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Impaired Glucose Tolerance, little advice from GP

Greeny79

Active Member
Messages
42
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi guys

Bit a long one so bare with me, Just back from the docs after having a few blood tests and been told I have impaired glucose tolerance but given little or conflicting information from the docs and what I am reading on here for example regarding diet , for example ''eat starchy carbs with each meal'' eat less fat etc
My hbA1C was 43 also my triglycerides were high(ish) and my liver function was higher than normal apparently my fasting bloods were 5+ (fine they said) and my none fasting 9.2 as well
Now my symptoms have been with me a couple of years or so but before they were less frequent and only having 1 or 2 symptoms at a time, but last 6 months or so I have been getting them almost daily and more symptoms such as
  • Excess sweating from head/neck/back
  • Severe dizzy/light headed spells (almost passing out a few times) feeling as though I am struggling to stay on my feet, bit drunk almost
  • confusion
  • bad mood/mood swings
  • Fatigue
  • Shakes
  • severe hunger although feel as though I shouldn't be hungry
Now looking stuff up they seem to be Hypoglycemia symptoms from what I can tell, are these symptoms normal for IGT?
Now I am overweight (105kg and 5.9' so probably 2/3 stone over) I do exercise, walking and cycling but nothing really strenuous, and been able to do less with the above symptoms taking over my life lately so losing the weight which they advice isn't so easy, I am eating fairly well and stopped potatoes, rice, pasta (when I do have it its brown, lower GI, but having less and less) and planning on cutting carbs more and more and probably doing a LCHF diet and see how that works, although a bit worried regarding my high TRIGS (blood fats or whatever) and the liver function and if this will have a worse affect on them?
The doc wouldn't give me a blood glucose monitor because I am not diabetic yet ? *** i wanted it to test how foods affect but apparently I have to get worse first..makes sense I bought a cheap one myself but the strips are too expensive as I can't work at the moment, when I have tested I am usually around the 4's/5's and often lower 4's sometimes higher 3's (higher after a meal but seem to drop pretty quick)
I wake up feeling normal apart from fatigued then start to feel crock say an hour later if not eaten, if I do eat 2 hours later I feel a crash and hungry once again

I think I am just going to go for the LCHF just the above liver and trig blood results worrying me really

I'm just confused as to what is exactly wrong with me and the best way to go about it, The doctors just give very little info and fob you off making you feel a nuisance and feel a bit guilty for being overweight, no support or real help

Any advice much appreciated
 
Hi. Yes, confusing. I agree that going low-carb will help you reduce weight and may make it easier to determine what the real problem might be. BTW you can buy strips on eBay quite cheaply. You can argue the morals of these being placed on eBay but they are there if you need them.
 


Yeah I saw some on ebay, codefree or something but wasn't sure they would be any good, works out about £16 for the machine and 50 extra strips
does anyone know if they are decent?
 
Hi there, you will probably find that most people that have to pay for their strips use the SD Codefree, I use it, it works fine. Taking your blood glucose readings prior to eating, then at 1hr and 2 hrs after eating will quickly show you what foods are pushing up your bg levels. Taking action now may well save you many problems in the future, good luck. And please do ask as many questions as you feel need to.
 
I use the Codefree too - and am very happy with it.

And I'm also very familiar with the symptoms you describe. Have a look online for 'reactive hypoglycaemia' in case that rings any bells with you, and I heartily recommend the low carb diet. It has made a tremendous difference to me - and made a huge improvement to my hypo symptoms.
 
High triglycerides are typically associated with excess carbohydrates, so reducing carbs significantly and doing what exercise you can to lose weight will help that and also your liver function. Exercise alone will not lose you weight if you are still taking on more calories than you burn. Do you drink much alcohol? A glass of red wine or dry white wine occasionally is OK, but cut out beer (liquid bread).
 

Hi @Brunneria

Have ordered the codefree £17 for the machine, 10 strips, lancet and extra 50 strips much better than boots rip off which works out at 50p a test

Funny you should say that about reactive Hypoglycemia. as its why I am here in the first place after a google of all my symptoms a while back and reading it, found I had 90% of the symptoms so was convinced it was what was up with me, I mentioned it to one doctor who LAUGHED at me ..no joke and another who dismissed it outright as though it didn't exist and just basically said ''you are a fat get, lose some weight, eat better (inc carbs) and you are pre diabetic

I'm pretty sure my symptoms are RH but can't get no help for it at all and just left to my own devices, hence finding this place, but the last 6 months have been hell with whatever it is causing major problems, I already have depression and anxiety since I lost my business and was made bankrupt...this **** does not help especially when you are made to feel like some kind of hypochondriac and given no help.
 
Definitely try LC for awhile, as Brunneria said, the fewer carbs you eat the lower the rise in BG and insulin, the less insulin the less likely you are to get a big drop. Drs. can be a pain in the butt, there are a few good ones out there, but not many ! ! Don't despair, you can get your readings under control and feel better. Remember also that stress can play a huge role in unstable BG readings, so try doing some relaxation techniques.
 
I feel your pain Greeny.

I had reactive hypoglycaemia from the age of 3 or 4 til I eventually wore out my pancreas, and became diabetic about 2.5 years ago - it took about 44 years. Might have taken a shorter time if I hadn't discovered low carb, but that is speculation.

At no point did a doctor take me seriously. It kind of damaged my faith in the NHS.

However, there are doctors, clinics and consultants, who DO take it seriously, and @nosher8355 has just been through the diagnosis and is being treated excellently by his health care team.

So don't give up hope.

There have been a few reactive hypoglycaemia threads on here, so you may find a search on the subject interesting.

In the meantime definitely give low carbing a go. I used to think I was depressed, with insane carb cravings and compulsive eating thrown in. Once I reduced my carbs low enough (which is very low ) all those symptoms just vaporised. Astonishing.
 
The only thing I may suggest is to go very low carb, no bread, no pasta, no potatoes, no cereals, not anything that has more than 5% per 100gms. Try and eat things like meat, eggs, salad, and more meat!
Stay away from fruit, allow yourself 1 piece in morning, one in afternoon, maybe one at evening.
No fruit juices, no pop at all.
Just tea &coffee, or water. Try the coffee which the forum uses!

The reason for this is to control your BSLs. If you can get at a level around the 4 to 6 on your meter. Then you will feel better.

It is the hyper and hypos that yo-yo up and down that causes the symptoms.
Try and eat regular, every two to three hours, small meals, smaller plates.

Even on meds now I still low carb. The difference has been remarkable.
I now know that the very low carb meals that I eat have now gave me the opportunity to lose lots of weight and feel really great.
You still need to convince a doctor though!
 

Hi @Brunneria

Yeah its such a pain mate, I don't even know what it is for sure I have as the docs seem to say RH doesn't exist, the symptoms I have certainly seem to be that of hypos from what I can tell, I had been told it was chest infection BBPV (inner ear infections) crystals gone wrong in the inner ear, anxiety, medications I am on etc etc but all the symptoms happening at once and worsening made me think something else was afoot

Doing a LCHF at the moment and my blood reading seem to have raised and seem to be between 5.5 and 7 (higher pre meal but more balanced and less up and down, though I am still having symptoms and feel rough, probably less often and generally maybe 30% better and only been doing it 2 weeks

One thing I was having until recently was rapid bowel emptying after a big meal within like 20 mins not sure if that was related and seemed to calm down since prescribed vitamin D, although I had to go through a colonoscopy which was ummm delightful lol

It does't help when the GP's take little time over your concerns, get arsey when you do your own research and then leave you with little info and even laugh at your suggestions, The diet I was told to follow was pretty much what I ate anyway although possibly too much big portions and not often enough

I just feel like I am being ignored and have no idea how to get some proper help and someone who will actually help me rather than patronize me, I've been as good as to not have a beer for 3 weeks and I am gagging for one now lol
 


Thanks @nosher8355 for your advice, really glad to hear you are feeling better, the last sentence is like banging your head against a brick wall it seems though
 
@Greeny79

Interesting what you say about the rapid bowel emptying. With that fast a transit time you were certainly not digesting the food properly - so you weren't getting adequate nutrition. That may well contribute to the ravening hunger.

Have you ever investigated irritable bowel syndrome? That is often made worse by wheat, and involved in rapid expulsions.

I'm not trying to diagnose you (heaven forbid), just throwing out ideas.

Can you change doctors?
 
@Brunneria

Yeah mate, its weird that started about 2 years ago and was leaving me pretty much house bound as would have a largish dinner (large but healthy-ish according to the general guidelines) and boom 10 mins later 3 or 4 trips to the lav, Not pleasant, hard to say if they are related as those symptoms lessened pretty much as soon as I started Vitamin D but the hypo symptoms worsened and worsened

I had a colonoscopy 3 months back (symptoms had been better since about march though) and he said it was probably IBS due to my anxiety problems but wasn't given any real advice on that either

Low carbing at moment ..well trying too, still feel **** but better than a few weeks ago touch wood, My bloods are higher now though ie never lower than 5 and rarely higher than 7.5 where as before I would usually be in the 4's (sometimes 3's) ..they seem to be higher in general but more stable, so not sure if that's a positive or not, as they are higher in general such as 6/7's when not eaten for 3 hours or so.

Its lot to get your head round and try and work out without any help
 
I was just going to say that because that's what I get. Funny enough I thought everyone got that and it was only recently I found out it's not normal LOL.

As for the blood glucose monitor, good luck getting one from your GP! Mine had a do with me last week about testing, so I told him I didn't agree and what did it matter to him anyway as I wasn't asking him to fund it. We clearly didn't agree. I have a new GP as of last Friday! Check out the SD Codefree from Homehealth, you can buy a starter kit with strips for only a few £. Replacement strips are only £7 for 50 - 75% cheaper than my previous brand! I made the switch a couple of weeks ago.

Sadly advice from GPs comes with a "know-it-all" attitude....some how we need to try and rise above it. I'm still figuring that out, because the ex-nurse in me still feels put out that I'm not being listened to when...you know...I know what's right for me
 
Yeah I got the code free ones, seem ok

Tell me about the know it all attitude!, does my head in, been going to the docs for 2 years + with these symptoms and told its your meds or anxiety, fobbed off basically left right and center, I know my own body ..I know something is not right, finding a understanding GP willing to listen and help with what is needed is pretty difficult, nay impossible almost.
Thing is there advice is different to what I see online and I am a little hesitant to take what I see online as gospel but its come to the stage where i feel I have little choice so LCHF it is (under 100g per day, often probably much less) may try and lower it even more slowly to try and get into ketosis, not really sure what to do for best

Little worried about the high fat as apparently my liver function is high in some cats, High triglycerides and high cholesterol but was given no info or advice other than lose weight, easier said than done when I am too tired to exercise and have that constant need for fuel etc

Feeling pretty let down tbh
 
A fairly typical experience I'm afraid Greeny. Cutting out carbs (which are addictive) will lower your blood sugars and make you less tired all the time (that was the only symptom I had before diagnosis). You don't have to eat loads of fat with LCHF, but you need to compensate somehow for the lost calories that you used to get from carbs, so that you achieve a new balance between calories, exercise and weight whilst at the same time managing your BGs better. Fat such as cheese is also quite filling so you will find you lose the hunger pangs. Go into it gradually if you prefer, we all have to find our own balance.

LCHF also sorted out my liver function (ALT from 51 to 17).
 

I think you will find that a low carb diet and higher fat (doesn't have to be high fat, just higher fat) will help your triglycerides. Mine were 2.01 in January when diagnosed. I was put on statins. Of course all the cholesterol components dropped on statins, trigs reduced to 1.15. I then stopped taking the statins yet my trigs have gone even lower. Last test they were 0.72. My other cholesterol levels have also dropped to below what they were on diagnosis, and my HDL has increased.
 
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