High blood sugars

[Moggy1968]

Hi I am so fed up trying to manage type 2 diabetes. For over 12 months my bs is going up it is now 66 . Gp has prescribed pioglitazone 45mg in addition to metformin 750mg x 2 daily.

I feel exhausted most of the time my diet is not great there is definitely room for improvement.

The thought of more meds scares me. The gp said if it goes beyond 70 I will need insulin.

I am 54 , my dad died from diabetes complications at 55 in 1998.

My brother aged 50 passed away 18 months ago from liver failure and poor diabetes control.

My mother is type 2 been in remission for 5 years now bs increasing she is in her mid seventies.

I feel like I am doomed can’t get a grip. Joined weight watchers got no motivation to follow the program.

Can someone please tell me where do I start as I can’t see the light .

Thank you for reading

 

[Ronancastled]

Throwing drugs at an already overworked pancreas is only treating the symptoms, high blood glucose.
You need to tackle the root cause of the disease.
Weight loss will help longer term but now it's all about your diet & eliminating carbs.
Great to hear your mother found remission, perhaps she might help you on your path.
Research low carb, get a meter & eat to the meter.
Good luck

 

[ajbod]

First things first, forget EVERYTHING you have ever been told or read about what is healthy to eat.
As a type 2 diabetic that is all quite dangerous to us. Our bodies don't use insulin properly, mainly through insulin resistance. Insulin regulates the blood sugar level by moving the glucose into muscle and tissue cells. resistance means the cells won't open the door so to speak. as the circulating sugar level stays high more insulin is produced as the body thinks it needs it. (We suffer fatigue at higher levels because the cells are not getting the sugar they need.) To overcome the high sugar level, this increased insulin level forces some of the sugar into the cells, whether they need it or not, some are so full they cannot take more. Your body increases urine excretion to basically pee out as much sugar as it can, obviously this comes with thirst to replenish the lost water. Also the liver converts excess sugar to a type of fat it can store, and store around other internal organs. When this internal storage is full it impacts the working of the various organs, and in protest they become insulin resistant as well. In desperation the liver starts converting Glucose to the fat that is external and under the skin, ie weight gain. most of us are diagnosed long after this process started, so everyone thinks you have diabetes because you're fat. NO you are usually fatter because you have had diabetes undiagnosed.
Whilst your insulin levels are high, your body cannot utilise the stored fat. So you don't lose weight.
The whole point of low carb is to keep the insulin response as low as possible, by not consuming the carbs that are converted to glucose, so the blood levels remain as low as possible. This means that when adjusted to the new regime, the body can and will utilise it's fat reserves. hence if you don't overeat any shortfall is taken from the reserves. This is why many low carbers lose weight without trying, the body is effectively correcting itself. Thankfully it appears the internal fat is used first, as this is the easiest for the liver to convert. The external fat doesn't appear to actually impact health, apart from increased weight on the joints.
In order to monitor all this, you must be in a position to check your blood sugar levels, as this is the only way we can follow what our insulin levels are doing. So a meter is a MUST HAVE, contrary to what the health care professionals will tell you.
We are all different, and can tolerate various levels of different carbs. So your blood monitor is the only thing which will tell you what YOUR body can stand.