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Hiya!

Mouse

Member
Messages
7
Hi! Ive had diabetes for over a year now and been looking on here for a while. Could say im only just diabetic though becos i dont have really big numbers. I read about cutting down on carbohydrate and that has helped but i dont want to lose weight and i cant stop it happening.
 
Hello mouse, welcome to us all here. You say you have had diabetes for over a year, how are you coping with it? What help have you recieved since being diagnosed? We're here to offer help, support, etc. Any questions just ask, little or big numbers if your diabetic you're still one of us. Anna.x
 
Hi anna, ive been trying to keep my numbers down by what im eating but still getting high ones after a meal even tho im not having much in carby stuff. Had a cheese and tomato sandwich and apple at lunch but it was still over 10 after 2 hours. Didnt think i had much so why would it be that high? Ive been doing this for ages but even though the clinic numbers are good it doesnt mean much if my after-eating-numbers are high. Dont know why the numbers are so different either. ive read lots of stuff on here but is confusing when i cant eat enough not to lose weight.
 

I can't eat apples, they send me high and would be a definate no no after a sandwich. Try a cheese salad and then an apple maybe?
Regards
Angie
 
Hi angie, I just get really hungry so thats why i had a sandwich packup cos i wasnt at home. Wish I knew what I could eat so that i felt i had enough to eat for a change!
 
Hi mouse, what medication are you on? if any? Some meds can increase the appetite and make some persons graze quite a bit [always peckish] Anna.x
 
Hi Anna, im not on any medication and ive been managing stuff myself really. Havent done too badly and feel ok except that I get hungry and though i do eat loads am still losing weight which i dont want to really. Buy my own testing stuff so that i know what im eating is ok cos i followed the advice i found on here which is ok if you don't mind the weight falling off. If I eat more then the numbers go up so its a bit of a vicious circle really.
 
Hi, mouse you had any appts with HCP ? What did they say n advise? What Hba1c ? Do you have any diabetes symptoms? Given your high blood sugar levels. Anna.x
 
Hi mouse and welcome to the forum I'm glad to see people are already helping you. This is the information, written by our friends Ken and Sue, former monitors, to be given to new members. I hope you find it helpful to you personally.

 
Mouse said:
Hi angie, I just get really hungry so thats why i had a sandwich packup cos i wasnt at home. Wish I knew what I could eat so that i felt i had enough to eat for a change!

Hi,
I'm in the same position in that I don't need to lose weight and take pack-ups to work.
I find if I take sandwiches that if I eat them in installments I can tolerate more. I use Burgen bread and have some at mid morning then the rest at lunchtime.
I also make cakes using ground almonds instead of flour, using sweetner instead of sugar. Even do them in microwave, 2 mins, if short of time.
Also snack on nuts too.
Since cutting the carbs I don't tend to get hungry so much, but I do take 2 Metformin a day so that may help too.
HTH
Angie
 
Hi Daisy and Angie, Ive been following that advice Daisy and my clinic test was 5.6 which sounds good but then why are my tests after meals so bad like when I had my sandwich yesterday? I know the clinic give you the average but from my reading on here I shouldn’t let it get that high. If I try to eat a bit more the numbers go high and if I cut the carbs for the numbers my weight drops so I don’t knowhat to do really. My friend says it is normal to get those numbers after meals cos I have diabetes so is that why the clinic number is better? My reading first thing this morning was 4.9 so that is alright.
The nurse says I should eat more things like porrage but the numbers go too high so I wont do that and they wont give me testing strips so it costs lots and I don’t feel im getting anywhere. She says im being too fussy and don’t need to test cos im not that bad buti don’t want to get anything as I get older and I don’t want to lose any more weight as im 5’ 6” and just over 8 stone and would be bad for me to get too thin. My grandma had osteoproses and she was thin too so I might get it too if im not careful.
Thank you for writing back cos its good to get someone elses ideas. Must go or il get the sack!
 
My levels go high with porridge too. I found a maximum of 20g of jumbo flakes and then add nuts, pumkin seeds, sunflower seeds and milled flaxseed (all or in any combination). The fat in the nuts helps lower the spikes a bit and flaxseed will bulk it out so you eat more.
I also make my own muesli mix that is lower in carbs using jumbo oats, mixed nuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seeds and just a very few raisins. If you bulk it up with with lower carb stuff it doesn't have so much affect.
I eat a lot of meat with salad instead of pasta / rice / potatoes. I can tolerate 3 or 4 new potatoes as long as the rest of the meal is low carb (meat and salad).
What sort of bread are you eating? I can't eat much of most of the regular breads. I can eat 2 slices of Burgen Soya and Linseed bread at a time though (provided the filling has low carbs).
You are the same height and weight as me so i know what you mean, I was 11 stone before diagnosis last year!!
Keep asking questions and keep testing, I know it works out expensive but it does get easier once you have found the things you can tolerate.
Regards
Angie
 
Hi Mouse and welcome!

Your numbers aren't too bad really especially with that Hba1c which is good. The reason it differs from your after meal numbers is that it is only an average over the previous 2-3 months. The test you do yourself after eating will help you to understand what your food is doing to your body.

As you have already noticed some things make your numbers go up higher than you would like so just cut them down or cut them out. It has has already been suggested if you spread your meals out a bit it may help with the numbers and the hunger. I find that I am better with 5 or even 6 small meals rather than 3 as is usual so if you have to take a sandwich for lunch then cut it into quarters and eat it in two small meals and have the apple later in the afternoon as a snack instead as part of your lunch.

The weight is an issue I also have and I have been eating more dairy like butter, cream and cheese as well as nuts which help keep the weight from dropping. Eating more protein will help with the hunger too and sometimes I eat a hard boiled egg as a snack which does fill you up. If you can get a carb counter book and look at the amount of carbs and protein in for example a chicken breast you will see that you can eat a fair bit of that while getting the protein you need to stop feeling hungry.

As in all thing do keep testing though so that you know what your food is doing to your body. 8)
Do let us know how you get on with all our suggestions.
 
Hi Angie and thanks for all the suggestions, I got burgen bread and it’s a bit better for the numbers than wholemeal but I still cant have a whole sandwich so im spreading it out like you said and not having fruit too. Will try the brecky mix too.
I read that protein stops you feeling hungry but i need to keep my cholesterol down so am worried about all the meat and cheese. I thought that proteins made you lose weight too so that wont help my weight problem and what about kidneys and liver damage?
If I cant keep my weight up as well as my blood sugar numbers down does that mean im going to have to have medication? I read on here that metformin helps with weight loss so how does that help me when i dont want to lose any weight?
 
I am trying to get my cholesterol down but am still eating meat and cheese etc so I don't lose any more weight....will know in August when I go for my next test if it has had any effect. Almonds and walnuts are supposed to be good for lowering levels however so I snack on them too.
Protein does fill you up and stops you feeling hungry, don't know about it making you lose weight though. I love steak and salad (whether it does me any good I have no idea but my sugars and belly like it!!).
I am on Metformin and as long as I keep nibbling little and often I don't lose any further weight.
Glad you can get on with a bit of Burgen.
Have you tried strawberries if you want fruit? I can tolerate them, I have some most mornings with greek or soya yogurt and that doesn't spike me at all.
Keep testing, you'll win in the end.
Regards
Angie
 

To expand on what Angie said, I eat strawberries and raspberries regularly (with double cream) and have no problem with them. I have been told that anything ending in "berry" is OK.
 
Most of your blood cholesterol is actually made in your liver - I think as much as 80% of it. Dietary cholesterol doesn't contribute much. Eggs are now okay because they contain 'good' cholestrol :roll: . You can eat a bit more fat as long as it's 'natural' - ie, unprocessed like the fat on meat, butter and cheese. Fat in things like ready meals, take-aways and shop-bought baking tends to be a bit too 'processed' for my liking. I also eat Hellman's mayonnaise on salads and veg, which is mostly eggs and olive oil. Too much carbohydrate in the diet contributes to high cholesterol - particularly triglycerides, which are the real baddies.

I follow a low-carb diet and don't worry about how much fat I eat. Since I started on that my total cholesterol is steadily going down, and my blood lipid profile is fine. Low-carb is fine for me 'cos I need to lose weight.

I'd suggest working out which carbs you can eat (which you are doing), upping your fat intake a bit or at least not worrying about it, which will give you extra calories, and increasing your protein. A carb-counter book is really useful - eg berries are usually fine, grapes and bananas are not (at least for me!).

You didn't give us your cholesterol levels, but I assume you're fine because about the first thing most doctors do is give you statins - whether you need them or not! :shock:

Metformin doesn't actually cause weight loss, as far as I know - it just curbs your appetite, which is great for people like me :lol: .

Viv 8)
 
Agree with that Mouse - these guys are certainly great!
 
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