Hi from Glasgow

[Razorb64]

Hi everyone, newbie on this site and after many years (13) being type 2 and really well controlled, I now have really high counts especially in triglyceride levels.
Ive started today watching my diet more carefully and have ordered one of the freestyle arm monitors to use going forward. I’m lucky never to have been overweight at 6ft 1in and 11st 10lbs, but really need advice on how to get my readings back down and reviews from anyone who uses the arm monitors.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome to the forum Razor, from a fellow T2.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Razorb64

Many people on the forum have found Freestyle Libre really helpful because it shows a lot of detail (eg overnight and after meals), but all of that extra infromation can feel a little overwhelming at times.

Reducing trigs is really important. It can really help to stop smoking if that’s a habit, and also to increase physical activity, alongside watching your diet 🙂

Hopefully the Libre data will help you identify any meals, snacks and types and amounts of carbohydrates that your body is finding difficult to handle. It’s the total carbohydrate content you need to keep an eye on, not just the ‘of which sugars’, and hopefully you‘ll be able to see which types of carbs your body absorbs more slowly, and cut back on the ones which cause a ‘spike’ in your sensor glucose trace. Typically members here aim for a rise of 3mmol/L or less by 2hrs after eating.

Good luck and let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[Razorb64]

Welcome to the forum @Razorb64

Many people on the forum have found Freestyle Libre really helpful because it shows a lot of detail (eg overnight and after meals), but all of that extra infromation can feel a little overwhelming at times.

Reducing trigs is really important. It can really help to stop smoking if that’s a habit, and also to increase physical activity, alongside watching your diet 🙂

Hopefully the Libre data will help you identify any meals, snacks and types and amounts of carbohydrates that your body is finding difficult to handle. It’s the total carbohydrate content you need to keep an eye on, not just the ‘of which sugars’, and hopefully you‘ll be able to see which types of carbs your body absorbs more slowly, and cut back on the ones which cause a ‘spike’ in your sensor glucose trace. Typically members here aim for a rise of 3mmol/L or less by 2hrs after eating.

Good luck and let us know how you get on 🙂

Thanks for that advice.
Im really at a loss to understand whats happening.
I’ve never smoked, not overweight, run 5k 3 times a week, take metformin 500 twice a day plus gliclizide and empagliflozin. I’ve been tested for an auto immune deficiency but nothing checks out.
I’ve worked through the whole pandemic so, have been lucky not to have been holed up for months on end.
it really has just been this year that my results have been poor. My retinopathy screening has also shown very minor changes....is there anyway that I could be needing to take insulin injections?

 

[Razorb64]

Welcome to the forum Razor, from a fellow T2.

Hi thanks for your reply.
yeah my readings were pretty similar but have rocketed to over 70 this time.
im on metformin 500 twice a day, plus gliclazide and empagliflozin.
run 5k 3 times a week and have been at work all through the pandemic.
it’s got to be something else....not cake

 

[EllsBells]

It's good that you're being considered for auto-immune conditions. Have you been losing weight recently or experiencing more fatigue, excessive toilet trips etc?

One further thought - what is your BP like?

 

[Razorb64]

No my weight has pretty much remained constant at just under 12 stone and my toilet trips are no more than normal.
my blood pressure is well controlled, although through medication, but it was checked last week and found to be ok.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks for that advice.
Im really at a loss to understand whats happening.
I’ve never smoked, not overweight, run 5k 3 times a week, take metformin 500 twice a day plus gliclizide and empagliflozin. I’ve been tested for an auto immune deficiency but nothing checks out.
I’ve worked through the whole pandemic so, have been lucky not to have been holed up for months on end.
it really has just been this year that my results have been poor. My retinopathy screening has also shown very minor changes....is there anyway that I could be needing to take insulin injections?

Has your cPeptide ever been checked, to see how much of your own insulin you are still able to produce?

I wonder if the autoimmune checks you might have had were for Addisons or something else, rather than to check GAD antibodies which might have been for LADA (slow onset T1 in adults)

 

[Razorb64]

Has your cPeptide ever been checked, to see how much of your own insulin you are still able to produce?

I wonder if the autoimmune checks you might have had were for Addisons or something else, rather than to check GAD antibodies which might have been for LADA (slow onset T1 in adults)

The checks were for LADA but it came back that I was definitely type 2. No changes to meds either in the last 5 years

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The checks were for LADA but it came back that I was definitely type 2. No changes to meds either in the last 5 years

Ah Ok. Thanks for confirming. Some newcomers on the forum have to fight tooth and nail to have those checks done.

Sounds like you are working really hard with the running, and keeping and eye on your diet. Must be really frustrating to suddenlt see such a change in your BG levels.

I wonder if they will suggest adding insulin into the mix?

We have a member here who was TOFI (thin outside fat inside) whose body was carrying little weight generally, but disproportionally building up visceral fat. And it’s this visceral fat which can impair the proper function of organs like the liver and pancreas. Maybe worth chatting to your GP about?