Struggling

[Rosbif]

Thank you so much, it is really interesting how everyone is told different things, to test after eating would make more sense to me but I double checked with the surgery and both nurses told me to test before eating...so what I am doing as of lunch time is doing both to see what my body is up to. I had a bowl of porridge at lunch time and my bloods went up from 5.5 to 7.1 so looks like porridge is now off the menu as well. I think maybe you are in the USA where you have to pay, here in the UK we are fortunate to have supplies provided by the NHS

Looks like an acceptable rise! You could experiment with different brands/types of porridge - there's jumbo oats, for example.

 

[Stallen]

Has anyone mentioned the bread option Lidl protein roll yet?

 

[Neohdiver]

Thank you so much, it is really interesting how everyone is told different things, to test after eating would make more sense to me but I double checked with the surgery and both nurses told me to test before eating...so what I am doing as of lunch time is doing both to see what my body is up to. I had a bowl of porridge at lunch time and my bloods went up from 5.5 to 7.1 so looks like porridge is now off the menu as well. I think maybe you are in the USA where you have to pay, here in the UK we are fortunate to have supplies provided by the NHS

I am in the US - but I have very good insurance for two things: allergies and diabetes care. All allergy care is free; all diabetes testing supplies are free. (I gave you the US price for the lancet, since my understanding from this forum is that in the UK many people with T2 diabetes are told there is no need to test at all - so I expected that you might be totally on your own.)

As to what we are told - I'm not paying much attention to what I was told (which was to test 2 hours after eating occasionally and make sure it is (back) below 10). I never want to see a 10 (I've only seen it once since diagnosis). I don't want to go above 7.8 - which is about the top of the non-diabetic range. Fortunately, my doctor is happy to see I'm more proactive than most of his patients, and happy with my results, so he is letting me call the shots on testing.

 

[ickihun]

I think less than 2mmol/l increase after porridge is brilliant.
I'd just test it again another day and if the same. Keep it.
Mine would go to 12 or 15 after porridge. All carbs do.

 

[sandie2101]

Has anyone mentioned the bread option Lidl protein roll yet?

No that is a new one on me, however, the prob I have is where and how it is made, it's amazing how many products are made in an environment where nuts are hiding around!!!

 

[sandie2101]

I think less than 2mmol/l increase after porridge is brilliant.
I'd just test it again another day and if the same. Keep it.
Mine would go to 12 or 15 after porridge. All carbs do.

Really...oh well thats brilliant..I really know nothing about this journey at all do I ? I have no idea what is good and what is not!!

 

[sandie2101]

I am in the US - but I have very good insurance for two things: allergies and diabetes care. All allergy care is free; all diabetes testing supplies are free. (I gave you the US price for the lancet, since my understanding from this forum is that in the UK many people with T2 diabetes are told there is no need to test at all - so I expected that you might be totally on your own.)

As to what we are told - I'm not paying much attention to what I was told (which was to test 2 hours after eating occasionally and make sure it is (back) below 10). I never want to see a 10 (I've only seen it once since diagnosis). I don't want to go above 7.8 - which is about the top of the non-diabetic range. Fortunately, my doctor is happy to see I'm more proactive than most of his patients, and happy with my results, so he is letting me call the shots on testing.

Thats brilliant I hope that I can manage to get off the medication when I go back for my 3 month check up ...but I need to be able to understand my body and how it copes with different foods first I guess. I believe the 'normal' range is between 5 and 10 although to be fair it seems to be getting there with the odd high numbers becoming fewer which just may be luck rather than me knowing what I am doing !!

 

[Neohdiver]

Thats brilliant I hope that I can manage to get off the medication when I go back for my 3 month check up ...but I need to be able to understand my body and how it copes with different foods first I guess. I believe the 'normal' range is between 5 and 10 although to be fair it seems to be getting there with the odd high numbers becoming fewer which just may be luck rather than me knowing what I am doing !!

10 mmol/l (180 mg/dl) is diabetic normal in the US (it is the number I was told to strive for by 2 hours after eating). It is not a normal number for anyone without diabetes. People without diabetes rarely exceed 7.8 mmol/l (140 mg/dl), even at the top of the food spike.

I've set my goals for true normal - given the recent studies that indicate even mildly elevated BG (even at the top of the normal range) is correlated with increased risk for a number of other diseases (kidney disease & all cancers, except for liver)

 

[sandie2101]

10 mmol/l (180 mg/dl) is diabetic normal in the US (it is the number I was told to strive for by 2 hours after eating). It is not a normal number for anyone without diabetes. People without diabetes rarely exceed 7.8 mmol/l (140 mg/dl), even at the top of the food spike.

I've set my goals for true normal - given the recent studies that indicate even mildly elevated BG (even at the top of the normal range) is correlated with increased risk for a number of other diseases (kidney disease & all cancers, except for liver)

I have such a lot to learn, as I said before totally overwhelming to have to change everything you have known, My plan is to not have to take medication for the rest of my life which I am beginning to wonder is unrealistic after the many conversations on here today.

 

[sandie2101]

No that is a new one on me, however, the prob I have is where and how it is made, it's amazing how many products are made in an environment where nuts are hiding around!!!

I have just had a look on Lidl web site and checked out the ingredients of the protein roll...If they are made in store I will check out if they are a nut free environment and try them out. thank you so much for your advice

 

[Neohdiver]

I have such a lot to learn, as I said before totally overwhelming to have to change everything you have known, My plan is to not have to take medication for the rest of my life which I am beginning to wonder is unrealistic after the many conversations on here today.

Some people manage without meds. I would prefer not to takes meds (since I'm so bad at it) - but if I have to, Metformin is a pretty innocuous medication to take. I'm less happy about the thyroid medications that come along with Hashimoto's disease (I got a triple-whammy-diagnosis in October: diabetes, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and vitamin D deficiency.)

FWIW - I'm taking a smidgen of Metformin (the lowest dose), and I don't really think it has a significant impact on my BG levels - since it takes longer to take effect than my BG readings did to stabilize by diet. I'm not fighting the Metformin - it is harmless at worst, and there is a possibility I've heard mentioned that it may even be helpful to combat heart disease (more research is in store at the end of the summer).

 

[Digger-i-doo]

Thank you so much I will have a look at the site, to add insult to injury forgive the pun I also have a nut allergy which includes coconut...happy days lol....

Wow. Allergic to nuts and coconuts AND a diabetic ... that's not an easy hand to have been dealt. In case it helps, I also recommend this site: http://ketodietapp.com/Blog/category/Recipes. Some of her recipes include instructions for making nut-free versions. And if you're located in either the US or the UK, you can look to Amazon to source low-carb ingredients if they're not available at your local grocery store. (Off-topic rant: I'm in Canada, and the selection on Amazon.ca isn't nearly as good. For example, the site I sent you has just posted a recipe for low-carb maple syrup, but it seems I can't get the ingredients here. In Canada. The maple syrup capital of the world. At this moment I am battling back a temper tantrum.)

 

[sandie2101]

Some people manage without meds. I would prefer not to takes meds (since I'm so bad at it) - but if I have to, Metformin is a pretty innocuous medication to take. I'm less happy about the thyroid medications that come along with Hashimoto's disease (I got a triple-whammy-diagnosis in October: diabetes, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and vitamin D deficiency.)

FWIW - I'm taking a smidgen of Metformin (the lowest dose), and I don't really think it has a significant impact on my BG levels - since it takes longer to take effect than my BG readings did to stabilize by diet. I'm not fighting the Metformin - it is harmless at worst, and there is a possibility I've heard mentioned that it may even be helpful to combat heart disease (more research is in store at the end of the summer).

 

[sandie2101]

That must have been such a shock for you I am so sorry, life can be such a bummer at times but I guess we have to learn to live with what we are dealt. I have to be honest and say that up until today I have been very distressed and worried how I was going to cope but having found this forum I think I am going to be ok

 

[sandie2101]

Wow. Allergic to nuts and coconuts AND a diabetic ... that's not an easy hand to have been dealt. In case it helps, I also recommend this site: http://ketodietapp.com/Blog/category/Recipes. Some of her recipes include instructions for making nut-free versions. And if you're located in either the US or the UK, you can look to Amazon to source low-carb ingredients if they're not available at your local grocery store. (Off-topic rant: I'm in Canada, and the selection on Amazon.ca isn't nearly as good. For example, the site I sent you has just posted a recipe for low-carb maple syrup, but it seems I can't get the ingredients here. In Canada. The maple syrup capital of the world. At this moment I am battling back a temper tantrum.)

And an underactive thyroid!!! plus Asthma when the weather is bad..lol...however, its all kind of related if you think about it. Thank you so much for your information I truly appreciate all the information I have received today....actually I have been thinking of coming to Canada with my son for a holiday next year...watch this space, I live in Scotland so it would be an adventure. How ridiculous is the maple syrup story.....

 

[Sean01]

Firstly buy a cupboard full of 'ready oats from one of the supermarkets and make sure its the very first thing you eat 'every' day. You don't need milk, just boil the kettle. It's a little bland until your taste comes back from the seclusion sugar gave it. The oats help 'all' your meals digest slower and so help you control sugars better. Try a flute of shweppes slimline tonic water with a squeeze of real lime in it: This is tart but gets the brain to accept changes in your diet more readily, the tonic and the lime also help with lethargy so aid against becoming depressed as easily. Bread is the killer as it breaks up too easily yet is a hard one to drop. Crackers are a much better alternative.
The 'ONLY' way I have found any control is 'Physical Activity', I go to a gym as I don't take medication (I had a severe allergic reaction) but for yourself it could be as simple as getting involved in a sport or enjoying a bike ride each day to work etc.
Please trial your exercise in different periods i.e. what did your blood sugar drop to after 1hr of exertion compared with half an hour: you'll probably find as i did that half an hour is sufficient as you generally put more effort in during the first 30mins.
I've been a type two for just over a year and was frightened to the point of mental blockage but once I found I enjoyed the changes in diet and the new look of my body- I began to control my diabetes. This is a 'forever' change that can always be altered as you move forwards: Just remember not to step back, I stopped smoking forever not just for a few years or weeks and alcohol has not been used for pleasure purely so I can enjoy life without constantly needing to worry or go to the loo. Some find a small glass of red wine can be medicinal but remeber: alcohol 'WILL' have an effect on your blood sugars.
You have my empathy but this is a choice for you to make: Do you want to get up early and exercise just to have a happy life? Are you the slob that can't set an alarm clock or discipline yourself to not be the grump that we can all be? DO you want to actually 'Live' a life instead of just ageing in distress?
C'mon start with oats in the morning and read lots of information as sometimes even though we are individual we can all benefit from a common remedy: exercise is the most common but just think of your passion to become a karate blackbelt or learn to play tennis- sport is great and WILL help you!
Kind regards.
Gary.

 

[Sean01]

Firstly buy a cupboard full of 'ready oats from one of the supermarkets and make sure its the very first thing you eat 'every' day. You don't need milk, just boil the kettle. It's a little bland until your taste comes back from the seclusion sugar gave it. The oats help 'all' your meals digest slower and so help you control sugars better. Try a flute of shweppes slimline tonic water with a squeeze of real lime in it: This is tart but gets the brain to accept changes in your diet more readily, the tonic and the lime also help with lethargy so aid against becoming depressed as easily. Bread is the killer as it breaks up too easily yet is a hard one to drop. Crackers are a much better alternative.
The 'ONLY' way I have found any control is 'Physical Activity', I go to a gym as I don't take medication (I had a severe allergic reaction) but for yourself it could be as simple as getting involved in a sport or enjoying a bike ride each day to work etc.
Please trial your exercise in different periods i.e. what did your blood sugar drop to after 1hr of exertion compared with half an hour: you'll probably find as i did that half an hour is sufficient as you generally put more effort in during the first 30mins.
I've been a type two for just over a year and was frightened to the point of mental blockage but once I found I enjoyed the changes in diet and the new look of my body- I began to control my diabetes. This is a 'forever' change that can always be altered as you move forwards: Just remember not to step back, I stopped smoking forever not just for a few years or weeks and alcohol has not been used for pleasure purely so I can enjoy life without constantly needing to worry or go to the loo. Some find a small glass of red wine can be medicinal but remeber: alcohol 'WILL' have an effect on your blood sugars.
You have my empathy but this is a choice for you to make: Do you want to get up early and exercise just to have a happy life? Are you the slob that can't set an alarm clock or discipline yourself to not be the grump that we can all be? DO you want to actually 'Live' a life instead of just ageing in distress?
C'mon start with oats in the morning and read lots of information as sometimes even though we are individual we can all benefit from a common remedy: exercise is the most common but just think of your passion to become a karate blackbelt or learn to play tennis- sport is great and WILL help you!

Kind regards.
Gary.

Wow - you sound like me but with the safety catch flicked to the up right position. Totally agree. Exercise is the answer. Gym at 4:55 every morning except Sunday (If I've been good. Then I need an hour extra in bed.)

 

[Neohdiver]

That must have been such a shock for you I am so sorry, life can be such a bummer at times but I guess we have to learn to live with what we are dealt. I have to be honest and say that up until today I have been very distressed and worried how I was going to cope but having found this forum I think I am going to be ok

The diabetes wasn't a shock - VERY strong family history. It was inevitable - my cousin is next up on the family list. Every descendant of my maternal grandfather who is my age or older has it. I'm the first in my generation.

The Hashimoto's shouldn't have been a shock - but my parents forgot to tell me about my father's diagnosis with hypothyroidism. It (Hashi's) is also fairly strongly genetic. That one hit me out of the blue - but it may explain my daughter's 2 autoimmune disorders. I was not previously aware of a family history of autoimmune disorders.

Overall, it was more angry-making than a shock - angry that I haven't had time to care for myself properly since my daughter's second autoimmune disorder was diagnosed 8 years ago. I'd hoped I'd get a breather to fix my life up before the inevitable hit. C'est la vie.

The first thing I always do when I get a new diagnosis (personal or - more often - family) is find a good online support forum, both for support and education. Forums like this one have been - literally in my daughter's case - life-saving. It took me a while to find this forum - after two wrong turns into other forums (one mostly dead & the other run by a (recently-deposed) bully (not that I had anything to do with the bully being deposed ). I found this this forum while I was temporarily forum-homeless. I'd hesitated to join it before because I didn't want to intrude on a primarily European forum - but I needed an online home for my learning stages so I mostly figured out how to convert my US numbers to your numbers, and here I am. This is a much healthier forum than the two I first encountered.

So - the upshot of my long-winded comment is that (based on too many years of experience in medical forums) you're in very good company here!

 

[sandie2101]

The diabetes wasn't a shock - VERY strong family history. It was inevitable - my cousin is next up on the family list. Every descendant of my maternal grandfather who is my age or older has it. I'm the first in my generation.

The Hashimoto's shouldn't have been a shock - but my parents forgot to tell me about my father's diagnosis with hypothyroidism. It (Hashi's) is also fairly strongly genetic. That one hit me out of the blue - but it may explain my daughter's 2 autoimmune disorders. I was not previously aware of a family history of autoimmune disorders.

Overall, it was more angry-making than a shock - angry that I haven't had time to care for myself properly since my daughter's second autoimmune disorder was diagnosed 8 years ago. I'd hoped I'd get a breather to fix my life up before the inevitable hit. C'est la vie.

The first thing I always do when I get a new diagnosis (personal or - more often - family) is find a good online support forum, both for support and education. Forums like this one have been - literally in my daughter's case - life-saving. It took me a while to find this forum - after two wrong turns into other forums (one mostly dead & the other run by a (recently-deposed) bully (not that I had anything to do with the bully being deposed ). I found this this forum while I was temporarily forum-homeless. I'd hesitated to join it before because I didn't want to intrude on a primarily European forum - but I needed an online home for my learning stages so I mostly figured out how to convert my US numbers to your numbers, and here I am. This is a much healthier forum than the two I first encountered.

So - the upshot of my long-winded comment is that (based on too many years of experience in medical forums) you're in very good company here!

What a time of it you have had, my mum has always said Your health is your wealth, I don't think I truly realised just how true those words were until my health has gone all wrong......so now I have to take control and try to sort this out with the help of every kind person on this forum

 

[sandie2101]

Wow - you sound like me but with the safety catch flicked to the up right position. Totally agree. Exercise is the answer. Gym at 4:55 every morning except Sunday (If I've been good. Then I need an hour extra in bed.)

NOOOO I dont get up in the middle of night to go to the gym lol, however, you have flagged up something interesting that I hadn't thought about is that I am awake at silly o'clock every morning, even before the birds, and the knock on effect is that I end up falling asleep on the sofa in the evenings