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Sassafras

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Type 2
I am newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes but feel I am very borderline, as the highest my blood sugar has ever measured is 53 and at the most recent test in November it was 45. My diabetic nurse says that that doesn't mean I am NOT diabetic though. I have embarked on the 'Second Nature' programme through the NHS and have just finished the first week. I'm hoping to control the diabetes by losing weight, through cutting down on carbs and avoiding all added sugar. So far I have lost nearly 6 kilos since September but the Second Nature programme advises I should lose another 7 over the remaining 11 weeks of the programme. I hope to do so. I have my first diabetic eye check at the local hospital this week.

I have a question about medications. I have had a dreadful dry tickly cough since before Christmas and would previously have taken Strepsils, Covonia etc to help soothe it. I asked my local pharmacist and she advised not to take anything with sugar, but the alternatives are rather limited, especially as I live in a very rural area where chemists are few and far between. My other go-to cold and throat relief would be home-made lemon and honey drinks, but I don't think the honey is a good idea either. What suggestions, if any, can anyone out there give me please?
 
Welcome to the forum @Sassafras

Congratulations on your terrific weight loss! That will help with your insulin resistance, and has many other health benefits too.

An HbA1c between 42-47mmol/L would put you at risk of developing T2 diabetes, and a confirmed result of 48 and over is the usual benchmark for a formal diagnosis. Surgeries seem to vary as to whether they take an initial result, or wait for a second confirmatory value.

Sounds like you’ve been making some very helpful changes with moderating your total carb intake as well as cutting down hard on sugars. Hope your successes and weight loss continue 🙂

For cough / sore throat you could perhaps try inhaling steam as they used to do in the old days, or simply use paracetamol which can suppress tickly coughs by dulling the sensation.

Strepsils do have sugar-free versions, though you need to be careful not to have too many as they can have a laxative effect. And they only seem to come in huge boxes!

I sometimes have hot Lemsips which are largely based around sweeteners, but I agree with you that real lemon and actual honey (with a tot of whisky) at the end of the day is my real preference. My BGs are often pretty mangled by a bad cold anyway, and I have the luxury of insulin to try to help.

But the other thing to perhaps consider is the ‘carb load’ of any of these things. Half a teaspoon of honey might make a big difference and only add about 3g of carbohydrate, which once a day isn’t going to make all that much difference in my estimation.

Hope you feel much better soon.
 
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In the scheme of thing a few extra grams of carbs for a cold remedy isn't going to make too much difference unless you are glugging it all the time. You could always compensate by having a few less carbs in your meals just whilst you are taking any cold medication.
I hope you soon feel better.
 
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