Type 2 Life

[mo53]

Good morning everyone.
Sorry @liam1955 Ive just found your message. I'm going back to bed shortly as I'm still really sleepy.

 

[Diamum5972]

Morning folks, another 6.8 this morning. There's a jobs fair at our local theatre today so I'm popping along there this afternoon. But first I have some shopping to do - DS doesn't go to college on Thursday or Friday so he's broken up for half term already!

 

[Hiitsme]

7.1 this morning so still going up.

 

[Tim55]

@Tim55 - Hi.. It may well be that you have a cold? Our blood sugars do rise slightly when 'under the weather'. Was it the GP and/or Diabetic Nurse suggested you reduced your Metformin from 4 a day to 2 a day?

Hi Liam

Yes, I have found even a low level cold has caused my levels to rise in the past, also pain and stress.

I reduced my Metformin after talking to both my DN (annual review) and my GP. Since my last Hba1c came back at 34 they both agreed it was worth trying.

Hi Tim could some of the suppliments become 'normal' to your body? Like ginseng your body gets used to it's benefits over time.
Mind u if that was the case your neuropathy would be cured if your not suffering. Could your suppliments be becoming no longer absorbed to benefit you?
Would your suppliments not act in that way?
I can only us levothyroxine and metformin for me. Once I had a naughty diet I lost their benefits and I never got the metfomin one back. Levothyroxine needs reducing or at least did before naughty xmas.
What's your thoughts?
What stops a suppliment or herb/drug stop working?

Some difficult questions there, Ickihun.

My neuropathy, particularly in my feet, is still causing me some problems, but a lot less than it was a few months ago.

My fingers are pretty much recovered, and my knee pain, which I think may be related, seems to have bad days and better days.......

I Believe - and I am no doctor - that my insulin resistance is caused by a problem with my B12 metabolism, and the reason I saw a fall was that the supplements were helping with that issue. My concern at a rising trend was that maybe the initial problem had somehow worsened and maybe I needed a higher dose, or a new approach.

Certainly, I have in the past had encouraging short term results from other supplements but which failed to last in the long run, but I am not seeing that with the neuropathy so I am hopeful they are still working.

Hi @Tim55
I'm so similar to you, all right mine 6.8 this morning but very close, My trend has gone up and sorry I have no answers. Illness, a cold, weather even, so many things can influence blood sugar and I am still learning. For me stress or pain I know puts mine up. I shall look forward to those with a bit more experience giving their views as it might help me as well.

Hiitsme - you might be onto something with the cold weather, or even lack of sunlight? I know in the past I used to get irritable in winter, to the extent we bought a "sun lamp" to try and help with the so - called SAD syndrome. Might try getting that out again.

I was diagnosed in July 2014 and yes, it took me a long while to get down consistent 5s, certainly 5 months, maybe a bit longer, and I think we are all learning all the time, just have to hope for the occasional "light bulb moment" and take note I guess of as many things as we can.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Liam1955]

@Tim55 - Hi. That is a brilliant HBA1C = 34! Well Done. Mine was 64 in November,2015 - it had dropped from 81 in the May,2015 and my Endocrinologist would like it even lower by this May, she would like it to be 50, but I don't think that is going to happen!!!
Yesterday, I hardly ate - just had loads of Water, Herbal Teas, Coffee = All Black and No Sugar. Then I fancied Baked Beans on Wholegrain Toast for tea at 6pm. This morning my fbs was 6.8 so I reckon my Liver had "dumped" glucose into my blood.

 

[Tim55]

Hi Liam

Thanks for the kind words. My Hba1c back in July 2014 was 107. I immediately started following LCHF principles and self testing intensively, to find out what caused me problems and what didn't, and I was quite surprised by some of my findings - Orange Juice was a disaster, real ale not so good, but strong lager not so bad....

Hba1c in October 2014 was down to 37, which surprised my DN greatly. She told me to stop testing and refused to prescribe any more strips for the meter she had given me, but I chose to treat that advice exactly as I had the stuff about the healthy plate she had tried to force down my throat the first time we met.

At my first annual review it was at 38, and I had it retested as part of another set of blood tests I was asked to take in September 2015, when it was down to the 34 figure. It was also then I eased back on the Metformin.

NHS guide lines are that anything above 42 is indicative of diabetes.

I still test first thing every morning and at 18.00 hours, before my evening meal, every day and I graph the results. I also track the 16 rolling average of these results which gives me some idea of what my Hba1c might be, although the actual official figure is usually around 0.3 lower - by which I mean at the last Hba1c I was predicting a level of 5.6, while the 34 equates to 5.3.

By Christmas, that rolling average was running around the 5.4 mark but after increasing my supplements a little it came down to 5.1 over 18 days. Since then however, and for reasons I do not understand it has climbed back up to the 5.4s again, hence my concern.

Yesterday evenings figure of 5.3 and this mornings of 5.8 might indicate that whatever the issue was is starting to subside, but I will continue to keep a close eye on it.

Cheers

 

[ickihun]

Hi Liam

Yes, I have found even a low level cold has caused my levels to rise in the past, also pain and stress.

I reduced my Metformin after talking to both my DN (annual review) and my GP. Since my last Hba1c came back at 34 they both agreed it was worth trying.


Some difficult questions there, Ickihun.

My neuropathy, particularly in my feet, is still causing me some problems, but a lot less than it was a few months ago.

My fingers are pretty much recovered, and my knee pain, which I think may be related, seems to have bad days and better days.......

I Believe - and I am no doctor - that my insulin resistance is caused by a problem with my B12 metabolism, and the reason I saw a fall was that the supplements were helping with that issue. My concern at a rising trend was that maybe the initial problem had somehow worsened and maybe I needed a higher dose, or a new approach.

Certainly, I have in the past had encouraging short term results from other supplements but which failed to last in the long run, but I am not seeing that with the neuropathy so I am hopeful they are still working.



Hiitsme - you might be onto something with the cold weather, or even lack of sunlight? I know in the past I used to get irritable in winter, to the extent we bought a "sun lamp" to try and help with the so - called SAD syndrome. Might try getting that out again.

I was diagnosed in July 2014 and yes, it took me a long while to get down consistent 5s, certainly 5 months, maybe a bit longer, and I think we are all learning all the time, just have to hope for the occasional "light bulb moment" and take note I guess of as many things as we can.

Thanks for all the replies!

Tim something else in the mix is the temperature of where your keeping your meter. Colder weather=battery will not be so affective? Even rechargable ones.
Just a thought.

 

[Tim55]

Tim something else in the mix is the temperature of where your keeping your meter. Colder weather=battery will not be so affective? Even rechargable ones.
Just a thought.

Fair comment - actually, I would say - especially rechargeable ones.

I use the SD CodeFree which has a watch type battery. I have had it just over 18 months and never changed the battery, although I think I do have a spare. I carefully keep my meter, and my strips, in the same place and always do the tests there (well, unless we are away, obviously) and the central heating is pretty good most of the time.

I would have thought the meter would be smart enough to raise a low battery alarm, or simply to stop working, if that was the problem but I take your point.

I have commented before our meters are not actually very accurate, and to be blunt the 5.4 and 5.1 rolling average results I referred to above could merely be showing random oscillations about a value somewhere in between. but the way the shape of the graph changes does not cause me to think that is the case, there appears to have been step changes at various points in time, most of which I can account for.

And I have checked this last one didn't occur at the same time I opened a new box of strips

There are loads of statistical analysis techniques around which can point you in the right direction - just wish I could remember the name of the one we found really useful back in my Plant Management days

T'internet is very good - IF you know what you are looking for!

 

[Liam1955]

@TooManyCrisps - Did you tell me that you are just Diet Control? Not Diabetic Tablets? How has your numbers been today? ( I've just changed my Avatar - with the help of another member on this forum who is a lovely lady) - There's some really nice, friendly people on here.
So, when do you go back to see the diabetic nurse? William.

 

[4ratbags]

Morning FBG 5.3

 

[TooManyCrisps]

@TooManyCrisps - Did you tell me that you are just Diet Control? Not Diabetic Tablets? How has your numbers been today? ( I've just changed my Avatar - with the help of another member on this forum who is a lovely lady) - There's some really nice, friendly people on here.
So, when do you go back to see the diabetic nurse? William.

@liam1955, I am just diet controlled. My GP felt it was better to try to lose weight (I need to lose about 20lbs to move from "overweight" to "normal"). He doesn't believe in tablets being a first resort and suggested I look on this site for ideas. I have had a check with a podiatrist for feet (all good) and with a specialist optician for eyes (all good) and had liver and kidney function tests (all good as well). I haven't been referred to the hospital diabetic service, so have only seen my GP and the nurse at the practice. The GP wants me to have another HBA1C in 6 months (well, I guess 5 months now) but I want to get one done before then. l

My readings have been high today despite me being good with the low carbing. I even sat and ate steamed vegetables whilst my husband and kids chomped through bbq chicken with rice! I hope my willpower is reflected in tomorrows readings. We've got friends coming to dinner tomorrow evening so that will be another challenge.

 

[13lizanne]

Hi @TooManyCrisps I sometimes find it takes a day or two of being really "good" before the results show in the daily readings so -don't despair, you'll get there and then we'll be doing the dance of victory for you.

 

[TooManyCrisps]

Hi @TooManyCrisps I sometimes find it takes a day or two of being really "good" before the results show in the daily readings so -don't despair, you'll get there and then we'll be doing the dance of victory for you.

Thank you @13lizanne, I really hope so.

 

[13lizanne]

I'm off to watch Death in Paradise @liam1955 + co what are you lot doing?

 

[Liam1955]

@13lizanne - going for a snack, not eaten solids today. Only had Banana and cupasoup, oh and I ate someone's packet of Rolo's not so long ago. Thinking about Banoffee & Lemon Meringue Pie @mo53. Enjoy your programme Anna

 

[TooManyCrisps]

I'm off to watch Death in Paradise @liam1955 + co what are you lot doing?

I'm desperately trying to tidy the house and cook the starter for tomorrow night - we have friends coming for dinner and I don't get home form work until 6.45pm . Eeek!

 

[Liam1955]

@TooManyCrisps - Hi. How is your Cholesterol? I steam All my vegetables and I never use salt on them, I love all the natural flavours. But, you can eat rice - brown is better than white though. Did you have a read on all the food and nutrition threads? Yes, the first thing is always diet before tablets are introduced. But a lot of people do it on diet and exercise alone. I'm sure you get plenty of exercise having children - are they young?
It's early days and you have to give your body time to adjust - take each day one at a time, don't get stressed that sends blood sugars up. Enjoy your meal with your friends and go for smaller portions. And drink plenty of sugar free fluids. We'll chat again soon. Any questions? Just ask - there's lots of knowledgeable people on here.

 

[LinsT]

I even sat and ate steamed vegetables whilst my husband and kids chomped through bbq chicken with rice!

Hiya @TooManyCrisps I would do your best not to deny yourself like this - but rather prepare meals that you can enjoy too. As diabetics we have to change our diets for good - not just for quick fixes. So using the chicken and rice meal - pick a chicken coating that doesn't have sugar in - dust with smoked paprika and coat with parmasan cheese for example. You can always buy a bottle of bbq sauce for your family to have a blob on the side if they so desire! Have it with the steamed veg - and if you like rice then go ahead and have a small portion - just check your bloods before and after to make sure it doesn't spike you too much. And even if it does - play around with smaller portion sizes the next time before you give up on it. You need to find ways to make this work long term. It's hard at first but it gets loads easier - I promise.
Initially I struggled with satisfying my needs as well as my family. But as time has gone on - they have seen the dramatic weight loss I've achieved and seen my energy levels and immune system improve. Now all of a sudden they're really interested in my food and want to join me in my eating plan!
And don't worry about extra HbA1c tests. It sounds like your doc is pretty clued up. Let yourself get used to a different way of eating - concentrate on that and getting some sort of exercise plan together. Having extra tests could just demotivate you if you don't see immediate results. And there aren't many people who see results fast. It takes a little while for your body to mop up all the extra glucose thats swimming around in it at first.
As has already been said - this forum is an absolute god send - not just because of the helpful attitude of everyone on here - but also in providing the comfort of 'you're not alone'.

 

[LinsT]

On another note - I just wanted to share something nice that happened today. We were having a 'fuddle' at work - where everyone brings in some food and a big buffet is created - as someone was leaving.
One of my colleagues is a keen baker and often bakes cakes and brings them in to work for us. Over the last few months, she's seen me drool over them but not partake. For the fuddle she brought a batch of cupcakes she'd made. But she had also spent hours baking some lower carb sugar free 'beetroot brownies' for me. They were absolutely delicious - didn't touch my BG's and I just thought it was really kind of her to do this

 

[4ratbags]

That was very thoughtful of her. I bet the smile on your face said it all.