My struggles with type 2

[Richmy]

Oh honey, you should've led with all this!

You've been through hell and back, and you know what? It can only get better. Believe it or not. I have depression, PTSD and a bunch of other mental things, so yeah.... While I'll never be labeled an actually "well" person, my panic attacks have gotten a whole lot more manageable and much, much less frequent. The depression isn't this gaping painful hole in my chest anymore, and I haven't tried to off myself in quite a while. High blood sugars feed into depression and anxiety, and as you get control of your blood sugars, you'll find, gradually, you'll start feeling better. It'll never be perfect or happy-go-lucky, but it doesn't have to be the way it was, okay? Life doesn't have to be a waking nightmare. Secondly, your thyroid. I have Hashimoto's myself, and it is very important your hormone supplement is spot-on, because it can influence your blood sugars too. Mind you, as I lost weight on the low carb diet, I could reduce my hormones from 175 micrograms to 125 per morning, so if you start losing weight, keep getting your horomone levels checked, as your needs are likely to change. The working shifts and eating and drinking a lot of carbs will have contributed to you becoming a T2 when you did, but honestly? It was coming already. It's a genetic disposition, and with the carb-heavy diet we're eating in the west, it would've come sooner or later. Between shift work, coke and what have you, it just caught up with you a bit sooner. Might've been 10 years off otherwise, or 20... But it was coming.

Now, as for not liking veg.... I gave you the link to the Nutritional Thingy, right? There's some veg in there (above ground, mainly), but there's others here who go further, and have a practically zero carb diet, like @bulkbiker and @Jim Lahey , to name just two. It's called Carnivore. Meat, poultry, fish, butter/ghee/duckfat, cheese, eggs... It's all animal-based, all the time, and it's a sure-fire way to get your levels down quick. It'll also, in all likelyhood, make you quite ill for a week or two with something called either carb flu or keto flu, but then, any low carb diet will, considering your starting point. (If you do feel flu-ish, with everything hurting and your head aching, fatigue and whatnot, get yourself some bone broth and get your electrolytes back up!). And, not to forget, you're on one heck of a lot of blood glucose lowering medication, so.... If you want to change your diet, keep in mind you'll hypo on the drugs you're on now. So test your heart out and discuss any changes you're making with your diabetic team. Share The Nutritional Thingy with your spouse, see what works for you both and what doesn't, and maybe consider going mainly Carnivore rather than Low Carb/High Fat or Keto. You have options and they don't all include cabbage. Also... You're feeling hungry after a meal because from the sound of it, you're not having a whole lot of fats. Cut the carbs, up the fats, keep protein moderate, and eat your fill... Thing is, with carbs, they can make you feel hungry while you aren't. They're severely addictive (actually light up the same areas in the brain as hard drugs do!), so your body'll always demand more. If you feel hungry and want to snack, go for some cheese, pork scratchings, olives, extra dark chocolate (Lindt's 85% is nice), and fill up on tea, coffee and water. It'll keep the hunger pangs at bay and (unless you go nuts on the chocolate) shouldn't spike your bloodsugars.

There's solutions out there that can and will fit your situation. Also, carbs are inflammatory by nature, so cutting them out might also alleiate the osteoarthritis some. Helped my rheumatism a whole lot, anyway. The IBS too.

Throw questions out there if you have them, that's what we're here for!
Jo

PS: Unless you have insane cholesterol and a heart condition, you might want to discuss ditching the statins. They up blood sugars too. Not to mention... One of the side effects is joint pain. My simvastatine set my joints aflame.

Thank you for the great advice I will try to better myself and look after myself more as I did let myself go and basically didn’t want to carry on but the love for my wife and my grandson keep me going I don’t like to tell my wife how I’m feeling as I feel it’s a weakness don’t know why I feel that way but I do but I could talk all day to a first steps councillor

 

[Richmy]

Good Morning Richmy,
Thanks for sharing. thanks for protecting our country! You are already a hero in my book.

If you were deathly allergic to peanuts, would you eat them? Well we as type 2 diabetics, are essentially allergic to Carbohydrates. They will not kill us instantly, but slowly... Bread and biscuits are slowly poisoning us. When I look it this way, then they are less appealing to me. Maybe a small shift may work for you. A nice picture of your grandson by the bread bin?

Do the Army have any extra resources to help you? Keep reading on here. The success stories - low carb areas here give me inspiration. Maybe they will for you too. Others wiser- more experienced than me, will be along to offer even better support.

I wish you & your family well. Be nice to yourself. Keep asking questions, life can improve so much.

Thank you for your lovely comments no the army really do not help veterans especially with mental health issues that’s why you see a lot on the streets unfortunately

 

[Richmy]

Can I clarify what medication you are currently on please? You talked about starting with insulin and being on insulin and Victoza in the past but not what the current regime is.

Also when you go and discuss low carb with the diabetes nurse/dr be fully prepared for resistance. Some are quite up to date and supportive, others live in the dark ages and either dismiss or actively discourage it, usually with little justification. It is usually lack of knowledge on their part. They don’t all know it is NHS endorsed, there is an NHS paid for low carb program, professional learning modules for them to study about it and there are guidelines to help them reduce and manage medications safely in conjunction with low carb to avoid hypos. We can give you links to it all if you want or need them.

They might tell you it only works for newly diagnosed diabetics. Again, rubbish. There’s some in here that have come off long term insulin use and others that have reduced all sorts of medications. Many that have stopped all diabetes medication as a result too. They might try and get you to do Something known as the Newcastle diet By Professor Roy Taylor or an extremely low calories diet instead. It works, short term, so is an option but is definitely not for everyone. Most of us choose to eat real food not shakes and not go hungry. if you’re getting the resistance a lot get then they’ll probably faint at the idea of eating more fats but again many of us find we get better cholesterol results on this way of eating as again it’s the carbs that cause the rise not the fats. Lots of science about that too when you’re ready for it.

You can do this and improve so many aspects of life. Not even a custard cream is worth giving up the chance to achieve that and from me that’s saying something.

At the moment I’m
On 40ml of nova rapid and 40ml of toujeo 500 mg of metformin 4 times a day 250mg of thyroxine 900mg gabapentin 10 mg atorvastatin 10mg
Amitriptyline I see my diabetic nurse every three months as for the doctor I seen her last about 4 years ago never seen a dietician or chiropodist I’ve seen twice in 11 years my last hba1c was 73 I’ve had it as low as 45

 

[Richmy]

Your right. No need for fancy flours and low carb pasta.
But.... Meat, cheese, cream and above ground Vegetables are the best to treat Type 2 diabetes. Doesn’t have to be complicated.

I know it doesn’t have to be complicated but I’ve always been a big lad 6ft 2in when I joined the army back in 1990 I was 17 stone and I got most improved recruit as I was determined to join the army I got skull dragged on 8 mile runs etc but it never stopped me fighting on and passing out I joined my battalion in Londonderry Northern Ireland at 18 years old the injury to my arm ruined my career and my life spiralled out of control but now I’m married I want to live n see my grandson grow but my healths not good that’s why I want too improve things

 

[Chiefy]

Hey buddy, I’m ex forces too and was recently diagnosed as a T2 in March. I’m in a similar position where I knew I wasn’t looking after myself. Since my diagnosis, the help and advice by members on this site really has helped and pointed me in the right direction to take control rather than let it control me - as it had done for far too long. You’ve served on Op Tours and done the hard stuff - you can definitely do this my friend. (I was also in Londonderry 83 -85 and Bosnia 96).

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thank you for the great advice I will try to better myself and look after myself more as I did let myself go and basically didn’t want to carry on but the love for my wife and my grandson keep me going I don’t like to tell my wife how I’m feeling as I feel it’s a weakness don’t know why I feel that way but I do but I could talk all day to a first steps councillor

If you know it's not actually a weakness, only feel that way and realise that it is irrational... That's a step in the right direction. You're loved, and there's nothing you have to shoulder alone.

I'm hanging in there for my husband and my mum. "Love yourself first" looks great on a sampler, but in practice... Whatever motivation works, works.

 

[rustie237]

Diabetic for 10 years. I'm new to the forum as I felt I've been struggling a bit with my Type 2 diabetes recently and needed to connect with others in a similar situation. I haven't had my HbA1Cs done due to Covid-19 and have only just started testing again. My blood sugars are exceptionally high and I've been feeling quite poorly. Getting cramps in my calves and my feet seem to be swelling with the skin feeling really tight. My diet has been rather poor at the beginning of lock down, but improved as it went on and, as a result of a 20.9mmol test on Monday, have gone back to a low carb approach which has worked for me in the past. That being said, I always feel that I'm missing out when on low carb, but that might be because of my dislike of cauliflower rice and attempts at replacing a pizza base with a ground almond omelette and bread made with a ground almond omelette . It is a lifestyle change I know, but at the moment I'm finding it so hard to make the necessary changes and everything needs thought and I'm just fed up!! OK rant over, thanks for listening.

 

[Resurgam]

Try 'fat head' pizza - though if the alternative foods are disappointing it might be as well to just go with simple alternatives to replace them.
The swollen feet could be down to the heat - but I get cramps when I am dehydrated, need more water.

 

[rustie237]

Try 'fat head' pizza - though if the alternative foods are disappointing it might be as well to just go with simple alternatives to replace them.
The swollen feet could be down to the heat - but I get cramps when I am dehydrated, need more water.

Thanks, drinking more water and will consider anything that starts with ‘fat head’!

 

[rustie237]

Try 'fat head' pizza - though if the alternative foods are disappointing it might be as well to just go with simple alternatives to replace them.
The swollen feet could be down to the heat - but I get cramps when I am dehydrated, need more water.

Do you eat lentils and sweet potatoes?

 

[Mrs T 123]

Try 'fat head' pizza - though if the alternative foods are disappointing it might be as well to just go with simple alternatives to replace them.
The swollen feet could be down to the heat - but I get cramps when I am dehydrated, need more water.

What is fat head pizza?

 

[HSSS]

What is fat head pizza?

It’s an alternative pizza base usually made from mozzarella cheese and either almond or coconut flour. Very tasty and filling and enables you to have home made healthy pizza the same dough can be used for crackers or lots of other things. Ditchthecarbs.com has recipes.

 

[HSSS]

Do you eat lentils and sweet potatoes?

No never. Some people find they can eat small amounts but definitely test with a meter across an extended time span to check your personal reaction.

 

[Resurgam]

The fat head dough can be used for making sausage rolls too.

 

[Mrs T 123]

It’s an alternative pizza base usually made from mozzarella cheese and either almond or coconut flour. Very tasty and filling and enables you to have home made healthy pizza the same dough can be used for crackers or lots of other things. Ditchthecarbs.com has recipes.

Many thanks for that - much appreciated

 

[VashtiB]

Diabetic for 10 years. I'm new to the forum as I felt I've been struggling a bit with my Type 2 diabetes recently and needed to connect with others in a similar situation. I haven't had my HbA1Cs done due to Covid-19 and have only just started testing again. My blood sugars are exceptionally high and I've been feeling quite poorly. Getting cramps in my calves and my feet seem to be swelling with the skin feeling really tight. My diet has been rather poor at the beginning of lock down, but improved as it went on and, as a result of a 20.9mmol test on Monday, have gone back to a low carb approach which has worked for me in the past. That being said, I always feel that I'm missing out when on low carb, but that might be because of my dislike of cauliflower rice and attempts at replacing a pizza base with a ground almond omelette and bread made with a ground almond omelette . It is a lifestyle change I know, but at the moment I'm finding it so hard to make the necessary changes and everything needs thought and I'm just fed up!! OK rant over, thanks for listening.

I completely understand. I also struggle with the low carb life- mentally- physically my body is doing really well. I have found that my mental state can vary so completely get how some days it is really hard.

I tried lots of 'substitutes' but was disappointed with many. I have diet jelly and that helps. I also have some no carb vodka mixes and they are actually quite nice. Despite all this my knowledge about the complications of diabetes keeps me on the straight and narrow as ultimately if I get the complications I would still have to go low carb to avoid them getting worse.

Physically low carb work for me I've lost weight and my blood sugars are under control- hard to argue with that.

Good luck and feel free to vent here. People here really do get it.