Type 2 latest results My husn

ROSIE1988 said:

Thank you both! That’s amazing help. Thank you. Hubbys test was three month test. Non fasting. Btw. Ears and minds open here for all this help. It’s great. Have great weekend.

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Good luck, and get plenty of homework done!!

ROSIE1988 said:

Lol! Yes indeed it is. Ooh my goodness. Better get some better reading glasses for all our homework! Thank you very much.

Please can anyone say which is the best blood glucose meter? My poor Hubby has a needle phobia so this is going to be interesting!

. Money no problem for the best and gentlest!?
Lastly. Is there such a thing a moderate carbs being allowed? Small portion of wholewheat pasta or rice say? Again will use meter to see the effect on numbers etc.
Thank you to everyone this week. Feeling a lot better about all this. Both of us are xx

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Many people can manage some carbs - but why waste them on a small portion of pasta or rice? The wholewheat or brown version still has high carb content.
I eat a tomato with my eggs and cheese, a huge salad with my tuna or smoked fish, a low carb stirfry with my roast chicken, spreading out the carbs throughout the day so that I get lots of good nutrition and still have low BG levels.
With the lancet and test meter you never see a needle - the lancet has a tiny tiny point which has a cover put over it, so you can set the depth of stab, put the tip against a finger tip and press the button.
Meat, fish, shellfish, eggs and cheese are all good basses for low carb meals. Maybe make a list of low carb veges to put with them - looking for non processed foods is a good start for any shopping trip.
I used to work for a food processor, and I can assure you that if they can add cheap stuff into the mix they will do, and starches and sugars are cheap.

ROSIE1988 said:

That’s a lot to take in and thank you for the input. I am very grateful. My husband is 6’1 and a strong man and doesn’t look fat at all. He has a tummy albeit it small and lost a lot of weight. He is always on the go too.

If we were to get a meter. What number should he be aiming for after meals? So if he eats toast and it rises we would know by how much and act accordingly. Yes? Sorry if I sound thick. It’s just a lot to get your head round isn’t it.

My father in law. Was a short fat man who literally sat down all his life prison officer for twenty years then coach driver. A lot of sitting down and had a terrible diet all his life. His attitude was awful too and extremely negative and closed minded. So nothing like my hubby at all. Mother in law was very controlling and would go mad if he had even one biscuit so he would eat ten behind her back. That sort of thing! So not the same thing and not good at all.

After reading this forum I really think we can learn a lot and work on it together. And I feel hopeful now as opposed to it’s all over from the doctors attitude. I think I read on this website that with proper control life should be good.

As a side note a friend of the family who is twenty two has just been diagnosed with type 2 and he is very slim and super fit! He is on two metformin already. So it just goes to show it can affect all sorts.

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At 14 and a half stone I didn't think I looked fat, but it turns out that I was.
People who do physical jobs can carry an awful lot of fat without seeming to; I know a few builders who are built like brick outhouses. If you look closely they all have "a bit of a tummy" but they tend to carry the extra weigh all over.

One check (which may not be popular with hubby). He is 6' 1" or 73". His waist measurement should be no more than 36.5". This is a far more reliable check than weight. If your waist measurement is twice your height or more than there is a high risk of developing T2. Fat around the belly is the thing that really does your internal organs in.

When I was diagnosed I wore trousers with a 38" waist (which means a real waist measurement even higher). I now wear 34" waist trousers with a waist of around 35" (on my good days).

When I first lost two and a half stone everyone was very worried because I looked so different. However they have got used to it.

Do things in easy stages; if hubby loses half a stone at a gentle rate you will probably not notice a massive difference but he will be a lot better for it. Then trim off another half stone. I would suggest that he would be a lot better at around 14 stone. Gentle stages; there are no quick fixes and it generally takes 6 months to a year to adjust.

Plenty of protein to keep his muscles in trim. Plenty of fat for energy and to keep the munchies away. As little carbohydrate as possible. If he can kick the carbohydrate cravings then life will be a lot easier.

Good to know that hubby is not like his Dad. This suggests that he is unlikely to have the same problems.

ROSIE1988 said:

Right - we have a lot of homework to do together and thank you ALL again for all your help and pointers.....

Immediately I can see where my lovely Hubby is going wrong - yesterday - straight after work he tucks into grapes and a banana! Then we had a healthy supper - but then at midnight - he is tucking in a bowl of cereal!

All seems relatively healthy until you look doesn't it!?

He does rely on All Bran or Bran flakes in the mornings for his tummy, so is this definitely out with all other cereals?

Is wholewheat pasta and rice a better option too? I get the impression pasta should be avoided?

Also has anyone heard of a website by Michael Dempsey - he seems to give good advice but also seems to be pushing hos own tablets....?

We have read a lot about big Pharma pushing Metformin etc and this has not helped with the fear we have about drugs from the Doctor.

Thanks again and will keep in touch x

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There are other things you can use to keep regular. I use Lactulose (a stool softener) if I start to get "bungo". Plenty of vegetables also help.

You say "but then at midnight - he is tucking in a bowl of cereal!". This is so familiar; late night munchies. Many years ago when my father-in-law was working as a heavy engineer we always used to have a supper; usually an oven bottom muffin with cheese and a bottle of Websters Green Label. I loved it at the time. FIL was a heavy engineer in more ways than one. Heavy physical work and lots of carbohydrates makes you hungry for supper a few hours after the evening meal.

If your healthy supper includes quite a bit of protein and fat then this can stop the late night munchies. Eating carbohydrates last thing at night is probably one of the worst things to do.

You both have enormous changes to make in your way of eating and food (especially carbohydrate) gives a lot of pleasure. That is why toast and marmalade, chips, pizza, sweets are all seen as treats. They are addictive.

Take a deep breath and don't panic. Make changes slowly and you will get there eventually. Recognise that you will have withdrawal symptoms when you cut back on carbohydrates, and have plenty of grumpy moments. However there are many of us here who have managed to kick the habit and can walk past a cake shop without crying inside.

@ROSIE1988 Just been to a talk by Professor Roy Taylor which suggests that a very rapid weight loss soon after diagnosis can lead to a reversal of T2.

A bit late for me at 10 years in, but for Hubby it is certainly worth considering.

A relatively short period of restricted diet and all the worries about medication could be history.

LittleGreyCat said:

A relatively short period of restricted diet and all the worries about medication could be history.

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In my case 14 days of "no carbs" diet did the trick... It was hard, but...

rom35 said:

In my case 14 days of "no carbs" diet did the trick... It was hard, but...

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I'm glad it worked for you, really I am, but it isn't the only way and definitely not for everyone. I did exactly the opposite, reducing carbs slowly over a period of a few months. It worked just the same, and wasn't at all hard.

Bluetit1802 said:

I did exactly the opposite, reducing carbs slowly over a period of a few months.

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I agree. Each of us has his own way. I'm big starter and after relatively short time I have burn-out. So for me the way of solving the problem is to do something asap or I will fail. And BG in the limits after 14 days was so uplifting...

ROSIE1988 said:

We are still researching everything and have bought several books. Michael Moseleys book about the 800 calorie method is extreme but very interesting. If we were to do it when and how would we find out if my husbands number has dropped. Would we have to request the hb1ac test from the doctor again after trying it. Or use home resting? Bit confused how we can find out the number?

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You can ask for an HbA1c but as they measure the glucose over the previous 2 to 3 months, it is a bit of a waste having them more often. A home testing kit will give you snapshots of his glucose at the time he takes the test. Nothing else. However, you can keep records of all the tests, on waking, before food, and 2 hours after food, plus bedtime. Then you can average these and watch for trends, up or down. Hopefully down!

Hi Rosie, I know you were doing a lot of research and reading about 8 weeks ago. It might helpful to update us on what direction your husband decided to take.

Hi Rosie, do you mean he did the Dr Moseley blood sugar diet? Did he lose more weight than planned?

Please get a blood glucose meter ASAP. For one thing you may find that his daily numbers have improved and he is on track for a much improved HBA1C. The body does get used to running high sugars and can mistakenly feel ill at healthy levels. Home meter readings with that instant feedback can really help clarify what is going on.

I've never taken Met but I can understand that the possible side effects could be bad for business, maybe winter would be a better time to start? Although not everyone is affected and for some it is only a few weeks as the body gets used to the dose.

If no kidney problems, a higher protein diet sounds like a good option to try.

The right diet needs to be sustainable and make you feel healthy and stronger. You can really feel the difference when you get it right. I do feel better. Does you hubby aim for a specific amount of carbs per meal or day?

Most of the guidance comes from NICE https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28

The parameters have actually I think made it harder to be diagnosed more recently as less doctors are using the fasting test alone to diagnose and it has to be two HBA1C's over 48 to diagnose type 2.

NICE did consider lowering the threshold of prediabetes to be in line with the US but decided against this.

Some stats here https://www.diabetes.org.uk/professionals/position-statements-reports/statistics

Did you husband complain about the doctor? Would he consider changing GP surgery as I would be concerned that he won't get the proper monitoring and might avoid treatment for other unrelated condiions.

A health care professional needs to really listen to your husband.

This is in the NICE guidance

1.1.1 Adopt an individualised approach to diabetes care that is tailored to the needs and circumstances of adults with type 2 diabetes, taking into account their personal preferences, comorbidities, risks from polypharmacy, and their ability to benefit from long‑term interventions because of reduced life expectancy. Such an approach is especially important in the context of multimorbidity. Reassess the person's needs and circumstances at each review and think about whether to stop any medicines that are not effective. [new 2015]

1.6.17 For adults with type 2 diabetes, discuss the benefits and risks of drug treatment, and the options available. Base the choice of drug treatment(s) on:

• the person's individual preferences and needs

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28