help have fallen off the wagon big time

[chrissieworne]

OMG, got back from my cruise and am out of control. Started off well, then things started creeping in, am now eating anything and everything, have a raging appetite and thirst and feel upset, anxious and generally very depressed. Also have a terrible cold and cough and know I am damaging myself. Why am I doing this? I am scared and frightenend to test because I am afraid what the result will be.

I need some words of wisdom guys, will I ahve done myself any long term probs?

Thanks for listening

Chrissie

 

[Romola]

Chrissie - sorry to hear that you feel out of control.

Not entirely unselfish in sympathising as I am off on a cruise in a month's time - so any advice re possible pitfalls would be most welcome.

Back to your cruise. Unless it was a very long one, you won't have been eating naughtily for very long.

I think you are wise not to test - no point in panicking yourself.

Tomorrow is another day - please don't feel guilty about your yesterdays.

Tomorrow you will start again - and test again when you feel in control again.

All the best

Romola

 

[cugila]

Hi Chrissie.

Don't despair. Just get yourself back together and get back on track. You won't have done any lasting damage at all. It is a 'glitch' - now just start again. You know what to do and if you don't then ask here.

I recently have had a virus, thought I had swine flu, had a biopsy and my Bg's were all over the place for a while. Now getting back in the old routine. Not a problem.

 

[Vikingepigen]

Hi Chrissie,

Firstly ............... YOU WILL BE FINE!!! Don't panic.

Know I do not know how you and your body normally deal with colds and viruses etc., but I usually eat a bit more, but try to keep the food to things like extra egss (scrambled and boiled), bacon, steamed salmon, very thin sliced steaks etc.

If you can just say to yourself, yesterday was yesterday ........ tomorrow is a fresh start and just go from there. Deal with the cold/virus the best you can, and remember the wonderful time you had on your cruise, draw a line under the "naughty eating" and get on with it. You have done it before, and you can again - don't beat yourself up over your holiday.

God only knows I have fallen off the wagon big time too - but knowing that you CAN move on, you CAN get back on track with a little effort, is a big moral booster.

Best
Alice

 

[Spiral]

Don't despair, there are days when I don't test because I have fallen far from the wagon too.

Deal with the cold first, that will skew your readings anyway. It takes weeks after i have had a cold or sinus infection befor emy system gets back to normal - my mouth is still dry 2 weeks on from my sinus :?

Try getting some acceptable low carb snacks in to replace high carb junk, keep busy, easier to go off plan if you are bored.

You know that you can get back with the program because you have done it already and when you see those numbers falling you will feel really pleased again.

 

[IanS]

Not entirely unselfish in sympathising as I am off on a cruise in a month's time - so any advice re possible pitfalls would be most welcome.

I returned from a 2 week long cruise just a month ago. With all that food included in the price available, the temptation can be very trying.

I, and my other half, were amazingly sensible. Most evening meals offered a few meat dishes and a few fish dishes. Stick with those and tell the galley to hold anything that you would not eat at home. Breakfast is easy - something like kippers or smoked haddock is completely harmless. We skipped most of the lunches (and even if we did have lunch stuck to the main course only). The cruise we were on offered a sugar free desert with both lunch and dinner, but we passed on desert most nights.

I hadn't been given my BG meter at this point and certainly didn't know about the carb problem, but reviewing the menus, it would seem that apart from root vegetables, rice and potatoes there was nothing particularly controversial.

On return from the cruise, I was pleased to discover that I had lost weight. Ok, so it was only 1 pound, but a weight loss is a weight loss and a major result after a cruise.

Enjoy your cruise.

IanS

 

[stuartclose]

Hi, I am in the same boat.

Just back from 2 weeks in Ireland, they do not believe in small portions! everything comes with sauces and usually cream, I didn't have one cream tea or an ice cream, just more food than usual.

Didn't put on too much weight (3 lbs) as we walked miles everyday but its now hard to get myself
back on track and lose this weight. Haven't taken any readings yet - must start soon.

Have been on Byetta now for about 18 months reached my target weight this year - 10 - 10.5 stone, Consultant said do not lose anymore!! Am awaiting an appointment with her now so will find out just how good-bad things are.

Take care all.


Pauline

 

[chrissieworne]

Thanks all,

Am feeling a bit better now and I realise I haven't done any harm in the long term. I am getting my head together and am strarting again.

Thanks for your support, I felt like a scared child, I suppose I was angry with myself as well.

The food on the cruise was very good and to be fair there was a lot of really healthy food, it was purely my choice to have cakes etc and once I started I couldn't seem to stop! :roll:

Anyway, have pulled myself together.....................till the next time! :lol:

Chrissie

 

[cugila]

Well done Chrissie.......

Here is something for getting back in the routine again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sd0xxDmcCw

 

[chrissieworne]

COOL....................just like me (well i try !) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[chrissieworne]

omg, still struggling, I CANNOT get the control back and I am really worried, this morning my reading was 14 !!! The last thing I had to eat was at 6pm last night, grilled salmon and veggies followed by an orange. Now I am really scared as I had to have my HBA1C done yesterday and I am convinced it'll be so bad when I see nurse on Fri she'll insist I start meds.

Can I refuse and ask for another shot at it?

I feel as tho I have lost the plot.

Please can someone give me an idea of an ideal day eating?

Thanks Chrissie

 

[Spiral]

Chrissie, it is your life and your health. Medical advice is just that, advice. Making an informed decision and refusing the advice is a valid choice.

Those high numbers may be because you are coming down with something, very common at this time of year, when the schools go back :?

I often refuse my GPs advice, poor man :roll: I resisted medication (metformin) for quiite a while. Yet I still have a good relationship with my doctor.

I'd say, what is the difference between your HbA1c and your other numbers when you started and now? In terms of your control, if that has improved, the occasional blip is that, a blip. Although the HbA1c is a 3-monthly average, it is skewed towards the last few weeks.

I started the meds because of my high morning numbers. They frightened me because i was in the danger zone for several hours every day, I accepted meds after 6 months. I have no intention of taking them long term - only until I have lost the weight (huge amount to go) and the insulin resiatnce has gone. If my morning numbers had been lower I would have persisted with the diet only.

If you are worried, you could always cancel the appointment and rebook it for a couple of weeks from now. Although if those numbers seem to have stabilsed at those levels, I'd say consider the meds if there are no other things you can tweak in your diet.

Tell us about the things you eat and we might be able to help. What is a typical days food for you?

 

[chrissieworne]

Had fallen off wagon, now on Metformin

Hi all, especially Spiral, sorry for not getting back to you.
Well, saw DN today, jury still out on the bp so have another month's reprieve on the meds front. My HBA1 came back as 7.2 so it has crept up by .2 from last time. I wasn't suprised but the DN praised my efforts overall since diagnosis in May 09 as then it was 9.

However, there is some concern as my liver function is not quite right and I am absolutely exausted, have thrush....again and the thyroid levels are ok so its not that and my thyroxine is at right level.

DN very supportive but wanted me to start on Metformin 500mg at breakfast for 10 days then if I tolerate it ok, an additional 500mg evening because my early am levels are high. She said its not a step backwards but sideways because I have given it a good go but my body needs the help. She said its to protect me and if things go well the dosage can be lowered or even in perfect case scenario stopped in the future. She said if it makes me feel poorly she will cahnge it to the slow release type.

I feel ok about it and if it will make me feel better, less tired and perhaps as she said possibly help curb my appetite it is a good move. Am I right?

I also think I am going to try to curb my carbs a bit as well.

Spiral, you asked for my diet. Well, I usually have 2 weetabix for breakfast with skimmed milk and no sugar. Lunch is either a salad with lean meat or a sandwich with 2 slices of brown bread with egg or meat filling and salad leaves, perhaps an apple or orange. Dinner varies, can be a jkt spud and salad or beans, or fish, meat and sald or veg. Usually have a poece of fruit and a yougurt or sugar free jelly. If I need a snack its normally a few nuts or a banana.

I have semi skim milk in drinks, no sugar or sweetners, sugar free squash or diet cola, lots of plain water. Occasionally a couple of rich t biccies with a cuppa.

What do you all think, a...about the meds and b....about the diet?

Chrissie :wink:

 

[chrissieworne]

Re: Had fallen off wagon, now on Metformin

apologies for my appalling spelling!!!

Chrissie

 

[Spiral]

chrissy, your diet is very heavy on starchy carbohydrate. That is why your numbers are running high.

Diabetics are intolernat of carbohydrates and succesful diabetics reduce and/or limit their intake, whatever the dietary approach they adopt in the end. You need a diet you can stick to.

The advice you may have been given to eat starchy carbohyrdate, in my opinion, slowly poisons diabetics. I don't think that is an overstatement. Every last gram of starch in your diet is metabolised in to glucose in our bodies - diabetics do not have the pancreatic function to deal with it.

I have been testing my blood sugar and have established that my numbers start heading back to diabetic levels when I consume more than 50g of carbs a day. If you want to avoid medication, then reducing your starchy carbohydrate intake is what you need to consider doing. I have lost massive amounts of weight and my current 7-day average is 5.5 on a low carb diet. I reduced my HbA1c from 7.8% on diagnosis to 6% at the end of August (test just after I'd been on holiday :roll: ) all this on diet alone.

I suggest you take a look around here, especially in the diet forums and find a diet you can stick with. I started with a low glyceamic index diet, because Diabetes UK supports it, but what has really made the difference to me was going low carb. You need to establish how much carb your body tolerates and you need to develop a testing regime to do that, then eat to your meter. Some poel;e can tolerate an awful lot more carb than me, some a lot less.

I recommend you visit http://www.bloodsugar101.com to find out all about the mechanism of how blood sugar works in diabetics. It is a very well researched and easy to read site, albeit American :wink: When I was in a state of depair a few months ago I accidentally stumbled upon it and it gave me hope that I could bring my blood sugar under control, which is more or less what I have done, I'm now working on improving and maintaining control and losing a further 3/4 of my bodyweight :shock: :roll: when I hope my control will improve further

Also, you might want to consider a gentle excercise program as that will wake up your insulin receptors and reduce insulin resistance. But the main thing you need to do is reduce the carbs you consume and unlearn some of the accepted wisdom on "healthy" diets :| A lot of those rules just don't apply to diabetics.

Good luck, keep posting and asking for advice and help, loads of great advice here. I would not have got this far without it :mrgreen:

 

[julie...57]

Hi What a great piece of advice your have given I would also like to say thanks
Julie

 

[bramhall-paddler]

DON'T PANIC!!!.

I came back off holiday in March having over indulged (and enjoyed it too!) The Monday after returning I had my 6 monthly check up and was dreading it. All the usual bloods were taken and the discussion had with my practise nurse, she wagged her finger at me because of my alcohol intake on holiday and sent me packing with a flea in my ear. (my normal booze intake is 4 units a week but while I was on holiday it went up to 42, OOPS !!!).
A week later I was well and truly back in control , lots of hard graft catching up with the gardening etc and the holiday weight was starting to disappear. I went to collect my HBA1C results and was pleasantly surprised. I normally run at about 6.5 to 7.0 bit this time it had increased to 7.7, I actually thought it would be higher than this. Even so, I promised myself to be good until my birthday in July and to increase my physical activity. The result is that I have now dropped from my holiday weight of 13 stone to 12stone 2 lbs and the bloods are back to where they should be.
Don't beat yourself up because you enjoyed yourself, just remember there is always a trade off and you have to work hard to get the balance right. Understanding this has helped me enormously and I find it even more satisfying when I do get things right.
Don't panic, you will soon be back on track.

Pete.

 

[multitasker]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems.They can give you all the sympathy you want to make you feel better,but the quickest way is to test your blood, and take appropriate action as soon as possible.
Sympathy does not reduce your blood sugar levels.
Get real! have a nice day.
Type One Devil :twisted:

 

[jeanette123]

hi my name is jeanette
i too have fallen off the wagon and can't seem to get my diabetes under controll doctors have recently changed my insulin and i am now always hungry and to be honest i am rather fed up of injecting 5 times a day and taking metformin too i am very depressed and i don't check bloods as often as a should as i am scared of the results too

any advice would be greatly appreciated

love jeanette x

 

[sugarless sue]

This is the advice we give for new diabetics. Some of the advice may help you reduce your blood sugar levels and also, in time, your insulin.

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.

As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!
If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l.(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l. ( Type 2)

2hrs after meals....... no more than 9 mmol/l (Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Sue/Ken.