Good morning to everyone.

[Jacko1591]

Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 5 years ago and attended a DESMOND course which I found shocking but beneficial.
My struggle is the fact that I have chronic pancreatitis, Lymphoedema in both legs and AF, and have worked hard to maintain a fat free'ish diet and mainly vegetarian the past 4 plus years. very rarely drank alcohol but 100% zero since taking creon meds for the pancreatitis, however just last week having enjoyed the occasional !00% zero non-alcohol beers I established 2 ingredients which I understand are very detrimental to diabetes ... glucose syrup and barley malt. I understand brewers use these ingredients to build out the body of non alcoholic beverages. why aren't the labels warning diabetics about this... I am back 100% to water only and selected herbal teas.

 

[s'nic]

Welcome to the forum from another label checker
Lack of patient information combined with multiple health issues can make for frustrations in shops.
I find it useful to window shop on the supermarkets website to check out ingredient lists and product suitability.

 

[Jacko1591]

Welcome to the forum from another label checker
Lack of patient information combined with multiple health issues can make for frustrations in shops.
I find it useful to window shop on the supermarkets website to check out ingredient lists and product suitability.

Thank you for the welcome. Like you, product label checking is almost a full-time pastime but I only found out last week about the ingredients I mentioned that are in some 0:00 rated non-alcoholic beverages. My research is definitely becoming more intense as regards ingredients etc.

 

[s'nic]

I only focus on food at home (the normal place I eat) and generally avoid pre-prepared food. This cuts out a huge amount of labels. If eating elsewhere I don't stress over it

Once I know which unprepared / base foods are ok, then it's just a case of using those to vary my home cooking.
I avoid added potassium and phosphates due to dodgy kidneys, and because when in a food as an additive we absorb a greater percentage of those two.
As a personal preference I also avoid excessive additives and preservatives, and generally any ingredient list that looks like a science experiment. I just can't see all those additives as being good.

Is fat free dairy ok for you? If so check out fage 0% fat yogurt.
Arla bob skimmed milk says it has 0.4 g total fat per 100ml so idk how well that may fit - it tastes like semi-skimmed milk and is what I use atm. Tesco's filtered skimmed milk says it is 0.1 g total fat per 100ml but it's not as nice as arla

 

[Jacko1591]

I only focus on food at home (the normal place I eat) and generally avoid pre-prepared food. This cuts out a huge amount of labels. If eating elsewhere I don't stress over it

Once I know which unprepared / base foods are ok, then it's just a case of using those to vary my home cooking.
I avoid added potassium and phosphates due to dodgy kidneys, and because when in a food as an additive we absorb a greater percentage of those two.
As a personal preference I also avoid excessive additives and preservatives, and generally any ingredient list that looks like a science experiment. I just can't see all those additives as being good.

Is fat free dairy ok for you? If so check out fage 0% fat yogurt.
Arla bob skimmed milk says it has 0.4 g total fat per 100ml so idk how well that may fit - it tastes like semi-skimmed milk and is what I use atm. Tesco's filtered skimmed milk says it is 0.1 g total fat per 100ml but it's not as nice as arla

98% of my eating is at home, but have noted your suggestions, so thank you for that, much appreciated.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Jacko1591

Interested to read you have chronic pancreatitis and need to take Creon to digest fats.

My understanding is that this would make you type 3c rather than type 2 - that’s a type of diabetes that several non-specialist healthcare professionals may not have encountered, and is often treated more along the lines of T1.

What is type 3c diabetes?

You may have heard of the more common types of diabetes like type 1, type 2 and gestational. But there are actually many other types of diabetes that aren't as well known. Type 3c diabetes develops because of the damage to the pancreas, which can happen for a few different reasons. And although...

www.diabetes.org.uk

Perhaps some of our Creonistas can give you a few pointers?

@Wendal @soupdragon @eggyg @martindt1606 @Proud to be erratic

 

[martindt1606]

Hi one thing I am becoming aware of is that as T3C covers a wide variety of diabetic conditions it is important to listen to your own body and be careful when taking advice. I don't have a pancreas, have mets on the liver, and basically eat and drink what i want (with the exception of alcohol). As long as i take my creon with everything that has carbs, fat, or protein and bolus for the carbs I get by without serious issue.
I would love to know what there is in low alcohol beer that is detrimental to diabetics. I like to have a low alcohol beer when eating out and at home i will have a bottle when my blood glucose is falling after an evening meal to ward off the risk of Hypo (A typical 330ml bottle is approximately 15g Carbs, a 500ml bottle will be between 20 and 25g). I always include the beer in a meal time carb count and bolus and will have a little bolus when the beer is over 15g post meal.

 

[rebrascora]

I would love to know what there is in low alcohol beer that is detrimental to diabetics.

I am guessing it is the sugar content for those who are dietary or diet and oral meds managed rather than on insulin like yourself.

 

[soupdragon]

Welcome @Jacko1591
I'm diabetic, caused by one severe attack of acute pancreatitis so also taking Creon.
Are you taking insulin or are you managing your diabetes with other meds or diet alone?

 

[Jacko1591]

Welcome @Jacko1591
I'm diabetic, caused by one severe attack of acute pancreatitis so also taking Creon.
Are you taking insulin or are you managing your diabetes with other meds or diet alone?

Thank you for the welcome, due to an old injury from 2012, back in January this year an incident put me in A&E with suspected Heart Attack and multiple antibiotics since unto about 5 weeks ago my diabetes has been affected. I was on Metformin for about 3.5 years but was removed in January - Feb time Gliclazide, which was upgraded a few days ago to160mg x2 daily from 80mg x2. I have multiple tabs which dosages are constantly reviewed and changed. I am now bordering on type 1 diabetes and its not diet that's causing it ... the cocktail of my other conditions are impacting it.

 

[Jacko1591]

Welcome to the forum @Jacko1591

Interested to read you have chronic pancreatitis and need to take Creon to digest fats.

My understanding is that this would make you type 3c rather than type 2 - that’s a type of diabetes that several non-specialist healthcare professionals may not have encountered, and is often treated more along the lines of T1.

What is type 3c diabetes?

You may have heard of the more common types of diabetes like type 1, type 2 and gestational. But there are actually many other types of diabetes that aren't as well known. Type 3c diabetes develops because of the damage to the pancreas, which can happen for a few different reasons. And although...

www.diabetes.org.uk

Perhaps some of our Creonistas can give you a few pointers?

@Wendal @soupdragon @eggyg @martindt1606 @Proud to be erratic

Thank you for the welcome and I have noted all of your contents too which I will add to my rapidly extending list of new information that leaves me questions for my health professionals.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too.

Just to clarify, diabetes is categorized by cause.

Type 1 is caused by an attack of the immune system on the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas resulting in the body being unable to produce enough insulin. If you don't have the immune attack then you are not technically Type 1.
Type 2 is metabolic and usually caused by a build up of visceral fat in and around the liver and pancreas which hampers those organs from communicating effectively to balance Blood Glucose (BG) levels. Insulin resistance can be another factor in this and the body often produces excessive amounts of insulin in the early stages to try to overcome this insulin resistance, but may eventually put so much pressure on the insulin producing beta cells that they die out and the patient needs injected insulin.
Type 3c is due to damage to the pancreas from disease (pancreatitis being the likely cause in your case) or trauma or surgery or alcohol or medication (steroids). Obviously people who have their whole pancreas removed need insulin straight away, but others may manage for years on oral meds and/or dietary restriction (not just sugars but reduction of all carbohydrates) before they eventually need insulin. They do not become Type 1, but they are then insulin dependent and treated as if Type 1, although in some cases it can be more complex than Type 1 particularly if Creon is involved.

There are other more rare types of diabetes but the above are the main ones. As you can see, all 3 different types may end up requiring insulin, but that doesn't make them Type 1.

Creon should allow you to eat a normal diet including fat and indeed there are some nutrients which are fat soluble, so having some fat in your diet is usually beneficial. The trick is in finding the right dose of Creon to cover the fat in your food. In a similar way to those of us who are insulin dependent have to find the right doses of insulin to cover the carbohydrates that we eat..... and it is all carbohydrates not just sugar .... so anything made from grains like bread, pasta, couscous, pastry, rice, breakfast cereals, starchy or sweet veg like potatoes or parsnips and fruits which contain fructose and dairy produce like milk and yoghurt which contain lactose as well as obviously sweet stuff, like cakes and biscuits and sweets etc. If you are getting close to needing insulin it may help you to start familiarising yourself with the carbohydrate content of your meals not just the sugar content, as these also impact your BG levels.

 

[Jacko1591]

Hi and welcome from me too.

Just to clarify, diabetes is categorized by cause.

Type 1 is caused by an attack of the immune system on the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas resulting in the body being unable to produce enough insulin. If you don't have the immune attack then you are not technically Type 1.
Type 2 is metabolic and usually caused by a build up of visceral fat in and around the liver and pancreas which hampers those organs from communicating effectively to balance Blood Glucose (BG) levels. Insulin resistance can be another factor in this and the body often produces excessive amounts of insulin in the early stages to try to overcome this insulin resistance, but may eventually put so much pressure on the insulin producing beta cells that they die out and the patient needs injected insulin.
Type 3c is due to damage to the pancreas from disease (pancreatitis being the likely cause in your case) or trauma or surgery or alcohol or medication (steroids). Obviously people who have their whole pancreas removed need insulin straight away, but others may manage for years on oral meds and/or dietary restriction (not just sugars but reduction of all carbohydrates) before they eventually need insulin. They do not become Type 1, but they are then insulin dependent and treated as if Type 1, although in some cases it can be more complex than Type 1 particularly if Creon is involved.

There are other more rare types of diabetes but the above are the main ones. As you can see, all 3 different types may end up requiring insulin, but that doesn't make them Type 1.

Creon should allow you to eat a normal diet including fat and indeed there are some nutrients which are fat soluble, so having some fat in your diet is usually beneficial. The trick is in finding the right dose of Creon to cover the fat in your food. In a similar way to those of us who are insulin dependent have to find the right doses of insulin to cover the carbohydrates that we eat..... and it is all carbohydrates not just sugar .... so anything made from grains like bread, pasta, couscous, pastry, rice, breakfast cereals, starchy or sweet veg like potatoes or parsnips and fruits which contain fructose and dairy produce like milk and yoghurt which contain lactose as well as obviously sweet stuff, like cakes and biscuits and sweets etc. If you are getting close to needing insulin it may help you to start familiarising yourself with the carbohydrate content of your meals not just the sugar content, as these also impact your BG levels.

Thank you for your welcome and in the few hours I have been a direct member on this site I have discovered more about the diabetic journey than ever before, so another thank you. My pancreatitis followed having sepsis after an admin error for what should have been a safe and straight forward procedure in December 2007. The procedure left me with an instant infection that exploded over a few weeks into full blown life threatening sepsis which then left me immediately with Lymphoedema to both legs. Following this my pancreas began to falter and the rest is history as they say. Thank you again for your response and valuable information.