Hello so I’m fairly new here and I’m needing some advice / support on my eye screening results. So it came back saying pre proliferative retinopathy and it’s been a real warning and wake up call but I’m just wondering if I get on top and cut out all the high carb foods will it prevent any future problems especially blindness. It’s only in the 2nd stage but I’m just feeling so stressed and worried so any help would be appreciated
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Eye screening results
- Thread starter Bensim204
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rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome.
Sorry to hear that you have had an unwanted result from your eye screening but it sounds like they have caught things in the early stages of changes so hopefully you can halt any deterioration and perhaps even see some improvement, especially if your BG management has room for improvement... as it does with most of us.
I would not necessarily say that you need to cut out high carb foods but if you want to eat them then you need to learn to balance them better with your insulin. Do you have Freestyle Libre sensors and if so, what sort of Time in Range are you achieving? If you don't have Libre, ask about getting it as the NICE guidelines have changed just a couple of months back and all Type 1s should be offered it. Of course, you also need to utilize it well in order to get any benefit from it, so you will need to put some work into learning how it works and it's limitations and then use the data it gives you to adjust your insulin regime. Things like prebolusing far enough in advance of eating to prevent huge spikes (especially if you are eating carb rich foods) and then levels plummeting later. It also enables you to see whether your basal insulin dose(s) is/are correct or need adjusting much more easily than with finger pricking and having your basal dose as close as possible to what your body needs makes all the difference in the world to managing your diabetes.
Which insulins are you using and how do you find you manage with them?
Sorry to hear that you have had an unwanted result from your eye screening but it sounds like they have caught things in the early stages of changes so hopefully you can halt any deterioration and perhaps even see some improvement, especially if your BG management has room for improvement... as it does with most of us.
I would not necessarily say that you need to cut out high carb foods but if you want to eat them then you need to learn to balance them better with your insulin. Do you have Freestyle Libre sensors and if so, what sort of Time in Range are you achieving? If you don't have Libre, ask about getting it as the NICE guidelines have changed just a couple of months back and all Type 1s should be offered it. Of course, you also need to utilize it well in order to get any benefit from it, so you will need to put some work into learning how it works and it's limitations and then use the data it gives you to adjust your insulin regime. Things like prebolusing far enough in advance of eating to prevent huge spikes (especially if you are eating carb rich foods) and then levels plummeting later. It also enables you to see whether your basal insulin dose(s) is/are correct or need adjusting much more easily than with finger pricking and having your basal dose as close as possible to what your body needs makes all the difference in the world to managing your diabetes.
Which insulins are you using and how do you find you manage with them?
Thank you so much that’s been tremendously helpful!!. Currently I’m using the freestyle insulinx testing machine and I’m on 2 insulin’s atm, degludec tresiba, and nova rapid/ 1 unit for every 3 grams of carbohydrates. And I’ve just been in such a bad routine since been a teenager where I’d eat so much unhealthy foods and I’m just feeling so overwhelmed and annoyed with myself. But I’m gonna speak to my gp and get into more of a healthy routine / cut down on foods that are causing me damage in the long term and affecting my hba1c levels
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Are you aware of the Freestyle Libre sensor system.... this is the sensor chich is applied to your arm and you can swipe it with your phone or a reader to obtain readings whenever you like, plus the Libre 2 model has alarms which can be set to alert you if your levels are going too high or too low, so that you can take preventative action before you get onto the roller coaster of lows and highs.
I find a low carb way of eating really helps to limit my BG upheaval and someone else on the forum recently has just reported that they are finding very low carb (keto) has reduced their need for bolus insulin almost totally and really stabilized their BG levels, so whilst not essential for managing Type 1, it is an option if you want to try it, but perhaps just moderating your diet a bit more is all it needs, along with a Freestyle Libre and perhaps some tweaking of your prebolus timings.
As an example of how important prebolusing is, I used to give my breakfast insulin 20 mins head start and still spiked up to 15 and then plummeted back down to 5 every morning. With Libre I started to watch when my breakfast insulin was starting to kick in by watching the direction of travel arrows so that I could see when the insulin was starting to drop my levels and I generally eat my breakfast when I am mid 5s and my levels are coming down. This means I don't spike higher than 8 with my breakfast and sometimes not even above 6. This makes a big difference not only to the stability of my BG levels but also how I feel physically and I believe it also helps improve my awareness of hypos because my levels are not fluctuating wildly every time I eat. I should mention that it turns out I need 45mins prebolus time on a morning which is quite extreme but works a treat and is really consistent. As a result I inject my breakfast bolus before I get out of bed and then get washed and dressed and make myself a coffee and read the news before I eat and I can just keep scanning my Libre until I see the appropriate level to start eating. It took a while to find a routine which worked but I never get a spike on my graph on a morning now and I feel so much better for it.
Some of this may sound really complicated if you don't have Libre sensors but it really is a game changing bit of kit so do ask about getting it on prescription. You can also learn a lot from being more active on this forum, reading about other people's experiences and asking questions. It has been an amazing resource of information for me and instrumental in giving me the confidence and understanding to manage my diabetes well. I hope you will find it equally beneficial.
The other thing which helped me was a DAFNE course or whatever your local equivalent is. It is an intensive insulin management education course and is either a full week or 5 separate days over 5-6 weeks. Just spending time with other Type 1s and sharing stories and experiences is a huge bonus of the course. You can learn so much from each other..... as of course we do here on this forum too.
Anyway, I really hope you are able to get some support with improving your management and together with the dietary changes you plan, it should see you in a much more positive position when your next test results come round.
I find a low carb way of eating really helps to limit my BG upheaval and someone else on the forum recently has just reported that they are finding very low carb (keto) has reduced their need for bolus insulin almost totally and really stabilized their BG levels, so whilst not essential for managing Type 1, it is an option if you want to try it, but perhaps just moderating your diet a bit more is all it needs, along with a Freestyle Libre and perhaps some tweaking of your prebolus timings.
As an example of how important prebolusing is, I used to give my breakfast insulin 20 mins head start and still spiked up to 15 and then plummeted back down to 5 every morning. With Libre I started to watch when my breakfast insulin was starting to kick in by watching the direction of travel arrows so that I could see when the insulin was starting to drop my levels and I generally eat my breakfast when I am mid 5s and my levels are coming down. This means I don't spike higher than 8 with my breakfast and sometimes not even above 6. This makes a big difference not only to the stability of my BG levels but also how I feel physically and I believe it also helps improve my awareness of hypos because my levels are not fluctuating wildly every time I eat. I should mention that it turns out I need 45mins prebolus time on a morning which is quite extreme but works a treat and is really consistent. As a result I inject my breakfast bolus before I get out of bed and then get washed and dressed and make myself a coffee and read the news before I eat and I can just keep scanning my Libre until I see the appropriate level to start eating. It took a while to find a routine which worked but I never get a spike on my graph on a morning now and I feel so much better for it.
Some of this may sound really complicated if you don't have Libre sensors but it really is a game changing bit of kit so do ask about getting it on prescription. You can also learn a lot from being more active on this forum, reading about other people's experiences and asking questions. It has been an amazing resource of information for me and instrumental in giving me the confidence and understanding to manage my diabetes well. I hope you will find it equally beneficial.
The other thing which helped me was a DAFNE course or whatever your local equivalent is. It is an intensive insulin management education course and is either a full week or 5 separate days over 5-6 weeks. Just spending time with other Type 1s and sharing stories and experiences is a huge bonus of the course. You can learn so much from each other..... as of course we do here on this forum too.
Anyway, I really hope you are able to get some support with improving your management and together with the dietary changes you plan, it should see you in a much more positive position when your next test results come round.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Are you going to have more frequent screening @Bensim204 ? The problem isn’t really high carb foods, but high blood sugar. However, if your blood sugar is currently high, you should bring it down slowly as a sudden drop can be a shock to the body, including the eyes. What’s your HbA1C like? Are you having issues with spiking after food? There are things you can do to improve that. Tell us more and you’ll get some suggestions.
I second the Libre 2. It will help you spot high sugars and patterns and improve your control. Improving your control can help your eyes.
Yes!! On the letter it said they’re gonna change my annual eye screening appointments more frequently then once a year to monitor my eyes and make sure they haven’t got much worse. And currently I’m pricking but I’ve tried the libre / 2 in the past and found it extremely helpful so I might try ask my gp if I’m eligible to get them again. And I’m not exactly the most healthiest of people I’ve been eating more unhealthy foods then I should’ve been but starting from now I’m gonna cut down and be more active and try improve my overall levels 🙂
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Those letters aren't nice are they?
It doesn't matter if the food in your eyes is unhealthy , just as long as what you eat is covered by the correct amount of insulin.
If you have a higher than advised A1c then lower it slowly as going in gun ho will cause more damage. Slowly but surely is the way to go.
Keeping your BP down is also a top priority.
Rob Oldfield
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @Bensim204
The updated guidelines on access to the Libre say that all type 1s should now either have that or CGM. See the link below in the section "Adults with type 1 diabetes". There are some areas that are lagging a bit - fingers crossed you're not in one of those.
Getting a free CGM, flash glucose monitor (Freestyle Libre) or insulin pump on the NHS – who should qualify?
If you live in England, Wales, or Scotland, see the latest guidelines on whether you — or someone you’re supporting— should be eligible for a flash glucose monitor (Freestyle Libre), continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or insulin pump to help manage diabetes. If you live in Northern Ireland, you...
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