Was ok but now not so sure!!

[Confused.completely]

Hi everyone

First time here so not sure how it works. I'm not one for sharing my business as I feel like I'm moaning but I'm struggling so here goes.

I'm newly diagnosed, almost 4 months ago, just with type 2. The doctors are allowing me time to reduce my HBA1C levels through diet and exercise. I put myself on a low carb diet straight away. I was very strict for the first two months but was losing too much weight. After re-assessing my diet and chats with the diabetic nurse I allowed myself to have a less strict lifestyle. The weight is going back on but almost everything I eat, good and not as good, is making me really drowsy and making me question what I'm doing. I am constantly falling asleep and some days feel like I've got a hangover.

I know it's still early days and I was daft to think I would feel better straight away. I am due another blood test anytime to check if my levels have changed.

Anybody else struggling or struggled and now feel like a new person? Please tell me it gets better.

 

[Resurgam]

I wonder if yu were not eating enough so you were losing weight rather than simply controlling blood glucose.
What sort of thing were you eating, and how does it compare with your present diet?
Being drowsy after eating really isn't a good sign, and falling asleep/feeling hungover is a real red light, I'm sorry to say.
Do you have some way to measure your blood glucose levels?

 

[Confused.completely]

Thanks for replying. Originally I cut out anything sweet and also potatoes, rice, pasta etc and basically lived on roast vegetables and chicken and other meats. My diet now is smaller portions of carbs occasionally, still a lot of veg and salad and some fruit. I am craving sweet things but regret it when I do allow myself something.

I went to the pharmacy to buy a glucose monitor. The guy working there told me to contact my diabetic nurse as I should have got one for free. Life got in the way and I just haven't contacted her. I will do it in the morning.

 

[ThoseRainyDays]

Thanks for replying. Originally I cut out anything sweet and also potatoes, rice, pasta etc and basically lived on roast vegetables and chicken and other meats. My diet now is smaller portions of carbs occasionally, still a lot of veg and salad and some fruit. I am craving sweet things but regret it when I do allow myself something.

I went to the pharmacy to buy a glucose monitor. The guy working there told me to contact my diabetic nurse as I should have got one for free. Life got in the way and I just haven't contacted her. I will do it in the morning.

Unfortunately as a Type 2, most GP surgeries will not give out or prescribe blood monitors. They do for Type 1's but rarely for Type 2's. The majority of us have to buy and fund them ourselves but I would definitely recommend getting one, it puts you so much more in control.

There are some very helpful people here who can recommend monitors and strips!

 

[Confused.completely]

Unfortunately as a Type 2, most GP surgeries will not give out or prescribe blood monitors. They do for Type 1's but rarely for Type 2's. The majority of us have to buy and fund them ourselves but I would definitely recommend getting one, it puts you so much more in control.

There are some very helpful people here who can recommend monitors and strips!

Thank you for that. I did read that about them being free to type 1 only. I'll go and buy one tomorrow. Can I just ask how often and when should I test myself?

Thanks for replying.

 

[Goonergal]

Thank you for that. I did read that about them being free to type 1 only. I'll go and buy one tomorrow. Can I just ask how often and when should I test myself?
Thanks for replying.

You’d be much better off buying one online - the meters are cheap, but the strips are the biggest cost, so don’t be seduced by free meters with expensive strips. I’ve linked some below.

While you’re figuring things out I’d suggest testing immediately before and then 2 hours after each meal to understand the impact foods are having on your blood sugars.

The meter with the cheapest strips is the Gluco Navii.

If you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Total for 5 packs + meter should be £31.76 - you can select free postage too. Their check out isn’t the most obvious so you need to look for the box and check the discount has been applied.

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips. Buying a pack of 10 boxes of strips using the discount code works out at £5.68.

The SD Codefree from Home Health has similarly priced strips, but is rumoured to be being discontinued at some point.

The Tee2+ from Spirit Healthcare also has relatively cheap strips, (although they have recently gone up in price): https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/copy-of-copy-of-tee2-blood-glucose-meter

with the strips found here: https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/copy-of-tee2-test-strips

I got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order the meter and 10 boxes of strips and they threw the meter in for free. Phone number 0800 8815423.

Also from Spirit Healthcare, with more expensive strips than the Tee2+ is their Caresens Dual. This can be used for testing ketones too (strips for that very expensive). https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual

Don’t forget to check the box (or mention on the phone) to say you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[Antje77]

Originally I cut out anything sweet and also potatoes, rice, pasta etc and basically lived on roast vegetables and chicken and other meats.

Do you have any idea if you were getting a decent amount of calories on this diet? Roast vegetables and chicken tends to be low in fats, so it may just be that you were accidentally on a calorie deficient diet. If you reduce the carbs, you need to make up for the calories. Things like butter, cream, cheese, fatty cuts of meat are quite popular among people who choose to eat very little carbs.

 

[MrsA2]

First time here so not sure how it works. I'm not one for sharing my business as I feel like I'm moaning but I'm struggling so here goes

Certainly not moaning! Asking for help is a mature and sensible thing to do, especially as you may not be receiving the best of advice e.g the pharmacist and possibly your dn.

What is losing weight too fast? Where you so hungry you could eat your own arm? Were you fainting, or starving yourself?
I lost 2-3 stone in about 3-4 months and its stayed off. I did have a few side effects of the excess sugars clearing out of my body - blurry eyesight, itchy skin, leg twitches but these soon vanished as my bg levels came down.

As the others have said testing is key - your dn may say otherwise- but as you have found out its difficult to tell what your body is doing if it isn't measured and monitored at the time,3 or 6 monthly hba1c checks are too few and far between.
Some of you signs are more commonly reactions to carbs, certainly sluggishness and daytime naps after eating and you may by dieting have rid your body of sugar and are now putting it back in again and your body may be telling you it doesn't like it.

What were your results, and your weight? And what are they now?
There will be lots of help and support on here, and no judgement. We each have to find our own way that suits our own bodies and lifestyles, and you will find your own, in time

 

[Confused.completely]

Thanks to everyone for the thoughts. My meter arrived this afternoon and at 3:15pm I took my first reading which came back as 10.7

 

[Mbaker]

I would return closer to what you were originally eating and dial up the healthy fats (nuts, avocado, cheese if tolerated) and protein.

Here's my breakfast today

My dinner

This has fuelled a 45 minute workout, a day's work. I'm about to go for a walk and then do another 45 minutes at the gym.

Tomorrow I will have the left over chicken with berries.

I would ignore the advice from surgery as they most likely follow the eatwell guide / plate or whatever they call it now.