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FrancesG

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Hi everyone,
I'm a new member and I've had type 2 for 6 years now. I'm on lots of the usual meds but still can't get my sugars down to 'normal' range - I now have background retinopathy for the first time result which has been distressing. I don't find help is consistent and would like to be able to know how others are experiencing living as a diabetic. I'm in Bristol and if anyone knows of support groups here then ping a message please. Just don't want to feel alone in this journey.
 
Hi, Frances & welcome to the forum. You've come to the right place for help & support. Diabetes is a very individual thing. We are all different & react differently to different foods. The general guidelines are reduce carbohydrates, not just sugar. All carbs raise blood sugar levels. This includes bread, rice, pasta, potatoes or anything made from flour. It's best to try & keep these to a minimum. Another vital thing is testing your blood sugar using a blood glucose meter. Sadly, most GP's tell Type 2's not to test. They come up with lots of stupid reasons, such as it is not necessary or it will stress you out. You wouldn't drive a car with your eyes closed, so how can you control Diabetes without knowing how food affects you? Most on here use the SD Codefree meter as strips are the cheapest available. This can be ordered online from Amazon or Home Health. Test upon waking & before eating & 2 hours after. You are looking for a rise of no more than 2-3mmols. Other will be alone soon with more great advice. You are certainly not alone.🙂
 
FrancesG said:
Hi everyone,
I'm a new member and I've had type 2 for 6 years now. I'm on lots of the usual meds but still can't get my sugars down to 'normal' range - I now have background retinopathy for the first time result which has been distressing. I don't find help is consistent and would like to be able to know how others are experiencing living as a diabetic. I'm in Bristol and if anyone knows of support groups here then ping a message please. Just don't want to feel alone in this journey.
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Hi Fances...good advice from @Mark Parrott ...if you can tell us a little more about yourself it would certainly help members offer the right support & advice...such as what medication you take...what your BG levels are...how you came to be diagnosed...there is so information available on how to manage/control diabetes...even for an experienced diabetic it can be overwhelming...I was diagnosed just over a year ago...no idea how to manage my diabetes...or whether it could be managed...felt quite isolated...then found the forum...received so much help here...now making reasonable progress...it's not easy giving out personal information...but...if you could share a little more about your diabetes...that would be helpful...good luck...keep us updated.
 
FrancesG said:
Hi everyone,
I'm a new member and I've had type 2 for 6 years now. I'm on lots of the usual meds but still can't get my sugars down to 'normal' range - I now have background retinopathy for the first time result which has been distressing. I don't find help is consistent and would like to be able to know how others are experiencing living as a diabetic. I'm in Bristol and if anyone knows of support groups here then ping a message please. Just don't want to feel alone in this journey.
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Hi FrancesG, welcome to the forum 🙂 Glad you found us - no need to feel alone any more! 🙂 Firstly, regarding the background retinopathy - many people find this alarming and upsetting news, partly due to the way the information is conveyed in the letters we get. Whilst a concern, background retinopathy is something that will not affect your sight, and often resolves itself if you are able to achieve good, stable control 🙂

There is so much conflicting information about diabetes and how it can be managed, but what we recommend you our members is to start by reading the excellent Maggie Davey's letter - this has been around for many years and has helped many people and stood the test of time. It will help you to examine aspects of your diet that you can adapt in order to achieve better, more stable control. As Mark has said, the best way of discovering your own individual tolerances to things is to test before and after eating - have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how to do this efficiently and effectively 🙂 Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns - no question is considered 'silly', and you're not expected to know everything, however long you've been diagnosed. So if you have particular problems you'd like to discuss, chances are oe or more of our members will have encountered the same thing and can share their experiences which will hopefully help you 🙂
 
Hi FrancesG, I have only been diagnosed with Type 2 since the beginning of September I also live in Bristol and as yet cannot find any support groups.
At the moment I am feeling quite confused about everything the Doctor told me over the phone then said see the diabetic nurse before we do anything about medication but the earliest appointment I can have is the 18th October so feel a bit in limbo. I phoned the helpline and found them really helpful I guess all I can do is concentrate on my diet and exercise and wait for the appointment but if you do hear of any support groups could you please let me know . Cheers. Just seen the last post about Bristol support Group
 
You guys are amazing and thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Yes - I should have given more info! I take: 4 x 500mg metformin (luckily no reaction to it and have been on it for a while), 1X Onglyza (saxagliptin), 2.5 tabs of gliclazide, 1 tab of lipitor. I write down and monitor my sugar levels. I find when I don't sleep well and am stressed (as I am now) the glucose shoots through the roof - I was 11.6 this morning having tested last night and it was 9.2. I try to keep a healthy diet - have a nutritionist I see as well. So meaning I try to keep it low carb, no sugars, I rarely drink alcohol.... I have been going to the gym 3 times a week and I feel good with a lot more energy. Getting this letter about the background retinopathy was a blow. They simply leave you hanging. I just find the support through my surgery pretty basic and while the last set of results were down it is clear that I'm not managing well enough if I'm getting such an eye result.
 
FrancesG said:
Getting this letter about the background retinopathy was a blow. They simply leave you hanging. I just find the support through my surgery pretty basic and while the last set of results were down it is clear that I'm not managing well enough if I'm getting such an eye result.
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Those letters really do need further explanation on them - I've lost count of the number of times we have had people here who have got that letter for the first time and are really panicking about it. If the letter says no appointment needed then you can put it to the back of your mind. As I said earlier, this often resolves itself by the time of the next appointment, or it can remain stable for years - some of our members have had BR for decades without any further progression.So do try not to worry 🙂

Do you have any particular times of day when you experience problems with your levels, Frances? Stress often raises levels temporarily because the adrenalin stimulates the liver to release extra glucose, to give you an 'energy boost' that you'd really rather not have as a person with diabetes! 🙄
 
Susie P said:
Hi FrancesG, I have only been diagnosed with Type 2 since the beginning of September I also live in Bristol and as yet cannot find any support groups.
At the moment I am feeling quite confused about everything the Doctor told me over the phone then said see the diabetic nurse before we do anything about medication but the earliest appointment I can have is the 18th October so feel a bit in limbo. I phoned the helpline and found them really helpful I guess all I can do is concentrate on my diet and exercise and wait for the appointment but if you do hear of any support groups could you please let me know . Cheers. Just seen the last post about Bristol support Group
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Hi Susie P, welcome to you also 🙂 Do read Maggie Davey's letter, as I suggested to Frances, and also, as you are newly-diagnosed, Id recommend getting a copy of the excellent Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, which is a very helpful, positive guide to these early months 🙂

Please let us know if you have any questions, Susie - if you do, I'd suggest starting a separate thread of your own so responses don't get mixed up. You start a new thread by selecting the section you wish to post in, then clicking on 'Post New Thread' in the upper right of the screen 🙂
 
I agree the letter just says small changes. I don't have to see anyone for another 12 months. Still I thought I was managing but obviously not. levels are usually high in the morning but that is common and of course after a meal. Like yesterday I was at 8.6. Had breakfast - a protein shake - and two hours later it was still at 8.6. I need to get back to writing everything down like I have in the past as I have some good records of my levels and what I eat. I understand stress doesn't help so am trying to work out regularly and draw on whatever resources are available to me. It just 'sucks' sometimes!
 
We are all here to help.
 
FrancesG said:
I agree the letter just says small changes. I don't have to see anyone for another 12 months. Still I thought I was managing but obviously not. levels are usually high in the morning but that is common and of course after a meal. Like yesterday I was at 8.6. Had breakfast - a protein shake - and two hours later it was still at 8.6. I need to get back to writing everything down like I have in the past as I have some good records of my levels and what I eat. I understand stress doesn't help so am trying to work out regularly and draw on whatever resources are available to me. It just 'sucks' sometimes!
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When you do your morning/fasting test, do you do it as soon as you wake, or after you have been up and about a bit? Many people find that their levels can be fine over night, but as soon as their 'feet hit the floor' the levels start climbing! Once again, this is your helpful liver giving you another unwelcome 'energy boost' to start your day and is often referred to as Dawn Phenomenon 🙄 My levels can rise up to 2 mmol/l just by performing the simple act of raising my head from the pillow! So what you se may not be a reflection of your true overnight status. How do your waking levels compare to your bedtime readings?
 
Hi I usual test in the morning when I first wake up generally. Well bedtime levels vs waking levels - it really depends. This morning they were higher but I think that is because I didn't get a good night's sleep and woke up several times. Feeling a bit anxious so that has impacted on my levels which is really irritating.
 
Northerner said:
some of our members have had BR for decades without any further progression.So do try not to worry 🙂
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Just wanted to say I have had BR for around 15 years now with no progression of it at all and no negative impacts on sight/ability to drive etc etc, so try not to worry too much! Easier said than done I know 🙂 in fact I saw a diabetic eye specialist back in May who said he would be shocked to find a diabetic who'd had the condition for 20+ years who didn't have some sort of BR going on!

EDIT: I realise you haven't been diabetic for 20+ years, my point was more that mine started around the same time as you and has remained stable!
 
Thank you to everyone yesterday for getting in touch. It was really helpful and supportive. I suppose part of me felt that with all the effort I'm putting in to living a healthy lifestyle (exercise, eating well etc) I still have something go wrong. I managed to get an appointment with the diabetic nurse today - miracle - and will discuss the content of the eye scan plus be reminded of my last test results. this morning at waking I was at 8.6 ( still woke up during the night) and have just come back from the gym so lets see what my values look like today. cheers!
 
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