Could someone offer advice for my friend please

[Maz2]

A friend of mine is 73 years old and has been diabetic about 12 years (Type II). he is continually being hospitalised with urine infections. He has just had to have another load of antibiotics for another infection but has told me today that he still going to the toilet an awful lot.

He is having problems with his blood sugars too. They are very often 16 first thing in a morning which I know is far too high. Sometimes they are higher than that. I have said I suspect this is the reason for him having to go to the toilet so much.

He is going to get in touch with his diabetic nurse and his GP again although he does not seem too happy with his GP at present.

I have suggested he should go to A & E if these high values continue and I also feel he should be seen at a diabetic centre at a hospital. He has had to be taken off Metformin due to side effects even though he had taken them for years previously and he has been put on Gliclazide I wonder if he needs insulin now.

I also wondered if it were possible he could have moved to being Type I or LADA. Is this possible or is he too old for that?

I am very concerned about all this as is his wife as he lost a kidney in his 30s (nothing to do with diabetes). He also has high blood pressure which is also worrying me.

I said I would come here to see if I could get any more ideas. I know people here are not doctors but I have seen lots of excellent advice given out before both to me (pre-diabetic, got out of it, back in it again) and other diabetics.

 

[Bubbsie]

Mazz he could go to A&E anytime he felt it necessary...but what you could do is give 111 a call...they will be able to offer some advice & you are likely to be able to speak to a clinician...possibly on his behalf...his BG is high at 16...have any checks been done for ketones in his urine...I really would seriously consider giving the 111 service a call as soon as possible.

 

[Maz2]

Thanks Bubbsie. I did not think of 111 or the ketones.

 

[Bubbsie]

Thanks Bubbsie. I did not think of 111 or the ketones.

They will give you advice Mazz...it's what they are for...hope he get the help he obviously needs.

 

[CathyB]

Good luck Mazz, hope you get some advice. You haven’t mentioned anything about his diet. Has anything changed recently? How well does he manage his carbs? Is he drinking enough water/ too much ?

 

[Matt Cycle]

Hi Maz. Yes, agree with Cathy diet is probably key to this. Certainly high blood sugar could be the cause of the toilet visits. My former father in law is in his late 70's and has T2, his diet wasn't bad but wasn't great either and despite my telling them about carbs a glazed look appeared and I may as well have been speaking Swahili. Your friend certainly wouldn't move to Type 1 or LADA as T1 and T2 are caused by different things. Some people are misdiagnosed T2 due to age but as your friend has had it 12 years this is unlikely. If he eventually needed insulin then he would still be T2 but requiring insulin. From what I know it's unlikely he would be seen at the hospital clinic as it would be managed through the GP.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. I was mis-diagnosed as T2 at age 60 but it too 7 years or for my honeymoon period to lead to insulin. So even at age late 70s he could still be a mis-diagnosed LADA but that would need to have some earlier indications such as being slim with unexpected weight loss and continued high blood sugar even when low-carbing and on multiple tablets. I would ask for a c-peptide test to show the body's natural insulin. If low then insulin is needed and don't worry about the diagnosis; I'm still listed wrongly as T2.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Would your friend consider joining this forum? We might be able to help with any questions he has.

I also wondered if it were possible he could have moved to being Type I or LADA. Is this possible or is he too old for that?

Nothing to do with age. It's not possible. You're either T1 or T2 and that's it.

 

[Maz2]

Good luck Mazz, hope you get some advice. You haven’t mentioned anything about his diet. Has anything changed recently? How well does he manage his carbs? Is he drinking enough water/ too much ?

Hi Cathy. From what I have picked up in conversations previously I know he used to eat Weetabix in the mornings and was told to cut them down by his GP. He also enjoyed two biscuits with his cup of tea first thing and then would have a scone in the afternoon. He did say a few weeks ago he was going to cut this down and his wife subsequently told me he was trying egg based breakfasts as I had suggested. He does like glasses of wine when we are out which I don't think is the best thing because of the sugar content. Not sure about water. Will mention this to him as a lot of people are guilty, including me, of not drinking enough water.

I have noticed him eating white bread before now and have looked on in absolute horror!!!!! I will mention this to him as I know that is a disaster for diabetics, or anyone really.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Hi Cathy. From what I have picked up in conversations previously I know he used to eat Weetabix in the mornings and was told to cut them down by his GP. He also enjoyed two biscuits with his cup of tea first thing and then would have a scone in the afternoon. He did say a few weeks ago he was going to cut this down and his wife subsequently told me he was trying egg based breakfasts as I had suggested. He does like glasses of wine when we are out which I don't think is the best thing because of the sugar content. Not sure about water. Will mention this to him as a lot of people are guilty, including me, of not drinking enough water.

I have noticed him eating white bread before now and have looked on in absolute horror!!!!! I will mention this to him as I know that is a disaster for diabetics, or anyone really.

Don't worry about the wine. Most of the sugar is in the form of alcohol & usually lowers blood sugars rather than raising them. I regularly drink red or dry white wine.

 

[bamba]

Certainly high blood sugar could be the cause of the toilet visits.

If Blood Glucose is above 10 mmol/l the kidneys do their best to get rid of it in urine, the sugar pulls a lot of water with it, increasing volume and frequency - the name of the disease Diabetes is based on this phenomenon - "Free flowing syphon" in Greek.
( The "Mellitus" part of the name was from the Medieval Doctors who actually tasted it as part of diagnosis - "Sweet tasting" - there is also a disease of the pituitary gland - Diabetes Insipidus )

 

[Maz2]

Don't worry about the wine. Most of the sugar is in the form of alcohol & usually lowers blood sugars rather than raising them. I regularly drink red or dry white wine.

Thanks Mark. I have got that wrong then. I am going to suggest some of the recipes on here for low carb scones, bread etc to him to see if that would help. I have tried them and love them. I make the flaxseed bread all the time now.

 

[Maz2]

Thank you all for your help with this. I have passed on the comments to my friend and given him a few ideas from the recipes section so hope things take a turn for the better now. He did tell me when I rang he had just eaten a bowl of muesli and had been eating an ice cream every night. He had been to the Pharmacist for his meds and told him about it. Pharmacist told him an ice cream every night probably not a good idea so he has taken note of that!!