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Cheer me up...please!

Buttons11

Well-Known Member
Messages
162
Location
Woking, Surrey
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Maybe I'm just not thinking clearly, but how do I know what effect lchf is having on my BG? I'm trying really hard, having maybe 30-50g max carbs per day (although sometimes only around 10) but I'm also taking 80mg gliclazide and 500mg metformin. The DN told me to take 1000mg metformin, but I thought my levels were OK so I've never take the 2nd tablet! My BG seems to have settled at 5-6 in the morning and 4-5 pre evening meal, (one day I had 3.8 and wasn't feeling too good on that) but is this just due to the medication, or the diet changes? Or both?
I have my next HbA1c next Monday. Is it likely the DN will let me cut down on the meds, or will have to continue with them forever?
TBH I am feeling really down and fed up with all this. I had 4 weeks of diet only before I saw the DN and I was feeling really good, full of energy and BG had come down from 13.1 on diagnosis to 8-9. As soon as I started taking the meds I felt rough and haven't really felt good since. I wake up with a headache every morning, I'm always tired, feeling run down and full of aches and pains. I have sciatica, and I know being in pain doesn't help and isn't diabetes fault.
I just feel like I lack motivation to do anything. I know you guys can give me a boost!
 
Hopefully you will be 'allowed' to stop the medication, or at least reduce it. Those numbers look just wonderful to me - but only you can decide if your symptoms are worth having.
I decided that the effects I experienced were not - and then realised that nothing was happening even though I stopped the medication.
If I am challenged I am going to say that I forgot all about the tablets. I have had to lie about eating low carb in the past, so no difference there.
My BG levels have gone on falling all this year - I stopped the medication before Christmas, and I am well into the normal range. Low carb eating works, and perhaps a small experiment of forgetting to take your tablets on alternate days or over a weekend might reveal just what is making you feel bad. It won't be instant, but you should be able to tell - just watch your BG readings, as you might see a change there - I didn't - but better safe than soaring.
 
You are luckier than me. I went straight on insulin 11 years ago. As for carbs, you don't have to completely eliminate them from the diet. Alternatively you need to limit them to some extent. If you can, obtain a copy of the glycaemic index which will aid in carb counting. There fast and slow loading carbs which will effect your BGL's. Try keeping a diary of when you experience highs and record what you consumed on the day. Above all keep a record of glucose levels from day to day. Apart from that - DON'T PANIC!! We are here to help.
 
I am getting good numbers throughout the day now but do find that if I go to bed on a 7 or slightly higher then I have a much better night sleep then 6 or less.
 
Resurgam said:
If I am challenged I am going to say that I forgot all about the tablets. I have had to lie about eating low carb in the past, so no difference there.
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I hope I'm as lucky as you! I'll keep taking them until my blood test next week, then decide what to do. TBH, I did honestly forget one evening last week. I remembered when I was in bed but decided I couldn't be bothered to get up and find something to eat (and I wasn't hungry) but the next morning it was something like 6.2 so nothing to worry about.
 
Hi @Buttons11! Sorry to hear you are feeling low. Your readings are really good. I think you should tell your DN that the meds are having adverse side effects for you, and ask if you can reduce or come off them. Really it is up to you to decide if you want to take meds or not, the DN can only advise you.
 
Fruitella said:
I am getting good numbers throughout the day now but do find that if I go to bed on a 7 or slightly higher then I have a much better night sleep then 6 or less.
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I don't often check before bed, but the couple of times I have, it's been 6.something, so maybe it's going too low at night?
 
I have an appointment with her on 5th May. If she asks me again if I've eaten any chocolate, I might just thump her
 
Buttons11 said:
I have an appointment with her on 5th May. If she asks me again if I've eaten any chocolate, I might just thump her
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Chocolate is not necessarily an evil item. As I understand it, dark chocolate (having a high cocoa content) is beneficial - once again in moderation (I've grown to hate that word!). White and milk chocolate are high in sugar and fat, so avoid them at all costs.
 
The impossible is simply the improbable waiting to be made possible.
 
It was the condescending way she asked which got my back up. She also thinks diet soft drinks should be avoided, but I can't find any evidence to back this up? She loves to talk about what I "shouldn't" eat, (the aforementioned chocolate, cakes, biscuits) but hasn't told me what I should be eating. Generally I don't have a lot of faith in her.
 
It's bad enough to live with diabetes without condescencion and insulting attitude. I tolerate it not!
 
Your glucose numbers looks good. You are on the right path. Reducing and removing your medication should be the next logical step.

In a supposedly evidence driven medical community, there's surprisingly little evidence that oral medication helps T2D achieve normal glucose levels of 4-7 mmol without any carbs restriction/reduction...
 
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Your numbers look great.
Metformin made me feel dreadful, headaches, nausea and those dreaded runs to the loo. I persevered for 11 weeks as I was told they would help me.. then one morning I got really close to throwing up as I went to take one.. I just dropped them all in the bin and haven't taken one since. My readings on LCHF are no different to what they were when I was taking it and I feel tons better.
 
There is, of course, chocolate made with no added sugar - several brands - but they do contain sugar alcohols, which can be a bit explosive, which is good in a way, as I know I really do have to just eat a small amount or there will be consequences. The high cocoa chocolate can be a trifle bitter, so I have been adding it to concoctions rather than eating it as it comes - makes it go further.
Why your nurse should be concerned about chocolate I do not know - I would tend to mishear her (snigger) and start telling her about my carbohydrate intake - repeat as necessary.
 
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