Please help

[Wojo38]

Hello,I set up this account for my hubby becouse his English is not that good.He has some skin problems and I told him to do blood test for sugars.
His result was 12.6mmol.
We were shocked!He workes night shift for 8 years we must miss like a few years of symptoms becouse of workWe both dont know what to do,I am worry that he might need insulin,he take metf.3 times a day,we messure sugar levels in that littel one touch machine.After night shift without food sugar was 147,after he has food and sleep at day,in the evening now he got 190.we dont know how to cut it,we try eat healthy etc.We worry sick that only insuline will kill the level of sugar.
It is my first post,and i am not english forgive me for mistakes.

 

[Chris12345]

I'm still learning myself, but dont worry. This is a great forum full of kind and helpful people - I'm sure you'll get some good advice soon. Has he had HbA1c test?

 

[Diakat]

Hi @Wojo38
You must be worried about him. There are many other medical options before insulin so he needs to talk to his medical team. Can I ask what type of healthy foods he is eating as healthy for some people is not the same as healthy for T2s.

 

[Diakat]

Oh and this might help

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.26870/

 

[Rachox]

Hi Wojo and welcome to the forum. Thank you for trying to help out your hubby. Can you give us an idea of what a typical day’s food is that your hubby eats? As Diakat says healthy may not be so healthy for a type 2. I take Metformin and eat a low carbohydrate diet to keep my blood at non diabetic levels.

 

[VashtiB]

Hi and welcome to this site.

This site is full of amazing people with a lot of knowledge and experience.

It would be useful if you can give an idea of what you have been told he should eat. People with type 2 diabetes have different nutritional needs then other people and what is healthy for others is not healthy for us.

Has he been diagnosed with diabetes? I assume he has if he is on metformin.

Someone with a lot more experience will be here shortly.

Welcome and thank you for supporting your husband- that means more than you will know.

 

[SlimLizzy]

Hrllo wojo
Am sure you will get a helpful answers but you may need to give a bit more information. Best wishes Liz

 

[Wojo38]

Oww how nice I get responsthank you so much.
We didnt have that hba1 test,i dont even know what that is sorry
Doctor just say ,yep you are diabetic have pills back in 3 mths.
Do anyone think is diabetes can couse we struggle to get pregnant?years now we try.We have son 8 years old and 3 years now try to have baby,and I got pregnant 6 months ago and have miscarriage,then we been diagose with thisrubish year.
Do you take pills before or after food?
He eat kellogs with milk in the mornig,then a sandwich,he cook dinner like chicken potatoes and veg,have some herbal tea.he sleeps in between.he works very hard at nigh,moving all the time.he drink water but before work he has a glas of !!!pepsi!!-I know,he promes to swap for coffee wich je hate.now when I read what he eat maybe it is not healthy,home cooked but he is big men he likes eat and that is sad that he can even eat what he likes working that hardhe swaps ciders for normal beers on weekend

 

[Wojo38]

My hubby grandmother from father side was diabetes with insulin,live long and have 6 kids.maybe he got unwanted gens from her?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I'm afraid it is his food that is causing the problems.

Cereals, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, will all cause blood sugars to rise because they all contain masses of carbohydrate. All carbohydrate turns to sugar once eaten. He needs to find a different way of eating - cutting out the starchy carbs.

Metformin is a mild drug and helps to a very small extent. Diet is the key, and a diet with as few carbs as possible.

This website should help
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds

 

[MeiChanski]

Oww how nice I get responsthank you so much.
We didnt have that hba1 test,i dont even know what that is sorry
Doctor just say ,yep you are diabetic have pills back in 3 mths.
Do anyone think is diabetes can couse we struggle to get pregnant?years now we try.We have son 8 years old and 3 years now try to have baby,and I got pregnant 6 months ago and have miscarriage,then we been diagose with thisrubish year.
Do you take pills before or after food?
He eat kellogs with milk in the mornig,then a sandwich,he cook dinner like chicken potatoes and veg,have some herbal tea.he sleeps in between.he works very hard at nigh,moving all the time.he drink water but before work he has a glas of !!!pepsi!!-I know,he promes to swap for coffee wich je hate.now when I read what he eat maybe it is not healthy,home cooked but he is big men he likes eat and that is sad that he can even eat what he likes working that hardhe swaps ciders for normal beers on weekend

Hello, welcome!
I think you might have to reconsider seeing another doctor because we can't tell you when to take your medication. You might need to ask your doctor for the blood results, to be diagnosed a hba1c is taken. High blood sugars do play a role in trying for a baby but it can be other things like stress etc. Your husband and you might have to reconsider adjusting your way of eating and possibly buy a blood glucose meter to test your blood to see what foods work for you and improve blood levels. That will help with reducing medication if you're using a diet like low carb, high fat or keto as an approach to combat it. As some have said insulin can be a life saver if medication and diet doesn't work.

 

[Wojo38]

I'm afraid it is his food that is causing the problems.

Cereals, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, will all cause blood sugars to rise because they all contain masses of carbohydrate. All carbohydrate turns to sugar once eaten. He needs to find a different way of eating - cutting out the starchy carbs.

Metformin is a mild drug and helps to a very small extent. Diet is the key, and a diet with as few carbs as possible.

This website should help
dietdoctor.com

Thank you.Can he drink beers?ciders?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you.Can he drink beers?ciders?

Not if he wants to lower his blood sugars. He could drink red wine or spirits with sugar free mixers.
If he insists on drinking his Pepsis, they do do sugar free versions.

 

[Wojo38]

Hello, welcome!
I think you might have to reconsider seeing another doctor because we can't tell you when to take your medication. You might need to ask your doctor for the blood results, to be diagnosed a hba1c is taken. High blood sugars do play a role in trying for a baby but it can be other things like stress etc. Your husband and you might have to reconsider adjusting your way of eating and possibly buy a blood glucose meter to test your blood to see what foods work for you and improve blood levels. That will help with reducing medication if you're using a diet like low carb, high fat or keto as an approach to combat it. As some have said insulin can be a life saver if medication and diet doesn't work.

Hi,we havr that glucometer,he is littel scary to use it becouse it always show high levels.is 190 a high level?very high?some people eat pills before some read after food,maybe he should eat them before food?

 

[Wojo38]

Maybe sensetive question but now I found so much clever people here
Can diabietes couse infection,yeast infection in penis?he does struggle with it a long time,it comes and goes,i think it is worse if he eats bad food

 

[MeiChanski]

Hi,we havr that glucometer,he is littel scary to use it becouse it always show high levels.is 190 a high level?very high?some people eat pills before some read after food,maybe he should eat them before food?

190 is 10.6? I think? if anyone wants to correct me. 10.6 is high.
He shouldn't be scared because it is all part of the learning progress. If he is willing to change, diet needs changing - reduce carbohydrates and see how it goes. Carbohydrates increase your blood glucose, by reducing that, your husband's blood glucose will start to normalise.
High blood sugars like bacteria, so your husband's penis is probably a nice area for bacteria to grow. As we said if he changes his diet, it will bring his blood readings down and reduce the infections. Again, he might need the doctor to look into it. But high blood sugars love bacteria and increasing the risk for an infection.

 

[VashtiB]

Hi,

The advice given to most diabetics is that they should reduce or cut sugars from their diet. That part is true. The advice that they don't usually get is that anything that is a carbohydrate turns into glucose when they eat it- that is it is the same as sugar.
Carbohydrates include things like cereal, bread, rice and pasta. They also include vegetables like potatoes and corn. So a type 2 really needs not to be eating these things as they will generally increase their blood sugars. So he will need to change some of the things he eats.

The change of food can be hard. I am newly diagnosed and have made radical changes to my diet as it was extremely high carb- my favourite type of food. This site will give you a lot of advice. If he changes his diet to low carb and high fat he should see a big improvement in his blood sugar levels. This will reduce his risk of diabetes complications. If he changes quickly he may suffer from what is called 'carb flu' and feel really bad for a while. I changed quickly and am now past the carb flu stage. If he does a manual job it may be better to cut down gradually- not too gradually. But I am a newbie so I'm sure someone with more experience will also give advice.

Your support will make all the difference- with two kids on your hands as well you have your hands full.

Good luck!

 

[Wojo38]

I will need to think what he can eat,we swap for brown wholegrain bread,butter instead of spread,xylitol instead of sugar,i will try coffee for pepsi.If I will buy milk without lactose will it help?lactose is a sugar is in it?maybe that will help.we will try to cut on potatoes,and cook more on steam.he swap jogurts for 0% sugars,and eat stuff with sweetener. It is so hard...

 

[Mike d]

No bread, no milk, more yogurt, much more cream

 

[MeiChanski]

I will need to think what he can eat,we swap for brown wholegrain bread,butter instead of spread,xylitol instead of sugar,i will try coffee for pepsi.If I will buy milk without lactose will it help?lactose is a sugar is in it?maybe that will help.we will try to cut on potatoes,and cook more on steam.he swap jogurts for 0% sugars,and eat stuff with sweetener. It is so hard...

Carbohydrates includes brown rice and bread.
There are T2s that enjoy just coffee and cream and fast until lunch or longer.
There are some who load up on eggs, sausages, bacon.
There are some who enjoy full fat yogurt with berries, other fruits cause some level of spike.
You can swap pepsi for diet pepsi
If you like bread, there are low carb options in supermarkets now.
If you like rice, cauliflower rice is a nice alternative, very nice with curries, very easy fried rice and very easy to cook.
If you want potatoes, I know some do mash cauliflower and celeriac mash.
Milk contains lactose so that would be a no, so cream is a way to go. Or you can swap for plant based milk like soy or almond.
There are loads of recipes - look for low carb high fat recipes or keto recipes.
It might be difficult at first, but find what everyone likes to eat and adapt it. Also take it slow, no rush because it's all about experimenting.
But most of all, everyone is unique, some tolerate some to little amounts of carbs and some don't tolerate it well. Like some can eat a small tablespoon of potatoes and some can't because they know the result of eating it. You only know if you get your husband to test his blood glucose to find out.
Also be careful of "0% sugar" foods because some will contain more carbohydrates than the full sugar one. If he doesn't want to do full fat, he can do higher protein in replacement.