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Blood Sugar in High 20's and GP not helping, please advise

I apologise that I am a concern, I really didn't mean to be. It's obvious, by your words, that I shouldn't be and you feel everybodys help has been wasted. I have been following the advice that was offered me; no sugar or sugary foods at all, low amount of carbs - under 60g per day. Trying to eat lots of fat and protein and not cheating before anyone suggests that. My bloods have stayed under 20.0, which I know, is still a lot higher, but is better and this is with taking the extra Gliclozide which, I think, has caused the reduction in my bloods. Not my new diet of LCHF.

Going on from the weekend, I felt okay yesterday morning but as the day wore on I began to feel worse though not vomiting. My legs were tinglying, my heart was racing, I felt clammy, couldn't feel my feet which were swelling up. I thought I was going to pass out and nearly did. My son called my husband at work last night and he came home and this morning called the surgery and they agreed to see me, so off we went, expecting some help. The doctor asked me various things, for instance what I was eating, I told him I was eating under 1200 calories per day and following the LCHF diet. Well, I never expected that I would be told I was stupid and should be eating three full meals a day (which I agreed with) with smaller potions, and that continuing with this diet would be foolish and if I wanted to do this to myself then I could do it alone with no help. I was told that my bloods were at an acceptable level but not good and this was due to my diet. My husband couldn't believe that he was saying these things and asked to speak to another doctor, he was advised that we couldn't. So to sum up, I, according to the doctor, will only receive help if I stop my diet. I left in tears.

I told him that I wasn't going to do that, he shrugged and said it was my choice. I came home in bits and after speaking to my mum, I contacted the Primary Care Trust and have written and posted a letter of complaint to them. I sent it Special Delivery. I also asked to see the Diabetic Nurse so I could get my bloods tested properly. I have an appointment next Wednesday, along with another appointment to see a different doctor on Monday. We also called the surgery who we want to register with to try and make an appointment, but no joy - I have to attend a medical on 24th and after that I can see a doctor. Then I called the local A&E and explained everything and was advised that as I had seen a doctor that day, there was nothing more they could do but could help if a doctor sent me there with a letter, it was not classed as being an emergency.

I have stopped posting due for many reasons, not least being that I would be told I was doing something wrong, that I need to see a GP, which I have done and other reasons I don't want to go into. It's very easy, sitting there reading my posts to make a judgement on me. I am not stupid, I have grasped the LCHF, the only thing I may not be doing is eating a lot of fat. Please, also, don't think me stupid for realising that I have become a burdurn on the Diabetes UK community.

I am exremely grateful for all the help and support I have received and hope, in time, to give some back. But I am not going back to posting until I feel well enough and my BG is low enough to let me fit in with you all. I also apologise that this thread is so long, I certainly didn't exoect to get help more than for a couple of days.

ETA I have stopped eating now. Maybe that will reduce my BG.
 
scottie1 said:
I have stopped posting due for many reasons, not least being that I would be told I was doing something wrong, that I need to see a GP, which I have done and other reasons I don't want to go into. It's very easy, sitting there reading my posts to make a judgement on me. I am not stupid, I have grasped the LCHF, the only thing I may not be doing is eating a lot of fat. Please, also, don't think me stupid for realising that I have become a burdurn on the Diabetes UK community.
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Hardly Scottie ...... you are NOT a burden ...... but if the numbers are not working, then you should take the advice of members ( Ryvitas are a case in point) and try it. Just keep at it and watch that meter. They have dropped big time and there's a lot more to do. You WILL get there !!
 
Hi @scottie1 , It's a great shame that there are these misunderstandings, @donnellysdogs is concerned, as I am and I'm sure everybody else that has followed this thread on why your numbers should be where they are, no one is judging you, or criticizing you, they are desperate to help you, but I'm sure they are all wondering how to.

I genuinely think your perseverance in the last few days, to get treatment from your medical team has been excellent and hopefully it will pay off for you when you see the Nurse and Doctor Next week.

You mention you have told the Doctor that you were on 1200 calories a day, & prior to that I know you were on 800/900 a day, where I told you, you can only do diets like this, under supervision. You have to eat more & regular.

I read your thread and to me it has seemed like a race at times, and that it just what it is not.

While your waiting for the medical stuff, I personally think you should Calmly start to test each meal you have, as was suggested, Test just before the meal, 1hr after & 2hrs after, if the numbers have moved up more than 2mmol/L then some High Carbs or sugary foods need reducing or removing.

You mentioned in one post 3 ryvitas in one meal, thats 18 carbs I have ryvitas everyday at lunchtime with cream cheese & Mackerel or Ham, I'm officially out of the diabetic range but cannot manage more than 2 Ryvitas or I spike.

You have Trudi Deakins Book I think you should study this, in particular the relationship with the fat, as you mention above that this is the area you are struggling with, reducing the carbs you have to replace them with fat so you can get the energy levels you require. The book has all the answers.

The LCHF diet may not be the panacea for you, but reducing the carbs has to help you to some degree, even if you are waiting for further medical intervention and it will also help the weight loss.

Hang in there Scottie & try not to take this personally, it's not intended that way.

Neil

 
Good to see you back @scottie1 You haven't done anything wrong. This thread is for you to get help, I have found it quite difficult to follow with pages and pages of chit chat from others. Your own chat is fine, because it's your thread, but I felt the thread was being taken over as a social club at one point

Keep posting. :)
 
Was worried with your silence Scottie.... You have seen good decreases and great support etc etc... It far from personal. Just concerned that since Feb your levels aren't down a tad further. That's all my concerns are.. Yes great banter which is fantastic.. Didn't say that was wrong.
I haven't actually said that you are doing anything wrong etc... I think reducing carbs is the only way to go... Just purely that your levels are still in double figures...

Not a criticism was directed at you... Just a concern of doctors and double figures. No concerns as to your eating etc, or way you are trying to lower your readings....
 
We weren't aware of your getting to see GP and the GP reaction Scottie...
 
Hi Scottie I know that it does seem strange that eating more fat works but it does. Like you for years I ate low fat foods and found it difficult coming to terms with the idea that some fats are actually good for you however once I managed to get over that particular hurdle and started eating the full fat versions of yoghurt, cheese and milk etc the weight began to come off and my BS and cholesterol levels reduced. Your metabolism appears to be a lot like mine so I have to agree with your doctor in that you probably aren't eating enough calories - been there, done that and failed! Try eating low carb, full fat for a couple of weeks and see how it goes and then decide what you feel is right for you! Good luck with whatever you decide to do and remember that we're here should you need us.
 
@scottie1 I understand you are upset but please do keep posting. You are not a nuisance at all, the forum is here to help and support people like you who are having a tough time. I am so sorry that you have felt unwelcome. There are 10 people on this page alone (including those who have posted and those who have 'liked' posts) who really want you to stay, if there are others who don't want to read your thread - well they don't have to, they can move on to another. It will leave the thread clear for you and those of us who have genuine concern for you.

I haven't judged you. I am one of those people who always did what my GP said, but never got the results I wanted. The advice was just plain wrong for me. I was judged because I was morbidly obese and appeared to be doing nothing about it. When I told people I had stuck to the various diets they accused me of cheating. I was the only one who knew I wasn't cheating. LCHF has been the answer to some of my problems and I am slowly losing weight. It may not be all of the answer for you, but it seems to have helped you a bit.

I agree with the others who say low carb is the way to get your BGs down further and I also agree with those who say you need to eat more calories. I found I lost more weight and my BGs were better when I increased my calories, but cut the carbs. It was wonderful because I was never hungry and food wasn't an issue anymore.

You say you have stopped eating. Stopping eating may not reduce your BG levels because your liver may well compensate and start churning out glycogen and keep BG levels up. You do need to eat regularly

You have not become a burden on the community. My own thread is longer than yours. If we can't help and advise someone who is struggling I really don't see the point of any of us being here. I joined the forum to give and receive help, the chatty threads and word games are just extras. You say someone told you off - I don't know (and I don't want to know) who did this and why, but I think it was an ill-judged decision.

I hope you are feeling better today. :)
 
Hi Scottie,

I Agree with everything that Zand and some of the others have said. I was a diabetic for 3+ years uncontrolled because the advice given to me by my Drs was not helping. I had just about given up - then I came across this site. I have had more help and support from this site in the 6 months or so that I have been here than I ever got from anywhere else - including my family. They all meant well, but none of them really understood or had experienced what I was going through. By reading and learning from the experiences of others - I now have the tools I need to help me manage my diabetes better. Its not easy, there is no quick fix, I have to work at it every day and some days I struggle, but this site is my bit of motivation - that spurs me on to try harder. There are times when people say things I don't like or agree with - but I truly believe there is no better place to get help and support than this forum.
 
Thank you all so much for your continuing support. I, if I am honest, am finding it really hard. I seem to be stuck in a cycle of high BG levels and am loseing the will to continue as they are just not dropping as I, and others, would like. I have taken to not eating in order to get them down, but I do know that is not the answer. I have been eating less than 500 calories and miminal carbs for the last four days and am feeling ill. For instance today I have had 456 calories and no carbs unless you count salad and I do not intend to have any more to eat. It appears that even cutting down my calories and carbs is not enough to lower my BG. Though not as imperative, my weight is also not reducing, and both together are making it seem like a pointless task. I must say though, that even though the scales are not showing a weight loss, I do feel a bit thinner, my clothes seem looser and my husband has also commented that he has noticed a difference.

I am sorry that I have been quiet these last few days, this is mainly due to feeling embarrassed about my never-decreasing BG, along with not knowing what to eat, even though I know we have been through this a thousand times, and feeling very emotinal. This may be, is some way, because of feeling ill but I haven't felt strong enough to cope with addressing my health, answering questions, and interacting in any way. My period has also arrived with a vengence (apologies for mentioning that but I was concerned that I have missed one). As well as all that, the forums haven't seemed like a particular friendly place this last week and as I struggle with anxiety, this has made it worse. Things felt very personal and I truly couldn't cope.

I have been reading the forums a lot and am beginning to wonder if the Newcastle Diet would help in any way but I honestly do not think I could stick to it, though I am becoming more desperate as time goes on. As mentioned, I first posted on 5 February and even though I did not start low-carbing at that particluar point, it was not long afterwards so I would have expected to see a bigger reduction in both my weight and BG, therefore I am willing to consider anything. I am actually looking forward to seeing a different GP on Monday and I hope he can help. He is much nicer than the one I saw Monday just gone, so I am expecting support whether it to be put on insulin or the like. This was something, that quite frankly, scared me to death but if needs must and my health is at stake then I will be happy to give it a go. I do not, still, fully understand the need for insulin, or for that matter, Type 1 but I shall do more research.

My BG has not gone above 20/0 this last week, but it is just not enough of decrease for my liking, especially from reading other people's results. I know not two of us are the same but still............

It must seem like a pointless task, advising me continusly but I do listen, although high fat is not sinking in at all, and I apologise for that. 70 pages in and we are no further forward. You all must feel very cross but I can assure you, that I am not cheating, if anything, just the opposite. The areas I am having trouble with are, as mentioned, high fat, breakfast meals and snacking. I long for cereal and grapes, and have cravings like the ones I had whilst pregnant.

My husband is going to a health food shop tomorrow to see if we can buy almond/coconut flour to make breakfast muffins and pancakes, though the recepies I have seen seem to be American ones. I need to apply more effort and be more pro-active, nobody is going to do it for me, though my family, and of course, members of this forum are so supportive. i cannot thank you all enough.

As a different issue, I need to publicy apologise to Clive, who has been a friend in every sense of the word. I didn't post when you got your results, though I did visit the forum to see if there was any news and cried tears of joy when I read the excellent news. I have no excuses, apart from as mentioned above as to why I haven't posted. But that's not good enough, and I am truly sorry.
 
Brilliant news!!!! I hope you are feeling pleased with yourself :D

Well done.

I know the fat thing is hard to understand at first, just try to think of it as a filler if you are hungry. Choose full fat not low fat. There's no need to push yourself to eat fat you don't fancy, but it's not the enemy, carbs are. This is going to sound weird but I started losing weight when I added 50g more butter or lard a day to my already low carb diet. it makes no sense at all, but that's what happened in my case.

OK here's the thing....I'm crying tears of joy over your 12.8:)

Keep posting :)
 
Thank you Lily. Lovely to 'meet' you.

You would think that as I have been posting over a month and am always reminded, that high fat would start to sink in by now, wouldn't you? But it isn't, I think there is a blockage somewhere in my brain. Duh!
 
Glad you posting
Scottie. I don't think that anyone cross.... We are just concerned.....
Glad you seeing a nicer GP monday and that you've come in with a 12.8!!
 
I think, to me, eating lots of fat means eating large amounts of butter, a whole block, and lumps of lard, tons of sugar, drinking a bottle of Virgin olive oil. I need to find out just what the HF part of LCHF actually means, in more detail.

Can I please ask you all, what exactly is meant by HF? and give examples. Apologies if I have asked before
 
Fats are butters, full cream, oils and full fat yoghurts.

Sugars are definitely NOT on that list :)
 
Hi Scottie I use butter instead of low fat spreads, normal greek yoghurt instead of low fat, whole milk, ordinary cheese, meat inc red, eggs, bacon, normal mayonnaise, pate, olive or rapeseed oil, in fact anything that I used to have low fat I now have the normal fat version but in the same quantities hence why I like to say that I'm low carb, full fat. Hope this helps
 
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