Any other newbies noticing this???

chocoholicnomore

Well-Known Member
Messages
638
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I am only recently diagnosed and have been really strict with myself since diagnosis. The fright I got made sure of that :lol: Hb1ac went down from 9.5 to 6.8.

However, Christmas has surprised me in an unusual way. It's my first Christmas since diagnosis and I have been a bit wary. Just before Christmas I ate some sweets at work and my BG levels didn't spike (see other thread)

Over Christmas I recieved chocolate gifts from people who didn't know about my diagnosis ( I hadn't broadcast it). Those of you who know me by now will know that I have no willpower when it comes to anything chocolate :oops: I tried to pace myself but failed miserably.

To cut to the chase I have been overeating since Christmas day-big time :crazy: and still polishing off left over sweets at work today!!! My BG levels are still in 5 or 6s :shock: :shock: Today when I came home it was 4.3 :shock:

What I would like to know is:
1. Is this because I am only recently diagnosed and was really strict for last few months?
2. Or will all the glucose eventually build up and my BG level will shoot up suddenly?
3. Or, even though BG levels not shown as rising, could it still cause long term damage?
4. Or has my diabetes not developed enough/bad enough for the sweets to have an immediate impact?
5. Or am I just lucky and have "got away with it"

I am really worried as I know it will be really hard for me to get back to the strictness I had before Christmas. Then I was terrified to eat anything because of the thought of what it could do to me but now, psychologically, I feel it is not "doing any harm". (Hope you understand what I mean)

Is there anybody else experiencing the same sort of reaction?

Any help/advice/opinions much appreciated.

Thanks
 

Tracey69

Well-Known Member
Messages
310
Hi
I have been diagnosed 36yrs with type 1 diabetes and am now 42yrs old.
Like yourself i have stuffed myself but my levels have been occassioally high (very), but i have given myself extra insulin at the time ( not really advised to do so) especially when you know your in the wrong.
It sounds as though you have done a good job at keeping it under good control, our diets will put us through temptations, May be more some of us than others.
YOu just need to remember after christmas you need to try and eat a proper diet and try and cut the chocolate. My down fall is normal coke cola, mince pies and cream, can't wait for them all to go as i lost 4 stone at the beginning of the year and i don't wish to gain it back.
Your not alone most people struggle at this time of year.
Keep in touch if you wish, as i like to try and help or gain advice from any one.
Take care
Tracey
 

lovinglife

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
4,538
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
how long after and how often do you test after your treats? - if you are only testing when you get home you may not be getting a true picture - just a thought :)
 

angieG

Well-Known Member
Messages
725
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
It could be that the sugar in the chocolates is making your levels shoot up quick and then come down quick. If you test every 30 minutes say after eating them you would get a true picture of what they do.....you may get a surprise as to how high you go at the 1 hour point for instance!!
HTH
Angie
 

smidge

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,761
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hiya!

I'm Type 1.5 (LADA) on insulin, so forgive me for crashing the Type 2 forum! However, thought it might help you to know how chocolate affects me. If I eat even a small amount (2 or 3 squares) of e.g. Dairy Milk, it hits my BGs within 15 minutes. By 45 minutes, my BG will be in double-figures. Then it falls really, really quickly. By the two-hour mark, I can be in a mild hypo or just above. The only way you'll know if something like this is happening to you is to test frequently for a couple of hours after eating the chocolate. I find it impossible to jab the right dose at the right time for chocolate, so I have to give it a miss altogether.

Smidge
 

chocoholicnomore

Well-Known Member
Messages
638
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for all your replies and advice. It all makes sense.

I guess I was that busy analysing it all that I missed the obvious. Will go back to basics again.

Have just eaten 2 chocolate covered choc chip cookies (absolutely delicious :D ) and will test in an hour to check damage done.

Have been "grazing" since I came home from work and 2 hours after dinner, at 8.10pm, reading was 8.4. That seems more like it. I need a fright again to get back to reality of diabetes.
 

Ann19

Well-Known Member
Messages
271
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I've found that my readings have been higher for the last few days, usually after dinner and 'having a bit of something to see what effect it has' I've been okay with breakfast and lunch and kept to what I know I can manage, but having guest and cooking for them has been hard. 8.8 after dinner tonight and that included 2 glasses of wine. As you said chocoholicnomore 'back to basics' for me too.

Happy New Year folks!!!!

Ann
 

chocoholicnomore

Well-Known Member
Messages
638
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Well, that's me tested again after eating the choc chip cookies (and 3 roses chocolates) and my reading is 7.4 :crazy: :? :? (all I've done since eating them is watch tv-no exercise or anything)

Am totally confused. Expected it to be higher than that.

NB I also tested the meter as I'm beginning to think it's not working. It is working normally.
 

bedshaped2000

Well-Known Member
Messages
286
check you levels 30 mins after the chocolate that will frighten you lol. chocolate would enter your blood stream slower than say a biscuit due to the fat content. if i have 100g of rasberrys my levels will rise slow and easy probably due to the fibre and be fine i think this is around 4.5g of sugar. But if i have say one (yes one :lol: ) quality street which is about 5g of sugar with no fibre i will hit the 9s in about 20 mins then drop to about 4.5 in 45 mins making me feel really sick because of the up and down in such a small space of time. Hence why you want another sweet to get the high again. you dont chase the high after the rasberrys. If i have a small apple or pear i always get a dull headache about 80 mins after. this i now know is a sign that my insulin has over compensated for the sugar hit and on a bg drop so normally i follow up the pear 80 mins after with a cup of coffee. the milk from the coffee will have around 5g of carb in it and i find this will keep me level till my next meal. also if i have cheese or nuts with the apple or pear it acts as a barrier from the sudden fructose hit.
 

viviennem

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,140
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Football. Bad manners.
There is a possibility, based on no knowledge at all, that your strict low-carb eating has given your pancreas a bit of a rest so it's able to perform better. Also you've lost weight which should have lessened your insulin resistance.

However - if you keep on like this your weight will go up, your insulin resistance will increase again, and your pancreas will get tired. You'll be back where you started!

You and I are in the same boat at the moment, Marina - we've had a nice break which doesn't appear to have done us much harm, but we know in our heart-of-hearts that we're back on the slippery slope :shock:

Your New Year's resolution - low-carb and restricted chocolate!

Mine is - low-carb and restricted red wine! :lol: :lol:

Happy New Year!

Viv 8)
 

chocoholicnomore

Well-Known Member
Messages
638
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
viviennem said:
we've had a nice break which doesn't appear to have done us much harm, but we know in our heart-of-hearts that we're back on the slippery slope

That's so true Viv.

I was beginning to go back into denial mode.

Thanks for all the advice and help. Reading this forum always helps get me back on track. :thumbup:
 

tighthead3

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Having diabetes.
chocoholicnomore, its Christmas have a treat now and then, just because we are diabetics doesn't mean we have to live like monks, enjoy yourself, a little self indulgence isn't going to do you any harm once in a while, letting your hair down at this time of year will not do untold damage to your body, just get back on the straight and narrow after Christmas, your readings will soon be back to normal, dont let diabetes control your every thought, hope you had a great Christmas and best wishes for 2012.
 

chocoholicnomore

Well-Known Member
Messages
638
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Well it's been building up and I've finally got the fright I needed

Just tested and it's .... 15.4 :!:

Looks like my questions from last night have all been answered.

NO MORE CHOC FOR ME :thumbdown: :thumbdown:
 

viviennem

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,140
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Football. Bad manners.
Nasty sneaky thing, diabetes - lulls you into a false sense of security and then - whammy! Stamp on its head, Marina! :lol:

Actually I'm getting tired of "treat" food now - I could really eat a nice salad!

Viv 8)
 
Messages
2
I had a celebration size fudge and started talking very confused load of nonsense right away. i get this alot when i have eaten things i shouldnt, i didnt realise potatoes and white rice do it to me as well. I did go to the docs and the diabetic nurse but they couldnt tell me what it was....my blood sugar monitor strips got taken off my prescrition so i cant test my blood sugars, anyone help?
 

shine

Member
Messages
13
Could be a sugar rush, potatoes and white rice are very high in carbs . and if you have chocolate try and keep to just chocolate with no added extras and have small quantaties of potatoes and rice , I've just got my own meter with 50 free test strips and was amazed to see how different foods affected the readings even low sugar baked beans which i thought were ok but they send my readings high
 
Messages
2
I was thinking that and the monitor was very useful as just recently been diagnosed i wasnt sure what would cause what...obviously the choc would not help but as i am very overweight it is like putting a glass of wine in front of someone who is an alcoholic and telling them to have 3 sips a day!! over christmas i havent had any though and this year i have lost 5 stone so am getting stronger and saying no! thanks.
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
I didn't have any problems with high sugar readings over Christmas - I made sure I ran out of strips before Christmas! :thumbup: I'll get some more in the New Year.
 

chocoholicnomore

Well-Known Member
Messages
638
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Like your style Grazer :lol:

I've had no sweets today at all and am back on track. :thumbup:
BG level 2 hrs after dinner was 5.5 :D
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
Chocoholicnomore, your avatar should be banned. It just made me go and get one of my home made choc truffles. Fortunately, pretty low carb ones! :D