Help! 18months and slipping fast!

[kevo64]

Hi, im sure all of you who can manage to keep a strict regime will probably just feel like kicking me up the B@m and say get on with it but i am really struggling and dont seem to manage to speak to anyone professionally who will even try to understand.

I was diagnosed with type 2. blood sugars were at 19 and cholesterol at 7.9 18 months ago.

6ft2 and just under 14 stone and always been fit so at 43 was not the typical patient apparently.

I was on metfomin and statins and ate healthy and after 3 months went down to 2.8 cholesterol (total) and blood sugars averaged 5.5. but i felt terrible and drained and had lost quite abit of weight.

My problem is that i never sleep for more than 4-5 hours a day. Never have done since childhood which is fine but i also have a very active and physical day and i just really struggle to find a diet which will give me enough calories from the good food to last the day. I lost quite a bit of weight and looked terrible. I have spoken to the doctors but all are reluctant to even try to suggest a daily diet. Best times to eat. calories per meal. I know everyone is different but just cant get my head around it.

Hence here i am not taking medication and eating the wrong things again and putting off going to the doctors because i know my levels will be high again. I wake at about 5am and am never in bed before 12 so i need a lot of calories to keep me going through the day.

I hope this does not come across as a lazy person who is after a quick fix as thats not me but if anyone could perhaps suggest a few things regarding calorie intake and how to get the most calories out of eating healthy food i would be very grateful.

thanks in advance


Kev

 

[robertmiles]

Many type 2s have found that limiting all carbohydrates (both sugar and starch) is more effective for them than the old idea of completely avoiding sugar and following a low-fat diet otherwise.

It seems that the old idea that all complex carbohydrates would digest slowly enough that they didn't need to be counted, and this is so obvious that no research is needed to check if it is correct, turned out to be WRONG. The research was finally done anyway, and found that many of the more common starchy foods digest at about the same speed as table sugar, and into the same simple sugars.

Which plan are you currently following?

 

[louiseb]

welcome to the forum,
maybe you should go back and discuss this with your gp, metformin can cause weight loss maybe your doctor could consider a different medication, and have you asked about being referred to a dietican?

 

[kevo64]

Thanks to you both. Not following any plan, i was just sent home with a sheet of paper saying instead of eating this eat this, or instead of drinking this , drink this. Big list of substitutes but not the same energy intake. First port of call needs to be the doctors again and see if i can get myself referred to a dietitian. Thanks again for your quick replies.

 

[louiseb]

well come back and let us know how you get on at the doctors.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Definetly ask to see a dietitian, but please, also bear in mind that when changing over regimes-esecially when newly diagnosed as T1 or T2...your body does need time to adjust...both physically and mentally.
I know weight loss etc isn't nice when you DON'T want to lose weight etc, and looking awful......however, even when you find the foods and calories etc that you think that you can cope with-give yourself and your body and your mind a good chance to adapt again.....change is not easy in anything-especially if you need to do it on a long term basis....so after leaving off the meds and not wholly following the eating guidelines...do give your body time to get back and accept the changes that you may be making...

Everybody is different...don't forget that any GP or HCP or dietitian can only give you advice from their knowledge...which can be very, very helpful (don't get me wrong)...but at the end of the day it will be finding a diet that suits you as an individual.

It may be as an idea, that prior to seeing a dietitan if you can for a few weeks, write down exactly what you eat...just for a few weeks..it will give a dietitian a good idea that can actually be read as to what your likes and dislikes are etc....the more info you can give the more information you will receive back....

Good luck, and let us know how you get on....

 

[anna29]

Hi, Some great pointers there for you from posts and donellysdogs suggestion is very practical and a great idea. When you see a trained dietician they can work with you 1-2-1 where you can discuss concerns with weight loss and energy needs plus your likes n dislikes with food and tastes. Between you draw up a workable / doable eating plan that can get you started off with. Also have you ever thought of joining a relaxation class or group to relax both your body and mind. As with you being so active n needing little sleeping hours you may benefit from this. Just a suggestion to think of. Hope this helps? Anna.x