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Hello!

A

Andydragon

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
3,323
Location
Gloucester
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
So, I’ve been looking on here a bit but not really said much. So thought I would say hello

I’m type 2 diabetic and was diagnosed February 2008 (when I was 31) and put on metformin and then exenetide daily injection pretty much immediately. These kept my bloods low, and to be honest I was terrible at looking after myself so didn’t try very hard. Over time my meds have increased and now finally they are not allowing me to keep the lifestyle I’m used to. I’m on:
  • Metformin 4 x 500mg
  • Bydureon weekly injection
  • Dapagliflozin 10mg
  • Folic acid
My last HbA1C was 78, which was when the Dapagliflozin was added (I’ve been 48 at my best so quite the lift). I’m the first to admit that this is my fault, I ate what I wanted and didn’t exercise and am currently 98kg. So way overweight. My dad was diabetic and he was blind, had Charcot on his legs, sever ulcers etc. I know what diabetes can do and I make no excuses, I just continued regardless. Pretty much next step if the levels don’t increase is insulin

apart from the blood levels apparantly my folic acid was too low so I now take a supplement, I believe this is well known from metformin, but hasn’t shown up until now. but I also have been told I have higher levels in something, but not told what it means... maybe you clever people can explain:

Serum alanine aminotransferase level is 86

however... lockdown has scared me and changing me. over the last month since lockdown I have started to do at least 30min daily vigorous exercise on a exercise bike and trying to do 30 min walks but not so successful. But I am making it habit forming and it’s a start

I also have started on Monday (so very new) to carb count. Aiming at < 130g and < 1850 calories. So far so good, my bloods are today reading 6.1 to 6.3 pre food. It’s only a few days in but that’s an immediate improvement. I honestly have tried to eat better in the past and thought sugar free cereal like weetabix and eating lots of fruit was good. I’ve now from being on here seen just how wrong I have been! I don’t feel I can go lower carbs yet, want to try for achievable

so I’m going to stick to it, hoping over time to lose about 15kg and hopefully reverse some or a lot of the drugs. I’m not a good cook, I do order in meal boxes from online so not perfect, but I aim to do better and hoping these new readings are a sign of improvements to come

Fingers crossed!
 
That's a really good start. Well done!

The low carb will really help and probably more than calorie counting. I think you're doing the tight thing for you by reducing carbs but not to the extent you dont think you can maintain. You can always cut it again.
My non diabetic husband lost two stone in 2 months by dropping carbs.... then gave up and it went straight on again.

Keep going - there is still time to avoid what you know might be waiting otherwise.
 
Hello @Andydragon ,

Those other values would be connected to the liver. When those are elevated it's either damaged (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) or inflamed (Cirrhosis). Though my bet'd be NAFLD, as that's a T2 connected issue. Which, if left untackled, can turn to cirrhosis. It is treatable with a low carb diet! Certainly solved mine, and believe me, it was bad. So you'd be doing the two-birds-one-stone thing there if you keep up the low carb diet. You can forget about the calories, those don't exactly matter at this point, and at the moment I think you'd do better to focus on low carb. With cutting calories as well, you might also be cutting out the food that is lower/no carb, like a brekkie with eggs and bacon for instance. (And cheese, high meat content sausages etc...). Fats contain a lot of calories, but they also contain vitamins, minerals, slow down the uptake of the carbs you do eat so they flatten the spike, and help you feel full. So for the time being... Cut the carbs, not the calories, and see what that gets you. Full fat greek yoghurt with some nuts, maybe a few berries sound good? Or just skip breakfast altogether. (I just have a mug of tea or some nespresso. Or both.). Lunch could be a tuna, salmon or warmed goat's cheese salad with mayo, or olive oil and apple cider vinegar. (Just make sure you put something fatty in to help you feel full for longer.). Meats, meats, meats, never the lean stuff, poultry, fish.... And above ground veggies/leafy greens. Pulses you'll have to figure out for yourself with your meter. I can't eat them, some others can. I have a freezer full cauliflower rice. That stuff's magic.

For me, 20 grams of carbs a day or less is quite do-able... I found it a lot harder to calculate carbs all the time, i kept forgetting some... Just going for the lowest carb option all the time fixed that for me. But hey, that's me... Could be entirely different for you.

In any case, good luck and may your next test results be amazing!
Take care,
Jo
PS: I don't know meal boxes that cater to low carb, but if you can order groceries online you can just keep it simple and low carb at the same time. I am by no means a kitchen princess, but I manage.
 
Thanks for the replies and the advice
I have to admit, it feels almost wrong to be eating a plate of sausages and bacon. I mean it’s nice but feels like it goes against all the diet advice I have ever been given

I’m going to do a shop and see what I can do about sweet(Er) things that aren’t hi carb. The yoghurt advice sounds good
 
Nevertheless, I hope you returns to the diet, it is difficult at first, then easier. Let them arrange fasting days once a week, it really helps
 
I know eh... If every professional tells you to cut fats and up carbs, and you were even taught the EatWell plate in school... But your meter'll tell you whether it is working for you. I was doubtful at first too, but being in the normal range, medication- and complication free for almost 4 years, has rather convinced me. Experiment, the results show up really soon in your tests.
 

6.2 fasting and Pre weetabix (I know but I’m going low carb not no carb)
6.2 pre sausages and bacon
5.9 2 hours after lunch

hard to argue with the facts, I was exceeding 14 a couple weeks ago. As I said, I’m not going to go very low carb but I think this aim @ max 130g a day and losing weight and exercise... it might finally be what I need to do better.

I am still on lots of meds, but I am now in the NICE recommended levels I believe. So it can only get better
 
You want to know what your numbers are doing after the meal. I'd especially be interested in what the weetabix does. (Test again 2 hours after the first bite, you want to see a rise of 2.0 mmol/l or less.). Weetabix seems to be your biggest carb load of the day, and you're having it in the morning, when insulin resistance is at its highest and you have a liver dump (dawn phenomenon) to deal with as well... Not the best time to go for the heavy carb stuff, but hey, up to you! (It'd serve you better at lunchtime if you can't do without it, but might not be feasible/desired). But yeah, you're certainly headed in the right direction. The numbers don't lie, so well done!
 
Thanks for the input. I was planning on having the sausages and bacon at breakfast but didn’t get up in time. I also don’t really like wasting food so am going to use up the cereals I have and then see.

it’s only a couple days but my waking levels have been 6.2 and 6.3. That’s very different, I was seeing 14 as near as last week. I’ll have a look at the 2 hour post breakfast

went shopping, lots of sausages and eggs. I also just had my first dessert, Greek yogurt, strawberries and “flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds and goji berries” by Linwood. It was a bit like eating dust but honestly... if I can have stuff like that I can handle lower carbs

as I’ve said, I am aiming at < 130g at the moment, as I understand what I can eat and if I like it I may go lower. But I know that if I go very low carb, I’m not going to sustain and I don’t want to blow it
 
Try mixing the seeds with yoghurt before your meal, or even overnight. Stops them being so ''dusty' and makes the texture more like a dessert
 
Dust... Well, yeah... Some things need to "stew" a little overnight. Full fat greek yoghurt should be flavourful on its own, and if you don't like the mix, which is kind of expensive, just buy some frozen berries, and a bag of nuts and/or coconut shavings. Bit of each and it'll last for about a week. Cheaper and to me, tastier. Mind you, keep an eye on your gut. I can't have flax seed and the like because it'll make my IBS roar, so if you start experiencing bloating or pain, it was probably the seeds. If you can have them though, you might want to look into overnight chia pudding. Supposed to be good.
 
PS: You're making amazing progress. Just make sure you eat things you actually enjoy eating. Takes a little while to find the right things, but eating should be a joy, not a chore, otherwise the diet won't last long. Experiment! I never thought I'd be such a fan of cauliflower rice. Turns out celery sticks with a tiny bit of hummus are seriously good... Extra dark chocolate with butter or cream... Oh. My.
 
Hello and welcome- you have made amazing progress!

I'm another who actually finds it easier going very low carb. I am a carbolic and when I have some the craving for more increases. After a few days I find I crave less. I do eat things like diet jelly and chew no sugar gum. Oh and lots of water.

You are doing great and I'm sure your doctor will be impressed.
 
I tried the “weetabix” test and it is showing the impact.
So prior to breakfast I was 5.7 which I was really pleased about.

Two hours later it is 9.4 clearly showing the spike. Prior to lunch (4 hours after breakfast so 2 hours after prior reading) it was 4.7 (I think my meter is giving mistaken readings, I had to do it 3 times and got 5.3, 4.7 and 4.7)

So it clearly does have a impact but was back to normal after 4 hours. So, how bad is that? Should I find alternatives for breakfast? It’s trying to find the time, maybe if it comes to it, yoghurt actually would be better if I run out of time to do meat

I'm also going to order a new meter. I’ve had readings of sub hypo (as in 1.1 or 3) which was followed by a reading of 7, say... I.e well out of a sensible error range
 
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Very few of us went from a carb-heavy diet immediately to low or no carb. Simply because it just takes a little time to figure out what fits not only your blood sugars, but your lifestyle and needs too. For me, it helped to look up nutritional information before grocery shopping. Otherwise I'd be there for 2 hours and come home with just a single jar of pickles. There's LivLife or HiLo bread (Not sure of the names or where to get them), but those are relatively low carb and could suit your morning needs with some ham and cheese on, or a tuna salad, or maybe make a toastie? Some things you can make the night before, like egg muffins ( https://cafedelites.com/breakfast-egg-muffins-3-ways/ ) and keep in the fridge, and nuke if you prefer it warm. Make a gazillion and fill the freezer. Some people don't have breakfast at all, (I tend to stick with tea/nespresso and not eat until lunch or later) some have bulletproof coffee, which is very much worth checking out. (Butter and MCT/coconut oil in your coffee, little whisker in there and YUM). Or just have a browse over at https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/recipes/breakfasts/quick <-- these are just the quick ones mind you, there's more.

As for the meter, there's a 15% margin of error, so if you do multiple readings, you rarely get the same number twice. Just take the average and go with that. If you have a reading you feel is doubtful, wash your hands, and test again. Anything can skew results, from having just put on sun lotion or having handled food while making dinner, to there not being enough blood in the strip. If you're 1.1 mmol/l without being unconscious on the floor, you can be fairly certain a re-test is in order. And it might not be your meter, it could also be a dodgy strip. They do have a date on them, so if it's past that, the accuracy goes out the window.

And for what it's worth: I expected a higher spike after the weetabix. I would've certainly seen double digits, four years ago. So if you ask me, your insulin sensitivity isn't anywhere near as bad as it could be. Cause for celebration, as it'll only get better from here on in!
 
To break your fast doesn't mean consuming food that has become traditionally associated with breakfast.

There is nothing that says you can't warm up a portion of stew or soup. Leftover chicken with a bit of salad. Cheese, walnuts, olives, I'm getting peckish....
 
This all so helpful, thanks!
I did try and prepare before shopping, as at the moment it’s very much supposed to be, you touch it you buy it but of course the nutritional values on the boxes don’t show carbs so without turning the packets you can’t see

I did get a selection of nuts for snacking but made a slight error with cashew nuts as they are much higher, but having a couple alongside the Brazil’s and walnuts will likely be okay

I am missing the treats. Though the yoghurt was nice. Not sure if Atkins chocolate sold on amazon is going to work, it’s not cheap either so shall leave that for now
 

Still blows my mind Andy! Spent years trying to lose weight by not eating much and what I perceived as healthy meals! Thanks to this forum, I’ve lost over two stone in two months and I’ve eaten so much stuff I thought was bad.... haven’t even realised I’m on a diet most of the time!!!! I’ve not been this thin since I was about 17!!!!
 
I’m the thinnest I’ve been in years, but still have 15kg to go which feels difficult and that’s been the problem, I see it as impossible and just give up. However, this change feels manageable. Keep up as much exercise as I can and cutting carbs without calorie counting. That I think I can do
 
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