Sorry to hear you're having difficulty gaining the support you need @Catz63. I'm in a similar boat, only spoke to my GP and GP Nurse (once). Haven't been able to get a response from the Diabetes Clinic yet, it's tough times for everyone at the moment, but I'll keep trying!
There's been some great advice above. For me, reducing the carbs has significantly helped and to be honest, I haven't found it that difficult. Lots of advice out there regarding substitution of carb heavy food, and plenty of tasty recipes. It's really a case of change, more than anything!
My normal breakfast consists of 2 plain shredded wheat, 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, 2 strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Every other day, I change the fruit a bit, to plums, peaches, kiwi, blackberries. Once every week or so, I treat myself to a low carb 'grill up'. A rasher of bacon, 1 sausage, 1 egg, mushrooms and a tomato.
My lunch usually consists of salad and fish. The salad will nearly always contain spinach leaves, rocket, tomato, chia seeds, flax seed, sunflower seeds and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. To change it up a bit I will add avocado, grated carrot, grated cheese, a boiled egg, a rasher of bacon (cooked as crispy bits), mushrooms, bean sprouts or anything else that I have read up on. My fish is usually tinned mackerel, sardines, tuna or salmon (as a treat). With the tinned stuff you just need to keep an eye on the sauce/oil it's in. Again, to mix it up I will have an omelette with onions, tomato, peas, etc.
My evening meal is pretty much what I'm given. I'm very lucky though as Mrs Bazzlejet is a chef, so she has adjusted the family meal to suit. If I'm gonna have any carbs, this is where they will be. With this said though, portion size is everything, so a set of digital scales have been invaluable, as I can simply check what's going in.
Twice a month I will have a takeaway. One at work on a Saturday night shift and one on payday. I've not cut this out, I've just adjusted what I have. Where I would normally have a keema nan, a starter, rice and curry for an Indian Takeaway, I now just have rice and curry. Where I would normally have a 15inch pizza (please don't judge 😉) from our Kebab & Pizza place, I'm having a chicken shish kebab and leave the pita bread... so its basically grilled chicken and salad !
One point that's already been raised, and which cant be over emphasised is 'slow and steady'. Don't go cold turkey and get rid of the carbs to quickly. Gradually reduce them. My understanding is that reducing carbs to quickly can impact on the small blood vessels, especially the eyes. As my BG levels have reduced I have found that my eyesight changed quite significantly. Hopefully, having heard from others, my eyesight should get back to normal(ish) in a couple of months as my body gets used to my new, normal levels.
As for the medication, for me it looks like the Gliclazide (together with my diet change) was dropping me to low. I didn't take it yesterday and my readings all day were between 5.4 - 7.2. I will keep regularly checking to ensure my levels remain on track though, that's very important.
I feel like I've rambled on a bit here, so sorry about that
. Well done on loosing the weight by the way, hopefully a change in eating will help you maintain it, as it has for me 🙂
There's been some great advice above. For me, reducing the carbs has significantly helped and to be honest, I haven't found it that difficult. Lots of advice out there regarding substitution of carb heavy food, and plenty of tasty recipes. It's really a case of change, more than anything!
My normal breakfast consists of 2 plain shredded wheat, 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, 2 strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Every other day, I change the fruit a bit, to plums, peaches, kiwi, blackberries. Once every week or so, I treat myself to a low carb 'grill up'. A rasher of bacon, 1 sausage, 1 egg, mushrooms and a tomato.
My lunch usually consists of salad and fish. The salad will nearly always contain spinach leaves, rocket, tomato, chia seeds, flax seed, sunflower seeds and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. To change it up a bit I will add avocado, grated carrot, grated cheese, a boiled egg, a rasher of bacon (cooked as crispy bits), mushrooms, bean sprouts or anything else that I have read up on. My fish is usually tinned mackerel, sardines, tuna or salmon (as a treat). With the tinned stuff you just need to keep an eye on the sauce/oil it's in. Again, to mix it up I will have an omelette with onions, tomato, peas, etc.
My evening meal is pretty much what I'm given. I'm very lucky though as Mrs Bazzlejet is a chef, so she has adjusted the family meal to suit. If I'm gonna have any carbs, this is where they will be. With this said though, portion size is everything, so a set of digital scales have been invaluable, as I can simply check what's going in.
Twice a month I will have a takeaway. One at work on a Saturday night shift and one on payday. I've not cut this out, I've just adjusted what I have. Where I would normally have a keema nan, a starter, rice and curry for an Indian Takeaway, I now just have rice and curry. Where I would normally have a 15inch pizza (please don't judge 😉) from our Kebab & Pizza place, I'm having a chicken shish kebab and leave the pita bread... so its basically grilled chicken and salad !
One point that's already been raised, and which cant be over emphasised is 'slow and steady'. Don't go cold turkey and get rid of the carbs to quickly. Gradually reduce them. My understanding is that reducing carbs to quickly can impact on the small blood vessels, especially the eyes. As my BG levels have reduced I have found that my eyesight changed quite significantly. Hopefully, having heard from others, my eyesight should get back to normal(ish) in a couple of months as my body gets used to my new, normal levels.
As for the medication, for me it looks like the Gliclazide (together with my diet change) was dropping me to low. I didn't take it yesterday and my readings all day were between 5.4 - 7.2. I will keep regularly checking to ensure my levels remain on track though, that's very important.
I feel like I've rambled on a bit here, so sorry about that
. Well done on loosing the weight by the way, hopefully a change in eating will help you maintain it, as it has for me 🙂
