Hello and Help, Newbie Here

[MarkyG]

Hi folks I hope someone can help me, I'm new to the forum though I have been reading and trying to get a handle on things myself but now I'm getting so confused and feel I'm not getting any answers from my Doctor that I'm hoping someone will be able to give me some advice. First of all let me give you a rundown of my Medical History:

I was on medication for High Blood Pressure and in Sept. 2003 while having a routine check suffered some kind of turn which resulted me going into hospital where numerous tests were done with nothing being confirmed as the problem. In Jan. 2005 I was finally Diagnosed with M.E./C.F.S. and have since been diagnosed as having High Colestral, I.B.S. and being Aneamic(? Spelling), then in late Aug. 2010 I was diagnosed as having Diabetes Type 2 and told that I had been Pre Diabetic for a cpl of years which I knew nothing about then 10 days later I was rushed into Hospital with Pneumonia.
I was told that to help with my Diabetes it was recommended that I have a High Fibre Diet(which isn't practical because of my I.B.S), and plenty of exercise(again something I'm not able to do with my M.E.).

As for medications at the moment it lists as:-

Alverine x 60mg x 3 times a day.
Amitriptyline x 25mg(x3) x 1 time a day(at night).
Folic Acid x 5mg x 1 time a day.
Glucophage SR x 500mg(x2) x 2 times a day(this was doubled from 1 x 2times a day in Nov).
Melatonin x 5mg x 1 time a day(at night).
Modafinal x 100mg x 2 times a day.
Omeprazole x 40mg x 1 time a day.
Ramipril x 10mg x 1 time a day.
Simvastatin x 40mg x 1 time a day.

My last (only my 2nd one) HBA1C in November had a reading of 8.7, I have been to the Diabetic Clinic(held by the Nurses in my Doctors Surgery) again today for my quarterly check up and had a pin prick reading of 13.9 and although I asked was told that I did not need to check myself with self testing.

What I guess I'm asking is (a) Should I be self testing? (b) Is any of my medication detrimental to my Diabetes? (c) Is there anything I can do to help lower my blood sugar levels? As I know myself it shouldn't be reading 13.9 and (d) Should something have been done at the clinic to help with such a reading?

I would be really grateful for any advice or help that can be given. Thank You in Anticipation.

 

[cugila]

What I guess I'm asking is

(a) Should I be self testing?
Yes. they only tell you that because of the cost and they think you will get paranoid or depressed ! Rubbish !!!
(b) Is any of my medication detrimental to my Diabetes?
Check the PIL (Patient Information Leaflet) which you should have with each drug. Too many to go through each one individually just now.
(c) Is there anything I can do to help lower my blood sugar levels? As I know myself it shouldn't be reading 13.9 and
Read through the information that Sue and I give out to newly diagnosed.
(d) Should something have been done at the clinic to help with such a reading?
Yes. they could have given you advice as to how to avoid the high numbers !

I would be really grateful for any advice or help that can be given. Thank You in Anticipation.

So, Welcome to the forum. Here is the advice which you will find should cover all the basic's. Any questions just ask.........

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&start=0

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&start=0

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2010 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&start=0

Ken / Sue

 

[))Denise((]

Hi Marky

Welcome to the forum. I was given Amitriptyline for IBS-D although not as high a dose as you. It did stop the diarrhoea but it also raised my blood sugar. I also was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue which magically went away when I was found to be Vitamin D deficient .... I always felt it was something physical wrong with me but it did take over 2 years to get tested for this.

If you have a lot of diarrhoea then my opinion is that your nutrients are just disappearing down the loo and it is quite easy to get anaemic and get other deficiencies. I have given up eating wheat and my stomach is much better, I do eat oat based museli but add other ingredients such as ground almonds to cut the carb levels in it.

 

[bowell]

If in doubt always ask your GP

Only thing i can see is slight Hick Up is with your Amitriptyline

I also take Amitriptyline for nerve pain I find it works far too well to just give up
also take few other drugs that can or could affect my BG levels :?

For info See:

As this could produce changes in blood sugar levels

http://www.medicines.org.uk/guides/amitriptyline/depression

PIL 4.8 Undesirable effects
Amitriptyline for Metabolism and nutrition disorders: Elevation or lowering of blood sugar levels.

http://www.medicines.org.uk/EMC/medicine/23737/SPC/Amitriptyline+Tablets+BP+25mg/

The BNF 61 states

Endocrine effects include Changes in blood sugar

A Good argument for meter and test strips for you :wink:

Ask your GP /Chemist for a full Meds interaction review

Bob

 

[MarkyG]

Hello guys, Can I just say a big Thank You to you all for your help, it now seems abundantly clear that I need to sit down with my Doctor to get things clarified, I've only seen 1 Doctor and that was a Junior Doctor who gave me the news that I'd been diagnosed with Diabetes, since which it's been the Nurse(s), once again one and all Thank You for your help. :wink: