My latest diabetic check-up.

[frankman]

Hello everyone,
just had a phone call from my diabetic nurse. After being under good control for the past 4 years, all of a sudden my diabetes slaps me in the face once again! I didn't have pen and paper to hand, so I'll try to remember what she said. My blood test returned as 64, which to my mind is 8. something, my cholesterol has gone up to 6.4, from 5.9 back in June. And of course my triglycerides are high. Of course this has come as a surprise, but truth be told, I've been eating what I liked since I suppose last June.

Ok, so for the past 2 years at least, my mind has not been concerned with my diabetes - I've got other important things to think about. Just over 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with heart disease, which surprised me. But the most surprising thing is, my GP never discusses my heart condition. She's happy enough to give meds and angina spray - and off you go mate! That's how it feels. Then in June 2015, I was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer! How wonderful! I did not freak out, but it wasn't nice to hear of course. I was immediately put on a hormone injection which I have every 3 months. So, I've had 3 check ups for cancer, the latest being last Wednesday. The result was the same as my previous 2 check ups, my PSA level is below 0.1, so I'm thinking my cancer is gone, but I have to wait 4 years before the NHS tells me so. I had 37 sessions of radiotherapy, ending March of last year; the radiotherapy team at Singleton, Swansea, looked after me very well!

Since Christmas I've had a chest infection 2 times! Friday this week I finish my cardiac exercise class at our local gym, then I'm out of there - I don't like some of the exercises - I'm taking up walking. I've joined a facebook group called #walk1000miles. I started going walking around our village on 2nd January, but I can only do about a mile at present. Also on average I go out every other day. Of course I don't like this cold weather, but I intend to keep on with the walking. Once the weather improves, I hope to do more and regain some fitness.

I have noticed mention of the low carb diet. How do I do this? Is it complicated? My medical team at my surgery dismiss it, as you can guess. But at the end of the day, it's my body and my life, so I need to do something. Oh, the nurse also mentioned about changing my tablet sitagliptin for an one that I inject! So what's next, insulin? I don't want to end up like my dad, who died from diabetic complications and heart problems.

Thank you for your time, Frank.

 

[Tabbyjoolz]

Hi frankman,

I'm sorry to hear you've been in the wars healthwise. What a lot of things to juggle all at once.

As you say, you're more in a frame of mind to tackle the diabetes head on. Re low-carbing; it's something I do myself and I'm still having great success with it. It still seems to work even if you've had diabetes for a while.

I found this webs page invaluable when I was first starting out - https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods#foodlist

As well as outlining the best low-carb foods, there are also some recipes to drool over. I've found it the easiest thing to do and very enjoyable. I've never felt deprived.

Good on you with joining the walking group. I walk a lot too as I've no patience with guided exercise classes and invariably end up doing the exact opposite of everyone else!

Do let us know how you get on. Any questions, just post on the forums!

 

[frankman]

Hi frankman,

I'm sorry to hear you've been in the wars healthwise. What a lot of things to juggle all at once.

As you say, you're more in a frame of mind to tackle the diabetes head on. Re low-carbing; it's something I do myself and I'm still having great success with it. It still seems to work even if you've had diabetes for a while.

I found this webs page invaluable when I was first starting out - https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods#foodlist

As well as outlining the best low-carb foods, there are also some recipes to drool over. I've found it the easiest thing to do and very enjoyable. I've never felt deprived.

Good on you with joining the walking group. I walk a lot too as I've no patience with guided exercise classes and invariably end up doing the exact opposite of everyone else!

Do let us know how you get on. Any questions, just post on the forums!

Thank you Tabbyjoolz,
thanks for your kind reply. I don't visit often on the forum, but I shall do so, as I've been concentrating on my cancer.

I shall take a look at the link you've provided, it is something I've been thinking about for a while. My 1 concern would be, that I would have to involve the rest of my family with this regime. Or my wife would say - make it yourself!

Today I've really had a wake up call, so I feel rather ashamed of myself.

Frank.

 

[daisyduck]

Blimey! I'm not surprised your BG had risen with all those problems. ! Hope you're on the mend now x
Low carb is easy once you have accepted that you can eat all the things you were told not to eat before. Bacon, Eggs, Fatty meats Skin on chicken, duck etc. Cheese, Cream Full fat yogurt !
From what I read on here this is where most people go... "WHOA! I can't eat that!!" .. oh yes you can
Have a good nosy around the low carb forum posts. There are some great recipes too.
I don't even miss the carbs now.
Just an addition.. are you on medication ? That might affect how low carb you can go safely. Do you have a BG meter. you need one, this will be your new best friend, as you test how different foods affect you.
I stick to between 20g to 30g of carbs a day and have done it for 3 years now.. I feel great !

 

[frankman]

Thank you Daisyduck!
Well, I agree with your comment Blimey! But I'm not getting any real answers from any medical teams. They're only interested in what they're treating me for. Ok, I'm half Italian, so do I give up pasta, which is my favourite food? I do have a BG meter, but I barely use it; my GP thinks I don't need to. Of course if I used it I would have noticed my rising trend.

Frank.

 

[daisyduck]

Thank you Daisyduck!
Well, I agree with your comment Blimey! But I'm not getting any real answers from any medical teams. They're only interested in what they're treating me for. Ok, I'm half Italian, so do I give up pasta, which is my favourite food? I do have a BG meter, but I barely use it; my GP thinks I don't need to. Of course if I used it I would have noticed my rising trend.

Frank.

Test after pasta and I think you'll find the answer is yes, it has to go. You might be lucky on a little .. I can't eat it without a big spike. All the meaty or creamy sauces should be fine, you just need a different base.
You can have spiralized courgette instead, I actually prefer it now. It's also great in a salad with olive oil and lemon dressing
I've become a much more inventive cook since low carbing, there is a fantastic recipe forum on here.
My GP insisted I didn't need a meter.. I bought my own. It's an NHS saving and it's like asking us to drive wearing a blindfold!

 

[AndBreathe]

Thank you Daisyduck!
Well, I agree with your comment Blimey! But I'm not getting any real answers from any medical teams. They're only interested in what they're treating me for. Ok, I'm half Italian, so do I give up pasta, which is my favourite food? I do have a BG meter, but I barely use it; my GP thinks I don't need to. Of course if I used it I would have noticed my rising trend.

Frank.

Welcome, Frankman.

I agree that for T2s, minding the diet is key to great control, and so many find that reducing their carb intake really does help. It certainly did me at diagnosis.

If you haven't been testing of late, I'm going to suggest you take at least a week to do some testing, based on your current way of eating. My rationale is to give yourself a benchmark, so that you can understand where your numbers are running, but also where you see numbers higher than you want, you at least have a clue whether you can maybe trim back the portion size of that food, or if it really has to go, for the time being, at least.

Then, you can start to trim back your carbs, and keep testing, to compare how these new foods impact your blood, and track the improvements you make for yourself.

Good luck with it all.

 

[DeejayR]

Blimey from me too, @frankman . Fingers crossed your cancer is on the back burner or has even been extinguished altogether. Since you won't know for certain for a while, perhaps you can concentrate on learning more about the low-carb diet and see if you can adapt it to keep your blood sugar down. I think you've made the right decision for you to use walking as your main exercise if you don't like some of the gym exercises.
My cholesterol is high but I don't worry. I have a slight heart condition but I don't worry about that either. I just do the best I can to eat the right things and take some exercise and everything else will have to take care of itself. I think it's called delegating. Best of luck.

 

[seadragon]

I definitely think you should give low carb a go - it works for so many people and you've got nothing to lose. Yes it does mean a radically different diet but it's got nice food in it - bacon and eggs, berries and double cream and after a few weeks you start to lose your sweet tooth and sugar cravings go and you appreciate all the real flavours out there. Think of what you are gaining rather than what you might have to lose. As for pasta sadly it is probably one of the foods you may have to say good bye to. Some people have substituted spiralised courgette where they would have used pasta ( I do and actually prefer it now) or try the low carb noodles (konjac or something?) .

Also if you have a meter you can test before meals and then at 1 and two hours after meals to see how foods are affecting you. It's the only way to know how our bodies are reacting to carbs. NHS says not to but they are concerned only with hypos whereas we use it to give our bodies the best chance to be healthy. Some people find they can have pasta if they cook it cool it and reheat it (something to do with what happens to the starch when you do this) so maybe worth try for you if you are desperate for pasta. And of course there is the cauliflower crust pizza and all sorts of variations. I never used to cook but have quite enjoyed it since going low carb. My son is not diabetic but saw how much weigh tI lost as a side effect of my low carb high fat diet and decided to do it too. In two months he lost 2 stone and gained a six pack for the first time in his life.

I second the recommendation to look at dietdoctor.com - as well as the two week low carb challenge and loads of recipes he has links to all the science of why it works and other things like intermittent fasting etc. And all the important info is completely free - no sign up or anything. I subscribe but only because I believe so strongly in the low carb high fat message - you don't need to.

The only caution - if you are on any medication that affects your insulin then be aware that LCHF reduces the need for insulin so you may want to talk to your doc about reducing medication. My mum was on gliclizide and started reducing her carbs. She felt great but had to stop the glic since it would mean she went too low otherwise.

 

[frankman]

Hello friends, thank you for your kind replies. Pasta? that may be a killer! I hear your advice to discuss with my GP, I don't think she'll be happy, but that doesn't bother me. For 2 or 3 years, I wouldn't touch statins, I'm currently on a low dose of Pravastatin, that doesn't seem to bother me. How does the low-carb diet work, on this forum? Is it time based, or can I dip in and out of it as I please? I'm not very good at keeping to a time table. I found a website that is UK based, recommended by Michael Mosley, which is based on the Mediterranean diet, which sounds interesting. I found the diet doctor website but haven't looked closely at it. I shall look into low-carb, but I don't know how dedicated I will become towards it.

Frank.

 

[daisyduck]

Low carb works best if you can dedicate to it. but reducing carbs anyway will help.
You have to find what works for you and it has to be something you're happy with if you are going to stick to it.

 

[frankman]

Here is what happened today.
Before breakfast, my blood reading was 9.4 For breakfast I had 3 weetabix with semi-skimmed milk and cup of tea.

I checked my blood again before lunch, at 12.30pm my result was 11.6. For lunch I had a tin Heinz Minestrone soup with 3 bread rolls and butter, with a large glass of water. I rarely drink soft drinks.

At 5.15pm just now, I checked my blood again, resulting in 13.7! What I'm having for supper tonight, I don't know, my wife is out shopping.

These results are the highest that I have seen for many years, so I am a little alarmed. Of course I'm to blame, because I stupidly listened to my GP, to not test myself, to save NHS some money. Well the NHS isn't saving me is it? If I did continue to occasionally test myself, I may have seen a rising trend.

I haven't jumped on the low carb diet just yet. My wife and I still have food to use up. Plus we have a 3 year old granddaughter, who may not co-operate - I'm certain our daughter won't. I will look into it, but maybe not as wholeheartedly as other members on here.

My intention is to use some low carb eating, as well as to build up my ability to get out and walk. Once again I've got a heavy cold, after recently recovering from a chest infection. I believe my immune system is shot to pieces!


Frank.

 

[logindetails]

Before breakfast, my blood reading was 9.4
breakfast I had 3 weetabix with semi-skimmed milk and cup of tea.
before lunch, at 12.30pm my result was 11.6.
For lunch I had a tin Heinz Minestrone soup with 3 bread rolls and butter,
5.15pm just now, I checked my blood again, resulting in 13.7!

These results are the highest that I have seen for many years, so I am a little alarmed.

I haven't jumped on the low carb diet just yet. My wife and I still have food to use up. Plus we have a 3 year old granddaughter, who may not co-operate - I'm certain our daughter won't. I will look into it, but maybe not as wholeheartedly as other members on here.

My intention is to use some low carb eating, as well as to build up my ability to get out and walk. Once again I've got a heavy cold, after recently recovering from a chest infection. I believe my immune system is shot to pieces!.

Frank, you need to stop making excuses and start reducing your card intake asap.
There is no reason why your wife, daughter or granddaughter have to co-operate - it would be nice if they participated in a low carb diet with you but certainly not essential.
Heavy colds are a pain in the ass but should not stop you from doing some exercise, even if it's only climbing the stairs a few times after a meal.
You've had some good advice from forum members but it's up to you act on it.

 

[srobertson06]

It took me a while to get into the low carb higher fat way of eating. My doctor and diabetic nurse also said I did not need to test and that I could/should eat carbs with every meal.
Since I decided that their advice was not working for me as blood glucose levels were not dropping to the numbers they wanted to see I made the decision to try the low carbing - it is and does work for me.
I do not find it easy as many do but it does work and I am now back to pre-diabetic levels.

I think it is a decision only you can make because the NHS will not support you on this.

You need to test to find what foods cause your blood glucose to rise by too much........... (my own guide is no more than by 1.5)
Testing is first thing in the morning before food or a drink and is your fasting level. Then you have breakfast and test 2 hours after first mouthful. Then you test before lunch and again 2 hours after first mouthful of lunch and the same for your evening meal. If at all possible do not eat between these meals at least whilst you work out the blood sugar readings.

Out of the Bread, Pasta, Rice and Potatoes - for myself I can eat a small amount of potatoes without too much of an impact, the rest are really not an option for me - but we are all different so testing is the only way you will work out what is right for you.

I hope you find the information of use and all of the above is what I have done and what has helped me.