holland and barrett

col101

Well-Known Member
Messages
358
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
No law restricting diabetic chocolate at the moment. Boots did withdraw their range but it is back and re-formulated. There is an article on this site's (DCUK) home page about chocolate in general. Also on DUK site. A long time ago some sweetners got banned, but now only one (cyclamates) remains banned, and that is only by the FDA, so not in UK.
Here's a useful review of the research.
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/11/2741
Not surprisingly the conclusion is vague. For my money we are all individuals so why not try these things and judge for ourselves? Caveats as ever are go at it cautiously and test frequently and if it doesn't work then move on, of it does work then life becomes a little bit easier :)
I'm new to diabetes, two months Type 1. Reading this forum I was interested to find out what Chromium does and if it is safe, interestingly I found a statement on Phentermine.com stating, 'If you are diabetic, do not supplement with chromium....'. As I said, I'm new and need to do more reading, the jist I get is people are using it to curb craving and stop BG spikes. Would be interested in users opinion.
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm new to diabetes, two months Type 1. Reading this forum I was interested to find out what Chromium does and if it is safe, interestingly I found a statement on Phentermine.com stating, 'If you are diabetic, do not supplement with chromium....'. As I said, I'm new and need to do more reading, the jist I get is people are using it to curb craving and stop BG spikes. Would be interested in users opinion.

Hello SBB and welcome to the Forum. Ask all the questions you want and there is sure to be someone who is having, or has had, the same experience you are going through. I am Type 2 so I have very little knowledge about Type 1 (except what I have learned on the Forum). So I will let others answer your questions.
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
would you trust your health care professional?
I have a trait of asking seemingly innocuous questions whilst knowing a great deal about the subject so when a HCP describes metformin as working the same as a sulphonylurea
or when they dismiss supplements for joint pain stating its just age whilst forgetting to mention it could be down to statin use

Hello heli. Keep away from STATINS if you can. But if you want to live at peace with your "health care professional" - collect them from the Chemist but don't consume them. Why not start a "thread" asking "What is so wrong with Statins" and you will get a whole barrage of answers from people who know. Keep reading these posts and keep posting for your education.
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
If you are diabetic, then anything that can lower bgl needs to be treated with caution, especially if on certain medications. Anyone on insulin therapy need to be especially aware of the dangers of hypoglycemia, and so an untrained salespersons will say don't take it. However, many here on this forum are well informed, and able to make up their own minds, so in the case of Chromium it is not a major issue since the bgl lowering effects are small anyway, It is more of an issue with things like Bitter Melon or Gymnema Sylvestre which are used for primary control of Diabetes in some Indian medicine practices. I personally found that a Cr suplement did drop my fasting bgl by around 1 mmol/l. but that over time this effect became less. I got better bgl lowering from nightly alcohol.

Hello Oldvart - nearly everything you say surprises me (even though you may be right). Now you say that nightly alcohol lowers you bgl? I thought alcohol would RAISE your bgl.
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I agree with you if you are on diet only.

But if you are taking medications, then these quite often interfere with the way our bodies work so we either end up blocking absorption, or excreting the very minerals and vitamins we require. I am thinking Metformin, SGLT-2 inhibitors, most BP meds, diuretics, and lansaprazole. omeprazole protectors. Clopidogrel and aspirin / warfarin also affects us. There are probably others that some here may be on (eg statins?), but these meds are ones I am taking, and every one adversly affects my metabolism.

Oldvart - you are a wealth of knowledge. How does omeprazole protectors, and aspirin affect your metabolism?
 

Pinkorchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,927
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I agree with you if you are on diet only.

But if you are taking medications, then these quite often interfere with the way our bodies work so we either end up blocking absorption, or excreting the very minerals and vitamins we require. I am thinking Metformin, SGLT-2 inhibitors, most BP meds, diuretics, and lansaprazole. omeprazole protectors. Clopidogrel and aspirin / warfarin also affects us. There are probably others that some here may be on (eg statins?), but these meds are ones I am taking, and every one adversly affects my metabolism.
When taking multiple medications I would worry a bit as to how some supplements would interact with all of them
 

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Oldvart - you are a wealth of knowledge. How does omeprazole protectors, and aspirin affect your metabolism?
Omeprazole is now contraindicated for use with Clopidogrel, and there is now an FDA warning out on it. My iron supplement specifically says I should avoid taking the supplemnt along with meds that lower stomach acid ( i,e, the prazoles), and I found that my lansoprazole was also interfering with my gliclazide meds preventing them working. I shifted the timing of my lansoprazole, and my glic worked so well I was getting hypo's, and so I have now dropped a Glic tab entirely. These meds also interfere with absorbtion of the fat based Vitamins (mainly B6 and B12 I believe) and calcium since these also need a high acid environment. I mentioned aspirin only because some GPs prescribe a prazole to protect the tummy for long term users.
 
Last edited:

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello Oldvart - nearly everything you say surprises me (even though you may be right). Now you say that nightly alcohol lowers you bgl? I thought alcohol would RAISE your bgl.
We metabolise alcohol differently from other carbs, and it goes straight to the liver rather than the pancreas. It does lower bgl rather than spike us, which is surprising, but worth taking note if using bgl reducing meds. Nightime hypos can follow a night out on the town, so be careful.

EDIT: Alcohol is not a diabetes control measure I recommend, but I did use it to lower bgl the day of a GP or DSN visit where they use a bgl meter. It will not have much effect on a HbA1c result unless you are a chronic alkie.
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
We metabolise alcohol differently from other carbs, and it goes straight to the liver rather than the pancreas. It does lower bgl rather than spike us, which is surprising, but worth taking note if using bgl reducing meds. Nightime hypos can follow a night out on the town, so be careful.

EDIT: Alcohol is not a diabetes control measure I recommend, but I did use it to lower bgl the day of a GP or DSN visit where they use a bgl meter. It will not have much effect on a HbA1c result unless you are a chronic alkie.

Thanks. "A night out on the town" to me means "going to Church" and I doubt if that would affect my blood sugar because I don't partake the tea & biscuits after the service. I said goodbye to alcohol over 52 years ago and never regretted it. But thanks for the warning.
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I have just been reading the UK “Asda Guide for People with Diabetes”. It says:

1. Avoid being overweight

2. Starchy foods should make up the largest part of your diet.

3. Eat less fat, especially saturated fat.

4. Added sugar (sucrose) is acceptable.

On page 4 it says: “base your meals around rice, potato, bread, pasta or cereal”.

On page 5 it says: “All rice, pasta, bread, chapattis, cereals and potatoes .... are great foods”.

Page 6 says: “BREAKFAST: Fruit juice, chopped fruit on cereal, tomatoes on toast, fresh fruit e.g grapefruit, bananas”.

Page 7 recommends: “Semi Skinned & Skimmed Milk & Light Yogurts”.
Page 8 recommends: “Peas, beans, oats, pasta and rice dishes, curries and mince dishes”.

Page 9 suggests: “Diet Coke, Jams, Biscuits, Malted Milk, Scones and plain cakes. Pizzas & Pies”.

Page 10 suggests: “Banana & Date Loaf”.

Page 11 suggests: “ Apple & Pear Crumble. Marmalade Carrot Loaf”


This is the advice from “Commerce”. Now, what are the comments and advice from Diabetics “who have been there = experts”?
 

carty

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,379
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
@Kyambala Perhaps you may rethink taking the statins from the chemist and . not using them ? They do have to be paid for by the NHS
CAROL
 

heli2010

Well-Known Member
Messages
72
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@Kyambala Perhaps you may rethink taking the statins from the chemist and . not using them ? They do have to be paid for by the NHS
CAROL
The problem with that is a GP's surgery can withdraw all support for a diabetic if they refuse the medication I have had one hell of a job turning down the flu jab 4 times I was asked in the end I said I once had a bad reaction to it
 

Nicksu

Well-Known Member
Messages
743
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Grumpy bosses!
I have just been reading the UK “Asda Guide for People with Diabetes”. It says:

1. Avoid being overweight

2. Starchy foods should make up the largest part of your diet.

3. Eat less fat, especially saturated fat.

4. Added sugar (sucrose) is acceptable.

On page 4 it says: “base your meals around rice, potato, bread, pasta or cereal”.

On page 5 it says: “All rice, pasta, bread, chapattis, cereals and potatoes .... are great foods”.

Page 6 says: “BREAKFAST: Fruit juice, chopped fruit on cereal, tomatoes on toast, fresh fruit e.g grapefruit, bananas”.

Page 7 recommends: “Semi Skinned & Skimmed Milk & Light Yogurts”.
Page 8 recommends: “Peas, beans, oats, pasta and rice dishes, curries and mince dishes”.

Page 9 suggests: “Diet Coke, Jams, Biscuits, Malted Milk, Scones and plain cakes. Pizzas & Pies”.

Page 10 suggests: “Banana & Date Loaf”.

Page 11 suggests: “ Apple & Pear Crumble. Marmalade Carrot Loaf”


This is the advice from “Commerce”. Now, what are the comments and advice from Diabetics “who have been there = experts”?
OMG - and watch your BS levels skyrocket!
 
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Nicksu

Well-Known Member
Messages
743
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Grumpy bosses!
@Kyambala Perhaps you may rethink taking the statins from the chemist and . not using them ? They do have to be paid for by the NHS
CAROL
Just because you get the paper prescription doesn't mean that you have to get it filled. And I don't think the docs have any way of checking whether you do get it filled (or maybe someone else knows if this is true or not?)
 

heli2010

Well-Known Member
Messages
72
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Just because you get the paper prescription doesn't mean that you have to get it filled. And I don't think the docs have any way of checking whether you do get it filled (or maybe someone else knows if this is true or not?)
trouble is its all about to go paperless now if you dont pick it up from chemist maybe they would call the surgery
 
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Nicksu

Well-Known Member
Messages
743
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Grumpy bosses!
trouble is its all about to go paperless now if you dont pick it up from chemist maybe they would call the surgery
Yep - I know what you mean.
 

lovinglife

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
4,539
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
The problem with that is a GP's surgery can withdraw all support for a diabetic if they refuse the medication I have had one hell of a job turning down the flu jab 4 times I was asked in the end I said I once had a bad reaction to it
Wow never had this, that's tough to deal with- I don't get my jab at the GP I go to boots and they have never commented on this - also whenever I have expressed a desire to turn down a medication they have said that they recommend I reconsider but ultimately it's my body and my decision to take meds or not but they have always supported my decisions . If they ever came down heavy handed with me I think I would look for another practice
 

carty

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,379
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I turned down statins ,aspirin ,flu jab every year since 2009and pneumonia jab and I have never had a problem
CAROL
 

Kyambala

Well-Known Member
Messages
382
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
@Kyambala Perhaps you may rethink taking the statins from the chemist and . not using them ? They do have to be paid for by the NHS
CAROL

Hello Carol. I haven't "yet" collected any Statins from the Chemist and not used them - last time I was in the UK was October and my DBN noted that I had not been ordering Statins for the past 12 months but I told her that they were very cheap to buy in Uganda (Meds are very cheap in Uganda - if they are available). She accepted my explanation.

But the problem "may" arise later on this year when I am permanently in the UK and if she insists (she is quite forceful) I may have to revert to accepting them but not taking them.

It all depends upon the attitude of your Doctor (who is very good and understands) and your DBN who likes to get her own way.

Life would be easier if the NHS (which I like) would change some of its policies regarding what patients "must" submit to.