Sometimes I Forget I'm Diabetic

[Meady74]

I have been diagnosed with Type 2 for just over a year now, my hba1c started off at 49, dropped to 42 now up at 51. My Diabetes nurse has threatened me with medication which I don't want so am trying really hard to be good.

however, mentally, although I know I have diabetes, I 'forget' about it. Today was a classic example, in a bit of a rush forgot to sort out s proper lunch and had a McDonalds instead with full fat coke. Maybe a placebo effect but shortly after got s headache, felt slugish etc. Felt good at the time tho.

I really do struggle with the mental demons knowing I have diabetes and eating poorly.

thanks for reading.

 

[CherryAA]

maybe you could think about stocking up a drawer/ place where you work eg - some dried chorizo sausage, a few nuts. an avocado, a packet of cheese ,some pork rinds, that way if you forget your lunch you can access your store of goodies instead?

 

[MDHalstead]

The odd blip will be ok.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi and welcome.

The best possible advice I can think of giving is to get yourself a blood glucose meter and use it.

I appreciate that constantly monitoring what you eat and drink is a pain and particularly difficult if it slips your mind, but if you have a meter with you, and get symptoms like you did yesterday, that acts as a very handy reminder to test.

Most of us T2s are given the standard gumph 'you don't need to test' which is rubbish, and more about cost cutting for the NHS than about our health and wellbeing. Plus, if we buy our own meters we can get them at reasonable prices. It really is worth doing, because it gives us so much information.

Personally, I had a borderline Pre-Diabetes/Diabetes HbA1c test result, and bought a meter thinking that things would be fine. Oh no. My blood glucose was spiking FAR too high after meals, then dropping to reasonable levels until the next meal. Since the HbA1c gives an average, everything was looking fine. But it wasn't. My meter taught me to avoid the foods that were causing the harm, and my HbA1cs are now exactly where I want them.

Without that meter, I would have been working completely blind, and my diabetes would have been deteriorating steadily.

 

[chalup]

At the very least, if you must do McDonalds or other fast food, go for a salad or a wrap and a diet coke. You get used to the taste of diet very quickly and then regular tastes funny.

Headache and sluggish are classic high blood sugar symptoms.

 

[kokhongw]

had a McDonalds instead with full fat coke.

Actually that is full sugar Coke. Fats always gets the blame for the damages that sugar did.

I actually ate frequently at McDonald's early after my diagnosis and got very stable glucose. I ate only the chicken salad without the dressing.

 

[srobertson06]

I avoid fizzy drinks other than water as all are not a good option for me - even sugar free as the sweeteners used spike my levels. What I have found is I can have a Burger and small fries but have the coffee instead - it is a treat I allow myself now and then.

I also now only eat breakfast at home at weekends - during the week I eat it at work - if you have access to a fridge you could do the same - I eat the full fat Greek yogurt - this actually lowers my sugar levels which is a bonus.

Otherwise the comments from other's are good ones, a few nuts stashed away are a really good idea.

 

[bulkbiker]

The odd blip will be ok.

Not really as the "odd blip" tends to lead to more and more "odd blips" which can really mess you up.

 

[MDHalstead]

Rubbish. You can have the odd treat.

That is like saying one drink will make you an alcoholic.

 

[walnut_face]

what @Brunneria said
Eat to your meter, don't listen to what others tell you to eat, nor even what you think you want to eat. Just eat those foods that don't spike your BG.
My latest HbA1c was 40, supposedly a non-diabetic score, but my meter tells me different

I remind myself that I am diabetic (rather than forget I am) by adding back foods onto the plate, from time to time,that I had previously removed. For example I can tolerate a sunday roast provided I keep the roast spuds to no more than 2 to 2½ ounces. Last sunday I put swede on the plate as well. After an hour I was 8.3, and 2 hours 7.1. So that was the final encore for swedes

 

[Brunneria]

Not really as the "odd blip" tends to lead to more and more "odd blips" which can really mess you up.

Yup.
Although it does depend quite a lot on whether the individual is self testing, to realise the damage they are doing.
Also, exercise helps to moderate blood glucose, but then (thankfully) we (T2s) don't all have to be gym bunnies or long distance runners to control our blood glucose by diet.

And then there is The Carb Craving Factor, which affects us all individually.

So no, @MDHalstead is isn't rubbish.
You may have found a way that works for you. But that doesn't mean it works for everyone.

 

[bulkbiker]

Rubbish. You can have the odd treat.

That is like saying one drink will make you an alcoholic.

I think you will find that every single alcoholic started with "just one drink"...

 

[MDHalstead]

Your a bundle of fun.

You have one life. Enjoy it and be healthy.

 

[bulkbiker]

Your a bundle of fun.

You have one life. Enjoy it and be healthy.

Exactly and I'm quite attached to my feet and sight..

 

[MDHalstead]

Try focusing on the positive. It won't cause harm to have a great, and it is not nice to make people feel bad for having a treat.

We are all aware of the illness we have.

If you want a ridged diet go for it.

I won't lose my feet with the odd burger or chunk of chocolate.

It is wrong to say that.

 

[Chook]

I'm with @bulkbiker on this one. I can't count how many (pre-diabetes) diets I've broken with the thought that 'just one cake / ice cream / home made steak and kidney pudding won't hurt and then think 'I've broken it now - so I might as well enjoy myself with naughty stuff for the rest of today and start afresh tomorrow - but the fresh start on the tomorrow never came and there went that diet. Same with when I gave up smoking - it had to be completely cig free (even cig free environment) or not at all for me.

I don't think one drink makes a person an alcoholic - that would mean literally everyone I know is an alkie. I do understand though that a person who has been dependent on alcohol can never have just one drink because their body responds badly to alcohol in a different way than a non-alcoholic does, and that one drink can suppress their desire to never drink again and so they may go on a binge. Actually, having typed that, that is almost the way my body responds to carbs!!

But... we are all different.... maybe some people are strong willed enough to just have a little of something and then walk away from the blip to start fresh again. I just wish I was one of them.

 

[bulkbiker]

Try focusing on the positive. It won't cause harm to have a great, and it is not nice to make people feel bad for having a treat.

We are all aware of the illness we have.

If you want a ridged diet go for it.

I won't lose my feet with the odd burger or chunk of chocolate.

It is wrong to say that.

Respectfully disagree completely...my rigid diet keeps my condition under reasonable control so I can avoid the complications that can arise.
I think it is quite dangerous to support self sabotage and I do not see that as positive.
The OP says he can "forget" he has Type 2 and his HbA1c is worsening do you really think that saying "oh a little of that won't do any harm" is really helping him get his condition under control? Seriously?

 

[MDHalstead]

I forget I am type 2, but I eat healthy.

I don't believe the odd spike will do any long term harm.