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newbie n stuggling with levels

B

blackcat79

Well-Known Member
Messages
122
Hi

I'm new to all this only found out 2 weeks ago n been on metformin since then.
I got told not to bother with a meter but went against it cos I already have a fairly gd diet due having my gall bladder recovered 2.5 yrs ago so watch what I eat anyway so I thought I'd need one to see how my levels where doing. Plus they seemed high at fasting bloods test and OGTT 12.8 then 23.9 2 hours later. So I got one n my reading have all been above 12.2 bar 2 one @ 9 and other at 10.6. My morning tend to be 12.2- 14.0 and just get higher during the day and have reached 26.8 once at night. Normally at night they are around 19- 22. I've bn having contant headache n even ended up in A n E last Friday @ 2am due to a awful migraine :(
I've bn off work a month now due to this n an op ( miscarriage) but feel so ill in the mornings n don't seem to come round until my levels get 2 over 16.
I'm not sleeping well at nite tho a bit better when again levels higher but feel rubbish in the mornings. I've got to bk to work on Monday as sick note runs out and although I only do 4 a day its 11am-3pm in a very very busy clothes store. I just don't see how 1) I'm going to manage to get there n feel ready @ 11am 2) not eating or drinking for that time.

Any advice on how I get to feel a little more human in the mornings ready to go bk to work in 4 days time?? Eek. And how to reduce my levels when on low far carb diet already and on metformin x2 daily
Many thanks
X
 
You were diagnosed two weeks ago, and it does take a little while for your BGs to regulate, but i think you should have hoped for lower readings by now.
Just what diet ARE you on? If you give us a typical set of meals, we may be able to help. Meanwhile, here's some general info that may help:-
Daisy will be along soon with dietary advice for new members which is great advice, so do read that. In general terms you will need to reduce the total number of carbohydrates you eat per day. All carbohydrates turn to sugar when we eat them, and no type 2 diabetic on diet only, or on diet and metformin only, can control their blood sugars (BGs) without controlling their carb intake. Even those on strong medication normally choose to control their carb intake to keep the level of medication they take down. The total number of carbs per day you can eat depends on how advanced your diabetes is. It’s perhaps worth starting at about 50% of normal levels for a non-diabetic then adjusting up or down according to how you get on. That’s 150 grams of carbs per day for a man, 125 for a woman. You can read the total carb content of food under “nutritional info” on the packet or wrapping, or look it up on the internet for loose food. Just google “carb content..”
You also need to stop or reduce the bad carbs; that is the starchy ones that make your BG go up quickly.
So obviously no sugar or glucose! But also no white bread, white rice, pasta, flour products like pastry, cake and batter. You can eat a little basmati rice, wholewheat pasta or the tri-color pasta fusilli ones in small quantities. Boiled new potatos are OK but not old pots mashed, boiled or in their jackets. (Roast is not so bad, the fat slows their absorption and conversion to glucose in the blood) Amongst other veg, parsnips are about the worst for BG, and carrots not great but ok in smaller amounts.
Multi grain bread (not wholemeal) is not SO bad, but lots of us eat Burgen soya and linseed bread from tescos and sainsburys, although all bread should be in limited amounts.
All fruit has carbohydrates, and needs to be included in the amounts of carbs you eat in a day. For most people, bananas are about the worst for pushing our BG up and berries (like strawberries, raspberries etc) are the least bad.
No sweeties!
Exercise is important. I tend to exercise about an hour after eating when I know my BG will be peaking. This helps to bring it down quicker and further. I do ten minutes hard work on an exercise machine, but you could run up and down stairs for ten minutes or go for a brisk walk.
Returning to types of food and quantities of carbs - you can only find out how many you can eat by testing. Most type 2’s are not given access to testing equipment, but I see you have your own – although try arguing with your Doc that you want to manage to NICE guideline blood sugar levels, and can’t do that without testing! Some people test before and after eating, on waking (fasting test) and before bed. But if you have limited strips because of cost, the key to me is testing 2 hours after eating. If your BG is above, say, 7.8 at that stage, you need to cut down on the carb content the next time you have that meal. Test after various different meals and you soon get to see a pattern of what you can and can’t eat, and in what quantities. You can then reduce your testing. I said “below, say, 7.8” because NICE guidelines are below 8.5 but most of us think that’s a little high. 7.8 is the max. level at 2 hours after eating that a non-diabetic normally gets to so is perhaps a better target. Some then set progressively lower targets.
Do ask lots of questions; there is normally an answer on here. The more you get to learn about your diabetes, the better it will be.
Good luck!
 
Hi blackcat and welcome to the forum :)
I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well and hope those headaches soon stop.
Your levels are high and you need some help to get them down. To make the best use of testing, you need to test before and 2 hours after meals to see which foods you can eat, need to cut down on or cut out altogether. Here is some information which we give to new members which should also help you. Ask all the questions you need to as there is always someone here to give you advice.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS


Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find well over 30,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please sign our e-petition for free testing for all type 2's; here's the link:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/petition/

Do get your friends and colleagues to sign as well.
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Thanks for ur help n in put. I've looked at some of my things I eat on my diet as can't have sat fats n it seems that they replace with higher carbs. I have mostly wholemeal wheat things but they seen high in carbs. I have 30g of shreddies thing for breakfast with 2% fat milk n a tea no sugar m my bloods 2 hrs after were just 20.8! 14 on fasting! Eek. Was going to have wholemeal chapattis with salad in them for lunch but they have 24.7g per one! This us going to b harder than I thought as most sites say have fats more but I can't have them! :( help!!!! Please
Thanks again
sue
X
 
Why is it you can't have fats? Some reasons we're given for this are a bit debateable, and getting BGs under control are more important. Besides, salads, fresh veg, eggs, meat, fish - nothing terrible with fats in there! Look at the low carb diet forum. Those breads and chapatis have to go for now!
 
blackcat79 said:
Thanks for ur help n in put. I've looked at some of my things I eat on my diet as can't have sat fats n it seems that they replace with higher carbs. I have mostly wholemeal wheat things but they seen high in carbs. I have 30g of shreddies thing for breakfast with 2% fat milk n a tea no sugar m my bloods 2 hrs after were just 20.8! 14 on fasting! Eek. Was going to have wholemeal chapattis with salad in them for lunch but they have 24.7g per one! This us going to b harder than I thought as most sites say have fats more but I can't have them! :( help!!!! Please
Thanks again
sue
X
Click to expand...

Can you tolerate eggs? I knew someone who had had their gall bladder removed, and they had bacon and eggs for breakfast. I know I wouldn`t eat cereal, but I can also see you are struggling to find an alternative.
 
She's had her gall bladder removed which is why her fat requirements are different. She really needs professional advice from an expert.
 
I have cut out any bread (wheat) pasta, rice and potatoes I do not have any at all (other an 1 slice of Bergen soya and linseed bread every now and then) I seem to be able to cope with that.

For breakfast I have a mixture of: eggs, bacon, cheese, a couple of Finns crackers, Carrs water biscuits as these are low cars, very low sugars, usually with cheese on. Smoked salmon, for lunches I have; roast chicken, ham, tuna, any meat really with salads and mayo or any very low carb dressing.

For dinners I have any meat, fish with vegetables or salads, last night I made savoy cabbage with chopped up bacon bits, a few bits of leeks, in butter then added creme fresh (can never remember how it's spelt).

You just setup think a bit, but can come up with great food.

I am only on 1 x 500mg of Metformin (DN wants me to take 2 but I am not) and very low carb diet.

There's lots of recipes on here for ideas.
 
Thanks yes I can have eggs now n then but find they upset me a bit. Can't have to much bacon either other than the more expensive with low fat. I really struggle with my sat fats n fats. I guess I'm just going to have to wait to see the diet nurse n totally re do my diet n may cope with more fats with help with meds to stop the side affects. Oh I feel so down with this on top of my last miscarriage n op plus my marriage break up. Life at mo is just ****! :'(just want it to end now n be normal feel normal whatever that is like . Money isn't good so hard to buy expensive things plus I'm a single mum 2 a 10 yr son. Oh well he could do with losing some weight too I guess. I think sometimes it would b best nit to eat as my mother has said! Great support there NOT. She n my dad have late onset type 2 but never have had levels like mine n don't test n have said I shouldn't either do don't tell them I do cos she said it'll cause more worry but how can I see what food is doing if I don't. I'm over weight I no but I just cent lose it I did after my gall bladder was removed I lost nearly 2.5 stone but it just won't go now. I try to do exercise but when I feel so **** its very hard
I'm sorry to moan on but finding it so hard I no its early days but bn on meds nearly 2 wks n doesn't seem to b doing anything yet n having bad headaches every day not sure how I'm going to bk to work :(
Thanks again for listening/ reading to me n ur helpful words.
X
 
You are having a tough time.

My nurses are very good for advice, and they advocate a lowish carb diet. I know that is very rare. Have a look at the low carb, and none low carb forums to see which way may suit you better. You wouldn`t work anything out without your meter.

You can get those levels down. Good luck!
 
Hi blackcat. You really are having it rough at the moment. You can rant and moan all you want on here and trust in us to listen. Please let us know how you get on with the diet nurse.
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I've not even got an app for nurse yet. Just had a bit of ham with salad so ill see what that does but ill b so hungry in an hour or so n would normally have some melon it something but I believe thats wrong 2. What do all have as snacks? I've got some weight watchers low fat n seems to b light in carbs yougut would that be a gd snack?
Thanks

X
 
Have you had a look at the low carb protein shakes, they contain all the nutriments you need in one go, you can supplement a meal with one of those, and work out a meal plan that suits you with your nurse. But I think you need the meter, so you know what is going on.
 
Hi Blackcat

I'm really not sure about the Weight Watchers yoghurts as they aren't that low in carb and most of the carb content is sugar. It's really quite difficult with many so called healthy options - they are often low in fat but seem to be bulked out with carbs instead.

My standby for a snack/pudding is sugar free jelly (1/2 a pint at a time) with some plain greek yoghurt or fromage frais.

You get a good sized bowl for only a few grams of carbs.

Have you increased your protein intake to compensate for fewer carbs and fats? Mushrooms also help to bulk out meals (curries, casseroles, bolognese sauces) and are zero carb. Remember to drink enough as well. Sometimes we just think we're hungry when, in fact, we're actually just thirsty.

I'm sure there will be plenty of other suggestions later or try the recipe forums.

Chase up your appointment with the nurse and if you're feeling really bad have you thought about seeing your doctor to get another sick note?
 
I agree with Dawn about the yoghurt. Nuts, but not peanuts or cashews, work for many of us as a snack but the fat content may be too much for you so you would need to try a few and see. Maybe a small chunk of cheese would be OK. A lot of members can cope with any fruit ending in 'berry' and at the moment I am enjoying the odd strawberry or two or three. :D

The main lessons I learned were to reassess what I considered to be snack food and to test my blood sugar levels 2 hours after snacking.
 
The yogurt says carbs of 8.4g as the highest one n sugar highest is 8.0g that being the cherry one. So I'm guessing that these r ok? Fat m sat fat r less than 0.1g per pot.
I must admit that I don't think I drink enough cos I'm forever on the loo when I do n in my job I can't do that as don't get a break with only doing 4 hrs n I work on a v busy till ( I work at Primark!) 11-3 pm so bang in middle of the day for lunch :( so don't eat lunch just have breakfast then may b a snack bar ( which can't have now) then tea at 5.30 pm ish so going to find that hard to change to. I'm going to see if doc will do that but already had 4 wks off n need the money as sick pay is ****!

Thanks
X
 
Yay bloods at 16 so salads all the way with meat I guess for me tho not sure I can have that for breakfast tho. But its the best iv had in middle of the day since started testing last wk n this am fasting was 14 so not bad I guess tho still to high I mo but mayb I may b getting somewhere tho I can feel n hear my tummy but its got to learn I guess n shrink
My head n vision seem a bit better 2 so that's a step forward just hope it continues. Would meat n just beg for meals b ok or fish sometimes.?
Jezzs I'm asking lots 2day oops

Thanks
X
 
I'm slowly learning what I can and can't eat but it's taking time and experimentation. A wholewheat bread sandwich or breaded fish give me the sort of spike I'm trying to avoid. Plain meat and fish are absolutely fine and I can get away with curries (made with a jar though I'm careful about which ones I choose), casseroles and mince dishes made from scratch. Last night we had bolognese -
1lb mince
onion
grated carrot
tin tomatoes
oxo cube
oregano
courgette
mushrooms

I just had a big bowl of that - everyone else had pasta to go with it.

With curry I make a dry spicy cauliflower and spinach dish rather than rice. With casseroles just lots of veg.

Having sausages tonight. Tesco Finest Pork and Chive (new variety) 2g carb for two sausages. I split them up into portions before chucking them in the freezer and just get out what I need. I'll have roast veg with these pepper, mushrooms, courgettes, onion, carrots and add new potatoes for my husband. My sons don't like roast veg so they'll probably have mash, carrots, peas and gravy.

8g carb is an awful lot when you think about the size of the portion but you need to test to see how you cope. I can get away with somethings for pudding if the rest of a meal has been very low carb. Exercise (even gentle walking) after dinner can help to bring levels down.

Avoiding snacking hasn't been as difficult as expected, but I think you may need to plan better so you have something to eat before you start your shift and something ready for when you come off. I think it's probably easier to stabilise your BGs if you're eating regularly.
 
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