Help with father

[Kathryn51]

I wonder if anyone is able to help. My father (aged 76) has been diabetic for about 6 years and he takes metformin x 3 each day. He is extremely stubborn and thinks because he is taking tablets his diabetes is under control and snacks all day long on sweets, crisps, chocolate biscuits, cake and toasted teacakes - nothing my mother or I say will get through to him that this is not right. Now he is becoming extremely irritable, grumpy and very tired - falling asleep almost as soon as he gets up (after at leat 10 hours in bed - although he has to get up around 3 times each night to go to the loo). He is totally negative about everything and has no 'get up and go'. I am convinced this is all down to the diabetes and eating all the sugar that he eats. He refuses to go to the doctor - except for his yearly check up when his blood sugars have appeared to be normal (around 6). I want him to get a check up but if he goes to the GP he will only say he doesn't eat sugar - he is in total denial. Family history is at least 75% of my family are diabetic - some type 1 on insulin and others (like him) type 2 on tablets.

I wonder if this is the right place for any help to be suggested - or some reading that I might do on the subject. Is there any indication that type 2 diabetes can have an effect on the mood ?

Many thanks

Kathryn51

 

[Synonym]

Hi Kathryn and welcome to the forum.

I would think that it is highly likely that your father is suffering as he is because of his diet. Unfortunately the meds do not do everything for you when you have diabetes, they are only an assistant to a good diet. Your father needs to want to sort it out or he will never do it – it sounds to me as if he is in complete denial and his mood will not be very happy as he is not feeling well.

With the greatest apologies to Sue and Ken I have taken the liberty of copying their advice to newly diagnosed T2s. It is a very good resource and I cannot better it!! :roll:

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics. 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.

The main carbs to avoid or reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such a bread, potatoes, pasta and rice also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

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.

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 !!

As a Type 2 the latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l.
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l.
If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.”

Do come back to us and let us know how things progress and there is usually someone on here happy to answer your questions. 8)

 

[IanD]

Hi Kathryn,

I suggest that as far as possible you make sure that those snacks are not in the house, then he can't eat them.

I can confirm that tiredness is a result of sugars in the region of 7. I got mine below 6 by reduced carb. I'm much more awake, both around the house & when driving.

 

[hanadr]

If your father isn't testing his own blood before and 2 hours after eating, He should be.
this gets immediate feedback on how well he's chosen his food. Good results are a boost. Good Bg levels make you feel better.
Was he at some time told he can eat what he likes?
This is common and unhelpful in the extreme.
Hana