There is hope thanks to Diabetes.co.uk

Update on my diabetes plan of action: Having been at between 11.5mmol/l and 18.6mmol/l over a considerable time which was quite frankly killing me even though I was following the government guidelines for diabetes type 2.

I decided 3 weeks ago to join diabetes.co.uk to learn what I could do about my out of control situation (see thread "Out of Control") from other diabetics. What I learned was to do more tests on myself and not to take for granted the general rules given out by the NHS and the government in general, however well meaning. After just 2 days I saw a massive improvement in my blood sugar tests and after 3 weeks I am now at the same level as someone who doesn't have diabetes at between 5.1mmol/l and 6.5mmol/l. I am putting this on here and on facebook because I have seen some comments from several diabetics stating that they are at their wits end and totally depressed trying to control their own sugar levels. If you are following general government guidelines then just be aware that YOU might not be "a general case" and if your readings are high and this is getting you down try checking what you are eating for carb content especially LOW GI foods that the government state are good for all diabetics in general but which like in my case might be causing your blood sugar levels to go through the roof. Hope this helps and my sincere thanks again to Mike and other contributors who have really been so very helpful to me, giving me so much hope and encouragement, you guys are a real lifeline, I only hope that I can help others as you have helped me!

fredericmarcel said:

Thanks a lot, you do reassure me.
Did you read any afo this books to get information about low carb diet?

Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars
Blood Sugar 101: What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes ' by Jenny Ruhl
The end of diabetes by Dr Joel Fuhrman
Dr Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes
or did you just get info from this community?

My family advises me to stop looking for alternative diets to overcome or control your diabetes without drugs.and just follow my doctor's prescription, take my drugs and insulin and resume your life as it was before diabetes (two weeks ago).
I have ordered all these books because that is who I am (ordering books ).
I give myself a month to see what the offers are and I will decide.
For the moment, eating all these vegetables and stopping the starch seems to have made me painfully constipated.
Sorry for the boring details. I find it difficult to deal with this situation on my own and I know my family is bored with a diabetic old man whose ship has just been wrecked and who is trring to swim his way to a safe place.
I suppose I am not the only person to feel this when type 2 diabetes enters your life.
Sharing with you and other people on this community is important for me. And I will help people who have to deal with diabetes for the first time when I have found a solution that works for me lile you seem to have found one.

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Hi Frederic, my better experiences in diabetes control have come from this community and although well read on healthy diets and food (having been a health and fitness director) I always followed my GP's and Dietician's advice after being diagnose almost 30 years ago. The problem was that such advice from these professionals and the government was too general to be of use to me and my readings steadily got worse not better. I have been on the Xpert Diabetic course run by the NHS but it actually made things worse for me by telling those on the course that Low GI foods were fine for diabetics and I quickly found out that was not the case for me as they shot my blood sugars through the roof. I am now of the opinion that the best advice comes from those who are living with diabetes (in my case those who have Type 2) and that was where Diabetes.co.uk came in as this community has encouraged and helped me to better understand what carbs and low GI foods in general were doing to my levels. I really do understand your situation and how people around you who do not have diabetes can switch you off but the help and support you need is definitely here on Diabetes.co.uk where others have gone through the same or similar processes in getting their sugar levels under control. Mike is right about where to start so follow his advice. When my blood sugars came down to levels expected for a non-diabetic, with the advice of my GP, I lowered my gliclazide tablets by 40mg but I then tried coming off just 1 of my metformin tablets on one morning and one evening and tested to find my blood sugars had gone into double figures again, I quickly put them back into my meds routine again. Therefore I would say keep to your prescribed meds Frederic but try out the low carb way of eating ... this may mean looking to purchase low carb bread such as Livlife bread, low carb and no sugar marmalade such as Waldren Farms Marmalade as well as normal low carb foods in stock at your supermarkets, ie: raspberries, blackberries, any type of meat and fish but none with a coating of breadcrumbs or batter (sauces seem to be okay for me but it is really what is right for you), cheese and green salads and veg, etc; I have learned to like some things like porridge substtutes of Chia and flax seeds as not everything tastes marvelous but can be naturally flavoured and sweetened with Stevia. I really do believe in a low carb eating regime (Not fad diets) and people here have been marvellous in helping me so I hope you can also get the help you need here .... Good Luck! Oh .... with regards to constipation, yes, I have had that problem too, especially as I was used to having so much fibre in my diet previously such as the oats, wholegrain and seeded wheat bread, bran cereals etc; I am trying to add more walnuts and seeds in my diet now to overcome that problem but I don't think I will ever be as good as I was with my new foods however this is something I will delve into in more depth as I learn more. Also those books sound interesting, especially Dr Bernstein's and I will look them up on my Kindle.

Serena51 said:

I find that plenty of water - 2 - 3litres daily - really helps the constipation situation. Also the Lidl high protein rolls do the trick if I have on every day. They are full of seeds and really munchy

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Hi Serena, I am drinking lots of water too though it has to be carbonated for me to enjoy drinking a lot of it. Are the Lidl high protein rolls low carb too ? If they were low carb (say 3 to 5 grams per roll) I would certainly try them out myself.