T2, need to get back to the grind

[KitSileya]

Hi, I used to have good control of my blood sugar and HbA1c, but in the last 3 years I've been awful at it. It started when I was caring for my sister during her terminal illness (it was very difficult to eat low carb when niblings wouldn't eat any vegetable but cucumber, and sitting by a hospice bed day in and day out made it even more difficult.) Then the lockdown came the day after my sister's funeral, and the following summer, my dad got sick, got diagnosed with lung cancer, and then died in less than two months. I comfort ate. I kept comfort eating. I ate some more chocolate. And crisps. And all things carb.

So, since March 2020, I've been having problems with my lungs. A cold around Easter that year (no idea if it was covid, there were no tests available.) Everytime I've gotten a cold after that, I get seriously sick, 4-5 days of 39 degree fever, two months of coughing afterwards, the works. After a serious bout of cold in July, I finally got an appointment with my doctor (as long as the covid tests were negative, we were encouraged not to go to the doctor for respiratory illnesses during the pandemic.) Did a lot of blood tests - my bgl was 14.8 and HbA1c is 88. Part of it is because of the cough drops I use to get through to work day (I cannot keep having coughing fits when I teach classes) but no more excuses.

So, this is me, writing this down and publishing my numbers to keep myself accountable. No more excuses. Low carb, testing regularly, getting the numbers down. It must be done.

 

[Pipp]

Oh wow, @KitSileya , you have had a very tough few years. Sorry for your losses of sister and father, in such sad circumstances of not being able to grieve properly during the pandemic. No wonder you struggled.
I applaud you for your proactive attitude now. I agree that by stating , publicly, that you are going to take back control, you are more likely to do so. Especially if you regularly contribute to threads reporting blood glucose levels and what you have eaten, to give and receive support with other members.
Keep striving.

 

[KitSileya]

Oh wow, @KitSileya , you have had a very tough few years. Sorry for your losses of sister and father, in such sad circumstances of not being able to grieve properly during the pandemic. No wonder you struggled.
I applaud you for your proactive attitude now. I agree that by stating , publicly, that you are going to take back control, you are more likely to do so. Especially if you regularly contribute to threads reporting blood glucose levels and what you have eaten, to give and receive support with other members.
Keep striving.

Thank you for your condolences. I must admit, it was very hard, and I have not taken care of myself as I should. However, I managed to get my T2 under control when diagnosed, so I am determined to do so again. I might not be able to do a lot of exercise until I get my lungs (don't know whether it is asthma or long covid or what) in order, but for T2s diet is the most important part of management anyway.

 

[Suercc]

This strikes so many chords with me. Found mum unconscious on the floor Christmas Day. #broken pelvis. Lost dad before that. Recently mums dementia diagnosis. Every time I have a big upset I go turn to destructive eating. I couldn’t even call it comfort eating, more self harm, eat any rubbish. Had a calm run for a bit now and I am trying to pick up. I did lose the stone and a half that I put on in lockdown but getting upset over mum I have slipped. I wish I could learn a better way of responding to strong sad emotions. I wish you all the best. I am back on the good path now.

 

[Outlier]

We have to do something to help us through awful times, and given the available choices, eating/overeating our way out of it is pretty good compared to other methods. You are back on the healthy path now - so well done! Don't beat yourself up. You coped. You worked through. You are getting your health back. Congratulate yourself instead.

 

[KitSileya]

This strikes so many chords with me. Found mum unconscious on the floor Christmas Day. #broken pelvis. Lost dad before that. Recently mums dementia diagnosis. Every time I have a big upset I go turn to destructive eating. I couldn’t even call it comfort eating, more self harm, eat any rubbish. Had a calm run for a bit now and I am trying to pick up. I did lose the stone and a half that I put on in lockdown but getting upset over mum I have slipped. I wish I could learn a better way of responding to strong sad emotions. I wish you all the best. I am back on the good path now.

Yes, these really heavy things hit about the same time we usually get our diagnosis. My birthday's this month, and I'll be the same age as my sister was when she passed. As @Outlier says, eating our emotions is better than turning to harder stuff, but to lose the progress I had is such a bummer. I am glad my sister never got T1 from her pancreatic cancer surgery and treatment, as food was very important to her - she'd count her Michelin stars from time to time, as she'd been to many restaurants with them.

 

[Pipp]

In solving my emotional attachment to food as a coping mechanism I found compassion based therapy worked well. Helped by a therapist, but there are lots of online resources available, to use alone.
Paul Gilbert is an author I would recommend, but there are also free to use online resources.

 

[Suercc]

In solving my emotional attachment to food as a coping mechanism I found compassion based therapy worked well. Helped by a therapist, but there are lots of online resources available, to use alone.
Paul Gilbert is an author I would recommend, but there are also free to use online resources.

 

[Suercc]

Thank you so much for this. I WILL investigate

 

[Shirley64]

Hi, I used to have good control of my blood sugar and HbA1c, but in the last 3 years I've been awful at it. It started when I was caring for my sister during her terminal illness (it was very difficult to eat low carb when niblings wouldn't eat any vegetable but cucumber, and sitting by a hospice bed day in and day out made it even more difficult.) Then the lockdown came the day after my sister's funeral, and the following summer, my dad got sick, got diagnosed with lung cancer, and then died in less than two months. I comfort ate. I kept comfort eating. I ate some more chocolate. And crisps. And all things carb.

So, since March 2020, I've been having problems with my lungs. A cold around Easter that year (no idea if it was covid, there were no tests available.) Everytime I've gotten a cold after that, I get seriously sick, 4-5 days of 39 degree fever, two months of coughing afterwards, the works. After a serious bout of cold in July, I finally got an appointment with my doctor (as long as the covid tests were negative, we were encouraged not to go to the doctor for respiratory illnesses during the pandemic.) Did a lot of blood tests - my bgl was 14.8 and HbA1c is 88. Part of it is because of the cough drops I use to get through to work day (I cannot keep having coughing fits when I teach classes) but no more excuses.

So, this is me, writing this down and publishing my numbers to keep myself accountable. No more excuses. Low carb, testing regularly, getting the numbers down. It must be done.

This sounds like me. I am improving and i am sure you can too.

 

[zand]

Consider supplementing with B vitamins and Vit D3 with K2 and maybe Vit C with zinc to help with your immunity.

 

[Resurgam]

I think that Covid does affect levels and throws the body all out of balance. I had a 4th go of it last month and I realised I'd put on weight, but quite suddenly at the start of this month I began to feel a bit better and my waist shrank down very quickly. I have no in date strips, so I could not check, but I suspect that levels would have been either erratic or high.

 

[sue512]

Thank you for your condolences. I must admit, it was very hard, and I have not taken care of myself as I should. However, I managed to get my T2 under control when diagnosed, so I am determined to do so again. I might not be able to do a lot of exercise until I get my lungs (don't know whether it is asthma or long covid or what) in order, but for T2s diet is the most important part of management anyway.

My lung problems improved with my blood sugars on lchf. Good luck