After 4 years it’s all gone wrong! Can’t get levels below 10/11

[PerfectStorm]

Hi
A bit of background to my situation - had gestational diabetes 7.5 years ago. 18 months after my son was born I had HBa1c of 53 and was diagnosed T2 in March 2015. 3 months later got it down to 38 having done Newcastle Diet and then low carb. Since then have have generally been between 41 and 45, with low carb diet

March last year doctor told me I shouldn’t have been diagnosed T2 as have only had one Hba1c in diabetic range. The others have been normal or pre-diabetic. (They accept they should have done another a couple of weeks after my 53 but didn’t)

I continued with low carb and kept weight off during the start of lockdown until July/August when I put some weight on. Stopped being so strict with low carb snd it went down hill a bit.
I’m currently just less than a stone heavier than in March 2020. I definitely have less muscle mass than I did then as well, as haven’t been able to do decent weights with gyms being closed. Have kept exercising (HIIT classes via zoom) but not as much.

Generally activity levels are less as working from home - this plus home schooling, bad weather means there isn’t much time for multiple (or sometimes any) walks outside midweek.

So since the new year I decided I need to sort things out and get back to low carb. I’ve been back to my low carb diet, eating how I used to.

I have started testing very regularly and am constantly seeing levels of 10/11. Fasting/pre-meals/post meals/random times of the are almost constantly at 10/11. I’ve even tested my meter on my husband to make sure it wasn’t broken!

I just can’t get the levels to come down and it’s starting to worry me. I’ve phoned the GP and have hba1c and fasting levels booked for tomorrow morning.
I’m fully expecting to be told they are well into diabetic levels and to be recommended to take metformin.

Why on earth are my levels not going down? I know I need to get the extra weight off but it’s ****** hard at the moment. Is that likely to be the cause?

Do I need to do the VLCD again? (I’m dreading the prospect, particularly at the moment with life as miserable and stressful as it is).

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

I’m feeling pretty worried and upset that my levels won’t come down, worrying about the damage it’s doing. Upset at the prospect of medication as I was always determined to remain diet controlled (and proud to have done it for 4 years). I’ve also resisted GP’s attempts to get me on statins.

I guess it’s better to have medication such as metformin to help get things down if that’s what it takes.

Anyway, sorry for the incredibly long post!


[mod edits for language]

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi
A bit of background to my situation - had gestational diabetes 7.5 years ago. 18 months after my son was born I had HBa1c of 53 and was diagnosed T2 in March 2015. 3 months later got it down to 38 having done Newcastle Diet and then low carb. Since then have have generally been between 41 and 45, with low carb diet

March last year doctor told me I shouldn’t have been diagnosed T2 as have only had one Hba1c in diabetic range. The others have been normal or pre-diabetic. (They accept they should have done another a couple of weeks after my 53 but didn’t)

I continued with low carb and kept weight off during the start of lockdown until July/August when I put some weight on. Stopped being so strict with low carb snd it went down hill a bit.
I’m currently just less than a stone heavier than in March 2020. I definitely have less muscle mass than I did then as well, as haven’t been able to do decent weights with gyms being closed. Have kept exercising (HIIT classes via zoom) but not as much.

Generally activity levels are less as working from home - this plus home schooling, bad weather means there isn’t much time for multiple (or sometimes any) walks outside midweek.

So since the new year I decided I need to sort things out and get back to low carb. I’ve been back to my low carb diet, eating how I used to.

I have started testing very regularly and am constantly seeing levels of 10/11. Fasting/pre-meals/post meals/random times of the are almost constantly at 10/11. I’ve even tested my meter on my husband to make sure it wasn’t broken!

I just can’t get the levels to come down and it’s starting to worry me. I’ve phoned the GP and have hba1c and fasting levels booked for tomorrow morning.
I’m fully expecting to be told they are well into diabetic levels and to be recommended to take metformin.

Why on earth are my levels not going down? I know I need to get the extra weight off but it’s bloody hard at the moment. Is that likely to be the cause?

Do I need to do the VLCD again? (I’m dreading the prospect, particularly at the moment with life as miserable and stressful as it is).

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

I’m feeling pretty worried and upset that my levels won’t come down, worrying about the damage it’s doing. Upset at the prospect of medication as I was always determined to remain diet controlled (and proud to have done it for 4 years). I’ve also resisted GP’s attempts to get me on statins.

I guess it’s better to have medication such as metformin to help get things down if that’s what it takes.

Anyway, sorry for the incredibly long post!

Reduce eating window and yes ultra low carb will help enormously.. could you try a month of carnivore and see how much your sugars reduce?

 

[lucylocket61]

Hi
A bit of background to my situation - had gestational diabetes 7.5 years ago. 18 months after my son was born I had HBa1c of 53 and was diagnosed T2 in March 2015. 3 months later got it down to 38 having done Newcastle Diet and then low carb. Since then have have generally been between 41 and 45, with low carb diet

March last year doctor told me I shouldn’t have been diagnosed T2 as have only had one Hba1c in diabetic range. The others have been normal or pre-diabetic. (They accept they should have done another a couple of weeks after my 53 but didn’t)

I continued with low carb and kept weight off during the start of lockdown until July/August when I put some weight on. Stopped being so strict with low carb snd it went down hill a bit.
I’m currently just less than a stone heavier than in March 2020. I definitely have less muscle mass than I did then as well, as haven’t been able to do decent weights with gyms being closed. Have kept exercising (HIIT classes via zoom) but not as much.

Generally activity levels are less as working from home - this plus home schooling, bad weather means there isn’t much time for multiple (or sometimes any) walks outside midweek.

So since the new year I decided I need to sort things out and get back to low carb. I’ve been back to my low carb diet, eating how I used to.

I have started testing very regularly and am constantly seeing levels of 10/11. Fasting/pre-meals/post meals/random times of the are almost constantly at 10/11. I’ve even tested my meter on my husband to make sure it wasn’t broken!

I just can’t get the levels to come down and it’s starting to worry me. I’ve phoned the GP and have hba1c and fasting levels booked for tomorrow morning.
I’m fully expecting to be told they are well into diabetic levels and to be recommended to take metformin.

Why on earth are my levels not going down? I know I need to get the extra weight off but it’s bloody hard at the moment. Is that likely to be the cause?

Do I need to do the VLCD again? (I’m dreading the prospect, particularly at the moment with life as miserable and stressful as it is).

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

I’m feeling pretty worried and upset that my levels won’t come down, worrying about the damage it’s doing. Upset at the prospect of medication as I was always determined to remain diet controlled (and proud to have done it for 4 years). I’ve also resisted GP’s attempts to get me on statins.

I guess it’s better to have medication such as metformin to help get things down if that’s what it takes.

Anyway, sorry for the incredibly long post!

I just want to mention that stress and anxiety put our blood sugar levels up. We have been living with anxiety for a long time, plus the stress of home schooling and working.

Might be worth looking at ways to deal with the stress? This is made harder by the difficulty with getting exercise, of course. I have started building some meditation time into my daily routine.

 

[PerfectStorm]

And I’ve just realised I can’t even work out how long it’s been, it should say ‘After 6 years it’s all gone wrong!’

 

[PerfectStorm]

And apologies for the ‘expletive’ in my post. It’s a very mild one so didn’t even think it would be against forum rules. Sorry

 

[Resurgam]

Perhaps taking stock of your carb intake and substitute lower carb options might help.
If you are at the upper limit of your carb tolerance the lockdown might mean that you are seeing the higher levels whenever you eat just a few gm of carbs over that limit.

 

[PerfectStorm]

Reduce eating window and yes ultra low carb will help enormously.. could you try a month of carnivore and see how much your sugars reduce?

Is eating in a reduced window, so presumably 16:8, something which you would expect to help reduce the sugars for that day or does it’s effects build with time of doing it? I only ask as in the past (when my levels were controlled) I’ve tried skipping breakfast but my levels seemed to rise until I have something to eat. My morning readings were always the hardest to keep in normal levels.

I’ve never heard of a carnivore diet for T2 control. Is it as it sounds, eating nothing but meat?

 

[lucylocket61]

I have started testing very regularly and am constantly seeing levels of 10/11. Fasting/pre-meals/post meals/random times of the are almost constantly at 10/11. I’ve even tested my meter on my husband to make sure it wasn’t broken!


[mod edits for language]

You are saying that your pre-meal levels and your post meal levels (after two hours) are 10-11 range?

Can you give us an idea of what your daily diet is, and if you are now on any other meds you were not on before?

 

[PerfectStorm]

You are saying that your pre-meal levels and your post meal levels (after two hours) are 10-11 range?

Can you give us an idea of what your daily diet is, and if you are now on any other meds you were not on before?

Yeah I just seem to continually get 10/11 whatever the reading - whether it’s first thing in the morning, before a meal, after a meal. Even an zoom exercise class doesn’t seem to bring it down.
No medication of any type

Tonight it was 11.0 before dinner and then 10.4 2 hours after. I had gammon, cabbage, low carb cauli cheese (made with soft cheese, cream, cheese, mustard), few green beans.

Breakfast/brunch this morning (as it’s a weekend) was bacon sandwich made with livlife bread and squirt low sugar ketchup.

Keto biscotti at 1pm

An Aldi seat salt dark choc nut bar (5.5g carbs)
Dinner - mentioned above

Yesterday was same breakfast, can’t remember lunch - don’t think I had much, dinner was steak, garlic mushrooms, green beans with chilli and garlic, some roasted squash

Other days I’ve had omelette for lunch
Sometimes no breakfast, other times a sausage, or Greek yoghurt few berries and flaked almonds for breakfast

Another dinner was Keto creamy sausage and courgette (which is delicious by the way if anyone fancies trying it https://ketobosh.com/creamy-zucchini-italian-sausage/)

I’ve had a few nuts, some cheese, a slice of ham, pork scratchings for snacks

All the sorts of things I’ve been eating for years

 

[PerfectStorm]

I just want to mention that stress and anxiety put our blood sugar levels up. We have been living with anxiety for a long time, plus the stress of home schooling and working.

Might be worth looking at ways to deal with the stress? This is made harder by the difficulty with getting exercise, of course. I have started building some meditation time into my daily routine.

That is a possible as I have been quite stressed and anxious at times.
It’s not all the time though, for example been feeling pretty relaxed Friday, Saturday and today (probably because of no work and no homeschooling at the weekend! )

 

[Mr_Pot]

@PerfectStorm it's a bit obvious but have you checked your meter? If not, try testing someone else to make sure they don't also read high.

 

[lucylocket61]

Yeah I just seem to continually get 10/11 whatever the reading - whether it’s first thing in the morning, before a meal, after a meal. Even an zoom exercise class doesn’t seem to bring it down.
No medication of any type

Tonight it was 11.0 before dinner and then 10.4 2 hours after. I had gammon, cabbage, low carb cauli cheese (made with soft cheese, cream, cheese, mustard), few green beans.

Breakfast/brunch this morning (as it’s a weekend) was bacon sandwich made with livlife bread and squirt low sugar ketchup.

Keto biscotti at 1pm

An Aldi seat salt dark choc nut bar (5.5g carbs)
Dinner - mentioned above

Yesterday was same breakfast, can’t remember lunch - don’t think I had much, dinner was steak, garlic mushrooms, green beans with chilli and garlic, some roasted squash

Other days I’ve had omelette for lunch
Sometimes no breakfast, other times a sausage, or Greek yoghurt few berries and flaked almonds for breakfast

Another dinner was Keto creamy sausage and courgette (which is delicious by the way if anyone fancies trying it https://ketobosh.com/creamy-zucchini-italian-sausage/)

I’ve had a few nuts, some cheese, a slice of ham, pork scratchings for snacks

All the sorts of things I’ve been eating for years

How old are your test strips?

 

[PerfectStorm]

@PerfectStorm it's a bit obvious but have you checked your meter? If not, try testing someone else to make sure they don't also read high.

I started to think it was maybe a faulty meter or strips but I tested my husband and his was 5.5 so unfortunately it’s not the meter that’s faulty, just me!

 

[PerfectStorm]

Quite old but when I tested on my husband, his was 5.5 so I don’t think it’s faulty/old strips, unfortunately

 

[lucylocket61]

Quite old but when I tested on my husband, his was 5.5 so I don’t think it’s faulty/old strips, unfortunately

how old is quite old? the strips may only be accurately registering a limited range.

 

[bulkbiker]

Is eating in a reduced window, so presumably 16:8, something which you would expect to help reduce the sugars for that day or does it’s effects build with time of doing it? I only ask as in the past (when my levels were controlled) I’ve tried skipping breakfast but my levels seemed to rise until I have something to eat. My morning readings were always the hardest to keep in normal levels.

I’ve never heard of a carnivore diet for T2 control. Is it as it sounds, eating nothing but meat?

Hi I found at the start of my journey that skipping breakfast combined with a ketogenic diet works wonders pretty quickly to bring blood glucose down so yes 16 hours fasting and eating in an 8 hour window. Over time I've now reduced the eating window to more like 4 hours fortified by coffee with double cream in the morning.
16:8 doesn't have to be missing out breakfast you could have breakfast and lunch and miss dinner if it works better for you. Its just that not causing insulin release can help to reduce the pressure on over production.

Yep as you state clearly carnivore is just eating animal (and fish) stuff no veg or fruit. Some people (me included) include some dairy as I can't have coffee without cream and yes coffee is often included as an honorary animal product because many are addicts!

 

[DrumHit]

Iv'e found that since the second lockdown everything has gone wrong with my diabetes management. Im slowly getting back on track as I get more active, this is suprising as I was made redundant last year, its a double edged sword of depression and bad diet, but im getting over the bad diet and just starting to see some good results. unfortunately the depression is still there.

 

[Resurgam]

I eat at twelve hour intervals, as I also found that my levels went on rising in the mornings until I ate. I also found that I got better results eating a few carbs - usually about 10gm, rather than all protein and fat, so I add a stirfry or a salad.

 

[PerfectStorm]

Well I had my blood tests and not a great deal of surprise with the results but can’t help but feel fed up:

Hba1c - 53
Fasting plasma 10.1!

Total cholesterol 7.2
HDL 1.8
HDL/total radio 4
LDL 4.7
Trigs 1.5

My readings are still high despite low carb:

Today:
FBG was 8.7

Late breakfast was 2 sausages (2 carbs)
Lunch - half piece of gammon, bit of Keto cauli cheese, few green beans.
homemade mocha and half a nut bar (6 grams carbs altogether). (This afternoon whilst freezing at the park with my son)

Pre- dinner tonight (which was 3 hours after the above drink) 8.6

I’ve been told I need to speak to diabetic nurse. I’d like to have a plan in my head before doing so.

I don’t know whether to go on Metformin for a few months to try to help get the numbers down combined with low carb diet

Or
Continue with low carb for 3 months and try to get into ketosis to lose weight, to see if that helps.

or

????