Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Hi, my name is Courtney. I am 22, weigh 65KG and I am 5ft5. I was newly diagnosed with diabetes last week after constant thrush since last year occurring every month, I went to the doctors for the third time. I get dry mouth constantly, I urinate frequently and I have had weight loss from Christmas from 86KG to 65KG. Luckily I got a new doctor who got me blood tests. My blood sugar levels were 27 and above so I was rushed into hospital.

I am really new to this but the doctors were unsure what type I am so they have sent off for a blood test to check my pancreas to see if it is type 1 or type 2. I am confused as they are classing me as a type 2 for now so I am on metformin twice a day and gliclazide a full tablet a day. But the consultants said they thought I was definitely type 1 of an early onset but I have no ketones?

Sorry about the lengthy post, but how do I control my blood sugar levels till I get my results back? I am ranging from 9.5 at the lowest up to 22 but I am trying to eat really healthy. And is there any way of knowing which type I definitely am?
 

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,208
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
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forum bugs
And is there any way of knowing which type I definitely am?

Probably not till they've got more blood test results back, and, more importantly, till they find out whether you're producing too much (probably T2) or too little (T1) insulin.

You've got some mixed symptoms so that is one reason why they are not sure.
but how do I control my blood sugar levels till I get my results back?
All you can do is take the medications they give you and keep your carbohydrate intake down. This will help whether you're T2 (can't process carbs properly, think someone who is gluten intolerant and avoids bread) or T1 (is producing ever decreasing quantities of insulin so needs to eat less carbs so the insulin covers them).

I'd suggest keeping a food and blood sugar diary, and don't hesitate to contact your clinic/GP if your symptoms change (eg allergy to meds, drastic increase or no decrease in blood sugars or hypoglycaemic/low blood sugar events).

Good luck and welcome to the forums.

ps Tagging @daisy1 for usual introduction to diabetes post.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It sounds like they’ve already done the required tests but you are still waiting on results. These will be c peptide which is used to work out if your pancreas is producing insulin and in what sort of amounts and Gad which checks if you have antibodies destroying insulin making cells.

Your age, weight loss and high levels do make type 1 quite possible. I’ve got limited type 1 knowledge but I don’t think you have to have ketones to be diagnosed. In fact you don’t want them at high glucose levels as that could indicate dka, potentially extremely serious.

You should have a blood meter if they’ve given you glicazide. It actively lowers glucose. Are you using it? Have your levels come down from 27?

If you’re type one you will need insulin, but there is more than one type and various ways it’s used. If you’re type 2 there are options primarily diet as a first line and biggest controllable factor. The crux of it all is carbs. Eating low carb reduces blood glucose levels. In type 2 it may be all that’s needed. In type 1 some people find it helps minimise insulin and helps prevent the real highs and lows some struggle with. But insulin will still be needed.

If your levels are still pretty high whilst you’re waiting maybe try slowly cutting some carbs each day or just at one meal at a time whilst closely monitoring levels to avoid hypos to see if it helps at all. You should have been told what to do about hypos when given the glicazide. Tell your team what you’ve done and the results it gives though. If they are pretty good I’d wait on results before changing anything.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Courts_12
Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 300,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Probably not till they've got more blood test results back, and, more importantly, till they find out whether you're producing too much (probably T2) or too little (T1) insulin.

You've got some mixed symptoms so that is one reason why they are not sure.

All you can do is take the medications they give you and keep your carbohydrate intake down. This will help whether you're T2 (can't process carbs properly, think someone who is gluten intolerant and avoids bread) or T1 (is producing ever decreasing quantities of insulin so needs to eat less carbs so the insulin covers them).

I'd suggest keeping a food and blood sugar diary, and don't hesitate to contact your clinic/GP if your symptoms change (eg allergy to meds, drastic increase or no decrease in blood sugars or hypoglycaemic/low blood sugar events).

Good luck and welcome to the forums.

ps Tagging @daisy1 for usual introduction to diabetes post.

Thank you Ellie, it has just happened so quickly and with the doctors confused it muddled me up more. I will try eating healthier until I get the results back. And that is a good idea I am writing my blood sugar levels down but didn’t think of that. Thanks again :)
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
It sounds like they’ve already done the required tests but you are still waiting on results. These will be c peptide which is used to work out if your pancreas is producing insulin and in what sort of amounts and Gad which checks if you have antibodies destroying insulin making cells.

Your age, weight loss and high levels do make type 1 quite possible. I’ve got limited type 1 knowledge but I don’t think you have to have ketones to be diagnosed. In fact you don’t want them at high glucose levels as that could indicate dka, potentially extremely serious.

You should have a blood meter if they’ve given you glicazide. It actively lowers glucose. Are you using it? Have your levels come down from 27?

If you’re type one you will need insulin, but there is more than one type and various ways it’s used. If you’re type 2 there are options primarily diet as a first line and biggest controllable factor. The crux of it all is carbs. Eating low carb reduces blood glucose levels. In type 2 it may be all that’s needed. In type 1 some people find it helps minimise insulin and helps prevent the real highs and lows some struggle with. But insulin will still be needed.

If your levels are still pretty high whilst you’re waiting maybe try slowly cutting some carbs each day or just at one meal at a time whilst closely monitoring levels to avoid hypos to see if it helps at all. You should have been told what to do about hypos when given the glicazide. Tell your team what you’ve done and the results it gives though. If they are pretty good I’d wait on results before changing anything.

Thank you, yes I have been given a blood monitoring meter. I have been taking both tablets and using the monitor. My blood sugar has been at a constant high of above 13 since last week but came down to 9.5 and 10 yesterday. But it shot back up to 16.1 2 hours after dinner. I have been eating whole meal bread, egg and salad so I didn’t think it would rise it so much. Then drinking no sugar dilute.

I have not been told a great deal to be honest just that if I go below 4 I have to ring the hospital. A bit unsure what to do in case my blood sugar goes too high?

Thanks for replying though :)
 

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,208
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
forum bugs
I have not been told a great deal to be honest just that if I go below 4 I have to ring the hospital. A bit unsure what to do in case my blood sugar goes too high?

OK, have they told you what to do immediately if your blood sugar goes too low (possible because you're on gliclazide)? This is called a hypo (short for hypglycaemia). Non-diabetics have blood sugar ranging between 4 and 7. Once your blood sugar goes significantly below 4 then you can become confused and even go into a coma if it goes low enough. So if you've got a blood sugar reading of 4 or less I would advise taking some sugar immediately. Tell the hospital afterwards, because they may well decide to lower your gliclazide. If you become T1 and on insulin then you will unfortunately probably become very used to this.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thank you, yes I have been given a blood monitoring meter. I have been taking both tablets and using the monitor. My blood sugar has been at a constant high of above 13 since last week but came down to 9.5 and 10 yesterday. But it shot back up to 16.1 2 hours after dinner. I have been eating whole meal bread, egg and salad so I didn’t think it would rise it so much. Then drinking no sugar dilute.

I have not been told a great deal to be honest just that if I go below 4 I have to ring the hospital. A bit unsure what to do in case my blood sugar goes too high?

Thanks for replying though :)
It doesn’t matter what colour the carbs are they are carbs still. It will be the bread that caused the numbers to go up. For a quick and easy visual guide to what sort of carbs and in what foods look at https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/visual-guides
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If it goes up to in the 20’s maybe and doesn’t come back down I’d be calling someone, maybe 111. It’s only a phone call so if all’s well no problem but if it’s not well then they will be able to help and know what to do.
Short term a walk and lots of water won’t do any harm to help bring it down a little and no carbs at all in the immediate short term til advice has be sought.

If it’s closer to 30 I’d be heading to a&e personally. Did you get given any ketones testing strips? It’s high numbers and high ketones together that set off major alarms.

Personally I haven’t seen these sorts of numbers as I eat low carb and only tested after changing my way of eating. So the above is based on the advice I’ve seen given on here.
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
OK, have they told you what to do immediately if your blood sugar goes too low (possible because you're on gliclazide)? This is called a hypo (short for hypglycaemia). Non-diabetics have blood sugar ranging between 4 and 7. Once your blood sugar goes significantly below 4 then you can become confused and even go into a coma if it goes low enough. So if you've got a blood sugar reading of 4 or less I would advise taking some sugar immediately. Tell the hospital afterwards, because they may well decide to lower your gliclazide. If you become T1 and on insulin then you will unfortunately probably become very used to this.

No just been told to ring the hospital if it goes too low. Not really had much advice on what to do other than eat a few jelly babies. I was given a leaflet on hypos though which just states below 4 then I need to eat something high in sugar. I have not been given much advice on what to do with high blood sugar though.

Thank you
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
If it goes up to in the 20’s maybe and doesn’t come back down I’d be calling someone, maybe 111. It’s only a phone call so if all’s well no problem but if it’s not well then they will be able to help and know what to do.
Short term a walk and lots of water won’t do any harm to help bring it down a little and no carbs at all in the immediate short term til advice has be sought.

If it’s closer to 30 I’d be heading to a&e personally. Did you get given any ketones testing strips? It’s high numbers and high ketones together that set off major alarms.

Personally I haven’t seen these sorts of numbers as I eat low carb and only tested after changing my way of eating. So the above is based on the advice I’ve seen given on here.

What would be best to be eating? I was just told wholewheat bread and things were okay. I drink a lot of water already and go on walks a little as I work full time in a bank.

I have been given ketone test strips but I am showing with no ketones yet but high blood sugar. I am changing a lot of what I eat to try and be a bit healthier. The lowest I have tested is 9.5 myself but in hospital when I was on insulin it went to 7 then straight back up to 16 when I was taken off it.

Thank you for the advice though
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
@Courts_12
Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 300,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Thank you this helped a lot :)
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Can I suggest you take a good look at low carb high fat methods of eating (keto is just a version of this). It helps many of us lose significant amounts of weight, if desired, keep our numbers down and for some even eliminate medications and achieve remission and reduce or improve complications. Try clicking these links for more detailed explanations that are well worth readings
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/jokalsbeek.401801/ for info including low carb made simple

And https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/success-stories-and-testimonials.43/ to show it really works and for motivation

and https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/ for food ideas

also https://www.dietdoctor.com/ for more food ideas and general info of carb content of foods. Lots of other websites for recipes out there too. Just use the term low carb or keto with whatever you fancy.


IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE ON MEDS CONSIDERING LOWERING CARBS: if you lower your carbs then any glucose lowering meds may need to be adjusted accordingly to make sure you aren’t taking more than your new diet requires. It can cause a hypo if you have more gliclazide or insulin etc (this is not relevant for metformin on its own) than your new carb intake requires. Keep a close eye on your numbers and ideally do this with your dr. Please don’t be put off by an ill informed out dated rubbishing of low carb diets or being told you should eat carbs to match meds, it should be the other way around.
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Can I suggest you take a good look at low carb high fat methods of eating (keto is just a version of this). It helps many of us lose significant amounts of weight, if desired, keep our numbers down and for some even eliminate medications and achieve remission and reduce or improve complications. Try clicking these links for more detailed explanations that are well worth readings
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/jokalsbeek.401801/ for info including low carb made simple

And https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/success-stories-and-testimonials.43/ to show it really works and for motivation

and https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/ for food ideas

also https://www.dietdoctor.com/ for more food ideas and general info of carb content of foods. Lots of other websites for recipes out there too. Just use the term low carb or keto with whatever you fancy.


IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE ON MEDS CONSIDERING LOWERING CARBS: if you lower your carbs then any glucose lowering meds may need to be adjusted accordingly to make sure you aren’t taking more than your new diet requires. It can cause a hypo if you have more gliclazide or insulin etc (this is not relevant for metformin on its own) than your new carb intake requires. Keep a close eye on your numbers and ideally do this with your dr. Please don’t be put off by an ill informed out dated rubbishing of low carb diets or being told you should eat carbs to match meds, it should be the other way around.

Thank you so much this helps loads. I was so unsure which food I was allowed to eat. I am not really in contact with my doctor much but hopefully will be going soon for more information and to a dietician.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thank you so much this helps loads. I was so unsure which food I was allowed to eat. I am not really in contact with my doctor much but hopefully will be going soon for more information and to a dietician.
You’ll have a good chance of being told to eat starchy foods with each meal in the nhs. Pretty much everyone whatever their condition is gets the same advice. Eg porridge and brown everything. A simple test with your meter will tell you how bad that is for diabetics.

Slowly low carb benefits for diabetics are being recognised. Dr Unwin has instigated nhs approved training for gps in it (do a search in here and there’s links to the package somewhere). The low carb plan done by this site can also be prescribed now but these changes are very recent and loads of drs know nothing whatsoever about it. Relying instead on broad generic nhs guidance that does nothing for diabetes and years old training in diets that lasted merely hours in medical school.
 
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