pre-diabetic after distal pancreactomy

[eggy g]

Hi
I am new to this, I wonder if anyone out there has a similar "problem" to me. I had 2/3 of my pancreas removed(tail and body) Dec. 08 due to pre-cancerous tumour. Because of this I was advised to check my BG and have a yearly test done at GP's to detect diabetes. I was diagonosed with IGT last June (09) this was done via oral glucose test my results were 10.9 I believe 11.1 is a diagnosis of diabetes. I was told to lose some weight which I duly did, but my cholestrol and blood pressure were high and my BG remained relatively high for IGT. Typically 8/9 on waking and sometimes over 12 after a meal. I modified my diet but eventually in December 09 I was given 12 week test, can't remember name, AH something or other. The result was 6.5 so I now take 1 x 500mg metformin daily. At first I was told I was probably diabetic, went into panic mode and then I was informed 2 days later I wasn't. I have been told by my doctor it is inevitable I will become type 2. I started to feel better, less tired, mouth not so dry, not going to loo as much, until a couple of weeks ago. I feel constantly tired, the dry mouth has started again and I need to wee more often. I hadn't taken my BG for a while but I felt quite unwell a couple of nights ago. I hadn't had any lunch as I had been busy at work, I had steak, jacket potato and salad when I got home and almost immediatly I felt so ill. I didn't take my BG just went to bed. The next morning after 15 hours without food it was 8.8. Is this normal for IGT? I don't feel I get the support as I am not the "normal" IGT/ type 2 candidate. My GP has admitted he hasn't come across anyone with my medical history before and my DN just treats me as if I have a complete pancreas. I haven't really been told about diet apart from cut down on fat and carbs, but not a lot more. It's got to the stage when I am sometimes afraid to eat incase I feel unwell.
I am female, 50yrs old, moderatly overweight, walk 3.5 miles to work 4 days a week and back twice a week. I am trying! Any help or advice gratefully received. Sorry about long rambling missive.

 

[Synonym]

Hello eggyg and welcome to the forum.

Poor you, you have been through the mill!

If I were you I would eat as if you actually had a diagnosis of diabetes as this will help you to fend it off for some time. You need to eat regular, good and nutritious meals. Exercising is good and helpful but the diet is even more important. For speed I am copying some stuff which I have posted elsewhere and hope it will be helpful.

“We are all different so what suits me may well not suit you. You will only know for sure what foods are doing to your BG level by self testing. You need to test before eating and 2 hours afterwards. If you keep a food diary and note the readings by the relevant meal you will begin to see a pattern emerging and be able to cut down/out or eat accordingly.

A book like the Collins gem Carb Counter (£3.99) or similar book will give you the values on a wide range of foods and help you to make wise choices.

Many of us have found that we can no longer eat things like breakfast cereals as they make our BG levels soar so have replaced them with other things. I eat yoghurt with berries or an apple sprinkled with cinnamon and a mixture of nuts and seeds and it barely moves my levels now. I no longer eat any grain products at all so no bread, cakes biscuits, crispbreads, pasta, cous cous, rice or potatoes. I eat meat, fish, eggs, cheese, fruit (not bananas) and veggies but not parsnips and limited carrot. I am careful to have limited pulses.

Browse the low carb threads for other ideas about substituting ground almonds for flour and things like that.

As I said earlier the only way that you will ever know what suits your body is testing. If you don't already have a meter then ask your DN or doctor to give you one and a prescription for testing strips. Often they are not willing to do so I'm afraid but you need to push it and tell them that you want to control your condition and avoid all the costly medical conditions that can result from poor control. After all you do not want to be negligent!

If this fails ring Abbotts and ask them for a meter and buy your strips from them as they are cheaper direct from the suppliers.”

You may well manage with more of the things that put up the BG levels of the rest of us but try things out and test!

Hopefully someone else will come along with more specific advice relative to your condition which will be more helpful.

And please let us know how things go with you!

 

[eggy g]

Thanks for your prompt reply. I have a meter, I was advised to get one after my op. At first I was testing 3 or more times a day but I was told I would become paronoid! I stopped testing after starting the metformin but as I mentioned I have started again. I have some strips and lancets but I recently had a letter from my GP's to let me know that thay were advising against testing frequently so would not be prescribing them "wily nily" my words, not theirs. I will take your advise about the carb book, I will be straight on to Amazon after this. I am due a visit to my DN soon and I will mention my latest symptons. Thanks again, it's just nice someone understands.

Elaine (AKA eggy g)

 

[jopar]

Good advice

I would ask your GP to refer you to an consultant at the hospital...

It needs to be determined, which is your actually problem..

Whether it is insulin residence or the remaining pancreas ability to manufacuter the needs required, by doing this they then can look at what group of medication is likely to suit best..

Oral meds such as Metformin really tackle insulin residence
Other oral meds like the gliczide, increasing the insulin production
Then you get Insulin you inject

Your GP could go through with adding or subtracting different medications to find out which works best, but this sort of takes time if he's just looking at what results each acheive, a consultant is likely to have a better idea whats going on, what tests can help to determin what is happening, getting you on the right medication a lot quicker..

 

[eggy g]

Thanks for that advise. I will try but always feel I am being fobbed off. I know it's because they don't understand the problem and just brush it under the carpet. The biggest problem is my local hospital isn't where I had my op. They were unable to perform that type of surgery and I was referred to another area. 3 hours round trip. My hospital is as useless as my GP's. I am usually a very strong willed person but because I am as unknowledgable about it as they are I just go along with it. Part of me is burying my head in the sand, I have gone through so much medical intervention these last 3 yrs I am sick of it. I promise though I will be strong when I visit my GP and get some much needed action!