First type 2 post

[eddie0018]

Hi,
this is my first post and is initiated by a real sense of personal frustration
I’m 57 and I’ve had type 2 for a few years now but have over recent months unintentionally let it get out of control to the point where my employer has suspended me from working in my normal safety critical role. I was simply gutted to witness my mmol at 16.8.
I’ve carried out a significant number of tests over the last week or so resulting in a A1c of 7.8. I’m not sure if this is particularly progressive or not?

The other day I tested at 07:00 and had a reading of 7.3mmol followed by a cup of tea and some toast. I tested again 5 hours later and my reading was 13.8 mmol yet I hadn’t eaten or drank anything other than water. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!!
I’ve also noticed a real deterioration in my skin condition with simple wounds / cuts seeming to take along time to heal.

I don’t drink alcohol or smoke and regularly work out in a gym as well as walking in the region of 30 miles per week.
The recent events have left me feeling flat as a pancake and I continue to struggle with identifying a decent appropriate diet. The main diet issue for me is that I work shifts so can be getting up at 02:30 one week and going to bed at 02:30 the next and so on.
This post is a bit of a whinge at myself but also a muted cry for ideas around diet etc.
Thank you.
Ed

 

[aylalake]

Hi Ed. You have come to the right place for help.
There are plenty of threads about meal plans etc but a good place to start would be the What Did You Eat Today (or similar title). Be aware of whether it is a Thpe 1 or Type 2 comment, as sometimes different foods affect the different Types in unexpected ways.

The Search facility is useful too.

 

[Antje77]

Hi @eddie0018 , welcome to the forum.

The other day I tested at 07:00 and had a reading of 7.3mmol followed by a cup of tea and some toast. I tested again 5 hours later and my reading was 13.8 mmol yet I hadn’t eaten or drank anything other than water.

I'd think there were more carbs in the toast than your body could handle at that time of day.
Many of our members, including myself (even though I have a different type of diabetes) find that we can handle very few carbs in the morning.

What about trying a breakfast of bacon and eggs tomorrow, no toast, and see if you do better on this?

Here's the thread that @aylalake mentioned, you might like it: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today-low-carb-forum.75781/page-2933
I think you'll also like to have a read of this piece, written by one of our members: https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html
It explains T2 in a nutshell, and gives useful handles on diet.

Shift work isn't ideal, but it doesn't mean you can't follow any diet of choice.
Good luck!

 

[toodles60]

I rarely check my sugars because my GP told me not to and that it was a waste of time because only the blood tests are accurate. Everything is confusing to me lol

 

[MrsA2]

I rarely check my sugars because my GP told me not to and that it was a waste of time because only the blood tests are accurate. Everything is confusing to me lol

Many of us have found the total opposite to be true, the information testing gives is so motivating
Drs don't prescribe to T 2s because it would be very expensive as there are so many of us. A false economy in the long term.

I see from your earlier posts you are trying to give up smoking? Somewhere recently there were posts from someone who found Nicotine lozenges were raising her bg a lot.. Try the search box