Type 2 What are your symptoms? (I don't have any and I'm grateful but confused...)

cribbo

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello everyone. First time poster.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last summer with an hba1c of 54. I'd had a blood test for symptoms which I have been told were not related to diabetes (headaches) and this had come up as part of that. I was badly overweight and did zero exercise, so I'm not proud of saying the diagnosis didn't really come as a surprise. Anyway, I went on Metformin and put my lifestyle through a 180 degree change. I went on a low carb diet, lost 4 stone and started cycling 10-15 miles at a time. My hba1c dropped to 36. I stopped the Metformin (with the doctor's approval) and my last reading without the medication was 39.

I was delighted with this and I've carried on with the low carb/exercise regime, although not as religiously as I did at first, admittedly. I've still got a couple more stone to go and I eat lots of salad, omelettes that kind of thing.

Anyway my point (finally) is that I have never felt unwell with my diabetes. It brought it home to me yesterday. I properly fell off the wagon due to a combination of a work's thing at lunchtime (I had a club sandwich on white bread with egg mayo and chips and a couple of pints) and a thing in the evening (more alcohol and a pizza) and then because I was drunk by bedtime I also had a big bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes. There must have been enough carbs and sugar in that lot to sink a battleship. But the thing is that neither yesterday nor today do I feel any adverse effects for all that. I've read on the forums about people feeling ill the day after a day like that, but my question (finally) is: how would you expect to feel? What symptoms would you experience in that situation?

Thanks to everyone in advance.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm guessing that as you are a "relaxed" low carber that you probably aren't in ketosis so will not suffer from the "carb flu" when you get knocked out by your carbfest. Also the alcohol may have played a apart as your liver would have processed that first. Do you test your blood? would be interesting to see how your sugars reacted to that lot.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
It is normally a very sharp rise in levels followed by a very fast fall that causes "symptoms". (High levels followed by low levels in quick succession.) Because your carb fest was spread out from lunch time to bedtime it maybe because you didn't have a sharp fall. That is only a suggestion.
 

cribbo

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm guessing that as you are a "relaxed" low carber that you probably aren't in ketosis so will not suffer from the "carb flu" when you get knocked out by your carbfest. Also the alcohol may have played a apart as your liver would have processed that first. Do you test your blood? would be interesting to see how your sugars reacted to that lot.

Yeah, I wouldn't count myself as a hardliner. I do eat some carbs, but I try to stick to as few as possible. I'm certainly not in ketosis.

I was discouraged from testing my blood by my doctor. That said, I've since changed doctors because I'm not entirely sure what the last guy's doctorate was in, but I'm guessing English literature. Maybe it's something I need to start doing.
 

cribbo

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks to both of you for your replies.

I should reiterate, though, just to be clear. I've never had anything that I would class as diabetic symptoms. Even before I was diagnosed, when my levels were high and my diet was, frankly, awful. Is that normal?
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Yeah, I wouldn't count myself as a hardliner. I do eat some carbs, but I try to stick to as few as possible. I'm certainly not in ketosis.

I was discouraged from testing my blood by my doctor. That said, I've since changed doctors because I'm not entirely sure what the last guy's doctorate was in, but I'm guessing English literature. Maybe it's something I need to start doing.
That's the usual doctor thing because they don't want to prescribe you meter and strips..too expensive. I found it one of the most useful tools for deciding what to eat and more importantly what not to eat.
I only had symptoms once when I woke up in the night with all over pins and needles.. scared the **** out of me... off to the docs and voila diagnosis!
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Thanks to both of you for your replies.

I should reiterate, though, just to be clear. I've never had anything that I would class as diabetic symptoms. Even before I was diagnosed, when my levels were high and my diet was, frankly, awful. Is that normal?
It was normal for me. None of the classic symptoms at all before dx though the information on this forum taught me that lesser known symptoms had crept in which I had put down to getting older.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks to both of you for your replies.

I should reiterate, though, just to be clear. I've never had anything that I would class as diabetic symptoms. Even before I was diagnosed, when my levels were high and my diet was, frankly, awful. Is that normal?

I didn't have any symptoms before diagnosis. Mine was caught on a routine MOT blood test for us oldies and came as a complete surprise and shock. It seems to be more common to have symptoms when blood sugars are very high.

Why are you doing as doctor said and not testing? It is much better to ignore him and test. Otherwise you are working blind, and just guessing which foods suit you and which don't. With testing you see at a glance and have the opportunity to tweak your meal choices.
 

Sarah69

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Anything healthy!
Dive been diabetic for 20 years and I don't nor have I ever felt ill from being diabetic.
 

Ragmar

Well-Known Member
Messages
132
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I didn't have any of the symptoms either and I wrestled with my diagnosis but I accepted it. I don't feel sick, like my sugar is always between 4 and 7 with my average being like 5.8. Anyway as bluetit said it could possibly be because of the meals spread out.

My doctor told me that by losing weight like the visceral fat around your organs, liver etc we can reverse insulin resistance (increase insulin sensitivity) and maybe that was it for you.

Anyway I wish you the best in your management and care.