Hello from a Newbie

[Durgirl]

Hi

I'm a diagnosed T2 person, but after taking my blood over the last couple of days, I suspect that I may be a Type 1 Late start.

I'm due to see my nurse next week, I obviously going to raise my concerns - but is there anything that I should mention or ask when I'm there. Sorry completely new to this, as I thought it was going OK with just metformin, but obvs not.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Durgirl 🙂 What exactly makes you suspect you might be Type 1 when you test your blood?

 

[Durgirl]

Welcome @Durgirl 🙂 What exactly makes you suspect you might be Type 1 when you test your blood?

Hi Inka - from what I've read, its when the metformin isnt acting how it should and sugars are still high. Also if there is history of auto-immune in the family? The lowest I've ever been since starting testing is 8.7 and thats with 4 x metformin (slow release) daily. My Diabetic nurse suggested that it should be between 5 and 8 (early morning). Just a bit new to this and not sure.

 

[Inka]

That’s right @Durgirl Type 1 is an auto-immune condition 🙂 You say the lowest you’ve got was 8.7 - two questions: how often are you testing, and what was the highest blood sugar result you got?

 

[harbottle]

Hi Inka - from what I've read, its when the metformin isnt acting how it should and sugars are still high. Also if there is history of auto-immune in the family? The lowest I've ever been since starting testing is 8.7 and thats with 4 x metformin (slow release) daily. My Diabetic nurse suggested that it should be between 5 and 8 (early morning). Just a bit new to this and not sure.

Have you made any dietary changes? Metformin only makes a modest change to blood sugar. It has to be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes (Diet and Exercise).

 

[Durgirl]

That’s right @Durgirl Type 1 is an auto-immune condition 🙂 You say the lowest you’ve got was 8.7 - two questions: how often are you testing, and what was the highest blood sugar result you got?

Thanks @Inka I'm testing about 4 times a day (at least) - trying to stick to the timetable in the testing booklet. Highest I've ever had was 20.5, but they seem to range from 11.2 up to around 15 depending on the time of day

 

[Durgirl]

Have you made any dietary changes? Metformin only makes a modest change to blood sugar. It has to be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes (Diet and Exercise).

Thanks @harbottle - currently in early stages, but yes cutting out all crappy sugar where possible and really watching my diet. Also starting the gym again (had to stop for a few weeks due to a back injury).

 

[harbottle]

Thanks @harbottle - currently in early stages, but yes cutting out all crappy sugar where possible and really watching my diet. Also starting the gym again (had to stop for a few weeks due to a back injury).

It's not just sugar, it's all carbohydrates - bread, pasta, rice, sugar, some fruit, potato, and more.

 

[rebrascora]

Can you give us an idea of what you typically eat for breakfast, lunch and evening meal as that will have the biggest impact on your levels? Often people change to porridge thinking that it is a "healthy" choice after a diabetes diagnosis and this can be like rocket fuel for some people and not at all the slow release food it is for others. Porridge oats are grains so approx 60% carbohydrate and all carbs break down into glucose in our blood stream, not just sugar, so it is about far more than just cutting out "crappy sugar" Eggs are a much better choice for breakfast (but restrict bread/toast with them) or creamy Greek style natural yoghurt with mixed seeds and a few berries is what many of us have.

Exercise will help but doesn't have to be going to the gym, unless you enjoy that. In fact some exercise (anaerobic) will increase your BG levels in the short term, but build muscle in the longer term and therefore enable them to store more glucose. Walking, cycling and swimming are really good activities for lowering BG levels. If my levels are high after a meal, I run up and down stairs 10-20 times, especially if it is too dark/wet/miserable to go outside and that helps bring it down and costs me nothing.

 

[Leadinglights]

If you are still having high carb foods that will explain why you are seeing high glucose levels but having a strategic testing regime which gives you information on which you can base dietary changes rather than random readings which doesn't tell you much.
Testing on waking is useful to check progress day to day, week to week but won't show much change to start with as that reading can be the last to come down for some people.
Testing before you eat and after 2 hours is useful to check how you have tolerated the carbs in that meal, an increase of no more than 2-3mmol/l after the 2 hours will indicate the meal was OK.
Otherwise testing if you feel unwell is a good idea.
As mentioned it is about reducing all carbohydrates not just sugar. This link may give you some ideas for modifying your diet. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Durgirl

This is what the NICE Guideline says about diagnosis of T1

Make an initial diagnosis of type 1 diabetes on clinical grounds in adults presenting with hyperglycaemia. Bear in mind that people with type 1 diabetes typically (but not always) have 1 or more of:​

• ketosis
• rapid weight loss
• age of onset under 50 years
• body mass index (BMI) below 25 kg/m2
• personal and/or family history of autoimmune disease. [2015, amended 2022]

1.1.2​

Do not use age or BMI alone to exclude or diagnose type 1 diabetes in adults. [2022]​

1.1.3​

Take into consideration the possibility of other diabetes subtypes and revisit the diagnosis at subsequent clinical reviews. Carry out further investigations if there is uncertainty (see recommendations 1.1.7 and 1.1.8). [2022]​

Not sure if you fit into one or more of the categories above on top of the autoimmune flag?