Feeling abandoned!

[catmazdo]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed type 2 about 3 months ago now. I'm currently on Glucophage as metformin didn't agree with me at all!

My post is to ask you all how often were you seen by the doctor? I'm feeling abandoned and unsure on things at the moment. I'm testing my blood now and then but my fasting blood never seems to be below 11. The other day I tested 2 hours after food and it was 17.3. Can any of you offer advice. Should I book an appt at the doctors or just carry on?

My doctor told me that I shouldn't be testing but as I'm laying for testing strips myself then I will continue to do so,

I'm having regular "episodes" where I'm extremely drowsy during the day which I know is because my BS is high.

HAs any type 2 buddies found that tablets simply don't work for them and they've had to switch to insulin? I'm beginning to struggle in taking tablets. I break them in half as they're quite big but even then it take a few try's to get them down, I've never had issues with taking tablets but 3 months of taking them every day I'm struggling.

Sorry for the whiny post. I'm just feeling at a loss at the moment.

The only good news is that I've lost a stone in weight!

Any help or advice on any of the above would be most helpful.

Thanks all xx

 

[Alzebra]

I was diagnosed 3 years ago and have never seen a doctor, just the DSN at my doctor's surgery.

 

[catmazdo]

Hi @Alzebra thanks for replying. I've only seen my GP, had no appts at the hospital or anything. Ideas expecting to have seen a dietician. Maybe my expectations were wrong.

 

[Alzebra]

Care seems to differ across the country, but I can tell you that the advice I've received on this forum has been infinitely more useful than anything the NHS has offered. I changed to eating low carb high fat (LCHF) 4 months ago and it's changed everything for me. Take a look at the low carb forum and keep asking questions

 

[Enclave]

Hi Cat, have you read the welcome pack that daisy posted for you in your earlier post .. It will give you lots of advice and information that will help you to control your T2 ..

Have you cut down on your carb intake to reduce your sugar levels ?

You will find that most Drs are a little behind on advice on how to manage your T2 .. Only seen my dr once and my DNS twice in 18 months .. No dietitian...

 

[Bluetit1802]

The NICE recommendations state a newly diagnosed T2 should be monitored 3 months after diagnosis, and that this should continue until the blood sugar levels are within a reasonable target and the medication is stable. At that point you can move to 6 monthly bloods monitoring, with a face to face review at 6 or 12 monthly intervals.

Your medication won't work on its own. It isn't a miracle cure, it is just there to give a little help. You also have to follow a suitable diabetic diet, which means cutting right down on those carbs. I suspect you are still eating too many, or your levels would be much lower.

Keep testing before and after food - any rise of above 2mmol/l (preferably less) and that meal was not an ideal one for you.

 

[carty]

Glucophage is a brand of Metformin it is a slow release version so it shouldn't effect your tummy as much as the usual metformin .I think you should check the leaflet that comes with your pills because I think that you should not split the pills .I agree with the others that cutting your carbohydrate intake and testing after meals will help you to know what certain foods do to your BGs.
CAROL

 

[Robbity]

You're not alone most of us will have had some feelings about being alone and abandoned without much help or advice. So you're in the right place to find support and good advice.

As a type 2 modifying your diet is one of the best things you can do to reduce your glucose levels. If you're using a meter, then when you get high post meal levels you should be looking at what you've eaten that can cause such an increase. You'll find that high carbohydrates and sugary food are the worst culprits, so the sensible thing to do is cut down on or avoid these.

Robbity

 

[Croc]

Just book yourself a follow up Drs appointment or an appointment with the nurse at your practice who does diabetic checks. She can order a blood test to track any progress. You also need to be referred for eye screening if you haven't already been and do your foot checks you have to have done annually.

I was like you and though I managed to get my readings down a lot I have ended up on insulin (once a day)and between that and diet I'm now pretty well controlled most of the time.

Try not to stress and just be proactive as much as you can.

 

[catmazdo]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. It's very much appreciated. I've cut out all chocolate and biscuits which has been the hardest transition so far as I have a mega sweet tooth! I think my lunch sandwich may be causing the problem. It's the only time of day I eat bread and I have switched to wholemeal bread. I'm thinking that a food diary with more regular testing is something I need to do to gain more understanding of where I may be going wrong.

Thanks again to you all for responding xx

 

[Enclave]

Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, pulses all are very high in carbs .. If you want to control your bs with diet then you need to reduce these .. If you keep a food and bs diary it will show you how much the carbs turn to sugar when eaten .. Look on the back of any food packaging and it will show you the carb content .. Ignore the sugar number .. Just count the full carb content .. I am on around 30g of carbs a day .. My bs have returned to within the non diabetic range now. You will also need to change any low fat foods you have to full fat foods .. As when you cut the carbs you will be needing fats for energy.. It is doable ... And the longer you do it the easer it gets .. The better you will feel ..

 

[britishpub]

That's the key. When you change your diet you will start to feel much better.

The first couple of weeks will be hard, but you will soon start to feel much better and then it starts to become easy and you will start to see why you feel so much better.

The follow ups, eye screening etc etc will start to happen after 3 months or so.

You are not alone or abandoned.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Yes, don't split the SR tablets. Metformin only ever has a small effect and diet is the key. As others have said, set a strict carb limit and you should lose weight and reduce your blood sugar.