Confused about diabetes

[Macky1]

My father was diagnosed with Type2 when he was 66. He tells me he no longer needs to test his blood sugar levels as he has been told they've stabilised. He tells me he hasn't tested them for quite a few years. He eats the occasional cake, trifle, but has a beer every night and still eats carbs, such as potatoes and soda bread. He's now 86. I'm confused as he still seems to eat sugary things, but he has been told his blood sugar has stabilised. Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Macky1 and welcome to the forums.

Do you know what medication your dad is on? And what his hba1c is?

I ask because my father, diagnosed T2 in his 70s and now 92, never tests either. He moved onto gliclazide about 10 years ago before low carbing, then came off meds altogether when he stayed with us one summer and started to low carb. He has been recently put on metformin when his hba1c went a little higher (60 from low 50s???) . Generally GPs seem a lot more careful about putting older people on glucose lowering meds, because a fall from low blood sugar can be much more dangerous than a slightly higher hba1c.

I don't see the point of my dad doing blood tests at his age, as long as he gets a regular hba1c. He has a lot of medical conditions and (in my opinion, disclaimer I am not a GP) it's not going to be the diabetes that kills him (or even incapacitates him, he's not very mobile now because of long term back/hip issues)..

However, he does have his hba1c regularly monitored so if that showed a significant change we would review the situation.

Depending on your father's mental acuity, it might be time to see if he will let you view his medical results online. (I would very much like to do this for my dad, but he's of the opinion that it's too difficult to go to the surgery to fill in the forms). Unfortunately, while he doesn't in any way have dementia, his short term memory is poor and he tends to forget exactly what the nurse has told him.

Another thing to remember is that many of the people posting here are significantly younger than your dad and so may experience and handle T2 with a slightly different emphasis.

 

[MrsA2]

My father was diagnosed with Type2 when he was 66. He tells me he no longer needs to test his blood sugar levels as he has been told they've stabilised. He tells me he hasn't tested them for quite a few years. He eats the occasional cake, trifle, but has a beer every night and still eats carbs, such as potatoes and soda bread. He's now 86. I'm confused as he still seems to eat sugary things, but he has been told his blood sugar has stabilised. Any advice would be much appreciated

I have an 87 year old in very similar circumstances. Doesn't know his numbers, doesn’t test, eats carbs at every meal and snacks in-between.
He always says they say his bg is fine.

He has waterworks problems, eyesight problems and mobility problems due to, in his words "odd feelings in my legs"

I can only think that at 87, the NHS know he's going to cost them money, the only issue is on what?

I think its too late now to deprive him of carbs and the way he's eaten for life.
I choose to do it for me in the hope I have a relatively healthy next 20 -30 years.
Some seem to be lucky and avoid complications, like our 2. Me I don't want to leave it to luck.
If i was late 80s I think I might well eat cake and not test either. Life's a balance

 

[Macky1]

Hi @Macky1 and welcome to the forums.

Do you know what medication your dad is on? And what his hba1c is?

I ask because my father, diagnosed T2 in his 70s and now 92, never tests either. He moved onto gliclazide about 10 years ago before low carbing, then came off meds altogether when he stayed with us one summer and started to low carb. He has been recently put on metformin when his hba1c went a little higher (60 from low 50s???) . Generally GPs seem a lot more careful about putting older people on glucose lowering meds, because a fall from low blood sugar can be much more dangerous than a slightly higher hba1c.

I don't see the point of my dad doing blood tests at his age, as long as he gets a regular hba1c. He has a lot of medical conditions and (in my opinion, disclaimer I am not a GP) it's not going to be the diabetes that kills him (or even incapacitates him, he's not very mobile now because of long term back/hip issues)..

However, he does have his hba1c regularly monitored so if that showed a significant change we would review the situation.

Depending on your father's mental acuity, it might be time to see if he will let you view his medical results online. (I would very much like to do this for my dad, but he's of the opinion that it's too difficult to go to the surgery to fill in the forms). Unfortunately, while he doesn't in any way have dementia, his short term memory is poor and he tends to forget exactly what the nurse has told him.

Another thing to remember is that many of the people posting here are significantly younger than your dad and so may experience and handle T2 with a slightly different emphasis.

Talking to him today about it, he tells me he never took medication. I asked if he was prediabetic but he said he didn't know, but that it was type 2. I was just confused as for breakfast today he had: bowl of porridge, three thick wedges of soda bread with marmalade and a banana. Looked like a lot of carbs to me. I'm salivating now just thinking about it.

 

[MrsA2]

bowl of porridge, three thick wedges of soda bread with marmalade and a banana.

Likelihood is he's never been told by any health professional about low carb.
More likely he's been told to eat wholegrain (porridge) and fruit (banana) .

 

[EllieM]

Talking to him today about it, he tells me he never took medication. I asked if he was prediabetic but he said he didn't know, but that it was type 2. I was just confused as for breakfast today he had: bowl of porridge, three thick wedges of soda bread with marmalade and a banana. Looked like a lot of carbs to me. I'm salivating now just thinking about it.

Hmm, hard to comment without knowing his hba1c numbers. Some people do improve their levels by losing weight, and though low carb is by far and the way the most popular control method for T2 on here (and by the look of the success stories forum the most successful) some people do have success with other "ways of eating". Maybe he put himself into remission by eg weight loss???

My suggestion would be to try to see if you can get access to his online medical records. .If he is actually diabetic then he should be getting regular hba1cs and eye checks. And depending on his mental state, (my dad doesn't remember which of his many medications are for which of his medical conditions) he may actually be taking diabetic meds. Maybe see if you can see a current script? Or just go through the pills in his medicine cabinet? (Of course, that assumes he is on medication for other stuff, which may not be the case, but is pretty common for people of 86.)

Good luck.