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Looby-lou65

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I have just found this support group through diabetes uk.......wish id found you sooner.
I have type 2 and was diagnosed about eight years ago. initially I tried diet to control my levels but soon moved onto metformin, which was only medication for several years.
Throughout this time I was constantly being told that I wasn't a proper diabetic, that type 2 could be solved by losing weight and was probably caused by over eating sugar.
I found it very difficult to get consistent dietary advice, everyone had an opinion and none of them seemed to match..........frustrating
About three years ago I started to inject a new revolutionary solution to my ever increasing blood sugars, my new medication would reduce my appetite,
slow down the process of food moving through my body and help my body to use its meagre amount of insulin.
This medication made me feel terrible and it was difficult to time injecting to within an hour of eating. after about eight months, with sugar levels not really improving I stopped it. several months later at a diabetic review, a new, even more super injection was offered, I would not need to time meals around it and life would be great.
I continued to take my metformin, injection, cholesterol and high blood pressure tablets and still had sugar r4eadings that were too high. so frustrating. then about a year ago, at my diabetic review my nurse said that as my sugar levels refused to drop below 15 it was time to bring out the big guy.............insulin.
I managed with injecting far better than I thought, but struggled to find any clear guidelines. I was sent off with my pack of 5 pens and told, start at eight, if sugar reading is still high increase amount every other day until sugar levels are 5/6.
Simple you would think, I joined a gym and a slimming club, determined to master my diabetes. sadly I am still struggling, blood sugars constantly between 18 and 25 and yet again bombarded with conflicting
I would really love to hear from anyone that has gone through similar processes with similar results and would love advice from those that have managed to tame the beast that is diabetes.

sorry for the rambling post xxx :confused:
 
Hi Looby-lou, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm very sorry to hear about the struggles you have been having :( Whoever told you that Type 2 could be 'solved' by losing weight and not eating sugar clearly is very ignorant of the facts about diabetes. Whilst it is true that some people are able to manage their blood sugar levels by reducing weight, modifying their diet and becoming more active, this is not true of everyone. Much will depend on your own individual capacity to produce and use insulin, and this can vary in people considerably. There is nothing to feel ashamed about if you have tried your best without medication but cannot achieve good levels.

I'm guessing that the injectable medication you went on to was something like Byetta or Victoza? Again, not everyone gets on with these and the side-effects can be intolerable. It strikes me that whoever is looking after you is playing the blame game, making you feel guilty because you are not succeeding, and threatening you with insulin. You are NOT to blame! If your body is not producing sufficient insulin despite your efforts, then you will need to supplement it through injections - there is nothing you could have done about that.

What insulin are you on? Can I suggest that you start afresh and put what has happened so far behind you? Imagine that you are new to diabetes and look frward to tackling the problem of how to get your levels under conrol - put the past behind you. I would start by getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. Read Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter. The more you understand diabetes, the easier it will be to get to grips with. Start a food diary, recording the amount of carbs in everything you eat and drink. Using this you will then be able to look for areas where you might make substitutions, or reduce portion sizes to make your diet more diabetes-friendly. Have a look at the Glycaemic Load diet (GL) for a way to select food that will be kinder to your blood sugar levels - The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction. Use your meter to find out how your different meals are affecting you levels by testing before and one or two hours after eating (have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S for a guide to efficient testing.)

Ask as many questions as you can here - there are lots of people here who were once in just the same situation as you, can appreciate how you have had to struggle, but are now in control of their diabetes and will be able to help 🙂 Having had levels so high for so long must be making you feel terrible, but hopefully, with our help and your determination, you will be able to feel fit, healthy and happy again!
 
Last edited:
Hello Looby-lou65,

welcome to the forum 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum Looby-lou65 🙂
 
welcome to the forum lobby-lou65. I am not a type 2 but there are loads on here who Im sure will offer you some great advice 🙂
 
Northerner said:
Hi Looby-lou, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm very sorry to hear about the struggles you have been having :( Whoever told you that Type 2 could be 'solved' by losing weight and not eating sugar clearly is very ignorant of the facts about diabetes. Whilst it is true that some people are able to manage their blood sugar levels by reducing weight, modifying their diet and becoming more active, this is not true of everyone. Much will depend on your own individual capacity to produce and use insulin, and this can vary in people considerably. There is nothing to feel ashamed about if you have tried your best without medication but cannot achieve good levels.

I'm guessing that the injectable medication you went on to was something like Byetta or Victoza? Again, not everyone gets on with these and the side-effects can be intolerable. It strikes me that whoever is looking after you is playing the blame game, making you feel guilty because you are not succeeding, and threatening you with insulin. You are NOT to blame! If your body is not producing sufficient insulin despite your efforts, then you will need to supplement it through injections - there is nothing you could have done about that.

What insulin are you on? Can I suggest that you start afresh and put what has happened so far behind you? Imagine that you are new to diabetes and look frward to tackling the problem of how to get your levels under conrol - put the past behind you. I would start by getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. Read Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter. The more you understand diabetes, the easier it will be to get to grips with. Start a food diary, recording the amount of carbs in everything you eat and drink. Using this you will then be able to look for areas where you might make substitutions, or reduce portion sizes to make your diet more diabetes-friendly. Have a look at the Glycaemic Load diet (GL) for a way to select food that will be kinder to your blood sugar levels - The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction. Use your meter to find out how your different meals are affecting you levels by testing before and one or two hours after eating (have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S for a guide to efficient testing.)

Ask as many questions as you can here - there are lots of people here who were once in just the same situation as you, can appreciate how you have had to struggle, but are now in control of their diabetes and will be able to help 🙂 Having had levels so high for so long must be making you feel terrible, but hopefully, with our help and your determination, you will be able to feel fit, healthy and happy again!
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for your reply, you have given me lots of ideas and things to think about, oh and a little reading me thinks! 1st of November tomorrow, I am going to get on top of my diabetes :D
 
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