Type 2 on three meds and low carb and level very high

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
So been type 2 for 10 years, not overweight walk 7 miles a day 5 days a week. On fairly low carb. No bread, no pasta and no sweet stuff. But levels are so high, just before lunch after walking 7 miles 14.1. Got to book a review. But is clear nothing is working.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. Slim diabetics are often mis-diagnosed as T2 when they may be T1 (LADA). Ask your GP for the two tests for T1.
 

JoKalsbeek

Expert
Messages
5,937
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
So been type 2 for 10 years, not overweight walk 7 miles a day 5 days a week. On fairly low carb. No bread, no pasta and no sweet stuff. But levels are so high, just before lunch after walking 7 miles 14.1. Got to book a review. But is clear nothing is working.
There's more to low carb than skipping bread, pasta and sweet stuff. So it really would help if you give a rundown of what you eat and drink in a day, maybe there's ground to be won there. If not, you really do want to get C-peptide and GAD testing done to rule out a T1 variant...
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have always had issues since 19. Now 57 but when younger it was that I had to be careful with my food and not go too long without any or I dropped too low. My son has the same issue, then about 40 plus I was diagnosed with diabetes. I understand there is more than just avoiding the usual carbs etc, having been doing this for years. Even cutting out too much milk etc and certain veggies. My nurse did mention lada, but not prepared to test. Not eaten anything since this morning after walk and running around after grandson. Reached 18,000 steps and still 11. It is so hard. The links are good thankyou.
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Metformin 2x2, glicazide, and the new drug Forxiga which means You have to drink a lot. Last HBc1 a year ago was 9. Due to Covid haven’t seen anyone since last November. But has got higher last few months or so. Going to book my review now as they have said I can.
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Just taken my evening metformin very early and glicazide and an hour later I am 8.3 lowest all day. Have such a headache. Will wait until lower before I eat dinner. Crazy crazy life.
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,810
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Can you please tell us exactly what you’ve eaten today and what you have planned for dinner, as others have said if you’d tell us we may spot some not so obvious carbs in your diet, which you could cut down on. In your first post you say you are ‘fairly low carb’ but what does that actually mean? Do you count your carbs?
If of course you are genuinely low carb then your HCPs should rule out LADA too.
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Ok so this morning, I had 2 tbsp of full fat natural yougurt with nuts. Did my 7 mile walk and level in the 14. Had one cup of black coffee. Then had home made veggie soup, with no potatoes but did have carrots in it. Levels still 11. 2 cups of mint tea and water. Levels dropped after took my evening meds at 4. Just had a breast of chicken with veggies. See what levels are. Sometimes I have a few crackers with cheese for lunch, maybe an apple. Handful of nuts for snack or ham. Sometimes I have eggs and bacon for breakfast or eggs for lunch. Sometimes I have 2 boiled new potatoes with meat and veg. Home made chilli with no rice or potatoes. I cook mostly from fresh, I don’t count carbs, but I try to restrict them. I eat celery sticks and carrots maybe is the carrot. So restricted,
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,810
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Ok so this morning, I had 2 tbsp of full fat natural yougurt with nuts. Did my 7 mile walk and level in the 14. Had one cup of black coffee. Then had home made veggie soup, with no potatoes but did have carrots in it. Levels still 11. 2 cups of mint tea and water. Levels dropped after took my evening meds at 4. Just had a breast of chicken with veggies. See what levels are. Sometimes I have a few crackers with cheese for lunch, maybe an apple. Handful of nuts for snack or ham. Sometimes I have eggs and bacon for breakfast or eggs for lunch. Sometimes I have 2 boiled new potatoes with meat and veg. Home made chilli with no rice or potatoes. I cook mostly from fresh, I don’t count carbs, but I try to restrict them. I eat celery sticks and carrots maybe is the carrot. So restricted,

So there’s not much room for manoeuvre here although many of us low carbers wouldn’t eat crackers, apples, boiled new potatoes, or carrot in large quantities. It might be worth actually calculating your total carbs for a few days, as depending on the quantities of some of your foods you may be higher carb than you think. But please talk this over with your HCPs and keep in mind the possibility of LADA.
 

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, im not going to attempt advice, but I would like to say I totally understand! I too have spent many years pulling my hair out, trying to get a grip, my numbers are also insane regardless of effort, I hope you find an answer, very best wishes!
 

Mbaker

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,339
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Available fast foods in Supermarkets
I would say you need the c-peptide / anti-bodies test. Your surgery has a duty of care especially with the double digit numbers. With the amount of exercise you are doing sugars should be lower. The foods @Rachox has identified maybe should be swapped, if I may say should be swapped, this is more flexatarian eating, which is fine without metabolic syndrome traits.
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Ok so crackers swapped too? carrots swapped to? I used to eat berries for fruit maybe I need to go back to that. So waking level is 11 this morning. Going to have two boiled eggs and then a really long walk today maybe 10 miles. See what happens then. At least headache has gone. I will ask about the test too. Thank you,
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Maybe can a few of you post ideas of what you eat roughly in a daily basis. I think I need to reset. I did a diet before lockdown called Second Nature, was with very low carbs. Need to go back to start gain.
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,810
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Maybe can a few of you post ideas of what you eat roughly in a daily basis. I think I need to reset. I did a diet before lockdown called Second Nature, was with very low carbs. Need to go back to start gain.

Have a look at this thread @Suzanne_1963 , many of us post what we eat everyday:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/page-2098#post-2332768
I think it’ll give you lots of ideas.
Also this website is very good and you can get a huge amount of info and advice without having to subscribe:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
Hope that helps :)
 

David_A_Hughes

Well-Known Member
Messages
109
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
So been type 2 for 10 years, not overweight walk 7 miles a day 5 days a week. On fairly low carb. No bread, no pasta and no sweet stuff. But levels are so high, just before lunch after walking 7 miles 14.1. Got to book a review. But is clear nothing is working.
I thought I was alone! This could be me!! Other than I cycle 2 or 3 times a week - up to 20 something miles, road, trail or static - with a pretty well perfect BMI, metformin, gliclazide, alogliptin, pioglitazone, atorvastatin, low(ish) carb and still I struggle to keep my levels below double figures. I used to get angry hearing stories of 'success' just because obese people had decided to adopt the healthy life-style they should always have followed and lost weight to miraculously become non-diabetic and that then quoted as evidence that type 2 diabetes is a self-inflicted condition. I congratulate them for achieving this, but it is something I'm not able to do, having always had a healthy (as far as I know) diet and exercise regime.
 

Jo123

Well-Known Member
Messages
717
Hi Suzanne, I very rarely eat fruit, then only berries, no crackers, only a dash of milk in tea, about 2 carrots a week in meals, no rice, pasta, flour, etc., even with all these measures I average around 85 gms carbs a day mostly in green veg or salad. I allow myself this many as my hba1c's are normal and I was only prediabetic. So it's easy to eat more carbs than you think.
In your position I'd measure everything and limit my carbs strictly to try and get my figures down, if they don't go down if go to your doctor.
 

Suzanne_1963

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Been very strict last few days levels dropped into single figures but I can’t get below 8. No crackers or fruit.
Today I had two boiled eggs. Lunch two sausages with cucumber and tomato. Snack a few nuts. Dinner salmon, with cauliflower, spinach, and broccoli.
 

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Been very strict last few days levels dropped into single figures but I can’t get below 8. No crackers or fruit.
Today I had two boiled eggs. Lunch two sausages with cucumber and tomato. Snack a few nuts. Dinner salmon, with cauliflower, spinach, and broccoli.

Sounds like what you’re doing is having an effect. It takes time to bring numbers right down. I’d say you’ve had a big drop in a short space of time, so keep going and they’ll likely come down further.