I'm struggling

[Bonnie23]

Hi

I'm really struggling at the moment, especially when testing my bloods. I haven't tested my bloods in 3 weeks because I know I haven't been great over Christmas.

I've been getting stabbing pains in my foot that I'm trying to ignore and I think I sprained my foot.

I was meant to go and get my bloods tested at the doctors to see what my HBA1C is and monitor my weight back in November but I'm terrified in case my numbers are worse.

I have been going to the gym 3 times a week for an hour and I have a pretty active job as a teacher but I just want it to go away and ignore the problem. Part of me just wants to go on insulin to deal with my BG levels as im already on 1000mg of metformin a day.

I just feel like I'm snowballing and I have my head in the sand and I dont want to face the problems. I'm not even sure why I'm posting on here.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

Well done for going to the gym. That’s fabulous.

January is difficult for lots of people with all the ads and social media posts pushing messages of guilt. That’s worse when you add diabetes into the mix. It’s not an issue if your numbers are high right now. What is an issue if you glucose levels are high for long periods. Go and have a chat with your GP or DSN and talk about how hard you’re finding it. It may be that a little more support for a few weeks now will get you back in to good habits and give them the data as to whether insulin would be a more appropriate treatment for you.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Bonnie

It is good that you have come here for support. That is one of the most important functions of the forum and we all struggle from time to time with our motivation and need help to get ourselves back on the wagon.

It is great that you are getting exercise and 3x a week is fantastic, so you are already making a big effort and may well be pleasantly surprised at your BG levels if you test yourself. The festive season is a particularly difficult time for us diabetics and even though I was pretty restrained, my BG levels still went high, but they are back down now and I feel better for getting them under control again and being back on track with my low carb eating although unlike you, I have let my exercise slide so I need to give myself a kick up the pants in that respect.

Why not cook yourself a nice low carb meal tonight....I don't know what you like but maybe a nice juicy sirloin or rib-eye steak served with a salad with cheese coleslaw or a big stir fry followed by some berries and cream.... something that feels decadent and you will really enjoy but which is low carb. Another option might be cauliflower mash and have it with some nice meaty sausages and broccoli or leeks or cabbage done in butter.... whatever your veggie favourite is..... basically comfort food. Then promise yourself that you will test in the morning when you get up and get the ball rolling again. A low carb meal tonight will hopefully set you up for a reasonable reading in the morning and help you get back into the swing of testing again. Even if your reading is in double figures you can then set yourself small targets to bring it slowly down but I think you may be quite surprised that things are not as bad as you fear.
Then once you have got back into the swing of testing and eating low carb, make that appointment for an HbA1c and see the nurse. They will know that lots of diabetics have a blip at this time of year, but the important thing is that you can say that you are now doing lots of positive things to address that and tell them about your exercise classes and your new self testing regime and perhaps formulate an achievable plan/targets together.
Believe me when I say that insulin is not the easy option by any means so don't kid yourself on that score. It comes with it's own set of problems. I would certainly rather be Type 2 and be able to control my diabetes with diet and exercise and if necessary Metformin rather than to have to calculate the carbs in every meal I am going to eat, even before I start cooking it and figure out how much insulin it will require and then occasionally getting it wrong and going way too high or much too low and hypoing.

Good luck and let us know how you get on. You know that burying your head in the sand is really not a long term strategy. There are people who love you and care about you and you have a responsibility to them to keep yourself healthy even if you cannot do it for yourself. We are here for you with support and suggestions when you are ready to tackle this again. Try to make that new start today.... you are already half way there with your exercise.
You can do it!

 

[Drummer]

I suggest that you make a meal plan and a shopping list to make it, clear out - use or dispose of any stocks of things which are high carb, and do not replace them.
Does the exercise give you an appetite? Are you then eating something high carb 'to aid recovery'? That is not logical.
I'm afraid that your Hba1c level is not a 'Schroedinger's cat' paradox - the situation is not uncertain just because you do not know it - it is what it is.
Perhaps if you eat a few very low carb meals you could manage to do an after eating test and see how they affect you - it should be good news, after all.

 

[SueEK]

Hi @Bonnie23 and well done for posting, this is the just the sort of time you should be coming on here where you can get good help and support from everyone. If we all only came on when we’re doing really well then there would be no point in the forum. Personally I think you’re doing great with all your exercise and it sounds like fear is keeping you from testing and as the others say I think you may be pleasantly surprised. Take the bull by the horns and go and get your HbA1c done and let us know and we can all help you whatever the result may be. Have a chat about your medication and how you are feeling, as hard as it is it’s always better to face things. Big hugs to you and let us know how you get on. Sue xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

So sorry that you are struggling @Bonnie23, but great that you have shared your troubles here - that's a really important step, and suggests to me that you really want to beging to take action.

It's not always easy to fit diabetes into a busy life (which it sounds very much like you have!), but the fact that you are going to the gym and keeping active is very positive. There may be other meds you could try alongside the Metformin that could help. Or changes you could make to your diet (meds are only ever a third of the picture alongside food and activity).

I completely understand not wanting to get checked in case the numbers are not what you want to see - I think we all experience that from time to time. But the results and checks are just information. They are not good or bad... they are just numbers. They are not judgement, or any kind of measure of the effort you are putting in, the difficulties you are facing at the moment or you as a whole person. They are just snippets. Snapshots. And they can tell you (and perhaps encourage you?) to make some healthier changes if you let them.

Alternatively you certainly wouldn't be the first member to have got themselves in a mental pickle avoiding checking BG or getting tests done for fear of 'how bad it will be', only to eventually find that the results are nothing like as 'bad' as they were expecting.

In the meantime, why not book an appointment about your foot. And have a really honest chat with your GP. Tell them exactly how hard you are finding things (tears and all) and see what support they can offer.

We are all rooting for you. Keep us posted.