before my diabetic review....

[johnme]

On Wednesday I have a diabetic review. I had a disaster at the end of August - pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, weeks in hospital etc etc. At that point my BG was very high because I had thought I had bronchitis and had been dosing myself with honey and lemon, benylin etc. Since I left hospital I've been very strictly following the dietdoctor method of lchf. My non-diabetic wife deserves a medal, as she has been following their meal pattern too. Of course the diet has brought my BG down, but there are limits, it seems. My BG rarely falls below 7 and is usually between 7 and 8.3, except on waking when it can be 9. I've been at the gym three times a week and riding a bike. I'm not taking meds, except warfarin for the embolism.

Of course the diabetic nurse will rely on hba1c, which may well be okay. But I'm not really happy with where the BG levels are - they were better before I got ill. I know some of you are obviously quite expert on this stuff so wonder if anyone would like to comment on this pattern. I'd like to have my own thoughts clear before the review and, if I'm to be frank, am not entirely confident about the medical practice's approach to diabetes which seems to be 'one size fits all' among the nurses and relative ignorance among the GPs. They will listen to me, in fairness, but they are burdened with the usual NHS confusion about T2.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Have you considered Metformin?
It can help with your control and you can come off it again when you achieve really good numbers.
If your numbers are pretty good (but not as good as you would like) then your health care team will probably be very happy to find the rare patient who takes control. You may have to push a bit.

 

[Flora123]

Sorry to hear about your PE. I go through times when I just can’t shift my levels down. I’ve learned recently that I’m better with s power walk than going for it at the gym. I’ve also had success with IF as it seems to ‘reset’ everything.

 

[johnme]

Sorry to hear about your PE. I go through times when I just can’t shift my levels down. I’ve learned recently that I’m better with s power walk than going for it at the gym. I’ve also had success with IF as it seems to ‘reset’ everything.

Thanks for your reply Flora. I don't power walk but I do use a bike wherever possible and it is certainly capable of knocking down my morning high BG quickly and after a very short ride. I had wondered about the IF. I try only to eat once a day, but sometimes do twice. I'm also wondering if the embolism might mean I'm stuck with some sort of BG elevation for a few months.

 

[johnme]

Have you considered Metformin?
It can help with your control and you can come off it again when you achieve really good numbers.
If your numbers are pretty good (but not as good as you would like) then your health care team will probably be very happy to find the rare patient who takes control. You may have to push a bit.

Thanks LittleGreyCat. I haven't got on with metformin in the past, but it is certainly something to consider.

 

[EllieM]

Thanks LittleGreyCat. I haven't got on with metformin in the past, but it is certainly something to consider.

If you had stomach problems with it before you could try asking for the slow release version (more expensive so they don't prescribe it unless you can't cope with the normal one).

 

[johnme]

A little update. I was being unnecessarily apprehensive. HBA1C 5.2 down from 6.5 at the beginning of October. Phew.
I suggested the SR Metformin because of my dawn phenomenon. She thinks the 9s in the morning may be a hangover from the P.E. and pneumonia. That could well be right.
Then the usual scuffle over cholesterol (HDL 1.5, LDL 3.04, TG 1.5)
'If it rises we'll have to consider statins.'
'No we won't.' ;-)
The cholesterol conversation is like groundhog day.

 

[Geoffno6]

A little update. I was being unnecessarily apprehensive. HBA1C 5.2 down from 6.5 at the beginning of October. Phew.
I suggested the SR Metformin because of my dawn phenomenon. She thinks the 9s in the morning may be a hangover from the P.E. and pneumonia. That could well be right.
Then the usual scuffle over cholesterol (HDL 1.5, LDL 3.04, TG 1.5)
'If it rises we'll have to consider statins.'
'No we won't.' ;-)
The cholesterol conversation is like groundhog day.

Well done with the Hba1c result

 

[torchman2]

On Wednesday I have a diabetic review. I had a disaster at the end of August - pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, weeks in hospital etc etc. At that point my BG was very high because I had thought I had bronchitis and had been dosing myself with honey and lemon, benylin etc. Since I left hospital I've been very strictly following the dietdoctor method of lchf. My non-diabetic wife deserves a medal, as she has been following their meal pattern too. Of course the diet has brought my BG down, but there are limits, it seems. My BG rarely falls below 7 and is usually between 7 and 8.3, except on waking when it can be 9. I've been at the gym three times a week and riding a bike. I'm not taking meds, except warfarin for the embolism.

Have you tried magnesium?

You can make a great magnesium bicarbonate supplement with sparkling water mixed with milk of magnesia. It's extremely well-absorbed by the body. You just get a 1 litre bottle of sparkling water, pour a little bit out, then pour in 3 cap fulls of milk of magnesia liquid. Here are instructions if you need, I just googled it and found the page with shortest instructions!: https://www.biocoherence.eu/en/nutrition/magnesium-bicarbonate/

Taking it in the evening can help with sleep but also with reduced fasting BG

 

[Smallbrit]

Well done in the HBA1C result - that’s great. My morning results took for ever to come down - I was used to them hovering between 8.5 and 9.5 and got so dispirited than I gave up taking them about six months ago

However, I had my annual blood test a week ago so before that was testing a lot more frequently (yes, I know that a few weeks beforehand wouldn’t change things but you know... it’s like panic studying for a test!). I was pleasantly surprised to see my morning waking results were in the 6s. I don’t take meds either so I sort of was consoling myself with the theory that it might just take a while...

 

[johnme]

Thank you for encouragement and suggestions. I’ll follow up. I walked for 5 hrs cross country today with a friend - I’m determined not to allow this pe business to inhibit me.