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Any advice please

AndyStein

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes

I have just been diagnosed as being diabetic. At Xmas 2017 my Hba1c came back as 63 mmol/ mol. This was significantly worse than the 44 mmol/ mol last year. I was feeling really grotty at Xmas. Fatigued, spaced-out, anxious, dry mouth, dry eyes, headaches, etc... I have now lost one or two stones (still need to lose another 4 stones) and think my condition has improved and had 55 mmol/l HBa1c result back this week, so things going to plan. I still feel rough if I do not eat regularly and have now incorporated some complex carbs in my protein/ salad/ fruit/ veg diet - brown rice, whole grain bread and pasta, which I think I need. I do much, much more exercise daily: gym, pool and walking. I am seeing the Doc and nurse this and next week and don't know whether to accept Metformin. Will Metformin help me lose my tiredness and other symptoms such as dry mouth and how bad are the side-effects. Is it perhaps best to try to lose alot more weight and just stick with a good diet. It seems to improve my condition. How long does Metformin take to kick-in? Questions, questions...Any help and feedback would be greatly appreciated...thanks. Will try to lose much more weight. Andy
 
Hi and Welcome to the Forum.
I can't say anything about Metformin as I'm non meds at the moment.
From your pic I would assume you are in an active day job, which might support your need for rice, bread and pasta. Have you been testing for glucose levels before and after eating to see how your body is coping with these items. It might be worthwhile if you're not. I would suggest that fats are a good source of energy as an alternative to carbs.
I wish you well.
 
If you need to reduce your blood glucose levels then eating carbohydrate is not going to help - rice bread pasta and fruit are all going to elevate BG levels, and if you are not testing after meals to check on how they are affecting you then your Hba1c is not going to go down. Exercise will help to some extent, but you would need to work away to counter the carbs entering your blood stream after every meal - fer easier just to avoid eating the high carb foods in the first place.
 
Rice, bread, pasta and fruit ... being blunt ... dump it and now. It's potentially hurting you. All sugars are bad and those foods you are eating are high in carbs which convert quickly in the system.

Metformin will be next to useless insofar as BS expectations are concerned. CORRECT diet is. You clearly don't need the exercise, just good advice on what to eat

Do that and watch just how quickly your figures drop
 
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You are clearly going great guns in losing so much weight. Your exercise plans sound terrific too. IMO Metformin would be an excellent idea. (More about that later.) BUT you can lower your bg much much more by restricting the carbs you eat. That's ALL kinds of carbs, not just the "bad" ones. Even "good" carbs turn to sugar on contact with saliva and raise bg. An A1c of 55 is no longer pre- but actually diabetic, and you say you are feeling really rough, so it's a good time to make some big changes. It's no use pretending, cutting carbs is a BIG change and upheaval in one's life, but wandering around these forums you will find many people, including me, who have done it and found it well worthwhile.

Some research has indicated that starting Metformin early is more effective than waiting til later. I am enthusiastic about taking it, but it is not just taking Metformin that will improve your symptoms. To do that you will have to lower your bg by diet and maybe by exercise. I suggest you read this article by a former member of these forums:

http://www.mendosa.com/blog/?p=1261

Good luck!
 

Hi mate,

Hope this helps and welcome to our family-
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
 
Thanks for the kind responses. The carbs I am eating are brown, whole-grain types. I tried to survive without any carbs by just eating protein amd salad/veg but this made me feel quite ill. I felt better when I had a small amount and stick to whole grain. So I added the whole-grain stuff, in moderation. Not sure how a big chap like me would run without at least some petrol in the tank... any suggestions ? I am not eating cakes or sweets or too much fruit. My morning glucose readings were 10mmol/l at Xmas but I have these down below 8 and typically 7.5mmol/l now. That means I do not eat after 6pm amd have to exercise in an evening, but it works. My post-prandial readings have also improved. At the moment I can be typically just below 7mmol/l after 2 hrs, but that's as good as it gets. I test regularly. Unfortunately, I am Contractor and work in a sedentary role offshore (not active) on survey vessels and my season os about to start. I need to ensure I keep up the good work on the ship, which is hard....
 
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