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Advice please

ExChocoholic

Well-Known Member
Messages
300
Location
West Kent
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
rude, loud people
I have been diagnosed T2 since 2007. Couple of years ago I was put on 2 x glicazide with 1 x metformin. However, this year I have been unwell with kidney infections and, now, the most horrific cold that I can't shake. In the meantime my BS shot into double figures and DBN seems insistent I go on insulin (which I dread). I've all but cut out carbs and for main meal eat meat and lots of veg, yet my fasting BS still in double figures. I am wondering A)if there are alternatives to glicazide- as this is my only meds since DBN stopped metformin as too harsh on my kidneys?
B) would I benefit or be within my rights to be referred back to endocrinologist who I saw some years ago and who put me on glicazide?

If insulin is the only answer I guess I will need to agree. But on just 2 glicazide a day I feel there may be alternatives as I see others are on different meds.
 
Meant to ask does anyone have experience of Dr Fung? My son who lives in Canada keeps insisting I take a look at his website, but since he claims that DB can be reversed I am very sceptical.
 
Your doc might not know what medication to try. It's all metformin and gliclazide all the time, it seems... But there's so much more, and many combinations. So I do believe asking for a referral back would be the right choice. Oh, and Dr. Jason Fung's a Diabetes ***-kicker. The man knows his stuff, so your son's quite right. The Diabetes Code is pretty much a lot of forum members' bible. The term reversed is debatable, because I am still, and always will be, a T2, but I do consider myself to be in remission: a-symptomatic, no complications, bloodsugars in the normal range.

Can you tell us what a regular day's meals look like? Some need to go lower carb than others. (I'm currently at 20 grams a day or less).

Good luck!
Jo
 
ExChocoholic said:
Meant to ask does anyone have experience of Dr Fung? My son who lives in Canada keeps insisting I take a look at his website, but since he claims that DB can be reversed I am very sceptical.
Click to expand...

Yes I credit him with starting me on the path to remission.

Fasting (no breakfast) and ultra low carb led to my weight loss and many health benefits.

His book "The Diabetes Code" is brilliant.

However if you can try to get your endogenous insulin production tested (probably with a c-peptide test) to ensure that your T2 diagnosis is correct.
 
ExChocoholic said:
Meant to ask does anyone have experience of Dr Fung? My son who lives in Canada keeps insisting I take a look at his website, but since he claims that DB can be reversed I am very sceptical.
Click to expand...

Dr.Fung is great and many people here have reversed their T2 diabetes by following a low carb diet. Which Fung promotes. He is a great resource to look into.
 
Dr. Fung is a nephrologist. The man knows his stuff and he puts his patients into remission, fact.
I am confused by your comment about being sceptical about 'remission', do you think it an impossibility?
 
Lots of people here have achieved remission. I'm still on the journey. Don't be skeptical, there's nothing wrong with educating one's self about T2 Diabetes and food intake interaction...
 

In addition to Dr Jason Fung there is 'The Fat Emperor' and many other serious scientists showing that Low Carb (as well as other lifestyles) work well.
Read the thread called 'Low Carb Success stories' in the here :
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/low-carb-diet-forum.18/
Read Dr Unwin's posts in Twitter @lowcarbgp he currently claims 50% success with Low Carb and is an accredited provider of e-learning courses to the Royal College of GPs, NICE etc.
 
@ExChocoholic - I'm sorry you have had such struggles of late.

Regarding the referral back to the consultant; you can ask, but it is possible for hospitals themselves to decline referrals (depressingly so).

If you are able to identify why your numbers have gone up, and that time is passing, or has passed, then with care, your numbers might improve again, reflecting your overall better health.

I know, like you, I'd prefer not to use insulin , but in your shoes, I'd be weighing up the risk/benefit analysis between insulin use and the potentially detrimental impact of sustained raised blood sugars, over a period of time.

There are many, many oral meds combinations, to help treat T2 diabetes, but should you end up going onto insulin, that needn't be forever. It could be that some additional support would help, in the shorter term.

As I'm sure you know, this is really a cnversation between you and your health care team.

I do hope you feel much better soon.
 
I meant reversal not 'remission'. My error.
Guzzler said:
Dr. Fung is a nephrologist. The man knows his stuff and he puts his patients into remission, fact.
I am confused by your comment about being sceptical about 'remission', do you think it an impossibility?
Click to expand...
 
Wow - quite blown away with advice on remission- I must dig deeper and I will ask to see endocrinologist again - he has a clinic aside of the hospital- worth a try - I will try to report on my 'progress'. Thanks good people.
 
Sound advice. I hear you re insulin.
 
Kidney, UTI infections definitely shot BS up. Now currently fighting worse cold ever and I'm slightly anaemic.
 
ExChocoholic said:
Kidney, UTI infections definitely shot BS up. Now currently fighting worse cold ever and I'm slightly anaemic.
Click to expand...

Gosh - You have been through the mill.

When you had your last set of bloods, did they have a really good look across your vitamins etc? I'm thinking B12, Vit D, Follate, Ferritin etc? Are you being helped with your current anaemia? The human body, when functioning well, is a miraculous thing, but like any object of complex engineering, if something starts to go a bit awry, the implications to touch unexpected areas.

I've been pondering you dilemma. You have a lot going on. In your shoes, if those vit and mineral levels weren't tested, I'd be requesting that, with an open mind to supplementing, even if just for a while.

I'd also draw myself a mind map, with all the issues, concerns, pros and cons on it, with the various links drawn. It can take a bit of a time to do it, but it really can help make sure all the issues and potential remedial actions are captured in one place.

If you're unfamiliar with Mind Mapping, or Concept Mapping, Dr Google can offer plenty of info for you.
 
If you are anaemic, the HbA1c test becomes unreliable.
There is another test, the fructosamine test, which is more reliable for anaemics, but you hay have to ask for it. Many docs don’t know it exists, apparently.

sorry to hear about your troubles. If your body is battling a long term infection, that may have significantly affected your blood glucose levels.
 
ExChocoholic said:
I meant reversal not 'remission'. My error.
Click to expand...
There is a lot of debate about the exact word to use. People have their preferences between reversed, remission and cure. The nomencalature does not really matter imo the important thing is that we see improvement and better outcomes.

Good Luck.
 
I am in remission for a year now.
Diagnosed with diabetes at HBA1c 91, now it is Hba1c 37.

Low carb high-fat food and intermittent fasting.
Almost any food can be altered/reworked to make it keto-friendly.
Youtube has thousands of recipes to follow.
Just search for Keto food.
I even make my own Keto chocolate, low carb cookies.

It is not a diet, but a lifestyle. It can be done.

I did it. Following Dr. Fung and other's advice.
 
Thanks for share but with protein in kidneys Keto is not recommended for me.
 
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