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Advice Please!

A

am3lia24

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello,

I've been Type 2 for almost 9 years. HbA1c has always been between 42 and 49, however after having sepsis and a chest infection, it shot up to between 75 and 89. 75 in December. I started buying the freestyle Libre 2 on January and it tells me my HbA1c is now 50. I'm much happier with that and still trying to get it down again. However, I am always worried every time I have a spike, as they do happen when I occasionally eat a bit more of a white carb heavy meal. I'm so worried that the damage is done and my kidneys will fail and I'll lose a limb or my eyesight. I know these things are a risk. I don't have particularly supportive GP and have never seen a diabetic nurse. I was just looking for some help from people who know what it's like to have diabetes. I feel constantly worried at the moment and my GP isn't being very helpful. I'm only 23 and I'm terrified of losing kidney and eye function and having no quality of life.
Thank you everyone
 
Oh wow - that means you were diagnosed as T2 at 14? - huge congratulations for navigating through all of that.

Two sides to this, as a 23-year-old - on the one, uncontrolled; you have much higher risks of the things you are concerned about, statistically speaking when you get to the sort of age that most of us are - but forget that, because the much better way to think is that you are still a 23-year-old, with a 23-year old's metabolism; you are super-human compared to the rest of us oldies... and any changes you can make can have much stronger rewards because your body is capable of more healing.

There have been enormous changes in the way that T2 can be approached - have you had any positive encouragement as to the steps you can take? If you are currently not taking any meds, you may be able to make surprising improvements.

I presume that the HbA1c figures you are sharing are the predicted levels - can you give us any insight as to the day to day, and what dietary guidelines you may be following?
 
Hello!
Yes, I was diagnosed after a diagnosis of PCOS and was told I had more risk of having type 2 anyway.
That is exactly what I'm worried about. My A1c only shot up after having infections and nothing would bring it down for ages. If it remains back in control now, I'm still worried those couple of years will cause all of the complications to arise anyway.
I still feel like I'm doing really badly. I don't seem to have any encouragement other than the typical advice of 'lose weight' which, although I've lost a few stone, is still a challenge.
My Libre gives me an estimated HbA1c over the time I've worn it which is almost 3 months. That number is currently 50 which is much better and I can work with that. My day to day levels, mornings are always higher between 8-10 but the average is between 6 and 7. I can still have spikes but very rarely ever goes about 12, even if I've eaten a few more carbs than normal. I eat all wholemeal stuff, very occasionally will have a roast potato with a meal but never too much. I don't often eat sweets things and try to stick to low GI fruits.
 
Well, you could cut the carbs further...? There's quite a few people here, yours truly included, who follow a ketogenic way of eating. That kept me in the normal range for the past 9 years, (I have PCOS too), and only recently has my HbA1c gone up a bit mainly due to menopause; My estimated HbA1c is back under 40 now though, according to the Libre... And from your age I'd guess, you're still quite a long way away from menopause!

Thing is, wholemeal carbs are still carbs, your body has to deal with them. Fruit, same thing. It's still a carb, and the vitamins you find in fruits are usually also found in veg that's nowhere near as glucose-rich as fruit is. That's good news if you want to tackle your diet to get your blood glucose down, because there's still heaps to be gained here. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help a little, if you want to go that route.

Just keep in mind it's not a diet that's designed to make you go hungry all the time. Keep the fats and proteins up and you should be full all the time, while keeping your Libre happy.
Hope this helps!
Jo
 

First well done for getting involved in your own future healing. Sadly most people for reasons I don’t fully understand can’t quite manage it

- there’s no doubt that eating out can be tricky especially if it’s a social event Food is such an entertainment as well as a necessity

There is so much to be enjoyed without carbs though. Creams, butters , meats, fish , cheeses. Etc

I find inspiration following carnivorous eaters on twitter. Recipes are shared and they are truly tasty.

Cooking becomes part of the cure

I wish you well
 
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