Struggling with food

[RachelN76]

Hi all,

It’s been 2-3 weeks since my type 2 diagnosis, and I’m struggling.

Ideally I’m trying to do the Newcastle diet, but at the moment, I’m being a bit pathetic, and can’t stick to it. Mainly because I’m starving, and I lack any kind of willpower at all, even though I’ve done it really successfully in the past.

If I eat any kind of carbs, tiny bit of pasta or rice, sugars go high (13-14-15), and then there’s nothing I can do except wait for them to come down, which takes forever. So that’s no good.

Eating any kind of fat seems to now give me stomach cramps and diarrhoea - brilliant. In fact, eating anything at all does that, but the presence of fat makes it ten times worse. And I can’t hack that.
I think this is made worse by the metformin, and the fact that I also take erythromycin. Both of these give me the trots anyway, but the stomach cramp thing is new. I’ve built up my metformin from 1 a day, to 2, and now just about to start 3 - but to be honest, the dose doesn’t seem to make any difference. It’s bad at any dose!

Is it worth going back to the GP, or do I need to give everything longer to settle down? And if I do ask him, is there anything he can do, or is it just one of those things I need to get used to? It’s bearable at home, but awkward at work, and out of the house! (Sorry!)

 

[RachelN76]

Sorry, just realised the following might be helpful:

43y, female

Type 2 diabetes - metformin 500mg 3 times a day And Gliclazide 80mg once a day
Acne rosacea - erythromycin 250mg twice a day
Migraine - propranolol 40mg twice a day
Omeprazole 20mg twice a day

(Yes, I am slowly falling to pieces!)

But despite that, I would describe myself as generally fit and well.

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. Do ask the GP to swap you to the Slow Release version of Metformin 'Metformin SR' as it's much kinder on the stomach. When reducing the carbs it's important to have enough fats and proteins to balance. I favour the LCHF diet rather than the ND as the ND is based around calories which in my opinion are irrelevant for us. Can you let us know your BMI i.e. do you have excess weight?

 

[Brunneria]

Hi and welcome @RachelN76

If you are drastically dropping your calories, carbs, protein and yes, fats, to newcastle diet levels, then you may well need to reduce your medication.
Are you testing your blood glucose?

Have a read of the Metformin leaflet that comes with your tablets. I bet it says ‘not to be taken while fasting’.
If the Metformin is upsetting your tum, then it may just be too harsh without enough food. As @Daibell says, a slow release version may help.

As for the Gliclazide, your blood glucose medication needs may be lowering significantly while on the Newcastle - and you may be at risk (or experiencing) hypos - which could be why you are feeling so rough and unable to stick to the diet.

One of the body’s ways to recover from a hypo is HUNGER and cravings.

Hope that helps.

 

[Dazbobaby]

I can't help you with names of medication... but a friend has medicated Type 2 and she's had IBS for years.
One day a consultant at the hospital said ahh.. you're taking xxx tablet, and swapped it for another tablet.

The IBS stopped the next day.
So it could be the medication you're taking. Ask the doctor to try an alternative.

 

[RachelN76]

Thank you.

My BMI is 38, so yes, lots of excess weight to lose!
GP did warn me I might not need Gliclazide if I was doing VLCD, but he’s quite ‘hands off’ and is usually happy for me to mess around with meds until I find what works. Which admittedly may not always be the best strategy, but I quite like it.

I started off having the Gliclazide with my evening meals (mainly because I didn’t read the instructions, and it seemed most sensible to have it with my main meal of the day), but have since changed to having it in the morning as you’re supposed to. But I dont do breakfast - I really can’t. Please don’t tell me to have breakfast!

I am testing my BG. Usually first thing in the morning, and then pre and post at least one meal a day.

Morning BM is usually very high - 13+
Pre meals are usually 7-9
Post meals usually 9+

So all too high.
Having said that, I’ve just this minute done a post snack, pre-tea BM and it’s 5.9 which is my lowest ever. Woohoo!

But now I don’t know what to have for tea!

 

[Chook]

If ordinary Metformin is disagreeing with you (stomach cramps and not getting much warning about needing the loo) then you mught want to ask about changing to slow release Metformin which is kinder to the tummy.

i agree with @Brunneria that if you have gone very low with calories then that might be causing your problem. Recently I fasted for five days but carried on taking my metformin and i had a very poorly tummy even though I've taken it for years without any other problem.

 

[1spuds]

See your Dr and get your meds reviewed.

 

[Chook]

As for what to eat.... any combination of eggs, meat, fish, chicken, salad, above ground veg.

 

[JohnH2019]

Have you had the exocrine function of your pancreas tested for? Especially the reaction to fat could be that you are not breaking down your food properly due to a lack of pancreatic enzymes. EPI or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is what floored me more than the diabetes side of things. Your doctor might be able to get you a prescription for Creon or similar to take with food and see whether that improves things.