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Hungry

L

lynnedeloo

Well-Known Member
Messages
74
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello,

I have been a diabetic for a few years now and it is controlled by diet and metformin SR 1500mg per day. Just recently I have been feeling very hungry. I am not sure if I am eating enough during the day. Today I had porridge and a small banana for breakfast. A ham and cheese sandwich for lunch followed by 2 shortbread biscuits (dont usually have any biscuits) and chicken pie and cauliflower for tea and a yogurt.

I think I may go too long without eating something.

My HbA1c is always around 54 which my doctor says is okay.

I make sugar free flapjacks but need ideas for quick snacks that can be bought.
 
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Have you got your own blood glucose meter? Some of your food choices are very high in carbohydrate. Carbs do not fill you up, they make you hungry. You need extra good fats and protein to stop the hunger. A meter will tell you instantly whether there are too many carbs for your body to cope with, and what your food choices are doing to your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may be happy with an HbA1c of 54, but are you? You are still running a bit high.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Have you got your own blood glucose meter? Some of your food choices are very high in carbohydrate. Carbs do not fill you up, they make you hungry. You need extra good fats and protein to stop the hunger. A meter will tell you instantly whether there are too many carbs for your body to cope with, and what your food choices are doing to your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may be happy with an HbA1c of 54, but are you? You are still running a bit high.
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I dont have a meter mainly because my GP says I do not need to test. I seem to be 54 every time I have a blood test.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Have you got your own blood glucose meter? Some of your food choices are very high in carbohydrate. Carbs do not fill you up, they make you hungry. You need extra good fats and protein to stop the hunger. A meter will tell you instantly whether there are too many carbs for your body to cope with, and what your food choices are doing to your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may be happy with an HbA1c of 54, but are you? You are still running a bit high.
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Agreed. OP is ingesting a lot of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate drives hunger. Also in my opinion 54mmol/mol is not optimal. A doctor may be happy with it but it’s not his body. Only in my opinion. I’m not judging someone else’s choices, but for sure the carbohydrates will be driving the hunger and snacking cycle.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Agreed. OP is ingesting a lot of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate drives hunger. Also in my opinion 54mmol/mol is not optimal. A doctor may be happy with it but it’s not his body. Only in my opinion. I’m not judging someone else’s choices, but for sure the carbohydrates will be driving the hunger and snacking cycle.
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Do you have any suggestions how I can change this please?
 
Have a wander around in the low carb forums :)

Lots of information. Too much to responsibly explain in one post here.
 
lynnedeloo said:
I dont have a meter mainly because my GP says I do not need to test. I seem to be 54 every time I have a blood test.
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You DO need to test ... the GP is totally negligent in suggesting otherwise
 
Mike D said:
You DO need to test ... the GP is totally negligent in suggesting otherwise
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The doctors will not fund the cost of a meter and apparently whilst on Metformin I will not have highs or lows.
 
lynnedeloo said:
The doctors will not fund the cost of a meter and apparently whilst on Metformin I will not have highs or lows.
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An hba1c of 54 equates to an average blood sugar of 8.7 mmol, an hba1c of 48 is the starting point for a diagnosis of diabetes & equates to an average blood glucose of 7.7 mmol. An hba1c of 58 equates to an average blood sugar of 9.3 and is where the medics are advised to intensify drug treatment by adding in further medication
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28/resources
A meter will allow you to find out a) how high / lo your augars are going to make up that average b) what individual foods do to your blood sugar and c) what is happening to your blood sugars in between hba1c tests.- That combination of information allows you the option to take greater control, if you want to ( not everyone does)
 
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lynnedeloo said:
The doctors will not fund the cost of a meter and apparently whilst on Metformin I will not have highs or lows.
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No, they will not fund meters for T2 diabetics that are not on insulin or hypo-inducing drugs. However, that does not mean to say meters are not essential for the rest of us. You seem to have great faith in your doctor! Just remember, he is not a specialist in diabetes, he is a general practitioner, and most likely is not a diabetic.

We have to buy our own meters and test strips, and by using these and learning from them most of us are able to reduce our blood sugar levels down to non-diabetic levels. An HbA1c of 54 is not ideal. It would be better if you could reduce it to under 48, which would be out of the diabetic range, or ideally to under 42, which is in the non-diabetic range. You may even astound your doctor, and be able to come off the Metformin if you wish to.
 
lynnedeloo said:
The doctors will not fund the cost of a meter and apparently whilst on Metformin I will not have highs or lows.
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With respect, the HbA1c is high, so I’m not sure how your doctor can make this assertion. Sadly, I put it to you that your doctor has better things to do than worry about your health. I don’t mean to sound nasty but that’s the cold reality. In my view you would be well advised to take control of your own destiny and ignore your doctor. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. It’s your choice though of course :)
 
Your doctor may be happy with an HbA1c of 52 but I would not be, particularly as you are taking Metformin with every meal. What advice were you given about diet when you were first diagnosed? Did you see a dietician or attend a course to help you understand and come to terms with your diagnosis? It may be that you have been given the standard NHS advice about continuing to consume carbohydrates which many medics are beginning to accept is ineffectual at best. There is a wealth of information available on this forum about diets that are low carb but high in protein and healthy fats. These diets reduce hunger and blood glucose levels. Many members are able to keep their blood glucose levels in a non-diabetic range and to reduce or stop taking medication completely.
 
Hi. Porridge and bananas are best avoided if you can. Eggs and bacon for breakfast are fine if you have the time to cook them. Berries are always good and so is cheese. I do have home-made muesli for breakfast but it's with cold milk, lots of seeds and nuts and only a tablespoon of oats. Is the yogurt no-added sugar? Chicken pie is nice but watch the amount of pie. So, keep the carbs down and have enough fats and proteins.
 
Dr Snoddy said:
Your doctor may be happy with an HbA1c of 52 but I would not be, particularly as you are taking Metformin with every meal. What advice were you given about diet when you were first diagnosed? Did you see a dietician or attend a course to help you understand and come to terms with your diagnosis? It may be that you have been given the standard NHS advice about continuing to consume carbohydrates which many medics are beginning to accept is ineffectual at best. There is a wealth of information available on this forum about diets that are low carb but high in protein and healthy fats. These diets reduce hunger and blood glucose levels. Many members are able to keep their blood glucose levels in a non-diabetic range and to reduce or stop taking medication completely.
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I am currently reading the pages about low carb diets and know I have to change things.

Yes I did attend a course on diabetes, butt it did include having some carbs with every meal.

I feel I have lost my way. I have to be careful with fruit and vegetables because I am also on Warfarin a blood thinner.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Absolutely!

Chapter one of the diabetes handbook “assume your doctor is an idiot” :D
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No, the doctor has been sucked in by the NHS mantra (and cost saving). Look at the so and so's who gave the NHS the advice that T2Ds do not need to test their BSLs.
 
kitedoc said:
No, the doctor has been sucked in by the NHS mantra (and cost saving). Look at the so and so's who gave the NHS the advice that T2Ds do not need to test their BSLs.
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Yes. It was a generalisation. Something every diabetic should assume. Not directly relating to OP’s doctor :)
 
lynnedeloo said:
I am currently reading the pages about low carb diets and know I have to change things.

Yes I did attend a course on diabetes, butt it did include having some carbs with every meal.

I feel I have lost my way. I have to be careful with fruit and vegetables because I am also on Warfarin a blood thinner.
Click to expand...
 
lynnedeloo said:
I am currently reading the pages about low carb diets and know I have to change things.

Yes I did attend a course on diabetes, butt it did include having some carbs with every meal.

I feel I have lost my way. I have to be careful with fruit and vegetables because I am also on Warfarin a blood thinner.
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It isn't your fault. The NHS continues to promote carbs with every meal despite so much evidence that this is the wrong diet for us. You haven't lost your way. You have been following all the advice from the NHS and your doctor, but it hasn't got you anywhere. Doctors are not infallible. You will do much better to learn from fellow diabetics - which is what we all are on this forum. If you buy yourself a meter and start testing before you eat and 2 hours after first bite, you will see instantly what carbs are doing to you.

I understand you have to watch out for vitamin K in your foods because of the warfarin. Presumably you have a list of foods you need to keep to a minimum and which you can eat freely? If you stick to that, but reduce all the main culprits (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals and most fruits) and increase the natural fats such as dairy foods, eggs, cheese, avocado etc. you will be off to a good start. Let a meter tell you which carbs suit your body, and which don't. We all have different tolerance levels to these foods. That is why we need a meter.
 
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