Hello All….any advice welcome!

[Mo_Flo]

Hi,
I’m new to the forum but not to diabetes. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with an HBA1c reading of 67. I didn’t take it seriously and thought WTF….I’m not diabetic! I was prescribed Metformin but didn’t take it as I was completely in denial. A year later, I had a wound that took weeks and weeks to clear, just a pretty simple scratch on my hand but it just wouldn’t heal. Long story short, I got an HBA1c test done and it was 104. I have an autoimmune disease that makes me feel unwell a lot of the time so dismissed feeling unwell as being a result of that. I started taking the metformin after that 2xtabs a day and started walking every day. Lost almost 2 stone and felt great. Repeated my HBA1C thinking “I’ve got this!” Only to find that I was now 119…….seriously! Back to the drawing board again. Metformin upped to 3xtabs and had to look at my diet and lifestyle in a different way. Changed any breads etc to wholemeal. Alcohol only about once a month. Fast forward to now and my results were an unbelievable 139. Called into docs this week for a proper telling-off and finally realise that only I can help myself here But I have to admit that the thought of never enjoying a meal again is frightening me more. Sounds ridiculous but the thought of no more meals with friends or meeting for breakfasts is getting to me. I have no idea what to eat. I probably sound ridiculous, thinking about this affecting my lifestyle rather than my health but I can’t be honest with anyone else. Everyone just seems to think I can just change the way I feel about food but I find it really difficult.
that was some introduction eh!

 

[Robin]

Hi,
I’m new to the forum but not to diabetes. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with an HBA1c reading of 67. I didn’t take it seriously and thought WTF….I’m not diabetic! I was prescribed Metformin but didn’t take it as I was completely in denial. A year later, I had a wound that took weeks and weeks to clear, just a pretty simple scratch on my hand but it just wouldn’t heal. Long story short, I got an HBA1c test done and it was 104. I have an autoimmune disease that makes me feel unwell a lot of the time so dismissed feeling unwell as being a result of that. I started taking the metformin after that 2xtabs a day and started walking every day. Lost almost 2 stone and felt great. Repeated my HBA1C thinking “I’ve got this!” Only to find that I was now 119…….seriously! Back to the drawing board again. Metformin upped to 3xtabs and had to look at my diet and lifestyle in a different way. Changed any breads etc to wholemeal. Alcohol only about once a month. Fast forward to now and my results were an unbelievable 139. Called into docs this week for a proper telling-off and finally realise that only I can help myself here But I have to admit that the thought of never enjoying a meal again is frightening me more. Sounds ridiculous but the thought of no more meals with friends or meeting for breakfasts is getting to me. I have no idea what to eat. I probably sound ridiculous, thinking about this affecting my lifestyle rather than my health but I can’t be honest with anyone else. Everyone just seems to think I can just change the way I feel about food but I find it really difficult.
that was some introduction eh!

Instead of giving you a ‘proper telling off' I think it would have been more useful if your GP had considered the possibility of Type 1 diabetes, especially since you said you already have one autoimmune disease, and they often go in pairs, or more. Because Type 1 often presents with a slower onset in adults, and many doctors don’t even realise that you can develop it as an adult, it can (and does - I was misdiagnosed because of my age, 51, my GP had no idea it could be Type 1) lead to people being misdiagnosed as Type 2 and then baffling their doctors when none of the Type 2 meds or lifestyle changes work.

 

[Mo_Flo]

Thanks for your reply Robin. I am bamboozled as to how these readings keep rising.
I wouldn’t even have thought of it being Type 1.
I too was diagnosed at 51.
They prescribed dapagloflozin yesterday to take in conjunction with the Metformin so will use this 3 months until my next test to try to eat right, exercise and so forth. If this still doesn’t cause it to drop then there will def be an issue.

 

[Robin]

Thanks for your reply Robin. I am bamboozled as to how these readings keep rising.
I wouldn’t even have thought of it being Type 1.
I too was diagnosed at 51.
They prescribed dapagloflozin yesterday to take in conjunction with the Metformin so will use this 3 months until my next test to try to eat right, exercise and so forth. If this still doesn’t cause it to drop then there will def be an issue.

It may be that it will respond, I know several of our members who did turn out to be Type 2 had very high numbers to start with. However, this is the important bit, and I don’t want to sound scaremongering, but it’s as well to be aware. If you start feeling very thirsty, weeing a lot, feeling woozy or headachy, or limbs feeling like you’re wading through treacle, have a sense of acetone (pear drops) on your breath, seek medical attention straight way (and I mean A&E). Dangerously high levels of glucose in your blood can make it acidic, leading to something called DKA, (diabetic keto acidosis) which is life threatening.
Do you test your blood glucose with a fingerprick test on a meter? It’s helpful to know in between times just what your blood glucose is doing, and whether it is getting dangerously high, there is info at the top of the Newbies section, on meters and testing, if you haven’t already been prescribed test strips, scroll down the sticky thread at the top to Type 2 and all the info is there.

 

[Mo_Flo]

Hi Robin,
The doc explained to me that I have to be aware of that due to the high readings. I have urine dip test strips but will get a meter.

 

[trophywench]

Err, how does having D prevent anyone from enjoying meals? - with or without friends and rellies. Been doing that for the last 49 years and not planning on stopping! The only thing your body and mine can't handle as easily as before is carbohydrates but it by no means dictates we can never eat another gram of carb, everyone has to establish how much of what their own body can handle since every body is different!

Do you understand where in food carbs exist and how to make pretty instant decisions between 'that's crammed with em! so better avoid or limit and that should be OK - so I'll just have more of that instead?

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Mo_Flo . I agree with @trophywench. Unless you ,and your friends and relatives exclusively eat really unusual or terrible junk food, then there is no basis for your worries about enjoying meals.
From your first post in this thread it is difficult to know if you are really a Type 1 but diagnosed wrongly as a Type 2 or not. However in my opinion, the best style of eating is almost the same for both: cut down on all sugars and starches including fruit and whole grains - for a diabetic there is no such thing as a healthy whole grain. Berries are almost all OK, but with other fruit you have to test what it does to your Blood Glucose before deciding if it is safe to eat - Tropical fruits such as banana are a no-no despite being quite a popular breakfast alongside porridge (I used to have that for Breakfast every day until I saw what it did to my Blood Glucose!
'Low Fat' products are almost always higher in carbohydrates and it isn't the fat you eat that tends to make you fat - it's the carbohydrates. This is actually good news because it means that traditional full-fat foods with rich flavours (from the fat) are not only back on the menu, but are actually good for us diabetics! Eat fatty meats, fish, full-fat dairy products, eggs, nuts and as much lower carb vegetables as you need to satisfy you. Often we improve weight, PCOS, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Ratios and Water Retention while at the same time reducing our Blood Glucose. - What's not to like about that?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome

I was a sugar addict and carb monster pre-diagnosis, so I understand your concern about changing your diet. Yes it is frightening thinking about all the foods you are going to miss or possibly have to give up, but there are lots of lovely new foods for you to enjoy once you break out of the routine of eating carb heavy meals. I enjoy my food just as much or probably more now that I follow a low carb, higher fat way of eating. It takes a bit more thought and planning and the transition period is difficult until you get the hang of it and figure out your new shopping list and maybe change the way you cook some foods, but I feel a lot fitter and healthier for cutting the carbs and eating more fat and surprisingly my cholesterol levels have reduced on a low carb diet despite eating A LOT more saturated fat... cheese, cream, butter eggs and fatty meat. I start my day with a coffee made with real double cream as cream is much lower carb than milk and I often end it with a glass of red with a nice piece of cheese. I find it hard to feel deprived as I sit and enjoy these things and I don't worry about not eating bread or chips or Cadbury's Cream Eggs anymore. In fact I actually resent the occasions when I need to eat a couple of jelly babies or "fizzy worms" to treat a hypo, whereas, pre-diagnosis, I would have guzzled the whole packet without even thinking about it. What I love is that having cut the carbs, I no longer crave them and I have more control over my disordered eating than I have for most of my life. I share a takeaway with my partner very occasionally or eat with family and friends and I just make sensible choices and avoid or swap the carb rich elements of food for other more interesting/tasty foods.

Just to add, I also think you may be a misdiagnosed Type 1, as I was at the age of 56, but for me that was a blessing as I learned to eat low carb in that interim period and that has helped me to cope better with carb counting and managing my BG levels more effectively. If you are Type 1, then you will be able to continue to eat all the things you did before if you want to, providing you calculate the carbs and inject insulin to cover them. Personally I needed to change my approach/attitude towards food as it was not healthy, but if you feel that your diet is healthy and sustainable then if you do turn out to be Type 1 there is no reason to change.

 

[Inka]

Thanks for your reply Robin. I am bamboozled as to how these readings keep rising.
I wouldn’t even have thought of it being Type 1.
I too was diagnosed at 51.
They prescribed dapagloflozin yesterday to take in conjunction with the Metformin so will use this 3 months until my next test to try to eat right, exercise and so forth. If this still doesn’t cause it to drop then there will def be an issue.

I echo @Robin Keep the possibility of Type 1 in your mind and be ready to push for tests if necessary. Far too many adults are misdiagnosed and assumed to be Type 2 when they’re actually Type 1. Some Type 2 drugs are not good for Type 1s so it’s important to know, as well as for your blood sugar.

 

[Leadinglights]

I have found it is a lot easier to just think of the low carb options available than it is for people I know who have to consider milk, gluten, egg allergies in the foods they can eat especially when eating out. The variety of foods available now to cater for veggie, vegan, halal etc is amazing compared to years ago when nobody even understood what vegetarian was. My father who was a lifelong vegetarian was offered bacon and egg but opted for omelette which turned out to have ham in it.
Whereas my daughter generally has no trouble finding a good veggie meal which is not just an afterthought on the menu.

 

[zuludog]

Hello MO_FLO and welcome to the forum!

I don't know a lot about Type 1 diabetes and how it might present itself, so I'll leave that to others, and your doctor & other medical people

Instead I'd like to reassure you that Diabetes is not the horror story you might have heard about, and you can live very well with it, but it will need some changes on your part, mostly with your diet

Briefly, diabetes is the inability of the body to process carbohydrates properly, resulting in the build up of glucose in the blood; and it is this accumulation that causes the problems we call diabetes
You can control this accumulation to some extent with medication, but it is important to realise and accept that the best way to manage diabetes is to cut out carbohydrates in the first place, and that means starchy food like spuds, pasta, rice, bread etc as well as obviously sweet things like cake, sweets, and biscuits

So yes, your diet will have to change, but doing without stodge is not the end of the world. Most diabetics take a much greater interest in food/recipes/diet/meals, and thoroughly enjoy their new diet
But you do have to get yer 'ead round the changes, and learn to enjoy what you can have and not worry about what you can't have
This is difficult at first, but once you've got used to the idea you will enjoy your new cooking, and as your diabetes is controlled you will feel brighter, and more lively - honest!
Also things like cholesterol levels and blood pressure will improve as well
In fact, many people say they feel better with diabetes than they ever did before

Perhaps you're still doubtful, so have a look through older Threads in the Newbies section, all your questions and concerns will have been asked and discussed before
Also look at -
the Food section to see what other diabetics eat, and that they take a great deal of interest in their food & diet
the Living With Diabetes section at the head of the Home Page
the Learning Zone, the orange - red box at the top of this page
They will all help you to see the possibilities

You could also Search YouTube for Diabetic Meals or Recipes, there are loads of videos
As with anything in YT you have to be a bit cautious, and it can be overwhelming, but again you can see the variety and the sorts of things you can eat

Let us know how you go on, and ask questions - nothing on here is considered silly, we've all been where you are

 

[trophywench]

@Leadinglights - the tale about your dad reminded me of that episode of The Royle Family where grandma on hearing that the grandson's new girlfriend is coming to Boxing Day tea and that she's vegetarian, asks, 'Could she have wafer-thin ham, Barb?'

 

[Drummer]

A typical type two can sort out their problems with carbohydrates by not eating them.
If you have not reduced your intake of sugars and starches then the medication, weightloss etc will have no effect on blood glucose levels.
However, if you are eating mainly protein and fat with a small amount of carbs from salad, veges and berries and are still seeing high blood glucose, then something more interesting is going on.
Using a proper blood glucose meter to check after eating, so you can see how you react to a meal with few carbs to one with normal amounts should give good guidance - but you need to watch out for the indications of DKA associated with untreated type 1.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Mo_Flo

Feeling slightly knocked sideways and a bit overwhelmed by the future and the potential changes that diabetes might bring is perfectly normal and natural. And don’t worry in the slightest about venting or moaning here - we instinctively ‘get it’ and know how scary and frustrating diabetes can be.

Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.

I share the concerns that other members have expressed about your rapid rise in HbA1c over the last year or so, despite the changes you have been making, and I also wonder if perhaps you might have been mis-classified.

Sometimes people get checks made for GAD antibodies and cPeptide (which shows how much insulin your body is still able to produce) which can help give clues. Do keep an eye out for those symptoms that @Robin suggested, as they can come on quite rapidly once the pancreas has reached a ‘tipping point’ if you do end up having an auto-immune form of diabetes.

Let us know how things go, and keep us posted. 🙂

 

[Mo_Flo]

Thank you all for your replies; I really do appreciate them.
I’m going to try my best and use these next 3 months to take heed of what you’ve all said and hopefully I will see a drop in the HBA1c levels.
Time to stop kidding myself. I’m away to check recipes and figure out what’s going to replace my fave pasta.
I’ll keep you posted and if it’s ok, ask advice on the way.
thanks again

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you all for your replies; I really do appreciate them.
I’m going to try my best and use these next 3 months to take heed of what you’ve all said and hopefully I will see a drop in the HBA1c levels.
Time to stop kidding myself. I’m away to check recipes and figure out what’s going to replace my fave pasta.
I’ll keep you posted and if it’s ok, ask advice on the way.
thanks again

Black bean or edamame bean pasta is a good substitute and much lower carb.

 

[Felinia]

Hi and welcome
May I suggest that between now and your next appointment you keep a brutally honest food diary, in conjunction with your testing. So when you go, you can show what you have been eating, and the effect it has on your blood glucose. You can get an app to record, or keep a spreadsheet, or good old fashioned paper end pen. I find the app best as it does all the hard work for you - you just have to weigh your portions. It's a quick job if you keep digital scales and a clear bowl on your kitchen worktop. Then just tap each food into your iPhone.

If you have followed a lower carb menu, and your levels are still high, please don't be afraid to ask for GAD antibodies and cPeptide tests.

Courgetti or boodles are good substitutes for spaghetti, and you can get squash sheets instead of lasagne. There is also a zero carb spaghetti which I tried a couple of times and it was OK with plenty of sauce. Best wishes

 

[rebrascora]

Last night I had my bolognaise sauce on a bed of kale (sweated in a little butter) Yum! I love kale.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Thank you all for your replies; I really do appreciate them.
I’m going to try my best and use these next 3 months to take heed of what you’ve all said and hopefully I will see a drop in the HBA1c levels.
Time to stop kidding myself. I’m away to check recipes and figure out what’s going to replace my fave pasta.
I’ll keep you posted and if it’s ok, ask advice on the way.
thanks again

Personally I would not wait the 3 months. Test before and 2 hours after meals keep a close tab on what you eat then after a week ring the Dr and ask for an urgent apt regarding late onset type1 diabetes,1.5. If no joy then go to A&E you should not be having high bloods for as long as you are, the long term consequences are not good.

 

[zuludog]

You've had a lot of advice and information, I wonder if you can manage a bit more?
But hopefully this will be easy to follow, and give you a bit of interest and enthusiasm

Have you heard of a BENTO BOX?
It is a Japanese style lunch box or snack box, where the emphasis is in the careful selection and preparation of a range of food to make an attractive presentation.

Just one thing, although the food is usually healthy it is not necessarily all suitable for diabetics
There will be things like chicken, eggs, vegetables, and savoury snacks, but also some rice, bread, and pasta
So you must be selective about choosing recipes, and careful when making up your own, but that's all part of the fun!
The idea of the box is to take food out with you, but there is, of course, no reason why you cannot just eat it at home

You say you are concerned about eating with friends in future - well now's you chance to show off your shiny new bento box; your impressive culinary skills; and the wide variety of your new diabetic diet!

Search YouTube for 'bento box' to see what it looks like, and Google if you want to buy one