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STILL TRYING TO CONTROL MY BLOOD LEVELS

W

Whitmab

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Been Type 2 for 12 years and find it harder to understand what my levels are as I do not have a monitor, I have gone from 17 stone down to 12 Stone via a diet and all I get from GP is I need to diet and get some exercise (I walk an average 50 miles a week). I also get told to eat less fruit as that is also impacting my results.... All communications with my diabetes is via a call and I have not had a face to face consultation since Covid started this make me think I am not a priority or matter.
 
Hi @Whitmab and welcome to the forum. Firstly well done on the weight loss!
You have come to a great place for help, many of us type 2s have normal blood sugar and HbA1c results from eating a low carb diet plus tablets if required. Personally I eat less than 40g of carbohydrates per day and take a small dose of Rybelsus.
Can you tell us a bit more about your diet that enabled you to lose weight and what you currently eat in a typical day.
People on certain meds have to be cautious with low carb so can you let us know which ones you’re on.
You say you don’t have a meter I guess because you’ve been told you won’t get one on prescription. Many of us self fund to help us see what different foods do to our blood sugar levels.
 
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Hi @Whitmab and welcome as @Rachox has said if you could give us a bit more information on what you eat then we could perhaps suggest alternatives if you need ideas. I would definitely consider getting a monitor then you’ll be able to see what spikes your blood sugar As everyone reacts differently.
The only eat fruit ending in ….berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries) with Full fat yogurt or double cream. Well done on the weight loss, I too have lost 4stone although it’s taken me 4 years but if I keep my BG low it’s easier to lose.
 
Celebrate that weight loss! It's substantial. Kudos on the walking, it all helps, but don't over do the walking. Give yourself rest recovery days. Your body needs to rest from the stresses of exercise.

A monitor will help you understand the effects of exercise on the body as well as your food choices. I'm not sure where you are. Here in Canada we need to buy our own monitor and strips ( I know some are allowed but I'm new to the game and don't know much about it) I buy strips on seniors days.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum Whitmab. This is a great site. Congratulations on your weight loss. I am sure members will advise you on some diet modifications, if you let them know what your diet is like.

I’m into my fitness. I see you walk for around 50 miles a week, so just over 7 miles a day. That’s great. What kind of walking do you do? Walking with purpose is the most effective way to burn energy. There was some research a while back about walking and blood sugars. I’ll try and find it. The research found that a slowish walk does not effectively bring down your blood sugars, but a walk with purpose does help to bring your sugars down. It’s about getting your heart rate into the fat burn zone. I would say that’s around 120 - 130 beats a minutes. Being in the fat burn zone should bring your blood sugars down. I say should, because everyone is different. The other Thing you may which to try are weights. Repetitive weights, they don’t have to be heavy, you just need to do repetitions. Your muscles are the biggest user of carbs, something like 70% of your carb consumption is used up by your muscles, and your leg muscles are the largest.

Again, well done on your weight loss.
 
I am a Slimming World diet. I guess my issue is Carbs as looking at my meal plan i do eat pasta and potatoes in my diet,
Breakfast: One Weetabix, yogurt and fruit Banana or frozen berries
Lunch: Fish, Ham or Chiken with Pickles or Salad
Dinner: a Slimming World Frozen Meal or jacket Potato with 30g Cheese (If home late from a meeting)
trying to stay away from biscuits and snacks (but not always successful with Biscuits if under stress)
I do eat Apples, Pears and peaches in season.
 
Ah - I can only advise that you get a monitor which is cheap to use - I have been using a Tee 2+ from Spirit Healthcare for some time now, and it is a great help in spotting problems, but - from the moment my diagnosis was revealed, I have not eaten grain - so no pasta or Weetabix, no biscuits or starchy snacks, also no potatoes, pears or peaches a very few apples from my own trees, which make normal sized apples, not the ones in shops size. No bananas no ready meals, but still manage to find low carb veges and fruits whilst keeping my blood glucose normal.
 
@Whitmab despite you being on a Slimming World diet, you are diabetic so there are different things at play for you. As a T2 diabetic you are very likely contending with insulin resistance, and your pancreas does not produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance, and whatever carbs you are consuming. The exercise you are doing is certainly helping you. A none diabetic on a Slimming World diet plus the amount of exercise you are doing would likely lose weight and have no problems. For a T2 diabetic, because your pancreas has topped out with its insulin production simply because it is unable to produce enough to overcome the resistance to insulin, your blood sugars may well rise. Your body is having turn this extra blood sugar into fat and is storing it around your body. And of course your liver is also dumping as well adding to this medley. So despite you being on a slimmers diet, those pastas, the Weetabix, potatoes and the bananas are not your friends. These high carb foods are taking you over what your pancreas can deal with. Everyone’s pancreas ‘ are not made equal in this respect. I would suggest you find out what foods you can drop. I would definitely get yourself a glucometer, as you will be trying to this ‘blind’ . A glucometer would help you greatly, a CGM more so.
 
Like others have mentioned, getting a cheap blood glucose monitor will help you see what sort of foods are keeping your glucose high. Personally for me, Weetabix are the worst thing ever, never again. Surprisingly I can eat potato/basmati rice and have less of an impact from those breakfast cereals.

If you haven't already, the Libre2 CGM offer a two week trial which I found very useful and kept on purchasing them, even if they are expensive.
 
You are a priority, self education is the best way to navigate your journey.
 
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