A few questions from a newbie

[BisphamGirl]

Hi everyone.
Being unexpectedly diagnosed Type 2 in March was a wake up call and im determined to get a grip of this.
I was very ill and had surgery over Xmas 2017 and my body just wouldn't heal afterwards. Numerous blood tests while I was in hospital, but it never occurred to them to test my blood glucose! Thankfully my GP practice nurse did when I made myself go in March and BINGO!

So my HbA1c was 97 in March and the diabetic nurse thinks I have had it for quite a while apparently. Appointments made for the retina test and my name is on the waiting list for the DESMOND awareness course. Prescribed 1 x 500mg Metformin daily and foot tickle test done. Appointment booked for another HbAlc in July and the following week for a review.

The Diabetic Nurse said that I didn't need to test, but (after reading the forums on here) I applied for a free monitor and have been religiously testing and from a start of 22.0 my readings are averaging at fasting 8.1 to a high of 9.5 before food and 13.5 after eating. So it's starting to come down.
I feel like I am more in control if I am testing, especially as I want to know if specific foods cause spikes.

I have in the past followed a low-carb diet for weightloss, so am dusting off the recipe books. Fortunately I don't have a very sweet tooth, so have easily knocked eating sweets, cake and biscuits on the head.

So I have a few questions, some might be a bit daft. But need to know if they are related to diabetes.

• Does a lack of or poor quality sleep have an impact on my readings?
• Do I need to inform the DVLA and my car insurance company, I have read different opinions on this, my understanding from reading the DVLA website is no, but the nurse said yes!
  
• If im counting carbs, what total consumption should I be aiming for each day to regain control?
• Any prevention methods to get rid of constantly reoccurring thrush?

Very relieved to find this forum and the voice of experience that is here.

 

[Resurgam]

Hello, welcome to the forum.
lack of sleep might well effect your readings, as any sort of stress can do the same.
Your nurse is wrong - the DVLA/car insurers only want to know if you are likely to go hypo due to medication - and Metformin is not going to do that.
That amount of carbs, and the particular foods you eat should be those which enable you to keep your BG under control - you need to work out your own particular regime as we are all different.
Thrush is usually the result of high BG levels - so reducing your BG should mean a reduction in the thrush.

 

[Rachox]

Hi and welcome BisphamGirl first I’ll tag in @daisy1 incase you haven’t seen her useful info post.
I’m glad you’re taking the bull by the horns and lowering your carbs and self testing. I tackled my type 2 with low carbing, self monitoring and Metformin and have had non diabetic HbA1cs since four months after diagnosis. To answer your questions.

• Poor sleep can raise your blood sugars.
• Driving, on just Metformin you don’t need to inform the DVLA but you do need to tell your insurance company but it shouldn’t affect your premium, mine wasn’t affected..
• The level of carbs is a personal thing. I started at less than 100g/day, then reduced to 50-70g/day after 6 weeks, this helped me avoid carb flu. I have naturally dropped to between 40-60g recently.
• Your thrush should clear up as you get your blood sugars down.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi and welcome,

@Resurgam is correct.

You only need tell the DVLA if you are on insulin or certain drugs that can cause hypos. Metformin is not one of those drugs.

Poor sleep, restless nights, stress and anxiety all contribute to high blood sugars.

Constant thrush is a symptom of high blood sugars, so if you can get your levels down the thrush should disappear.

Your meter will tell you how many carbs you can cope with. Testing before a meal and 2 hours later is the way to do it. Any rise from before to after should be under 2mmol/l. More than that and there are too many carbs in that meal. This should be done alongside a food diary including portion sizes. Record your levels next to the food and look for patterns. It won't be long before your personal danger foods become obvious, giving you the chance to reduce the portion or eliminate.

Edit: post crossed with @Rachox Glad we agree!

 

[Rachox]

Edit: post crossed with @Rachox Glad we agree!

GMTA, I learnt from the best!

 

[Resurgam]

Just so you know how effective eating low carb can be - I was diagnosed in Nov 2016 with BG of 17.1. By Christmas 2017 I had improved my levels so much that on Christmas eve and Christmas day my after dinner readings were both 5.6mmol/l.
Still smug.

 

[Bluetit1802]

GMTA, I learnt from the best!

I had to look up GMTA

 

[BisphamGirl]

Thanks for the speedy replies.
Got another odd question.
I teach 16-18 yr olds and we have rule that they aren't allowed to be left unsupervised.
It's a proving to be a pain having to summon a colleague so I can leave the room and go and test after lunch.
I want to test when im in class, I don't think it will bother my students, I doubt they will even notice, but does anyone else have any experience with this issue?

Forgot to also mention that my blood tests also revealed I have high (9) cholesterol, hoping this will go down as I gain control of my diet.

 

[BisphamGirl]

sleep - yes, big time
thrush - essentially candida albicans . Best drug is compounded Nystatin, second best regular Nystatin, avoid Mycostatin which is

I was prescribed Fluconazole, which I took for 14 days and was given a repeat prescription if needed but it hasn't been 100% effective. Will ask about Nystatin, Thanks

 

[rab5]

The cholesterol will sort itself out dont be getting annoyed about it

 

[BisphamGirl]

The cholesterol will sort itself out dont be getting annoyed about it

I was definitely annoyed, in fact more ticked off about that result than the diabetes!
I was very naive thinking being reasonably healthy and not significantly over weight meant I wasn't at risk.

 

[Diakat]

Thanks for the speedy replies.
Got another odd question.
I teach 16-18 yr olds and we have rule that they aren't allowed to be left unsupervised.
It's a proving to be a pain having to summon a colleague so I can leave the room and go and test after lunch.
I want to test when im in class, I don't think it will bother my students, I doubt they will even notice, but does anyone else have any experience with this issue?

Forgot to also mention that my blood tests also revealed I have high (9) cholesterol, hoping this will go down as I gain control of my diet.

I test at my desk, on the train, in restaurants ext. Hardly anyone notices. Go for it!

 

[daisy1]

@BisphamGirl

Hello BisphamGirl and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  
  
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
  

 

[BisphamGirl]

I survived my first social occasion today.
A wake after a family funeral.
I went prepared with a plain egg salad, but they had grilled chicken.
I even tested my BG whilst sat at the table!
Then my brother-in-law made comment that 'he worked at the hospital and wasn't I being a bit paranoid;, BANG went all my confidence.

 

[PenguinMum]

I survived my first social occasion today.
A wake after a family funeral.
I went prepared with a plain egg salad, but they had grilled chicken.
I even tested my BG whilst sat at the table!
Then my brother-in-law made comment that 'he worked at the hospital and wasn't I being a bit paranoid;, BANG went all my confidence.

Its amazing the comments people feel are acceptable to make. Please dont lose your confidence over it.

 

[Mick1959]

I survived my first social occasion today.
A wake after a family funeral.
I went prepared with a plain egg salad, but they had grilled chicken.
I even tested my BG whilst sat at the table!
Then my brother-in-law made comment that 'he worked at the hospital and wasn't I being a bit paranoid;, BANG went all my confidence.

Hi, do not loose confidence over one crass remark.

I appreciate how it can make you feel, and working in a hospital, should mean he would understand a medical condition can weigh on peoples mind, and that you were doing something positive to understand your situation, get to grips with it and manage it the best way you can.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Then my brother-in-law made comment that 'he worked at the hospital and wasn't I being a bit paranoid;,

I was told I'm paranoid a few times. I replied that yes, I am paranoid, about having my feet amputated. That shuts them up.
You were doing well until that comment - so forget it. It was an insensitive remark, and also incorrect.

 

[daisyduck]

I survived my first social occasion today.
A wake after a family funeral.
I went prepared with a plain egg salad, but they had grilled chicken.
I even tested my BG whilst sat at the table!
Then my brother-in-law made comment that 'he worked at the hospital and wasn't I being a bit paranoid;, BANG went all my confidence.

Butt out Bro ! You are not being paranoid you are taking control !

 

[porl69]

I had to look up GMTA

Me too

 

[kokhongw]

The Diabetic Nurse said that I didn't need to test, but (after reading the forums on here) I applied for a free monitor and have been religiously testing and from a start of 22.0 my readings are averaging at fasting 8.1 to a high of 9.5 before food and 13.5 after eating. So it's starting to come down.
I feel like I am more in control if I am testing, especially as I want to know if specific foods cause spikes.

You are absolutely on the right path ...