• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

BG High had diabetes 5 years

I

Ian414

Newbie
Messages
4
Ok here i go ive had diabetes for 5 years now and i would love to tell you all that it seems to me no one has any idea about this type 2 Diabetes, well i dont know either.
ok i started with 1 metformin twice a day when i first had this now im on 1 4 times aday and 1 Gliclizide twice a day 80mg so that 160 of Gliclizde and 2000mg of metformin, right im male 43 years old my weight is 62 kg thats 9.stone 7 pounds, im 5ft 8 i use to be 11 stone, right now my BG is **** i took it this morning 8.9 is my reading last night after eating beans 3 sausage's and 4 new potatoes my BG went to 19.4 then after 2 hours it was 12.6 and now after getting up its 8.9, it will go down in the day like yesterday it was 5.1 but that was late afternoon, then i had my tea and it went right up to 19.4, now being told by any nurse that BG is ok at 10.0ml is **** it should be in the 4.7 to 8.5 so i would like to stress that we might have to go onto insulin as it seems our pancreas is giving up, im not at all happy as we are all told diffrent things its our health not theres.
Ok i do have a bad habbit i smoke but ive smoked for 30 years ive never drunk so at least thats one bad habbit i dont have.
well i would love to hear from anyone who has the same as me and ask what you have been told and what you have been piut on to if anything to bring your BG down.....Kind Reg Ian :?
 
Hi Ian and welcome to the forum :) Your levels are obviously too high and one way to bring them down is to reduce the carbs you eat. Here is some basic information written by the Forum Monitors which will give you an idea how to look after your diabetes properly. (just ignore the mention to "newly diagnosed"!) Ask as many questions you like and someone will have an answer for you. :)

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2011 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.
Click to expand...
 
Would you consider asking HCP's to consider whether Insulin injections would be better for you?

From the cocktail of tablets you are on and the imbalances in your levels, I personally would be asking if there is anything better to controlling your levels......and again personally, I think that Insulin injections may be an alternative that you may have to consider.

Injections- although the very idea of them sends shivers up a lot of peoples spines-they really aren't so bad (and can allow people more flexibility to eating!!!-than tablets)....

The fluctuations in your BG's aren't good, although I have only a 2 minute glimpse of your life-I don't know what you eat, when you eat, whether you eat salads or whether you eat high carbs etc........however, I do not think that your tablets and your current lifestyle are working and really would suggest that alternatives are looked at to help the large swings that you are experiencing.....
 
Bad habit or not-smoking does not (as far as I am aware) effect your BG levels!!!!

Perhaps you could give us an idea of the qty of carbohydrates that you eat, i.e a snapshot of breakfast, lunch, dinner......and how much you know about carbs....and the impact they have on BG's....
 
Ian414 said:
last night after eating beans 3 sausage's and 4 new potatoes my BG went to 19.4 then after 2 hours it was 12.6 and now after getting up its 8.9,...Kind Reg Ian :?
Click to expand...

Hi Ian,
If I ate that lot I would have levels like you too!!
I cannot touch potatoes without a fairly high score, same with beans. As for sausages, check them out, some are high in carbohydrates others aren't.
Try 2 sausages with just beans or alternatively a salad instead of potatoes and beans then see what you levels are then
I've had a nice steak and salad for my meal this evening and that is far better.
Hope this helps.
Angie
 
Ok i have 1 Sausage 3 Rashers of bacon 2 Hash Browns and Beans for breakfast, i have salad for lunch i have fish somtimes chops and greens and new potatoes or might have chicken and chips but not alot of chips, for tea, i drink 20 cups of tea at least a day with 2 sweetners, i also eat all diffrent times of the day but i make sure it 8 hours between every meal that i take my tabs i dont take tabs mid day,

but im now worried if i dont eat i will lose more weight i was 11 stone im now 9.7 stone gone gaunt in my face look ill, what i want to know is what i can eat to gain weight but also keep my BG down....Thanks for your replys Ian
 
Ian,

You'll find the answers you are looking for in the post that daisy posted earlier in the thread.

Nigel
 
Ian414 said:
Ok i have 1 Sausage 3 Rashers of bacon 2 Hash Browns and Beans for breakfast, i have salad for lunch i have fish somtimes chops and greens and new potatoes or might have chicken and chips but not alot of chips, for tea, i drink 20 cups of tea at least a day with 2 sweetners, i also eat all diffrent times of the day but i make sure it 8 hours between every meal that i take my tabs i dont take tabs mid day,

but im now worried if i dont eat i will lose more weight i was 11 stone im now 9.7 stone gone gaunt in my face look ill, what i want to know is what i can eat to gain weight but also keep my BG down....Thanks for your replys Ian
Click to expand...

Not a dietecian, HCP or whatever.

However if you are losing weight then you probably are not eating enough.
[This fresh from the Department of the Obvious :-) ]
Looking at what you have listed, I would consider cutting down/out the hash browns, new potatoes and chips.
Look at the sausage contents - go for the more up market ones which are nearly all pork and then up the number you eat.
Add in steak (or real meat burghers) if you like them.
Add in some eggs if you like them.
Have some chops with your breakfast - a real "full English/Irish etc."
Consider other vegetables - most veggies are reasonably low GI but be wary of the very starchy ones such as potatoes and parsnips.
Consider adding in some beans and pulses to your diet - there are many tinned varieties which can be added cold to salads or included in a hot stew.
I don't see any dairy in your list - cheese for instance is generally O.K. for blood sugars and also good for building you up a bit.
Don't be afraid of cholesterol and fats - they can help slow the takeup of carbs.
A lot of T2s are on Statins and this makes fats and oils their unexpected friend.

I may be a long way away from the mark but you may be afraid of eating enough food of any kind because you think that it will push up your blood sugar and that you have to almost starve yourself to control your diabetes.
I beleive that if your body is losing weight ( effectively reusing fat reserves, then after that muscle) this can play havoc with your normal blood glucose control.
Various people have posted at fairly regular intervals that their blood sugar has gone up, so they've virtually stopped eating and their blood sugar hasn't gone down.
The answer is to eat regularly and sensibly and then control returns.

So try upping the amount you eat, following the general guidance to avoid highly processed carbs and potatoes/parsnips.

You don't give the quantities you eat (apart from breakfast, and then you don't say how big a portion of beans) but looking at what you have posted I think I might fade away on that diet.

Hope this helps.

LGC
 
Hi

I have had similar problems over the years i.e. below normal weight and on full dose Metformin and Gliclazide but BS still going up. I had a heated discussion with my GP recently who said I should not be 'starving' myself but having a normal healthy diet (if only....). After calming down we talked about next options to control BS. I suggested insulin but the GP wasn't keen so was offered the choice of glitazones or sitagliptin and I went for the latter which works beautifully currently. I think other GPs would have put me onto insulin as per NICE guidelines but they all have different views and many seem to assume that Met & Glic must be the solution for every 'type 2'. I sympathise with your situation. Take a strong, polite line with your GP and say you want to keep your BS always below 10 and what does he/she suggest as a 3rd level approach so you can eat a reasonable but still low carb diet
 
Hello Daibell,
Can I ask you, how do you get on with the Metformin SR? I was on regular Metformin, but started to have really bad nightmares and anxiety. My GP has put me on Januvia, and for a while it worked. I developed a stomach upset, and now my Bg is around 15mmol. It was going down at one point. The GP suggested taking Metformin SR as well as the Sitagliptin (Januvia), but because of my past experiences, I'm scare stiff. Just wanted to know how you got on with it.
 
Daibell said:
Take a strong, polite line with your GP and say you want to keep your BS always below 10 and what does he/she suggest as a 3rd level approach so you can eat a reasonable but still low carb diet
Click to expand...


Sorry Daibell, whilst in principle I agree with most of what you posted I cannot agree that a level of 10mmol/l is something anybody should aim for as a maximum. That figure could lead anyone onto Diabetic complications, something that should be avoided at all costs.

The guideline figure is no more than 8.5 mmol/l for a Type 2 and even that is the maximum, and would be better if kept lower if at all possible. Even for a Type 1 the maximum is 9 mmol/l with the same caveat.
 
Ok this dont make sence my BG this morning was 9.1 i took my 3 tabs 2 metformin and 1 Gliclazide,
i had 2 small egg cheese omletts 2 small hash browns and a small portion of beans and its been 3 hours and my BG is now 10.4 why has it still not come down?????
 
Ian414"
Ok this dont make sence my BG this morning was 9.1 i took my 3 tabs 2 metformin and 1 Gliclazide,
i had 2 small egg cheese omletts 2 small hash browns and a small portion of beans and its been 3 hours and my BG is now 10.4 why has it still not come down?????
Click to expand...

Simply because the amount of carbohydrates you are eating is more than your present medication can cope with.........if you read the information that Daisy gave you that explains things. There will also be an effect of anything else that you may have done besides your food and drink. Your level was high before your breakfast so that won't have helped......

Delete the Hash Brown's and the Beans.....substitute Mushrooms and Lean Bacon. That's what I do and it has a negligible effect on Bg levels.
 
"donnellysdogs
Bad habit or not-smoking does not (as far as I am aware) effect your BG levels!!!!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately smoking does effect your BG levels!!!

Up until 3 weeks ago I smoked an average of 5-10 per day and had fairly good control of my BG levels (6.00 to 7.00). I finally decided it was time to give up! About a week after my last cigarette I started to get readings as low as 4.2 and was averaging 4.5 to 5.5. I had made no change to my diet, my medication was the same and I didn't excercise any more/less, but my BG levels were noticably lower.

I can only put my lower readings down to not smoking.................and had I have known this before I would have stopped a long time ago.

So if you can stop, it may help. Its not easy, I know, but I got some patches and inhalators on prescription, and these really helped.
 
Some info regarding Smoking and Bg levels........

Nicotine from smoking can affect your blood glucose level and if you are using insulin this can result in a slower absorption from the injection site.

Nicotine hinders the effectiveness of insulin, a syndrome known as "insulin resistance". This can make your diabetes more difficult to manage.
Click to expand...

http://www.lifescan.co.uk/type-two/article/smoking

And this........

In lab experiments, researchers discovered that nicotine raised blood sugar levels, and the more nicotine that was present, the higher the blood sugar levels were. Higher blood sugar levels are linked to an increased risk of complications from diabetes, such as eye and kidney disease.
Click to expand...

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/ ... key=141284
 
Hello Ian414
You seem to be having the same problem that I'm having at the moment, only I'm on Sitagliptin. My medication was working, but since an upset stomach, it's not. My bloods have risen and they don't seem to come down.

The only thing that I can see is that maybe you should ditch the hash brown. Did I read earlier that you have about 20 cups of tea a day? I have noticed that if I drink tea, my Bg goes up, so maybe this could be a cause to your problem.

Hope this helps a little, but try not to stress. I know it's frustrating. I'm off to see the nurse this week because I'm fed up with it all. Try and make an appointment to see yours as soon as possible. Maybe some reassurance will make you feel better.
 
Hash browns are potatos and beans are quite high carb too I sympathise as I am very under weight but dont be afraid of cheese, butter , cream, bacon if you make your breakfast of cheese omelette bacon and maybe 1 slice of burgen bread toast with loads of butter I think you will find your levels more acceptable.I also eat lots of nuts ,walnuts are good also brazils and almonds.Avocados also work well but as always you need to test what works for you .Try to eat more often and snack inbetween meals (the nuts are good for this) Dont give up :!:
CAROL
 
Back
Top