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Spiralling Health Problems

Thank you. I've never thought to do that. I have noticed on my first day of not eating junk food. Usually 2 hours after eating my sugars will go from around 10 up to 16. Today after the chicken and kale it has gone from 9.9 to 9.8. First time in years my sugar has been lower after eating. Thank you again. I'll feel much better now that i know i have support when i need it. It's pushed me into hopefully making a change. Only day 1 but i'm determined.
 
Baby steps! The first step is the hardest and you have taken it, well done.
 
Hey. Well done. That diet sounds like a great start. Try not to get hungry because that way temptation lies (not to mention low mood). Good things to fill you up without reaching for the carbs are nuts, eggs, avocado, a bit of cheese, full fat greek yoghurt - obviously provided these don't impact on any of your other conditions. Drink plenty of water.
In my last reply I said there will be some bumps in the road. Your BG response to that meal was fantastic, but it won't behave itself every time (especially first thing in the mornings), so try not to get downhearted if you get a reading that goes the wrong way - long term trends matter.
Anyway, brilliant start - think about your plan for tomorrow, and what you might want on your next shopping list (as well as what you don't want on it). Onwards to day 2.
 
Yes fatty liver can cause the liver to overwork and dump glucose on top of any opportunity the body thinks it's being starved or stressed.

You aren't the reason why you're diabetic. Lack of the correct info supplied by health bods is.
I remember weight watchers encouraging me to use up points on what I fancied. Of course I fancied a sugary sweet after brown rice. I never lost more than a few pounds and I was starving with it. I'm sure ww has changed now but all the diet sheets even from the nhs were low gi carb based meals.
I never lost. Just added. Gave up and added more.
I'm in the 20st mark.
Luckily you haven't been affected long. I've has symptoms since I was 6yrs old but only diagnosed 16 and a half yrs ago.
I'll most likely never get off insulin but have plans to shed some more weight with help of a bariatric team, locally.
Ive used every medication and diet sheet.
Low carb is the only tool I can rely on for influencing my bgs as good as insulin, hence I'm using far less than I would if I was on a high carb diet. Therefore a lot less heavier than many on my tier3 journey.
We all have walked the slow journey in the dark. Sad but true.
I'm delighted to also welcome you here. You are going to love your new food. Anything goes as long as no bread, rice, pasta or potato.

Ive found I can reheat fresh potato and have no problem with it but chips reheated isn't as fun as my new goods so I pass. I too can enjoy caulirice but my thyroid objects to too much cruciferous veg so I have to watch my iron levels due to limiting broccoli and spinach. Which suits me as I'm not a great veg lover.
I'm on a low income so I buy beef as much as possible and bacon and chicken is mainly my other meats, tinned macherel and eggs are also my staple diet.
No bread now since Morrisons have changed their own protein bread into a joke.
I use slim ham slices as a bread slice equivalent.
I have bought low carb wraps which have been useful but not lately.

Enjoy!
 
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I think that sometimes people become overwhelmed when they suddenly decide to do things 'right' starting tomorrow! The instinct is to go cold turkey(!) immediately and let's face it, who can cope mentally with that? Svalentine, you are showing a great attitude and desire to change things, if I were you I would start by cutting out all the obvious high carb rubbish (crisps, sweets, pizzas, pies, cakes etc). I personally wouldn't worry too much about cutting carbs totally in the first few weeks and would eat small amounts of bread, potatoes to begin with, but would gradually cut down on carbs and replace gradually with lower carb food, such as eggs, bacon, meat etc as the weeks go on. In other words, a gentle change rather than a shock to your body and mental health!.

Maybe up your exercise if you can, lots of little walks even if it is round the garden. Doing it this way alleviates the panic that comes with thinking you can never eat anything good again, you CAN. Would you mind sharing a typical day's diet, we might be able to offer some substitutes that are far tastier than your normal pizza slices. I think it's about training your mind to accept that you will not be missing out on anything because we all know if we think we are being deprived of something, that is ALL we want. x
 
Hi @svalentine60, To perhaps summarise:
1) one step at a time - like maybe starting by having a good low carb breakfast and dinner and skip lunch
2) if a diet with more fat seems to correspond with more stomach aches and pains you have the reason of gallbladder symptoms (maybe!) to request a more urgent scan
3) find an interest/hobby that helps you through emotional times and saves you from comfort eating, say, a book club, borrow from the library to save costs etc. Developing a skill can ease anxiety too
4) cultivate, friends/support groups - hobby and interest groups can help here too
5) grief is personal and you may well have received counselling but might benefit from more ?
6) develop humour and self-humour,: say, draw a Mars bar and show your son, "This is the 10 th Mars bar I have not eaten today" and cardboard as a food is over-rated anyway !" !!
7) do you need to consider a change of doctor ?
8) for everything else that helps, including this website.
Bestset of Wishes.
 
@svalentine60 and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 235,000 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

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.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

Hi,

My diet has been terrible up until a few days ago. I would usually have things like egg, bacon, fried bread etc for breakfast. Or scrambled egg on toast. I was constantly (and still am) hungry within 15 mins of eating no matter how much I'd eaten. I told my doctor i was constantly hungry and never felt full. They said sounded like an eating disorder and i should go to a self help group for it. I didn't think it was a disorder of that kind and literally feel that its my body doing it not my mind. But got no help with that. So the above for breakfast usually. Then i would eat on and off during the day. Nothing to me to have half a packet of digestive chocolate biscuits and a cup of tea. Cream cakes which i get an real urge for. Dinner at around 5pm ish if i can last that long and that will always consist of processed foods like, pies, birds eye prepackaged stuff. A lot of things like spaghetti bolognese or chicken tikka home made with poppadoms and nan bread etc. Often take aways. Chip shop or indian. A really poor diet. The more I ate the hungrier i was. I have often gone to the supermarket and bought a huge bar of chocolate or other sweet things. I've basically ignored being diabetic for years. With that has come such fatigue and depression. I guess a typicals days diet up until wednesday last week would be (And this is embarrassing)

Sausage, egg, tomato, bread and butter for breakfast or scrambled egg on toast
Mid morning would probably find something sweet like biscuits
Lunch could be anything from a sandwich or if i'm out macdonalds, burger king etc
Dinner at around 5pm which could be spaghetti bolognese, curry, processed pies, birds eye stuff etc
Very hungry again by 9pm so would go down and have cheese on toast, sandwich, things like that
I would then often wake in the middle of the night hungry and go down and get yet another snack.

This week I've eaten differently and it has made a difference in my sugars but not by a huge amount. I actually have been taken my sugars for once and writing down what I've eaten but its hard to stick to and on a low income with a student son in the house its difficult for me to buy separate food for myself. Since posting the other day this is what I've eaten and my sugars.

WED 8TH
Weight 12st 7 3/4
Sugars 13.2 on waking. No food all day until 5pm. Before eating took sugars which were at 8.2. But then had pizza.

THURS 9TH
Weight 12st 7
Sugars 11.7 on waking
Sugars 11.2 at 1.30pm with no food all day.

FRID10TH
Weight 12st 6
Didn't take sugars on waking
Sugars 9.9 at 14.23pm just before eating lunch of chicken and kale
Sugars 9.8 two hours after eating.
8pm Very hungry so ate some cheese, sliced ham and one tomato.
10pm Sugars at 8.7

SAT 11TH
Weight 12st 5 1/4
Sugars in morning 9.4
Ate at 1.30pm. Two pieces of white toast buttered with a slice of ham on each
3.30pm sugars gone up to 13.3
4pm Chicken breast and brussell sprouts. (Dry and horrible with no sauces, gravy etc)
Sugars at 8.3 2 hours later.

SUN 12TH
Weight 12st 4 1/2
Sugars 8.7 in morning
1pm sugars 9.9 still not eaten but they've gone up for some reason.
Sugars taken at 1.25pm just before eating 7.4 (Lowest its been in over a year)
1.30pm 2 buttered wholemeal toast. two scrambled eggs and two grilled bacon.
10.3 sugars taken two hours after eating at 3.30pm

(Thats where it has all gone to pot today. I suddenly couldn't stop myself from eating. Nothing sweet in the house thank goodness but was so hungry i ate beans on two slices of toast and 2 corn on the cobs with lots of butter. Now am sat here full of guilt and angry that i've been quite good for days and ruined it with high carbs. )

Thanks for the help.
 

I have noticed with a much lower carb diet this week that the pain has decreased. my stomach is still often swollen and some ache at times but the back pain and more intense pain has gone. I don't know if there is any connection.

I find it too difficult to make friends or go out. I'm 57 and its just too hard for me. It's hard to be around me I think. Always crying, always sad, no energy. My social anxiety has pushed everyone away for years. I'm desperate to talk about my daughter when i see anyone and it makes everyone uncomfortable. I've never received any counselling or help re her death and because of the way she died (Accidental overdose of a combination of alcohol, diazapam etc) i sometimes felt people had less empathy. Certainly those investigating her death had none and i couldn't see her as they advised me not to, or even have her funeral for three months. Even then it had to be a simple funeral because it was all i could afford. I have such huge guilt because she was dead for four days alone before she was found. Her urn is in my living room and i talk to her all the time but the guilt and utter desolation is still as intense even though it will be three years at xmas. Her last words to me were via text saying "I will be fine". Those were the last words on her phone. Her life was very hectic and she had many problems but she was such a kind, strong young woman and I miss her. I'd had to tell her she couldn't come for xmas because my son said he would leave if she did. She then sent the text about it. I deserve the guilt. That is the last time i saw her (Sorry when i start talking about her i can't stop. I do have an appt in 3 weeks to discuss this with my gp). I can find no support groups for this kind of death or for my anxiety where i live in Devon.

. I do try to talk to my son but he is being treated for depression and after 3 years of uni has only one small module to complete to finish and get his degree. He says he doesn't want to do it. He has little patience or empathy for me and can be quite unkind. But i know this is the depression because he is a lovely young man normally. Just not someone who is much interested in me.

Sorry for the miserable response and i'm sorry i've talked about non diabetes related things. But thank you for trying to help. I am so glad I came here.
 

Thank you for all that information. It's very helpful
 

You need God in your life.
Turn to him and ask for help and mercy.

I’m a devout Christian and having a strong faith does help to overcome life’s trials and tribulations.

I’ll pray for you, your health and family.

Andrew
 
NewTD2 said:
You need God in your life.
Turn to him and ask for help and mercy.

I’m a devout Christian and having a strong faith does help to overcome life’s trials and tribulations.

I’ll pray for you, your health and family.

Andrew
Click to expand...


Mmmmm, Andrew, I'm not sure that response would be helpful to everyone but I'm guessing you are a lovely and genuine person!
 
Svalentine, thank you for giving us that in depth information and I am genuinely humbled by what you have had to deal with alongside all of this, I DO hope you get through it.

As others have said please take it in very small steps. Your breakfast could still be bacon, eggs and a (good, low carb) sausage. I notice that lovely toast features a lot as well but you could cut this right down by maybe having one slice of low carb bread once a day or if you are able, give it up completely and go for snacks of celery sticks, cucumber sticks etc with a low carb dip. I KNOW this sounds as if it is no substitute at all but please try it when the toast cravings come, I have and the crunch of the veg along with the dip is a good substitute.

Spag bol??, my favourite but now I have a tablespoon of wholemeal pasta and a heap of homemade (lower carb) sauce. The pasta mixed into it appears like a full bowl full, try it and you will see what I mean, VERY satisfying with a bit of sour cream and cheese.

If you are desperate for a naughty snack, try pork scratchings.

Chicken breast & sprouts dry?, who wants to eat that!!! Marinade the chicken in a load of lemon, greek yogurt and spices, cover the sprouts with a sprinkle of bacon bits or even a tablespoon of gravy.

Eat meat and lots of it. Cheese, omelettes, nuts as a snack.

Bird's eye?, try their plain fish (be careful of the ones with added sauces).

Have a couple of squares of dark chocolate with a cup of coffee and cream.

Honestly, try it for a week, don't worry too much about portion sizes at this stage, check your glucose levels and see how you do!!!! x
 
You certainly do need to talk to someone qualified to help you with your emotional issues. If you can't get help from your surgery, perhaps phone the Samaritans. As well as being able to talk, they may have some practical advice.

If you are on any medication, check your leaflets to see if there are any side effects which include increased appetite.

You need to get rid of the bread. It's not doing it out any favours.

Ignore your morning readings, they are usually the last to come down. Concentrate on the readings before and after eating.

Remember that carbs are addictive. It takes a while to get over carb withdrawal. You will get over it but it takes time and determination. You will fall off the wagon, very few of us didn't. The trick is not to beat yourself up.

You don't need to feel any guilt over diabetes. It is the nature of the beast. When you fall off the wagon, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and climb back on board. Treat everything as part of your education. It is a steep learning curve.
 
NewTD2 said:
You need God in your life.
Turn to him and ask for help and mercy.

I’m a devout Christian and having a strong faith does help to overcome life’s trials and tribulations.

I’ll pray for you, your health and family.

Andrew
Click to expand...
i respect your beliefs and your right to have them and i do understand you are trying to be kind and for that i am grateful, but I'm sorry, i am a strong atheist and have no interest in any of the many religious gods various people believe in. Thank you for replying though and thank you for thinking of me.
 
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I am not preaching, sorry. Just sharing of what I believe in. And if you do not believe in anything I respect that as well.

Good luck with everything.
 

Thank you for that advice. I do like pork scratchings but didn't think i could have them I will try putting a tbs of pasta in, instead of a plateful.
 
NewTD2 said:
I am not preaching, sorry. Just sharing of what I believe in. And if you do not believe in anything I respect that as well.

Good luck with everything.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that response. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful but i have to be honest in that my daughter turned to religion a few months before she died and it obviously didn't help her or change anything and I simply would be very angry with any god if he existed. So for me I would say that i absolutely do not believe or want to know one but if i turn out to be wrong I'm sure he'd understand why when the time came thank you though for your kind words.
 
@svalentine60 I find veggies on their own too dry too. The good news is that you can put butter on them. Don't be afraid of the calories, just try it. As long as your carbs are low enough the fat will be fine and it will also fill you up so that you don't need to snack or stay hungry.
 
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