Blood sugar levels hba1c very high, time for insulin?

[markuze]

Hi all, I am really quite concerned really as I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabeties for over a year and despite a few changes in medication- from gliclides to byetta to now bydureon alongside my 2 twice dailys metformins my blood sugar levels are still constantly high from 15-20 and my hba1c started at 95 and my latest one last week was 109. I am overweight around 25 stones and my diet has been looked into numerous times where I do try and watch my carbs etc and I have increased my excercise doing more walking and swimming. My weight has slightly come down but roughly has stayed the same. Is it time I demanded insulin because I feel awful and this last week I have been sleeping way too much and felt so slugish and although the bydureon has made my appetite less I am constantly craving sugary foods. No matter what I seem to of done more exercise and being really strict eating less carbs etc nothing seems to be making any effect and at my doctors I keep being turned down for insulin if I suggest this. I am also taking statins for cholestrol and in the last few months they doubled my ramaprils from 5 to 10 and still my blood pressure is going up now around 153/97 Any help/suggestions would much be appreciated. I am 32.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. At the young age of 32 it is always possibly, but very unlikely, that you are both a Late onset T1 and also insulin resistant. You really do need to reduce your weight before it is worth going onto insulin if it is still needed otherwise you can get into a vicious circle with it due to the insulin resistance. Set yourself a carb daily target of no more than 150gm/day and then try to reduce it to below 100gm/day over a few weeks. I get the feeling, but may be wrong, that although you may be watching your carbs you haven't yet set yourself a strict limit; not easy I know. My wife, who is not diabetic, has been reducing her weight successfully over the last few months by doing a strict 'no-carb' diet for a week at a time. She has found it hard but it works. If you can get your body into Ketosis i.e. burning fat then hopefully you can retrain your metabolism for the longerterm.

 

[toncra1]

Hi Markuze

When you say you have lowered you carbs....to what?

Forget what you have been told about a varied diet and keeping you eye on the amount of daily carbs and low fat.
(Good fats are OK)
You need to go on similar to the Atkins Diet, which starts at, no more than 20 carbs per day...Veg and small amounts of protein

Keep this up for 3 to 4 weeks, before starting to increase your daily amount of carbs to say 25 to 30 per. day.
and so on ....increasing by 5 to 10 extra carbs daily for about a week at a time then increase again by 5 to 10 etc;

You will find you loose weight quite fast as well...... Make sure you drink lots of water daily and also do a good deal of exercise...

IT WORKS.... Give it a go! You will soon feel a lot better.