Struggling to keept my diabetes under control. Last HBa1C was 106

[akindrat18]

I'm having some difficulties trying to bring my blood sugars back in normal range. Due to cost of food prices going up, I've had to make several cuts in my food shopping and resort back to buying food that is more carbs than protein or fat. But now, whenever my blood sugars get back into the normal range, I'm starting to experience false hypos and eating more throughout the day at work.

I've been having more and more appointments with my GP and finally getting somewhere with them, but I was suppose to be keeping a diary of what I eat, drink and exercise everyday. However, I haven't been keeping up with it as it is just too much for me to do. I've also not been taking my medication like I should have, especially with being prescribed Ozempic.

I feel like this is getting too much to deal with now, especially with my last trip to the hospital, where I collapsed at work and got taken to the hospital by my dad, only to be left in the waiting area on my own.

 

[niblue]

You need to make time to do the necessary things to sort out your health, even if that isn't easy - especially stuff like taking your medication.

My last hb1ac (which was also my first) was also 106 and, while that was quite a surprise, it has definitely given me motivation to start looking after myself better. I find keeping a food diary quite useful and not time consuming (I use the myfitnesspal site and app and that allows you to scan food barcodes which speeds things up) - especially as it lets me know the level of carbs in the foods I'm eating.

 

[BJtheexile]

New: my latest HbA1c was 56 (67 6 mths ago )but I really want to get it as low as possible ) . Best app I find is Fitbit one although I don't use an actual Fitbit any more. I record glucometer readings and just started (again) a food diary on it. Question is , are there any better ones that are uncomplicated and I can export data from ?? Apologies if in wrong place.

 

[Deleted member 475901]

While it can be more of an effort some of the low carb recipes use cheaper cuts of meat - a slow cooker is useful for these so you can load it up and let it cook all day. I used to buy boiling fowl, but can't get them where I live now - anywhere with Caribbean shops might have them. I made a Jamaican chicken curry with them (roasting chickens won't do as they fall apart into mush). You can use any of the cheaper cuts in stews or curries.
And although eggs have gone up in price they are still a cheaper form of protein, as is tinned tuna - just try to buy larger quantities if you can to get cheaper per kg costs.
For veg, cabbage is probably cheaper at the moment, for fruit I buy frozen raspberries or the packs of frozen 'wonky' berries. Frozen fruit and veg are often cheaper than fresh and just as good nutritionally.
If I don't have room in my freezer I buy the packs of frozen berries, thaw then bring them to the boil in my microwave and pour into clean glass jars, after cooling they keep well in the fridge for a few days - if I haven't used them all up by then I just boil them again.

 

[BJtheexile]

While it can be more of an effort some of the low carb recipes use cheaper cuts of meat - a slow cooker is useful for these so you can load it up and let it cook all day. I used to buy boiling fowl, but can't get them where I live now - anywhere with Caribbean shops might have them. I made a Jamaican chicken curry with them (roasting chickens won't do as they fall apart into mush). You can use any of the cheaper cuts in stews or curries.
And although eggs have gone up in price they are still a cheaper form of protein, as is tinned tuna - just try to buy larger quantities if you can to get cheaper per kg costs.
For veg, cabbage is probably cheaper at the moment, for fruit I buy frozen raspberries or the packs of frozen 'wonky' berries. Frozen fruit and veg are often cheaper than fresh and just as good nutritionally.
If I don't have room in my freezer I buy the packs of frozen berries, thaw then bring them to the boil in my microwave and pour into clean glass jars, after cooling they keep well in the fridge for a few days - if I haven't used them all up by then I just boil them again.

Thanks, Jamaican food my failing. We have Jamaican friends in London and any visit is a treat but not for my diet , I love it. I will try what you suggest and see how i get on. I know prep and planning is important, I tend to be the put hand in fridge and grab type but that just lazy on my part.

 

[Deleted member 475901]

Thanks, Jamaican food my failing. We have Jamaican friends in London and any visit is a treat but not for my diet , I love it. I will try what you suggest and see how i get on. I know prep and planning is important, I tend to be the put hand in fridge and grab type but that just lazy on my part.

Grab and go options for me are prepping cheese, cut into small cubes and stored at the front of the shelf at eye height and hardboiling 6 eggs at a time and storing them in their shells, also at eye height. Plus I cook up 500g of turkey mince at a time, cooked with onions.garlic and tomatoes then split into 5 meals, finish some with mushrooms, basil and more garlic and some with chilli spices and green pepper. I eat the spag bol mix alone or with courgette and the chilli with cauliflower rice (also batch cooked).

 

[MrsA2]

I'm having some difficulties trying to bring my blood sugars back in normal range. Due to cost of food prices going up, I've had to make several cuts in my food shopping and resort back to buying food that is more carbs than protein or fat. But now, whenever my blood sugars get back into the normal range, I'm starting to experience false hypos and eating more throughout the day at work.

I've been having more and more appointments with my GP and finally getting somewhere with them, but I was suppose to be keeping a diary of what I eat, drink and exercise everyday. However, I haven't been keeping up with it as it is just too much for me to do. I've also not been taking my medication like I should have, especially with being prescribed Ozempic.

I feel like this is getting too much to deal with now, especially with my last trip to the hospital, where I collapsed at work and got taken to the hospital by my dad, only to be left in the waiting area on my own.

It sounds like you know exactly what the problems are (eating more carbs, eating more generally, not taking medication) so it might be worth looking t why you are finding it too much to deal with. Perhaps there are underlying issues such as depression or soemthjng else stopping motivation?
I'm not suggesting you answer that here, but rather think it through and look at resolving those rather than berating yourself so much

 

[ellesangel]

Hi, I'm so so sorry to read this and know that you have support here. I would look at lower cost proteins and def lower your carbs where you can. I want to get my numbers down from 65. Please set an alarm for your medication if you have to as the side effects of being high are just not worth it. I love coming here for the support. Admittdly went to slimming world but too carby for me.

 

[akindrat18]

I've been looking after myself a bit better, but I still have a long way to go. I don't know if my meter is busted or not, as I've had readings of 14+ and diarrhea for the past 3 days and I've only had 2 weetabix for breakfast, followed by lunch which has been either bacon and eggs with grated cheese or a tuna mayo sandwich. Tea has been a pork fillet with carrots, sugar snapped peas and boiled potatoes on Tuesday and a cold chicken sandwich with mayo on Wednesday. But still my blood sugars are all over the place and my DN still won't do nothing to help me, except for increasing my Novorapid to 50 units and Tresiba to 90 units.

 

[AndBreathe]

I've been looking after myself a bit better, but I still have a long way to go. I don't know if my meter is busted or not, as I've had readings of 14+ and diarrhea for the past 3 days and I've only had 2 weetabix for breakfast, followed by lunch which has been either bacon and eggs with grated cheese or a tuna mayo sandwich. Tea has been a pork fillet with carrots, sugar snapped peas and boiled potatoes on Tuesday and a cold chicken sandwich with mayo on Wednesday. But still my blood sugars are all over the place and my DN still won't do nothing to help me, except for increasing my Novorapid to 50 units and Tresiba to 90 units.

What would you like your DN to do for you?

 

[akindrat18]

What would you like your DN to do for you?

I would like to be able to have regular face to face appointment with them, rather than for them to call me back and to be put on a different insulin regime and different insulin treatments if possible. I've already ran out of Ozempic and can't get any from any chemist.

 

[AndBreathe]

I would like to be able to have regular face to face appointment with them, rather than for them to call me back and to be put on a different insulin regime and different insulin treatments if possible. I've already ran out of Ozempic and can't get any from any chemist.

In my experience, we have to be very clear of our desires. If offered a telephone conversation, asking for a F2F instead. If it is not on offer, explain what you feel you are missing out on through serial telephone conversations.

It is always possible that the outcomes would be exactly the same if you had trundled to hospital and sat in front of them.

If you don't want changes to your insulin (I assume increases to try to contain your blood sugars), what do you want? Knowing that, and communicating it is important to both you and those advising you.