Hello?!

[LCB]

Hopefully this is a really friendly site - so "hello everybody". If it's really really friendly, then "hello every buddy" - I like wordplay 😱)

I'm a 17 st long term type 2, holding my own inasmuch as I still have full sensitivity, though some side effects are hitting at my latest check-up, most worrying being my eyes. This wake-up call has kicked me into doing something drastic, I could do with some help and advice... just need to find the help and advice section...

 

[Northerner]

Hi LCB, welcome to the forum 🙂 Yes, we're friendly! Please feel free to post your questions in the section you feel is appropriate - if you're not sure, post in the General Messageboard 🙂

 

[Stitch147]

Hi and welcome to the forum. We are a friendly bunch on here and wont bite (unless you ask nicely). Feel free to ask any questions and someone will be along with an answer for you.

 

[Ljc]

Hi LCB, welcome to this friendly site. You will get a lot of info and support from the people here, I joined last April and have learned a lot.
You've already found the help and advise section, (don't worry I know what you mean, I'll give a link in a mo) just ask questions.
Have you been provided with a glucose meter and test strips ,
For future reference this link to, useful links for those new to Diabetes, is in the pinned section of, newbies introduce yourself here forum
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/

 

[Deleted member 16779]

Hopefully this is a really friendly site - so "hello everybody". If it's really really friendly, then "hello every buddy" - I like wordplay 😱)

I'm a 17 st long term type 2, holding my own inasmuch as I still have full sensitivity, though some side effects are hitting at my latest check-up, most worrying being my eyes. This wake-up call has kicked me into doing something drastic, I could do with some help and advice... just need to find the help and advice section...

Hi, Welcome - do you have anything in mind in particular? Losing weight, managing your blood glucose levels with diet, starting exercise, that sort of thing? All of these will help lower your blood glucose and reduce those symptoms. I was over 17 stone 9 months ago, and had rising BG levels, now I'm about 3 stone lighter, normal (non-diabetic) BG level, I run 3 miles almost every day, dance like no-one's watching and feel wonderful. I'm a bit of an evangelist for the LCHF diet (low carb / high fat) - reducing your carbohydrate intake is very important for type 2s as that is one of the things that immediately raises your BG.

 

[LCB]

Hi all, what a lovely welcome; I already feel buddies is better than bodies... So quick to respond too.
I'm at work, so can't go into detail yet, but in a nutshell I've just started a zero carb diet last Sunday, yet my BG is anywhere between 6 and 8.5. Weight seems to be falling fast (good thing) so I can only think my body is producing sugars from the fat. I know there's no such thing a zero, without starvation, but last night's supper (main meal) was a total (by label) of less than 5g Carbohydrate. BG rose overnight from 7 to 8. So much fir no detail; back to work

 

[grovesy]

Welcome.

 

[Rosiecarmel]

I try to keep my glycogen stores empty - by doing more exercise each day than my carb intake can provide calories for - that helps keep your BG low as the 'holes' for it in your muscles is like a sponge for carbs, and I believe that keeping a low amount of glycogen in the liver has the effect of reducing the dawn phenomenon as well as generally losing weight.

Can you explain this a bit more? Not sure I quite understand it. Is it a good idea to keep glycogen stores empty? Even non diabetic people need glycogen stores

 

[James 048]

Hopefully this is a really friendly site - so "hello everybody". If it's really really friendly, then "hello every buddy" - I like wordplay 😱)

I'm a 17 st long term type 2, holding my own inasmuch as I still have full sensitivity, though some side effects are hitting at my latest check-up, most worrying being my eyes. This wake-up call has kicked me into doing something drastic, I could do with some help and advice... just need to find the help and advice section...

Hi LCB
Warm welcome to the forum

 

[Northerner]

Can you explain this a bit more? Not sure I quite understand it. Is it a good idea to keep glycogen stores empty? Even non diabetic people need glycogen stores

Not a good idea if you are on insulin, @Rosiecarmel - although you would hope it won't happen, the glycogen stores in your liver might be what saves your life if you suffer a severe hypo 😱 The glucagon injection that a paramedic would give you works by stimulating your liver to release lots of its glycogen to raise your levels, if you've depleted them, then you would be in trouble Also, again, it's not nice to think about, but if you have a night hypo, what might save you is if your liver kicks in to raise levels - this is why sometimes people wake up feeling rough but their levels are high, they dropped too low and eventually the liver responded to raise levels.

It's true that exercise depletes muscle glycogen, and this may get topped back up by the liver - again, it's a good idea to have a small carby snack after exercise so you don't exhaust your liver.

 

[Hazel]

As a long term T2, perhaps you could seek out current advice from the professionals at your local diabetic clinic.

I have been T2 for 18 years and current thinking has changed over the years.

I habe found my consultant and DSN very supportive and helpful.

In the last 7 months I have lost over 6 stone and brought my HbA1c down from 11.8% to 5.8% (40). I should be able to come off insulin too in the next few months at this rate.

I wish you well on your journey

 

[loader]

Welcome LCB.

Whatever you do - keep posting here and keep chatting. Everyone is different and the more people posting - the more info the site has.

In the early stages - I wanted to see a lower BG before breakfast and noticed that (for me) it wasn't affected too much by the previous nights meal (unless the previous nights meal was really inappropriate).

Having read on here that if you don't eat breakfast then your liver gives you a free one, I decided to try a snack 2 hours before I got up.

That worked for me. Further reading suggested the liver may stop dumping glucose when you eat breakfast.

Of course, we are all very different and this approach may do nothing for you – but for me, a low carb snack when my bladder wakes me a 4am – brought down the pre-breakfast BG considerably.

Not sure if this actually does me any good but it makes me feel good and helps keep me away from the bad feelings that ultimately lead to the take-away and silly BG numbers.

So keep posting – nothing is too trivial. If someone tells you there not interested or talks to you in a very superior manner – just add them to your ignore list and keep posting.

 

[mikeyB]

I would agree with Northerner above. It is absolutely lunatic to try and deplete your glycogen store. Twice, my life has been saved by my liver. That's why, if you ever use glucagon, you must eat something carby afterwards to restore your glycogen. In fact, it's such bad and dangerous advice it ought to be removed, not just rebutted. You never know, a newbie T1 might see it.

 

[Northerner]

I would agree with Northerner above. It is absolutely lunatic to try and deplete your glycogen store. Twice, my life has been saved by my liver. That's why, if you ever use glucagon, you must eat something carby afterwards to restore your glycogen. In fact, it's such bad and dangerous advice it ought to be removed, not just rebutted. You never know, a newbie T1 might see it.

Removed post in question.

 

[Lindarose]

Hi LCB and welcome from another type2. 🙂
You'll learn loads from reading through posts on here and asking questions

 

[LCB]

Wow, what lot of info! I am learning so much. Being an engineer, I need to understand something to work with it, and in this one post I've found out more than in the last nine years since I was belatedly diagnosed (BS around 24). At the time I was drinking to replenish - around 15 litres of iced water a day... Hence the diagnosis.

As for Northerners post; I'd like to thank him as he's raised my understanding tremendously. Everyone else's words of caution are also taken on board...

A bit more about me: I'm T2, on multiple tablets. I am 17 stone (dropping but lets see the longer term), with the fat being internal; I have a large midfif but cannot pinch an inch... My BS have been increasing, giving an average over 12 at my last blood check. I was not brill at cutting out carbs; a cheap way of stemming hunger.

Consequently a drastic life decision... I've been targetting zero carbs, but this is impossible, especially as I spend a lot of time working away. Buying carb free is easy if you have a kitchen; I do B&B. This week I've been eating celery, warercress, sliced meats, cheese, boiled eggs and home made beef jerky. I've seemingly lost 7lbs since Sunday, but from Northerner's email; that's mainly water. My Blood sugars are improving; lowest is 6 after a few hours fasting and giving an overall average nearer 7.5

Daily, I take 4 Metformin, 3 Gliclazide and also have 1 injection of Dulaglutide on a Sunday. Apparently the latter will help curb my appetite. My tummy hasn't worked that bit out yet...

My challenge (at present - what advice?) is to get my BS down to 4, then drop a Gliclazide, etc... In the process I should lose weight; improving my body's chances of getting rid of the annoying rattle with the number of associated tablets I need take. On that note, it may only be water loss but I definitely need to buy another pair of shorts before I use the diving board!
My blood sugars improve daily. I feel fine, and (I believe) my BS is high enough to reduce risks of overdoing it, especially given I test every 1 to 2 hours.

I want to see rapid results, but I also want to stay safe, otherwise what's the point. The idea of a snack when I wake in the night is interesting... I'm not convinced this is any more than a hoodwink though.

I also have another theory regarding the LCHF diet... The only fat foxes are urban, where carbs are readily available outside restaurants ( the more flavoursome foods are eaten not ditched). Also, nature produces high carb fruits in the autumn. The animal kingdom uses that to produce and store fat for the winter months. In the spring we return to high protien when we don't need the fat, becoming fit and lean to catch more food.

Anyway, thanks for all of your contributions! Please don't stop; I need the knowledge, and I want to make the right decisions.

Lewis (LCB)

 

[LCB]

dance like no-one's watching

Love it

 

[Rosiecarmel]

Good for you. Sounds like you're really putting the effort in! Takes a while, but you'll get used to it 🙂 don't forget, meat and fish have barely any carbs, if any at all, in

Personally, I think aiming for 4mmol is too low. "4 is the floor" is what health professionals say as anything under four is considered hypoglycaemic. Even non diabetic people have blood glucose levels in the 5s a lot of the time.

Even a hba1c of 40 which is below diabetic range works out at an average blood glucose level of 6.7.

 

[trophywench]

We'd be hard pressed to completely avoid carbs - they're in even cucumber and flippin lettuce. OK - such minuscule amounts they are negligible - but they are there!

It's probably most unlikely you'll be referred to a 'proper' diabetes clinic unless you live in Scotland, like Hazel does. Most T2s in England are treated exclusively at their GP surgery.

 

[PhoebeC]

In the last 7 months I have lost over 6 stone and brought my HbA1c down from 11.8% to 5.8% (40). I should be able to come off insulin too in the next few months at this rate.

Wow Hazel that's awesome!

Welcome to the site LCB. Ask away. There's not a better site for diabetic info.