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New Diabetic with Type 2 - questions


Thanks Ronancastled.
Sure, will check with my GP
 
Sorry to bump my old thread, but this is an update (haven't been on here much lately - life getting in the way):

Had my six monthly review, and I can report that I am now Metformin Free!

HbA1C had increased slightly from 32 to 35, but that was mitigated by the nurse because she'd cut my Metformin in half from September (my three monthly review). My cholesterol has increased to 6.2 so I need to adjust my ways a bit and reduced my saturated fats, but nothing beyond the normal dietary stuff (back to milk rather than cream in the coffee, no sausages etc).

I have a further review in three months to see how I'm getting on without Metformin and hopefully with my cholesterol levels reduced. My nurse said she would expect to see me dip back into the pre-diabetic range this first time as my body adjusts to no tablets.

Can't thank you all enough - this has been a whirlwind nine months (imagine nine months flying by just like that!).

Has anyone got any good threads they can link to me re cholesterol and the reductions whilst continuing a low(ish) carb lifestyle?
 
Well done. It might help you to know that with a 20g carb/day intake plus as much fat as I care to eat my total cholesterol figure as calculated has fallen over the last two years. I don't think that the total cholesterol means anything, but there you are.
 
@garyclark82 Please look into the cholesterol thing a bit further before you make changes. It really isn’t the saturated fats that are the problem and also total cholesterol means diddly squat. You must have the breakdowns to make any judgements at all and it should also be a fasted test that they rarely do now to avoid no shows later in the day.

It’s likely that your good cholesterol has risen and your triglycerides (the real baddies) have fallen and your ratios have all improved even if your ldl has remained static or even risen a little. And anyone’s cholesterol will rise a bit as they lose weight whatever method they use, but stabilises again once weight does.

There’s an enormous thread on here about cholesterol and statins started by Bulkbiker that has more links and scientific papers than you’d need for a masters on the subject.
 
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Yeah! Aldi Chicken saag. Good choice there! Their Chow mein from the same range is also a good one. Welcome to the club nobody volunteers for. You are off to a sound start IMO. You will find that being too strict is actually counter productive for some, and I started my LCHF journey more sedately and gently slid down the glucose scale. That was 8 years ago, and I am still following that plan. so it can be long term provided you learn to live with it.

You may also find that increasing the fat intake with healthy fats (i.e. not seed oils) reduces hunger pangs. Be sure to increase salt intake especially in the early period when you may be losing weight. Hydrate well for the same reason.

Getting a test meter is advised even if you have to self fund it. It will be you friend and something to swear by and also swear at but it will shoow immediately how you are progressing. Keep a food diary and log the results in that too so you build up a repertoire of meals and snacks that are beneficial for you. Your list will be different from everybody elses since we all get affected in different ways.

Edit Ooopsie. just read the date on the OP so what I wrote here has already been said by others.
 
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I know this message was from some time ago but I just wanted to say thank you for this! It has been a big help to me. I'm a fussy eater you post has helped me see that I can add even a few little things to my low carb diet to help it not be so boring (Bacon, ham, Full Fat Greek Yogurt & Lindt's dark choc).

Like you mentioned a few times, i got myself a meter and have been monitoring before and 2 hrs after meals (all see me to be in the non-diabetic range) the only time is has spiked more than 2mmol/l was when I had some golden cow butter with my wholemeal toast yesterday when it went from 5.4 to 8.1 but I had the same today without butter and was 5.3 to 6.6 so having a meter is amazing at determining foods to steer clear of.
 
butter has no carbs and bread has lots, so it was probably that you missed the spike yesterday as fats alter the timing of digestion.
 

Hi I was disgnosed with same hbac of 51 on Jan I was told take 1 x metformin which I didnt I wanted to i wanted to try diet and different lifestyle first and then told no need to take with 51 reading and was told not sure why given so was there a reason why perscribed 2 with reading of 51 I was 1 stine over weight ans lost it already! Just wondering and i am not too sure but can metorformin if too much needed make your blood drop too low? Perhaps an expert on here may know and you could discuss with your dr before lowering or not taking at all just stuck with the LCHF way I feel a new person 3 months in to it but I do need to look at new recipes Good luck on your journey
 
Metformin is not really a significant glucose shifter. It has at best only a couple of mmol/l (UK) effect and that is when at max dose of 2000mg.day. It does have benefits in reducing Insulin Resistance, and also giives some protection to the cardiovascular system It also traps some glucose before it gets into the bloodstream, and passes it naturally out with the rest of the unwanted waste (like a sponge). Metformin is not normally associated with blood glucose levels dropping too low (i.e. hypo) but it can happen [apparently].

Many here report that as their blood sugar levels drop due to a diet they have started then they get symptoms like a hypo. These are generally false hypo's and it is just the body adjusting to the new you. Hypo's normally get caused by certain heavy duty glucose shifters like insulin or a sulfonylurea drug like Gliclazide.
 
Thanks for explaining this just in case my readings dont go down and i have to take in thw future but that is a long way off for me I hope...... thanks
 
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