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Type 2 but think I'm really 1.5.

P

pippaandben

Member
Messages
19
My history is that I was dxApril. 1x500mg Metformin. Tested again end May and put on 2x500mg. Tested last September put on 2x1000mg plus 1x30mg Diamicron. Tested December 2x30mg Diamicron and told to up it to 3 daily if levels not down to 4.00. Given meter plus strips. First reading 26!!!!. Tested first thing before breakfast and told to test 2 hours after dinner. Readings started at 20+ in am and were gradually coming down to high 7s which I thought was great. Gave up testing 2 hours after dinner cos readings in mid/high teens and did it before bed usually 5 hours after dinner. Levels gradually getting down to 10/12.
THEN went on holiday December Red Sea temperature high 70s and in second week levels started rising and when I came home it seemd to take about 2 weeks to start coming down again. Went away again in February but had bloods done the day before. Results on return were Hbi down to 6.8 so Dr pleased but once again my daily tests went up in second week. Dr not really interested in my diary - only the test results. As my cholesterol had come down from 7.6 to 3.9 after just 6 weeks on Simvastatin she was pleased. A week later started fungal infection on both feet - looked like I was wearing purple slippers. Dr number 1 treated me for bacterial infection but saw Dr number 2 the next week who said fungal infection - looked at my diary and literally his eyes widened. Warned my the levels indicated I might need to go on insulin. Saw Diabetes nurse and am now on a properr testing regime. Fasting 10/16. 2hours after brfeakfast 14/16. Before lunch 10/12. Before dinner 8/12. 2 hours after 17/19, Bedtime 14/17. Only taken one nightime test, At 4.30 this morning 11.8 and 8am 10.4. Ketone test - no trace. Told to test whenever levels over 15. My eyesight is being affected but I do have some old specs which suit now.

I'm seeing Dr week Monday re feet and medication talk and nurse 2 weeks time. What do members here think? Should I ask/discuss gliptins or glitazones or grab insulin if offered? Reading other threads it did make me wonder if I have LADA and not type 2 though do understand the progressive nature of the beast .

I am female 67 and have managed to get under 25 BMI for first time in 12 years. 5'9 and 11st 12lb. Watched weight for years and go to Curves gym 3 times a week. Replacement left knee 2 years ago - best thing ever and can walk upright and painfree!!

I am still waiting for DESMOND course as 2 nurses made redundant in new year and their workload now shared out and it looks like 6 month waiting list at least. (not my definition of redundancy when type 2s numbers are increasing!)
 
Hi Pippaandben

Welcome to the forum,

What interests me is what are you eating?

I can see you are testing but you make no mention of adapting your meals to take into account of the results. Testing alone isn't treating.

If you are cutting down carbs,sugars etc and still getting high readings then perhaps you are Type 1.5? Other more experienced members will be along soon.

Well done on the <25 BMI - I will get there one day!

Mary J
 
Hi. Yes, we need to know more about what you are eating. I've had similar problems and same age, although my readings have not gone so high. My GP added Sitagliptin a year ago which has helped reduce my spikes. Like you, I have found overseas travel has a dramatic effect on my BS for some unknown reason despite being careful with diet; this lasts for several weeks following a trip. Generally the idea of someone being 67 and having LADA is not considered but like you I wonder hence the type 1.5'ish in my signature. I suspect as time goes on more people will have GAD tests and be diagnosed with LADA even into old age; we'll see.
 
Thought I had written enough for a first post and didn't want to bore people. Have watched my weight for more years than I care to remember. Have been on skimmed milk, sweetners and low fat everything. Had also been really watching carbs to the extent I had virtually cut out potatoes etc in dinner and relied on non fatty meats/fish and lots of veg. When just on the Metformin didn't really change as nurse said it was healthy. Did lose weight over the summer months which I now realise could have been due to BG getting higher especially as really thirsty before September testing. That was the wake-up call.
Now I make sure to have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very often used to skip both breakfast and especially lunch. Now I have 2 weetabix with skimmed milk and granulated sweetner immediately after taking morning meds. Lunchtime usually 2 slices whole grain bread with low fat spread and either ham, scrambled egg, very thin sliced extra strong cheddare with marmite together with a bit of fruit. If my husband and I out in the afternoon and have a cuppa I have a biscotti with black coffee. Evening meals I now have small portion of potatoes/rice/pasta and lots of veg . Thn within an hour when settled in front of the TV an orange/apple or banana.I limit grapes to 15 . Have been told to not eat fruit any later through the evening and so if I feel snackish I have a few nuts. The major change for me is that I have increased carbs but have lost weight.

Yesterday roast pork dinner (no fat or crackling), 2 small egg size roast potatoes with 1 cal spray and loads of veg. Tea 2 slices granary bread with tuna in brine and a treat of angel delight with a banana. One large orange and 17 grapes within the hour.

Readings were 4.30am 11.8, before (late)breakfast 10.4, before lunch 13.9, 2 hours after 18.4, before bed 17.7. Ketone test zero thank goodness. 4.45 this morning 13.7 and at 9 before breakfast 11.5.

So it seems as if something is working somewhere but I can't work out what. Did ask Dr if c-peptide test would help and he said no.
 
Looking at the list of foods you have listed as an example daily diet, I'll highlight all the things that will push your blood sugar up


In my opinion a low fat diet, unless you have heart problems (not even sure about that) is a bad idea, it is an idea that has been peddled by the NHS for the last 40 years and as a nation are getting fatter. I don't go out of my way to eat extra fat, but I don't low fat either. I'm sure your nurse was pleased with your diet as it is the standard NHS healthy eating mantra. It is no good for a Type 2 diabetic.

You have two choices, either cut down the amount of carbs you eat or go on more medication to control your blood sugar levels.

I like my fruit, but choose ones that don't spike me too much. An example of my daily diet would be, breakfast: modified museli (I add ground almonds and chopped nuts to it to bring the carb content down) with full cream milk and a medium orange, lunch: a salad and blueberries, evening meal: meat or fish with vegetables. I do allow myself occasional treats. I've lost a stone in weight since Christmas and my fasting blood sugars are usually in the 5's.
 
I agree with Denise. Most on here couldn't eat 2 weetabix without a big spike. Lots of carbs there. If you can get away with it, fine. But testing suggests you can't. Omelettes, scrambled eggs, continaental style ham and cheese etc is all a low carb breakfast that is easy and filling.
The wholegrain bread is better than white, but still loads of carbs and fast acting ones too. Lots of us on here have Burgen soya and linseed bread (can get it at sainsburys, tescos and I'm sure lots of other places) Less carbs, and slower acting. 1 slice would be better than 2.
Bananas are a no-no for most of us. High in fast acting carbs. Berries are the best - strawberries, raspberries etc. I get on ok with an apple and later, a satsuma. One of each a day. I wopuldn't have the grapes.
You don't need the biscotti.
Rice and pasta aren't good. A couple of new potatos are better. NOT old potatos; too starchy. If you have to have rice, have basmati and don't overcook it. If you have to have pasta, have wholemeal or tri-color fusili and again don't overcook.
It's up to you. If you are type 1.5, you will need extra help with meds, maybe insulin, but the positive side is that you will then be able to allow for these foods. If you're not, and you're just type 2, your choice is to cut out some of these carbs or have the higher med regime. Nowt wrong with that, simply your choice.
 
Many thanks for the advice. Obviously I have to re-think what I am eating. Even the diabetes dietician praised my diet when I had to do a one week diary for her!!! New potatoes here I come - in moderation I know!
I'll give the soya and linseed bread a go. I like the idea of lots of strawberries!! Bananas I can do without so no problems there.
I think the breakfast could be the problem then mostly. I HATE shredded wheat so what are the good ones anyone? Or should I really go for grilled bacon/eggs/toms etc. with a slice of Burgens?
I did ask my nurse what weight of carbs I should be looking at - she had no idea only small handful or tablespoonful. I would rather have a figure so I can add in a ready meal occasionally.
 
pippaandben said:
I did ask my nurse what weight of carbs I should be looking at - she had no idea only small handful or tablespoonful. I would rather have a figure so I can add in a ready meal occasionally.
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No one can really give you a figure 'cos we're all different. You can only tell by trying things, then testing 2 hours after. As your figures are quite high at the moment, I'd settle for the NICE guidelines of 8.5 two hours after eating. If your figure is higher than that, you've eaten too much in the way of carbs in that meal. Of course, if you ARE type 1.5, then that changes all this, so you do need to get that sorted with your doc.
Ready meals are always tricky. Always loads of carbs. I sometimes get a sainsburys indian, but do a bit of my own Basmati rice, or I get the liver and bacon and do my own new pots, so almost ready meals!
 
pippaandben said:
I think the breakfast could be the problem then mostly. I HATE shredded wheat so what are the good ones anyone?
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I would agree that Breakfast is the most difficult, because so many of us are used to the hit of cold milk and cereal, but it's about the worst. I find that a single weetabix spikes me quite badly and that's one of the better cereals. I have spent ages in the cereal aisle looking at all the packets, but they're all very high in carbs.

If I'm exercising after breakfast (for me it's a swim) then I have a small amount of real porridge (about 30g uncooked). If I'm not then I usually have greek yoghurt instead, with red berries if I have any.
 
Grazer said:
Rice and pasta aren't good. A couple of new potatos are better. NOT old potatos; too starchy.
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This is how you need to think about it:
I reckon that a single baby new potato weighs about 20g (although you should weigh yours to make sure).
According to Tesco.com there are 16g of carb per 100g of potato.
So each cooked new potato contains:
20*16/100=3.2g of carb.

5 baby new potatoes would only give you 16g of carbs, which you could probably easily fit into a 100g of carb per day diet.

New potatoes are better than other types, because they have a lower-glycemic index, (which means they get turned into glucose in your blood relatively slower):
http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/
New Potatoes= 54
Mashed Potatoes=73
White Rice=87

Ideally you need to combine the Carb Content and the GI Index to give you the glycemic load. Wherever possible you should choose nutrionally dense carbohydrates with a low-GI. You don't have to deny yourself all carbohydrates on a reduced carb diet, you just need to be careful counting and choosing.

(Disclosure: I'm on < 30g a day, so I don't waste my carbs on any tuber or grain based product, but I do think that the glycemic load approach is a good one, the carbs that I do eat are all low-GI).
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. Have bought the soya /linseed bread (from Iceland £1). have spent a merry couple of hours browsing carb/diet sites as well as diaabetic ones. So yesterday for lunch had fried bacon, egg and sausage and nothing else at about 1pm. Was 10.4 before breakfast but before dinner at 6.30 5.9!!!!! Checked back through my diary and this is the lowest I have ever been since testing last October. Seems incredible. I was 9.8 before bed but I did have a ready meal lasagne (Hubby wanted a meal that would have been a definite no-no for me). This morning 8.9. Obviously I must go on a very low carb but I'll now be testing a variey of things based round this premise. Was disappointed not to find cheap strawberries yesterday in the shops as I had promised myself some with cream.

So I think I have answered my own question with your help, I AM type 2 - just been given totally the wrong diet advice. When I checked back the levels had started to go awry within a week of seeing the dietician.
 
ready meals are generally not the best. Sure you already know this.

When we go shopping on a Thursday we always used to share a ready meal , mousaka, lasagne etc. Now I tell him to pick the one he wants and I have something else.

Have fun with the testing and trialling - its a revalation, it really is.

Mary x
 
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