Type 2 Scared of losing everything.

LG Hull

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hello everybody and good morning. Brief outline of me. Age 52, diagnosed T2 at 45 when I took my hgv medical (8.3) Ive fluctuated over the years on my annual test/review (high 6s to low 7s) but last year's was 7.9. I'm 5'11 and when I was 45 I weighed nearly 16st. I got it down to just over 13st but mainly hovered around the mid to high 13s. However (and here's the frightening part) my diabetic nurse told on my last test (last year) that if I don't reach my bmi index target weight, that she is going to put me on glipizide, which automatically revokes my hgv licence. This to me would be game over financially, because my family rely on me as the main breadwinner. The 12 stone target is difficult to reach, even more so because I last had a cigarette on Jan 15 this year and I'm now using ecigs. Unfortunately my weight has gradually moved up to 14.5 stone, and I've got another test coming up very soon. I saw my doctor a couple of months ago (not T2 related) and I mentioned what the nurse said last year and in his words told me that there is 50 other avenues they can go down without having to take my license away. Still, this last year has been very stressful for me, as like most of you here I have financial commitments and I would lose everything. I work very long hours each week, go away from home Monday to Friday/Saturday and it's what I've done since the age of 21. Hope someone can help. Kind regards. Les
 

LittleGreyCat

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,233
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
Have you considered that your main problem might be what you are eating?

Eating properly is very hard when you are on the road because most food is carbohydrate heavy. You also don't get a lot of exercise.

A lot of people here have reduced their need for medication by reducing their carbohydrate intake.

@daisy1 for newbie welcome pack.

I find eating out hard, but manage by having things like a burger without the bun and the chips or buying protein snacks such as cheese and ham to eat instead of sandwiches.
 
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daisy1

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

Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope it will be useful to you. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will try and help.


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 well over 250,000 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

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.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

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 blood glucose 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.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 
B

badcat

Guest
If you can get better control of blood sugars ( not always easy but can be responsive to dietary changes, particularly reduction in carbohydrates) then weight is irrelevant in terms of diabetes medication - from a medical ethics standpoint it would be unethical to put you on a strong blood sugar lowering medication unless your blood sugars show a clear need.
I would suggest using a food diary and an app such as my fitness pal for a week or so to find out what level of carbs you are currently eating, then halve the amount of carbs by changing your diet for 2 weeks. Keep testing sugars throughout - if halving carbs doesnt produce much / enough of a change in blood sugars over the 2 weeks, halve carbs again - repeat as necessary until you find a carb level that you can stick with and that produces an acceptable blood sugar level.
If you havnt already got one, then get yourself a meter to test your blood sugars -if your DN declines to supply one then the Tee2 or codefree are the most cost effective in terms of the initial outlay and cost of strips.
 
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Bluetit1802

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

You will receive all the help and advice you need from this forum. All you have to do is ask questions.
 
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Geordie_P

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Type of diabetes
Type 2
If you're still eating quite a lot of carbs, cutting them might get you down to 12 stone. I'm 5"10 and was 16 stone, then got down to 12 that way. I appreciate you've got a tough job, but it might be something you can try. Could you have hard-boiled eggs and black coffee, cold chicken wings in tupperware- that sort of thing when you're on the road? Tuna out the can is another good one.
 
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Art Of Flowers

Well-Known Member
Messages
956
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Type 2 diabetes suffers can lower blood sugars by eating a low carb diet. Drugs like Metformin only lower blood sugars a little.

The reason why you may need glipizide is probably that you are eating too many carbs. Eating too many carbs will also increase your weight. Glipizide stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin to handle glucose created from carbs and because it aggressively lowers blood sugar levels there is a risk of hypos. If your blood sugar is not spiked by eating high carb foods then you wont need to take glipizide.

You need to get a blood glucose meter to check which foods spike your blood sugar. Typically you need to avoid breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Also avoid fruit juice and fruit such as bananas and grapes. Intermittent fasting can also help reduce blood sugars and lose weight. This might be tricky if you work long hours as a HGV driver. Foods like eggs, cheese, salad, avocados, nuts and most vegetables are low carb. You need to find which foods are good to eat using your blood glucose meter and get into the habit of eating the right things. Otherwise you diabetes will get worse and you will end up having to take insulin, which is not good if you are a HGV driver.
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
When I started Atkins I lost half a stone in three days and had to change what I ate in order to slow down the loss to something reasonable - low carb can be very effective.
 
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Tannith

BANNED
Messages
1,230
The problem may be that you have access to transport cafes but not to shops where you could buy healthy food. I'd make the time to prepare boiled eggs, sliced cheese chicken wings cold meats nuts etc to carry with you always. They and other high protein foods are satisfying and may help you resist the greasy breakfast joints. Perhaps your missus would prepare some of it for you and you could get a small cool box to keep it in the cab.
 
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LG Hull

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Just rang the doctors, had my hba1c last week. The result for the blood glucose has come back at 56 (2 more points than last year) everything else comes back as normal "no further action" I'm 5'11" and 14st 5lb. Last year at my review I was 13st 8lb. My diabetic nurse in Hull where live made it very clear that if I didn't get down to 12 and a half stone, she's putting me on medication that will see my HGV licence revoked. This as anyone can imagine has been very very stressful year with this in the back of my mind. The only reason I can think of, is that I stopped smoking in January this year, I haven't been eating anymore than my usual intake, I did get told though that as people get older there body metabolism slows as well. I did briefly mention what the nurse said to my doctor a few months ago, and he assured me that (in his words) there are 50 other avenues to go down before you lose your licence. I'm going in next Monday morning, and as you imagine I'm fearing the worst. Other than that, I feel absolutely great in myself, I sleep well, got lots of energy, work as the 'go to man' at work, im 52 years old, and can run rings around drivers half my age at work. Any thoughts would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance. Les
 

LG Hull

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
P.S I'm sorry if I've mentioned a couple of things twice from my first rant...............aaaaaaargh must be a hypo
 

Boo1979

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,849
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The critical issue is whether you experience hypos, which make driving potentially dangerous for you and others
The medication being mentioned by your DN does carry the risk of hypos so its much better to get acceptable blood sugars without the medication where possible, but the drug not a licence losing issue on its own, hypos are
https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving
 
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Salvia

Well-Known Member
Messages
812
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @LG Hull, your recent post (No.10) does appear to repeat much of what you said in your first post nine weeks ago. I wonder, have you tried any of the advice given by others and by daisy1 on behalf of this forum? (see posts 2-9 above).

Perhaps if you could give a bit of info about what sort of action you've taken, what results you've had (I notice your weight has stayed the same, unfortunately), what problems you have faced, then that could help people to try offering suggestions of things that might help overcome those problems.




edit:typo
 
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wiflib

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,966
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Time to take back control then LG. Come out of the corner you have allowed everything to push you in and get fighting. If you carry on in your current path, things will get worse, uncontrolled diabetes is insidious, it creeps over many years until its awful side effects will permanently affect your life.
 
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slip

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,523
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm not up on HGV license rules and hypo inducing medication, but no one can force you to accept/take the medication they have prescribed - but that is entirely up to you. (Also I'm not entirely sure your weight/BMI can be used as a marker for the next type of medication - although weight can play apart in insulin resistance)

If you haven't already get a blood glucose testing kit, you'll be very lucky if the doc prescribes you testing strips for one, most T2s have to self fund - there are 2 that have the cheaper strips but memory has failed me at the mo as to their names....! (Tee2 and one something!)

Test before eating and 2hrs after, basically if the post meal test is 2mmol above the pre-meal - probably best to avoid or reduce the portion of the meal. Eat to your meter basically.

But what ever you decide you will have to work at it. (Seems in the 9 weeks since your original post nothing has really changed, apart from getting nearer to loosing your livelihood)
 
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ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
First eveytime you can get out of the HGV, have a 5 minute walk, do the same just before you get back in. Short walks are proven to help contorl BG.

Resistance training has been proven to get good results, this show how you can do it anywhere https://drchatterjee.com/blog/5min-kitchen-workout.cfm

Now for the big improvement,

No more
  • bread
  • breakfast cereal
  • chips
  • potatoes
  • rice
  • sugar
  • fruit juice
  • pasta
as have all been proven to greatly increase blood glucose.

You can have unlimited
  • eggs
  • bacon
  • lamb chops
  • steak
  • green veg
  • mushrooms
  • tomatoes
  • cheese
  • burger,
  • grilled chicken (not in bread cambs) .
All of these you can get at most transport cafes. So for exmple, a "bacon chease burger with some salad but without the bread" is a good option. Tined fish is also good, as you can take it with you and have it cold.