Panicky Newby

[janabelle]

Enzina,
My BG was 17 when I was diagnosed, and it wasn't fasting either. I was immediately sent to hospital and put on medication. High blood sugar levels are not good for you, and to be told you will not get any medication until you have dieted for 3 months seems ridiculous to me. Your levels need to be brought down, you can't just go for weeks not eating!
Having looked up IFG, which your doctor diagnosed,it looks like impaired fasting glucose levels should below 6.9. You say your levels were between 8-10.
I have patchy knowledge of type-2, but as a long-term type-1, I can tell you to run at high levels is dangerous, and 30 is very high. Even if you were to be type-2, how is it acceptable for a doc knowingly to let your blood sugars run at the levels you've reported to him? Stress, and excercise can also raise BG levels, so beware, and keep checking.
Consider changing your GP to get a diagnosis, and treatment.
Jus

 

[enzina]

Yes, Yus, that's right. the reading is again 11.8 and i just woke up. Yesterday afternoon it was again over 20.

I read somewhere, infections could raise the BG. I just got over a heavy cold and still have a cough but no fever or other symptoms.

Another thing, i have to admit, i'm smoking. This is a bad thing too in Diabetes, isn't it?

I try to tell myself, there are so many other, much more serious illnesses but at the moment i just feel very sorry for myself and totally confused.

Overthinking the dreadful doctors visit yesterday, i just feel, the doctor (not the regular GP) just thought, i'm a hysterical time waster.

 

[Synonym]

Hello again Irene

Getting the numbers down will take time and patience and you will probably need the three months to get the numbers down and you may well be surprised by how quickly you feel better.

Perhaps the familiarity that GPs have with the newly diagnosed scenario blinds them to the panic which is felt by their patients. :roll: Clearly your GP does not seem to think that you are in any danger at present so try not to worry. If you work at it you can get those numbers down and turn it all around so concentrate on reducing those carbs quite dramatically and just go for it!

I have managed to get my numbers down quite quickly and have bargained for another 6 months before even considering taking any meds. My loss of weight may well be the reason that I have to take meds in the end as I don’t want to get any thinner but we shall see. :?

We are all different and have to find our own path to better health and it is a question of testing to see how your food affects your BG levels and doing some form of exercise too.

Yes infections will put up your numbers and smoking is not good. :shock:

As I said getting the numbers down for a T2 can be quite fast and you will feel much better very soon.

 

[Brianm]

Hi, just read your posts. Don't panic. You have done the right things and are getting the right treatment. I believe your GP is trying to establish if you need medication or if you can control your BG levels by diet and exercise. Until recently I controlled my T2 by diet and exercise - for 10 years!. Recently it went to 34 and I had a short hospital stay to a) bring it down and b) get established on the right dosage of Metformin. I am fine now - as you will be. Also, as a dog lover (2 yorkies) I understand your concern - and the local council/NHS etc can advise you on their short term care if necessary. Remember - you are not alone, read this site regularly and benefit from others experiences, you will stabilize and you and your dogs will continue to have a great time.

Take care
Brian

 

[enzina]

Thanks again. Today i really tried to eat very little carbs. I found out, nearly everything i have stored in fridge, freezer, cupboards is full of carbs. It was hard to find anything i could eat to be truthful, alhough i'm a food hoarder and never run out of anything.

I found loads of shopping tips on here and tomorrow i'll go to Tesco's and buy low GI food.
It was just so easy to make a sandwich when hungry...I'm working from home, so easy to walk to the kitchen.

Anyway, i managed to get the levels down to 12 and i'm testing, testing, testing.

Brian, Yorkies are sweet! I have to Staffordshire Bullterrier girls, they are extremely friendly and love every other dogs and even cats. They are energy bundles. I know, the council could help me if there is an emergency. Unfortunately the dogs had to stay for 2 weeks in kennels in december when i had a spinal operation. I would also have a private, registered dog walker if it comes to the worst.

I really shouldn't panic so much. I'm the whole day trying to get my blood test results from the Health Centre. Nobody is ever calling back...i have left two messages.

I'm usually a really positive person, i hope you're not fed up with my moaning. :?

 

[alison2345]

You are not moaning, you are just worrying and need advice. I just got diagnosed on Monday with both underactive thyroid and diabetes but I am lucky because both my mum and dad have diabetes so I know the basics. I got a glucose meter off my GP, he has said to test before breakfast one day then miss a day, before lunch one day, miss a day, before tea, miss a day, before bed. I took mine on Thursday before breakfast and it was 7.9, before lunch today it was 11.4.

 

[enzina]

Sorry you got diagnosed with both conditions, Alison.

Since yesterday i'm really cutting out the carbs, or better nearly :roll: i have tried Special K and the levels go up straight very high. So i will just feed all the cereals i still have to the dogs slowly.

I was just shopping and bought loads of low GI food and will try this out over the weekend.

I also bought dry roasted peanuts but the label is saying there is still sugar in it?

I have to try if i still can eat fruit joghurt. I felt so confused at the supermarket and wanted to run out. :twisted:

 

[alison2345]

I can't remember what yoghurt it was but my dad's sugar went up to 17! Thanks for saying about the special k because I was going to try that. I am trying to think what breakfast cereals I can now eat. I like bran flakes, weetabix things like that.

 

[enzina]

Oh yes, i was afraid, i can't eat fruit yoghurt anymore.

I saw a post on here someone mentioning 'Lizi Granola' from Tesco, saying it wouldn't put his blood sugar up. I couldn't find it today but will keep on searching.

 

[Synonym]

Hello Irene and Allison.

A valuable tool for you would be to buy a Collins gem Carb Counter (£3.99) or similar book which will give you the low down on a wide range of foods. 8) You will also find information and recipes in the library if you look at lo-carb cook books - a more economic route to knowledge!

As for testing, the advice to do sporadic testing at odd times of the day will give you exactly what it says on the tin i.e. you will get sporadic blood level results - and you will learn very little. :roll: You really need to test to see what your food is doing to your BG levels and so will need to test before eating and two hours afterwards. If you keep a food diary and write down the self test results against the entry in the food diary you will very quickly see a pattern emerging and be able to adjust accordingly.

I would caution against rushing out and buying LARGE quantities of anything as you will probably be surprised at the results you get! Buy the carb counter!

 

[enzina]

You are so right Synonym,

I had to throw out loads i bought over the weekend already. This all seems to me like a jungle!

I have bought beetroots yesterday and didn't know they contain so much sugar and threw them out already. I always believed, i know food contents pretty well....little did i know. I have tried low GI pasta but the levels go up to 18 again :roll: i can eat little soya linseed bread, that's not so bad.

I am keeping a diary and test before and 2 hours after meals, even after snacks. I really need new test strips now, will ask the doctor tomorrow.

The levels are still around 10 in the morning and last night at 14.5. If i don't eat carbs at all or very little, it goes down to 8.5.

Yesterday i bought sugar free cough lozenges and fout out, they contain 80g carbs, straight in the bin.

I feel like my dogs are eating better than me.

 

[Synonym]

Hello again,

If 'they' say it is good for diabetes my warning bells go off nowadays! :lol:

Keep it simple, just eat fish, meat, eggs, cheese, fresh veggies, salad bits and bobs and fresh fruit in moderation in order to get your BG levels right. Only then add any other bits in and test, test, test. This is your life we are talking about so you have to be really radical. Believe me it works!!

There is NO replacing like with like in this new diabetes path because it is a different path :!:

When you are sorted - and only then - you can experiment but still test, test, test!!

 

[enzina]

Thanks Synonym, it really seems the only option, i was thinking that myself. I will not even go and see the diet clinic like my doctor suggested.

Last year i was told there i can eat brown bread, brown rice, cereals and lots more.

 

[enzina]

I forgot to say that the doctor told me on Friday i should just 'carry on living normally' after i told him, i really don't know what to eat now after this high readings.

I would still having having levels up to 30.

 

[enzina]

Reading back all my posts, i realised how many mistakes i have made, sorry. I will read now before i post again.

Yesterday afternoon i finally got the results of the HbA1c test. It's 11.7. I have never heard of that test before but did a little research. Certainly the doc should take it now serious like i do.

He always saying, he got many patients with high levels and they are not so lucky to have meter. :roll:

Anyway, i hope you are all doing well. I still have levels close under 10 in the morning but at least yesterday they didn't go up to over 9 the whole day.

Have a great day

Irene

 

[Giblet]

Irene, who gave you the A1c test results. Was it your GP?. If it was did he put you on medication?. That A1c is significant, he should have at least told you his plan on how to treat you? :?:

 

[enzina]

Hi Giblet,

No, it was not the GP, it was a guy on the results line at my health centre. I'm just now on the way to the GP to get everything explained. This guy i spoke to yesterday didn't have a glue about anything and he said, the nurse will phone and explain but never did.

Irene

 

[Giblet]

Hope everything goes well at the GP's Irene. Let us know what he says as soon as you get back ok! :wink:

 

[enzina]

Hi again everyone,

So i just came back from the GP and for the first time i am now officially diagnosed with T2. The year before he always said it was borderline, impaired fasting glycaemia although i have told him my levels are now in the mornings already over 10. He told me today:' You was right'.

The guy yesterday had given me the wrong levels from the hba1. It is 8.8. Then he made an appointmoint for me to see the diabetes nurse :roll: next week. He also said:'Probably you know more than her anyway..'

He really, really prescribed me the test strips! 1000 thanks for advising that to me. He said, i shouldn't become obsessed with testing, he wants me to have a life too!!

I explained what i learned on here, from you: I wanna test to see what kinds of foods spike up my levels etc etc.

Anyway, he also prescribed Simvastatin for the cholesterol levels although they are only 4.8. Should i take this?

Then i also got the ketosticks prescribed, just for emergency.

I'm just thinking: What if i wouldn't have found this forum, i would still eat what is usually 'diabetic food' and would still suffer.

I try now to bring the levels more down and will start another thread soon.

Thanks for guiding me through this really difficult time.

 

[Giblet]

Keep your chin up Irene. At least you now have a definite diagnosis and you can start to deal with it. There are plenty of really helpful people on here who will be only to happy to offer you advice. Did he actually prescribe you any diabetic tablets or are you trying diet ony first?. As for simvastatin, well people can offer advice, but you'll have to decide. For me they do not give me any side effects at all so I do take them and it has dramatically reduced my cholestrol. Others will tell you that statins cause muscle pain / ache along with other side effects.