Struggling. REALLY struggling.

XxTinkerxx said:

Thanks for replying.

I am looking at the LCHF diet but I'm ignorant to the whole fat thing.

Diabetic nurse said my cholesterol was like 1 above normal and she behaved as though I was going to die of a heart attack the next day.

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Welcome Tinker. Our stories are similar, except I am overweight! I've been a Type 2 for 10 years and have pretty much ignored the whole diabetes thing which means now I am months away from starting insulin unless I make some changes NOW!

I am looking at the LCHF diet as well as I feel this could be the better move for me!

BlueTwist said:

Welcome Tinker. Our stories are similar, except I am overweight! I've been a Type 2 for 10 years and have pretty much ignored the whole diabetes thing which means now I am months away from starting insulin unless I make some changes NOW!

I am looking at the LCHF diet as well as I feel this could be the better move for me!

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It will be most beneficial to you as it is for many & could be the answer to not going on insulin.

XxTinkerxx said:

Thanks Clive. I did see it earlier but need to read it properly.

Welcome to the club! Though like all of us I'm sure you'd rather not be here!

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H thanks for the welcome . I'm lucky in one sense that I'm not into food so I don't real care what I eat . So I think it makes it easier for me to change diet . Hope you get back on course soon
Clive

If noone has suggested it yet, I'd insist on getting an Antibody test from a blood sample.....if you are that reactive with that level of pills, then you could well have Type 1 LADA.....but the Antibody test will confirm that.

Hi Tinker, to help with the sweet cravings, you could try fat bombs. If you just google it you will find loads of recipes, careful though `cos these little beauties are seriously good!

XxTinkerxx said:

Anyway I am not even sure if I am T2 anymore... I'm just angry. ALL THE TIME!!

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High blood sugars can make a person feel angry.
My other thought: having to inject insulin would not be the end of the world. I am, like you, a possible LADA and I have to keep my carbs down to 20-30g daily. Sometimes I almost look forward to being on insulin, so I could eat a few more healthy carbs!

Have a look at Adam Brown's free e-book: https://diatribe.org/GetBrightSpots
He often talks about his bad moods when his bgs are not right. A really helpful and upbeat read, as is his column "Adam's Corner" on the Diatribe site.
https://diatribe.org/search/advanced/?f[0]=im_field_section_name:294

Alexandra100 said:

High blood sugars can make a person feel angry.
My other thought: having to inject insulin would not be the end of the world. I am, like you, a possible LADA and I have to keep my carbs down to 20-30g daily. Sometimes I almost look forward to being on insulin, so I could eat a few more healthy carbs!

Have a look at Adam Brown's free e-book: https://diatribe.org/GetBrightSpots
He often talks about his bad moods when his bgs are not right. A really helpful and upbeat read, as is his column "Adam's Corner" on the Diatribe site.
https://diatribe.org/search/advanced/?f[0]=im_field_section_name:294

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Here's a quote from Adam Brown of Diatribe:

“I’m my best self!” when my blood sugar is in range: it makes me a better human being today and maximizes my limited time on this planet. That is priceless!

Out-of-range blood sugars, by contrast, make everything in my life harder and less enjoyable – I’m tired, grumpy, lightheaded, a worse sleeper, an impaired thinker, and an all-around worse human being. I deserve better, and so do the people around me.

I find these compelling reasons to take care of my diabetes TODAY, especially because they focus on being “my best self” to those I love the most."

Have they don't the blood tests for antibodies? Not all LADA have positive antibody tests but it should be a starting point.

Having read through most of the posts I did begin to think that you might be LADA.
The insulin injections will alter how you cope with carbs, and you should be able to eat more of them and inject to cover the amount, and that could mean that you gain some weight, which would perhaps be a good thing after so long a time hardly eating.

XxTinkerxx said:

So here we are in 2018, almost 3 years later since this post and 6 years since I got diagnosed.
Sugars have still been on the high side most of this time and I now weigh 8 stone and one solitary lb.

I was told a month ago I need to start injecting insulin and had a total meltdown in the Dr's office (apologies to all the patients behind me who had to wait at least 30 mins). I have private medical insurance so went and sought a second opinion, which I had the following week.

The second opinion was that there was the possibility I may have LADA but I will need to inject as my body is not producing enough insulin. I was also told that I need to eat more food (I barely eat), and that all the stuff I have been doing before like limiting food, counting carbs, weighing all my food, reducing carbs and removing certain foods from my diet was making no difference. I went home and continued my meltdown - then decided to eat all the stuff I have been denying myself over the years. BG went up to 33.1. When I tested again to see if the monitor was working properly it said H1. On both my meters.

So tomorrow I go to meet the diabetic nurse who will be teaching me how to stab myself every day with a needle.

I am not looking forward to it, and still pretty angry and ****** off that it has come to this.

I am even more annoyed that people seem to think that this is a "fat people disease" as the first response to hearing that I am a T2 diabetic is "but you're not fat!! there's nothing to ya!". Then you get the other half who believe you caused it yourself by somehow leading an unhealthy lifestyle. As if playing hockey and having a slice of cake every now and then is going to turn me into a diabetic. If it was that simple, then there would be a lot more T2 diabetics out there.... Anyway I am not even sure if I am T2 anymore... I'm just angry. ALL THE TIME!!

For the past two weeks leading up to the "needle session" tomorrow I have been like a bear with a sore head - just not myself at all.

I'd like to know if I am definitely T2 or LADA or something else! The consultant suggested I had a pancreatic scan to rule out any underlying issues. Something my Dr promptly ignored - well he's made no mention of it.

I am aware this post is all over the pace, but it just about sums up my head right now...

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Hi there,

I know many people think that it does not matter what type you are as long as you are getting the right treatment. I disagree however and for me it matters greatly to know. That way I can come to terms with whatever type it is and adjust accordingly. You have had three years thinking you are type 2, you seem to have tried everything possible to combat it and here you are now with glucose levels shooting up to hi, not knowing why and not eating properly.

That cannot go on, it sounds like a rubbish situation. With that in mind when you start on insulin you may find (like me) that it is a blessing, not a punishment. Yes, it can be difficult to get it right all the time and easy to make mistakes BUT it does give you a measure of control over your glucose levels. You can be more flexible about what you eat and when (whether you continue on low carb or not), you can at the very least relax a little more about the 'what am I' stress.

It makes me smile when you say how annoyed you are when people think type 2 is a 'fat person's disease'.....a little admission here...if I gave it much thought at all I too assumed people were usually fat because of their own choices and now I know that is not the case at all! I think you may be angry because YOU too thought that and now you're angry at yourself because you know it is not true and here you are (like me), quite skinny and very active and still with diabetes.

Please try not to agonise about going on insulin, see how you feel after a month of it. I suspect you will find it is the best decision you (or your Docs) ever made. Good luck. x

XxTinkerxx said:

No. No special blood tests other than the standard.

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If you've got private insurance could you ask about them?

I get where you are coming from. I'm either angry or despondent all the time. Am getting to a point where I just don't care. No matter what I do, the hospital are never happy. Some aspects of controlling blood sugars are completely impossible. I'm not talking about testing and eating properly with the proper dose. I do all that and sometimes it just doesn't do what it's supposed to and yet I'm told that it must be my fault. Guess that's why I feel so **** most of the time

The needles are tiny, you did it once you can do it again.
Insulin will help you feel better. It's not a failure. It's a new start.

My sympathies. I have been pretty lucky with side effects of going from medication free to 3 meds. Metformin gave me diarrhoea and I was changed to slow release metformin. GP thinks I am on 2000gm but I am only taking 1000mg. I have inbuilt dislike of taking pills unless really necessary and anyway it tastes vile
Low carb is my choice although it is pretty tough to give up spuds. I have little interest in sugary things on the whole so that’s a plus. Minus is I cannot bear artificial sugars so am using xylitol which is pretty expensive but is good. Excellent if you want to clear your gut! No kidding...
Am experimenting with baked potatoes and scooping out the insides and eating the skin plus whatever. Spikes me just about 2.4 but I have decided the weekly pleasure is worth it. Just had a huge breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, black pudding. Lovely. I wait to see what effect the black pudding has. Milk spikes me so I limit myself to 2 cups of tea, coffee per day - ish.
I loathe salad but make myself eat it. A smear of salad dressing makes it more palatable.

It does get easier given time. Having an intact sense of self esteem helps each of us to motivate to do tough choices. I wish you health.