Type 2 diabetic (kind of)

[Humminglime]

Hi, I've been on a bit of a journey and I'm feeling well, completely and totally overwhelmed if im honest.
I'm just looking for help, advice, guidance anything really.

I have known i was pre diabetic since September last year or so. I then had my gallbladder out over Christmas and ended up with a huge infection, took over 2 months to heal from the key hole surgery and narrowly missed a 2nd one.
March time I had a pre diabetic blood test and was told my sugars were too high, did a fasting one a week later and was told I'm showing diabetic signs, sugar is far too high. I was told to eat more cabbage and exercise more and that was it, come back for blood tests every 3 months.
Fast forward to now and 2 more tests showing diabetics sugar levels, the nurse won't diagnose me with diabetes and keeps skirting around my question of am I diabetic or not. One nurse even told me I definitely wasn't diabetic and all the symptoms I'm getting (classic too low too high symptoms) could be anything and everyone feels funny if they have too much sugar... point blank told me I'm too young to get diabetes, that people my age don't get it!! (25F). Diabeties runs in my family as well which she refused.

So i get a letter to go for a diabetic retinopathy eye test? Around August time. I've gone, asked why I was there as I'm not diagnosed diabetic and gp won't dignose me. Poor optician is baffled and awkwardly breaks the news that I AM type 2 diabetic and I'm on the diabeties register that's why I'm having this test.

So now I've been diagnosed by an optician who then told me I have the first stages of diabetic retinopathy. Great! Can't get an appointment with the gp either. Who still havent gone my most recent blood test..

So I've been trying to eat healthy, eating more of a keto diet to reduce sugar and carbs. I've even gone and got a blood tester and my sugars are so high. I'm never usually below 7.5. Anything I eat I'm 12+ I was 16.9 the other night but felt completely fine?
I feel like I can't eat anything as sugar level goes up, if I don't eat sugar goes up. I'm starting to dread eating and feel guilty when I do eat and I used to be a massive foody. I used to love trying new food and honestly my life revolved around food. I love to cook and feed people, I loved to enjoy it together but now I'm afraid to eat things to the point I'm not enjoying food anymore.
I'm terrified of going blind, that's always been the one thing I was afraid of.
Gp is no help and I'm sinking. I just don't know what to do.
Any advice?

Thanks x

 

[xfieldok]

Welcome to the forum! What a time you are having. First don't panic. Read around the forum, starting with the link in my signature. Unless you are very overweight, I agree that 25 is a bit on the young side. A meter is the first tool in your arsnel.

Read around and ask questings. What are you eating in a typical day?

 

[Humminglime]

Welcome to the forum! What a time you are having. First don't panic. Read around the forum, starting with the link in my signature. Unless you are very overweight, I agree that 25 is a bit on the young side. A meter is the first tool in your arsnel.

Read around and ask questings. What are you eating in a typical day?

I've tried to reply to this twice and the app has crashed on me so I'm sorry it's taking so long to get a reply to you!

Firstly thank you for replying and welcoming me to the app!

The diabeties UK website has been a massive help, I've learned most of what little i known form this sits so it's a start!

 

[Humminglime]

I've tried to reply to this twice and the app has crashed on me so I'm sorry it's taking so long to get a reply to you!

Firstly thank you for replying and welcoming me to the app!

The diabeties UK website has been a massive help, I've learned most of what little i known form this sits so it's a start!

So I'm not grossly over weight but I'm chubby. I'm 5"3 and about 12 stone. I'm working on it though!

Usually i skip breakfast and eat Greek yoghurt with a little honey and some homemade granola I found from a diabetes website where you use egg whites to crips it up rather than sugar. So it's just oats and egg whites. Then I add some nuts for protein. A few sultanas and occasionally some dried apricots.

Lunch is usually some form or salad with protein and mayo. Or a sandwich but I've switchd to whole grain and brown seeded bread.

Tea, usually protein, or fish lots of veg I usually eat a whole cabbage a week and some home made roasties so i can use less fat.

I've cut down on snacks seriously, I only occionally snack now.

I keep reading about diabeties teams, and I honeslty have no idea what im doing. Gp isnt helping so im going it alone! I bought myself a contour next one that connects to my phone and saves my readings but they're mostly in the orange, so high. I test when I wake up, before tea, 2 hours after tea and before I sleep.
And I now keeo a food diary.

I'm thinking of getting a fitbit because exercise is definitely my down fall. I work in an office. I probably only do about 2000 steps a day..

 

[Humminglime]

So I'm not grossly over weight but I'm chubby. I'm 5"3 and about 12 stone. I'm working on it though!

Usually i skip breakfast and eat Greek yoghurt with a little honey and some homemade granola I found from a diabetes website where you use egg whites to crips it up rather than sugar. So it's just oats and egg whites. Then I add some nuts for protein. A few sultanas and occasionally some dried apricots.

Lunch is usually some form or salad with protein and mayo. Or a sandwich but I've switchd to whole grain and brown seeded bread.

Tea, usually protein, or fish lots of veg I usually eat a whole cabbage a week and some home made roasties so i can use less fat.

I've cut down on snacks seriously, I only occionally snack now.

I keep reading about diabeties teams, and I honeslty have no idea what im doing. Gp isnt helping so im going it alone! I bought myself a contour next one that connects to my phone and saves my readings but they're mostly in the orange, so high. I test when I wake up, before tea, 2 hours after tea and before I sleep.
And I now keeo a food diary.

I'm thinking of getting a fitbit because exercise is definitely my down fall. I work in an office. I probably only do about 2000 steps a day..

When I say I skip breakfast I eat around 10am the yoghurt etc or it's fruit I'll have.
Sometimes I'll add a little apple to the yoghurt and less honey

 

[Andydragon]

So I'm not grossly over weight but I'm chubby. I'm 5"3 and about 12 stone. I'm working on it though!

Usually i skip breakfast and eat Greek yoghurt with a little honey and some homemade granola I found from a diabetes website where you use egg whites to crips it up rather than sugar. So it's just oats and egg whites. Then I add some nuts for protein. A few sultanas and occasionally some dried apricots.

Lunch is usually some form or salad with protein and mayo. Or a sandwich but I've switchd to whole grain and brown seeded bread.

Tea, usually protein, or fish lots of veg I usually eat a whole cabbage a week and some home made roasties so i can use less fat.

I've cut down on snacks seriously, I only occionally snack now.

I keep reading about diabeties teams, and I honeslty have no idea what im doing. Gp isnt helping so im going it alone! I bought myself a contour next one that connects to my phone and saves my readings but they're mostly in the orange, so high. I test when I wake up, before tea, 2 hours after tea and before I sleep.
And I now keeo a food diary.

I'm thinking of getting a fitbit because exercise is definitely my down fall. I work in an office. I probably only do about 2000 steps a day..

So... your height and weight does put you at a pretty high BMI I’m afraid. So there is a lot of scope there to reduce your weight and that will likely help reduce your levels

you are also eating quite a lot of carbs still. The fruit, bread, honey, roasties are all not good for carbs.

there is loss of advice and help on here. I reduced my carbs and started 30mins exercise a day and so far over 20kg weight loss. Bmi from 32 to 25 so it can help

max for 25 being too young, that’s a load of twaddle. I was 31 when diagnosed, so not significantly older. But you have time to reverse this and get control

 

[HSSS]

As said above there is still a fair bit of scope diet wise. As well as honey, fruit (especially died fruit,) bread of any type or colour, potatoes cooked anyway at all, the oats are another likely problem. The problem is carbs not fats. There is a granola recipe on ditchthecarbs.com essentially a mix of seeds, nuts and coconut.
You are entitled to know the actual numerical results of the the tests they have done. Ask your surgery for all diabetes related results over the last few years. You don’t have to justify it. When you know come back here And we’ll help you understand them.
There’s a great link to the nutrition thingy in my signature below. Very very definitely worth a read. It sounds like you’ve had some odd/less than useful/mixed messages so far about what works for type 2.

 

[Dr Snoddy]

Thank you for posting a typical day's food intake. Although you may feel that you have reduced your intake of carbohydrate it is still very high. Granola, honey, sultanas, apricots, apple's, bread whether wholemeal or not, roast potatoes are all rapidly releasing glucose into your bloodstream. It is no wonder that you cannot reduce your blood glucose levels.
Unfortunately you found the Diabetes UK website before this one. It gives a very false impression as to a suitable diet for people with Type 2. Many of us have successfully reduced weight and normalised blood glucose by following a low carbohydrate diet.
I am tagging @JoKalsbeek as she has written a very helpful introduction to low carbing.
Also, have you been prescribed any medication at least to help initially? It does not sound as though your surgery is being supportive.

 

[xfieldok]

Agree with everything above. It is all very confusing at first, but it does become more clear fairly quickly. Stick with us and we will help you a long.

 

[EllieM]

Guys, remember that @Humminglime has had her gallbladder out, so she may need to watch her fat intake .

But as far as T2 goes, carbs are the issue, so reducing them should help.

@Humminglime The good news is that infections are notorious for pushing blood sugar levels up, so although you probably are diabetic, it may not be as bad as your levels show, because they should reduce once your infection is cleared up.

I'd get a blood testing meter and find out what your levels are. Testing before and 2 hours after a meal will tell you how your body reacts to a food, and whether you need to reduce the carbs in a meal. Weight gain is a side effect of T2 diabetes, so reducing carbs should help with that too.

Ask your surgery for the actual figures of your blood test results, you are entitled to them and they'll tell you how diabetic you are.

Your doctor's surgery sound totally clueless, people can get diabetes at any age though T2 is rarer for people your age. And though your weight and family history suggest T2, ask if T1 is a possibility, because it is a common form of diabetes for people your age. In particular, ask if you have had a GAD test or a c-peptide test.

Good luck.

 

[HSSS]

Having had my gallbladder out 9 months before going keto and having read many many accounts of keto and low carb without a gallbladder it is not usually a problem.

Low carb and even keto can mean adding a sensible, not excessive amount of fat, although depending on how much is already in the diet it might not mean any extra at all. Also adding more in can usually be done, but possibly gradually rather than too much at once. Those of us without gallbladders still produce bile, it just drip feeds rather than hits the digestion with a concentrated shot. Given the chance to adjust the body can adjust the amount of fat it copes with and adjusts the amount of bile produced so long as it is fairly consistent.

The low fat advice is more about stimulating the bladder to contract with fats when stones are already present, which can cause significant pain.

 

[Humminglime]

Thanks all for your replies!
I hadn't considered I could be type 1, though I have had symptoms of diabetes since I was a child juat never got taken to the doctors. I'll definitely push harder with the gp. They're supposed to be the best In the area for diabetes too..

I think I've been told/ read incorrect information as i was under the impression that oats and brown bread were safe

I was doing the keto diet before my op last year and I did lose a little weight but my blood tests were still coming back high. I was pre diabetic then. I am working on my weight but I've always found it very difficult to lose weight even with being high in calorie deficits.

With the carbs now they are significant lower than what I was eating before but is that still too high? With rice and roasties I usually have about a palm size. I dont think I know up from down with all of this.. I feel like there is no safe food..
I had no carbs with dinner today and was still 8.2 2 hours later..

I'm definitely sinking here!

 

[Humminglime]

So... your height and weight does put you at a pretty high BMI I’m afraid. So there is a lot of scope there to reduce your weight and that will likely help reduce your levels

you are also eating quite a lot of carbs still. The fruit, bread, honey, roasties are all not good for carbs.

there is loss of advice and help on here. I reduced my carbs and started 30mins exercise a day and so far over 20kg weight loss. Bmi from 32 to 25 so it can help

max for 25 being too young, that’s a load of twaddle. I was 31 when diagnosed, so not significantly older. But you have time to reverse this and get control

I'm definitely working on my weight but I've always found it incredibly difficult to lose unless im seriously calorie deficient.
And I've never liked goung by bmi because it doesn't take into account a lot of things.

I want to get this under control asap and try and push back into prediabeties but it's been 8 months with no change, I'm actually getting worse.
Gp don't want to know or help.
The nurse I saw last was very rude and mad end very uncomfortable too.

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @Humminglime and welcome

Some good advice above. A few more thoughts from me.

- Do you have your blood test results? Knowing your HbA1c (and any other results) would be helpful so you can keep track of your progress
- Dietdoctor.com is a great resource for food ideas, recipes and meal plans
- Do you have a blood glucose meter so you can test your reaction to foods and monitor your progress?

All of these will help in your quest to take control.

 

[Resurgam]

Your health care team obviously don't have a clue.
Diabetes is all about the inability to deal with carbohydrate, so I would first of all advise avoiding the high carb sources of starchy and sugary foods. By doing that you will give your metabolism more chance to deal with the carbs you do eat.
I avoid grains and legumes as they cause high blood glucose for me.
I eat meat, fish and seafood, eggs and cheese, full fat yoghurts, have cream in my coffee - I use modest amounts of fat from what I can tell.
If you can weed out the high carb foods and start to choose low carb vegetables, salads, there are a few low carb breads, with around 4 gm of carb per, admittedly small slice, you should see lower levels of blood glucose.
Avoiding sugars is a good idea, so maybe berries with yoghurt would be a good dessert - I always eat fruit as part of a meal rather than by themselves, and often use sugar free jelly or sometimes just pure gelatine to make a set dish.

 

[Humminglime]

Hi @Humminglime and welcome

Some good advice above. A few more thoughts from me.

- Do you have your blood test results? Knowing your HbA1c (and any other results) would be helpful so you can keep track of your progress
- Dietdoctor.com is a great resource for food ideas, recipes and meal plans
- Do you have a blood glucose meter so you can test your reaction to foods and monitor your progress?

All of these will help in your quest to take control.

Hi,

No i dont know the results they've never given them to me just told me that my sugars were too high.

I have a blood tester, I've been testing, I dont usually go lower than 7.5 usually I'm around 8.

I'll give that website a look over thank you!

 

[Humminglime]

Your health care team obviously don't have a clue.
Diabetes is all about the inability to deal with carbohydrate, so I would first of all advise avoiding the high carb sources of starchy and sugary foods. By doing that you will give your metabolism more chance to deal with the carbs you do eat.
I avoid grains and legumes as they cause high blood glucose for me.
I eat meat, fish and seafood, eggs and cheese, full fat yoghurts, have cream in my coffee - I use modest amounts of fat from what I can tell.
If you can weed out the high carb foods and start to choose low carb vegetables, salads, there are a few low carb breads, with around 4 gm of carb per, admittedly small slice, you should see lower levels of blood glucose.
Avoiding sugars is a good idea, so maybe berries with yoghurt would be a good dessert - I always eat fruit as part of a meal rather than by themselves, and often use sugar free jelly or sometimes just pure gelatine to make a set dish.

I thought I was lowering my carb intake a lot but according the the above it doesn't look like i am I've significantly shank my portion of carbs and switched over to mainly salads for lunch even though I dont really enjoy them much.

I just dont know what I can and can't eat. I eat a lot of Greek yoghurt with a little honey as an alternative. And I've found putting sugar free jelly in the yoghurt to flavour it is really nice.

I've cut out all sugary drink and now have sweetner in my tea.

O just feel like there isn't anything safe to eat at the minute and I'm just not enjoying food, feel guilty when I do eat too..

 

[Humminglime]

I was 8.6 going to bed, this morning im 8.5 having just woken up. Not much of a change..

 

[ziggy_w]

Hi @Humminglime,

Hugs for the diagnosis and welcome to the forum.

While a little high, blood sugar readings of 7s and 8s aren't really that bad and no reason to panic -- and they have come down a quite a bit from the 12s to 16s you have reported after a meals. So, well done on this.

I agree with all the posters before -- try to eliminate the carbs (as in the bread, dried fruit, oats, granola, honey and roasties you listed in your menu). They will in all likelihood raise your blood sugars more than the 2 mmol maximum rise after 2 hours we strive for as T2s. Your meter will tell you though if a food is appropriate or not. It's a bit of trial and error -- so no reason to panic if your readings go a bit higher (after an inapropriate meal), this is how we learn. Just leave out the higher carb item or reduce the quantity of it next time and retest.

There is also no need to eat salad or cabbage if you don't enjoy it. There are so many low carb options out there, it just takes some time to explore them all. As @Goonergal and @mike@work have said, dietdoctor.com is a good place to start, but there are also so many other low-carb website with great recipes. As you foodie you might even start to enjoy your journey after a while. Personally this was at least my experience -- I enjoy trying new foods (such as topinambour) and finding ways to adapt old favorites (such as cheese cake or carrot cake) to a low carb lifestyle.

Again welcome to this site and stick with us.

 

[Humminglime]

Thank you all for your replies and feedback I'm definitely going to look into that website for meal ideas!

- are there any go to snacks or meals I should have in my arsonary?
- anything I should definitely avoid?
- what are good and ideal readings?
And what is too high and too low?
- I have the contour next one tester, is there one I should specifically get or look out for?
- should I be getting a tester and strips through my gp?
- would it be a good idea to eats carbs and test to see how what affects me and what doesn't?
My nan eats tonnes of carbs and she's t2 and fine

I'll definitely stick to this forum as seems to be a lot more help than anywhere else! Especially how I know the diabetes website is wrong

And I'm keeping a food diary!

Thank you all for your support again! Its nice to soeak to real people that know the disease!