-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
neil,new member
- Thread starter naw
- Start date
- Status
Hi there, what are your levels looking like at the minute? Have you had a recent hba1c? What is you diet like? Do you take any medications? Sorry for all the questions, but people on here always like to know this stuff so they can help you in the best way possible. I totally understand the anxiety and depression. It’s a beast. Did you have this before or is it a result of your diagnosis?
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome from me too
High Blood Glucose levels don't help with anxiety and depression, so if you can get things a bit more under control it will help both your mental health and your diabetes. Making one small change at a time is the way to go and once that small change has become a habit, then work on another small change. It might be fitting a short daily walk into your daily routine or changing your breakfast to a lower carb option ie an omelette instead of breakfast cereal or toast. Just commit to trying one thing and once that one thing becomes easier and doesn't require much/any effort then choose something else to work on. We can give you suggestions and support. I too struggle with my mental health so I know some days are harder than others, but if you can form a good habit and regime it really does help.
As @EmmaL76 mentions, if you can supply us with a bit more detail about your results and medication and maybe the sort of things you generally eat and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner we can help you improve things or suggest areas to work on. It doesn't have to be all sack cloth and ashes either. I have real double cream in my coffee on a morning and a glass of red wine with some cheese on an evening and a packet of pork scratchings probably more often than I should 🙄. You might not like these things but just saying you don't need to feel deprived, it is just about choosing little treats which won't raise your BG levels.
High Blood Glucose levels don't help with anxiety and depression, so if you can get things a bit more under control it will help both your mental health and your diabetes. Making one small change at a time is the way to go and once that small change has become a habit, then work on another small change. It might be fitting a short daily walk into your daily routine or changing your breakfast to a lower carb option ie an omelette instead of breakfast cereal or toast. Just commit to trying one thing and once that one thing becomes easier and doesn't require much/any effort then choose something else to work on. We can give you suggestions and support. I too struggle with my mental health so I know some days are harder than others, but if you can form a good habit and regime it really does help.
As @EmmaL76 mentions, if you can supply us with a bit more detail about your results and medication and maybe the sort of things you generally eat and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner we can help you improve things or suggest areas to work on. It doesn't have to be all sack cloth and ashes either. I have real double cream in my coffee on a morning and a glass of red wine with some cheese on an evening and a packet of pork scratchings probably more often than I should 🙄. You might not like these things but just saying you don't need to feel deprived, it is just about choosing little treats which won't raise your BG levels.
hi emma,i had a test about 6 weeks ago with a level of 78,which i am working hard to get down below 50 so i have improved my diet and have another test just before xmas time,im on 1000 mg slow release once a day which didnt keep it down,i think maybe my health anxiety has a been a factor
thanks,i probably still have too many carbs tbh,i have weetabix or porridge for breakfast,i try to have a salad box for lunch with chicken or fish or a couple of sandwiches if its a long day,my dinner could be anything but as healthy as poss,i have fruit if needed as snacks but not as much as i did.im doing well as my weight and size is coming down,i do get shakes inside a lot and tire easily feeling sleepy to often
It’s great that you are getting regular testing as this can be sporadic at best these days. I can’t offer much advise as I’m exactly the same position with regards to health anxiety. All I can say is you are not alone and small steps toward getting better control will help with some of the overwhelming feelings. I wish you all the best and just know that there is always help and understanding here. X
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Changing your breakfast could have quite a significant impact on your levels. Whilst porridge and Weetabix are often recommended to Type 2 diabetics as a healthy option, they are both high in carbs and eating them in the morning when we are usually most insulin resistant does not help. It takes very little time to rustle up an omelette once you get the hang of it and you can vary the fillings. A 2 egg omelette with a salad and a big dollop of cheese coleslaw and a cup of coffee with cream will usually keep me going all day without the need for lunch, or maybe just a chunk of cheese or a few nuts at lunchtime if I feel that I fancy something. Or another popular low carb breakfast option is Natural Greek yoghurt with a few berries and some mixed seeds and chopped nuts, or for a "grab and go" breakfast, a Nature Valley Protein bar is a tasty option at just under 10g carbs per bar whereas there is likely 30-40g carbs in your current breakfast, so quite a saving.
Anyway, just some suggestions....
Anyway, just some suggestions....
Felinia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi and welcome. You have made a good start if your weight and size is coming down. I suspect your carb level is too high still, particularly on those days you have cereal for breakfast and sandwiches at lunch. Rebrascora has made some good suggestions, and introduced me to cheesy coleslaw.
My breakfast is usually an egg (poached or scrambled) with grilled mushrooms, tomatoes and occasionally bacon. Lunch is usually salad (with a dollop of cheese coleslaw now) or home made veggie soup. When I worked I had a chiller bag, where I could put a bowl of prepared salad with a frozen pack on top, or a good quality thermos to keep my soup hot. But NO bread with either. I do have the occasional slice from a 400gm medium sliced loaf, as that does not spike my glucose. I can pile salad on top as an open sandwich with a protein like chicken, tuna, prawns, cottage cheese, mackerel. Dinner is a plate of 2/3 veggies and 1/3 protein. I do have a couple of new potatoes occasionally. Tonight I have a venison burger with cabbage, broccoli, carrots and 5 baby potatoes (marble size).
I was surprised at how little I miss bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Curing my sweet tooth is a work in progress, so I have 80gm frozen berries with Greek yogurt. Best wishes
My breakfast is usually an egg (poached or scrambled) with grilled mushrooms, tomatoes and occasionally bacon. Lunch is usually salad (with a dollop of cheese coleslaw now) or home made veggie soup. When I worked I had a chiller bag, where I could put a bowl of prepared salad with a frozen pack on top, or a good quality thermos to keep my soup hot. But NO bread with either. I do have the occasional slice from a 400gm medium sliced loaf, as that does not spike my glucose. I can pile salad on top as an open sandwich with a protein like chicken, tuna, prawns, cottage cheese, mackerel. Dinner is a plate of 2/3 veggies and 1/3 protein. I do have a couple of new potatoes occasionally. Tonight I have a venison burger with cabbage, broccoli, carrots and 5 baby potatoes (marble size).
I was surprised at how little I miss bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Curing my sweet tooth is a work in progress, so I have 80gm frozen berries with Greek yogurt. Best wishes
thanks barbara great feedback
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Eating those foods, I suspect that your glucose levels are shooting up, then dropping again so you are getting the symptoms of false hypos, and also low energy, lack of stamina and feeling drowsy.
The high carb breakfast might be the worst option as many people are most resistant to insulin early in the day.
Fruit is not a good choice for a snack, nor bread for lunch if you have a long day's work to do.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @naw
When I started to monitor my glucose levels before and after meals, I was amazed at the impact of apparently ‘healthy’ meals. I used to have porridge in the morning , but found my levels would spike horribly afterwards. Sorting breakfast can really help to keep levels on track for a good part of the day. Perhaps look at alternatives.
You mention that you feel that you are eating too many carbs at present. You might find it useful to keep a brutally honest food diary with the amounts of carbs in each. This will no doubt involve a bit of head scratching as packets give us the info in different ways, but it is worth becoming familiar with the amounts in foods that you commonly eat. If this record is accompanied by blood glucose readings before and 2 hours after meals , it can be used by you to make decisions about some swaps, or reductions in portion sizes.
Keep in touch and keep questions coming.
When I started to monitor my glucose levels before and after meals, I was amazed at the impact of apparently ‘healthy’ meals. I used to have porridge in the morning , but found my levels would spike horribly afterwards. Sorting breakfast can really help to keep levels on track for a good part of the day. Perhaps look at alternatives.
You mention that you feel that you are eating too many carbs at present. You might find it useful to keep a brutally honest food diary with the amounts of carbs in each. This will no doubt involve a bit of head scratching as packets give us the info in different ways, but it is worth becoming familiar with the amounts in foods that you commonly eat. If this record is accompanied by blood glucose readings before and 2 hours after meals , it can be used by you to make decisions about some swaps, or reductions in portion sizes.
Keep in touch and keep questions coming.
Thanks for the advice
Thanks great advice I will keep working on it
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @naw
I just wanted to encourage you. You are working really hard, and trying to make positive choices - plus you are doing all this alongside low mood and health anxiety. Give yourself a lot of credit, and be kind to yourself.
You sound really determined to make slow, sustainable, steady progress. You’ve already had lots of suggestions, but what matters really is making choices that fit with you, your aspirations and that you can stick to, and which work for your own body and BG results. Manageable, gradual changes are the best bet IMO 🙂
I just wanted to encourage you. You are working really hard, and trying to make positive choices - plus you are doing all this alongside low mood and health anxiety. Give yourself a lot of credit, and be kind to yourself.
You sound really determined to make slow, sustainable, steady progress. You’ve already had lots of suggestions, but what matters really is making choices that fit with you, your aspirations and that you can stick to, and which work for your own body and BG results. Manageable, gradual changes are the best bet IMO 🙂
- Status