Autistic Burnout and Poor Glucose control

[Elliebdays]

As the title really, I've been diabetic for 13 years and i have been really well controlled up until the last 2 years my HbA1c has been climbimg and my last recording was 78 which is the highest it has been my consultant has been asking me to test my BG (so i bought a cheapish glucometer as type 2 I don't get one provided even though they keep asking me to test anyway that is a different issue) and honestly the results are pretty bad i'm going to bed at 21 most nights and my morning fasting glucose is 12 mmol
I was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder in October last year and its been a lot to take on board i'm not making excuses but for some reason I can't seem to apply the things that used to work to control my glucose at the moment,I have terrible food issues where certain textures etc I can't handle and honestly because of executive function being at an all time low I can't even seem to cook a basic meal these days, add in general stress and things feel to much.

I really want to avoid going on insulin as the consultant keeps telling me it'll make me gain weight,I am currently on ligaralutide, empflagozin and metformin. Does anyone have experience managing diabetes alongside a burnout? I'm worried things are spiralling for me and i'd really like to get my control back

sorry this has been a bit long winded
L

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and well done for recognising that you are losing control and coming here to seek advice.

I responded to your other post and agree with @trophywench that you might be misdiagnosed as Type 2 when you are LADA but just wondered if you could tell us the sort of things you eat, then we might be able to suggest some alternatives which would be more conducive to lower BG readings, even if you don't feel like cooking. I appreciate that you have issues with food but if we can suggest a few swaps that you still enjoy and are easy, then it might make a significant difference to your levels. I know when I was trying to get to grips with my diagnosis last year and learning to eat low carb, there were times when I just wanted someone to tell me what I could safely eat and enjoy without skyrocketing my BG. Now I know what works, I know what to buy and having those foods readily available in the house means I can't go too far wrong.

 

[Elliebdays]

Hi and well done for recognising that you are losing control and coming here to seek advice.

I responded to your other post and agree with @trophywench that you might be misdiagnosed as Type 2 when you are LADA but just wondered if you could tell us the sort of things you eat, then we might be able to suggest some alternatives which would be more conducive to lower BG readings, even if you don't feel like cooking. I appreciate that you have issues with food but if we can suggest a few swaps that you still enjoy and are easy, then it might make a significant difference to your levels. I know when I was trying to get to grips with my diagnosis last year and learning to eat low carb, there were times when I just wanted someone to tell me what I could safely eat and enjoy without skyrocketing my BG. Now I know what works, I know what to buy and having those foods readily available in the house means I can't go too far wrong.

Breakfast is usually cereal I tend to alternate between rice crispies and porridge, along with an apple, lunch is soup (usually its vegetable or chicken) dinner is usually some kind of chicken and salad/rice I don't exactly follow a low carb diet but i avoid junk food my diet isn't the most varied and tends to be things that can go in the oven as after a full day working Idon't have the ability to follow any complex tasks as my brain is all fuzzy

 

[Ditto]

Being autistic sucks! I think I am but they never got round to testing me, I was supposed to wait for an appointment, still waiting decades later. Have eggs for breakfast, better than cereal imho.

 

[trophywench]

Well I've been taking insulin for 48 years so far Ellie and it is true that I'm no longer M&S size 12 and am now their size 14, that I weighed 8st 3lbs and am now c. 9.5st. Simply if your own body can either not produce enough or any insulin, you simply don't have a choice. You either use insulin or die. On the whole - people do tend to use insulin!

Usually, breakfast time is when nearly all of us can cope with far less carbs than at any other time of day - and that's a high carb brekkie in anyone's book even if they aren't diabetic! At least 30g carb in the cereal & milk plus another 20 ish in the apple. I agree it would be better for you to have a protein based brekkie, but hear what you say about textures cos at least two of our granddaughters also have that prob, so dunno if you can cope with eggs or not.

You can actually last longer when the energy is fuelled by protein rather than carbs. Can turn anything and everything we eat into fuel - ie glucose. So the body can get it's fuel from protein and fat as well as carbs however as it's even lazier than me, it will NOT do that whilst there's enough carb about, cos it actually has to go through a different process to achieve it, which it clearly considers more effort, so doesn't do it as quickly as when it's carbs all the way. It's not slow enough for it to be noticeable, so no need for concern over that.

 

[rebrascora]

The great thing about eggs is that they can be boiled hard or soft, fried, scrambled or made into an omelette which is my preferred option since I can add a load of different fillings and eat it without needing anything like bread to mop up the yolk. They provide a variety of different textures, so if you don't like them one way, perhaps try another. I am currently having a couple of hard boiled eggs with mayonnaise or sour cream and chive dip for breakdfast. Other options might be to cook some sausages or chicken drumsticks the night before and have a couple of them for breakfast or berries with whipped cream or creamy Greek natural yoghurt and chopped nuts and mixed seeds. Nature Valley do packs of 4 protein bars which are just under 10g carbs each, so one of those is an easy grab and go breakfast of just 10g carbs. They do a really nice salted caramel and a peanut and chocolate variety and there is also a coconut and white chocolate I think.
Eat Natural do a low carb granola which is just 34g carbs per 100g, so 40g of that with some cream or yoghurt and a few berries comes in at about 20g carbs. Not sure if any of those suggestions are any good.
Once you get your BG under control you will feel more invigorated physically and mentally.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment @Elliebdays

Hope the hints and tips from forum members will give you some pointers and also some questions to ask your Dr - especially over your diabetes classification if LADA is a possibility.

I wish healthcare professionals wouldn’t scare people about weight gain and insulin as if it was inevitable. There do seem to be a number of people who can struggle with weight and insulin, but I think the vast majority can take insulin as part of a well-balanced eating plan and see no appreciable insulin-related weight gain at all.

 

[Elliebdays]

Thank you for all the replies I will definitely give the eggs a try i'm not to keen on them but I can handle scrambled eggs and i'm going to call the clinic tomorrow to discuss my wayward control and ask them to look again if I may have been classified wrongly

 

[Eddy Edson]

Thank you for all the replies I will definitely give the eggs a try i'm not to keen on them but I can handle scrambled eggs and i'm going to call the clinic tomorrow to discuss my wayward control and ask them to look again if I may have been classified wrongly

Good luck! With the eggs as well as the clinic 🙂

I'm a weird eater - can't stand eggs.

These days, having ditched bread to a large extent, I base a lot of eating around nuts and seeds. So this morning for brekky I had strawberries, kiwi fruit and walnuts with lemon juice, plus a big soy flat white with a bunch of chia seeds. Not for everybody but pretty nutritious, including lots of protein - and no eggs! Also, quick'n'easy to prepare.