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Struggling.

fumanchu

Well-Known Member
Messages
389
Location
Scotland
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
Diet only
Husband is the diabetic, type 2 diagnosed in 2009. No meds, diet only. It took ages for him to accept this illness and I have posted a lot asking for support - I'm sorry about that, not meaning to whine. But things seem to be going downhill re his BG readings, and we can't understand why. He thinks now it's his age - he is 70. He feels like he's finished, and can't eat anything, etc etc - I'm sure many of you have been there eh.
First Q - I know we're told that diabetes is a progressive disease - but is that true?
Secondly - what's best for us, low carb or low cal? He has been on LCHF loosely based on Bernstein (because I like and can cope with Bernstein recipes) - but its not working any more. I got the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet book - and in the whole of the **** book there is only a handful of recipes suitable for us. It's full of stuff that I've never heard of and don't fancy eating. Maybe that's a fault but it is what it is - and I can't cope with new stuff now, after 50 years. Feta/hummus/chickpeas is like a foreign language and I know I'll just get stressed as hell with it and he wont eat the bloody stuff anyway!
Would a Newcastle Diet type of thing be worth trying? On around 800 cals? He isn't overweight at all. I've been in tears already this morning because I'm scared he is starving and it's my fault, so I won't do anything without your advice.
His morning BS has crept up from constant 5s to the 6s and whatever we do it won't go any lower. I realise this isn't bad as such but he's gettign stressed as hell wondering why it's happening and how to stop it.
 
So sorry to hear that you are both struggling with hubby's slightly raised readings. Some things to consider - fasting blood glucose levels of 6.9 and under are within range. Below 7 before eating and below 8.5 two hours after are within range.
Many people on the forum, including myself, have raised BG values when the weather is hot, when unwell, when stressed! While I can't guess what is causing your husband's raised bg perhaps one of the above is to blame. Good luck
 
Hi @fumanchu When you say Bernstein isn't working any more, what exactly do you mean? Do you mean his blood sugar still goes high?

I agree with @13lizanne that hot weather and stress can mess with blood sugars.

Also, some people find their blood sugar will go up if they delay breakfast at all.
 
Hi,

A fasting BG in the 6s isn't bad. What are his other readings during the day, pre meal and 2 hours post meal? Sometimes after following a low carb diet for some time the fasting and pre-meal levels can elevate slightly, meaning the post meal ones may also elevate accordingly, but as long as the actual rise from before to after isn't escalating there isn't much to worry about food-wise.

The fasting and pre-meal level increase could be due to the heat, additional stress, even irritability. There is also something called physiological insulin resistance, which is not the same as diabetic insulin resistance. If you have a google about it you will find some information. It is thought to be temporary - it happened to me earlier this year and lasted 6 weeks or so, but then things went back to normal again without me changing anything at all.

I fully understand what you mean about all the "modern" food stuffs. I hadn't heard of most of them either until coming to this forum and am still loathe to try them, so you are not on your own there. It must be a generation thing.
 
Well he is certainly irritable!! Short of a shovel on the side of the head I'm not sure how to deal with that one lol.
Thanks for your input everybody, much appreciated xx
 
@fumanchu
I am relatively new to this bewildering world, but my wife has been my best friend / counsel / berator and metaphorical handkerchief based upon the number of times I have literally cried on her shoulder. She has embraced the new way I now have to live my life - and is doing the same, even though she has no medical need to do so.
She too has put up with me and the 'state' I am in for such a short period. It sounds like you are very much like her in the support you give and have done so for significantly longer! ...... You and all the other spouses out there really do deserve a medal - and more besides. You didn't sign up for this, but certainly I couldn't have managed without the help she had given me.

God bless you all X
 
 
I am another one whose readings are all over the shop at the moment - I reckon its due to the weather for me as I am not eating differently to usual

Good luck
 
My Mom's 71.. she thought she was done for too. But she's been on low carb, hi fat diet and is seeing remarkable changes, and is a much happier person. I'm 45, went LCHF 2 months ago.. four years of 9-11 A1C normalized down to 5.8 .. lost 3 stone (40 pounds), stopped injecting 120 units of insulin per day, stopped all oral diabets mes as wel, have half the feeling back in my limbs.. all in 2 months of LCHF.. so yeah I'd say LCHF is worth it Maybe it can do your 70 y/o husband what it did for my 71 y/o mother.

What was his last A1C? FBG you mention isn't that bad at all. My mother's FBG was over 17 all the time, so was mine.. LCHF fixed it.

Sounds like maybe all your husband needs to do is swap out all refined carbs for lots of salad greens, above ground non-starchy vegetables, nuts, legumes, quinoa, berries and things such as that. REgarding fruits, berries are the best, because over the past decades and centuries humans have selectively cross-bread fruits to make them larger and larger, sweeter and sweeter until they are unhealthy fructose bombs. (All this mentioned in the book I recommend below.)

I recommend Gary Taube's "Why We Get Fat" book that explains why refined carbs are so bad and the cause of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. He gives recommendations on what types of carbs you shouldn't be eating and the ones you should.

I found this youtube very useful and educational one what a diabetic should eat:

Take care,
Jennifer
 
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Hi,

This may be a silly question, but is your husband eating enough? Sleeping enough? Socialising enough?

Embracing a way of eating like Bernstein is... Um... Challenging... At the best of times, and sometimes we go into mourning for the loss of our old life.

Is there any chance you are incorporating both low calorie AND low carb? Because i found doing both was soul destroying. I was grumpy, hungry, tired, cold and thoroughlymiserable

Adding in treats such as cream in coffee, cheese snacks, a slice of low carb cake, mayo on salad... And suddenly the whole experience changes to one of enjoyable, guilt-free indulgence. It also becomes sustainable - which is key.

Hope that helps.
 
There is a great book called Carbs and Cals. This shows actual photographs of food and portion sizes. If he has no excess weight to lose then keeping low carb would help keep levels low. How about increasing exercise levels?
 
Jennifer he's been on LCHF for a few years, and he doesnt cheat cos he's a determined Virgo lol.
His last A1c was 48.
Brunneria I know what you're saying! But I make nice sweets with cream cheese and SF jelly, I do almond flour cookies, and his one indulgence is porridge for breakfast - made the Scots way with water and add single cream on top. He's been grumpy and miserable for 50 years so it would be hard to tell if it was diet!!
carraway actually I think he needs to exercise more. He's losing weight but very slowly and he's already thin. Maybe more moving around will help?
This morning his fasting level was 6.4. Yesterday his highest reading was 8.4 an hour after eating and his lowest was 4.1 just before dinner. He hasn't been in the 8s for years and this is getting him upset. I don't know if it's a valid reason for being upset or just him fussing..
 
JenniferG said:
How do I convert UK A1C of 48 to American A1C percentage? Or was his A1C 4.8%?
Click to expand...

You can use this to convert. The US figures are the third row, mg/dL.

 
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I think he is doing really well and 8.4 after 1 hour is good and may be due anyway to the hot weather that can cause BG levels to rise I would also ask if he is actually eating enough as he is thin but still loosing weight.
I was diagnosed last year at the age of 76 I had yearly blood tests so knew I was prediabetic for some years so had already cut my carbs. I have always loved food of all kinds always said I would try anything once As a child after the war I was used to my father a real lover of unusual foods bringing home all types of food from the Soho shops in London and I loved it all.. Maybe it is time for both of you to be brave and try some of the new things you have never had before you may find you actually like them
 
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