Newbie

[poshtotty]

Hello

I'm new here but have had Type 2 since 2007 which I've managed successfully with diet and exercise alone. I've always been happy, healthy and energetic and in fact challenged whether I actually had Diabetes when first diagnosed but was assured I did! I suddenly became very poorly in August last year with weight gain, sleepiness, lack of energy and brain fog and in January this year was put on metformin (2000mg) daily. I'm 56

Unfortunately the metformin hasn't had an affect on my weight gain but the brain fog is starting to clear. My diet has always been careful, though not strict and I've always taken regular gentle exercise. It now seems I have to make quite drastic changes to both which is tough as I think my decline in health is due to a stressful situation in the past 2 years since losing my mother and being an executor the centre of a family fued and unable to settle her estate

Just wondering if there are any diet tips as guidance seems to have changed since I was first diagnosed when carbs were ok. I'm now being advised to reduce carbs and haven't found a satisfying replacement.

Had also hoped the metformin would have had an impact on the weight gain but it doesn't seem to have touched it. I've been working with a personal trainer 3 x a week who takes my bloods before and after a 45 min high intensity workout and there is no change in the readings! They range between 11 - 14

I've never been prone to depression, but this is now starting to get me down. I feel stuck. I've had a really bad weekend when I couldn't get out of bed and just slept for 48 hours but did wake to have small meals regularly. I'm feeling slightly brighter this morning but haven't been able to shake off the constant banging headache of the past 3 days

Thank for reading. This looks a really helpful forum.

Diana

 

[Crimsonclient]

Hi Diana,
Welcome to the forum, first of all stress and depression have a major effect on your bs. I can only imagine on how difficult this can be but you need to reduce your stress levels. Easier said than done, second of all I didn't think metformin helped with weight loss however there are other drugs that do help like Victoza or bayetta but that is for you and your gp to sort out,


Sent from my iPad

 

[Andy12345]

hi, welcome

sorry to hear youve been through it recently, hopefully you can pick up some tips from the forum to help you


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[Avocado Sevenfold]

Hi Diana and welcome to the forum

My doctor told me that metformin would help with weight loss. I was told it can suppress appetite hence the weight loss. It doesn't speed up metabolism as far as I know.

With your high blood readings and stress, it is no surprise you are in bed

If you would like to reduce your readings and weight through carb reduction, please check out the low carb diet section of this forum.

If you post a typical day's food diary, people may be able to help tweak your plan.

All the best.

 

[julie56]

Hi Diana, sounds like you are going through a tough time and stress can cause all sorts of health issues. If you are feeling depressed it can cause the sorts of symptoms you are experiencing, the menopause generally can be a time when weight increases too. There is one other thing worth getting checked and that is your thyroid function as hypothyroidism can also bring about those symptoms. I would go back to your doctor and have a good chat to settle your mind.

 

[totsy]

hi and welcome

 

[poshtotty]

Thanks everyone for your kind welcome.

Thanks also for all the advice .

Julie 56. I was tested a month ago for thyroid and it came back clear but I forgot to mention I also have RA and am taking methatrexate by weekly injection. I'm trying to wean myself off some of the other meds for RA as my hair was thinning and I was concerned about long term side effects.

I'm now trying to concentrate on diet, exercise and vitamin supplements. by working with a PT instructor and nutritionist. Vitamin D seems to be helping along with multi vitamins.

I'm not finding this website too easy to navigate but did eventually find the low carb section Avocado Sevenfold mentioned. Thanks for that. Seems I need to re-educate myself as when diagnosed back in 2007 the dietary advice was very different and carbs were recommended. Hey ho!

Thanks again for all the help. I'm glad I found you and when I've found my way around thesite, I hope to be more active and supportive.

 

[FurryCub]

If you're doing a high intensity work out, that is likely to raise your bg for a short while as your liver will release glucose to assist your muscles. Low intensity tends to reduce your bg. However, from what I've read on here, spikes aren't too much of an issue and overall exercise will lower your bg. So don't worry about the exercise bg results too much as you can't see the benefits in one quick bg check.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[janewatt]

Hello and welcome!

It can be a bit confusing getting loads of posts trying to help, but I'm sure you'll appreciate the support.

I've used an American site which offfers straightforward information, recipes, etc:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/gettingstarted.htm

Have a look and see if it helps.

Best wishes,


Jane.

 

[AnnieC]

Thanks everyone for your kind welcome.

Thanks also for all the advice .

Julie 56. I was tested a month ago for thyroid and it came back clear but I forgot to mention I also have RA and am taking methatrexate by weekly injection. I'm trying to wean myself off some of the other meds for RA as my hair was thinning and I was concerned about long term side effects.

I'm now trying to concentrate on diet, exercise and vitamin supplements. by working with a PT instructor and nutritionist. Vitamin D seems to be helping along with multi vitamins.

I'm not finding this website too easy to navigate but did eventually find the low carb section Avocado Sevenfold mentioned. Thanks for that. Seems I need to re-educate myself as when diagnosed back in 2007 the dietary advice was very different and carbs were recommended. Hey ho!

Thanks again for all the help. I'm glad I found you and when I've found my way around thesite, I hope to be more active and supportive.

Sounds like whatever diet you have been following has been good for you up until now and you haven't even needed medication for your T2 I would say the way you are now is more down to stress depression and your RA because you have been having a difficult time Working with the PE trainer can only be good for you and hopefully you will soon begin to feel better

 

[mrs gimli]

Hi and welcome x

 

[poshtotty]

Thanks everyone.

I'm definitely feeling more encouraged and more in control since joining this forum. THanks for the lovely welcome and the support I'm really grateful to you.

Thanks Jane for the link too

Hopefully my next posts will be more positive x

 

[timfin0]

Hi , I am new to the forum as well , Diagnosed in 2009 T2 , at 52 yrs , (more than likely diabetic for more than 15years ) since then struggled to get BG down as I was following the advised healthcare" balanced diet" . My wife pestered me for two years that it can not be right eating carbs when you need to reduce BG , so I took her advice and now down to 5.0 to 6.8 . No bread , no pasta , no potato's reduced fruit intake especially banana;s .
I feel good , weight down to 90 kg same as when i was 20 yrs old.
Cottage cheese with raspberries/blueberries for breakfast , bread made by my wife from cottage cheese and seeds for sandwiches , (its great ) , and as much of anything else i feel like eating within reason . Bread was the most difficult to give up . But as soon as i had two slices of crusty white bread , 1 hour later BG would shoot up to 13 . bananas , which I love were even worse , rising to 17 .
So it can be done , but I spent many days testing effects of different foods , (two glasses of red wine , up only 0.4 1hr later ).

Hope this may help , good luck

Timfin0

 

[poshtotty]

Hi Timbo

Welcome, fellow newbie Its nice to have your company

Sounds like we have a few similarities. I've just completed my first week on low carbs and am gutted to find I've gained half a pound! I won't give up though as I'm feeling much better this week.

I'm curious about your wife's bread recipe. Would she share it with us?

Thanks for your support and encouragement

Diana

 

[Indy51]

Hi and welcome.

There seems to be a very strong correlation between gluten and autoimmune diseases. I've read so many success stories from people who gave up gluten/wheat and had dramatic improvements on many fronts; it certainly made a huge difference to my joint pain and IBS issues.

Best wishes,

 

[poshtotty]

Thanks so much Indie51

I'm certainly learning a lot here and am having a major shift in thinking. I'd always believed my RA was my greatest health worry as the T2 was always played down as "ONLY T2" . Grrrr!

Am now realising, through this forum alone, that actually its my diabetes which is affecting so many other aspects of my health. I feel greatly let down by the medical profession who seem to think the answer to all conditions is to pump you full of drugs with nasty side effects.

Forgot to say that since going onto low carbs for a full week, my bg readings have dropped to almost within range - for the first time ever, my thinking is clearer and I'm not so lethargic

This forum is the best thing that has happened to me!

Thanks so much everyone

 

[Opalshards]

Hi, Diana I too have Arthritis as well as being Type 2 diabetic, but mine is Osteo . I found that I hibernate in winter and got very depressed thought about a health lamp but they were very expensive. So like you I opted for the Sunshine Vitamin D. And feel tons better for it. Along with starting Qigong again.

 

[timfin0]

Hi Diana and folks . Here is my wife's recipe for bread that has helped me wean myself from white crusty bread , probably the most difficult thing to cut from my dietary habits . It has been really helpful , as I found it very difficult with out bread, although I new it sent my BG soaring . Now the little BG's are under control , and I have my Hba1C down to 56 .
Hope it helps . Timbo

Recipe

Preheat oven to 175'C

250g Cottage cheese
5 Big eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBS fresh herbs (oregano or what may be )
2 TBS oatbran
2 TBS oats

200g milled linseed
200g sunflower seeds (or pumpkinseeds + sunflower)
250g ground almonds

Whisk eggs until just mixed, add cottage cheese, salt, baking powder, herbs, and whisk together, (do not worry about lumps in cottage cheese they add texture).

Add in all other ingredients and mix well .

Line a loaf tin with baking parchment and transfer mix into tin.

Smooth top with spatula

Bake in 175'c for 50 to 60 mins .

Turn off oven and leave bread in oven upside down for 30 mins . Take out and leave to cool on rack take off paper .

 

[poshtotty]

Thank you so much for the recipe Timfin0

This looks great. Can't wait to try it!

Diana

 

[Caterham]

Diana

Sorry to hear of your problems. Wills bring out the worst in people! You are already testing ,which is great, and half the battle. The next step for me was to count carbs, and see what my pancreas could cope with. I find that at 150g of carbs a day my levels remain within guidelines, and my AC1 is also OK. Do you count carbs now?