Hi one and all

[Deleted member 34038]

My name is Christine andIm. 62. I've had diabetes type 2 for about 10 years now. For the last few months I feel like I've done everything I can to lower my blood sugar levels. As they are 20 mmol or more most days. I'm switching to veggie meals most days as my sons been reading a book which advocates plant based meals as the author believes meat has been the main cause for a lot of western deseases. Anyway whether I believe or not, I'm trying it. But I'm always tired and never want to even walk, let alone more vigorous exercise... I sleep a ridiculous amount of hours, sometimes 12.... I'm four stone overweight so am trying to loose that. I'm on insulin once a day and five different tablets. My feet are experiencing numbness and tingling with shape pains at times. I am fed up and starting to suffer depression again.... Any advice???

 

[Felinia]

Hi
Just a few questions, which might help others make suggestions. When was your last HbA1c, and what was it? Do you know how many carbs you are having each day - being vegetarian you might be having more of things like rice, pasta, potato to fill up? But trying to lose the excess weight is good. When did you have your last retinopathy and feet tests? I would be concerned about about nerve damage in your feet, from your symptoms. Some people do live as Type 2 for some years, then later find they are Type 1.5 LADA. If that is the case you might need different treatment, but your GP would have to determine that. I hope you get answers. Best wishes

 

[zuludog]

Welcome to the Forum!
Thanks for telling us about your condition and problems, you have come to the right place for information, advice, and encouragement, but remember that we cannot give you a diagnosis or specific advice, but we can make suggestions and point you in the right direction to get help
From what you've said, here are a few things to consider -

I too have cut down on a lot of meat, certainly fatty junk food and processed food. I do eat meat, but have replaced the cheap & nasty stuff with fish, beans/lentils/pulses, veg, salads, olive oil, and all the healthy stuff you hear about
You don't have to go completely vegetarian or vegan, but it's something to think about
I started to suffer from statin ache & side effects, so I control my cholesterol level by diet, but just like a diabetic diet in general, you have to be aware of it all the time

20 is high, you should aim for about 4 to 8, and be able to get that below 10 most of the time

Remember that diabetes ( we often abbreviate that to D on this forum, since that is what most people talk about) is the inability to process carbohydrates, and that includes starchy food like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, cereals, pies & pastry as well as the obviously sweet things like sweets, biscuits & puddings

The problems you've describes with your feet could well be related to poor D control, but that would usually include weight loss, which is not happening, though the tiredness, sleeping and weakness is, so I'm puzzled

And so it's not surprising that you're fed up, you have my sympathy

This could bring on depression, but also, no-one knows exactly why, but many people wit D have a feeling of depression, anxiety, worry, or something being not right
Again this can be a sign of poor diabetic control, and it usually goes away or at least improves with better medication and management

As for exercise, yes it helps, but forcing yourself too much would probably make things worse
I used to do a lot of hiking, but have slowed down as I've got older, but have recently stated doing Tai Chi
Have a look on the Sport & Exercise section, I started a Thread about that a few days ago, or Search YouTube

I don't know much about Type 1,5 Diabetes, but I've just looked it up on Google and it seems a possibility
I suggest you do the same and take things from there

Have a read around this Forum, especially Weight Loss, Newbies, Food & Carbs then think about it and get back to us

 

[Leadinglights]

Some of the symptoms you describe could be due to vitamin B12 deficiency so it would be worth having that checked. If you are on metformin that can interfere with absorption of Vit B12 from foods.

 

[ianf0ster]

My name is Christine andIm. 62. I've had diabetes type 2 for about 10 years now. For the last few months I feel like I've done everything I can to lower my blood sugar levels. As they are 20 mmol or more most days. I'm switching to veggie meals most days as my sons been reading a book which advocates plant based meals as the author believes meat has been the main cause for a lot of western deseases. Anyway whether I believe or not, I'm trying it. But I'm always tired and never want to even walk, let alone more vigorous exercise... I sleep a ridiculous amount of hours, sometimes 12.... I'm four stone overweight so am trying to loose that. I'm on insulin once a day and five different tablets. My feet are experiencing numbness and tingling with shape pains at times. I am fed up and starting to suffer depression again.... Any advice???

Hi Christine and welcome to the forum.
As has been mentioned, T2 D is an intolerance to the amount of carbohydrates you are eating. Although for different Type 2's different carbs affect them in different ways, in general the more carbs the higher the Blood Glucose because carbs (starches as well as sugars, natural as well as added, even whole grains and 'health fruits') all turn into glucose very soon after you eat them.
You have a problem in that you and your healthcare professionals need to try to match your carb intake to your insulin dose(s). So if you decide to tackle your diabetes head on by reducing carbs you need to monitor your Blood Glucose to ensure you are not at risk of hypos. Several Type 2's can come off insulin after cutting down on carbs if they do it slowly and carefully enough.

Your tiredness/lack of energy/ lack of motivation sounds like it's just a symptom of your high BGs. Though having a veggie diet isn't helping. That is because the most nutrient and calorie dense and most 'bio-available nutrients' come from fats and proteins. Eggs are an almost perfect combination of these two.

Reducing carbohydrates and adding in more protein and the natural fat which comes with it usually has 4 effects:
1. Reduces Blood Glucose. - Many achieve remission from their T2 diabetes.
2. Causes weight loss - body fat after a while, but initially it will just be water.
3 & 4. Corrects/reduces Blood Pressure and Water Retention. . (Dr David Unwin a GP in Southport found he and many of his patients had to either stop or reduce their Blood Pressure and 'Water Retention tablets after going Low Carb).

So please consider Low Carb since this is likely to improve several of your symptoms.

 

[Drummer]

You might very well be something other than an ordinary type two.
I think I am just plain type two, I eat two meals a day of meat, fish, cheese or eggs, as protein and natural fats are the essential elements of a diet suitable for Humans and they are the easiest way for me to get the nutrients I require.
I eat fresh or frozen veges and berries, and fresh fruit and salad and veges. I avoid dense carbs as I can't cope with them.
My weight is down, my blood glucose is down as is my hba1c, and I feel great. I can go out again and am getting back in touch with dancers and musicians. I don't need medication for diabetes, and my thyroid medication is being reduced.
I can see no logic behind the argument that meat is bad for us. We evolved eating meat.

 

[NotPink]

I was a vegetarian for over 40 years before I was pre diabetic. I changed to eating organic white meat even though I did not want to.
But I must say meat and veg and reduced carbs.has brought down my BG levels. I also eat eggs and cheese.
My last cholesterol check a month ago was 4.5 which is good. I did worry about that part of it.
However, you have to go with what suits your condition. Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 34038]

Thanks one and all. I do eat eggs and cheese and very little pasta potatoes rice etc. My insulin is the same dose every morning and the professionals haven't said about changing this to match carbs I eat.. My sugars were down today's to 13.03 mmol. So even that that's not low, it is better than 22.00 mmol. I need to talk to my doctor or diabetic nurse

 

[zuludog]

Thanks one and all. I do eat eggs and cheese and very little pasta potatoes rice etc. My insulin is the same dose every morning and the professionals haven't said about changing this to match carbs I eat.. My sugars were down today's to 13.03 mmol. So even that that's not low, it is better than 22.00 mmol. I need to talk to my doctor or diabetic nurse

Yes, that would be a good idea

I very rarely discuss D with my doctor, only in passing if I see him about something else
Most of the management and discussing the current state of my D, test results and so on is done by the DSN
Besides what you might call the technical stuff, she asks about how I feel, how I'm coping with the Lockdown, and so on
She also inspects my feet, & does a sensitivity test on them

I too am overweight, and as we know, losing weight when you have D is not easy, but I hope the posts on this forum will help and encourage you.