.

Also, I got the Walgreen’s meter one time, when my old one had died. I don’t recommend it. It seemed accurate enough, but I got a lot of "error" readings on it. I was having to take three or four blood samples for every testing session. Not fun.

Metformin/Glucophage can be a very effective oral antidiabetic. However, it can cause explosive liquid diarrhea in some patients. Some people will adjust to this. Others won’t. I couldn’t, and after a few months I told my doctor that I was NOT going to take it any more. He could either prescribe another medication, or I simply wouldn’t take what he prescribed. I found that side effect to be intolerable.

Ask your doctor about diabetes education classes in your area. My insurance paid for the classes, I had no co-pay. They’ll do this because a diabetic who is well-controlled is a diabetic who will cost them less money.

i have to wait a few weeks for an ovarian scan to rule out PCOS as the cause of my irregular, infrequent menstrual cycle, & i heard insulin resistance can cause this. i have had many blood tests done before, one a few weeks back, and my glucose levels are always normal. is it likely i could have insulin resistance despite this? i am BMI of 20.5.

1337 is a bit off. You CAN have insulin resistance and still have normal glucose levels, but you cannot know without a doctor giving you a blood test.

Ask for an Insulin Levels or a C-Peptide test — this will tell you how much insulin you have in your blood. If your glucose is normal and you have an elevated Insulin or C-Peptide level, then you likely have some insulin resistance.

As to how likely? I’m not sure, I hope someone else can help you. I would guess that it would be hard to tell without more information, but going on your BMI, I’d say that it’s not too likely.

I have been counseled that I should be on the same diet as a type 2 diabetic because of having PCOS but have no idea what the diet is or should be! Please help

Here’s the general rule of thumb I follow: Keep the carbs and sugars to a minimum. Eat lots of vegetables. Limit the meats to fish and chicken. Avoid beef and dairy. On the carbs you do eat, make sure they’re made with whole grains.

Hi. I am a sufferer of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and I have read in lot’s of places to try a low GI diet as the symptoms are very alike to diabetics. I was just wondering if anyone had any nice recipes as I cannot seem to lose weight, obviously due to the PCOS and not junk food hehe. I just think it’s about time I got the weight issue under control (as all you PCOS sufferers know is a big (excuse the pun, not intended) issue as a side effect/symptom). Or maybe you can let me know if you tried the low GI diet and it worked for you. I know in America your treated alot better for it but over here in the UK it’s a case of, you have PCOS, these are the symptoms you can go on the pill if you like to see if it helps with your symptoms then left to it. So maybe if I take things in my own hands I can maybe get some of the nasty symptoms under control. Thanks alot guys and sorry if I babbled..

I tried many different way to lose my weight, but nothing worked untill I got this amazing way. It works fast and I lost my weight easy after I got right way. I lost 9 pounds in 30 days and it was so easy. If you are really serious and really want to lose weight you should have a look. You can get info from link below.

I had a friend in college with PCOS tell me that she went on a special diet for her PCOS to get her monthly cycle. I know there is a theory of a link between diabetes and PCOS in women, and I’m curious: is the diet my friend was referring to the Diabetic Exchange Diet?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome…PCOS is characterized by infrequent or absent menstrual periods; obesity; elevated levels of androgen hormones or symptoms resulting from that, such as ache, excessive hair on the face and body, and hair loss resembling male-pattern baldness; and sometimes skin outgrowths (known as skin tags) or abnormally darkened, thickened skin in skin folds (known as acanthosis nigricans). Because cysts on the ovaries are not always present, some people think polycystic ovary syndrome is not a good term for the condition
A better term for PCOS might be syndrome XX, as some researchers have called it, because only women (with their XX chromosomes) develop it. PCOS is considered a female-specific form of syndrome X, also known as metabolic syndrome, which affects both men and women. Whereas PCOS is marked by a cluster of female reproductive disorders, syndrome X is defined by a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors–including abdominal obesity, unhealthy blood lipid levels (high triglyceride and low HDL cholesterol levels), high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar
If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, the following diet strategies can help improve symptoms.

* Restrict refined breads and sugary foods. Women with PCOS tend to eat significantly larger servings of high-glycemic bread products–those that raise blood sugar and insulin levels quickly–than women without PCOS. Eating large amounts of sugar and bread–both have a high glycemic index–also doubles the risk of diabetes, a common complication of PCOS. It’s just another good reason to avoid these foods.

* Eat low glycemic foods. No direct research with PCOS has been done, but diets based on low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as nonstarchy vegetables, legumes, and many fruits, improve insulin sensitivity (or reduce insulin resistance), improve blood triglyceride or good HDL cholesterol levels, and reduce hunger–all important factors for women with PCOS. Many find it easier to lose weight on a lower-glycemic
* Cut back on your total carb intake and increase protein, such as fish and poultry, in the diet. A high-protein, low-carb diet significantly reduces depression and improves self-esteem–factors important in long-term weight management–in obese women with PCOS, according to a new study in Appetite. A low-glycemic, high-protein diet that is also high in fiber works better for PCOS over the long term than a diet high in carbohydrates.