Spiralling Health Problems

[svalentine60]

Hi, the best bit of advice I can give you that hasn't been touched on, is keeping a food dairy and testing
BG at meal times. When you do a dairy and test you will quickly see which foods are having an affact. A

thank you for that I will begin a diary of my eating daily

 

[svalentine60]

There is a rule of thumb, or golden rule.
FORGET CARBOHYDRATES.
It`s not difficult to find online what`s forbidden for us with type 2.
Very simple rules: NO CARBS.

I know that no carbs is what will help me, i don't understand why i can't seem to stick to it.

 

[svalentine60]

That is a lot to cope with.
I am an emotional eater too. When I was told I had prediabetes a while ago I managed to get it under control, but slipped back into my old eating after.
Then my annual blood test this year went up from normal to diabetic.
I was lucky, my new GP offered support for me to go back on the low carb diet instead of metformin, my diabetic nurse is OK (if not fully supportive of low carb at first) and the dietitian offered a little advice while I taught her about low carb!
Plus my GP gave me a phone number to get an appointment with IAPT to talk about my eating patterns.
I'm a member of the lowcarbprogram - they offer support, meal plans, and a food diary to calculate fats/carbs/protein. And now the sign-up fee can be covered by a prescription.
Within two weeks back on lowcarb my blood sugars were back in the normal range - so I know if I stay firm I can avoid diabetic complications without the drugs. That is a huge incentive.
As for the comfort eating - I have low carb pancakes with fruit sometimes, or low carb cake, and at night I have 1-2 squares of 80% chocolate. Apart from that I find a square of cheese with often shuts up the craving.

The only problem for you might be gallstones - I had my gallbladder out a few years back but before that I had to really limit the amount of fat I ate. It was really annoying to find out that previous low fat diets probably caused them! (Yoyo dieting can cause gallstones.) If you want to go low carb, you really need to good advice on how to do this.

Hi Tricia

I wish my surgery was as supportive. I am waiting for a scan for possible gallstones and have been given oral morphine as i was in a lot of pain recently below my ribs and spreading to the right and into my back. She thought it is possible gallstones. That was a while ago and still waiting for the appointment. I did tell the surgery that i never feel full. I can eat a full meal and an hour later be hungry again. I even wake in the night to eat. They did say it sounded like some sort of eating disorder and didn't seem to understand that my body really does feel hungry all the time, although i admit i am an emotional eater. Also when i was told i was pre-diabetic that is all they said and to come back in a year. I wasn't told i could stop it going onto diabetes or how to do it.

 

[svalentine60]

Hi @svalentino and @Lisaleo

You can do this! Take control with calm assertiveness.

This is what to eat and what NOT to eat in pictures :

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/foods

I know it works because I have lost 32lbs since 22nd April.

Good luck!

Thank you x

 

[svalentine60]

Hi there you have joined a great forum for people with Diabetes, I was sceptical at first, as like you I have quite a few issues, but I joined here (on the advice of my GP)
I have not looked back, my depression and anxiety is virtually under control and by going on a low carb intake, I wouldn't say diet as thats the wrong word, I do not take sugar in my tea but perhaps one in coffee,
I used to be quite active but old age takes its toll, My levels were quite high as was my BP and cholesterol but now with all the helpful advice on here My cholesterol is 5.1 my BP 145/79 and my BG levels about 6.8 I am now 72 and apart from sciatica and gout I can still sort out a few jobs around the house and get involved with my grandchildren. (although I do not ride motorcycles or scuba dive anymore)
I know its easy to say but try to cut down on the sugars, get yourself a free testing kit and keep a diary you will see how you are doing on a weekly basis, I was testing myself every day and even got paranoid about it, but now once a month just to see if I am going in the right or wrong direction. Listen to the advice on here and you cannot go wrong.
Good luck and stay well.

Thank you x I do have a testing kit that the doctor provides. I am on avarstatin for cholesterol but have never been told what mine is at. I really want to do this and i don't know why i feel so hungry all the time. it's not just hunger its a craving for certain foods as well. I am going to try. I'm shopping tomorrow and will only get in low carb foods so that i have no choice and will not have any high carb foods to reach for. I'm 57 and have so many health conditions already. I'd like to be here in 20 years and if that is to happen i need to change now.

 

[Steve978]

Svalentine60 I've been on metformin 500mg twice a day for 2 years now plus rosuvastatin and had bad stomach problems. For the past 5 weeks now a new doctor stopped me taking metformin and prescribed me Gliclazide 40mg which I take once a day with evening meals and my stomach feels much better although I now have to watch my diet much more and exercise more. My blood sugar levels are sometimes quite low but my stomach problems appear to be ok now. I've learnt a lot from the forum just by reading everyone's problems and advice. Like you I did not receive much advice or should I really say that I was in denial and could not believe this was happening to me. (Condolences on the loss of your daughter )stick with the forum lots of people will advise you much more than me . It's not often That I respond on line so good luck.

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[svalentine60]

Svalentine60 I've been on metformin 500mg twice a day for 2 years now plus rosuvastatin and had bad stomach problems. For the past 5 weeks now a new doctor stopped me taking metformin and prescribed me Gliclazide 40mg which I take once a day with evening meals and my stomach feels much better although I now have to watch my diet much more and exercise more. My blood sugar levels are sometimes quite low but my stomach problems appear to be ok now. I've learnt a lot from the forum just by reading everyone's problems and advice. Like you I did not receive much advice or should I really say that I was in denial and could not believe this was happening to me. (Condolences on the loss of your daughter )stick with the forum lots of people will advise you much more than me . It's not often That I respond on line so good luck.

​

Thanks Steve x

 

[hooha]

Hi,

Have finally decided to get involved with the forum because i seem to making a mess of everything while trying to do it alone and have felt embarrassed and a bit ashamed of my spiralling diabetes type 2 and other health problems due to my own actions. I'm 57, divorced and live with my student son whose 22. I was told i had pre-diabetes a few years ago. Maybe around 5 or 6. Doctor just said i was prediabetic and he'd test me again in a year. Didn't say anything else. What i could do etc to stop becoming diabetic and i knew nothing so off i went and continued to have 4 sugars in my tea and high sugar content junk food on a daily basis. Was then diagnosed diabetic a few months later and again not given much info but given 500mg of Metformin to take a day which kept my sugars at a normal level for quite a while. I have had other health and mental health problems for a few years. I have a severe anxiety disorder, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc. My sugars just kept getting higher. I told my diabetic nurse and doctor many times i was struggling. That i felt constantly hungry even directly after i had eaten. That for some reason i couldn't stop eating sweets, chocolate, white bread etc daily. Nothing much was said so each time i came away feeling alone and on a downward spiral. It got worse and worse. My daughter died at xmas 2015 suddenly and my world collapsed and i feel just as bereft today, every minute of every day. My sugars continue to spiral and i would call myself an emotional eater. My sugars are often on average 12 and upwards when i wake up and haven't eaten since dinner the night before. I now take 9 tablets a day consisting of Metformin, Levothyroxine, Ramipril, Beta blockers, Avarstatin, sitagliptin, Amlodipine. I'm only 5ft 3 and should weigh around 9.5 stone. I weight 12st 7. I have tried every diet known to man and last a whole day sometimes. I've been in a lot of pain lately and my doctor thinks it is likely gallstones but of course my anxiety makes it worse. I have pain in the abdomen, swollen stomach and sore stomach a lot, upper back pain etc and am waiting for a scan which is frightening me because my anxiety makes me think it is something far worse (How can gallstones cause so much constant pain in lots of places etc). I decided yesterday to start intermittent fasting after watching a documentary. Lasted all day yesterday until the evening when i had four slices of high fat pizza. Started again today and at 11am went and had pate on two pieces of white toast. So you can see my struggle. I have no idea how to improve my health, how to lower my sugars. Healthy foods that i enjoy are in the main too expensive for me and everyday I am aware that with all my health problems already at my age, that i am unlikely to see old age unless i do something now. Sorry for the ramble but I do feel a bit better having said it all out loud even if it is online x

Hi @svalentine60 well well well...you lasted until you had a pate on toast !? PRETTY GOOD. WELL DONE .
All you have to do is get rid of that toast. Try instead of that bit of toast, use a slice of raw cabbage leaf-- then add tomato , fried egg, cheese, whatever -
to make a sandwich of it. Pate is great, so is fried fatty bacon. Don't forget if you do a good solid Newcastle diet the hunger goes away after a few days. They say. No- it worked for me. good luck

 

[SlimLizzy]

Hello and welcome to the forum,
You have a whole lot of stuff to deal with, its not at all surprising you are so anxious.
I too have difficulty with digesting a lot of fat, so my recommendation is low carb, medium fat. I know that sounds complicated, but truly its not. Have your eggs for breakfast, lunch or dinner boiled, or poached, and the bacon grilled. Full fat greek yoghurt as mentioned before with a portion ( 80g) (do you have scales?) of raspberries or mixed berries. You mention financial issues, so buy them frozen - much less expensive. Same with the yoghurt, buy a larger pot, not the individual ones, you will soon know if three or four spoonfuls is your portion. There are also lower fat cheeses out there, am buying the smoked cheeses slices from Lidl and Aldi, only 5g of fat per slice.
Your chicken and kale meal is definitely on the right track.
Best wishes for a healthier and happier 2019
Liz

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @svalentine60, One ideal thing would be to have a buddy who is going through the same troubles. That way you each have a support person. People on this site may be able to suggest who to contact in this regards , if that is something you may wish to do.
As someone who has had diabetes for 52 years. I have looked at most diets and suffered the hunger pangs.
Emotion can get to us all. I hope you are looking at some counselling to help.
The book that stands out to me is Dr Richard Bernstein's Diabetes Solution where is talks about the low carb diet, provides recipes and has a section on eating behaviour. This section shows how he helps patients as a doctor and how, as a diabetic himself, he knows what diabetics go through.
Such a section may be helpful to show to your doctor or Diabetes Specialist Nurse as there are remedies there that may require their input. And having support in that way, where the book author, a doctor and diabetic, can show other health professionals what his experience is, could make things a lot easier for you.
It your doctor or nurse refuse to look at it, or dismiss it, you know for sure that they need to be replaced !!!
Not as a joke, but as an experiment a toy snake was put in the fridge of people with eating troubles and it seemed to help them eat less !!! Anything is worth a try. Which might be worse/ toy snakes or toy spiders !!!
In all seriousness, Best Wishes for 2019 !!