Hi everyone, I am a 48yr old woman with an underactive thyroid so my risk of type 2 has been monitored for a few years, although no advice was given about pre-diabetes. This July my HbA1C went up to 53, with subsequent tests in August and November both at 50 (and another test due in March to check stability). My lovely diabetes nurse gave me a full sweep of tests and everything has come back perfectly fine - liver, kidney, heart, feet etc.
The problem is that I already follow a very restricted diet due to my IBS-D so a lot of what is recommended for a diabetic diet I simply cannot do. I am firmly of the opinion that my weight gain over the last decade is down to the underactive thyroid and shattered metabolism, and not what or how much I eat - 6 years ago I managed to lose 2 and a half stone through jogging but the IBS made that difficult and so it has crept back on. Since the summer I have started swimming every Monday to Friday lunchtime to get that metabolic rate back up and burn some calories and now do 1km + every time. So far I have lost a stone in weight simply from doing that, with another 2 realistically to go so I know I need to keep that up.
I am really struggling to find any dietary advice for those already on a low Fodmap eating plan - high fibre/wholegrain, yoghurt, soup, salad, cereal and most fruits are simply a no-go for me, along with caffeine, onions, cruciferous veg etc. My daily diet is basically toast and no sugar peanut butter for brunch (always too nauseous for breakfast), a packet of salted popcorn and an orange for post-swimming snack and a meat or fish based evening meal that I cook from scratch (protein is slower to digest ). I have already cut back on portion size as well, but I have to eat something nutritious! I drink decaf redbush tea and about half a litre of water a day, with a little wine at the weekend (again too much alcohol upsets the IBS). I am not a complete saint and do like a chocolate treat, but I do mean treat and I don't eat junk food or takeaways. There really is little wiggle room on the diet, so perhaps that is why information is scant?
Added to this my GP would like me to try Metformin, and I have requested the slow-release version but obviously I am anxious about the potential side effects - it really doesn't take much to upset my already very delicate gastric system. Are there any alternatives that are kinder to one's digestion? (lactose and caffeine generally need to be avoided as ingredients). If I can lose the weight and get the HbA1C down to 48 or below do I even need medication?
If anyone is managing IBS alongside type 2 I would be really grateful for some help and advice about diet and medication; even if it's just confirmation to keep doing what I am doing!
The problem is that I already follow a very restricted diet due to my IBS-D so a lot of what is recommended for a diabetic diet I simply cannot do. I am firmly of the opinion that my weight gain over the last decade is down to the underactive thyroid and shattered metabolism, and not what or how much I eat - 6 years ago I managed to lose 2 and a half stone through jogging but the IBS made that difficult and so it has crept back on. Since the summer I have started swimming every Monday to Friday lunchtime to get that metabolic rate back up and burn some calories and now do 1km + every time. So far I have lost a stone in weight simply from doing that, with another 2 realistically to go so I know I need to keep that up.
I am really struggling to find any dietary advice for those already on a low Fodmap eating plan - high fibre/wholegrain, yoghurt, soup, salad, cereal and most fruits are simply a no-go for me, along with caffeine, onions, cruciferous veg etc. My daily diet is basically toast and no sugar peanut butter for brunch (always too nauseous for breakfast), a packet of salted popcorn and an orange for post-swimming snack and a meat or fish based evening meal that I cook from scratch (protein is slower to digest ). I have already cut back on portion size as well, but I have to eat something nutritious! I drink decaf redbush tea and about half a litre of water a day, with a little wine at the weekend (again too much alcohol upsets the IBS). I am not a complete saint and do like a chocolate treat, but I do mean treat and I don't eat junk food or takeaways. There really is little wiggle room on the diet, so perhaps that is why information is scant?
Added to this my GP would like me to try Metformin, and I have requested the slow-release version but obviously I am anxious about the potential side effects - it really doesn't take much to upset my already very delicate gastric system. Are there any alternatives that are kinder to one's digestion? (lactose and caffeine generally need to be avoided as ingredients). If I can lose the weight and get the HbA1C down to 48 or below do I even need medication?
If anyone is managing IBS alongside type 2 I would be really grateful for some help and advice about diet and medication; even if it's just confirmation to keep doing what I am doing!