Advice to help get me back on track

LoubyLou 2

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I haven't been testing and need to go back to the drawing board with the testing.

I'm Type II, put myself on my own version of Low Carb accidentally (because no one was helping me for months with my new diagnosis - so I just figured well if I cut carbs that I know are sugary and sugar out that is a start. By the time I finally saw a Diabetic nurse (many months down the line, sigh) I had lost 4 stone in weight was was no longer in the diabetic range.

Unfortunately I was only found to be Diabetic when I presented in hospital with a serious health condition and they tested for for all manner of things. I think its why the Diabetes was sort of shelved. It was super high though when found. I was given a monitor at some point but couldn't be bothered to use it (doh).

Over two years I've put one stone back on (I originally lost three stone). Annual appointment I was really unwell with my other health condition and didn't take in everything that was said apart from my readings were higher and a concern so I said I would shift the one stone I had gained and go back in three months. Three months is up and they haven't called me. Its all a bit lax where I am. I also have only shifted about half 5lbs in that three months (as other health condition was still bad and my focus wasn't on diabetes).

I think I need advice to start from the beginning and monitor my readings and take notes at my diabetic consultations. I've no idea what my HB thingy was. See, I don't even know what its called. I need to start to take this more seriously!

Have you got some pointers for me please? I'm happy eating low carb but I am a vegetarian (been one most of my life). I also intermittent fast after evening meal (as early as I can, usually 6 to 6:30pm but sometimes as late as 7:30pm then I don't usually eat again until 11am or 12pm).

Any advice welcome or suggestions where to look in the threads.

Thank you.
 
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Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
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LoubyLou 2

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @LoubyLou 2

It sounds like you have a plan and just need to implement it.


If I were you I’d find out what your HbA1c score is so that you can track progress - your blood sugar levels are more important than weight loss.

Good luck with it.

Awww thank you for that Goonergal. Can I also ask, where do I find info on how often and when to prick my finger? I would also like to track what I'm eating to check its not doing a problem but don't know how sooner after eating it and what I am looking for. Thank you.
 

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
And just bumping this up so that it appears in the new posts list.
 

ianf0ster

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,399
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
exercise, phone calls
I haven't been testing and need to go back to the drawing board with the testing.

I'm Type II, put myself on my own version of Low Carb accidentally (because no one was helping me for months with my new diagnosis - so I just figured well if I cut carbs that I know are sugary and sugar out that is a start. By the time I finally saw a Diabetic nurse (many months down the line, sigh) I had lost 4 stone in weight was was no longer in the diabetic range.

Unfortunately I was only found to be Diabetic when I presented in hospital with a serious health condition and they tested for for all manner of things. I think its why the Diabetes was sort of shelved. It was super high though when found. I was given a monitor at some point but couldn't be bothered to use it (doh).

Over two years I've put one stone back on (I originally lost three stone). Annual appointment I was really unwell with my other health condition and didn't take in everything that was said apart from my readings were higher and a concern so I said I would shift the one stone I had gained and go back in three months. Three months is up and they haven't called me. Its all a bit lax where I am. I also have only shifted about half 5lbs in that three months (as other health condition was still bad and my focus wasn't on diabetes).

I think I need advice to start from the beginning and monitor my readings and take notes at my diabetic consultations. I've no idea what my HB thingy was. See, I don't even know what its called. I need to start to take this more seriously!

Have you got some pointers for me please? I'm happy eating low carb but I am a vegetarian (been one most of my life). I also intermittent fast after evening meal (as early as I can, usually 6 to 6:30pm but sometimes as late as 7:30pm then I don't usually eat again until 11am or 12pm).

Any advice welcome or suggestions where to look in the threads.

Thank you.
Hi LoubyLou2.
Fist I want to say a huge congratulations for having been able to lose all that weight and get your Blood Glucose out of the diabetic range without any support or advice in the first place. - That is an enormous achievement!

Secondly, it isn't your fault that you have let things slip diabetes and weight wise since then. Again, without support and advice staying 'on the wagon' is also a huge and continual effort!

You say that you are vegetarian so that limits your choices a little, but so long as you aren't Vegan then a suitable ' dietary lifestyle' - not a 'diet' because it is for life, isn't that difficult for most members. There are various forms of Low Carb that people do. For example, some cut carbs to below 20gm per day and are thus doing a 'Keto' lifestyle, while others cut them down to below 50gms per day (myself included), while others have a much higher tolerance of Carbs and are fine on around 100gms per day.
There are 2 major points here:
1. Everybody is different (some can eat root veg like Carrots - I can't) .
2. Eat to your BG Meter! Test for the suitability of a meal by testing your BG before the meal, then once or twice after the meal. For the more 'carby' meals test after 1hr and after 2hrs (after 1st bite).
For a less 'carby' or low GI index meal test after 2hr and 3hrs..

I don't know if you eat dairy, but if you do, then eggs are good an versatile. Milk may be problematic (it contains natural sugars) but Cream, full fat plain Yoghurt and full fat Cheese are also good.
Most doing Low Carb here either go Low Carb High Fat (as I do) or go full 'Carnivore' - which obviously isn't for you.

There is a Low Carb Diet Forum and a Vegetarian Diet Forum, ss well as huge numbers of success stories of using Low Carb to get out and stay out of the diabetic Blood Glucose range.
 
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sausage91

Member
Messages
15
Doctors don't 'call you' anymore - you have to make the appointment. When you see the doctor ask if you can be put on the education programme which is the key to understanding everything Diabetes. Good Luck hun.
 

ianf0ster

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,399
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
exercise, phone calls
Doctors don't 'call you' anymore - you have to make the appointment. When you see the doctor ask if you can be put on the education programme which is the key to understanding everything Diabetes. Good Luck hun.

The advice that I took about a course (DESMOND) was that I was just as likely (if not more so) to get bad/dangerous advice on the course and even be offered biscuits or cake on the coffee break.
So even though I had heard of some members experiencing a 'good course', I decided not to attend one, since I would rather be 'non-compliant' but improving my BG than either disrupting a course or biting my tongue for 6 1/2 hours of mental torture with dangerous advice!
 
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KateA

Well-Known Member
Messages
271
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Meat and now sugar and carbs!!!
Well done @LoubyLou 2. I had the same experience when as a long term hospital patient, the diabetes was ignored. The food was pumped with carbs and Ihad my blood sugars tested before a meal. After 4 months I just gave up.

Now I am a born again keto kid having lapsed. There is a lot of pointers, advice in these forums and the wider website. I spent hours every night devouring information. You have a meter, please start using it. Testing 2 hours after you finish you meal will let you see the effect the food has had on you. As @ianf0ster says, we are all different so trust your meter.

One thing I would say is you mentioned "carbs that you know are sugary", I am not sure what you meant by that. For example would bread, rice or pasta be considered sugary carbs? Probably not but still the enemy, in my opinion.

I am also vegetarian, but lacto/ovo. Eggs and cheese are a big part of my diet. I can eat fried cheese and keep my bs level and lose weight, it is like a dream come true.

Read, ask questions, read more, try things out and test, test, test.
 
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