Feeling deflated

Sorry you're caught in the familiar vicious circle. It feels like you've lost everything you gained and the way back seems so hard and steep. Truth is you only have to take the first step and it's always one step at a time so it's manageable. I don't know about your personal issues and I've never taken meds (yet) but I'm sure you can make it. When I see what others on this forum have achieved I think, well,if they can do it, I'll give it a go. Worked fine so far. Good luck.

Your frustration is understandable @kjc2011 , but for a diabetic, the road is long, seldom straight and the ride is bumpy.

kjc2011 said:

I had a great hba1c back at the beginning of July, with it being the lowest ever at 41. To give you an idea my two before that was 72 back in Jan and 95 in April. Because my results were so good, my doctor took me off my gliclazide and stopped my testing strips. I haave been self funding testing since, and my results are always high, never any lower than 7 and the odd 10. This has really deflated me, and I was so pleased with my results at 41 back in July, never had them so low in my 6 years of diagnosis. I sometimes don't even feel like trying and have fallen off the wagon so to speak eating chocolate and biscuits then get really upset with myself. I'm going round in a vicious circle at the minute and don't know how to get back on track. I have my high readings even when I gave my good days, so I know that it isn't just down to eating the chocolate and biscuits and carbs, even when I cut them out, i'm still high and can't get lower than 7 on my readings no matter what time of day I test or no matter what I have eaten. Think I will be having another chat soon and depending on my results in a fortnight's time may have to start back on the gliclazide again. Sorry to rant, just feeling really down and frustrated, first ever great results and I know i'm not going to achieve them again in October .

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Aw sorry to read this...it's easy to say don't get down but all I would say is...just one overly carb thing can knock you out for a good while so it COULD (though I am far from expert like others on here) by affecting you. I guess it could be that your beta cells have burnt out but even still, to my mind, this WOE is better for you diabetic or not so even if you do have to go back on the meds...you can keep at it and hence try and ensure your need for them doesn't just keep going up..I have friends who tell me that they eat what the hell they want and let the meds so their work but all that will happen is their dependency will just sky rocket over the years and they are only in their 30's now. BIG hugs to you...never apologise for rants...I do enough of them and as ever come away from here feeling a lot better xxxx

In theory, I am off a specific dose of Gliclazide - I am allowed them on prescription though - what I do is take a quarter of a pill when I know I am going to have a carby meal (ie Chinese) ... and because this seems to work for me, the doc is happy for me to self prescribe ... would this be an option for you?

kjc2011 said:

I had a great hba1c back at the beginning of July, with it being the lowest ever at 41. To give you an idea my two before that was 72 back in Jan and 95 in April. Because my results were so good, my doctor took me off my gliclazide and stopped my testing strips. I haave been self funding testing since, and my results are always high, never any lower than 7 and the odd 10. This has really deflated me, and I was so pleased with my results at 41 back in July, never had them so low in my 6 years of diagnosis. I sometimes don't even feel like trying and have fallen off the wagon so to speak eating chocolate and biscuits then get really upset with myself. I'm going round in a vicious circle at the minute and don't know how to get back on track. I have my high readings even when I gave my good days, so I know that it isn't just down to eating the chocolate and biscuits and carbs, even when I cut them out, i'm still high and can't get lower than 7 on my readings no matter what time of day I test or no matter what I have eaten. Think I will be having another chat soon and depending on my results in a fortnight's time may have to start back on the gliclazide again. Sorry to rant, just feeling really down and frustrated, first ever great results and I know i'm not going to achieve them again in October .

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OK, I can hear the frustration in your text, if you know what I mean. As urbanracer suggests, I doubt any of us will get through our lifetimes without hitting bumps in the road; whether D related or something else, so in many ways what has happened is "just one of those things". But, of course, it simply not "just one of those things" for you - understandably.

You talk about your numbers, and clearly that's frustration, but can I ask you to consider your statement of ".... I have my high readings even when I gave my good days ...."

When you began testing, all that time ago, did your numbers go from 8 (or whatever they were then), down to your best scores immediately? I have a feeling they didn't.

Usually, our bodies like to run to a routine, and for a while your liver will do whatever it can to maintain your usual (at that time) status quo, by chucking it's store supplies into your system. Over time, those stores become depleted and your numbers come down. Mine would come down in notches, rather than slither down to a more acceptable level.

For a very general description of it, you could ask Dr Google about the "Last Meal Effect" and you'll find many ways of describing what I have tried to.

So, it's going to have to be a bit of a sustained effort to start to see the numbers come down again. Your body's new "comfort zone" isn't where you want it to be. You have to re-educate it.

If, having done that sustained effort things aren't improved, then maybe your body needs a bit more support than diet alone can provide. Well, those are my thoughts anyway.

Really good luck with it.

Hi kjc

I interpretted your post differently from above, in that your GP has made a decision based on one good result, stopped your medication and test strips. As I see it, you've achieved this great result by virtue of diet and medication and so now had it whipped away from you. I would be devastated, to be honest, as I think you are.

I can understand the reason for stopping the test strips, as they are only prescribed because of the particular medication, because of the need to test before driving etc. You don't say what dose of Gliclazide you were taking. Maybe only a low dose. Neither do you say when your GP suggested you have another Hb1Ac test.

When I had my last Hb1Ac result, it was well down from previous tests, because I'd made a point of changing diet to lower carb. I also lost a lot of weight. So, my GP put it all down to the weight loss, didn't ask about diet changes, so when I asked about my next test, he wasn't bothered for it to be in 3 months time, saying "it wouldn't change". I felt so gutted. I suspect I might be in a similar situation as you have found yourself in, when I next have HbA1c, my resut comes back further improved

Maybe I've missed the point somewhere tho ...

Sorry if I missed something .. but could I ask was you low carb before you fell off the wagon ? and if you were how low did you go ... I have found after 2 years of around 20g of carbs a day and no low fat foods my T2 has been sent into remission..
I was lucky as I only had the dreaded metfourm for a few weeks...
Stay on track if you can, the meds are there if you need them ..talk to your Dr again.

I will never understand why, when you have found the right combination and things are going good, BAM, stop the medication that has helped to achieve it in the first place. Makes me shake my head. Look, high test fuel is making my car run better, quickly stop using it and wonder what happened. I would talk to my doctor.

Comment aimed at doctors, not OP

My suggestion would be to manage your carb intake as you were when you got your good Hb1Ac result and see what your next HbA1c result is. If it's up again, as you presumably expect, then discuss the value of the gliclazide with your GP. Unless you are happy (and able) to reduce carbs further, I would have thought your GP would see that you would be best on your previous medication.

However, if you feel you can reduce carbs further, then go for it and see what your next result is before you decide what you feel the best management would be.

You can only do your best and what suits your lifestyle. Good luck

i don't know your full circumstances but if you are able to do so throwing a bit more exercise into the mix is always a help walking to local shop rather than using the car counts, taking the stairs instead of lift counts,lots of little things that raise your activity can help along with cutting the carbs

kjc2011 said:

Thank you for your advice @Hellrazor I currently walk the 30 minute journey to and from work, and unable to add any more as when I arrive home i'm exhausted and find it difficult with my angina. I currently 2ork in a nursery class within a school, so I am also active m7st of the day, playing outdoors with them daily 10.30- 11:30 then again 12-12:30, if I worked in an office , sat at a desk and drove to work I would certainly agree, ore exercise would help, but i'm so currently exhausted daily, and with the Angina, I would find this extremely difficult. Sorry if it seems like i'm making excuses not to up the exercise, it's how things are at the minute.

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KJC - For me, exercise is really a matter of finesse, by comparison to the dietary aspects of my control, and I think it is for most people. These days, I am fairly well (self-)trained to park further from the supermarket entrance, walk when doing errands in the village (unless it's pouring down), and so on. So, that's hardly extreme effort, on my part.

However, as your fab bloods were early August (from your OP), you are pretty much at the 3 month point now from discontinuing your meds? Why not call and ask for another test now, citing your concerns that things may be moving in the wrong direction. I doubt many Docs would refuse at least the test. From there you have your discussion points.

If your HbA1c has materially increased, that's one discussion. If they have remained low, then that may be a different discussion, depending on how you feel about it at the time.

I'd suggest you need to discuss this with your GP. The forum can sympathise or empathise, but the key to information and decision making with in conjunction with your Doc.

That's my take on it.