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Some advice please

Hello @nivenj

Welcome to the diabetic club.

You are right that Metformin won't help get those figures down on its own. It will help, but only to a limited extent. The rest is down to you and a suitable diet, one that you enjoy and can sustain for the rest of your life. The golden rule to remember is that not only sugar needs to be avoided, but you also need to be very careful with carbohydrates. All carbs turn to sugar once inside the system, some quicker than others. Fruit and milk are also products to watch carefully as they also contain a lot of sugar. Please have a good read round these forums, and ask as many questions as you like.
 
Hello Nivenj. Im so glad you have logged back on to let us know you are fine. I am so so glad that you followed advice and went to hospital. I hope you are feeling tons better and that you get sorted out by your Doctor. :)
 
Starting to get a little frustrated with how this is being handled. Just need some reassurance that my treatment is correct.
This all started last week with my BG fluctuating between 17 and 25. On Monday morning it was 30.7 . This was a one off. Since being discharged on a higher dose of Metformin, my BG has been between 14 and 23, no lower. In my mind nothing seems to have changed much since last week.

I spoke with the nurse yesterday and told her my concern, she said come in this morning for a fasting blood test, which i did and it was 19.7. Her response was, thats good its coming down. Really? Doesnt seem like it to me, these were the same results (apart from the 30.7 which was a one off) as last week. Am i being too impatient? Shouldnt they be doing something to get it into normal values? i'm eating right, and have at least an hours brisk walk daily, sometimes 2 when i take the dog for a walk. Not sure what else I can do to help lower it at this stage. I really feel the Metformin isnt working, and doubt its ability to bring me down to target levels.
 
You must be very frustrated and concerned. You say you are eating right, but maybe you are eating some of the wrong foods without realising it. Perhaps you could give us some idea of a typical day's food?
 
yesterday i had
breakfast: 1 boiled egg 1 slice of toast,
snack 1 apple
lunch ham sandwich on wholemeal bread,
cup of tea
dinner: grilled Tuna steak, Broccoli
 
The bread isn't good and
the apple not much better either for most of us.
 
so do you think 2 slices of bread and an apple is enough to keep my blood sugars elevated to such a high level?. dont i need "some" carbs and fruit in my diet?
 
nivenj said:
so do you think 2 slices of bread and an apple is enough to keep my blood sugars elevated to such a high level?. dont i need "some" carbs and fruit in my diet?
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Wouldn't have thought it would be a major problem but something is kicking you off.
I'd ditch them see if things improve ... bread is terrible stuff for most of us.
You still get carbs in veg.
 
I agree about the bread not being the best of choices, and possibly the apple, but taking everything in to account I can't see they alone would be giving you such bad results. Was yesterday typical or do you sometimes stray off the path?
 
The best fruits for us lot are the ones that end in berries as a rule.
 
If you were Type 2 I do not believe you would show such high BG on that diet and meds. Ask for T1 diabetes tests.

C Peptide test and/or GAD antibodies
 
Folks, as the OP is newly diagnosed, I don't think this is about tweaking his diet or selling low carb. He is doing the NHS regime for Type 2 properly and he is on meds. Something is wrong with this picture.
 
The op has been high for a while, it's better to bring the figures down a bit slower, rather than a sudden drop.
Having said that, I think Spiker is right, and more investigation is required.
 
I agree. I think his problem needs further investigation by the medics. There is something not right. Can you do as @Spiker suggests and ask for C Peptide test and/or GAD antibodies?
 
up all night peeing for britain, and checked my BG at 3am, 26.7 :-S.

I had salmon wrapped in parma ham, mixed greens, a few mini tomatoes and some parmessan shavings for dinner. Seems as though the increased dose is doing squat (apart from giving me the squits, which is only going to increase my dehydration) :-S
 
Any idea how long "prolonged" actually is when they say prolonged hyperglycemia can lead to complications? is it days, weeks, years?
 
nivenj said:
up all night peeing for britain, and checked my BG at 3am, 26.7 :-S.

I had salmon wrapped in parma ham, mixed greens, a few mini tomatoes and some parmessan shavings for dinner. Seems as though the increased dose is doing squat (apart from giving me the squits, which is only going to increase my dehydration) :-S
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You need to get this sorted. It doesn't appear to be food, and Metformin won't help get those levels down. There is something else going on. Record everything meticulously, levels, times, food, and take these to your GP URGENTLY and ask for further tests. Don't be fobbed off. You may not be Type 2. There are other diabetic conditions.
 
Phoned the duty Doc this morning and told him I wasn't happy that my treatment was working and explained I was still getting the same Very high readings despite my dose of Metformin being tripled. He told me to come in to the surgery for an appointment straight away. Got to see a completely different Doc who took one look at my notes, shook his head and said "Why have they done that?" , "Metformin won't help with readings this high". He called in the Nurse and told her to take some blood for a C Pep and GAD test. He then prescribed 80mg of Gliclazide to take with the Metformin, gave me some Ketostix and told me to keep an eye on my Ketones, and if I start to get high ketone readings over the weekend get back to A&E ASAP. He booked me in for a review first thing Monday morning.

His gut feel is the Gliclazide may not bring it down, and it may need to progress to Insulin (I think he thinks its Type 1)

Finally feel as though someone is actively trying to help me get to the bottom of it.

Does make it seems like a bit of a lottery with who you get.
 
nivenj said:
Phoned the duty Doc this morning and told him I wasn't happy that my treatment was working and explained I was still getting the same Very high readings despite my dose of Metformin being tripled. He told me to come in to the surgery for an appointment straight away. Got to see a completely different Doc who took one look at my notes, shook his head and said "Why have they done that?" , "Metformin won't help with readings this high". He called in the Nurse and told her to take some blood for a C Pep and GAD test. He then prescribed 80mg of Gliclazide to take with the Metformin, gave me some Ketostix and told me to keep an eye on my Ketones, and if I start to get high ketone readings over the weekend get back to A&E ASAP. He booked me in for a review first thing Monday morning.

His gut feel is the Gliclazide may not bring it down, and it may need to progress to Insulin (I think he thinks its Type 1)

Finally feel as though someone is actively trying to help me get to the bottom of it.

Does make it seems like a bit of a lottery with who you get.
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yep, I agree, you are getting proper help now. you will know next week what's going on
 
Nivenj
Thank goodness you found got a gp today that has taken your levels etc seriously.. Hope GP isn't a locum and that as he seems more clued up that you can have future appts with him.

Hope your levels do drop to keep you our of dka.... If you do feel unwell though get yourself to A&E...
 
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