1. Get the Diabetes Forum App for your phone - available on iOS and Android.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Guest, we'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the Diabetes Forum Survey 2022 »
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Diabetes Forum should not be used in an emergency and does not replace your healthcare professional relationship. Posts can be seen by the public.
    Dismiss Notice
Free Forum App Feedback Reminder
Dismiss Notice
Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community »

What can I try next?

Discussion in 'Type 2 Diabetes' started by Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    Its almost 5 months since I was diagnosed and Ive been LCHF since but my levels have been very up and down during that time and I have asked for advise before so almost 4 weeks ago I started intermittent fasting 18/6 so after evening meal at 18.00 I eat nothing until lunch time the next day (12.00) apart from a coffee with 30g of double cream at 06.30 before work each day. At first my levels dropped straight away and I was starting to see high 4s before food and Low 6s after food. I was so pleased but a week ago my levels started to rise now I'm seeing high 6s/low 7s before food and I've even been 9.2 after food, nothing at all as changed with my diet, a typical days food for me is
    06.30 decafe coffee with 30g of double cream
    12.00 L tuna mayo, 2 x spring onions, 4 x cherry Tomatoes, few peppers, pack of pork scratchings. Decafe coffee with 30g of double cream
    18.00 D homemade chicken BLT with mayo and sf Jelly with double cream with black tea.
    I drink water though out the day
    Yesterday I felt very low and emotional and had been awake since 3am so my levels were higher (thats when i saw the 9.2 after food - not a spike)
    I don't seem to be harbouring a bug, don't seem to be any more stressed than usual walking 5-6 miles a day with work. I've tried new test strips and get same readings so I'm stumped. I've stopped counting carbs but when I was having 3 meals I was having roughly about 25-30 carbs a day. I've stopped snacking. What could I try next? I'm finding my journey is a roller-coaster :bag::(
    Eta I am diet only
     
    • Hug Hug x 4
    #1 Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019 at 9:10 PM
  2. Antje77

    Antje77 LADA · Moderator
    Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,470
    Likes Received:
    9,182
    Trophy Points:
    298
    Sounds very frustrating!
    I hope someone will come along with better idea's than I have. Have you had a C-peptide test?
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    #2 Antje77, Jun 15, 2019 at 9:27 PM
  3. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    It is frustrating.
    No, I've not bad a c-peptide test. I've haven't had much h supoort from my gp surgery at all. I've seen c-peptide test mentioned a lot on here, what is it for exactly?
     
    #3 Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019 at 9:39 PM
  4. Guzzler

    Guzzler Type 2 · Master

    Messages:
    10,578
    Likes Received:
    6,976
    Trophy Points:
    278
    Poor sleep directly affects bg.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    • Winner Winner x 1
    #4 Guzzler, Jun 15, 2019 at 9:39 PM
  5. Antje77

    Antje77 LADA · Moderator
    Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,470
    Likes Received:
    9,182
    Trophy Points:
    298
    It tells you something about the amount of insulin you produce.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #5 Antje77, Jun 15, 2019 at 9:44 PM
  6. EllieM

    EllieM Type 1 · Moderator
    Staff Member

    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    3,077
    Trophy Points:
    198
    Exactly what I was thinking as I read @Starfish18 's post. Of course, blood sugar's are raised by stress, so worrying about them is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy, but I would be requesting one as the first thing to rule out. (Though I'm not sure whether a GP can order one, or it has to be a hospital diabetic clinic???)

    A C-peptide test measures the amount of insulin produced by one's pancreas. T2s typically produce high quantities, because they are struggling to make their insulin work to process their carbs. T1/LADAs (LADA is a slow onset T1) will have low levels, because their bodies are gradually producing less and less insulin. If you're LADA then no amount of low carbing will help, because you're just not producing the insulin your body needs.... Unfortunately many many adult onset T1s start out misdiagnosed as T2s, so it is a check that needs to be done.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #6 EllieM, Jun 15, 2019 at 9:48 PM
  7. ert

    ert Type 1 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,536
    Likes Received:
    3,029
    Trophy Points:
    198
    You are doing terrifically well in reducing your HbA1c from 95 to 50. I'm sure with the listed blood sugars you will reduce it further and are having a sight off week due to stress.

    I had my c-peptide done after achieving 30 mmol/l with poached eggs and toast for breakfast 2 years ago. My insulin (c-peptide) is extremely low. Even lower in my last blood test (0.127 mmol/l. Less than 0.2 on diagnosis, like mine, indicates type 1 and insulin requirement.) Because I'm deteriorating, I have a referral for OCDEM this coming week.

    I only dream of eating a BLT.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Hug Hug x 2
    #7 ert, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:00 PM
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2019
  8. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    Thank you for your reply I really appreciate it. Its just been assumed I am type 2 as my mum is type 2 and my grandma was.
    I just worry ill have a fight on my hands getting a c-peptide test as the nurse is happy I've managed to get my hba1c down to 50 from 95 :( apparently im now in a good range :banghead:
     
    • Winner Winner x 1
    #8 Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:10 PM
  9. Member496333

    Member496333 · Guest

    Probably just your body purging out all the glucose now that your insulin levels are no longer keeping it locked up in your cells.

    Keep calm and carry on. Don’t put any in, burn off what’s already there.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #9 Member496333, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:15 PM
  10. EllieM

    EllieM Type 1 · Moderator
    Staff Member

    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    3,077
    Trophy Points:
    198
    They really shouldn't asssume that. Remind your GP that a recent report states that 38% of adult onset T1s were originally misdiagnosed as T2. You need the test, if only to rule out LADA as a possibility.

    https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/uoe-ato043019.php

    The good news is that treatment for T1 is a rapidly improving and evolving process and T1s get better treatment from the NHS than T2s. The bad news is (ugh... insulin) but as a T1 for 49 years I can definitely say that it's not the end of the world, and I have much more dietary freedom than a low carbing T2.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #10 EllieM, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:18 PM
  11. Daibell

    Daibell LADA · Master

    Messages:
    12,495
    Likes Received:
    7,390
    Trophy Points:
    298
    Hi. Are you slim and have lost weight recently without trying? If so these are pointers to LADA. I had a C-peptide test done privately as my GP was also useless. It showed my insulin to be quite low. Fortunately I was finally offered insulin which was the only solution for me.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    #11 Daibell, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:30 PM
  12. ert

    ert Type 1 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,536
    Likes Received:
    3,029
    Trophy Points:
    198
    They may have different rules in NZ but it would be very difficult to get a referral for a c-peptide test on the NHS unless they assume diagnostic uncertainty and other high-risk areas. They consider the specialist opinion (required to get a c-peptide test) if: ⁻ Age > 50 years but BMI <25 OR family history of immune disease ⁻ Age >25 but rapid progression to insulin ⁻ Age < 25 and BMI > 25 with Type 2 diabetes ⁻ Suspected monogenic / atypical / pancreatic diabetes.

    EllieM, How did they diagnose you as type 1?

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/rightcar...40/2018/07/nhs-rightcare-pathway-diabetes.pdf
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #12 ert, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:50 PM
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2019
  13. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    Im not overweight. I lost weight without trying but I put that down to starting a new job and doing a lot of walking this was before I was diagnosed. My weight loss has stopped now.
     
    #13 Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019 at 10:59 PM
  14. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    So I wouldn't get a c-peptide test done under the NHS?
     
    #14 Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019 at 11:05 PM
  15. ert

    ert Type 1 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,536
    Likes Received:
    3,029
    Trophy Points:
    198
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #15 ert, Jun 15, 2019 at 11:06 PM
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2019
  16. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    Thank you. I'll have a read of that in the morning. If I cant get a c-peptide test then I'll just have to carry on doing what I'm doing lchf and bide my time and see what happens
     
    • Like Like x 1
    #16 Starfish18, Jun 15, 2019 at 11:17 PM
  17. HSSS

    HSSS Type 2 · Expert

    Messages:
    5,932
    Likes Received:
    2,911
    Trophy Points:
    198
    Or if it’s manageable you can get private insulin tests. Eg medicheks for £39
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #17 HSSS, Jun 16, 2019 at 12:48 AM
  18. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    That's interesting, I'll look into that, thank you
     
    #18 Starfish18, Jun 16, 2019 at 9:18 AM
  19. Pasha

    Pasha Type 2 · Expert

    Messages:
    8,543
    Likes Received:
    21,225
    Trophy Points:
    198
    @Starfish18

    Have you had thyroid function tests prescribed by your GP.?
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
    #19 Pasha, Jun 16, 2019 at 9:36 AM
  20. Starfish18

    Starfish18 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    3,224
    Trophy Points:
    178
    I haven't yet. Can the Thyroid affect your levels? My levels have been higher for the past week now after getting them down to 4-6s, which they were for 3 weeks when I started IF
     
    #20 Starfish18, Jun 16, 2019 at 9:48 AM
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2
Style
Red
Language
English (UK)

  • Meet the Community

    Find support, connect with others, ask questions and share your experiences with people with diabetes, their carers and family.

    Did you know: 7 out of 10 people improve their understanding of diabetes within 6 months of being a Diabetes Forum member. Get the Diabetes Forum App and stay connected on iOS and Android

    Grab the app!

  • Tweet with us

  • Like us on Facebook