I have type 2 about 5 years. Blood sugars massively uncontrolled. Recently was in hospital due to hyperglycaemia. Supposed to be starting on insulin today but really worried. I’m a HGV Driver so will no doubt loose my Licence.
Type 2 uncontrolled. Supposed to be starting insulin.
- Thread starter Irv
- Start Date
Arab Horse
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- 884
- Type of diabetes
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Sorry to read this; Ihope you are OK.
Have you tried a low carb diet, lose weight, more exercise etc. to get your glucose under control? You will lose your licence when you start insulin until you get under control but you may be able to get control just as quickly with a life style change and not get a ban.
There is so much help here. Are you overweight? As a lorry driver you probably don't get much exercise.
Look up the Newcastle Diet, Professor Roy Taylor and there are lots of others you will find which may avoid your having to go on insulin.
Good luck.
Have you tried a low carb diet, lose weight, more exercise etc. to get your glucose under control? You will lose your licence when you start insulin until you get under control but you may be able to get control just as quickly with a life style change and not get a ban.
There is so much help here. Are you overweight? As a lorry driver you probably don't get much exercise.
Look up the Newcastle Diet, Professor Roy Taylor and there are lots of others you will find which may avoid your having to go on insulin.
Good luck.
briped
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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- Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Hello Irv, and welcome. Don't despair. I agree with @Arab Horse You don't tell us much about yourself, but for many of us it is possible to get those BGs down and stay off insulin by eating differently to what is the 'normal. Have a look at dietdoctor.com. Read in here, ask questions etc. even for me who was diagnosed 14 years ago it's been possible to stay off insulin so far. I'll tag @daisy1 who'll post a very informative welcome for you 
It is possible, and you want to keep that driver's licence.
It is possible, and you want to keep that driver's licence.
JoKalsbeek
Expert
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- I reversed my Type 2
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- Diet only
Hi Irv,
Sounds like you have a lot depending on this insulin thing... As @Arab Horse asked, have you tried tackling your diet to get control? Practically all carbs are turned to glucose once ingested, and you can't process that back out again... Logical step being, you cut back on the carbs and start following a Low Carb, High Fat diet. As in, bye bye potatoes, bread, fruit (except for berries, starfruit, avocado's and tomatoes), pasta, rice... If it doesn't come in, it doesn't have to be processed out. Makes sense, no? Maybe read the Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung, that could really help you get some insight in this condition and how to tackle it without insulin. Dietdoctor.com would help too.
Anyway, for me that means eggs with bacon, cheese, mushrooms in the morning, unless I skip breakfast entirely and just have a few cups of tea. Lunch is usually a leafy green salad with a can of tuna (oil, not brine), mayo, capers, avocado and olives. Or an omelet with cinnamon and cream, maybe some coconut shavings and berries on the side. In the evening it's meat, fish or poultry with above-ground veggies or leafy greens (Cauliflower rice is very versatile and can replace spuds, rice and pasta, especially if you bulk it up with baon and cheese). Snacks could be pork scratchings, olives, cheese, extra dark chocolate.... You could go for full fat greek yoghurt with some berries and nuts for dessert or breakfast. Stuff like that won't do much to your bloodsugars and you could even end up going back to the non diabetic range on that. It would also impact your cholesterol in the long run, and make you lose weight, if you have it to lose.
Don't mix a low carb/high fat diet with insulin without a doc's/nurse's help, especially if you're not testing yet...! You could hypo quite easily. @daisy1 has an excellent info sheet, she'll be along shortly...
I hope this all helps... Wish you'd popped in here 5 years ago, it never would've gotten this bad. But there's hope for you yet!
Jo
Arab Horse
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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- Tablets (oral)
I too struggled with my glucose levels after being diagnoses until I stopped following what I was told and did my research; having been a biochemist I HAVE TO DO MY RESEARCH, bit OCD about it!!!
After much trial and error this is what I have to do if it helps you:
I don't eat anything carby: No cereals, pizza, pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, cakes, etc. No carrots peas, sweetcorn or other starchy veg. No fruit.
I eat green veg (a lot of spinach as it wilts to nothing when cooked), salad stuff, meat, fish, some cheese. I can have cream but there is nothing to put it on!!! Fat is fine particularly as I am too thin but again, not too keen so only limited amount. Drink loads of strong black coffee (always had that) or water as I hate tea. I only eat breakfast and lunch and that is it for the day and if I stick rigidly to that most of the time my glucose is reasonably OK. I do have the odd lapse but then give myself a ticking off and "get back on the wagon"!!!! Exercise is also really important as my glucose is much higher if I don't. I bought myself a treadmill and with that ahd the horses it makes a huge difference as does the cold.
I had hoped eventually I would be able to eat more normally but not yet. Many people do find that they improve and can eat more things and I hope you will be one of them but it is hard going especially as my husband eats all the things I can't all the time so we now cook and eat separately. I had hoped he would be supportive!
It requires a lot of will power and effort but, especially for you, it will be worth it if you keep your job
After much trial and error this is what I have to do if it helps you:
I don't eat anything carby: No cereals, pizza, pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, cakes, etc. No carrots peas, sweetcorn or other starchy veg. No fruit.
I eat green veg (a lot of spinach as it wilts to nothing when cooked), salad stuff, meat, fish, some cheese. I can have cream but there is nothing to put it on!!! Fat is fine particularly as I am too thin but again, not too keen so only limited amount. Drink loads of strong black coffee (always had that) or water as I hate tea. I only eat breakfast and lunch and that is it for the day and if I stick rigidly to that most of the time my glucose is reasonably OK. I do have the odd lapse but then give myself a ticking off and "get back on the wagon"!!!! Exercise is also really important as my glucose is much higher if I don't. I bought myself a treadmill and with that ahd the horses it makes a huge difference as does the cold.
I had hoped eventually I would be able to eat more normally but not yet. Many people do find that they improve and can eat more things and I hope you will be one of them but it is hard going especially as my husband eats all the things I can't all the time so we now cook and eat separately. I had hoped he would be supportive!
It requires a lot of will power and effort but, especially for you, it will be worth it if you keep your job
britishpub
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- Type of diabetes
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You will not automatically lose you Class 2 entitlement.
You must inform DVLA immediately if you start using insulin.
Use this form. It is an offence not to do so.
https://assets.publishing.service.g...a/file/709784/vdiab1i-online-medical-form.pdf
If you meet the conditions, and follow the guidance there is no reason why you cannot continue to drive under your Class 2 entitlement.
These are main conditions you must meet.
- not had a hypoglycaemic event requiring the help of another person in the previous 12 months
- must have full awareness of the symptoms and risks of hypoglycaemia
- must check your blood glucose levels at least twice daily, even on non-driving days and no more than 2 hours before the start of the first journey and every 2 hours whilst driving
- must keep a fast acting carbohydrate within easy reach when driving
This is the DVLA guidance booklet.
https://assets.publishing.service.g...ply-for-Group-2-Entitlement-bus-and-lorry.pdf
Resurgam
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If you have not tried a low carb diet then I'd really recommend it, no matter how difficult it might seem to be to achieve it with your work.
I was fully diabetic, went low carb, no trying to lose weight, no deliberate increase in exercise, purely and simply not eating sugar or starchy foods over what I found I could cope with - result - normal.
Normal levels of blood glucose, normal Hba1c readings - I have lost weight and I am so busy these days, plus I have gone back to work so I an richer too.
Once you start to take insulin and still be a driver there are hoops to get through with the DVLA which can cause lots of problems, and if you have not got a history of taking insulin you can get into an impasse which could leave you unable to drive. Not everyone has that experience, of course, but it is a possibility, and just going by my own history, it isn't necessary to go through it.
Each year I go off to folk festivals and am away from home for up to a week, but I can stick to low carb - I have a box of cooking equipment and supplies in the van so I get envious looks from those who smell the bacon, mushrooms, eggs etc. first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
I was fully diabetic, went low carb, no trying to lose weight, no deliberate increase in exercise, purely and simply not eating sugar or starchy foods over what I found I could cope with - result - normal.
Normal levels of blood glucose, normal Hba1c readings - I have lost weight and I am so busy these days, plus I have gone back to work so I an richer too.
Once you start to take insulin and still be a driver there are hoops to get through with the DVLA which can cause lots of problems, and if you have not got a history of taking insulin you can get into an impasse which could leave you unable to drive. Not everyone has that experience, of course, but it is a possibility, and just going by my own history, it isn't necessary to go through it.
Each year I go off to folk festivals and am away from home for up to a week, but I can stick to low carb - I have a box of cooking equipment and supplies in the van so I get envious looks from those who smell the bacon, mushrooms, eggs etc. first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
rhubarb73
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- Type of diabetes
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- Tablets (oral)
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- aubergine
Hi Irv - I won't add to the advice above because it will contain what you need to know, especially when Daisy's pack comes through.
I did just want to say that you are obviously very worried, and it must have taken a lot of courage and emotion to write that first message on here...it brings back memories for me of how hard it was to "say it out loud". Well done for taking that step!
Your message there is an appeal for help....there's lots of help above....and we're listening: ask questions.
All the best.
I did just want to say that you are obviously very worried, and it must have taken a lot of courage and emotion to write that first message on here...it brings back memories for me of how hard it was to "say it out loud". Well done for taking that step!
Your message there is an appeal for help....there's lots of help above....and we're listening: ask questions.
All the best.
Hi i too su
Hi I also suffered uncontrollable sugar levels hospitalized end of Sept and again end of November exhausted tablet control and started on insulin in december it's a learning curve especially when you have a cold as your levels fluctuate and I have had two mornings of really low readings been diagnosed 2 years
this seems to have come on fairly quickly and "gone off " pretty quick. have you been checked for things like cysts in your pancreas? I was diagnosed type 2 in 2012 and started on metformin. in 2016 my sugar levels were going up and the doc added another tablet in. fine for 6 months then was going up again, weight gain round middle despite trying to lose weight. blood test showed liver enzymes in blood which led to scans showing cysts in my pancreas. all sorted now after op. scary thing was how few symptoms there were, the main thing was tiredness and high sugar levels.(and you expect to be tired if sugar is up)
daisy1
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@Irv
Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it interesting and useful.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
Hello and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it interesting and useful.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
