Hi Everyone,
I have type 2 diabetes and Insulin dependent and have been for many years. So why am I writing this? Well, like many people, I watched the TV program about diabetes and quite frankly, it has scared me so much.
I try to eat a healthy diet, I don't drink alcohol or drinks with sugar but my levels are constantly high, often 16 and above. I'm an average weight for my height and have a BMI of 28.
My question is, should I be frightened?
Hi Paul, welcome to the forum
🙂 Sorry to hear that you found the Panorama programme upsetting - as mentioned, there has been a very heated discussion here about it and the very negative impact it has had on many people with diabetes
But don't be frightened - this does not have to happen to you! Diabetes is serious, but with the right knowledge and work it can be managed well and the risks of those horrible complications drastically reduced
🙂 If your levels are generally in the 16s then there are probably quite a few things that can be done to address that. What insulin regime are you on? What does your doctor/nurse say about your high levels? It may be that your medication is not sufficient for your needs, particularly if it hasn't changed for some time. The other, and probably most important thing, is what are you eating? Doctors and nurses often tell people to 'eat healthily' without actually specifying what is 'healthy' when you have diabetes - either that or they give you totally inappropriate and outdated diet advice, such as eating 'lots of starchy carbohydrates'. Any type of carbohydrate will raise your blood sugar levels, but some will raise them faster, and by more, than others. Moreover, this can vary according to the individual, so there is no 'one-size-fits-all' that will work the same for everyone. As a result, it's important to discover where your own particular tolerances lie for different things, and the only efficient way to do this is by testing before and after eating. Have a read of
Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how this works. For a guide to how to select food that will have a slower, steadier impact on your blood sugar levels you might also like to investigate the GL (Glycaemic Load) diet -
The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction.
Keep a food diary, noting down everything you eat and drink for a week or two, paying particular attention to the amount (in grams) of carbohydrate in what you eat and drink. Using this, along with your blood sugar readings from your meter, you should be able to spot patterns and areas where you should be able to improve things by removing, reducing or replacing some items from your diet - e.g. have less potato and more green veg.
What about exercise? Are you able to get some regular, daily exercise in? This can help improve your insulin sensitivity so you use insulin more efficiently in controlling your blood sugar levels, and it can also help to reduce weight if that's something you need to do - often even 'skinny' people benefit from regular exercise by reducing the internal 'visceral' fat that may not show, but which can be a hidden problem for many people
🙂
I know it's a long time since you were diagnosed, but you might find
Jennifer's Advice and
Maggie Davey's letter useful also, plus the excellent book
Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. Stick with us and I am sure we can help turn things around for you and get those readings into single figures!
🙂
