Trying to turn things around

[david1968]

Almost a week on from the switch from insulin to metformin and, touch wood, things seem to be going well.

Blood sugar levels are good, and after a couple of days of movements that were more watery than normal, that's settling down as well.

Weighed myself this morning as well and I'm exactly seventeen stone, so that's another two and a quarter pounds gone in the last seven days.

 

[david1968]

I've just been updating the monitoring software I use and thought it would be interesting to compare the period since I switched to metformin (OK, it's only been ten days) with the last month on insulin.

From 6 January 2018 to 5 February 2018 (209 tests) - Lowest reading 4.2, highest reading 8.8, average reading 6.0, estimated HbA1c 39.9 (5.8%).

From 29 January 2018 (the last day I actually took any fast acting insulin) to 5 February 2018 (53 tests) - Lowest reading 4.3, highest reading 8.8, average reading 6.2, estimated HbA1c 41 (5.9%).

From 6 February 2018 to 15 February 2018 (56 tests) - Lowest reading 4.6, highest reading 8.8, average reading 6.2, estimated HbA1c 41 (5.9%).

So average reading and estimated HbA1c are both slightly up from when I was still taking fast acting insulin, but so far are at the same level as not taking any insulin at all. Will need to keep a close eye on this.

I get my actual HbA1c result next week and it will interesting to see how it compares to the estimates.

 

[david1968]

Well, I had my annual health check today and got my HbA1c result, and I'm quite chuffed - 38 (5.6%) compared to 46 (6.4%) in May last year.

Slightly puzzled by the printout I was given though - different from what I've been given in the past and shows a blood glucose level of 5.6 mmol/L for December 2000 which I don't remember.

Total cholesterol level is also down - was 4.2 in May, now 3.9, but haven't been given any further breakdown re good and bad cholesterol.

Anyway, the GP I saw said he was very happy with everything though the urine sample I provided was rather cloudy and he wants to check it for protein (I did it last night in case I forgot this morning and hadn't drunk as much as I normally do yesterday, so hopefully there's nothing to worry about).

Weight's now down below 16 and a half stone, so that's three and a half stone gone in about six months.

Saw the consultant last week about the non-healing wound from my abcess operation and he's sending me for a scan to try and find out what's going on, but otherwise feeling as well as I've done for a long time and going back to work on Monday, albeit on a phased return and on reduced hours to allow for continuing visits to the practice nurses to have the wound cleaned and dressed.

 

[david1968]

Four weeks back at work and nearly two months on metformin and things are going well. Saw my GP this week and she's keeping me on metformin for the time being, albeit on just 500mg a day. Levels have been good with the odd blip and the weight's continuing to come off (now down to a smidgeon over 16 stone). Walking six miles a day and trying intermittent fasting so have cut out breakfast and gone without lunch three days this week. Feeling much sharper as a result and in quite a good place at the moment. Aiming to get under 16 stone by Easter with a longer term goal of trying to come off metformin.

 

[DCUKMod]

Four weeks back at work and nearly two months on metformin and things are going well. Saw my GP this week and she's keeping me on metformin for the time being, albeit on just 500mg a day. Levels have been good with the odd blip and the weight's continuing to come off (now down to a smidgeon over 16 stone). Walking six miles a day and trying intermittent fasting so have cut out breakfast and gone without lunch three days this week. Feeling much sharper as a result and in quite a good place at the moment. Aiming to get under 16 stone by Easter with a longer term goal of trying to come off metformin.

What a fantastic journey, @david1968 . How's the wound healing going?

 

[david1968]

What a fantastic journey, @david1968 . How's the wound healing going?

Thanks.

The wound still hasn't healed unfortunately. I was due to have an ultrasound last Sunday to try and find out what the problem is, but it got cancelled because of the weather, and I haven't got another date yet.

 

[DCUKMod]

Thanks.

The wound still hasn't healed unfortunately. I was due to have an ultrasound last Sunday to try and find out what the problem is, but it got cancelled because of the weather, and I haven't got another date yet.

Fingers crossed for you. It's not easy. I know how bored of it all I was when my haematoma took a few weeks to heal.

 

[Angelofthemarches]

Hi,

My name's David - diagnosed type 2 in September 2012 in the middle of an operation to remove part of my bowel. Put straight onto insulin (novorapid and levemir) but what I was told didn't really sink in that much.

Initially I had very good control of my blood sugar levels but gradually things have declined - eating too much and not eating the right things, not getting enough exercise and putting on weight.

Over Christmas I got as down as I can remember being in a very long time - weight over 20 stone, no interest in anything, and having problems which would all appear on the face of things to be related to poorly controlled blood sugar - fungal infections in both ears and around my navel, a frozen right shoulder, and a wound from an operation to drain an abscess starting to weep.

Decided enough was enough and that I needed to get things back under control. A series of visits to my GP's practice and a drastic reduction in the amount of carbs and calories consumed and increasing the amount of walking I do and things look to be improving - the frozen shoulder's gone, the fungal infections are clearing up with the help of treatment, my weight's down to 18 stone 9 and my blood sugars are looking good again - been testing seven/eight times a day for the last two weeks and now ten days since I last had a reading that was in double figures and the majority of readings are now between 4 and 7 pre-meal and 4 and 8.5 two hours after eating. Readings in the 5s are becoming more and more prevalent and even my morning readings (which I've always had problems with are coming down.

Have also reduced managed to reduce my insulin doses (initial doses were 8 at breakfast, and 12 at lunch and dinner, with a bedtime dose of levemir of 34). Breakfast dose is now down to 4 (had been eating either Ready Brek or Weetabix but have subsequently discovered that they were massively spiking my levels and now usually have some Greek yogurt and a couple of oatcakes) lunch is down to 9 and dinner to 6 ... but it's the Levemir that's really come down - had been getting nighttime hypos and GPs advice was to eat more before I went to bed - didn't want to do that and tried instead reducing the insulin dose and have now reduced that to 8 and the hypos have disappeared.

Had a HbA1C test last month and that's at 53, cholesterol was at 4.7 and BMI is 39 so still a lot of work to do but feeling like I'm on the right road after a long time in the doldrums. Have got another session with my GP at the end of the month and feeling much more positive.

Will post on here as to progress ... in the meantime thanks for your time.

Regards,

David V.

Hi David
Am in the same boat as you were and got to get back on track. Well done on all the hard work!!
Angela x

 

[david1968]

Hi David
Am in the same boat as you were and got to get back on track. Well done on all the hard work!!
Angela x

Hi Angela,

Good luck with everything - you can do it!!

David

x

 

[david1968]

I'm still waiting for a date for the ultrasound (will be chasing it up this week) but I've been making some more changes to my diet and my lifestyle.

The main one is that having watched quite a few of Jason Fung's videos, I'm now trying fasting and am finding that my blood sugar levels are really coming down.

I started off a couple of weeks ago with 18 hour fasts - cutting out breakfast, having lunch about 1pm and my evening meal between 6.30 and 7pm - then progressed to eating just one meal a day - and this weekend have tried a longer, water only, fast (the last time I ate was on Friday evening).

My FBG on Saturday morning was high (9.1) but since Saturday evening my levels have been very good - 4.7 on Saturday evening, 4.3 Saturday night, 5.7 Sunday morning, 5.1 Sunday afternoon, 4.5 Sunday evening, 4.4 Sunday night, 5.1 this morning and 4.4 a few minutes ago.

Other than a slight headache yesterday evening, I've felt really good and haven't suffered from hunger pangs at all, and my senses seem very heightened.

I'm at work tomorrow, so will probably break the fast this evening and go back to one meal a day for the rest of the week, but perhaps try another extended fast next weekend.

Getting plenty of exercise as well - walking five or six miles a day most days - and the weight loss is continuing - did my weekly weigh in this morning and I'm now tipping the scales at 15 stone 12. I'd set myself a target of getting below 16 stone by Easter so I'm happy with that, but I still want to lose some more.

 

[david1968]

Operation tomorrow to hopefully deal with the non-healing wound.

Ultrasound and subsequent MRI scan not showing anything untoward, but ten months on from original operation and wound still hasn't healed so exploratory op to find out what's going on and, if they can sort it whilst there in there, to sort it.

Had HbA1C done as part of the pre-op process and came back as 42 (last one in February was 38). Although it's gine up, I'm actually very pleased as most of the last three months I've been managing things by diet and exercise alone and not taking any metformin.

Weight's still under 16 stone, although only just, and feeling well despite the wound, though work's been manic recently and have let things slip a little from where I was.

On the morning list so got to be at the hospital at 7am but will hopefully be home tomorrow afternoon. Then got at least two weeks off to recover and unwind and refocus again.

 

[Brunneria]

Operation tomorrow to hopefully deal with the non-healing wound.

Ultrasound and subsequent MRI scan not showing anything untoward, but ten months on from original operation and wound still hasn't healed so exploratory op to find out what's going on and, if they can sort it whilst there in there, to sort it.

Had HbA1C done as part of the pre-op process and came back as 42 (last one in February was 38). Although it's gine up, I'm actually very pleased as most of the last three months I've been managing things by diet and exercise alone and not taking any metformin.

Weight's still under 16 stone, although only just, and feeling well despite the wound, though work's been manic recently and have let things slip a little from where I was.

On the morning list so got to be at the hospital at 7am but will hopefully be home tomorrow afternoon. Then got at least two weeks off to recover and unwind and refocus again.

well done on the HbA1c, and hope the op goes well tomorrow!

 

[DCUKMod]

Operation tomorrow to hopefully deal with the non-healing wound.

Ultrasound and subsequent MRI scan not showing anything untoward, but ten months on from original operation and wound still hasn't healed so exploratory op to find out what's going on and, if they can sort it whilst there in there, to sort it.

Had HbA1C done as part of the pre-op process and came back as 42 (last one in February was 38). Although it's gine up, I'm actually very pleased as most of the last three months I've been managing things by diet and exercise alone and not taking any metformin.

Weight's still under 16 stone, although only just, and feeling well despite the wound, though work's been manic recently and have let things slip a little from where I was.

On the morning list so got to be at the hospital at 7am but will hopefully be home tomorrow afternoon. Then got at least two weeks off to recover and unwind and refocus again.

Fingers crossed the surgeon finds a little something he can fix for you.

Bearing in mind all your changes and trundling around for months with a non-healing open wound, I think your A1c should be applauded.

Don't be a stranger.

 

[PenguinMum]

@david1968 wishing you all the best with your op. You really have been on a long path but you have done brilliantly. Let us know how everything goes.

 

[hankjam]

Good luck in the morrow and please let us know how it goes.

 

[ickihun]

Good luck mate.

So diabetes isnt the cause. What else could it be? Immune system low due to stress?

Sounds like work break after op will definitely help you out.
Don't be afraid of using multivitamins with vit C in. They will give your system a boost.

Use what resources you have to fight this. I'm sure you are already.
All the best @david1968

 

[david1968]

Thanks all.

Back home and all appears to have gone well. Back to see the consultant/surgeon in six weeks, but he had a quick word with me after the op to say that he thinks that they've sorted the problem and that further surgery won't be necessary, which is a relief.

Apparently I had a sinus on my abdominal wall, but it hasn't gone any deeper (which was a concern before the operation) so they've opened it up, cleaned it out and hopefully that should be that. Got a drain attached for the next couple of weeks (and a rather natty musline shoulder bag to carry it around in) and trussed up like a turkey at Christmas, but otherwise it's back to normal ... or as near to normal as I ever do.

Felt very woozy and light headed when I got home last night and a bit nauseous too, but got a decent night's sleep, managed some breakfast and feeling much more with it this morning.

Going to take at least a couple of weeks off work and probably more as I've got a lot of leave to use up and put my feet up ...

 

[zand]

Oh that's good news! That couple of weeks will soon pass, glad you're feeling better this morning.

 

[Phoenix55]

Pleased for you that the op went well and you are home again. Take it gently, from what I remember of the one time I had a general anaesthetic it took several days after I got home for the effects to wear off and I was constantly trying to do more than I could. Frustrating but patience is the only answer. A couple of weeks off work is a good idea, possibly even a phased return to make sure you do not try to do too much and set yourself back to the beginning.

 

[ickihun]

Great news.
Now rest. Get well soon.