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Worried About High Levels

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Sabrina222

Member
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10
I’m asking on behalf of my husband who I’m really worried about. He’s been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and yesterday he felt really dizzy and weak after eating so we checked his sugar levels and they showed 11.6. This morning he checked them before breakfast and they were 8.6. Is this normal or should we be worried?
 
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You should be concerned, not 'worried'.

Definitely worth a proper check by the quack in my opinion.
 
May I ask how long he's been diagnosed? Is he on any medication for his diabetes? How long after eating did he feel like this and what was it he had had to eat? xx
 
What are his levels normally like? How does he manage his diabetes? Sorry for the questions but a little more info will help us help you both.
 
He was diagnosed about two years ago and it’s controlled via medication. These are the medicines he takes
Ezetimibe
Gliclazide
Vipidia
His blood sugar levels are normally in the 6 mark
 
These are the guideline ranges for Type 2.

Before meals and fasting 4 to 7
at least 90 minutes post meal, under 8.5.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

A better plan is to be under 7.8 after meals and under 6 before meals. With his medication he should be able to manage this. By the way, the Ezetimibe is a cholesterol lowering drug, not a diabetes drug.

Can you tell us a typical days diet for him? Diet is the key to control
 

I’m not going to lie, his diet is terrible and I’m to blame for that (I do most of the cooking). We eat a lot of rice and I’ve not really been watching his intake of carbs either. To be honest though I feel that when he was diagnosed it was a case of take these tablets and no further advice. I need to educate myself on the foods he should be eating and more importantly not eating.
 
What had he eaten when this happened? He can still have rice but try limiting the portion size and bulking up with some veg and meat (unless you guys don't eat meat in which case I apologise) you really should watch the carb intake though so cut back on starchy things like bread, rice/pasta, potatoes etc xx
 
I'm tagging @daisy1 for you and your husband, as it sounds like his health care proffesional has left you groping in the dark. She'll provide you with excellent information to start with.
In the mean time, it's wonderful you have a meter and test strips, and his numbers are a bit too high, but not dangerous right away.
Good luck!
 

We’d been out for our children’s birthday so we had Nando’s, he’d had a quarter chicken, chips, half a toasted pitta with coleslaw, he also drank Pepsi and had a couple of spoons of my toffee sundae.
 

Thank you, the meter and test strips are actually my 12 year old daughters who has an adrenal issue, I know I shouldn’t really be using hers but when he was feeling so weak and dizzy I had no choice. The GP has never offered one or said anything about testing but surely if he’s feeling this way he should be testing/monitoring. He also drives for a living so I guess that’s another reason I’m worried that of how he felt yesterday was to happen whilst he’s on the road it could be dangerous.
 
@Sabrina222 I strongly suggest he stop driving until he has his own meter that he can carry at all times, Glicazide as far as I'm aware can cause hypo's so he should not be driving unless he tests and is within the guidelines for driving, have the DVLA not queried this? As for the high reading he experienced I cant say I'm too surprised after chips and everything and quite frankly I'm surprised it wasn't higher xx
 

I don’t quite understand, do you have to inform the DVLA regarding type 2 (sorry if I sound dim, only the doctors never gave any further information, just a prescription). I’m going to make an appointment for him on Monday but thank you so much because I feel I got more information from you in our short conversation than we have from our GP over the past 2 years
 
Yes, Glic can cause hypos so the DVLA should have been informed straight away, you have to be 5.0 or above before setting off driving and there are rules to follow - testing every so often on long journeys etc, its important for him not to drive if he cant test as that could be a VERY dangerous situation please be careful!! xx
 
Hi there, I have had BGs similar to the ones you report and I did have symptoms like that. As my BGs have stabilized I am feeling much better.

If your husband would be interested he should consider signing up to the forum too. I think once you make some simple changes to the foods you eat as a family, you will probably all feel better for it.

Driving safety is key for anyone on Glic or other meds that can cause hypos. I hope the GP immediately arranges for a diabetic specialist nurse to see your husband (and ideally, you with him) so he knows how to meet his responsibilities as a driver and esp. as a commercial driver by using a meter and taking it with him every time he drives. This is a mistake by the GP that could have been tragic, and the GP would have potentially been in a lot of legal trouble. He needs to give a meter to anyone on Glic and ensure they know about the risks.

If your husband can ask for a printout of his blood test results or access to his records online, then that will be better than the GP just saying this or that blood test was "fine" or "low." The actual number makes all the difference to understanding and checking that the GP isn't missing something important.

One quick question if you're comfortable (OK if not) - while sleeping, does your husband snore, toss and turn/kick, or have pauses in his breathing followed by gasping for air?
 
As your husband drives for a living not giving him a way to test his blood glucose and instructions to do so after putting him on a glucose lowering medication seems very irresponsible.
Starting to lower his blood glucose levels will need to be down carefully and with a lot of checking, as eating fewer carbs is a powerful tool for getting control and could easily result in BG levels dropping too low if done too efficiently or fast.
I suggest that you contact the doctor as soon as possible to obtain more information - or perhaps to inform them of the terms and conditions for driving.
 

Hope this helps-
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
 
Sabrina222 said:
He was diagnosed about two years ago and it’s controlled via medication. These are the medicines he takes
Ezetimibe
Gliclazide
Vipidia
His blood sugar levels are normally in the 6 mark
Click to expand...
It's possible that the GP did mention driving, hypos, and a meter when your husband was first prescribed Glic and Vipidia. Sometimes things get lost in translation so I would be cautious about going in all guns blazing unless your husband says he definitely was not told.
 
@Sabrina222 Your doctor should prescribe a meter and test strips to your husband because he drives for a living. It is in the NICE guidelines

1.6.13 Do not routinely offer self-monitoring of blood glucose levels for adults with type 2 diabetes unless:

  • the person is on insulin or

  • there is evidence of hypoglycaemic episodes or

  • the person is on oral medication that may increase their risk of hypoglycaemia while driving or operating machinery or

  • the person is pregnant, or is planning to become pregnant. For more information, see the NICE guideline on diabetes in pregnancy. [new 2015]
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28/chapter/1-Recommendations#blood-glucose-management-2

As he is on Gliclazide and this medication can cause hypos, he needs a meter. If the GP refuses, show him the NICE guidelines as above. Failing that, he needs to self fund his own.

Quite apart from driving, a meter is an essential tool to help us with our food choices. Testing before and after eating shows us at a glance what that meal has done to our blood glucose, and which our personal danger foods are. We can help you with all this when/if he gets a meter.
 
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