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Foods that disagree?

Lyndylou7815

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I've been type 2 since 2006 & the Diabetic nurse has now put me on Diagemet XL 500mg a few months ago and said I should gradually increase to 4 per day. I got as far as 3 and started to feel ill, Nausea waking me at night and early hours and lethargy that knocked me out for days. I stopped the 3rd tablet and instantly felt better. Now my diabetic nurse requested I take the 3rd tablet again just over 2 weeks ago. The middle of the night, early morning nausea started immediately and hasn't stopped, then we went away on holiday last week and I suffered really bad diarrhea, worse than the normal with my medication and continued to do so throughout the week, nobody else had it, I ate in moderation but of course I wouldn't eat a roast dinner every day so put it down to that, also the extra coffee and salads. I have found certain foods make the diarrhea much worse. But with that and the nausea I just feel so drained. I have now stopped the 3rd tablet and haven't had to dash to the toilet today and no sudden waking this morning as though as I was going to be sick! She did say if it didn't agree I was to stop it but what is the alternative?
 
It will be your Metformin causing the tummy issues. It is a very common side effect. To be perfectly frank, Metformin does very little to lower blood sugar levels. It helps a little with reducing the amount of glucose your liver produces naturally, helps a little with insulin resistance, but other than that all it does is suppress the appetite. (There are said to be other health benefits not related to diabetes) We can't tell you to stop taking them. That decision is yours, but you can't go on feeling the way you do.

You are already on the slow release version (Diagemet XL) which is supposed to be kinder on the tummy. The only alternatives are stronger tablets, but they may not be suitable for you.

What sort of BS levels are you seeing at the moment?
Can you tell us what diet you are following and what you are normally eating? Maybe we can spot something.
Diet is the key, with or without drugs.
 

Thanks for your prompt reply.
My levels up to the increase 2 weeks ago were steady before breakfast usually around 7 but have gone up to between 10 and 11 which is no good when you have to drive everyday but then I have been feeling ill with stomach cramps too. This I will be telling my doctor Tuesday. I am on a low calorie diet, vegetables do cause an increase in the trips to the toilet but I put up with it especially as I refuse to for go my Sunday dinner. Tomatoes I avoid like the plague especially tinned ones, baked beans have the same effect but now have the odd no added sugar ones. A typical day is Quaker oats for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, cheese or tuna with salad & crisps & a yogurt, I love chicken so eat a lot of that in a week, usually with salad, rice or sometimes as a roast dinner with vegetables. I love fruit so eat plenty in a day. I don't have a sweet tooth so not interested in chocolate, crisps were my down fall but I limit myself to one pack per day of low fat ones. I tend to stick to the same things each week as it keeps the toilet trips at bay.
 
I agree with bluetit1802 it's not doing you any favours feeling like you do also with the diarrhoea you are losing alot of fluids and you will have to drink alot more to replace this if I were you I would make a doctor appointment as soon as possible so you can get this sorted I'm sure there's alternatives they can give you just be firm and tell them that you can't go on feeling like this all the best hope you get this sorted as soon as poss?
 

Thank you,
I have been told they will need to check my bloods again next month as my iron is low but not suggested I do anything about it? Our diabetic nurses aren't really forthcoming, they seem to want you in and out in 5 minutes and no questions, its only going on here that I have had answers to questions I have been asking for years. I also suffer from neuropathy and being a hairdresser its agony, that's now getting less and less as my customers pass away but since the doctors ruled out trigger finger and said it was neuropathy that seems to be the end of it. I researched it and have been having acupuncture for 2 years, this doesn't cure it but keeps it at bay, when I mention it I just get an "oh yes" reply. Maybe I should try being a little more assertive when I am in the surgery next time
 

You have chosen to eat a low calorie diet, yet are still eating an awful lot of carbs. Do you test before and after your meals? This should help you formulate a more diabetic friendly diet along with calorie counting. Test before you eat and again 2 hours after your first bite. Look at the rise from before to after. If it is more than 2mmol/l there are too many carbs in that food. It is preferable to keep any rise under 1.5mmol/l. If you also keep a food diary including portion sizes and record these levels alongside you will soon see patterns and be able to reduce the portion sizes of the carbs or eliminate some.

Low calorie on its own doesn't seem to be helping you keep check on your levels so my suggestion would be for you to read this page, and by following some of the links you can see which type of foods you should be cutting back on and which you can eat freely..

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds

I'm afraid the restricted and avoid foods include oats, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, fruit other than berries or less sweet varieties in moderation. Your low fat crisps will be doing you no favours at all. If you insist on eating crisps, go for the normal ones from the multi-packs as the packets are smaller and therefore less carbs. The fat will help keep your levels a little lower. Better still, try to avoid them or keep them as a rare treat.

The neuropathy probably started due to high sugar levels. If you can control these levels you may find an improvement.
 

I changed my usual breakfast from shredded wheat to porridge on the doctors advice so haven't really done myself any favours with that either. To be honest I have just had more information from you in the last hour than from my doctor in the last 10 years. I have been eating children's crisps thinking they would be healthier then the low fat variety but I can change that too. I was told to check my blood every morning in case of driving but it was only on my last visit 2 weeks ago that I was told to do it randomly through the day so now I will follow your suggestion of before and after.
I have just followed the link you have put on and it looks like some very interesting reading so that will be my evening taken care of. Already I will be throwing out the Flora light and adjusting my shopping list.
Many thanks for this advice, I will keep you posted as to the outcome.
 
Hi @Lindylou7815 I know that if I ate the foods you eat on a typical day I would have problems. Oats for breakfast, sandwich lunches and potato/pasta/pizza/rice are all things of the past for me. Even the low sugar baked beans are out. Now I love my cheeses, eggs cooked in various ways, mediterranean vegetables, salads, fish, natural yoghurt and berries. I have plenty of variety in my diet, I lost weight steadily at a pound a week for as long as wanted to, then gently increased the healthy fats I was eating until I was steady at my target weight. Please try a low carb diet, you may find it works for you too.
 
For iron deficiency eat some broccoli every day or spinach or both.

I can only treat my anaemia with foods and cant eat meat, bread, pasta or rice or any fruit with skin on or leafy veg.

I add broccoli to eveything, even omelettes. Spinach I can only have in smoothies.. but I am a T1 so can handle smoothie spikes better than T2's.

Spinach is also so versatile. Theres gorgeous, spinach, feta cheese and pine nuts fried in butter with a poached egg on top etc..

Try eating a handful of nuts (not salted ones) but walnuts etc instead of crisps....

If you end up taking medication for iron deficiency this can also cause stomach problems.. so if you can eat foods with iron in the better.

I cant eat meat but eating broccoli and spinach everyday keeps me borderline or just below target with anaemia.. but I cant eat a lot of foods due to stomach/colon issues or take meds and I want to stave off having worse treatments.
 
I can't eat any grains or starch without spiking bs, stomach cramps and fatigue so not hard for me to stay away from.

I'm a hair designer too and recently had some awful neuropathy. I started taking alpha lipoic acid and within 2-3 days it was much better and each day for better. It short of one month and it's faint if at all.

Do your research and talk to your doctor.
 
I can only enphasise that you are eating a lot of carbohydrate.
I eat low carb, and have normal levels and don't need to take tablets - plus I feel great.
Metformin made me feel utterly miserable and I gave up as I felt that having no quality of life was not worth the vague promise of a longer one.
I find the foods I can eat delicious and prefer to have them than anything with heavy carbohydrates.
 
@Lyndylou7815

I should have noticed you are on Gliclazide. Sorry, I miussed that. This works by stimulating the pancreas to produce extra insulin. The less carbs you eat the less insulin you need. Too much insulin and your levels may drop too low. You must test frequently to ensure you are not dropping too low. Definitely before driving and before bed in addition to your new plan of before and after meals.
 
Can i ask if your anaemia is a recent thing, or a longterm thing?

Anaemia is known for increasing HbA1c test results, and giving a false high reading, so if your anaemia is a recent development, it may be worth asking for another test to see if you actually do have higher than usual blood glucose, and still need the extra medication.

Patients with anaemia should have a test called a Fructosamine test instead.

I realise that it isn't easy going to your doc and saying you may be disagreeing with them (understatement!), but if you do some googling about HbA1c, anaemia and Fructosamine, you will sea what i mean, and maybe find some info you can give to your doctor.
 

The low iron was on mentioned for the first time at my last review 10th may so hopefully will have improved by my next visit.
 

I've just been reading through the link I was given and making notes so tomorrow will be a new start, no porridge for breakfast and the sandwich can be replaced by a salad. I will be re writing my shopping list this week too.
 
I find too many vegetables cause digestive issues for me. I eat them all day long but o ly in small portions. I use lettuce leaves for my sandwich fillings an dit controls my lettuce portions. I eat avocado with celery and radish slices for bf. I also have some with lunch and dinner. Sometimes I spread it on the lettuce wrap or use mayo.

Way before I was diabetic I went on Atkins induction of 20 carbs or less a day and felt amazing. No more aches and pains, constipation, fatigue, exhaustion, headaches, canker sores, pimples , and the list goes on. I hav eatayed on that for 25 years as that's how I feel best.

I eat protein, above ground veggies and healthy fats to satisfy. Avocado, nuts, olive oil, olives and mayo mostly. I simply replaced my carb calories with fat calories.

Never any grains, starch, corn, potato, chips, crackers, rice etc. They tear my gut up.

You do need to be careful on glip. I was on it briefly and road the bs rollercoaster including way too many hypos. Perhaps if you adopted a low carb diet you could get off it. You need to talk to your team/Doctor of course. When in any medication that works on your pancreas we must be very careful with diet changes. Glip just randomly squeezes your pancreas whenever it feels like. Very little control over it.
 

Thanks, I'm prepared to give this a go, fed up of feeling lousy.
 
Lyndylou7815 said:
Thanks, I'm prepared to give this a go, fed up of feeling lousy.
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I completely understand. Strange what foods can do to us. Sweet potatoes leave me comotos for about an hour, literally. Lights out and no waking me up. Bloated as well. I can only eat a certain amount of lettuce per day. Fruit gives me cramps and gas. I save my fruit for avocado and red wine lol. Artificial sweeteners are horendous. Sugar, forget it. Lactose forget it. I can have a small amount of cheese but not liquids like cream or cottage but not aged dry like Parmesan or Romano. More moz style or Brie has been good to me lately but I keep portions small. Again the list goes on and I spent years feeling like junk until I discovered low carb and ditched the grains and starches.
I love love love chicken/ turkey/ tuna, salmon salad with mayo on a lettuce wrap or just not to my avocado and small serving steamed veg. I need to be careful with those too. Broccoli and cauliflower make me look pregnant. Lol

I really do think if you reduce all those grains and carbs you might be able to get off glip but again you NEED to talk to your doc. Don't want hypos. More so than that I think a lot of your ailments will resolve themselves.

Please note, I am more addressing your digestion and food issues rather than diabetes and meds. That is 200% between you and your doc. I just want you to be careful with glip while changing a diet.

Keep us posted
 
Sometimes it's worth asking to try a slow release version or even different brand of metformin if you defintely need to take the higher dose.

After three years trouble free combination of Metabet SR with a low carb diet, I was suddenly changed to slow release Diagamet and it disagreed with me with a vengeance. Having said that - since you're appear to be eating a fair number of carbs, it's worth being aware that for some people too many carbs and metformin can be a bad combination, see http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045911.php and scroll down to the section on Side Effects.
Robbity
 
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