copey399
Well-Known Member
So.. probably this will turn into a book.
About 3 years ago I was told I had to have yearly Glucose Tolerance Tests which as I'm sure you know is fast, blood test, drink yukky Lucozade and go away for 2 hours, come back and another blood test. PN always said it was "a bit high" but that what was high for some people was normal for others and that might just be "my" normal! Anyway, apparently they found the GTT's weren't that effective so I had to attend for just the blood test. That was towards the end of last year and I had to see the DN and was sent away with some literature and told to adjust my diet and lifestyle. As in eat better but less and try to lose weight and exercise more. Oh and keep a food diary.
Should probably point out here that my husband is T2 but on insulin and his readings are all over the place - been as high as 30 and he had a hypo once when he'd gone too long without food. But he used to test me occasionally and my readings were usually between 6 & 9
I have to admit that I didn't really change much food-wise (blush) and due to a long term back problem and me being 71 I wasn't about to go jogging. In fact I do tend to spend far too long sitting and playing on the computer and anyway it was winter and cold out (excuses). Anyway, the day after I got a phone call from GP (locum) who just said "you are diabetic - make appointment with the DN".
She gave me some more literature and a prescription for Metformin. I tried them for 3 weeks and just felt nauseous all the time so stopped taking them. Eventually went back to DN and she tried me on the slow release ones but I still felt yuk so stopped taking them.
So, last month I was called in for a review and I confessed that I'd not been taking them and she said she'd have a word with the GP. A couple of weeks later I had a phone call from DN saying there was a testing monitor and a prescription for Gliclazide for me to collect from Reception.
Well I was just about to go on holiday and didn't want to feel bad so I decided to do a week of regular readings before starting the meds. My average readings without meds are 8.6 same as the GTTs I was having all those years ago. Been back from holiday a week now and still looking at the box of Gliclazide. (40mg twice a day).
I admit I have a phobia about pills having had a severe allergic reaction to some. I already take Ramipril and Bendroflumethiazide for BP which is under control and Statins for cholesterol. I've also been prescribed Gabapentin for my chronic back pain but I haven't even tried them yet because I'm not going to take 2 new pills at the same time because if I feel bad, how will I know which one's causing it!!
So what do you think? Do I need these pills? If I cut out the carbs and tried gentle exercise like swimming do you think I could make a difference without them? Or am I just putting my head in the sand?
Sorry .. I said this would turn into a book.
About 3 years ago I was told I had to have yearly Glucose Tolerance Tests which as I'm sure you know is fast, blood test, drink yukky Lucozade and go away for 2 hours, come back and another blood test. PN always said it was "a bit high" but that what was high for some people was normal for others and that might just be "my" normal! Anyway, apparently they found the GTT's weren't that effective so I had to attend for just the blood test. That was towards the end of last year and I had to see the DN and was sent away with some literature and told to adjust my diet and lifestyle. As in eat better but less and try to lose weight and exercise more. Oh and keep a food diary.
Should probably point out here that my husband is T2 but on insulin and his readings are all over the place - been as high as 30 and he had a hypo once when he'd gone too long without food. But he used to test me occasionally and my readings were usually between 6 & 9
I have to admit that I didn't really change much food-wise (blush) and due to a long term back problem and me being 71 I wasn't about to go jogging. In fact I do tend to spend far too long sitting and playing on the computer and anyway it was winter and cold out (excuses). Anyway, the day after I got a phone call from GP (locum) who just said "you are diabetic - make appointment with the DN".
She gave me some more literature and a prescription for Metformin. I tried them for 3 weeks and just felt nauseous all the time so stopped taking them. Eventually went back to DN and she tried me on the slow release ones but I still felt yuk so stopped taking them.
So, last month I was called in for a review and I confessed that I'd not been taking them and she said she'd have a word with the GP. A couple of weeks later I had a phone call from DN saying there was a testing monitor and a prescription for Gliclazide for me to collect from Reception.
Well I was just about to go on holiday and didn't want to feel bad so I decided to do a week of regular readings before starting the meds. My average readings without meds are 8.6 same as the GTTs I was having all those years ago. Been back from holiday a week now and still looking at the box of Gliclazide. (40mg twice a day).
I admit I have a phobia about pills having had a severe allergic reaction to some. I already take Ramipril and Bendroflumethiazide for BP which is under control and Statins for cholesterol. I've also been prescribed Gabapentin for my chronic back pain but I haven't even tried them yet because I'm not going to take 2 new pills at the same time because if I feel bad, how will I know which one's causing it!!
So what do you think? Do I need these pills? If I cut out the carbs and tried gentle exercise like swimming do you think I could make a difference without them? Or am I just putting my head in the sand?
Sorry .. I said this would turn into a book.