Hello

[Magill]

I was first diagnosed with Type II in January 2008. I was fortunate in that it was picked up very quickly as I was undergoing regular blood tests following major surgery three year before. My BG had been normal until December 2007 when I noticed changes but didn't suspect diabetes. I was treated initially with diet & exercise only and got my HbA1c from 14.7 to 9.6. Then they added in 2 x 500mg Metformin and by the 6 month mark I was down to 7.2

Things went OK for about 1 year when my HbA1c started to creep up and we had to add in another 2 x 500mg Metformin. Recently my readings have been all over the place. Had a long chat with my GP today and we've agreed to add in 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin. Now going onto monthly blood checks and 6 weekly check ups with my GP.

I should add I take a lot of pills! 3 for high blood pressure (which has been normal for 3 years now), Asprin, Atorvastatin, multivitamins and the diabetes meds I mentioned above. I also hate having to take any pills! Diet is good and I attend a gym for 45 mins 3 times a week, do Aqua classes twice a week and swim 3 times a week after the gym. I stopped smoking over 3 years ago and drink very little alcohol (about 1 unit per week).

I'm feeling more than a little down. My GP recognised I was depressed but I flatly refuse to take any more pills so part of the reason he wants to see me so often is to just chat and keep an eye on me. My other complication is I have extensive nerve damage due to a spinal injury following an impact with a very large lorry on the motorway (hence the major surgery). So I have neuropathy but that is related to the crash not diabetes. The spinal injury also limits the type of exercise I can do but the regular gym visits have improved my balance and walking considerably.

Otherwise, I am fine. All other tests within normal ranges. I find it really frustrating though that I cannot get my weight down. I know I am overweight and I just cannot get it to budge. I am also frustrated at the way my HbA1c has been creeping up (it hit 9.5 today) as I feel I am doing everything I can. I know this is progressive but I didn't expect another pill having to be added so soon.

I try to stay positive and it's not all bad (although I may seem a tad unfortunate) but hey, at least I got to retire early on medical grounds and I may not walk very well but at least I can walk and I'm still here!

 

[sugarless sue]

Have a look at the advice we give to newly diagnosed Type 2's and see if there is anything there that can help.

If you can manage to reduce your blood sugar levels then diabetes does not have to be progressive and can be kept under control.

Being over weight will make you more insulin resistant which in turn puts up your blood sugar levels.

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

The main carbs to avoid or reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating then two hours after eating you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the affect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.

As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try !!

As a Type 2 the latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l.
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l.
If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

Sue/Ken.

 

[Synonym]

Hello Magill and welcome to the forum

Poor you - you seem to have had quite a tough time overall! :shock:

The advice posted by Sue is the best and will help you enormously. 8)

Do you self test and what are your BG levels :?:

You say diet is good but I wonder if it is diabetes friendly so what food plan do you follow :?:

 

[Magill]

Hello Magill and welcome to the forum

Poor you - you seem to have had quite a tough time overall! :shock:

The advice posted by Sue is the best and will help you enormously. 8)

Do you self test and what are your BG levels :?:

Hi - Yes I do self test and must admit I get quite worried with the wild swings I have been getting lately with by BG. Last week when I felt really unwell my BG at night soared to 14.6 but my morning it was back down to 10.2 and then dropped to 8.2 after the gym. Just tested this morning and I was at 12.6 (fasting). I had porridge with semi skimmed milk and a chopped up pear. Drinks were 1 coffee with semi skimmed and about 3 pints of water so far (I have always drunk a lot of water). Two hours later, to my horror, I was 13.2. Today is not one of my gym days but I must admit I am toying with upping the gym visits to every day Mon - Friday mainly because I know the gym brings me down a couple of points at least. Before these wild swings started I ranged between 6.9 - 8.2 now I seem to be lucky to get to 9.2 hence the latest tablet addition.

You say diet is good but I wonder if it is diabetes friendly so what food plan do you follow :?:

I'm a porridge eater in the mornings with semi skimmed milk. I cook from scratch - no added salt or sugar but I do tend to add some fruit such as apple, raisin, blueberries, pear or banana. Always 1 piece of fruit chopped up. I am thinking about trying soya milk instead of semi skimmed to see if that helps. Lunch can be a sandwich or wrap - again I make myself. Fond of lots of salad and chicken. Another favourite is tuna. Evening meals tend to be fish or white meat with loads of veg. I do like a baked potato and I fill it with prawns and my own dressing which I mix from 1/2 fat creme fraise, o% yoghurt, tomato puree, chilli and paprika and sometimes a couple of tsps of brandy. If I have this it is a main meal and again no more than once a week.
Snacks - I am fond of nakd bars or I make fruit muffins (from a diabetic cookbook). Also quite fond of fruit smoothies which again I make (favourite is strawberries, 1 banana, skimmed milk, 0% yoghurt, wheatgerm and ice cubes and whizz). I'm religious with labels - always checking saturated fat, salt and sugar contents and if any are high they don't make it into my shopping.

So diet consists of lots of fruit, veg, some red meat but no more than once a week, mostly white meat and fish. I drink a lot of water (because I like it), very little alcohol and no more that a max of 3 coffees per day. I use bertolli light for a spread and semi skimmed milk.

I think you may now see why I am getting so depressed as I cannot understand where I am going wrong. I am going to test more often to see the effect of different foods but I am seriously wondering if I would be better keeping my meter out of the way for 4 weeks until we see if the Sitagliptin makes any difference. My GP says if the reading don't come down then I'm going back to the hospital again.

Currently, these readings are really getting me down and I just don't know what to do differently. I've only had the porridge and 1 coffee today. I know my orders are eat small and often but I dread eating anything and pushing the BG even higher. I will have something later on but it will be an effort.

 

[carty]

From my own personal experience low or reduced carbs is the way to reduce bg levels I was "STUCK" until I reduced carbs after reading this forum and doing some research( I am a cynic and check every thing).Give it a go and test to see how you go on .CAROL

 

[Synonym]

Currently, these readings are really getting me down and I just don't know what to do differently. I've only had the porridge and 1 coffee today. I know my orders are eat small and often but I dread eating anything and pushing the BG even higher. I will have something later on but it will be an effort. [/color]

Hello again Magill

I think you should NOT hide away your meter but you should test before and after your meals, keeping the food diary and noting the results against the meals eaten. That way you will see patterns emerging and know what is causing your high BG levels. Sue’s post really is the way to go.

You are eating a good 'normal' diet but it may well not suit you and your diabetes – and I feel fairly certain that the numbers you have been getting are due to the food you are eating.

Unfortunately nothing stays the same and sometime our bodies can no longer deal with what we have been eating in the same way that they once did and I think that is what is happening to you. Your extra medication may well help you too but there is no harm in helping yourself through sorting out your intake of food. Testing is the only way that you will know for sure.

Personally I have had to cut out all the starchy carbs because if I eat things like porridge, pasta, potatoes, rice and wheat products and cereals of any kind my BG levels soar. I am careful with the amount of milk I have as I can't handle too much, using semi skimmed but I use unsalted butter, olive oil and coconut oil for fats. I now aim to get my carbs from certain fruits and veg, steering clear of the higher carb things like bananas, pineapples, melon and parsnips and being careful with carrots. I eat fish, meats, cheeses and eggs and also salad type things, selected veggies and fruits.

Portion control is very important too and it may well take you a while to work out the the amount your body can handle. Helpfully, we all carry our portion sizer with us in the form of our cupped hand for general things and the protein sizer is roughly the thumb down to the base.

I use a Collins gem Carb Counter which gives you the values of a wide range of foods and will help you to make wise choices.

We are all different but you will know what you can tolerate by testing to see what you can handle. Yes, it is quite a job to sort it out but it really is worthwhile because if you feel well enough you can cope so much better with what life throws at you! 8) :roll:

Go for it and let us know how you get on!