Carbs? Low, high, none?

[Manicmaive]

Am I supposed to eat zero carbs, low carbs, high carbs, low fat, high fat, low fat, low calorie, high calorie, I don't have the slightest idea what I am supposed to eat, I have lost over a stone in weight since July, mainly because I can't understand what I can eat so I don't eat anything. I have no symptoms of diabetes, nor have I ever had any, I never get any thirstier than I ever did, I don't wee any more than normal, this diabetes business is making me so depressed as I can't get any answers to my questions, I asked the experts on Desmond but their answers just confused me even more. I cannot seem to get an appointment with a diabetic official at my doctor's surgery so I am having to rely on what other people with this depressing disease are saying. Is there any point in taking medicine when I have no idea why I am taking it?

 

[gll]

Hi @Manicmaive

Most of us totally understand the initial confusion of what you should and shouldn't be doing to deal with diabetes. There are a few stories where folks are well supported by their healthcare peoples but most are given a prescription and shoved out the door.

The main questions before anyone can properly advise you are what medications are you on and what was your hba1c result if you know it.

 

[Manicmaive]

Hi @Manicmaive

Most of us totally understand the initial confusion of what you should and shouldn't be doing to deal with diabetes. There are a few stories where folks are well supported by their healthcare peoples but most are given a prescription and shoved out the door.

The main questions before anyone can properly advise you are what medications are you on and what was your hba1c result if you know it.

I have no idea what my hba1c is or even what it is. I was given a random blood test, told I had type 2 diabetes, given a prescription and left to it. I have been given Sukkarto SR Metformin hydrochloride 500 mg tablets 2 per day, they have, or seemed to have raised my cholesterol and now I have to take 2 statins a day, this was again after a random blood test to ascertain my cholesterol level, when I asked about my diabetes the nurse I saw was unaware of my condition and couldn't help, when I telephoned regarding the results of my blood test I was told my statins had been increased and there was a prescription waiting for me, no consultation or any advice from and medical person. Thank you for replying.

 

[Leadinglights]

This sounds absolutely appalling, to have been prescribed metformin I assume your HbA1C was quite high though some doctors just reach for the prescription pad regardless, when dietary changes would be sufficient to bring down blood glucose if not too high. The HbA1C is a test which is used to diagnose diabetes and is an average of your blood glucose level over the previous 3 months, a level 48mmol/mol and above will indicate diabetes. How high will determine how much work you need to do with your diet, the metformin just helps the body use the insulin it produces more efffectively.
What should you eat?
Meals based on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy, vegetables, salads, fruit such as berries with only small portions of high carbohydrate foods. Those are things like potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, pastry, tropical fruits. But the things you will want to cut out are cakes, biscuits, fruit juices and sugary drinks.
There are different approaches which people find successful, low calorie, low carbohydrate (that does not mean NO carbohydrate) or shakes-based regime to give a kick start. What will be most suitable for you partly depends on what your HbA1C is, if you have more weight to lose and your lifestyle. But whatever you choose has to be enjoyable otherwise it is not sustainable for the long term. What you are currently doing, not eating is not sustainable.
Have a look at this link for a sensible low carb approach, that means no more than 130g total carbs (not just sugar) per day which for most people is very doable with some good food choices. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

You also need a conversation with your surgery to find your HbA1C result and your cholesterol. Many find that reducing their carbs will improve their cholesterol but as a diabetic they like people to be below 4 so if it is not will prescribe statins. They are usually taken once a day though.

 

[gll]

the hba1c is the blood test that diagnosis someone as diabetic and gives a picture of how its been going. It basically gives you an average of how the last 3 months have gone regarding your blood glucose.
Ask them for the result, it can indicate how far past the diabetic line you are. For some just over it, modest changes are all that are needed.

What metformin does is (in my totally not medical way of explaining) tells your liver to chill out on releasing so much glucose back into your blood and help the insulin you make naturally be used better.
Playing with diet while on metformin is fine and shouldn't post any risks by going low carb etc.

Folks approach it one of a few ways typically or a combination of all of them.

1) loose weight in whatever way you can be it shakes diet or good old fashioned weight watchers or slimming world. Getting visceral fat out of the way of your pancreas and liver can help them work better together. Some do it cautiously with a combination of being mindful of carbs while following a plan.

2) switch to a low carb way of life. Something to keep in mind that all carbs convert to glucose which the body then uses for energy. If you are insulin resistant (which is a huge part of t2) your body can't use insulin effectively and then can't produce enough insulin to stay on top of that (often over produce insulin which still isn't enough and can eventually tire things out). Taking the load off by low carbing it can sort some peeps out and manage with just diet. By-product is often weight loss. Often people eat more healthy fats for fuel to stay full and satisfied

3) eating to your meter. many t2s self fun a glucose meter and test strips and test their bloods before a meal and then again 2 hours later. if the difference in the numbers is more then 2-3 mmol/l then the food was too much for your body to cope with and you can tweak the portion size or rework the recipe and test that meal again. Everyone is individual in their response so no one can really give you a list of do eats and don't eats. Figuring out what works for you can help keep blood glucose under control.

4) rely purely on medication and go about life as normal. I do know people who have never changed anything in their diet and plod along with it working or slowly increasing the number and doses of medications over time.

So much depends on you, your lifestyle and how you want to attack it.
The other factor is sometimes, without explanation, what works for one doesn't work for another.

Having a meter (which you will likely have to fund yourself as you aren't on meds that require glucose monitoring in the guidelines) can give you information on how its going for you on a day to day basis. Most GPs tend to discourage self testing but end of the day, its up to you and if you find it beneficial. Honestly, I think it comes down to cost with that one.

Ill stop typing there as there's a lot to take in. please ask questions if you have them and other members might have more to add 🙂

 

[Manicmaive]

Hi @Manicmaive

Most of us totally understand the initial confusion of what you should and shouldn't be doing to deal with diabetes. There are a few stories where folks are well supported by their healthcare peoples but most are given a prescription and shoved out the door.

The main questions before anyone can properly advise you are what medications are you on and what was your hba1c result if you know it.

I have no idea what my hba1c is or even what it is. I was given a random blood test, told I had type 2 diabetes, given a prescription and left to it. I have been given Sukkarto SR Metformin hydrochloride 500 mg tablets 2 per day, they have, or seemed to have raised my cholesterol and now I have to take 2 statins a day, this was again after a random blood test to ascertain my cholesterol level, when I asked about my diabetes the nurse I saw was unaware of my condition and couldn't help, when I telephoned regarding the results of my blood test I was told my statins had been increased and there was a prescription waiting for me, no consultation or any advice from and medical person. Thank you for replying.

This sounds absolutely appalling, to have been prescribed metformin I assume your HbA1C was quite high though some doctors just reach for the prescription pad regardless, when dietary changes would be sufficient to bring down blood glucose if not too high. The HbA1C is a test which is used to diagnose diabetes and is an average of your blood glucose level over the previous 3 months, a level 48mmol/mol and above will indicate diabetes. How high will determine how much work you need to do with your diet, the metformin just helps the body use the insulin it produces more efffectively.
What should you eat?
Meals based on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy, vegetables, salads, fruit such as berries with only small portions of high carbohydrate foods. Those are things like potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, pastry, tropical fruits. But the things you will want to cut out are cakes, biscuits, fruit juices and sugary drinks.
There are different approaches which people find successful, low calorie, low carbohydrate (that does not mean NO carbohydrate) or shakes-based regime to give a kick start. What will be most suitable for you partly depends on what your HbA1C is, if you have more weight to lose and your lifestyle. But whatever you choose has to be enjoyable otherwise it is not sustainable for the long term. What you are currently doing, not eating is not sustainable.
Have a look at this link for a sensible low carb approach, that means no more than 130g total carbs (not just sugar) per day which for most people is very doable with some good food choices. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

You also need a conversation with your surgery to find your HbA1C result and your cholesterol. Many find that reducing their carbs will improve their cholesterol but as a diabetic they like people to be below 4 so if it is not will prescribe statins. They are usually taken once a day though.

Thank you, your answer has helped so much more than anything I got from the medical profession.

 

[Manicmaive]

the hba1c is the blood test that diagnosis someone as diabetic and gives a picture of how its been going. It basically gives you an average of how the last 3 months have gone regarding your blood glucose.
Ask them for the result, it can indicate how far past the diabetic line you are. For some just over it, modest changes are all that are needed.

What metformin does is (in my totally not medical way of explaining) tells your liver to chill out on releasing so much glucose back into your blood and help the insulin you make naturally be used better.
Playing with diet while on metformin is fine and shouldn't post any risks by going low carb etc.

Folks approach it one of a few ways typically or a combination of all of them.

1) loose weight in whatever way you can be it shakes diet or good old fashioned weight watchers or slimming world. Getting visceral fat out of the way of your pancreas and liver can help them work better together. Some do it cautiously with a combination of being mindful of carbs while following a plan.

2) switch to a low carb way of life. Something to keep in mind that all carbs convert to glucose which the body then uses for energy. If you are insulin resistant (which is a huge part of t2) your body can't use insulin effectively and then can't produce enough insulin to stay on top of that (often over produce insulin which still isn't enough and can eventually tire things out). Taking the load off by low carbing it can sort some peeps out and manage with just diet. By-product is often weight loss. Often people eat more healthy fats for fuel to stay full and satisfied

3) eating to your meter. many t2s self fun a glucose meter and test strips and test their bloods before a meal and then again 2 hours later. if the difference in the numbers is more then 2-3 mmol/l then the food was too much for your body to cope with and you can tweak the portion size or rework the recipe and test that meal again. Everyone is individual in their response so no one can really give you a list of do eats and don't eats. Figuring out what works for you can help keep blood glucose under control.

4) rely purely on medication and go about life as normal. I do know people who have never changed anything in their diet and plod along with it working or slowly increasing the number and doses of medications over time.

So much depends on you, your lifestyle and how you want to attack it.
The other factor is sometimes, without explanation, what works for one doesn't work for another.

Having a meter (which you will likely have to fund yourself as you aren't on meds that require glucose monitoring in the guidelines) can give you information on how its going for you on a day to day basis. Most GPs tend to discourage self testing but end of the day, its up to you and if you find it beneficial. Honestly, I think it comes down to cost with that one.

Ill stop typing there as there's a lot to take in. please ask questions if you have them and other members might have more to add 🙂

Thank you so much

 

[notmez]

Hi - that's awful communication from the surgery. Here's my suggestions for Monday.

1. Call and ask for an appointment with the diabetic specialist usually a diabetic nurse instead of a doctor.

2. Ask for a print out of your blood test results specifically the cholesterol and hba1c. If they don't print it out ask for the number value so you can write it down.

3.if your are comfortable with it , get logged in to the NHS website or if your surgery has an app and ask for access to your full GP history. My doctor are great but I still find it useful to read their notes and my results when I'm trying remember their advice days or weeks later. This really helps me compare results from one test to the next and make sure the results are going in the right direction.

4. Ask what date the last hba1c was done, you will want the next one to be 3-4 months away.

Good luck - stick around there's a lot to read and learn in the learning zone (orange section of this web site menu), with many short videos. There are lots of helpful and knowledgeable people in the forum.

 

[Manicmaive]

Hi - that's awful communication from the surgery. Here's my suggestions for Monday.

1. Call and ask for an appointment with the diabetic specialist usually a diabetic nurse instead of a doctor.

2. Ask for a print out of your blood test results specifically the cholesterol and hba1c. If they don't print it out ask for the number value so you can write it down.

3.if your are comfortable with it , get logged in to the NHS website or if your surgery has an app and ask for access to your full GP history. My doctor are great but I still find it useful to read their notes and my results when I'm trying remember their advice days or weeks later. This really helps me compare results from one test to the next and make sure the results are going in the right direction.

4. Ask what date the last hba1c was done, you will want the next one to be 3-4 months away.

Good luck - stick around there's a lot to read and learn in the learning zone (orange section of this web site menu), with many short videos. There are lots of helpful and knowledgeable people in the forum.

Thank you