Diabetic husband

[Mags1]

Hi all. My husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the beginning of March when he also had a slight stroke. For the first few weeks he was very good, sticking to a good diet etc. but since several people have told him he doesn't need to give up all sugary foods/drinks he has started eating chocolate/sweets every day, eating cakes, biscuits whenever he feels like it etc. We test his blood sugar now and again and it goes up and down but doesn't seem to go above 8/9. Is this ok or is he doing himself damage but not sticking to a more strict diet? He takes 4 Metformin a day and 1 Gliclazide. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[CollieBoy]

This was my position 3 years ago. I stuck to the NHS/Diabetes UK diet and although my recovery from the stroke was good (Too bloody-minded to let it hold me back! :twisted: ), It wasn't until I seriuosly cut the carbs that things improved on D front : Off insulin and HbA1c of 5.8 now.
You have to work at improving your diet & bloods and need to analyse your results and what/why you are doing. It can be hard but it WILL be worth it.

 

[daisy1]

Hi Mags and welcome to the forum. Your husband has been given bad advice and this has encouraged him to eat things which are not at all good for his Bg levels. It's a pity since he started so well. His levels need to be lower (see the recommended levels quoted below and gradually aim to reduce his to below these maximum figures). Testing regularly before and after meals is essential to see what each food does to his levels. Starchy carbohydrates need to be reduced and sugary carbs like sweets, chocolates, cakes, biscuits must be cut out in order to avoid very unpleasant diabetic complications which could develop. If he does turn things around though he could avoid or reduce complications. Here is some information written by Sue and Ken, the former Monitors, for new members, which should give you a better idea of what he can eat. Have a good read then ask as many questions as you like to get him back on track.

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.

 

[Mags1]

Thanks for your help.