Hi - Overwhelmed tired and frustrated!

[swimmingalong]

Hello! I am brand new to this forum and Diabetes but feeling quite “at sea”! This is long sorry!

I am not new to Diabetes UK having raised £1500+ for them in the last year through fitness challenges (how ironic)!

Recently (early July) hospitalised and operated on for bad infection. Bloods checked(I didn’t know it was this was HBA1C). Told blood sugar high. Got recheck 3 weeks later. Phone call Monday saying review call with GP needed - first date they offered was mid September - didn’t mention diabetes just blood test. Having post op wound dressing changed regularly. On Weds nurse mentioned something about free prescriptions as I am diabetic. Freaked out a bit. She looked sheepish - scalded me for not asking more questions about September call (!) then clammed up because said “not a diabetes specialist”.

So last 48hrs I’ve been on a voyage of discovery. Found out HBA1C in July was 51, and last week one was 49. I’m freaking out as I have had permanent neuropathy in foot from spinal surgery in 2016, and it’s been worse recently and now I’m freaking out it’s because of diabetes. I have fallen over badly twice in last two weeks. I also have thrush at the mo.

I can hardly bring self to talk about diagnosis with anyone. Have told husband and 2 friends but very much undercover.

I’m desperate to do exercise - my usual ones are swimming, Pilates & walking but post op recovery has scuppered that.

Have bought a BG meter and watched videos and taught self to finger prick test. I did
before tea 7.6mmo/l
2hrs after 13 mmo/l
Before bed 8.1 mmo/l

I plan to test before meals and 2hrs after for a couple of weeks while I learn what triggers peaks - is that the right idea. I understand because I’m threshold I might not need drugs, or to test regularly, but I would like to understand more about my body.

I’m losing sleep (and I know sleep is really important). I have questions.. though to be honest if you’ve read this far you need a medal (thank you!)

Should I be pushing to be seen sooner than mid September?

Will they be able to help with neuropathy or is it a one way street? (Be gentle this is my most freaking out factor).

Anything else I could be doing up front now? Food diary? Diet change?

Thank you so much in advance. Overwhelmed of a county somewhere in England!

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

Firstly as per

I have questions.. though to be honest if you’ve read this far you need a medal (thank you!)

I am here to claim my medal 😉 Just kidding, it is always great when people supply lots of info so no need to apologize.

Now on to the important stuff. I know it is all really overwhelming at first but absolutely no need to panic. 51 is only just over the diabetes threshold of 48. If you had been as high as mine at 112 at diagnosis then definitely more entitled to panic. At such a low level, it really should just take some simple changes to your diet to push you back into at least prediabetic range but hopefully the normal range, ie below 42. Here on the forum people have come down from near the ton with just dietary changes so dropping 10 off your HbA1c should be possible if you are a reasonably straightforward Type 2.
Self testing is an invaluable tool in helping you to understand which foods cause you the most problems and which you can get away with and in what portion size. I see it as allowing you to "see" your diabetes and it can be really motivational both to see improvement over the days and weeks butalso to avoid the carb rich foods when you can see what they do to your BG levels..... I will never forget the night I binged on a large packet of salt and vinegar Jacobs crackers and my levels hit 27mmols and I spent all night drinking pint after pint of water to try to flush it out through my kidneys to bring it down..... it was 22 by morning but it was a long night of drinking and weeing🙄 Anyway, ideally you are looking to keep the meal rise ie the amount your levels rose as a result of what you ate to less than 3mmols initially but preferably less than 2 most of the time. So your premeal reading was 7.6 and it rose to 13 which tells you that that meal was too carb heavy for your body to cope as it rose by 5.4 if my fuddled brain is working correctly. Out of interest, what did you have to eat and drink for that meal?

I am quite surprised that you have thrush at your current BG levels. It usually develops when the kidneys start removing surplus glucose into your urine and then the yeast infection takes hold and thrives in that sugary environment but the kidneys don't generally kick in until levels are persistently mid teens. Similarly, neuropathy at this early stage and relatively low HbA1c would be unusual. You can sometimes develop a temporary neuropathy if you reduce BG levels too quickly, but if this neuropathy is related to your diabetes, there is certainly a possibility that it will improve as you get your levels lower and more stable. It might be worth having a blood test for I think it is B12 too as that can affect your nerves and cause issues very similar ti neuropathy. I think @Pattidevans has some knowledge/experience of that and if I remember rightly she had a couple of falls due to it. Hopefully she will be able to give you more info when she sees that I have tagged her.

Not sure if I have missed anything, but yes, keeping an honest food diary of everything you eat and drink and perhaps making a note of the main carb components of each meal and an approx portion size.... so 2 tables spoons of rice or a cup of cooked pasta or 3 medium sized potatoes or 2 medium slices of seeded bread etc. Record the before and after readings and if more than 3mmols then decide which element you will miss the least and cut it down and then test that adjusted meal next time it is on the menu and see how your levels pan out next time. So a Sunday dinner might be roasties, some new potatoes and a Yorkshire pud. I might try half a Yorkie next time and just a couple of roasties but no new potatoes and see what readings I got for that and then decide if I was going to give up on the Yorkie but keep the roasties if it needed reducing further. Start off with what you normally eat now and make slow steady reductions, increasing the lower carb elements of the meal like the veggies, particularly leafy green veggies and protein (meat, fish, eggs, cheese etc) so that you don't go hungry. You will start to real;ise that some foods are just not worth the Blood glucose aggravation and choose to avoid them altogether but other foods are worth it even for a small portion because you love it. It also depends on how disciplined you can be about portion size. I am an all or nothing girl so for me it is best to tease myself with a small portion of something I love and easier just to avoid it. That doesn't mean to say I feel deprived because actually I don't. I have a lot of new low carb foods that I love and can eat whenever I want and they make up for the things that I have given up. Things like nice cheeses and olives and pork scratchings.... and I am too tired to think of anything else but there are lots....

Anyway, I have written more than enough for one post and I am going to have to award my medal back to you if you got this far. Just want to say that I am fitter and healthier and slimmer and feel younger than I did pre diagnosis 3.5 years ago. It hasn't been easy going and it is frustrating at times but there have been lots of positives to come out of it, mostly that it gave me the kick up the pants to change things. I hope you too will find benefits.... and not just the free prescriptions 😉 which I believe only apply if you are started on diabetes medication and at 51 many people here would recommend you negotiate a 3 month hiatus on any medication to give diet a chance. A low carb way of eating is more powerful at reducing BG levels than almost any oral diabetes medication for most type 2 people here on the forum.

Wishing you lots of luck with your diabetes journey and we are here to support you with it whenever you need us. X

 

[swimmingalong]

@rebrascora THANK YOU for such a long detailed and reassuring reply! Especially re the neuropathy and thrush - I was on abx for 14 days which I think hasn’t helped. Remembered to take probiotic tablet last night!

It’s so helpful to have a “rise of 3” as a guide for the post meal measurement.

I ate one wholemeal pitta, lots of grated raw beetroot salad (raw beetroot, spring onions, oil, lemon juice). 3tbsp ish cheesey coleslaw (bought), green leaf salad and a sausage. Oh and a bit of hummus. I didn’t eat the potatoes or white bread on the table (though now I’m wondering if skin on new pots would’ve been better than the pitta?). I had a cup of decaf tea (milk, no sugar) about 30 mins before post meal reading.

Thanks so much for responding.

 

[EmmaL76]

My hba1c was 55 on diagnosis and I had thrush for months and months before hand, nothing I tried would clear it up. I went for swabs and all sorts. They never checked my blood sugar at that time but I do remember them asking me if I was diabetic… like i would know without them knowing lol. Anyhow after diagnosis got blood sugar under control and I haven’t had it for 2 years, touch wood… must be horrible in this heat @Overwhelmed_t2d. Don’t worry about going into a panic that’s normal. Just breath, understand that your hba1c isn’t that bad and can easily be brought down to normal levels. At your level I would definitely ask for the opportunity to address this without medication, if that’s what you would prefer. I actually think it’s a good thing that your appointment is mid sept. You can learn a lot from us by then and attend armed with want you already know and prepare any questions you may want answering. Often the newly diagnosed go into this first meeting not having a clue what it’s all about and getting fobbed off with a pack of tablets and a stupid list of foods to eat that most of us in reality can’t eat. Obviously medical checks are important but sometimes the advise for type 2’s can be a bit sketchy. So great to get your annual bloods done, feet checks BP and cholesterol etc, but for the actual practical diet and exercise advice, your better off here to be honest. So waffle on all you want, that’s coming from the queen of waffle!

Ps thanks for raising the money xx

 

[Leadinglights]

@rebrascora THANK YOU for such a long detailed and reassuring reply! Especially re the neuropathy and thrush - I was on abx for 14 days which I think hasn’t helped. Remembered to take probiotic tablet last night!

It’s so helpful to have a “rise of 3” as a guide for the post meal measurement.

I ate one wholemeal pitta, lots of grated raw beetroot salad (raw beetroot, spring onions, oil, lemon juice). 3tbsp ish cheesey coleslaw (bought), green leaf salad and a sausage. Oh and a bit of hummus. I didn’t eat the potatoes or white bread on the table (though now I’m wondering if skin on new pots would’ve been better than the pitta?). I had a cup of decaf tea (milk, no sugar) about 30 mins before post meal reading.

Thanks so much for responding.

If you have been taking penicillin because of the infection that could give you thrush, which is a yeast infection and it just loves a sugar environment, exacerbated by high glucose levels. I only need to take 1 and there it is.
Dietary changes should reduce blood glucose, this link may help with some ideas, some do's and don'ts and some meal ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[swimmingalong]

If you have been taking penicillin because of the infection that could give you thrush,

thanks @Leadinglights It wasn’t pencilling specific but similar. Will take a look at link.

Thank you for replying.

 

[swimmingalong]

My hba1c was 55 on diagnosis and I had thrush for months and months before hand, nothing I tried would clear it up. I went for swabs and all sorts. They never checked my blood sugar at that time but I do remember them asking me if I was diabetic… like i would know without them knowing lol. Anyhow after diagnosis got blood sugar under control and I haven’t had it for 2 years, touch wood… must be horrible in this heat @Overwhelmed_t2d. Don’t worry about going into a panic that’s normal. Just breath, understand that your hba1c isn’t that bad and can easily be brought down to normal levels. At your level I would definitely ask for the opportunity to address this without medication, if that’s what you would prefer. I actually think it’s a good thing that your appointment is mid sept. You can learn a lot from us by then and attend armed with want you already know and prepare any questions you may want answering. Often the newly diagnosed go into this first meeting not having a clue what it’s all about and getting fobbed off with a pack of tablets and a stupid list of foods to eat that most of us in reality can’t eat. Obviously medical checks are important but sometimes the advise for type 2’s can be a bit sketchy. So great to get your annual bloods done, feet checks BP and cholesterol etc, but for the actual practical diet and exercise advice, your better off here to be honest. So waffle on all you want, that’s coming from the queen of waffle!

Ps thanks for raising the money xx

Thank you. Thank you for time to reply, your support and pointing out the opportunity to show I’m attempting to manage this before appointment in Sept.

 

[swimmingalong]

Anyway, ideally you are looking to keep the meal rise ie the amount your levels rose as a result of what you ate to less than 3mmols initially but preferably less than 2 most of the time.

@rebrascora I only had a rise of 2.1 from breakfast! 7.7-9.8mmo/l feel like I’m winning happy as its my “normal” breakfast of homemade sourdough whole grain bread, butter & marmite… I understand probably not the healthiest but the relief that I can sometimes have what I usually do is comforting!

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi Overwhelmed_t2d, welcome to the forum.

Firstly, thank you so much for raising funds on our behalf. We really couldn't do what we do with support from community members such as yourself so thanks once again.

I know it's overwhelming when first diagnosed but you'e done so well already that it seems as though you just need to get a few pieces of the jigsaw in place.

Keep testing and figure out a meal plan that works for you so you can maintain consistency in time for your next review.

Do keep us updated and let us know if w can help in any way.

 

[swimmingalong]

Hi and welcome.

Firstly as per

I am here to claim my medal 😉 Just kidding, it is always great when people supply lots of info so no need to apologize.

Now on to the important stuff. I know it is all really overwhelming at first but absolutely no need to panic. 51 is only just over the diabetes threshold of 48. If you had been as high as mine at 112 at diagnosis then definitely more entitled to panic. At such a low level, it really should just take some simple changes to your diet to push you back into at least prediabetic range but hopefully the normal range, ie below 42. Here on the forum people have come down from near the ton with just dietary changes so dropping 10 off your HbA1c should be possible if you are a reasonably straightforward Type 2.
Self testing is an invaluable tool in helping you to understand which foods cause you the most problems and which you can get away with and in what portion size. I see it as allowing you to "see" your diabetes and it can be really motivational both to see improvement over the days and weeks butalso to avoid the carb rich foods when you can see what they do to your BG levels..... I will never forget the night I binged on a large packet of salt and vinegar Jacobs crackers and my levels hit 27mmols and I spent all night drinking pint after pint of water to try to flush it out through my kidneys to bring it down..... it was 22 by morning but it was a long night of drinking and weeing🙄 Anyway, ideally you are looking to keep the meal rise ie the amount your levels rose as a result of what you ate to less than 3mmols initially but preferably less than 2 most of the time. So your premeal reading was 7.6 and it rose to 13 which tells you that that meal was too carb heavy for your body to cope as it rose by 5.4 if my fuddled brain is working correctly. Out of interest, what did you have to eat and drink for that meal?

I am quite surprised that you have thrush at your current BG levels. It usually develops when the kidneys start removing surplus glucose into your urine and then the yeast infection takes hold and thrives in that sugary environment but the kidneys don't generally kick in until levels are persistently mid teens. Similarly, neuropathy at this early stage and relatively low HbA1c would be unusual. You can sometimes develop a temporary neuropathy if you reduce BG levels too quickly, but if this neuropathy is related to your diabetes, there is certainly a possibility that it will improve as you get your levels lower and more stable. It might be worth having a blood test for I think it is B12 too as that can affect your nerves and cause issues very similar ti neuropathy. I think @Pattidevans has some knowledge/experience of that and if I remember rightly she had a couple of falls due to it. Hopefully she will be able to give you more info when she sees that I have tagged her.

Not sure if I have missed anything, but yes, keeping an honest food diary of everything you eat and drink and perhaps making a note of the main carb components of each meal and an approx portion size.... so 2 tables spoons of rice or a cup of cooked pasta or 3 medium sized potatoes or 2 medium slices of seeded bread etc. Record the before and after readings and if more than 3mmols then decide which element you will miss the least and cut it down and then test that adjusted meal next time it is on the menu and see how your levels pan out next time. So a Sunday dinner might be roasties, some new potatoes and a Yorkshire pud. I might try half a Yorkie next time and just a couple of roasties but no new potatoes and see what readings I got for that and then decide if I was going to give up on the Yorkie but keep the roasties if it needed reducing further. Start off with what you normally eat now and make slow steady reductions, increasing the lower carb elements of the meal like the veggies, particularly leafy green veggies and protein (meat, fish, eggs, cheese etc) so that you don't go hungry. You will start to real;ise that some foods are just not worth the Blood glucose aggravation and choose to avoid them altogether but other foods are worth it even for a small portion because you love it. It also depends on how disciplined you can be about portion size. I am an all or nothing girl so for me it is best to tease myself with a small portion of something I love and easier just to avoid it. That doesn't mean to say I feel deprived because actually I don't. I have a lot of new low carb foods that I love and can eat whenever I want and they make up for the things that I have given up. Things like nice cheeses and olives and pork scratchings.... and I am too tired to think of anything else but there are lots....

Anyway, I have written more than enough for one post and I am going to have to award my medal back to you if you got this far. Just want to say that I am fitter and healthier and slimmer and feel younger than I did pre diagnosis 3.5 years ago. It hasn't been easy going and it is frustrating at times but there have been lots of positives to come out of it, mostly that it gave me the kick up the pants to change things. I hope you too will find benefits.... and not just the free prescriptions 😉 which I believe only apply if you are started on diabetes medication and at 51 many people here would recommend you negotiate a 3 month hiatus on any medication to give diet a chance. A low carb way of eating is more powerful at reducing BG levels than almost any oral diabetes medication for most type 2 people here on the forum.

Wishing you lots of luck with your diabetes journey and we are here to support you with it whenever you need us. X

I wanted to come back and thank you. You likely have no idea how helpful your advice has been. Without this forum I wouldn’t have been brave enough to start doing finger pricks and understanding my BG. I started asking freestyle libre into the mix in Oct when I had a free trial, but can’t really afford to use them continuously… however my 4 month post diagnosis HbA1c was 31!! GP pleased. Due to past issues I don’t weigh myself or allow my GP to discuss weight with me, so being confident in BG control has been all the more important. Now “just” need to keep doing what I’m doing… Thank you for your support.

 

[rebrascora]

Absolutely delighted to read your update. Many congratulations and a huge "WELL DONE!"
You should gradually need to test less as you learn what your body can cope with and what is your nemesis is, food wise. Hope you were able to allow yourself the odd treat over the festive season and a celebratory drink perhaps when you got that HbA1c result, which really is a fab achievement, especially at this time of year when the days are shorter and colder and your metabolism slows down.... without considering all the food temptations of this season.
Very best of luck in maintaining your really great success.