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Help for my sis please

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, may I get some advice/help/ideas please, I’m at a loss

My lovely sister has had her bowel disconnected due to diaverticulitus (must be spelt wrong) she has a stoma bag, they cannot operate because her blood sugars are too high, she cannot eat low carb, she did that after my advice but it’s the opposite to the food she has to eat because of her stomach issues, the LCHF was great for sugars and weight loss but made her ill, so she is in a catch 22. Because of COVID she has been waiting years for reverse op but sugars too high.

She just bought a libre and here’s her graph for the first 24 hours, I said to check keytones, she bought pee strips that shows low keytones present. Her bg is going mid 20s regularly. Graph below.

She takes 2 80mg glicazide in morning 2 at night 1 metformin morn/night and tricity injection 1.5mg once a week

Any help appreciated, Thankyou.

 
Fenn said:
low keytones present. Her bg is going mid 20s regularly.
Click to expand...
Positive for ketones means there's little insulin present, either because of diet or because it can't be produced.
High BG should send the body a signal it needs to make more insulin. Which apparently isn't happening.

She also has a brother with T1.
And with the diverticulitis a possible pre-existing autoimmune condition.

Has she been tested for T1?
 
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Thankyou Antje

No they have not tested her, she was diagnosed T2 one year ago, aged 54, she is carrying some weight like the rest of us in the family so assumed T2 as was I,
 
Would testing keytones by blood be more accurate? I could take my meter to her and test but we have COVID in the house at the minute
 
Last edited:
She also has hyperthyroid if that means anything, or hypo? The underactive one, probly hypo
 
Fenn said:
Would testing keytones by blood more accurate? I could take my meter to her and test but we have COVID in the house at the minute
Click to expand...
It would be more accurate, yes.
Wee sticks show what happened hours ago, at the time the pee was produced, blood testing shows what's happening now.
But the stick said low ketones, not high, and if she isn't showing symptoms it's very unlikely to be an emergency. (Not guaranteeing anything, just sharing my thoughts!)

Did she check her BG regularly before applying the Libre? Has her BG suddenly gone up or has it been high for a while? Or doesn't she know?
Fenn said:
She also has hyperthyroid if that means anything
Click to expand...
Thyroid issues are often an autoimmune condition as well. And if you have one, you're more likely to develop another.

But regardless of what type of diabetes she has, her current medication obviously doesn't do the trick.
Is she under specialist care for her thyroid? If so, that might be the one to contact instead of her GP, both thyroid and diabetes fall under endocrinology.

Has she considered phoning 111 for advice?
 
She has been testing with bg meter, the libre is new, hba1c was 71 but bloods been in twenties this week at least, she is currently trying to sign up, this is exhausting for a terrible typer lol, Thankyou Antje
 
I also haven’t rung 111
I saw my diabetic dr last week his has been asked by my surgeon to sort my diabetes out but all he done was lower my injection from 3.0mg to 1.5mg so don’t know how that helped
 
Carol s said:
I also haven’t rung 111
I saw my diabetic dr last week his has been asked by my surgeon to sort my diabetes out but all he done was lower my injection from 3.0mg to 1.5mg so don’t know how that helped
Click to expand...
Didn’t you tell me they reduced your injection because there is a shortage of it in the uk?
 
Carol s said:
Hi I’m not under a specialist for thyroid I only take 50mcg a day of levothyroxin
Click to expand...
Hi @Carol s , good to see you here, despite the rubbish circumstances!

I guess the best thing you can do is push hard for a review, and to call 111 if in doubt, and go to A&E should you feel sick or develop a stomach ache.

I think the test that would be most useful is a test for C-peptide, but I'm not sure a GP can order one in the UK (not my country).
C-peptide tells you how much insulin you are producing. If it turns out you produce very little yourself, the treatment is obvious.
 
Thankyou for your help Antje
 
My bloods have always been high up to 29 when I was under my gp I now go to see a diabetic nurse who put me on meds and injection and my bloods are down to about 12-14 which is better I’ve never checked my bg until yesterday and the pee strip is negative my last 3 hbc1 were 84 down to 64 then went back up to 71 so they cancelled my surgery and they have given my diabetic dr 6 weeks to sort it so I can have surgery
 
Thank you for your help and advice Antje I will check to see if I can be referred to find out I have found the gp to not be very helpful but I will keep on top of it x
 
Carol s said:
Thank you for your help and advice Antje I will check to see if I can be referred to find out I have found the gp to not be very helpful but I will keep on top of it x
Click to expand...
I have my fingers crossed you'll get seen and treated soon!
Not only because of your blood glucose, but I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to finally get that reverse operation only for it to be called off.

Hopefully they'll get you sorted out very short term so you can have the operation.

Good luck!
 
No idea what plant based means really, veggie? The diet needs to be low fat high carb it seems, she tried the LCHF anD loved it, lost weight, bg great, usual, but it made her ill and had to reverse
 
Carol s said:
and they have given my diabetic dr 6 weeks to sort it so I can have surgery
Click to expand...
So do you have another appointment with your diabetic doctor booked in the near future?

It seems to me that the issue here is that you need your levels sorted quickly. Given that reducing carbs isn't an option, I personally would be pushing my doctor to adjust my medication, and that means you need appointments with someone who has the authority and knowledge to do that.

(Disclaimer, I am not a doctor: this is not medical advice.)

And if you see an endocrinologist, you can remind them of your family history and other autoimmune conditions to encourage them to give you the cpeptide and GAD tests needed for a LADA diagnosis. (Not saying you are LADA, but it would be worth getting it ruled out.)
 
@Carol s , when you did low carb, what happened? How did your not being well manifest itself?

Did your tummy get loose, or pain, or what happened?

I don't have the issue you do, but whilst I low carb, I do have to be mindful of the amount of fats I eat, or my tummy loosens and I don't feel so great.

I'm wondering if there is a bit of a middle ground you might achieve.

The usual cut off for elective surgery in England is 69, so your last test wasn't a million miles off it. Just a bit of a hint, your A1c is very influenced by the most recent weeks - as little as 2 weeks so there may be some wiggle room here to help out.
 
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