DIABETES type 2

[Marta_K]

Hi
My husband has been diagnose few months ago with diabetes type 2 currently he is taking Metformin 500mg. He stopped drinking coke and simillar drinks no juices as well. No suger in his coffe however he is not really good in staying away from sweets \cookies
Is it allowed to eat some sweets/cookies with diabetes type 2 at all?
Thank you in advance

 

[Northerner]

Hi Marta, welcome to the forum 🙂 Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just cutting out sugary things - all carbohydrates need to be considered and eaten in moderation. So, things like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, pastries and things baked with flour all contain carbohydrates - sugar is simply a form of carbohydrate. To answer your question, sweets and cookies are not going to help with his blood sugar control, and should only be eaten as an occasional treat.

I'd suggest reading Maggie Davey's letter which will give you a good idea of the sort of diet your husband needs to consider, plus lots of other useful information about how to manage diabetes well 🙂 I'd also suggest getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, whihc many of our members have found to be very helpful in guiding them through the early months after their diagnosis.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we will do our best to help 🙂

 

[DaveB]

Hi. I agree with Northerner. Your husband needs to keep the carbs down to a level where his blood sugar stays within a good range based mainly on his HBa1C. Occasional blood sugar spikes are fine and I think we all occasionally binge but it needs to be sensible and use the meter to see what spikes him most.

 

[Marta_K]

Thank you so much for your comments and advice. Where we can get from meter to measure blood sugar levels?

Thank you

 

[Northerner]

Thank you so much for your comments and advice. Where we can get from meter to measure blood sugar levels?

Thank you

You can ask the GP or nurse if they will prescribe one and the test strips, however they are often reluctant to do so unless you are on certain types of medication. If they do say no, then it's worth funding them yourself if possible, recording the results you get and then returning to the GP to explain how they are helping you/your husband to manage blood sugar levels and food choices - they will often then agree to prescribe. Many of our member use the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50 (amazon links) and is one of the cheapest we have come across. The main expense is not the meter, but the test strips which you can only use once - High St brands can charge as much as £30 for 50 strips, so the Codefree represents a significant saving. Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how to use testing to help you with your food choices and to improve your blood sugar levels (when I say 'you', I mean your husband! 🙂)