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Struggling!

Geminigirl

Well-Known Member
Messages
165
Location
Suffolk
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Spicy food, 2 faced people.
Hi all.
Not been on here for ages. At the last call I had lost complete control of my levels and my HBA1C was a horrendous 13% despite 3mg of Glimeperimide a day.
After 3 months on a strict low carb plan (I gave up on Lighterlife due to cost and boredom!) I got it down to 7.8% and reduced the Glim to 1mg. (I was getting hypos)
I expected to be called again 3 months later in Dec but the DN said give it 6 till March 21' and see if you can get it to 7%.
I have let myself down again, specially over Xmas. I have been getting more and more depressed through lockdown, lost a friend to C19 and my Fibromyalgia has been truly awful. (Not an excuse but contributed to poor choices) GP been unhelpful....that's being generous!
I didn't test because I was scared to. Anyway, last week I pulled myself up. Thinking I have 12 weeks to March to get it back down.
I tested and was to my horror in the 20's. I immediately started low carb, no bread/porridge/rice/spuds/root veg/cakes/pastry/biccies/crisps etc etc. Sticking to fish/lean meat/cheese/nuts/eggs/avocado/yogurt/a few berries/nut milk etc and upped my Glim to 3mg as I have spares.
Oh, I have an occasional Satsuma or half an apple with cheese and walnuts for lunch. I have tiny portions x3 daily and no snacks.
I cannot get this down! On waking I am 13-15 before I start! I might get to 9 at some point in the day but shot up to 19 after a cheese omlette!
I am getting so low over it.
After 12 years of this am I getting to the point where I need Insulin? I prev used Jardiance as well as Glimeperimide but had awful "lady probs" most of the time.
I honestly feel if I eat any less i'll have no energy. Need to lose weight and am exercising each day with a good walk but it's not shifting.
I have checked and checked my meter/strips/batteries etc and checked my non diabetic hubby before meal (4.4), 2 hrs after his carb loaded lunch(8.0) and 2 hrs after that (5) so I know it's not faulty. I am very careful with hand washing b4 testing etc.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Should I carry on trying till March? or speak to DN asap? I am on so many meds as it is...My GP keeps sighing and saying "you're on so much med", it's not as though i'm asking for them.!

Thanks in advance
 

Sad that you fell under the wagon over Christmas and ate comfort food. But realistically do you have any options here? You know what lowering carbs do for you, you tested out the meter so it is definitely doing its thing ok, so use both of those to get the numbers down again. A carb binge can charge up the liver and do real harm quite quickly, but once charged, it will work against you for weeks before you deplete your built-up stored glucose, so take up the challenge and surprise your doctor in March. Remember that the HbA1c is a tally of the previous 3 months on a rolling average, so the sooner you start the better.

You did it before and should be able to rinse and repeat. You should get your thyroid checked out again to make sure the meds are keeping it happy and its not being over medicated. There are other diabetes meds in the toolkit nowadays, so insulin is a last resort for a T2D. But diet can be very powerful if used sensibly,
 
Reactions: ert
Keep at it. Like @Oldvatr said, the stores you've built up won't vanish overnight, it'll take some time. Skip the satsuma's and apples in the meantime, maybe go for some extra berries with double cream instead, or a few pecans, cubes of cheese? Should be kinder on your readings.

You can do this. You know how, so food-wise you're set, the walks will help too, and the frequent testing'll keep you on the straight and narrow. Don't give up just yet. Your body needs time to adjust.

And for the record... As you know, C19 has been hard on everyone. For some, like you, more than others. I'm sorry for your loss and I hope we'll all be able to pick up some semblance of a normal life somewhere in the course of the year. Just know you're not alone when you're feeling down. A friend of mine only posts jokes and happy meme's on Facebook to keep herself from drowning. She's the most cheerful person you'll ever meet, and she's an absolute wreck inside, hasn't left the flat she's been living in since march, as she's vulnerable too. No groceries, nothing. Never leaves. So please don't feel like you have to keep a stiff upper lip like she's been doing. Let it out. It'll help you emotionally to just talk about things, maybe have a few good cries here and there, and it should bring your blood sugars down a little too, as we all know stress ups them. Be kind to yourself. Keep talking. You don't have to do anything alone.
Jo
 
 
Thanks for your help
Yes...I am very cross with myself but that onfo is very helpful so hopefully will reap benefit soon.
My eyes are a bit off too so something must be happening albeit slower than I like.
Well, I will keep going and won't give in now!
I'm more stuck with breakfast ideas? My system doesn't seem keen on Blueberries at all. Other berries ok. What about Melon?
 
 
Thankyou. That's very kind.
I know where your friend is coming from. Bless her, at least I can and do get out.It must be very hard for her.
I let it out to hubby but to everyone else i'm plump and cheery Chris!☺ think you don't want to be a miserable so and so to your friends.
I'll keep going and do my best.
My Thyroid was checked b4 Xmas. My GP had lowered my Thyroxine in March and then had to put it back up again!
 
Use /Eat to Meter/ which is a fancy way of saying use your meter to test how different foods affect your bgl levels. So, test before breakfast, then say at 2 hr and 4 hr afterward. What I did was find a set breakfast I enjoy, test, and if it is ok, then use that every morning, and then there is no need to test until the main meal in the evening which can vary as I need or want. This reduces my test costs, test pain, etc. Eat = test= and forget. Makes the shopping list easier since I know exactly what to buy, how much, and when. For me, breakfast is an English fry up with egg, bacon chipolatas, tomatoes, cucumber, beetroot slices, and toast and butter with a coffee follower. This meal I know only raises me by less than 1 mmol/l at 2hr, and back to base level by 4 hr. Thus my Pre-meal test in the evening becomes my fasting FBG reading (also tested and shown to be equivalent)
 
I note you are on a PPI med (presumably to protect from the Apixaban) and this will reduce stomach acid too. An effect of this is to increase transit time and stomach emptying time, (as expected) but will also have the unlisted effect of increasing the time other meds will take to dissolve and be metabolised into the bloodstream, so I had this issue and had to take the PPI away from all my other meds (i.e. last thing at night when I also took the blood thinner meds) This effect will also apply to NSAIDs like the Co-codamol and any supplements you take.
 
Forget traditional breakfasts, except bacon and eggs.
Eggs are good in any form, as are cheese, meats and fish as they are protein rich and keep you fuller longer.
I often just have cold leftover from the night before such as chicken drumsticks, salmon.
As low carb kicked in I listen to my hunger and only eat breakfast if my body demands it. Too often its a habit rather than a need.
Sometimes I have full fat plain greek yoghurt with milled seeds. No need for any fruit. If you make it the night before it thickens up and is somehow more satisfying . You can make several portions a few days in advance
 
I'd go hard core and cut out all berries, apples and satsumas until I got my numbers down.
 
Just a minor point - avoid citrus fruit and berries that are acidic while you are taking a PPI to reduce the acid in your stomach, That would be counterproductive.
 
Hello and welcome back,

Agree with others that you an do it. Last year was a terrible year for many people. I hope that this year will be better. You know what you need to do. Perhaps the first steps are testing regularly;y and recording your carb intake. The satsumas and apples are not going to be helping but it might be helpful for you to be recording your carbs so you know what you are currently eating.

As others said it can take a while for your bloods to settle back down anyway and if you add fruit that won't help. I also found that overflow carb has made my asthma disappear. Having increased my carbs over Christmas- not by much still very low carb but I started coughing again. My body is obviously used to almost no carbs and likes it that way. I also found the physical cravings for carbs is less the less carbs I eat.

it is tough- it is even tougher with other health conditions let alone the year we have just had and the loss you experienced. Very tough but you can do this.

Good luck.
 
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