Hello

Thankyou to xyzzy and Phoenix and sorry to Davide taking his post although I think he is on the way to a much better understanding of his condition now.

I have always been able to rely upon my heart, i.e., blood pressure ("That of a young horse" one doctor once described it) and my BG levels. Now I find that a kidney looks to have been affected by medication and the suspect is Quinine Sulphate; and, for whatever reason, I have a predisposition to thrombosis which may be due to a rarer conditon called Factor V Familial Thrombophilia.

So, the one thing I could rely upon was my BG's. As for making adjustments to bring them down I do not know what more I can do as I have the blandest of diets similar to xyzzy's regimen but without rice or pasta (good thing I do not crave for food) and will have to consider upping the meds. The weight loss aspect started me off on this thread and, as I obviously was not Type 1 at the time of diagnosis, I must consider the fact that my pancreas may not be behaving itself. Phoenix - my fasting levels are still 7.8/7.9 which are far too high but for the past two days I have managed 4.9 and then 4.6 but this was 5 hours after breakfast which, of course, has cheered me somewhat.


The 10-12.5 which I asked for help on (Unusually high BG levels) were 2 hrs post prandial (breakfast) which bothered me because 12.5 was my first diagnosis level all those years ago.

Once again, many thanks to you both.

Meters in Italy use different units to those in the UK.
They use mg/dl :to change mg/dl to mmol/dl divide by 18.
All the blood glucose levels in Daisy's post need to be muliplied by 18 to mg/dl equivalents.
(NB this figure only applies only to blood glucose, you may find that cholesterol and other things are also in mg/dl and each requires a different conversion figure)

Welcome Davide,

Lucy.

When my husband was first diagnosed, he was told exactly that information about carbs. The diet sheet he was given contained more carbs per meal than he had previously eaten. He couldn't get his BG levels down and they were going up every day. He was confused and shocked by his diagnosis and went in to denial.

It was then that I found this forum because I desperately needed help in feeding him the right foods and I needed support. I read everything, as you say. The more I read about low carb the more it made sense. At first I had to be underhand about low carb meals but, as soon as his BG levels began to drop, he could see it was working and we are now in this together (I'm non-diabetic but have Hypothyroidism which is also helped by a low carb diet)

For a lot of Type 2s low carbing is the only way to go despite dietary advice to the contrary. However, if you read the forum thoroughly you can find what will work for you personally and there is lots of advice for both low carb and non-low carb diets. The best way to find out what suits you is to buy yourself a meter and strips and test (before and again two hours after every meal when you've had something different to eat) After testing for a few weeks you'll soon learn your limits and it's easy to do and to understand.

We stick to the advice we find on this forum - it's good solid advice, easy to sort out which bits apply to us and there's always someone to ask for advice. It's great to get more than one opinion too. The best thing about the people here is that they have been, or are still going through the same problems you are - they all have experience.

Ju

DavideB said:

Hello

I am so confused its unreal: I know I have just been diagnosed and I suppose like lots of other people you read everything there is: My confusion is CARBS... On lots of sites and on this one it says that carbs are OK and on here most guys are saying it's not or stay on a low carb diet where I have read "EAT CARBS" :? :? :?

Example

Myth 3: Carbohydrates Are Bad for Diabetes

In fact, carbohydrates -- or "carbs" as most of us refer to them -- are good for diabetes. They form the foundation of a healthy diabetes diet -- or of any healthy diet.

Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on blood sugar levels, which is why you are asked to monitor how many carbohydrates you eat when following a diabetes diet.

However, carbohydrate foods contain many essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and fiber. So one diabetes diet tip is to choose those with the most nutrients, like whole-grain breads and baked goods, and high-fiber fruits and vegetables. You may find it easier to select the best carbs if you meet with a dietitian.

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The key statement is

Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on blood sugar levels, which is why you are asked to monitor how many carbohydrates you eat when following a diabetes diet.

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It means you should eat at a level of carbohydrates that is safe for YOU. That level will be different for each of us. If you accept there is a safe level and you find that your current intake of carbohydrates exceeds that safe level you have three choices.

Choice one: Restrict you carbohydrates to a level where you blood sugar levels become safe. The

They form the foundation of a healthy diabetes diet -- or of any healthy diet.

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IS what is hotly disputed at the moment in the UK. That is the current UK oficial policy. Think of it as one of the primary reasons this forum exists and also consider why 36000 members would want to deceive anyone. It is not the policy of other advanced Western health services such as the Americans (the most technically advanced country) and the Swedes (the country that has the best state health service) who both recommend that there IS such a thing as a diabetic diet and that diet involves not only choosing the right kind of carbohydrates to eat but also a general restriction to carbohydrates as well. Now the question becomes who do you believe? Well to be very blunt I'm the one sitting here with normal blood sugar levels (look at my signature) after adopting the Swedish / American approach. Other who have adopted a similar approach to me have achieved the same if not better results than me. The "lower carb" approach is built upon research done in the 21st century unlike the UK dietary guidelines that date back to the early 1980's.

Here's a damning statistic about the UK approach. In the UK diabetics are encouraged to get an HbA1c (the normal quarterly blood sugar safety test that diabetic take) of between 6.5% and 7.5%. How many FAIL that test? The answer 75% or 3 out of every 4 diabetics FAIL. Now failure isn't just a number is it? Failure for those people is blindness, amputations, heart attacks and strokes.

Choice two: Eat a "UK" level of carbs but accept that you will need to take far more powerful drugs than Metformin to allow you to do that. Accept also the risk that those drugs can turbo charge your already overworked pancreas so much that in the end it will give up and you will have no choice but to go on insulin. Similarly just accept you will go on insulin from day one so you can eat what carbs you want.

Choice three: Ignore 1 & 2 and probably knock 15 years off your life.

Hi. The idea that carbs form the foundation of a healthy diet etc is not really based on any medical evidence. Go and search for the evidence and you won't find it! A balanced diet is good and that normally will contain some carbs but not the quantity often recommend by the 'experts'. Find out what level suits your bs control and keep the carbs low-GI. Carbs DO get converted to glucose in the body and that is why diabetics must determine what level of carb intake they can tolerate before th bs rises too high

Hi everyone

Had results of fasting glucose test 6.9 last week and gtt test booked tom. Saw nurse Friday and on new eating plan but up all night going to the loo and raging thirst had these problems before but worse since I started trying to take control of my eating. Pretty suretests will come back positive high risk on many levels. Any advice!,,,

Hello Blondage and welcome to the forum.

It might be worth posting a completely new introduction post for yourself but in the meantime I'll repost some info that worked for me and got my blood sugar levels back to normal within around a couple of months or so. Not a cure as I still have to be careful what I eat but am now feeling great! I am really happy that I have minimised the risk of all those nasty complications. I was diagnosed in early December last year so just 4 months ago and have now lost 3 stone in weight as well. I went to see my nurse yesterday and she is very pleased how I am progressing and has advised me to keep doing what I have been doing since my own diagnosis. The symptoms you describe are usually an indication that your sugar levels are very high and might suggest that you are still not on a suitable diet for yourself.

Diet wise its really easy. Just drastically cut down or better cut out all things with plain sugar, so biscuits, cakes, sugar in tea and coffee, pure fruit juices, non diet versions of soft drinks. Next try halving starchy foods like rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, cereals and any other flour based products. Replace what's now missing with extra meat, fish, eggs, cheese and especially vegetables. Vegetables that grow above ground are best although most of us find carrots fine. Things like yoghurt are fine as is a small amount of fresh fruit. I find the ones that end in "berry" are the best. If you don't mind artificial sweeteners things like Diet Coke are fine to drink. On the starchy foods that are left swap try brown basmati rice instead of white and brown or tri-colour pasta. The bread that most recommend is actually Bergen soya bread but some do ok with wholemeal as well.

The above diet is close to one you would be one recommended to try by the Swedish Health service. It was introduced in that country last year and the American health service and several other countries health services recommend something very similar. You may find it conflicts with advice given to you in this country as we have yet to update and still use older dietary recommendations. In fact we use diet guidelines that are over 30 years old. If you want to read more about these latest methods there is a thread discussing it with some useful links here http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28402.

Next most members would recommend you test your own blood sugar levels. Did your doctor or nurse give you a meter and strips? Some do and some don't. It's a bit of a post code lottery and we find some progressive surgeries are pro testing and others anti. I'll warn you the anti ones can sometimes be very vocally anti!

The reason testing is important is you should try and keep your blood sugars below 8ish two hours after eating any meal. Above the 8 value is where the dangers of complications do begin to occur according to diabetic experts. So if you can't test how will you now if what you are eating is keeping you safe? The problem is every diabetic is different so my earlier advice to halve starchy foods is just a rough guide. You may find you need to eat less than half (like me) or that you can eat more than half like others.

As you get into it all and read around the forum you may see people talking about carb counting. If you want to understand what that is just ask. It is a powerful weapon that a diabetic can use to control their condition and one that many of us use to great effect.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

I asked a nurse about the "Carbs are Good" bit. She said that we need carbs for energy, or we will get ill. Also, that Diabetics who use Insulin need carbs with every meal to absorb the insulin. I asked what about Diabetics not on Insulin and she said that all diabetics eventually wind up on insulin, so its best to get in the Carbs with Every Meal Habit now.

I am so glad I found this forum :crazy:

lucylocket61 said:

I asked what about Diabetics not on Insulin and she said that all diabetics eventually wind up on insulin, so its best to get in the Carbs with Every Meal Habit now.

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Sure you didn't mishear what she said Lucy? Perhaps it was...

I asked what about Diabetics not on Insulin and she said that SHE TRIES HER BEST TO ENSURE all diabetics eventually wind up on insulin, so its best to get in the Carbs with Every Meal Habit now.

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Like you say some of them are as mad as a box of frogs. It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

xyzzy said:

lucylocket61 said:

I asked what about Diabetics not on Insulin and she said that all diabetics eventually wind up on insulin, so its best to get in the Carbs with Every Meal Habit now.

Click to expand...

Sure you didn't mishear what she said Lucy? Perhaps it was...

I asked what about Diabetics not on Insulin and she said that SHE TRIES HER BEST TO ENSURE all diabetics eventually wind up on insulin, so its best to get in the Carbs with Every Meal Habit now.

Click to expand...

Like you say some of them are as mad as a box of frogs. It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

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My Gp last Friday said insulin for T2 is not a foregone conclusion, but we must manage our diabetes tightly, or it will end up the future for many of us. So, tight BG control means you don't have to have insulin later. I wish more GP's would just be honest and upfront about this as he is. Low carb and exercise helps keep BG down.

yes you can, but try not to have anything too fatty or carby as that seems to cause problems for some people

well, sugar free biscuits still have a load of carb, as does fruit I'm afraid
don't forget flour is something like 80% carbohydrate.

you could have some cheese and olives? or cold chicken?

If I'm desperate for something to dunk I just have half a rich tea biscuit.

cheese?

what did you have for breakfast? If you're that hungry now I think maybe you need some more protein?