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- Type of diabetes
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- Tablets (oral)
I was going to post this in 'ask the experts' but decided on here instead. I have also posted this on the low-carb forum for maximum coverage so my apologies if you are there and here...
Since diagnosis, my family have only seen me a few times and my incredible shrinking frame and my ‘weird’ eating habits have not gone un-noticed. They don’t know I have diabetes, they don’t need to. It’s often a topic of conversation with no negativity coming my way. They think my knowledge of diabetes is related to my life as a Midwife.
However, my dear old Dad who has had uncontrolled T2 for well over 20 years has declared today that he is going to try this low-carb thing for one month. This from the man who has HbA1c’s in the teens regularly and feels hypo at 10-12. He has no idea how to carb-count nor how many units he needs to use per grams of carb as he has diligently followed the ‘advice’ of his GP and nurse to increase or decrease his doses according to his HbA1c’s and any hypos. He has exactly the same amounts of insulin every day with no regard to what or when he eats. He has never been taught to carb count.
I’m terrified. He is not stupid but he is old and diabetes is slowly rotting him away. I always thought it was his sleep apnoea that kept him awake at night and had him falling asleep mid-conversation but it’s not, it’s the need to get up several times in the night to drink and pee. He has a CPAP machine which has made no difference to his sleep patterns.
This ability to sleep anywhere and everywhere results in his inability to remember if, when, where, how and why he’s tested/injected (probably got something to do with being 86 too).
He’s in Chichester, I’m in Leicester. I can’t get down there to oversee what he does or help him do it. I have told him today he can’t possibly do it unless he knows how much carb he is eating and how many units he need to cover it. I have offered the advice over and over again but he simply forgets of doesn’t really understand because of the bloody brainwashing of his (many) HCP’s.
What I need is an incredibly simple guide to carb counting. Something aimed at a pre-teen perhaps? Also a really simple anatomy and physiology of pancreatic function.
I’d also love to brainstorm with you ANYTHING that could help him do it without the inevitable unconscious-on-the-floor-for-hours-hypo scenario which will happen, I’m sure. I’ve warned him about returning neuropathy pain etc.
Does anyone have anything about gaining control after so long with abnormal levels in advanced age?
One of the main reasons he wants to do this is his love of food, good food. In a conversation recently, I said that he must be very hungry all the time, considering how much insulin he must have coursing through his veins and he cried. He admitted to being hungry for over 20 years. He ‘controlled’ his diabetes by diet alone in the early years, with very small, measured portions of healthy carbs. The hunger he ignored. He had to do it on active service in Italy and Africa in WW2 so he has the will power to do it.
I’m so frightened for him. This is such a drastic step to take and I’m sure he doesn’t understand how potentially dangerous it could be. He told me he had a ‘discussion’ with his DN today. All she could say was that he had to be careful not to loose any more weight and that she wouldn’t advise it. No bloody support whatsoever.
Thanks for reading, I’m hoping to be able to give him the info he needs, he will be getting my copy of a carb counter tomorrow.
What would you want your relative to know?
Since diagnosis, my family have only seen me a few times and my incredible shrinking frame and my ‘weird’ eating habits have not gone un-noticed. They don’t know I have diabetes, they don’t need to. It’s often a topic of conversation with no negativity coming my way. They think my knowledge of diabetes is related to my life as a Midwife.
However, my dear old Dad who has had uncontrolled T2 for well over 20 years has declared today that he is going to try this low-carb thing for one month. This from the man who has HbA1c’s in the teens regularly and feels hypo at 10-12. He has no idea how to carb-count nor how many units he needs to use per grams of carb as he has diligently followed the ‘advice’ of his GP and nurse to increase or decrease his doses according to his HbA1c’s and any hypos. He has exactly the same amounts of insulin every day with no regard to what or when he eats. He has never been taught to carb count.
I’m terrified. He is not stupid but he is old and diabetes is slowly rotting him away. I always thought it was his sleep apnoea that kept him awake at night and had him falling asleep mid-conversation but it’s not, it’s the need to get up several times in the night to drink and pee. He has a CPAP machine which has made no difference to his sleep patterns.
This ability to sleep anywhere and everywhere results in his inability to remember if, when, where, how and why he’s tested/injected (probably got something to do with being 86 too).
He’s in Chichester, I’m in Leicester. I can’t get down there to oversee what he does or help him do it. I have told him today he can’t possibly do it unless he knows how much carb he is eating and how many units he need to cover it. I have offered the advice over and over again but he simply forgets of doesn’t really understand because of the bloody brainwashing of his (many) HCP’s.
What I need is an incredibly simple guide to carb counting. Something aimed at a pre-teen perhaps? Also a really simple anatomy and physiology of pancreatic function.
I’d also love to brainstorm with you ANYTHING that could help him do it without the inevitable unconscious-on-the-floor-for-hours-hypo scenario which will happen, I’m sure. I’ve warned him about returning neuropathy pain etc.
Does anyone have anything about gaining control after so long with abnormal levels in advanced age?
One of the main reasons he wants to do this is his love of food, good food. In a conversation recently, I said that he must be very hungry all the time, considering how much insulin he must have coursing through his veins and he cried. He admitted to being hungry for over 20 years. He ‘controlled’ his diabetes by diet alone in the early years, with very small, measured portions of healthy carbs. The hunger he ignored. He had to do it on active service in Italy and Africa in WW2 so he has the will power to do it.
I’m so frightened for him. This is such a drastic step to take and I’m sure he doesn’t understand how potentially dangerous it could be. He told me he had a ‘discussion’ with his DN today. All she could say was that he had to be careful not to loose any more weight and that she wouldn’t advise it. No bloody support whatsoever.
Thanks for reading, I’m hoping to be able to give him the info he needs, he will be getting my copy of a carb counter tomorrow.
What would you want your relative to know?
