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Getting back on track

M

Maggie75

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Hello everyone,

I'm T2, currently not taking any meds for this and my diabetes is not well controlled at all, hasn't been for about the last year or so. I have severe depression and anxiety and these have been really bad the last few months leading to very poor diet choices and way too much wine drinking. I'm now battling my 2nd chest infection in 7 weeks, just got over the last one after 3 courses of antibiotics and back at Dr's today as I just couldn't breathe and I was in so much pain, diagnosed again with another chest infection and another course of antibiotics and a chest xray to go for next week.

My GP told me a few weeks ago when I was in to see her that my latest HBA1C was up at 72, highest yet, and if I didn't do something to get this under control I would start to feel very ill, how right she was. I know now I need to do something about this, I'm off work again with this chest infection because it's so bad and I need to rest completely for a few days at least. This is just no way to live, my body just can't fight infection and I feel horrendous all the time. Can anyone give any advice to get back on the wagon? I know a lot of it is willpower, I'm simply addicted to carbs and sugar and poor mental health is just another obstacle. Has anyone been prescribed appetite suppresants? At this stage I would try anything, just can't see carrying on like this and just becoming sicker all the time. Sorry for the rambling post, really not trying to sound self-pitying, I'm just lost here and need a little advice or tough love, I don't mind. Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Maggie
 
Hi Maggie,

Sorry you're not feeling well.

My HBA1C was 68 when I was diagnosed. It was a bit of a shock. I'd previously been eating lots of Chinese fried rice, way too much pasta and lots of sandwiches, not to mention large amounts of kit kats and mars bars. You could say I was addicted.

But then I came here, read about the LCHF (low carb high fat) diet and decided to try it. I don't really miss carbs, and I have one chunky kit kat left from a multipack that I haven't bothered about. I know that if I do, then it won't be good for me. I've also given up sugar in coffee.

By going low carb, I've lost a fair amount of weight, and my body is doing things better and easier than it used to.

Sometimes we have to grasp the nettle and make a change that we know is going to be helpful, even if it is quite a big change.

We're a friendly lot here, so don't be a stranger, and let us know how you get on. x
 
Hi. You know the First Law of Holes? "When you're in one, stop digging".

The thing is you don't need to solve this in the next month or two. This is a condition we have for life, and we have to learn to manage it for the rest of our lives. Willpower is needed. I'm not surprised you feel bad - it will be the high glucose levels and they contribute to all sorts of infections. I'm sure you know what the issue is and how to control it - what you really need to think about is what's stopping you from doing those things. You might need to work on those first.

Take it one day at a time - "Today I won't eat more than x carbs". There will be days you won't be able to live up to that, but start over the next day. Just because you couldn't do it on Monday doesn't mean you won't be able to do it on Tuesday. And be kind to yourself.

best of luck
 
I find testing my own bg (either finger prick or cgm) really helps my motivation. The very visual graphs and red lines show me exactly what I can and what I shouldn't eat.
I always find will power alone difficult, but with clear visual motivation, and fear of complications, I seem to muddle along
 
Hi Maggie , and everyone , I hope you feel better soon! I had the chest infections a few years ago in succession. I even had pneumonia after the pneumonia jab and hospitalised often I don’t know why but I’m better now and just take my inhaler morning and night.
Now to my T2. I was almost in remission. I lost 3 stones and since last November I’ve put it all back on again. I’ve been taking my BG often and I’m doing a bit better with the carbs. I have also bought a big bag of peanuts as they can offset the carb damage and help bring down the BG! I just noticed about your wine drinking. Im fortunate I don’t drink alcohol, almost 39 years this year., my doctors said I would have been dead if I hadn’t stopped. Took me a long time to stop smoking. I think it’s just over 20 years.
Today wasn’t good. It’s like somehow losing control of the food situation. when I had lost the weight I had fruit, sweetened yogurts, and low sugar drinks and it didn’t affect my bg in anyway. I hate the way I look just now. I have mobility issues and combined with weight gain I can barely get my socks on. It’s easier not to wear them. I am doing a bit better and have joined a walking group and I go round in my mobility scooter. I have help as someone now drives it for me and if I can’t go any further I get it back. May be you could do something like that. It’s run by my medical practice and they’re such a nice bunch of people. Everyone has health problems. I walked too much today as I made a friend and we went to the shopping mall after and I walked. She seen me getting bad tempered as I was at dropping point and she understood as it’s the first she’s seen me like that. It’s just part of my illness and I’m trying to help myself in my life. I look great and really healthy but I’m not. I almost forgot! I’ve had my fair share of urine infections and horrific pain combined with spinal problems. like you huge amounts of antibiotics to fight them. As well as the T2 I have a neuropathic bladder so it’s seriously not fun. I’ve had a couple of months break and now carry emergency course of antibiotics as it’s difficult getting immediate treatment. May be we could help each other and could record our successes and not so good times together on this forum and encourage each other. We have to start a new fight every day to keep ourselves well. I weighed in the other day. If I can start a weight journal also and at least see a few pounds down it would mean a lot. We can do this! Jeanette
 
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Hi Jeanette and welcome. Have you checked the carb content for peanuts? If I recall correctly they're about 8%. That's probably OK in itself for you but of course it depends how many you eat and how much other carb you're eating. In my experience there are no miracle foods that offset the physical damage done by high blood glucose levels, no matter what you read in the media.

Best of luck. You've done this once, and you can do it again. Good to have a plan!
 
Maybe this is news to you, but high blood sugars feed depression and anxiety. Both get so much worse when you're high all the time, and there's experience speaking here. It really is a matter of taking the bull by the horns and going for it, even if your heart isn't in it.... Because these infections are a direct result of your high blood sugars too. You can't fight them off when you're feeding the infection at the same time. Murder it, get violent towards it, if you can visualise going to battle with it, that'd help. And try and pull the wool over your own eyes. Get on the wagon, and once you're on, any time you crave something, eat something low carb instead. Want a cookie? Have some cheese. It'll fill you up, get the craving sorted for the time beating, and you can battle on for a few more hours. And a few more hours after a few olives. And a few hours after some cold cuts. Made it through the day, yay! It won't always be such an uphill battle, but it's rough at the start, which I completely and thoroughly appreciate... BUt you can do this. Mainly because you do sound like you're thoroughly fed up with being ill, and that can be quite the motivator.

I know it's silly to try and fool yourself, but it does work in a pinch.
Good luck!
Jo
 
Hi Kenny, I cant post links just now but peanuts have a low glycemic index and release carbs slowly. They don’t cause a spike. I don’t eat that much but they’re healthier to snack on watching tv In the evening compared to chocolate. My BG is under 7 in the mornings and I’m happy with that. I am certainly not getting my remission next test as I’ve had too many spikes. Self inflicted of course! I’ve only been diagnosed a few years. But Doc and nurse are very happy the way it’s going.
 
That's excellent - I was just a bit concerned that you seemed to think they would somehow offset or reduce carb intake. I don't find GI at all relevant, but nuts are cetainly a better option for me than sugar.
 
I didn’t mean they were a cure all. They’re highly recommended for diabetes. I’ve read if your BG is too high eating protein can help bring it down and peanuts and peanut butter can help bring it down, along with eggs and meat. Read you're in remission. Well done!
 

 
Yes, if you're reducing carbs you need to eat plenty of fats and protein. It is the reduction in carb intake, rather than the additional protein and fat, that directly affects blood glucose.
 
I was watching a YouTube video the other day, sorry I’ve forgotten who by, (I seem to spend a lot of time on YouTube ), they said when eating sugary foods the brain has the same dopamine response as someone taking heroine, meaning it’s very addictive. To stop the addiction you have to cut it out completely. If you can’t go cold turkey start slowly by cutting one thing at a time if it helps. No sugar in drinks one week. No cake or biscuits the next. Stop snaking the next week and so on.
As @JoKalsbeek said you have to murder it, fight it like a battle. Don’t let it win it’s only a pathetic piece of cake and trying to keep you addicted. You can do this x
 
Thank you so much to everyone for your replies and advice, I'm determined to do this, if only because I can't take much more of these horrible infections and feeling dreadful all the time. I did it before, lost 3 stone and brought my HBA1C down to 36 when I was first diagnosed in Nov/2020 and I did it through low carb eating so I know it works for me, there's no excuse, I need to 'screw the nut' as they say and just get on with it. The advice of treating it like a battle is very good, at the end of the day it's just food, fuel for the body and it shouldn't be so difficult to make good choices, especially when your health is at stake, so I need to get on with this now and keep that in mind.

When it comes to snack foods, are things like fridge raiders chicken and babybel cheese ok? I do enjoy these and if I keep them to hand instead of biscuits and crisps it would be helpful. Also can anyone recommend a good vitamin to take to boost my immune system? Thanks again so much for all the great advice and support and I'll keep you posted on how I'm getting on.

Maggie x
 
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