Hi folks

BrianPW said:

Hi all just a little intro
Got my glucose test last week with a fasting result of 8.5 (69.4) and a post result of 18.2 (175.4). The high levels have only been recently spotted due to tests relating to a yet undiagnosed stomach problem. No sure if there is a link between the two but ive been referred to a specialist now. Have been put on Gliclazide. Have to monitor my level once every couple of days but thinking initially I might do a few tests daily to get some kind of base line.
Have to say I've been knocked sideways by this and more than a little confused by it all.
Hopefully I'll be able to get some answers, ideas, help and support here.

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Hi @BrianPW ,

Straight onto Gliclazide? Sheesh, that's quick. I'm sorry you've got reason to become a member, but now that you're here: Best possible place you could've stumbled in to. Honestly. This is where it starts to get better. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help a little, and I can wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code. Dietdoctor.com and this place's website, diabetes.co.uk (not .org!) will be helpful to. Basically, practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested. And you have trouble processing that back out again, what with the insulin not doing what it's supposed to and all. So for a lot of us, going low carb was an excellent solution. Just be careful with it because if you mix the diet with gliclazide, you'll hypo. (Meaning you'll go too low, bloodsugar wise.). Good thing you've got a blood glucose monitor, you're going to need it.

You're going to be okay.
Jo

Hi @BrianPW,

Were those the result of an oral glucose tolerance test?

Also, welcome to the forum. Lots of friendly and knowledgeable people on here, eager to help. Have a read around and fire away if you have questions.

Agree with @JoKalsbeek -- surprised that they put you on Glic so early.

Welcome to the Forum @BrianPW (but not to diabetes!). You will get a lot of good advice and support on here.
Have a read round the threads and ask any questions you want tro.

BrianPW said:

Hi Jo,
The only thing that was really said was to eat a healthy diet, avoid sugary foods and exercise more. Was surprised at getting on meds straight away. I eat a fairly varied diet as it is, dont do sugary drinks but i do like my snacks.
Not very active on the exercise front and could do with losing a stone and a half (5ft 9& 14st 4)

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Hey @BrianPW ,

A healthy diet is a little too generic... The EatWell plate is people's go-to when they're told they need to eat healthily, which means a lot of carbs and very little fat. Which is exactly the opposite of what a T2 needs. We require little to no carbs and more (healthy) fats. EatWell doesn't take people with a metabolic disorder into account, and that's what we've got. So it's not just sugars that raise bloodglucose, it's starches too. Potatoes, pasta, rice, corn, cereal, bread, all of that.... The thing is, you're on gliclazide.... If you cut those things out, you'll possibly hypo. That's the weird thing, most people are just put on metformin to start off with, glic is very, very seldom the first drug of choice... (Metformin prevents the liver from dumping glucose, but doesn't do anything about ingested glucose. Gliclazide on the other hand, forces the pancreas to produce more insulin. Which in the long run means your pancreas is going to give out completely due to exhaustion, and you'll need insulin. Which I assume you'd prefer to avoid?).

It's a very puzzling situation indeed... You can try low carb high fat, once you've read up about it and know what your doing, and test a lot to prevent hypo's... You could also discuss a change of diet with your doc or nurse first and lower the dosage or nix the glic altogether.

I'm sorry, I know it's a lot to take in. I'm just a little concerned here.... You're basically up the creek without a paddle, if I read this right. If there's anything we can do, let us know eh.
Jo

BrianPW said:

Hi Ziggy
yes, got the test a week past monday and the results yesterday.
tested 8.5 at the surgery and 7.6 before my breakfast today

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Hi @BrianPW,

I second what @JoKalsbeek has said.

Maybe you can talk to your GP/HCP and ask them to switch to diet control and metformin instead of glic? If they are hard to convince, you might persuade them to commit to a trial period of three months to see if it works. This way, you wouldn't have to worry about your blood sugars getting too low. (FYI, my blood sugars were much higher than yours and my GP thought there would be no other way forward but insulin. Fortunately he only put me on metformin for the first three months, by the end of which my blood sugars had returned to normal.)

Have you had a look at the Virta Health website? They had very good results with a low carb diet, allowing many patients to get off medication while achieving normal or near-normal blood sugars.

As you were told to test every couple of days, presumably you do not drive - otherwise you would have to inform your insurers, and the licensing authority, as it can cause hypos, and you need to check before getting behind the wheel and during long journeys.
Snacks tend to be high carbohydrate, so removing or replacing them could have a big impact - but you need to check your blood glucose levels all the time and reduce the Gliclazide if you start to go low.

BrianPW said:

hi guys re Metformin, the reason it wasn't given is that it may exacerbate my stomach problems. So until that is sorted or at least diagnosed it limits what i can take

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Thanks for the info, @BrianPW. Didn't know this. Definitely makes sense then that you weren't prescribed metformin.

Welcome to the forum- this is a great place with many many helpful people. My first piece of advice is to get a meter and test regularly- test before every meal and 2 hrs after the first bite. The results will tell you how that food effected you. If the levels rise more than 2 it was too much carbs.

My second piece of advice is to reduce the carbs- not just the sugars. Look at the carb content of everything you eat. I try to eat a lot of things that have very low/no carbs- examples are meats, some cheeses. I can then add things with slightly more carbs. Given you are on medication you will need to test regularly to make sure you don't have a hypo. If you can keep the levels down it may be that the doctor will agree to at least reduce your medication. The meter is necessary so you know where you are.

Good luck

Ah, yes... That makes a whole lot of sense then.

A change in diet could cancel out the need for any medication. As for your stomach, is that still being looked into? Tests pending?

BrianPW said:

hi guys re Metformin, the reason it wasn't given is that it may exacerbate my stomach problems. So until that is sorted or at least diagnosed it limits what i can take

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BrianPW said:

The only thing that was really said was to eat a healthy diet, avoid sugary foods and exercise more. Was surprised at getting on meds straight away. I eat a fairly varied diet as it is, dont do sugary drinks but i do like my snacks.
Not very active on the exercise front and could do with losing a stone and a half (5ft 9& 14st 4)

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Hi Brian

i would avoid sugar like the plague and also look at reducing high carb foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta etc. Trying to eat as healthily as you can is a great start. I have been a couch potato for many years, but started walking every day and now three months later have just started once a week at the local leisure centre with gentle circuits and aerobics. I also bought a fitness tracker which is a great help in giving me the motivation and being able to see what is being achieved. Just starting a lttle bit each day really helps.

After three months, I have noticed a gradual improvement all round - I no longer feel so tired and fatigued, aches and pains are much improved and generally have more energy. I am lucky in that I do not need to lose weight. my BG levels are coming down.

Try to get a monitor so that you know what is going on with your sugar levels.

Good luck on the start of your journey. Take a bit of time to let the diagnosis sink in as it also effects you emotionally as well as physically.

Take it one day at a time and one week at a time and you will feel better as time passes.

BrianPW said:

Hi Jo, Re my stomach problems its been guess work from the doctors, changing medicines regularly to see if anything helps but nothing has. My diabetes diagnosis forced me into getting another appointment to push for a referral to the hospital. So thats been sorted and now just waiting on an appointment to get the scope down to have a look

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Ah, been there, done that... Hope it'll give some clear results! You're certainly due some eh. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Hi @BrianPW,

Great move deciding on the low-carb route. Like your positive attitude. Keeping my fingers crossed, but am quite positive that it will have a positive impact on your blood sugar levels -- as so many of us T2s have returned to normal blood sugar levels this way.

Just remember to keep on testing frequently as long as you are on Glic to avoid going too low. Once your blood sugar levels return to more normal levels (maybe around 5 mmol to 7 mmol), you might want to talk to your GP about maybe lowering medication.

Re stomach issues, have they looked at gluten intolerance or leaky gut?

Good luck!

BrianPW said:

Hi Route 66, was never one for sugary drinks, used sweeteners in my tea but loved wine gums, jelly beans etc. Very carb heavy diet with chips, potatoes and bread and rolls with nearly every meal. I think inactivity has been my biggest downfall.
Got a meter from the docs so im a little "jab happy" just now but mainly just trying to get a base level of where i am at different times of the day. Im going to embrace the low carb diet and make sure im way more active. At this point im trying to be positive, knocked a bit sideways when i was told.

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Hi Brian,

Sounds just like I was.

You have a good outlook on this.

Having a meter will be really useful for you. Test just before your first bite and then two hours after. If it goes up more than 2, then its not good for you.

As a first step, I would cut down as much as you can on the chips, potatoes and bread. They are all high in Carbohydrates which turns to sugar. Wine gums and jelly beans will now have to be a thing of the past, unless you suffer a hypo and need to raise your BG in a hurry. Use your meter if you suffer any symptoms of a hypo. Check your BG.

Sweetners in tea and coffee are how I started, but after a while I didn't seem to want such sweet things and now don't have to take anything in tea, but still need sweetners for coffee. I seem to have lost my sweet tooth thankfully.

Take the exercise slowly. I had been a bit of a couch potato for the last 25 years. I bought a fitness tracker and started walking each day, building it up gradually. Now three months after being diagnosed, I have started circuit training and aerobics once a week at the local leisure centre. Next step is to start swimming again. I didn't think that I would ever be doing this again - But I guess it is never too late.

Good luck as you start your journey.