Feeling lost

Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi, I was diagnosed about a year ago with T2. in that yr I was started on 500 Metformin ER once a day increasing to twice a day and now 1000mg twice a day. I am also on Gliclazide 80mg twice a day. my first HbAc1 was 77 and my last one was 99. I tear each day and cannot get my levels below 12.9 and highest 22.3. I am not sure what this is doing to my body, but I have started to lose sensation in my fingertips, intermittently. My diabetic nurse wants me to start insulin in January and I have no idea what to do?
 
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daddys1

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,353
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Zoeout, @Zoeout
You have definitely come to the right place there will be lots of people on this forum to help you, but first @daisy1 will be along shortly with a long list of information given to all new members.

Just to say don't panic, have a look around the forum and ask as many questions as you want.

Neil
 
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ally1

Expert
Messages
5,402
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
liver
i would try the insulin and hopefully that might help
 

pavlosn

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,705
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi, I was diagnosed about a year ago with T2. in that yr I was started on 500 Metformin ER once a day increasing to twice a day and now 1000mg twice a day. I am also on Gliclazide 80mg twice a day. my first Hca1a test was 77 and my last one was 99. I tear each day and cannot get my levels below 12.9 and highest 22.3. I am not sure what this is doing to my body, but I have started to lose sensation in my fingertips, intermittently. My diabetic nurse wants me to start insulin in January and I have no idea what to do?
Hi Zoeout

I am sorry to hear you are having such a hard time your diabetes.

Can you let us know what your diet is like. Are you restricting your carbohydrate intake or are you following the NHS advise to eat lots of starchy carbs with each meal?

Can you list a typical day's meals to give people a better idea?

Many on this forum have succeeded in restricting their glucose levels by cutting down on their carb intake.

On the subject of insulin, you are probably better off going on it if there is no other way you can bring your levels down. You are not doing your body any favors by running glucose in the teens and twenties.

But go try going low carb before going on insulin.

All the best

Pavlos
 
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Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I am still lost about the diet despite asking twice to speak to a dietician, I also have a chronic pain problem, depression and anxiety, an under active thyroid and high cholesterol. Because of this I take a lot of medication and am so full with tablets that on a normal day, I eat a banana for breakfast, nothing for lunch and a salad with meat or fis, no carbs or pasta, my diet is not carb heavy, maybe I am being dim
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Zoeout @daddys1

Hello Zoe and welcome to the forum :)

Here is the information we give to new members (knowing that you are not newly diagnosed) and I hope you will find it useful. I am sure that you will get helpful information from some members.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 130,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
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daddys1

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,353
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi @Zoeout,

You will find that nearly all on here follow a Low Carbohydrate High Fat Diet, and easily manage to loose weight and get their number down and under control.

There are many who come onto this forum with numbers just like yours, but after leaning what foods to eat and testing all the time at firs,t to see which foods affect you, then the numbers will start to fall once you have either reduced the portion size or eliminated a particular food altogether.

You say you are lost at the moment, but the people on this forum with their support will help you find your way.

Neil
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome.

Please don't feel lost. We are all here to help.

Perhaps the breakfast needs changing. Bananas are all sugar, and release a lot of glucose into the system almost from the first bite.
Try a Greek yogurt with a few berries thrown in, or eggs cooked any which way, bacon and eggs, cold meats etc.
Try not to miss lunch. That is not good for diabetics.

Do you eat bread, potatoes, rice, pastry? Too much fruit? What do you snack on, if you snack at all?
 
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Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I sometimes have shredded wheat bites instead, rarely bread and potatoes, I do eat rice, and I don't snack unless I miss a meal and have to eat because I feel hungrey, which is something that I rarely feel, I eat fruit or raw carrots and celery
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
OK well, shredded wheat is not a good choice. No breakfast cereals are as they have too many carbs and a lot of sugar.
Rice is one of the other main culprits in raising blood sugars.
If you need to snack or feel hungry, try eating pieces of cheese, or nuts. I like to dip my cheese in Hellman's Real Mayonnaise (no carbs)
We have to be very careful with fruit. Berries seem about the best, or half an apple, but avoid tropical fruits.
Eat as much meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, olive oil or rapeseed oil, above ground veggies, salads, tomatoes, mushrooms etc.

Have a look at this thread, which you may find useful http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/a-new-low-carb-guide-for-beginners.68695/
 
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Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. If you are possibly young and not overweight then there is always the possibility you actually have Late onset T1. Let us know your BMI. If you do fit into that LADA category then you will need insulin before long. I was thin at diagnosis but my GP never looked in my direction to see that I was thin and was labelled T2. I went thru all the tablets and then onto insulin despite low-carbing for years. If you should need to have insulin don't worry as it's not a problem and much better than struggling with high BS. As others have said keep away from bananas. So, if you are overweight then a low-carb diet will help and insulin if needed is much better if you are normal weight. If the nurse suggests insulin then I would go for it.
 
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Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
wow it's so confusing, I am Reg disabled, as I broke my back so movement is limited, good days and bad, I have a Bmi of 34 am 5'3". And I weight 196.8 pounds so exercising is hard, I try to get about as often as I can, so I am overweight, not greatly but still it does not help and I have just turned 40
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Sorry to hear about your disability. However, with a BMI of 34, you are more than "overweight but not greatly". 34 puts you well in the Obese range I'm afraid. Normal weight is under 25. Losing this weight will help enormously. Cutting carbs is definitely the answer. You will reduce your blood sugars, lose weight, improve your cholesterol and blood pressure. Win win.

Are you able to walk? If so, a nice walk of 20 to 30 minutes each day is as good an exercise as any.
 

Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I can only walk for about 4 mins and I hardly eat carbs that's what I am confused about
 

daddys1

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,353
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I can only walk for about 4 mins and I hardly eat carbs that's what I am confused about

H i Zoeout,

You have said you hardly eat carbs but say you eat rice how often do you have the rice?

The bananas, that Bluetit has already pointed out, will be a fruit which will shoot your sugars very high.

You also stated that you "snack on fruit" what fruits are these?

The shredded wheat will also raise your numbers, are you having ordinary milk with this cereal?

Are you having tinned food?

What vegetables are you eating?

What are you drizzling on your salad, i.e. Salad Cream what sauces are you eating?

Are you having any pastry cakes or biscuits.

Are these the only foods you have? seems a very limited range of foods you have mentioned.

Neil
 

pavlosn

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,705
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
What other medication are you on? It may be worth checking the info leaflet that come with these for any known effect on glucose levels.
 

Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
No other meds, I eat rice about one every two weeks I snack on melon , I have shredded wheat about once a fortnight, I eat all veg, no biscuits, and 1% milk!
 

Zoeout

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
No dressings on my salad and only tinned food is beans and pulses and tomatoes!
 

Clivethedrive

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,996
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Jogging
No dressings on my salad and only tinned food is beans and pulses and tomatoes!
No dressing! Try 2 tablespoons of almond oil,2tablespoons of cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of English mustard, shake vigorously in tight lidded jar....enjoy
 
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