Medication

[Shireoaks]

I was first put on Metformin but had a really bad time I am now on Tragenta 5mg.
Whilst I have no side effects the drug does not seem to do anything, is this right and I am just worried about nothing?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I was first put on Metformin but had a really bad time I am now on Tragenta 5mg.
Whilst I have no side effects the drug does not seem to do anything, is this right and I am just worried about nothing?

Trajenta (Linagliptin), like other similar diabetes drugs, is designed to be used alongside a suitable diet and exercise. The diet part is the most important. Have you adjusted your diet and found a suitable eating plan for your diabetes?

 

[Shireoaks]

Yes I have adjusted my diet am applying a suitable eating plan but on the weight front nothing has changed and my readings still stick around 7.5 - 8.8

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @Shireoaks,
I think most people find that things improve when weight loss happens. How long have you been on your diet ?
Also when are these readings of 7.5 to 8.8 occurring ? before meals . ? first thing in the morning/ ? x hours after a meal ?

 

[Shireoaks]

Hi @Shireoaks,
I think most people find that things improve when weight loss happens. How long have you been on your diet ?
Also when are these readings of 7.5 to 8.8 occurring ? before meals . ? first thing in the morning/ ? x hours after a meal ?

I have been on my diet for the best part of a year and have stuck to about 1500 calories for the same time.
I am 6'2" tall and weight 92.8kg and have been that for most of the diet.
In fact looking back at my records I weighed about the same when I boxed in my 20's, I am now 70

 

[Shireoaks]

Sorry you asked about the readings
7.5 fist thing 8.8 after meal (2hrs), 7.5 after 4 hrs.
This is pretty regular

 

[Rokaab]

I have been on my diet for the best part of a year and have stuck to about 1500 calories for the same time.

Do note that for type 2 diabetes calories are not the important thing to be cutting back on, carbs are what you need to cut back on. Are you still having a lot of carbs in your diet?

Maybe if you could say what your typical diet for a day is then some of the people on low carb diets can help.

 

[Guzzler]

Lowering the amount of carbohydrates in your diet should kick start weight loss and give you lower readings though because you are on a Diabetes drug the fall in carbs should be gradual.

 

[Shireoaks]

I check both the carbs and the calories for each meal and I use a side plate for my meals so the portion size is very small.
For lunch today I will have 2 savory biscuits and 50 grams of cheese followed by a banana. To drink I will have a glass of tap water.
Although I am retired I walk between 5 and 10 km per day.

 

[Bluetit1802]

For lunch today I will have 2 savory biscuits and 50 grams of cheese followed by a banana. To drink I will have a glass of tap water.

Perhaps swap the banana for a few raspberries or strawberries. (half a dozen raspberries or 2 to 3 strawberries) with a small full fat yogurt or some double cream. Bananas are about the worst fruit we can eat as T2 diabetics. They contain a lot of sugar (fructose) and release the glucose very quickly. They will not be helping your BS levels or your weight.

 

[Shireoaks]

Perhaps swap the banana for a few raspberries or strawberries. (half a dozen raspberries or 2 to 3 strawberries) with a small full fat yogurt or some double cream. Bananas are about the worst fruit we can eat as T2 diabetics. They contain a lot of sugar (fructose) and release the glucose very quickly. They will not be helping your BS levels or your weight.

The reason for the banana is for the slow release when I exercise this afternoon.
I forgot to mention I do not eat any dairy products, fish or eggs.

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @Shireoaks,
Perhaps it is best to check with your doctor or dietician whether 70 kgs in within your normal weight range before endevouring to lower it further.
The BSLS you quote seem just a tad above the recommended levels (as on this site). So you have some things to discuss with your health team. ? more or different medication ? Diet? ? exercise.
Best Wishes.

 

[Shireoaks]

My current weight is 92.8 my doctor wants this down to 88.5 to give me a BMI of below 25 currently 26.9.
This is causing a problem because I am just stuck at my current weight. I know the less you weigh the better it is for my diabetes.

 

[Resurgam]

If you are eating high carb foods such as the crackers and banana then your insulin response will continue to be high - that is the problem for type twos, an overenthusiastic amount of insulin. Far from giving you energy the insulin will stash away the glucose from your blood and make it unavailable.
I eat lots of salads in the warmer months, but also low carb foods - lots of veges are under my limit of 11 percent, and fruits too, so the diet is not restrictive and it normally results in weightloss - Dr Atkins was right.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I check both the carbs and the calories for each meal and I use a side plate for my meals so the portion size is very small.
For lunch today I will have 2 savory biscuits and 50 grams of cheese followed by a banana. To drink I will have a glass of tap water.
Although I am retired I walk between 5 and 10 km per day.

It would help if you gave us an idea of all your meals in one day.

Savoury biscuits and a banana may not be the best food choices.

You say you don't eat dairy products eggs and fish. However you also say that you eat cheese, which is a dairy product.

What are your typical foods?

 

[LittleGreyCat]

The reason for the banana is for the slow release when I exercise this afternoon.
I forgot to mention I do not eat any dairy products, fish or eggs.

If you want to lose weight, your aim is to burn body fat for energy. If you keep eating carbohydrate to use for energy then weight loss is likely to be difficult.

I think that you are still following non-diabetic diet guidelines, and "healthy eating".
A lot of people on this forum have found that cutting right back on carbohydrates and increasing the amount of fat eaten has resulted in weight loss.

Further, if you are not losing weight on 1500 calories a day, then reducing the number of calories to, say, 1200 might make a difference.

Please note that calories are only a rough guide - to get energy from fat requires your body to expend more energy than getting energy from carbohydrates. So 100 kcals of carbohydrates is not equivalent to 100 kcals of fat.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Agree with the comments about carbs (less is better) and cals (trying to restrict carbs whilst eating low cal as you are is very difficult) and the experience of those on this forum is that eating more fat, moderate protein and less carbs WITHOUT counting calories gets a better response and is more fun! The banana is a short energy fix (see tennis players on their breaks) . I guess the main point is that despite eating a near starvation diet things are not improving so isn't it worth trying something new?
Although you have not gained weight nor seen much increase in your blood sugars (diabetes isn't getting worse at least), your doctor is right to advise that losing a little more fat (around the middle) will improve matters.
In order to measure fat loss I would advise taking a waist measurement. If you are 6'2 or 188 cm then you should aim for 94 cm. Again your question is how can I change my diet without dropping more calories which you can't realistically do.

You are taking a DPP4 inhibitor which is supposed to work by encouraging little spurts of insulin to be produced. It may help with weight loss but isn't reducing the insulin resistance that causes your diabetes. Talk to you GP//DSN but I don't think this one has a risk of low blood sugars (hypo) if you were to reduce your carbs.

There are newer classes of drugs that work by encouraging the excretion of glucoe via the kidneys and these are reputed to be more helpful re weight loss and heart/renal disease complications (Sgl T inhibitors) and drugs that block absorption of carbs (acrabose) ; the latter can cause bloating though so you may not tolerate it.
if you decide not to change diet then maybe you could ask your GP about those).