• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

New to this and VERY confused!!

B

blingchick

Newbie
Messages
3
Hi there
My boyfriend has just come out of hospital and has been diagnosed with Type 2 - we think!! He had been under the weather for a few weeks and we put it down to over indulging on holiday and getting back in to work!! Last friday he went to the doctors who sent him straight to A&E...he suggested he may be diabetic...he was put on a drip and his sugar level was 59!! He was kept in till monday and sent home - (BS was 24.2 when released). Unfortunately he was discharged from the hosp quite quickly as his bed was needed for another more needy patient and the only thing he was told was to contact his GP...we were not shown how to use the flexpen or the BS monitor thingy!! When we went to do his evening injection we found that we had no needles and the hospital had to courier them out to him!! After much begging and near tears from me!! aagh!!
Anyway - sorry to ramble!! His BS is staying between 17.2 and 31.2! To me this seems very high? He has seen his GP and she has increased his insulin twice in the last 2 days....is it a case that we have to test every item of food to find out what he can and cant eat...and also would you be able to advise me how long it can stay high before we get really concerned...I know it isn't as high as when he was taken in last week...and to be fair he doesn't feel at all poorly at the moment..he is just frustrated at the situation and the lack of knowldge that we both have!!
I have started a food diary so we can try and assess what and if anything that is making it increase.
Thank you in advance for any assistance anyone might be able to offer us...if you need more info let me know.
 
Hey,
From reading through your post its obvious just how much this is concerning you, understandably. The hospital, despite needing the bed for another patient, were neglegent by not giving your boyfriend much information on his condition. From what you said, his sugars do sound rather high, but this is not that uncommon for newly diagnosed diabetics. Keeping a food diary is a very good idea, (although it may get tedious) but it will help you detect any patterns and correlations between what he eats and how it affects his sugar levels. Im not a doctor myself but have been diabetic (type one) for about 12 years now, I would suggest that if his blood sugar levels continue being high then to gradually increase the insulin doseage, by about 2 units at at time. if he starts to feel sick, out of breath faint or extremely irritable or tired then take him to hospital as if his sugars are high then he is of greater risk at developing DKA (diabetes ketone acidosis - this is potentially very dangerous so it is important that he gets help straight away if these symptoms occur.
Ultimately it sounds like he needs to see his gp again and really pester them for more help. The only way hes going to get on top of his condition is by understanding what is going on. Hopefully your gp will be more than willing to offer support in this.
Good luck and try to keep calm - stress can make sugar levels rise too! :) xx
 
Hi blingchick and welcome to the forum, tell your boyfriend that it is quite normal to be confused and overwhelmed by his recent diagnosis, but all will become clear over a period of time, Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say :)

His bg levels are still very high but he can work on them over the next few weeks and im sure there will be lots of advice offered to you both here.

Firstly as you would expect all sugary things need to be avoided like sweets, cakes and biscuits but that is not the whole picture, carbohydrates cause diabetics blood glucose levels to rise to, so your partner needs to cut down on things like cereals, rice, potatoes and pasta. Some diabetics cut these foods out completely others just cut down the portion sizes they eat, it also helps to choose low GI types of these foods, like wholemeal or wholegrain bread instead of white bread, basmatti rice instead of ordinary long grain rice, wholemeal pasta instead of the usual pasta varieties.

Testing will identify what effects these foods and other carbohydrates have on his blood glucose levels. I would recommend buying some books on diabetes there are many about. Ones that helped me get a grip on things were (in no particular order)

Type 2 Diabetes - The First Year by Gretchen Becker
Type 2 Diabetes - In Adults Of All Ages by Dr Ragnnar Hanes & Dr Charles Fox
Diabetes For Dummies
Blood Sugar 101 - What They Don't Tell You by Jenny Ruhl

There are many others but these are a few that I found particularly helpful, they can all be bought on Amazon.

I would also recommend a copy of the Collins Gem Carb Counter book that will give you a good starting point for what carbs are in what foods.

Hope this is helpful and good luck and try not to worry, it does all fall into place eventually :)
 
Thank you everyone so much for your speedy replies...they are full of loads of information and I will show him them later.
I bought diabetes for Dummies near enough straight away and have been getting to grips with that...will try some of the other books too.
My boyfriend is Jamaican and a large part of his daily food intake is all the things he cant have...rice, pasta and potatoes!! Tonight i am doing grilled plain chicken (not sure about spicy food just yet!) and a nice big bowl of salad!! He isn't impressed at all!!
We think we have figured out that bread is the devil to him at the moment! So going to steer clear of that. Been trying to find any information or recipes that would satisfy his west indian palate..but to no avail...will keep searching!

Got to say his GP so far has been great - much more forthcoming with information and has actually been calling daily to see how he is...I have an appt with her next monday so I can ask my VERY long list of questions!

Will let him know that is normal to have high levels when newly diagnosed - that will really put his mind at rest...it has mine.

Thanks guys so much xx
 
Me again!!
Most peculiar...he had his dinner - chicken and salad and corn on the cob...did a reading 1 hour after and was 8.3...then waited another hour and now it is 4.2? Is this good or bad?
 
Spicey is fine. Honestly, chuck them all on.
The more the merrier in my mouth :D

Jerk chicken and pork, absolutely fine. A piece of coco bread if he really wants it.
Bammies are okay for me, so if it cheers him up make a few little ones.

(Comfort food can be a lot better for the stress than the carbs can be worse).
A lot of it will be down to each individual. Keep his diet as much as it was before, but try to cut out the carbs, i,e yams, breads, etc.
Try to keep those as few as possible until he's a little more comfortable and sorted with his self medication.
Lots of meats, cheese, salad's. Fruits and veggies are okay, but they will raise his blood sugar.

His blood sugar coming down is good, it means his insulin is working.
If it goes below 4, he may start to get irritable / confused / grumpy, possibly acting like he's drunk.

It is worrying. But he will get better, and there's no reason why this would stop him doing anything in the future.
 
blingchick said:
Me again!!
Most peculiar...he had his dinner - chicken and salad and corn on the cob...did a reading 1 hour after and was 8.3...then waited another hour and now it is 4.2? Is this good or bad?
Click to expand...
That's just fine! Keep things like that and you've got things sorted!

Best Wishes - John
 
Back
Top