Type 2 Diabetes due to diet required for temporary stoma bag after colon rectal cancer stage 3c

[iburry67]

Has anybody had this issue? I am suffering from Diabetes type 2 due to my diet to assist the body to absorb as much nutrients as possible by slowing down your digestive system as I have a temporary stoma bag after rectal cancer operation at stage 3c. I had four rounds of chemo and 28 rounds of radio therapy and a ten hour operation to make sure I would have a temerity stoma bag.. I have tried to get advice from the stoma team, the surgeon, the GP. They all stick to their guns and say that is the solution. Im doing the sugar and salt diet and 2000mg Metformin and my eye sight is getting terrible, I have numb feet and hands. I am supposed to be getting a reversal of the stoma bag after an operation 28th February 2020. I was promised a reversal operation within 3-6 months as long as all went well, then a week after the operation, COVID 19 started the lock down and now I still have the stoma bag. I still do not have a date for the reversal and I am extremely worried that this diabetes will cause permanent damage to my eyesight. I had cataracts removed in both eyes. I am a boat captain. I am 53 years old and this COVID 19 is screwing up my career and I’ve it even had COVID, yet they get priority.
I have tried experimenting by taking vitamins and reducing the metformin. I’ve tried reducing sugar and upping the salt. I tried to eat thickening foods and so on, but nothing works. I am not ready to retire because of this ridiculous predicament. The medical profession just look at me and say we know you need the operation, but we can’t give it you.
I was getting angry about noto being heard, so they put me on anti depressants... incredible... the diabetes is also causing ED just to get me even more frustrated. One minute I’m bouncing off the ceilings with the sugar and the next I’m crashing hard and my mental health is so hard to manage. On top of this they insulting put me on a check with a red flag asking me I” was suicidal or not. I live on my own I’ve just done 19 months of this and these COVID patients who have ignored the requests and got COVID and they go ahead of me. I am extremely grateful for being cancer free, but I’m so mad that losing my health that I need for my career, because I” money and politics. I know I’m not unique, but I am on disability, up and housing benefit at a cost to the govt when I could be back in the work force not being a burden and my benefits could be being paid to somebody who does not have a solution to be fixed like I do. I’m sorry but I’m very confused as to the logic. Especially as we were all told the last lockdown for the month of November 2020 was to help the NHS catch up. Well I’m now at ten months with no resolution or date this year. So obviously the nhs has not caught up, yet they’ve opened the country up again with the threat of COVID still over our heads. It’s just not exceptable that I risk losing my eyesight and body parts to diabetes type 2 because of selfish people, a wishy washy ruling over COVID restrictions.. Makes me so mad, but you probably guessed that already 🙂

 

[Inka]

@iburry67 That all sounds very stressful and the fact everything is ‘up in the air’ at the moment can’t help.

My first thought was could you take insulin to allow you to eat the required diet if the Metformin isn’t sufficient to control your blood sugar? And do you know how high your blood sugar is? Have you had an HbA1C test at the doctors’ or do you have a glucose meter to test at home?

 

[iburry67]

@iburry67 That all sounds very stressful and the fact everything is ‘up in the air’ at the moment can’t help.

My first thought was could you take insulin to allow you to eat the required diet if the Metformin isn’t sufficient to control your blood sugar? And do you know how high your blood sugar is? Have you had an HbA1C test at the doctors’ or do you have a glucose meter to test at home?

I’ve had the tests and my numbers are good, but that doesn’t resolve the eyesight issue.

 

[iburry67]

I’m wor

I’ve had the tests and my numbers are good, but that doesn’t resolve the eyesight issue.

I’m working with the GP. If insulin was the way to go I’m sure he would take me in that direction. He says like I do. You need the reversal this has gone on long enough.

 

[iburry67]

I’m wor

I’m working with the GP. If insulin was the way to go I’m sure he would take me in that direction. He says like I do. You need the reversal this has gone on long enough.

I’m getting into the realms of permanency with this stoma. If i was expecting it to be a permanent situation I’d have a different attitude. The fact that if I was given a date in February or March for example I have something to work to. They have told me to come in in mid January to sign paperwork and liability waiver, but then went on to say don’t expect a prompt day thereafter as there are still delays. Even though there are time restrictions from signing the paperwork, if they go over that time stamp they’ll just invite me in to re do paperwork. So I continue to be on tender hooks.

 

[trophywench]

So what is your day to day BG level? And have you had retinopathy screening lately?

 

[Inka]

I’ve had the tests and my numbers are good, but that doesn’t resolve the eyesight issue.

What were your actual numbers? Have you had your eyes checked recently (diabetic eye check)? And a foot check?

 

[iburry67]

What were your actual numbers? Have you had your eyes checked recently (diabetic eye check)? And a foot check?

Yes all checked and blood work done.

 

[iburry67]

I had brand new prescription in May this year for glasses and was told to come back in two years. I was operated on end of February. The glasses have been no use since August.

 

[iburry67]

I had brand new prescription in May this year for glasses and was told to come back in two years. I was operated on end of February. The glasses have been no use since August.

i Just need the bag removed.

 

[Inka]

Good that your eyes and feet have been checked. Are you testing your blood sugar at home?

 

[iburry67]

Yes

 

[Inka]

Yes

Very sensible 🙂 So what blood test numbers are you getting? Are they all below 8? How high is your highest number roughly? When do you test?

Lots of questions but I’m wondering if your blood sugar has risen since your last eye check.

 

[iburry67]

Very sensible 🙂 So what blood test numbers are you getting? Are they all below 8? How high is your highest number roughly? When do you test?

Lots of questions but I’m wondering if your blood sugar has risen since your last eye check.

usually between 6 and 10. I had blood test last week.

 

[Inka]

I know hardly anything about stomas or stoma diets but could your numb hands and feet be connected to your salt intake or similar in any way?

I can understand how frustrating the long delay you’ve had is. It must be very wearing after all you’ve gone through. I really hope you get things sorted soon.

 

[iburry67]

*

I know hardly anything about stomas or stoma diets but could your numb hands and feet be connected to your salt intake or similar in any way?

I can understand how frustrating the long delay you’ve had is. It must be very wearing after all you’ve gone through. I really hope you get things sorted soon.

listen I apologize for getting upset with that woman, but I’m struggling and I really don’t care what is what, I just need suggestions which you’ve helped me with. I hope that when I ask a dr a question he knows who to ask even if he doesn’t know himself

 

[Inka]

We all get stressed sometimes @iburry67 I was being genuine when I said you’ve had a tough time. I really can imagine how very frustrating this must be.

I’d add to keep an eye on your blood sugar after meals just to see if you’re missing any rises that might be taking you over 10. Maybe see if you can get an eye check earlier with regard to your glasses? Not being able to see properly is aggravating all by itself. The numb hands and feet could be connected to your diabetes but if I was you I’d just want to check it wasn’t anything to do with your diet or stoma.

It sounds utterly trite but just take one day at a time. Pacing yourself mentally and emotionally can help eg if you set a ‘distant’ date, then work towards that day by day, knowing you’re getting closer to getting your stoma sorted. I hope that makes sense.

Wishing you the best. Please feel free to rant here.

 

[iburry67]

We all get stressed sometimes @iburry67 I was being genuine when I said you’ve had a tough time. I really can imagine how very frustrating this must be.

I’d add to keep an eye on your blood sugar after meals just to see if you’re missing any rises that might be taking you over 10. Maybe see if you can get an eye check earlier with regard to your glasses? Not being able to see properly is aggravating all by itself. The numb hands and feet could be connected to your diabetes but if I was you I’d just want to check it wasn’t anything to do with your diet or stoma.

It sounds utterly trite but just take one day at a time. Pacing yourself mentally and emotionally can help eg if you set a ‘distant’ date, then work towards that day by day, knowing you’re getting closer to getting your stoma sorted. I hope that makes sense.

Wishing you the best. Please feel free to rant here.

Thank you . I will try not to..

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Really sorry to hear about the situation you have been forced into @iburry67 - through no fault of your own, and with apparently no clear way forward It must be worrying, infuriating and distressing all at once.

I really hope you can get a date for your rescheduled op arranged very soon in the new year, so that you have more of a firm idea of what is ahead of you.

I’m afraid like @Inka I know next to nothing about stoma and ileostomy, or what your diet entails, but the BG values you are quoting sound as if your diabetes management is going quite well. An HbA1c would give you a good idea of how your diabetes was doing.

How sugary is the salt and sugar diet? is the intention to limit the need for the body to deal with fibre fats and proteins? I can see that an approach like that would be a real challenge diabetes-wise. When my wife was living with pancreatic cancer she was asked to eat all beige foods - exactly the ones we are usually suppsed to avoid - so I know some cancers require quite different ways of eating.

Hopefully any focus changes in your eyes will be short lived and will recover once your BG is reduced. Moderately elevated BG can change the pressure in the eye and cause it to change shape just enough to cause blurriness, but this can sort itself out with no long term damage.

Good that you’ve had your eyes screened as that will have checked for the more long-term changes to the retina’s blood vessels.

Everything crossed for a speedy route to the next phases of your treatment and your bag removal op.

 

[ianf0ster]

I'm surprised that there is such a thing as a sugar and salt diet for people with a stoma bag. I have MYH associated Polyposis and the surgeons tried to persuade me to have my Colon removed - I continue to rsist that (opting for a regular trim of my polyps instead). I met around 40 people who had the removal of their colon and either ha a stoma bag or thier small intestine attached to their rectum. None of them required a special diet - they just found that they tolerated some foods better than others.
My brother has the same condition as me, but he refused to be tested until it was too late - he had cancerous polyps at both ends of his colon - so not much choice about having it removed. He has had a stoma bag for almost 9 month and he is eating fairly normal food - I know because we have discussed meeting up for a meal (keeps getting put off due to Covid).

A high crab diet even without sugar is likely to increase your chances of T2D by several fold - I don't understand what your 'stoma team' are thinking. High sugar/carb diets are also proven to increase the growth of cancer cells - they don't use Ketones for energy so easily as normal cells.

Here they talk about foods to eat when you have a stoma :

https://www.salts.co.uk/en-gb/your-stoma/living-with-a-stoma/dietary-nutritional-advice (includes full fat and high protein - fish, tender meat, eggs)

http://uk-forum.atkins.com/community/forums/thread/7519/low-carb-with-ileostomy (Says no reason for sugar, since it doesn't help electrolyte {salts} absorption, and suggests a bone broth type (low carb boulion) in order to maintain electrolytes)

http://crohnsfighting.com/keto-diet-with-an-ileostomy/( a blogger talking about how they are doing 'Keto' with a stoma bag).


https://www.inspire.com/groups/ostomy/discussion/low-carb-with-a-colostomy/ (various answers to what people eat when they have a stoma).