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Type 2 Uncontrollable Sugar Levels

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ginnywillow

Member
Messages
5
Hello. I am new to this forum and I am writing this on behalf of my husband who I am very concerned about. To give you a bit of history, he has been diabetic with type 2 diabetes for around 5 years. His sugar levels have always been high when he has checked them. Generally he is running at around 11 to 27 with them sometimes being in their 30's. To start with he was being treated with tablets, but these did not work so he was put onto insulin.

A month ago he suffered a massive heart attack and four cardiac arrests. Luckily, he survived. Since this happened he has stopped smoking and has completely changed his diet. We recently saw a dietician at our local hospital and she is more than happy with the food he is eating.

We then saw his diabetic nurse who changed his insulin to Humalog mix25. He has been on this for 3 weeks and after seeing her again today, starting tomorrow, she has changed his insulin again because there has been no difference in his readings. This time he will be taking a slow releasing insulin 1st thing in the morning and then 3 fast acting injections, before each meal.

My husband is 44 years old and weighs just 9 stone. Obviously he is not overweight and never has been. Before his heart attack he was a postman and therefore very active on a daily basis.

My concern is that we just can not control his sugar levels. It doesn't matter what he eats, his sugar is always high. The nurse said today that if we dont get his levels down it will kill him, which has obviously scared me, especially since it has only been a month since his heart attack and he is still suffering with the effects of that, because of the severity of it. There is severe damage to the bottom left quarter of his heart and it is unlikely that he will work again due to being unable to lift, carry or walk for long distances, so being a postman again is very unlikely.

Does anyone have any advice or ideas about why we are unable to control his sugar levels. I am worried sick about him. Over the last 4 weeks or so his sugar levels have been mainly in their 20's. He eats more or less the same thing every day, at the same time and even though he recently had his heart attack, he is doing a steady walk every day, so there is some physical activity there as well and he is not smoking anymore, but none of this seems to make a difference.

Any ideas please?
 
Hi Ginnywillow.

Reading your post I wonder is your husband's care being dealt with by a Specialist or just the Diabetic Nurse ?

With all the stated problems and the fact that nothing seems to lower the Bg levels then I think a second opinion or a referral to an Endocrinologist is called for. This is what I did when back in 2004 I had heart problems culminating in a a major operation.

It may well be that the diet is not really suitable ? You do not say what type of diet it is ? A reduction in carbohydrate consumption can be beneficial to all Diabetics.

It may also be the case that the medication needs a review ? As stated get a referral ASAP.

Ken.
 
Ken's right as usual!
Hana
 
Thank you for the reply.

The dietician at the hospital asked us to visit his doctor to ask for a referal to a diabetic specialist but when we did this, he said the diabetic nurse my husband sees is sufficient and wouldnt give us a referal to a hospital specialist!

I recently completed a food diary for his diabetic nurse and dietician and they said it was fine. He eats more a less the same thing every day:

Breakfast: weetabix, skimmed milk and 2 slices of toast with bertolli spread

Dinner: ham sandwhich with a little soft cheese and a side salad of rocket, spring onions, 3 cherry tomatoes and a small packet of snack a jacks and a sugar free jelly

Tea: salmon in butter and herb sauce, jacket potatoe and salad with sweetcorn and a slice of apricot loaf (home made with canderel)

Everything he eats is low fat, which we have to do because of his heart attack and high cholesterol and low sugar/reduced sugar or sugar free where possible. I bake cakes with canderel and strictly control the amount he eats, but he is hungry all the time!

I am really concerned because his nurse said today that she took his readings to a primary care trust plus specialist and even she didnt understand them. This obviously hasnt filled me with confidence, but they wont give us a referal to a specialist at the hospital.
 
Ok Ginny.

This is when you have to get aggressive and firm with the GP. Polite, but firm.

For your husband's sake and his health you have to demand a referral. If the GP still refuses, then complain in the first instance to the Practice Manager. Then the local PCT.

Maybe you could see another GP ? Change Practices if necessary. This is not a game. This is serious.

The diet would certainly not be suitable for me and would put my BG levels through the roof. I do not eat Bread (other than a low carb bread), Pasta, Cereals, Rice, Potato or certain root vegetables. I am on a low GI, low fat, low salt, low sugar diet with the addition of about 60g of carbohydrates a day.

Read my story posted here on this forum in success stories. It may help.
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=3763&hilit=+doom#p85903

Ken.
 
Hi Ginny,
I must agree with Ken, you need to get a referral asap. In the meantime have a look at the diet forums, you need to reduce the carbs in your hubands diet to bring his blood glucose levels down. Cereals are full of carbs having weetabix on its own is bad enough but eating toast as well I'm not suprised his BG levels are high.

Best of luck
Graham
 
Thank you for the advice. I am a little confused though. Carbs have always been a part of our diet and according to the diabetic nurse, he should be eating them. He is not overweight, infact, really needs to put some weight on and has to follow a low fat diet, due to a high cholesterol level.

If he doesn't eat bread, pasta, potatoe ect, what can I feed him. If i put a plate of fish and salad infront of him, without bread OR potatoe, it wouldnt fill him up. What can I substitute bread and potatoe with?

Does anyone have any ideas about what a good low carb breakfast would be too please?
He has always had cereal and toast.

I am finding all of this a little confusing but willing to try a low carb diet for him, but we really have to watch his fat intake, due to his recent heart attack. I'm finding the information from his diabetic nurse very different to the advice on here, but am more inclined to try what is suggested on here, as it is working for you guys!

Any meal suggestions would be greatly appreciated at this time adn thank you.
 
Take alook at the diet forums, especially the success story threads. There is also a low carb for beginners thread, which may give you more info.

I was very skeptical about not being full before I started on a considerably lower carb diet. I'm a T2 and I have been doing this for about 3 months and I feel so much better and can see the results in my blood sugar numbers. I don't eat bread, rice, potatoes or pasta anymore. I don't feel deprived and I don't have those awful carb cravings.

I have also reversed some of the symptoms I have had. I no longer have a dry mouth, the headaches have stopped and I have much more energy.
 
This scandalous. Seeing the nurse clearly isn't sufficient as they haven't managed to get his condition under control! Therefore he needs specialist advice. As others have said, you must get him referred to a specialist. He may not be a type 2, he may have LADA, which the GP surgery will have less experience with. If he is seeing the hospital dietician again(?) they could refer him to the hospital diabetes consultant.

If all else fails, one day when his levels are particularly high go to A&E - with any luck he'll be admitted and get the help he needs. Regularly being in the high 20s is putting him at high risk of further complications.
 
Hello Ginny
welcome to this forum. I am so very sorry to hear that your husband has been treated so badly, that DN seems less use than a chocolate teapot, in fact I would say there is negligence there, your husband should have been referred for specialist advice years ago, his bg brought under control, what a nightmare situation this is for you all as a family.

I am pleased that you have come to this forum, do try and reduce carbohydrate, you can have substitutes for all the 'gunge' like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta,cereals, they are really nothing but fillers Ginny, they have very little nutritional value, read my story in the Success Story link, you will see what the traditional diabetes diet did to me. Also add flaxseed oil and cinnamon to your diet, do a search on flaxseed oil, you will see it is a really good oil to take, beneficial to heart health and lowering cholesterol. etc He needs to get those bg levels down and eat really, really healthy to give his body the best possible chance of fighting back.
Also it is important to cut out transfats, but its probably a bit much for you to look into that as well so just try and learn about the carbs and how they affect diabetes, I strongly advise you to get hold of the Collins Gem Carb Counting booklet and Dr Charles Clark Diabetes Revolution, its an easy to read book, it will be of interest to both you and your husband, these books are not too expensive at under £10.00.
(You could also get hold of Dr Bernsteins book, but it is a lot more complicated to read so you can leave this until later that is if you ever really want to get stuck into the subject).

Like others here have already said, your husband should check whether he really is a type 2 diabetic, its possible that he has been misdiagnosed in first place.

Anyway just do not give up you guys, there is every chance to be healthier again, another thought here, have you conacted the British Heart Foundation for further support as well, here is a link for you - http://www.bhf.org.uk/living_with_a_hea ... overy.aspx - only a suggestion because I feel that this is a time for you where you need maximum support, all that is available to you so dont be shy about asking for it.

You say that your husband will not be able to work again. For now dont think that far ahead, it will stress you out too much and you dont need that, neither of you do. At the moment you are both probably still in shock about what happened and on edge all the time worrying that another heart attack is just around the corner, this fear is normal, cancer patients (I was one of those once) worry about this too, it takes some time to change your way of thinking. Maybe his employer can offer alternative jobs or he can retrain, he is not too old for that. There is always hope there but for now concentrate on getting fitter and healthier.
I imagine that you have gloomy days, where you are not as hopeful as on some other days, its important that you talk about your feelings and emotions, so dont bottle anything up, talk to each other, you sound like you are very close, so hopefully you can do that, but also come to the forum and talk things over if you/husband feel low or in need of support, there is always someone here to help and listen, so dont be shy or embarrassed.

Finally, your husband is not working at the moment, are you claiming benefits, maybe he is still receiving his salary, if not then check out whether you are eligible to claim benefits and definitely do apply for DLA, if he is on a reduced salary check if you can get help with the rent/mortgage/council tax too. There are also a couple of charities that may be in your area that can help, some of them giving away brand new clothing and shoes for adults and children, it depends where you live though. You are only claiming what you are entitled to, your husband and you have worked hard, now its time to get something back.

Sorry I rambled on a bit.

All the best to you and family

Karen x
 
Many many thanks to you all for the sound advice you have been giving me. I really appreicate it and am going to fight much harder to get him on the mend!

On top of dealing with his heart attack and his diabetes, we are also in a fight with his employer. I have complained to the union about them, as my husband was complaining of chest pain at work. He was brought home and left with me. I phoned the ambulance and within 10 minutes of me making the call, he had had his heart attack. I didnt find out all the information about what had happened that morning at work, until the day after when my husband was able to hold a conversation with me, but it turns out he had to be carried to his car by two work colleagues as he was unable to work, because his manager sent him home instead of phoning the ambulance. As soon as I saw him in the car that morning, I rang for an ambulance and it is a good job I did. The manager that sent him home was a qualified 1st aider, so you can imagine how angry/let down and dissapointed with his employer I am.

The nurse changed his insulin yesterday (again). As of today he is on Levemir once a day and Novarapid 3 times a day, before each meal. His readings for today have been:

1st thing this morning 17.1
2 hours after breakfast his blood testing kit just said HI
Before lunch 16.5
2 hours after lunch 16.4
Before Tea 15.9

He is due to take his evening after meal test shortly, but we have no idea what it will be, we can never predict it.

I spoke to his diabetic nurse this evening and she wants me to put his Levemir up by 2 units in the morning to 14 and keep his novarapid at 4 units 3 times a day, till Thursday. She said if his readings dont come down by Thursday she will be increasing his insulin again. She also told me to be patient and that things wouldnt improve overnight!

I spoke to the rehab nurse today, as hubby started his programme at the hospital gym today, about not being able to get a refferal from his GP and he said it is probably money related. The surgery would have to pay to refer him and that is probably why they wont do it. I will be tackling this with them very shortly as I am unhappy, especially if that is the reason.

Many thanks again to you all for the help, support and advice. It is much appreciated..
 
Hi Ginny.

Do not give up on this. As I stated before this is not a game and you will have to do whatever it takes to get all the people involved here to take some responsibility for what is happening.

You will get as much support here as we can offer. Good luck to you and yours. Any questions just get back on here.

Ken.
 
I'll second that Ken, good post

Ginny contact the British Heart Foundation too if you find the tme

Love from

Karen x
 
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