Hello. My mum has just been diagnosed aged 83. I'm her carer and feel way out of my depth. Her diagnosis came after she had a fall but apparently her own GP recently told me that her blood sugar tests pointed to diabetes 3 years ago but it wasn't followed up by the GP. So here we are with very high blood sugar levels (22 fasting going way up after eating) shes been started on insulin but so far it's not bringing her levels down much. The diabetic nurse specialist has said that, for a while at least, her bloods will be all over the place but I'm worried that they are still so high. Shes been on insulin for 5 days now. Any advice would be gratefully accepted as I'm clueless about all of this. Thank yoi
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- Thread starter Leesajo
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Thebearcametoo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Things will get clearer in time. Right now it’s possible that she’s an untreated type 2 so the insulin may only be for a short time to get her levels manageable but they will do tests to see whether her pancreas is still making insulin and stuff like that. What helps any diabetic is understanding that carbs matter not just sugar. So look at what carbs she’s eating and see if you can slowly reduce any high carb meals and reading up on low carb eating.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I'm trying to get my head around what she can and can't eat. Shes always been a very fussy eater and her eating habits are very plain and basic, a typical stodgy British diet I'm afraid! I'm trying to make changes but meeting a bit of resistance from her! Is it normal for her bloods to still be high even on insulin?
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If her levels come down very quickly she is more likely to suffer with very low levels know as hypos and maybe then more likely to fall.
Rather than try to make drastic changes to her diet why not try small changes , slowly.
Maybe tell use what she normal eats and we can suggest things.
Thank you! She would normally have weetabix with fruit or toast at breakfast, a sandwich of either cheese or ham with wine crisps and grapes for lunch or soup and she loves her pie and mash I'm afraid!
That should read "some" not "wine"!
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I am afraid carbohydrates are what need to be managed, and that is alot of Carbohydrates in what she is eating.
There is a book and app called Carbs and Cals. Many sites on the internet that will tell you how many carbohydrates are in foods.
There is a book and app called Carbs and Cals. Many sites on the internet that will tell you how many carbohydrates are in foods.
Thank you. I will take a look at that. We've not really been given much in the way of advice about any of this. I'm trying to do my best by her but finding it a struggle at the moment. I will hopefully get better at managing it for her. I really do appreciate your help.
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I would remove the grapes as they are very high in sugar 🙂
Can you find as thin a bread as you can to help cut the carbs? Preferably whole grain seeded.
If your mum is hungry then perhaps if she likes meat add extra meat to the sandwich or try an open sandwich so you can use plenty of low carb or carb free filler uppers.
At 83 your mum wont want to change and who can blame her? My personal view would be to increase the insulin so it matches what your mum likes and eats, but then that's just me.
Can you find as thin a bread as you can to help cut the carbs? Preferably whole grain seeded.
If your mum is hungry then perhaps if she likes meat add extra meat to the sandwich or try an open sandwich so you can use plenty of low carb or carb free filler uppers.
At 83 your mum wont want to change and who can blame her? My personal view would be to increase the insulin so it matches what your mum likes and eats, but then that's just me.
SueEK
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @Leesajo and welcome. Well done on trying to find help for your mum. Her diet sounds very much like mine was, I am also a very fussy eater who loved stodgy food so I relate totally to her not wanting to change. We get so used to what we like that for anybody it is difficult, I think probably more so as your mum is elderly and if that has been her diet for many years it will be hard for her to change. As @grovesy says slowly slowly will be the best way to go. I changed my diet drastically and it was very difficult as I hated what I was having to eat. I have now upped my carbs from my initial diet but I am able to exercise quite a bit which is helpful in counteracting the carbs. Is your mum able to do any form of exercise, even a gentle walk each day for example as this will help. Firstly I would recommend changing her bread to a low carb version, that way she is not giving up her sandwich but reducing her carb intake. There are various ones on the market, I hear Livlife, I think that’s what it is called, is not a bad one but the crisps are not good, could she cope with having something different, eg a few walnuts/almonds/Brazil’s or if she really won’t give them up, making half a packet instead of a whole.
Where breakfast is concerned an omelette is better than cereal but I confess that I do have one weetabix in the morning, fruit is ok as long as it ends in berries, some fruits are high in natural sugars eg mangoes, grapes etc. Bananas are also quite high in carbs but a small one occasionally would be ok.
A lot is going to depend on how your mum reacts to changes and how soon the insulin starts to have an effect. It seems that you don’t know yet if your mum is T1, T2 or other so it is difficult to guide you too much. If your mum is type 1 then you will be able to adjust her insulin to what she is eating but if she is T2 and can come off insulin when her levels are under better control then you will really have to watch the carbs.
I hope this doesn’t confuse you, I agree there is very little info out there and hopefully you will get a diagnosis and further help when this is established. In the meantime don’t hesitate to ask any questions and good luck to you and your mum. Sue x
Where breakfast is concerned an omelette is better than cereal but I confess that I do have one weetabix in the morning, fruit is ok as long as it ends in berries, some fruits are high in natural sugars eg mangoes, grapes etc. Bananas are also quite high in carbs but a small one occasionally would be ok.
A lot is going to depend on how your mum reacts to changes and how soon the insulin starts to have an effect. It seems that you don’t know yet if your mum is T1, T2 or other so it is difficult to guide you too much. If your mum is type 1 then you will be able to adjust her insulin to what she is eating but if she is T2 and can come off insulin when her levels are under better control then you will really have to watch the carbs.
I hope this doesn’t confuse you, I agree there is very little info out there and hopefully you will get a diagnosis and further help when this is established. In the meantime don’t hesitate to ask any questions and good luck to you and your mum. Sue x
Hi at @Leesajo. Welcome. We took over the care of my mother as she became bedridden (thankfully she managed her diabetes extremely well through her latter years). But i can understand what its like to bring about change in someones lifelong eating habits, especially an elderly person. Its not easy!. I tried to warn my mother about the amount of fruit she was eating, it took some time but she eventually brought her consumption down to 2 pieces a day. She was a fruit bat! more fearful of constipation than her diabetes! She was very tenacious! LOL.
I think a calm, positive chat with mum will help her understand what sugar /carbs, too much bread & those stodgy foods are doing to her insides. Also i would try to ween her off things slowly. sharp shocks to the body can send it in a whirl and being of advanced years wont help her cope with the change. Maybe try to reduce the portions of her carb/stodge bit by bit, give her half a slice of bread (an open sandwich) instead of two? things like that. Give her just a little less mash and add some broccoli/cauli - there are loads of options. You could increase her protein a little to replace the carbs on the plate (but I know older peeps dont always want to eat 'heavy' stuff' - its going to take time to tweak her plate, but little steps at a time and you will get there.
I think a calm, positive chat with mum will help her understand what sugar /carbs, too much bread & those stodgy foods are doing to her insides. Also i would try to ween her off things slowly. sharp shocks to the body can send it in a whirl and being of advanced years wont help her cope with the change. Maybe try to reduce the portions of her carb/stodge bit by bit, give her half a slice of bread (an open sandwich) instead of two? things like that. Give her just a little less mash and add some broccoli/cauli - there are loads of options. You could increase her protein a little to replace the carbs on the plate (but I know older peeps dont always want to eat 'heavy' stuff' - its going to take time to tweak her plate, but little steps at a time and you will get there.
The practice diabetic nurse had said that at her age, they don't want to alter her diet too much. It actually felt a bit like they weren't really bothered because shes so old. That made me really sad. I know shes old but I still want her to be as well as she can be for as long as she can. I have managed to swap the white bread for wholemeal and shes not snacking on sweets anymore. Thank you.
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It def is not because she is old and can't be bothered I can assure you. Imho the nurse sounds as if she is full of common sense.
Us type 1's just adjust our insulin for the food we eat, so basically within reason we can eat what ever we like.
You are doing a grand job looking after your mum ((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))) My Mum is 83 as well so know where you are coming from.
They are saying that she is type 2, which I guess means more management with her food. She's very arthritic so her mobility isn't great and shes so stubborn!
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
As your Mum is on insulin, the same rules apply as a type1 on insulin.
Stubborn = set in her ways and at 83 who can blame her 🙂
I'm so glad to have found this forum. I've felt so out of my depth and alone with all this. Thank you
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
As a matter of interest what insulin has your mum been put on?
Thebearcametoo
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
It can be as simple as just giving her wotsits instead of potato crisps (a 5 carb reduction), having blueberries instead of grapes and using a lower carb bread for lunch. She can eat pie and mash just make it a top only pie with a small bit of mash and a bit more meat. If you start looking at the carb content on the foods she already has then it can help you to see where you can make small changes. It’s not about going really low carb just pruning a little.
Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Are you registered with the carer services in your area? If not, then I suggest you do so. The process varies from area to area and details of how it works in your area should be available in your GP's surgery. The carer support services can be very knowledgable and it will give you somebody to talk to and assure you that you are not alone. They might also be able to help with finding what is available to help your mum.
It's called humalin I
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