FED UP !!!!!!!

[sarahjf21]

Hi sorry but could not link the questions.
Name Sarah
Home Aberdeenshire but originally from Essex
age 48
pets yes horses, dogs, cat
just gained a degree in health last month
Diagnosed in 2008 when doing my nursing training, had a feeling something was wrong so carried out the basic tests myself before informing my GP which then took them 8 weeks to tell me something i already knew.
was given Metformin which totally did not agree with my Gall stones so was then given sitlagliptin and gliclazide still no control 6 years later BS ranging from 12 to 26.
was given Lantus the end of April this year (2014), levels evened out to around 6 -14, now last week been given Humalog, taking 26 units am and pm levels still ranging from 4 up to 15 up it by 2 units then have a hypo, been to Dr today as feet excessivley swollen has no answer was a locum i saw as its sunday.
realised last night that have been having side affects from the Lantus, re pain in shoulder / arm, horrendous weight gain 2 stone in 2.5 months, very depressed and tired.
have dropped my units for the Humalog today as seriously thinking of weaning off of it.
levels much the same on or off it

 

[zand]

Hi Sarah, I am only on metformin myself, so I'm afraid I can't you give any advice about the other drugs. I hope someone more knowledgeable will look in soon. I just wanted to say welcome to the forum

 

[Pollylocks]

....me too Sarah, welcome to here and I'm sure someone with good advice on your prescribed medication will be along soon...

 

[sarahjf21]

Hi Sarah, I am only on metformin myself, so I'm afraid I can't you give any advice about the other drugs. I hope someone more knowledgeable will look in soon. I just wanted to say welcome to the forum

Thanks Zand

 

[jack412]

When was the last time you had a full set of bloods done?
The swelling could be a few things that need ruled out but probably due to high BG
Like zand, I can't help with insulin but there is a free online course and workbooks
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/newly-diagnosed.60873/#post-583801

 

[sarahjf21]

When was the last time you had a full set of bloods done?
The swelling could be a few things that need ruled out but probably due to high BG
Like zand, I can't help with insulin

Bloods were done a month or so ago levels today around 11.1 and i dropped my units by 2 this morning does not seem to change my levels other than if i up the units i then hypo

 

[Daibell]

Hi Sarah. First, are you overweight to any degree; you say you have gained weight? This will always make insulin more difficult to manage due to lurking insulin resistance. When on insulin it can also be tempting to eat too freely and add weight. Are you on a low-carb diet? This is essential if you are to both control blood sugar and weight gain. When you were first diagnosed were you normal weight? Being slim at diagnosis and possibly having lost weight as well implies Late onset T1 not T2. If you were overweight then T2 is more likely. Are you carb counting with the Humalog; this is important to minimise hypos? Have you got the Lantus balance right which needs to be done before getting the Humalog ratio right. A good few questions there but with more info we may be able to help a bit more. BTW are you still on the Gliclazide and insulin?

 

[sarahjf21]

before i was diagnosed in 2008 was around 13 stone so yes over weight within the first 2 years went down to 10 stone so adequate for my height of 5ft 6, since being on meds am now upto 15.5 stone agggaarrrrr, i am only on Humalog just now but still levels are higher than they want from me, my practice nurse was telling me to eat lots of carbs, but after looking at various forums feel i am getting bad advice so the carbs will be going .

 

[donnellysdogs]

Have you had the full tests to determine whether your are a T1 or T2.

Is all the weight gain genuinely down to injecting? Seriously, I know some people do gain weight but what is your carb intake?


Loving life

 

[sarahjf21]

DR's have always said it is type 2, have put on 2.5 stone since end of april thats when i 1st started injecting, my practice nurse told me to eat lots of carbs pasta, rice brown bread but as i said earlier now i have been reading the forums the carbs have to go

 

[donnellysdogs]

Sorry, but have they actually checked that you aren't type 1 with a GAD test?

I think as you have discovered that being told to eat carbs is detrimental to the waistline...genuinely, some may be down to the injection but majority would be likely down to the nhs persons telling you to eat carbs.

Glad you found the forum, have you tried putting the intake of your food into myfitnesspal? It is agreat app to help keep to carbs and calories.

You will find that cutting your carbs will help lower your bloods.

Has there been any fiscussion with your HCP's About your higher levels and how they expect you to lower them?


Loving life

 

[donnellysdogs]

Sorry, what I mean is have they discussed having a quick acting insulin to help your levels?

Are you getting enough bloodstrips to test 2hrs after a meal?


Loving life

 

[sarahjf21]

Sorry, but have they actually checked that you aren't type 1 with a GAD test?

I think as you have discovered that being told to eat carbs is detrimental to the waistline...genuinely, some may be down to the injection but majority would be likely down to the nhs persons telling you to eat carbs.

Glad you found the forum, have you tried putting the intake of your food into myfitnesspal? It is agreat app to help keep to carbs and calories.

You will find that cutting your carbs will help lower your bloods.

Has there been any fiscussion with your HCP's About your higher levels and how they expect you to lower them?


Loving life

no not had a GAD test, what is this?, and how do i find this app sorry to sound ignorant but obviously not been informed by the appropriate people

 

[this is too difficult]

It is on the apple and android app stores. you need an internet connection to use. It seems to work VERY well.

 

[sarahjf21]

Sorry, what I mean is have they discussed having a quick acting insulin to help your levels?

Are you getting enough bloodstrips to test 2hrs after a meal?


Loving life

only been on the Humalog just over a week and statrted on 26 units in morn and 26 at T time this was worked out by halfing what i was on with the Lantis which was stopped , i test in morn x2 lunch time supper time and bed time levels still high so upped it by 2 units and had a hypo went back to the 26 units for a few days then just upped the morn one by 1 unit went from 13.9 to 3.1 by mid morn another hypo, but have had excessive swelling the last few days

 

[sarahjf21]

It is on the apple and android apps stores. you need an internet connection to use. It seems to work VERY well.

will have a look thanks

 

[jack412]

Try these 2 sites
Watch video as well
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Carbs are addictive and the first 3 days are hard
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm

 

[sarahjf21]

Try these 2 sites
Watch video as well
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Carbs are addictive and the first 3 days are hard
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm

Thank you jack

 

[iHs]

Hello sarah

from reading yr msgs..... I take it that you are using Humalog Mix which is a twice daily insulin and not Humalog bolus which is a fast acting insulin and needs to be injected before eating a main meal (3 times a day)?

With the twice daily insulin its important to eat 'little and often' to balance out the insulins action on controlling yr bg levels. If you bg test every 2-3hrs, you should be able to slowly reduce the insulin as you eat less food containing carbohydrate. At the moment, yr bg levels are a bit on the high side of being ideal but if you inject the current dose of insulin and dont eat any carb, although yr bg will go lower, you will also go a bit hypo as you have found out. So reduce the carb slowly and eat the small main meals and also a small snack to stop the low bg.....and unfortunately......test yr bg every 2hrs so that you can balance out the carb and insulin correctly. The more food we all eat, the more the pancreas gland has to produce insulin in type 2 diabdtics to get bg levels to lower but if too much food is eaten, the excess is stored on the body as fat leading to seight gain. With type 1s, we need to inject insulin but the weight gain issue is more or less the same and in the end, we start to need more and more insulin as we start to get resistant to its action.... So, lose some weight by eating less carb and at the same time, adjust the insulin slowly downward through the bg tests you do.

After my sermon..... welcom to this forum... you will find out loads of info about food and how we all manage our bg levels

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Thanks for your replies. As you have realised your practice nurse gave you extremely bad and harmful advice to eat plenty of carbs. I am amazed that the NHS still profers advice that will make your diabetes worse. Going low carb will help with weight loss and lower blood sugar. When your weight comes down to the right area it will be easier for you to determine the best insulin regime. Yes, I assume you are on a Humalog mix and not plain Humalog which would be most unusual unless you also have the Basal Lantus. Before the insulin were you on tablets and were they helping? The GAD test looks for anti-bodies that can attack the islet cells causing loss of insulin production. This test can be given together with a c-peptide test that checks for the level of insulin produced