• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Dietary conflicts

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Little bit stressed to report Dr has just started dad on steroids now :( he was getting a wee bit better then another flare up this week saw the Dr yesterday who took him off the gout medication but prescribed steroids. Dr will phone on Monday and then arrange to test his INR but didn't mention how this will affect his diabetes!

After all the hard work on diet this is the month for HbA1c dreading to hear what the result will be now as they will think we haven't kept to a good diet. At least dad is in good form although he was ever so frustrated that he just has to sit and watch me doing things he would do. I don't mind if things get sorts and we can get back to preventing complications with diabetes.

Not moaning just sad when we are trying our best and nothing is going right atm so many tablets to conflict added to the dietary conflicts :(
 
Don't despair Pippin, you are doing the best you can. I'm sure they will recognise the difficulties of dealing with both conditions when he comes to have the HbA1c test, so try not to worry about this.

Steroids will probably have an adverse effect on his blood sugar levels, unfortunately. Hopefully, things will eventually find a happy medium with less problems from the gout, more flexibility in diet, better blood sugar levels, and a happier Dad and Pippin! Hope it is soon, too. 🙂
 
Thank you yet again Northerner.
I'm comportent mixed up with meals now! The only thing I know we don't have any sugar, biscuits, cakes with obvious sugars in the house. Steroids scare me as I don't know what effect they have after reading the leaflet. Two days of them before Dr speaks again going to get dad to mention to the nurse who does his INR about his BG. To think dad never took a tablet in his life now he has over 15 a day :(

Thread of hope he clears the gout and we can get a little back to normal. Maybe best to live up a mountain with fresh air to survive on 😉
Thank you for your understanding
 
Putting it into persepctive Pippin.

If he was left untreated for both diabetes and gout, he'd be in a lot of pain, a lot of discomfort and he'd very soon deteriorate in general health.

You're having to juggle a very strict diet and medication for the gout, a fairly restrictive diet and medication for diabetes, and much of each antagonise the other. The fact that your dad is able to exist with relative comfort and a fairly good state of health is down to your dedication and his desire to be well again.

DOn't beat yourself up for not getting both perfect. You can only reach a compromise, which will fluctuate somewhere between the 2. 🙂

Rob
 
For many years I've used steriod creams on and off for eczema. It can affect BG levels but the docs will know that so shouldn't think it's bad diet to blame if your dad's levels are up a bit. He may not need to be on the steriods for long either so he may be able to get back to something resembling normal levels soon. It must be hard for both of you at the moment, but your dad is so lucky to have you looking out for him, and given your circumstances with the gout and everything else you are doing incredibly well. Even if you don't think you are sometimes. We can easily be our own worst critics. 🙂 XXXXX
 
Many thanks to both if you for your supportive replies, I really do appreciate everyone's help and advice. All the gout related things have been a result of side effects of heart medication and I think the Drs would attibute the diabetes might be as a result of the meds too.

Glad the Dr will ring on Monday as neither of us like to be a nuisance to them although they may find I am regarding testing if we get things back on track. If it wasn't for this flare up dad would be out in the garden all day and helping others which is why he finds confinement is 'not him' I am sure my churning up of the compost today had him laughing and hoping he can get out to do it himself soon....not to mention the fact I don't like looking in the compost bin!

There are 28 tablets (4 a day) hopefully the Dr is thinking a short course. The calendar is filling up for this month again good excuse to ignore my dentist's letter reminding me about a check up.

Thank you everyone your replies have helped me tonight 🙂
 
Stressful week with appointments although I don't know when dad's blood results will come back.
The steroids must have been helping as he was almost back to walking and definitely didn't have the same discomfort but now he is on just one a day until Tuesday when the Dr will see him he is back with two crutches :(

Tuesday will be with the nurse first for his INR (warfarin) & HbA1c with the other tests they take with this and now the Dr has at last added to test his uric levels (gout related) expecting everything to be scrambled as he has had so many tabelts to effect each of the tests. It was great to see an improvement but yesterday wasn't good (a flare up)

Dad is definitely going to put all the facts to the nurse who will see him the following week for his diabetes when the results are back plus we have another appointment with the dietician. It's a vicious circle just now hoping dad will emphasis to the Dr about his BG with the steroids. Its been a long time from I could make food which I'm not afraid to serve dad as it will affect something :(

Nurse and Dr this week then the diabetes nurse and dietician the next week unless due to circumstances he gets to see the diabetic nurse this week. Will update with the horrible results
 
Hi Pippin and thanks for the update. I'm still newish on here but already I worry about what some of you are going through, especially if we don't hear form you for a while. It sounds like you have a busy time ahead so I'll be thinking if you and your dad and hoping something can be done to make things a bit easier. If I were you I'd encourage him to make a list of things he wants to mention to the Doc. I do that because if not my mind goes a blank and I'm left regreting not mentioning something important. Good luck and take care. XXXXX
 
Thank you Blythespirit your kind words mean a lot to me. I was feeling particulary down today but to have such lovely support really helps. I will follow your advice to send dad with a list to these appointments. I had planned to take one when we both see the dietician but hadn't thought about dad. I know he is going to stress more about the use of our monitor as the current situation is stressful for both of us. I will send the monitor pack with him as the company who supplied it seem to follow up to see how we were getting on.

I was a wee bit happy there when dad remarked the tension had eased a wee bit behind his knee. If only I was shouting at him to get in from working in the garden. He us getting through a lot of books 😉 He would love to be out with his camera just like we were last year in the better weather.

Many thanks xx
 
No results to report on today apart from INR

Full blood tests this morning although results will be at different times.
INR is instant and as expected dad's blood is too thin atm so it's back again next week in case he needs his Warfarin reduced. It's normally within range but with all the meds and flare ups we knew it would go one way or the other.

Steroids were reduced to 1 yesterday but they only seemed to help when he was taking the full amount. Dad mentioned to the Dr about his BG levels which he considered so has now put him back on Colchicine in a higher dose for 2 days (the bloods for this will be back on Thursday) still has a relly bad flare up :( with added complications dues to the effects of so many tablets!

Next Tuesday we will be ther all morning as it's a 2nd INR with one nurse then the dietician (hmmmm that will be interesting) then the diabetes nurse and the monitor question will be asked. The Dr may want to see him that day too so it looks like another day of tests and results :( presuming he will get his HbA1c when he is with the nurse rather than over the phone.

Anxious wait until Thursday then anoth few days over the weekend until Tuesday when we both will be sitting nervously waiting to hear what we should be doing.

Thank you for all your support I really appreciate it
 
Today was the big test result morning which I was dreading.*
Saw dietician who was concerned about dad's weight as he has lost 6lbs but didn't shout about any results as she was more concerned with getting his weight back up.

We were both surprised despite the steroids and the 8 weeks of diet mixups his HbA1c was 6.5 (last time it was 6.4) I know it was a bit raised this time but I rlly thought it would be sky high. His cholesterol was 3.77 & BP was very good the nurse was pleased with this and with his overall results.
Both dietician and nurse have told us to be less restrictive on portion sizes as they both don't want dad loosing any more weight which can impact on th gout factor too. I know I was very strict as I was watching so many factors but was pleased when dad smiled to know he can eat bit more of th correct foods.

Still not going to introduce wrong foods but he can have extra toast/potatoes/veg and fruit which I stopped buying he can have in moderation 🙂

I was expecting a lot worse because of the complications but they didn't even indicate he would be given medication atm dad asked about BG monitor and had the one we have with him. At the minute th nurse said it isn't necessary as he doesn't have medication and his readings were within range, she didn't rule it out for th future although she did mention she would have to show us how to use it (yet if we are worried we can use the strips with the machine! Even without training??) maybe they don't want us (me) in panice mode with one reading as they feel it is more important to get dad's weight and BMI back within range. Definitely not a license to eat just anything but a wee bit more leeway than the very strict diet.

It was a long morning although it was great to see dad come out feeling very good despite the lingering gout. He only told me today he was worried about results after all we have gone through. He really thought his BG would have been a whole lot worse. His INR is coming down to a better level but will be tested again. Dietician will see us again in 3mths but DSN in surgery is longer than that unless we are worried and bring that monitor back.

I need to get rid of a headache now this appointment is over and just hope I can control dad's diet but at the same time keep his weight better. I am strict full stop which was worse as I was afraid of adding complications*

Many thanks to everyone for being here to support hope it's ok to bring this topic up again with the test results
 
Thanks Pippin - good to hear how you and your dad got on. Sounds like your medics are being good about managing your dad's multiple problems, not just his diabetes.
 
Those results are excellent Pippin, especially given what you (and your father!) have gone through - you should be very proud of yourself 🙂
 
Thank you it still hasn't sunk in as I really expected it to be higher although it's up a point maybe if we get back to normal healthwise it might come down again. Just need to get dad walking without a crutch to feel the relief of this episode. When he saw the nurse she was very pleased & this helped dad to feel better about one part of his health. He has been walking more today 🙂

This forum is fantastic many, many thanks 🙂
Monitoring is still our aim & I don't think they will refuse completely at least they give a guide leaflet today.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top