Hello & Information and Help Needed

[NoorChowdhury]

Hello Everyone,
First I would like to introduce myself and second my Problem:
I am 50 years old healthy with healthy life style (seems to me till yesterday). I am a single father of 11 year old daughter.
I use to smoke but since one year I switch to ecig.
My father passed away due to heart attach (reason might be stress – guessing) when I was 12 years old and I don’t know what was his age at that time may be 50+. The reason for mentioning this so that you all will know about a bit of my family history.
Problem:
Because my father passed away due to heart attack and I will be 50 next year so decided to go to my local surgery for health check-up. Till now no medication or went to see the doctor for any reason what so ever.
They took blood samples, blood pressure test and height and weight. In the evening I got a call to come today and see the doctor this time.
Went and saw – he declared I am diabetic type 2 (27 reading he said), cholesterol too high and blood pressure also high (did not give the reading for these two neither I asked, I was in a shock mode.
Explained me in detail after asking me few personal question including my family history.

He prescribed me:
Lipitor 80mg for Cholesterol one a day
Metformin 500mg one a day for a week then two a day.
And made an appointment for second round talk and explanation next week.
They took another sample today and blood pressure, also they took urine sample.

My life style and diet:
Very balance use to do exercise regularly but since last 3 year did not go to gym due to looking after my daughter.
My diet:
Weekdays–
4 boiled egg only the White one before I go to work in breakfast
2 bananas and an apple in regular interval at work.
Salad – mix of celery, lettuce, salad tomatoes, radish cucumber with two boiled egg only white – Lunch
Tea and coffee also Green tea – in between with half spoon sugar.
200g white rice – dinner
Chicken or lamb curry – with rice
Then green tea – before go to bed.
Weekends:
Almost same but sometimes I treat myself – I make my own beef or lamb burger with cheese and mayonnaise for lunch and for dinner rice and curry.

Question:
Going by the medication – How serious my health is.
Going by the life style where did I go wrong – may be inherited.
If serious or not serious – what should I do to maintain my health so that I can look after my daughter.
I have gone through various thread and read lot if info from various people including @daisy1, and @poppyducky
With no health issue what so ever this information seems exploding my mind and at the moment its 5:54 am and could not sleep whole night.
I do apologize if I have written two long. Any more info you all need please let me know.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

Welcome. It's a good idea to get a copy of your lab test results. You should find out your HbA1c number. It's a measure of your average blood glucose level over the last three months. Type 2 has to do with genes, not life style. Consider than 2/3 of westerners are overweight but only about 10% have type 2 and people that are normal weight also get type 2. Having said that, if you are overweight, losing even a small amount of weight can make a big difference for blood glucose control. It does seem like you're diet is fairly high carb and lowing fat. That's what we've been taught is healthy. Carbs quickly turn to glucose and raise your blood sugar. You should get a blood glucose meter and test yourself an hour after eating and reduce the amount of carbs until you get something under 7.8 mmol/L an hour after eating. Your 'treat' of meat, cheese and mayo is better for blood glucose levels than the fruit and rice, since protein and fat won't raise your blood glucose significantly and the fruit and rice will. There's lots of good information on this forum on how to reverse type 2 or at least improve your blood glucose levels. Good luck.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

You omit some information from your lifestyle information which could have a bearing on diabetes.

Are you overweight? Although it is not necessary to be overweight to have Type 2 diabetes it can increase your chances since you may have a fatty liver.

You don't mention liquids at all.

Do you drink alcohol?

Do you drink sugary drinks? This might be something that will help if you stop doing it.

27 is not a good number and is way too high. The medication you have been given is not very powerful and you may have to make adjustments to your diet to help. You eat a lot of rice but I don't believe that it would have given you diabetes or that it would give you a reading of 27. You don't say whether that is a fasting reading or a speculative one. 27 is not good in either case.

Read more of this site and ask further questions. I am sure you will ger answers soon.

 

[NoorChowdhury]

You omit some information from your lifestyle information which could have a bearing on diabetes.

Are you overweight? Although it is not necessary to be overweight to have Type 2 diabetes it can increase your chances since you may have a fatty liver.

You don't mention liquids at all.

Do you drink alcohol?

Do you drink sugary drinks? This might be something that will help if you stop doing it.

27 is not a good number and is way too high. The medication you have been given is not very powerful and you may have to make adjustments to your diet to help. You eat a lot of rice but I don't believe that it would have given you diabetes or that it would give you a reading of 27. You don't say whether that is a fasting reading or a speculative one. 27 is not good in either case.

Read more of this site and ask further questions. I am sure you will ger answers soon.

Thank you very much for the quick response, much appreciated, I will answer your questions below:
Are you overweight - Yes I am slightly overweight but in due course of time I lost a lot of weight but still overweight to my height and body mass.
Liquids - Lots of water all the time at work and tea and coffee and at home during dinner glass of warm water with lime.
Do you Drink Alcohol - Never tasted in my life.
Do you drink sugary drink - Some times once or twice a week a can of 7up with zero sugar one nothing else.
27 is not a good number - This was the first reading and it was taken straight after my breakfast with 3 slice of toast white bread.
They have taken another sample today and I went without eating anything - result yet to come.
Fasting reading or a speculative one - no idea at all what does this means.

Further more information you need please let me know.
Your help and guidance will be highly appreciated.
NoorChowdhury

 

[Prem51]

Hi @NoorChowdhury and welcome to the forum. You do need to cut out sugars as much as possible - even the half teaspoon of sugar in your tea. Use sweetener if necessary, or get used to drinking the tea unsweetened. Carbohydrates convert to sugar in our bodies, so you need to cut them down too - the bread, bananas and rice. Replace them with more vegetables. One good thing about Indian cooking is that there are a lot of tasty vegetable dishes.
It is quite likely that the diabetes is genetic. My mother had Type 2 diabetes too. Also people of South Asian origin do have a higher genetic disposition to diabetes. But it can be controlled by changing your diet and exercise, and medication if necessary.

There is a lot of useful advice on here. Have a read through the threads and you will see that many people have found they can bring down and control their blood sugar levels by adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat diet.

 

[NoorChowdhury]

Hi @NoorChowdhury and welcome to the forum. You do need to cut out sugars as much as possible - even the half teaspoon of sugar in your tea. Use sweetener if necessary, or get used to drinking the tea unsweetened. Carbohydrates convert to sugar in our bodies, so you need to cut them down too - the bread, bananas and rice. Replace them with more vegetables. One good thing about Indian cooking is that there are a lot of tasty vegetable dishes.
It is quite likely that the diabetes is genetic. My mother had Type 2 diabetes too. Also people of South Asian origin do have a higher genetic disposition to diabetes. But it can be controlled by changing your diet and exercise, and medication if necessary.

There is a lot of useful advice on here. Have a read through the threads and you will see that many people have found they can bring down and control their blood sugar levels by adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat diet.

Cheers Prem, much appreciated for your reply.
I have started taking tea without sugar since I was declared T2 yesterday.
Further to cut on Carb - I like eating white rice with chicken or lamb curry and one veg curry in the night for dinner, now the question is what to replace rice.
I might switch to brown rice and see and the rest I will remove banana, bread I use to eat for breakfast during weekends only so going to leave that and not hard to replace.
Once again Thanks.
Regards
NoorChowdhury

 

[Prem51]

Some of the forum members replace rice with 'cauliflower rice' made by crumbling cauliflower florets in a food processor. If you don't like the taste of cauliflower it can be disguised by adding cumin or other spices to make a pilau style rice.
If you do feel the need to eat rice (I do) you should control the portion size. 200gm seems too much. We are told that food portions shouldn't be more than the size of your fist. We are also told that basmati rice is better, I don't know why, but presumably because it contains less starch.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Fasting reading or a speculative one - no idea at all what does this means.

A fasting reading is a reading taken after you have not eaten for a number of hours set by your doctor. A speculative reading is a spot check taken any time. You say it was taken straight after breakfast which included toast. This is certainly likely to give you a high reading. Few of us T2's can eat bread in any quantity or at all.

The results you are waiting for will give a slightly clearer idea of what is going on but I suspect it will confirm that you have diabetes.

 

[NoorChowdhury]

@Prem51
I do eat white basmati rice but over here I was going through the food section and it says that we can eat brown rice, so will try that in small quantity and see how it goes. Thanks for the advise will have a look about that cauliflower one.
Cannot monitor the sugar level at the moment - no tester and waiting for the second result like @Squire Fulwood mentioned it will be confirmed that I have T2.
Second appointment they made for me is on 4th January so lets see what they going to advise.

@Squire Fulwood
Yes it was taken within an hour of breakfast which was 3 slice of toast white thick warburtons. So I believe this first test was speculative and the second one could be classed as fasting reading.
Waiting for the second result as you said it will confirm my T2.
NoorChowdhury

 

[dmhcaspian]

Most important is to ask for a FULL printout of your results. They should say your reading and the normal range for a lot of tests.
This may be akin to heresy, but cholesterol is not the villain it's made out to be. Check you test result for LDL, HDL and Triglycerdies. The current NHS targets for Cholesterol are on the verge of being dangerously low. (IMO)
Research the statins first: Unless your cholesterol levels are clearly too high, you may feel that you want to come of them after your research.

Blood pressure is another are where (IMO) the NHS wants to medicate too soon. Again do some research: If your BP is less than 150 over 90, then the 'benefits' of the drugs may well not outweigh the risks.
Metfromin: your number of 27 may well be too high, but until you know what the units are you don't know. If it was HBA1C then 27 is well within normal (assuming you're in the UK)
Unfortunately it's not easy to test your self for HBA1C, but that will be on your results. -- Mine show all the tests, any problem areas are in bold, and it also shows what the 'desirable' range is.
.
It's your body and life and you need to take control.

I was on all of the ones you mentioned when first diagnosed. Did my research and a deal with the doctor: I would stop the statins a month before my next appointment, and if I was within, or very close to normal limits, he would stop prescribing.
That was ten years ago, I'm now of all medication, and keeping myself more or less within limits.
But in doing your own research, you do have to bear in mind your genetic make up: - The GP will have statistics for various ethnic characteristics, and my rules of thumb may be no use to you at all..

Not sure if that helps, but I'm still drug free after ten years.
,

 

[Pinkorchid]

@Prem51
I do eat white basmati rice but over here I was going through the food section and it says that we can eat brown rice, so will try that in small quantity and see how it goes. Thanks for the advise will have a look about that cauliflower one.
Cannot monitor the sugar level at the moment - no tester and waiting for the second result like @Squire Fulwood mentioned it will be confirmed that I have T2.
Second appointment they made for me is on 4th January so lets see what they going to advise.

@Squire Fulwood
Yes it was taken within an hour of breakfast which was 3 slice of toast white thick warburtons. So I believe this first test was speculative and the second one could be classed as fasting reading.
Waiting for the second result as you said it will confirm my T2.
NoorChowdhury

If you really like bread try Burgen Linseed and Soya bread makes nice toast a lot here have that it is available in most supermarkets except Aldi and Lidl. Also a lot here have Lidl's high protein rolls and say they don't raise their BG Lidl also do a very nice low GI loaf much lighter texture than the rolls

 

[NoorChowdhury]

@dmhcaspian
Thanks for the advise definitely will ask for the results (print out).
Yes I live in UK and based on your comments feeling a bit better (last night did not sleep at all - may be medicine side effect)
50 years - never ever needed any medication or saw the doctor for any reason apart from my vision glasses.
Will update you for more advise if you don't mind.
Yes I agree its our body and life and have to look after and have done to the best of my ability and knowledge.
Once again thank you very much.

@Pinkorchid
Many Many thanks mate, much appreciated.
Will take that bread, a bit happy now will be nice with chicken soup with croutons (self cooked soup)
Regards.

 

[dmhcaspian]

@NoorChowdhury: You're more than welcome.
Under current NICE guideline, GPs are supposed to 'offer' statins to anyone who has a 1 in 10 chance of having heart problems within the next ten years.
They then ask a set of questions, and basically if you're over 50, and a bit overweight you get the offer.
And if everyone with that 1 in 10 chance takes statins, that means that 90% of the patients don't need them.
If you can find it, there was an Australian documentary on statins, that, under pressure from the drug companies was banned and has been, as far as I can tell, pulled from the internet completely.

You might also want to check out 'the cholesterol truth,'

Ask your Medical experts about the CoQ10 depletion caused directly by statins.:
Have a look at this link, and the links it has at the bottom in red.

http://theunhivedmind.com/wordpress...m-abc-australia-explode-the-cholesterol-myth/

 

[NoorChowdhury]

@dmhcaspian
Bless you mate, much appreciated for the link, a bit tense free now.
You won't believe last night at 1:00 am I rang 111 (UK) NHS emergency and spoke to them almost 45 minutes talking this.
But a bit relieved, since doctor told me I am T2 (last 3 days) I already lost weight 2 kilo.
Thanks once again, still waiting for the 2nd result.
Regards
NoorChowdhury

 

[NoorChowdhury]

Hi I am back from my doctors second appointment. It was since 2 weeks I started my medication.
Doctor said my sugar level is high as expected which is 115 (15 to 58 required)
Carry on with two tablet a day of metformin
In 3 months time will do test again.
Have called again for more blood test to see my kidney function next week.
Checked my blood pressure and now I am on another tablet for blood pressure Ramipril.
Since I started taking this tablet I am having headache just on top of my head - is it normal?
Spoke to Gp she advised may be for other reason take some paracetamol.
Today my meter reading will come and will start monitoring myself - bought from eBay doctor refuse to prescribe.
My diet have changed now on ver low card not exceeding more than 150g and no sugar at all let see what happens.
NoorCowdhury

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

150g of carbs a day is not "very low", but it is lower than what you were eating. You may find you need to reduce your carb intake even more, which your self blood glucose monitoring should illuminate. Do you have a plan for self testing? I like to test just before eating then about an hour after. I aim for an absolute number of less than 7.8 after or no more than a rise of 2. Good luck.

 

[NoorChowdhury]

150g of carbs a day is not "very low", but it is lower than what you were eating. You may find you need to reduce your carb intake even more, which your self blood glucose monitoring should illuminate. Do you have a plan for self testing? I like to test just before eating then about an hour after. I aim for an absolute number of less than 7.8 after or no more than a rise of 2. Good luck.

Thanks for the tips.
Yes I have bought the meter and was suppose to arrive today but did not hopefully tomorrow then straight away I will start self monitoring.
I am trying to lower my carb below 100g and every alternate day I do eat less then 100g.
One day 150g the other day below 100g.

Problem - The day I eat less than 100g, I wake up middle of the night with lot of sweat on whole leg and feet both, is this normal.
Told doctor and he said not to worry.

Only one question - over here plenty of people and place they recommend before eating and 2 hrs after.
You advising 1 hr after.
Could you please advise 2hrs best or 1hr best?
Thanking you in advance.
Regards.
NoorChowdhury

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

Personally, I think it's best to measure 1 and 2 hours after eating. However, for most people the peak is about 1 hour after eating. For people with diabetes, their blood glucose can still be high high after 2 hours.

This web page gives good direction on how to use your meter.
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php

Once you tested after a specific meal a couple of times you'll know if it's ok or not. If it's ok, you don't need to test after that meal any more. If it's not ok, don't eat that meal again.

 

[Liam1955]

Hello NoorChowdhurry. And welcome to the Forum. The shock at being told you are diabetic and having to change your diet all takes time to adjust to. Don't panic and don't worry, as you will get the hang of it all. I've been Diabetic nearly 16 years and I am still learning new things - I have learnt a lot more by being a member on this forum. Everyone is friendly, understanding, knowledgeable and helpful. I keep a notebook to hand when I am browsing through these sites and I constantly write stuff down that I did not know about. Because of other Health issues and medication I don't follow any set diet plan, I have seen dieticians, and kept food dairies and they tell me everything is fine. Regards, Liam.

 

[NoorChowdhury]

@liam1955
Thank you very much for your guidance and motivation, highly appreciated.

Since last two weeks I am testing myself before eating and after eating also fasting mode (early morning).
Total sugar and fruits out of menu - over here few people advised for Lidl High Protein Bread so two times a week I am eating else living on chicken and veg and fish.
I have some queries which I would like to ask over here, which I will do tomorrow with more test data, hope help and advise will be showered as usual.

Thanks and Regards
NoorChowdhury