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Time for a new beginning....

Rose28

Well-Known Member
Messages
324
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Joining this forum and reading some of the posts and speaking with you knowledgeable and amazing people has really opened my eyes. I didn't realise until now, that I've been poisoning my body with carbs, carbs and yet more carbs

I blame myself for not researching the subject when I got diagnosed in 2001.

Thanks to you guys I've now started to reduce the daily carbs but I've still got a lot of learning to do.

I had hba1c bloods taken on Tuesday by the DN that I've been seeing for years, she's not supportive and encourages her patients to eat carbs at every meal and increase meds!!

As I went to book my follow up appointment for the results next Monday, the receptionist asked me which of the 2 DN's would I like to see... I was pleasantly surprised that a new DN has joined the practice and of course I've booked my next appointment with her.

I'm a little apprehensive that the results might be higher than 68.... Because the DN said that's the cut of point for when she puts people onto insulin injections.

I'm going with an open mind....
 
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Good luck with the new nurse., and keep going with the low carbs - it has helped a lot of people
 
nancyb said:
Good luck with the new nurse., and keep going with the low carbs - it has helped a lot of people
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Thank you, Im actually looking forward to meeting the new DN .... A fresh face and all that! Lol

I've cut out bread, rice, cereal, porridge and my beloved potatoes spike me nowadays, I've tried new potatoes twice this week and readings weren't good.

As I don't eat meat, fish or eggs.... I'm finding it really difficult to know what low carbs food to eat.
 
My HbA1c was 71 at diagnosis and insulin wasn't even talked about let alone suggested. Last one only 7 weeks later was 47 so low carbing has an effect very quickly an I anticipate the next one in January being better again. So it is well worth giving it a serious go before talking about medication with all its side effects.
No one needs to eat carbs with every meal so why this continues to be pushed by DNs baffles me. A friend recently returned from a van trip in France and she was just saying how few carby sides they'd had with their meals out- mainly served with a salad, or green veg or possibly some bread at a push. If they can cope, so can we.
Obviously as a veggie it will seem daunting at first as you cut out even more things but I believe that some folk find quinoa doesn't spike them, or bulghar wheat so maybe these are worth a try. If you have weight to lose then perhaps once it is lost you may be able to have a potato now and then. I also find upping exercise has helped me deal with any carbs.
Anyway good luck with new DN and hopefully you can sort this with improved dietary control.
 
Back in April my HbA1C had gone up to 71 (it had been 59 at the previous check) and all I got was an increase in Metformin from 2 a day to 4 a day, other drugs or insulin were never mentioned. Three months later having started self testing and reduced carbing, it was down to 56 and the doctor was talking about reducing to 3 tablets a day.
 

WELL DONE! I'm truly pleased that in such a short space of time you managed to bring your readings down through low carbing!! In fact I'm so inspired by your post, I've just re-read it 3 times . Yes, fingers crossed for your January test.

Today, right now, I've taken on board the seriousness, that low carbing DOES work. The proof is all over this wonderful forum.

You're spot on.... It's All very daunting atm ...so I'm researching for low carb recipes for veggie people... I've about 3 stone to lose, so I've started using fitnesspal to record all food and excercise.... that's been an eye opener as to where I need to tweak recipes.

You guys are so inspiring and generous with your time, I'm very touched. Thank you
 

If you check out the low carb forum I think there's a veggie low cab recipe thread which might have some ideas. Also @Avocado Sevenfold is a veggie and posts some lovely meal suggestions and I'm sure will point you in direction of some great substitute staples like cauliflower rice and couscous. I'm not a vegetarian but I posted a nice green bean and paneer curry recipe if you eat dairy( and I'm sure vegan paneer substitutes or tofu would work in it as well) on the what have you eaten today thread. If you test , you'll be able to see what you can cope with - I am ok with pulses so use a can of them to bulk a stew out or make lentil soup and dhals. Taco shells have about 7g carb each so stuffed with veggie chilli , salad and a dollop of guacamole or soured cream or both make a doable dinner. Likewise gram flour doesn't seem to spike as much as other flours so onion bajhias are great , a poppadum is about 4g carb and feels naughty. Stuffed Romano peppers sprinkled with cheese and served with salad are filling and courgette pasta is lovely with any sort of tomatoey sauce. Big dishes of roasted Mediterranean vegetables with lots of garlic and olive oil go with most things and can be served with crumbled melted feta on top for a nice lunch. I've found having a day batch making soup and curries and then freezing in portions has been useful so I've always got a low carb option available.
Good luck with it.
 
Hi Rose,
Remember the DN does not choose what medication you take, they can only advise and even if they advise you to go on insulin you can say NO. It is your body and your choice, and I don't doubt on one second that like me, now that you have found our from real people what you can do to control your diabetes that you will succeed.

After years of accepting everything they told me, I now am able to hold my own when I speak wit the DN and Dr. thats due to all the excellent advice and information I have read and received on here. So don't let anyone bully you into take medication you are not ready for. Good Luck
Kezzer
 
Morning, just thought I'd update on yesterday's appointment with the new DN.

Hba1c is 70... 8.6%

DN has given me some information about Lyxumia and Bydureon, it's injection and should help me lose weight. ( 3 stone overweight) told me to have a read, do some research and she's booked me in for a double appointment this Thursday afternoon, to discuss the choices further. She also mentioned a tablet called ... I think... Dapon ?!? I've googled it but nothing's come up, she said it helps gets rid of the excess glucose through the kidneys but side effect is re current thrush!

Currently I'm on 160mg gliclizide this is giving me terrible stomach upsets so I mentioned that I'd like to come off this tablet. She said they like to keep people on their current tablets when adding on either of the above injections. I read that both Lyxumia and Bydureon side effects are ' stomach upsets'

I've got an appointment with a very understanding Dr this morning, I'll ask her opinion on the above, as my head is all over the place.

I think I would even consider twice daily insulin injections, without the gliclizide, as long as it relieves me from daily battle of severe stomach upsets and acidity.
Will discuss with Dr, that if I was strict with my diet and on low dose of insulin, surely this should enable me to lose weight and bring glucose readings down?
 
I hope the doctor is able to come up with the medication solution that works best for you.

Keep us posted!

All the best

Pavlos
 
I think that the drug she mentioned was probably http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dapagliflozin
The kidneys have a mechanism that normally reabsorbs glucose and prevents it being excreted in the urine It works unless the concentration of glucose is very high. (basically the body doesn't normally want to get rid of a valuable fuel)
This drug blocks this mechanism so allowing more glucose to be excreted in this way
 
Drs appointment went really well. She is the same Dr who has been treating me for the stomach problems, she's had me tested for this and that and still hasn't given up... Bless her.
She listened inventively whilst I poured out my woes.... I told her if I take either Bydureon or Lyxumia I'll end up with even more stomach issues! And she totally agreed... Phew at last I've found someone at the surgury who actually listens and more importantly understands.

So we both agreed I should try insulin injections and see how I get on... Not sure which insulin regime though? Don't know how they decide which type of insulin to give patients?

On Thursday, ive an appointment with DN for a new prescription.
 
That's a relief. I thought you sounded a bit down this morning. You will get lots of support here from insulin experts
 
I'm curious why they want you on insulin? That was my starting HbA1c figure and I was just given Metformin and told to lose weight. It seems a drastic step when serious low carbing may lower results naturally, as it were.
 
Avocado Sevenfold said:
That's a relief. I thought you sounded a bit down this morning. You will get lots of support here from insulin experts
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Hello Avocado, yes I've been down all day, this is not like me, I think it's all the uncertainty, but hopefully when I start on the insulin it'll make me start to feel like 'ME' again. I've missed ME for 3 long years. But fingers crossed, she's there somewhere... Lol

I didn't realise how food and emotions connect so scarily

Today, I had a tiger cob with butter for breakfast followed by 2 cream biscuits. Then proper home made fried chips for lunch... which I actually didn't enjoy at all but still ate them and felt so disgusted all afternoon

That was my emotional pig out

Dinner was back to normality.... Favourite green smoothie
 
cold ethyl said:
I'm curious why they want you on insulin? That was my starting HbA1c figure and I was just given Metformin and told to lose weight. It seems a drastic step when serious low carbing may lower results naturally, as it were.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I have the answer to your question just yet but I think it's because I've been on oral meds for about 14 years now and the last 3 years glucose readings have been steadily rising and I've been very ill.

I only discovered low carbing since joining here, a few weeks ago, it's not easy but I'm working on it.

Going onto insulin....Its a trial... I did discuss with the Dr, that hopefully to avoid putting on more weight, I inject low dose of insulin and stick to healthy lifestyle of eating and excercise to reduce the weight.... I don't know if this'll work...Only time will tell.

Also I'm so desperate to come off gliclazide as it's causing terrible stomach problems
 
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That makes sense. Though hopefully if you can stick to low carbing your insulin requirements will reduce and you'll also lose some of the insulin resistance associated with being overweight. Wishing you well. X
 
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