looking for an alternative

[mollylogan]

Hi, I was diagnosed with type two diabetes about 18 month ago after a rapid weight gain of 30lb. I had gestational diabetes with my 2 pregancies where there was also a large amount of weight, gained rapidly in a relatively short length of time - clearly my body doesn't do weight at all!

I am on Metformin and Glicazide. Does everyone start on these?

I want to discuss changing the Glicazide with my diabetic nurse/GP as this drug makes me very hungry. Not helpful with weight to shift that will helpfully improve the symptoms and damage this disease can cause.

Am really trying to take this seriously now as I thought it would go away on it's own... denial eh?
Many thanks for any help you can throw my way.

 

[Northerner]

Hi mollylogan, welcome to the forum 🙂 It might be worth asking your GP about Byetta or Victoza - these are injectable medications that will help with your blood sugar levels and are also known to help suppress appetite so can aid weight loss. They are quite expensive for the NHS though, so there may be some reluctance to prescribe - a lot will depend on how amenable and knowledgeable your GP is.

 

[HOBIE]

Hi, when i am hungary i eat sea food for england. No carbs & good for you 🙂

 

[mollylogan]

I should have registered here 18 months ago! I've just ordered The GL diet for dummies (recommended by someone on here). I'm fed up with feeling so yuk. I will speak to my nurse next week. I know she is going to ask to take that blood test (can't remember what it's called) to check on long term suger levels and I can really do without a lecture.
Any advise you can give to someone who may not be newly diagnosed but is finally taking this seriously is very welcome...

 

[mollylogan]

Oh and Hobie, I dont like prawns but I do like crab sticks - even though its not really crab is it? any other tips for snacky, non carbs? Ta!

 

[Northerner]

The test is called the HbA1c 🙂 Lectures aren't useful to people, but good advice is, so hopefully you will get the latter if your test shows that you need to get better control! Do you have a meter so you can test your levels at home, before and after eating? This will tell you what food you can tolerate well, and what may have a bad effect on you. Diabetes is a very individual condition so there is no one-size-fits-all solution, even though some healthcare professionals would like to believe there is, so you need to know your own reactions and tailor your diet accordingly. The GL Diet will give you a good grounding in some basic principles of selecting food that will release its energy slowly and steadily.

I would recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and also getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker - getting a good understanding of diabetes will help enormously towards getting good control and starting to feel fitter, healthier and happier again!

Ask any questions you may have - we will be happy to help out where we can 🙂