Type 2 Advice for "Weird Feet"

[Nicksellick]

Hi,
I was diagnosed in October. Had a blood test because my feet were a bit odd. they felt, hot, cold, tingly. itchy, etc.
I have changed my dietand upped my exercise levels. Fingers crossed for next week when I have my first three monthly blood test.
I have been prscribed amitriptyline to help with my feet. So far little to no improvement.
Does anyone have any advice as to things I can try?
I'll ask the GP next week, but if there is someone that has experience of this, I'd be very grateful.
Cheers Nick

 

[KennyA]

Hi,
I was diagnosed in October. Had a blood test because my feet were a bit odd. they felt, hot, cold, tingly. itchy, etc.
I have changed my dietand upped my exercise levels. Fingers crossed for next week when I have my first three monthly blood test.
I have been prscribed amitriptyline to help with my feet. So far little to no improvement.
Does anyone have any advice as to things I can try?
I'll ask the GP next week, but if there is someone that has experience of this, I'd be very grateful.
Cheers Nick

Welcome to the forum. Are you T2? You don't say what you've changed your diet from and to nor what your current blood readings are. Are you testing before and after food?

I'm not competent to diagnose, no-one here is, but I can tell you my experience.

Assuming you are T2, I have /had similar issues - for me it was a touch of neuropathy, which came on long before formal diagnosis and which is now almost totally gone. I had no medication (didn't want any) but for me going and staying keto brought my blood glucose levels back to normal pretty quickly and 90% of my symptoms went at the same time. I've listed my symptoms, including onset and disappearance, as far as I can remember here:

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/kennya.517579/

 

[Nicksellick]

Hi Kenny,
Thanks for the reply, great Blog. Really useful.
Yes, type 2.
Bloods were very high.
I don't test yet. I want to get on the right track before I start as I am a worrier!
Diet was generally bad, very high in rubbish carbs.
I have cut out as much as I can. Not keto, but pretty low carb. No sugar in drinks, cakes, biscuits, jam, chutney, sauces, pasta, rice, bread, crisps, etc.
Any foods, meals, recipes you recommend?
Have you tried making bread?
Lots more fresh and healthy stuff.
Increased exercise, although arthritis hampers that a bit.
I've lost a couple of stone and am hoping for a better result next week
Hope to hear from you again.
Cheers
Nick

 

[KennyA]

Hi Kenny,
Thanks for the reply, great Blog. Really useful.
Yes, type 2.
Bloods were very high.
I don't test yet. I want to get on the right track before I start as I am a worrier!
Diet was generally bad, very high in rubbish carbs.
I have cut out as much as I can. Not keto, but pretty low carb. No sugar in drinks, cakes, biscuits, jam, chutney, sauces, pasta, rice, bread, crisps, etc.
Any foods, meals, recipes you recommend?
Have you tried making bread?
Lots more fresh and healthy stuff.
Increased exercise, although arthritis hampers that a bit.
I've lost a couple of stone and am hoping for a better result next week
Hope to hear from you again.
Cheers
Nick

When you say very high....it might not be that high to many on here. The thing about blood testing is that it gives you control and information about which foods do what to your system. I found I could handle some legumes but flour-based items are right out. If you are worrying, it can provide reassurance you're doing the right thing. I found it positively rewarding as long as you don't expect miracles in the first week, but you might even see some progress immediately.

I cook pretty much everything from scratch, tinned tomatoes is as processed as it gets. I find the "bread" rolls from Seriously Low Carb to be good for me - about 3g carb per roll, and they last a long time in the fridge.

My main meals centre around meat and fish. I have a good local butcher just down the road and buy fresh fish when I can and freeze it. Some green veg and salads. Eggs. Cauliflower rice. Cheese (lots) and olives plus salamis etc for snacks, almonds and hazelnuts as well. Cream, and some berries occasionally. Coffee, whisky and rum.

I've just started taking more exercise...it hurts, but I'm enjoying competitive sport again.

This forum helped me tremendously. There's tons of experience and good advice.

 

[Nicksellick]

HBA1c 115.
I eat hardly anything processed, unles you count sausages and bacon. Pretty much everything from scratch. Learning more low carb recipes. I have been eating a lot of pulses, legumes and vegetables. Trying to stick to above ground, but have had beetroot, carrots, etc. I love cheese so eating that is a delight.
I begrudge the price of bought low carb bread products, so I am having a go at making some.
What you say about testing makes perfect sense. I will get one after my HBA1c test next week.
Thanks for your words of wisdom, I really appreciate them.
Cheers Nick

 

[Nicksellick]

I forgot to ask, what is IF?

 

[Nicksellick]

It's ok, sussed it.

 

[MrsA2]

You are doing well but just be aware pulses and legumes can be quite carb heavy. Do you have a meter to test your bg after eating such things?

 

[Nicksellick]

Thank you.
I'm just trying to decide which meter to go for. So much choice.

 

[KennyA]

HBA1c 115.
I eat hardly anything processed, unles you count sausages and bacon. Pretty much everything from scratch. Learning more low carb recipes. I have been eating a lot of pulses, legumes and vegetables. Trying to stick to above ground, but have had beetroot, carrots, etc. I love cheese so eating that is a delight.
I begrudge the price of bought low carb bread products, so I am having a go at making some.
What you say about testing makes perfect sense. I will get one after my HBA1c test next week.
Thanks for your words of wisdom, I really appreciate them.
Cheers Nick

Thank you.
I'm just trying to decide which meter to go for. So much choice.

For meters, @Rachox has a good list. I guess it will be posted here soon. I use a (free) Gluco RxQ which is far from being the newest model but the test strips, which are the big expense, are relatively inexpensive. These days I test as many times a week as I used to do in a day, so it's less of a drain. You're right about the cost of low-carb bread. I'm hoping that one of the bigger bakers or supermarkets will take this on and bring the price down.

I can manage a small amount of legumes but not really root veg at all. Potato in particular has an immediate and long lasting impact. Wish it wasn't so, but them's the breaks.

On IF - I do that but kind of accidentally. I usually go 18 hrs without eating and sometimes 24. I never really plan it as I never get hungry, if that makes sense. Right now it's 18 hours since I ate and I'm not likely to do so until later.

Keep it up, you'll be fine.

 

[Rachox]

Thanks for the tag @KennyA , here’s some UK meter info @Nicksellick , and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews if you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free. So total cost for meter + 5 x 50 strips will be £31.76.


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/



Links to the strips and the meter for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.


Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833



SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:


https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:


https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)