Newbie here

[brassytart83]

Hi I I was diagnosed Type 2 before Christmas 2024 - on meds and struggling right now to keep my levels under control.

 

[Ieva DUK]

Hi there and welcome to the forum!
Thank you for sharing - I know it’s not easy to open up, especially when things feel tough. If you feel comfortable, would you mind sharing a bit more about how things are going for you? For example, do you know what your HbA1c level was when you were diagnosed? Have you made any changes to your routine since then - like diet, activity, or anything else - or had any support from your GP or Diabetes Nurse? Sometimes just having someone help you look at what you’re eating and making a few small, manageable tweaks can make a real difference. Were your levels more stable at first and only recently started creeping up, or have they been difficult to manage from the start? Feel free to ask any questions and share as much or as little as you feel comfortable to, there's plenty of folk here who have gone through themselves and will be happy to offer support and advice.

P.S. I have privately messaged you in regards to your username, so please have a look at your messages when you have a free minute.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi I I was diagnosed Type 2 before Christmas 2024 - on meds and struggling right now to keep my levels under control.

Welcome to the forum.
Can I suggest you change your user name to be more anonymous rather than an e-mail address as it is an open forum and can attract unwanted e-mails.
We can point you in the right direction of links that may help but what may be suitable will depend on what medication you are taking. Many find a low carb approach successful and this link will provide the necessary https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/ and would be suitable if you are only taking metformin, more caution with other meds.
Managing blood glucose requires some effort but better to go for managing it rather than controlling it other wise it will overwhelm you.
Ask away with any questions and a bit more information about your diagnosis would help people make appropriate suggestions.

 

[saffron15]

Do you want to change your name if it is an email address you use?

What meds are you on and has your hba1c gone down? Are you testing your BG? Blood glucose fluctuates through the day. Are you taking once a day to see a trend or testing to see how you react to a new food. I started eating lowish carb ( 80 to 120) when I was diagnosed in July and was delighted I started to lose weight. I have lost more than 2 stone but as someone who piled on weight after an early menopause I would like to lose at least another stone and a half. I was put on metformin and later dapaglifozin. I've become less sure of my carb choices due to the new med and tend to now eat too many. This month I have been doing an energetic aqua fit class. Movement is good to control blood sugar.

I have on other threads posted links to an nhs site in the New Forest which includes links to useful web sites including freshwell.

If you share more information about your circumstances we will try to offer help and support. It is tough being diagnosed.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Good morning Clare, I’ve taken the liberty of making a temporary tweak to your username. Please do update it to something you’d prefer if that would suit you better!

Sorry to hear you’ve been having a bit of a tough time with your glucose levels for the past 6 months. Which medications have you been given?

 

[brassytart83]

Metformin and gliclazide.
Had a few weeks that were within range, but struggling now. Can't understand what I'm doing wrong as I've almost cut out carbs altogether, don't touch fruit as it sends my sugar crazy. Eating a high protein diet. I do work permanent nights but that tends to work in my favour as I have a routine on my work days but struggle with routine on my off days (I work 4 on and 4 off 12 hour shifts)

 

[Leadinglights]

Metformin and gliclazide.
Had a few weeks that were within range, but struggling now. Can't understand what I'm doing wrong as I've almost cut out carbs altogether, don't touch fruit as it sends my sugar crazy. Eating a high protein diet. I do work permanent nights but that tends to work in my favour as I have a routine on my work days but struggle with routine on my off days (I work 4 on and 4 off 12 hour shifts)

It may be you have reduced your carbs too much in that the mechanism making the gliclazide induce your pancreas to produce more insulin is triggered by carbs, when do you take the gliclazide, I think it is suggested to take 30mins before eating.
Maybe keeping a food diary with some before and 2 hour post meal reading may identify some problem foods and provide evidence for your GP that the meds are not working as well as they should.
The transition between day and night shifts are tricky even for people without diabetes but at least they are 4 day blocks. It may help to stabilise things if you could do a longer block if your employer would offer that and would suit you better.

 

[silver minion]

Hello Clare and welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear that you are struggling to manage your blood glucose levels. Shift work can affect your natural circadian rhythms and may be influencing when your liver and pancreas produce glucose and insulin respectively. It might be worth doing a little experimenting with the timings of when you take your medication.
Increased activity such as a brisk walk after meals also helps you mop up the excess glucose.
I am still fairly new to this, having been diagnosed just over a year ago, and still work in progress. I take the same medication as you but find keeping to a regular routine with meals and exercise certainly helps. My diabetes nurse suggested I have some carbs with each meal as I take gliclazide. I aim for 130 - 150g per day but I am reducing this now to get my HbA1c down a bit more.

 

[JITR]

Congraulations on your May result:
- Feb 25 HbA1c 73 (oh dear!) weight 55kg
- May 25 HbA1c 48 (party!) weight 55kg

Let's hope lowering carbs does the trick. My carbs average out around 80g per day, ranging from 60g to 100g most weeks.

 

[silver minion]

Congraulations on your May result:
- Feb 25 HbA1c 73 (oh dear!) weight 55kg
- May 25 HbA1c 48 (party!) weight 55kg

Let's hope lowering carbs does the trick. My carbs average out around 80g per day, ranging from 60g to 100g most weeks.

Yes I hope so too. I have also upped the exercise levels so it's finding a balance that keeps me in single figures without going hypo. I do stray into the 4s but my hypo awareness is quite good so I can head it off if it doesn't come up by itself. It is a big change from last summer when my levels were much higher.

 

[Drummer]

Hi I I was diagnosed Type 2 before Christmas 2024 - on meds and struggling right now to keep my levels under control.

I wonder if it is your stored carbohydrates being released from cells as your insulin resistance has fallen.
The timing is about right, I think, and it is actually a sign of progress.

 

[harbottle]

I wonder if it is your stored carbohydrates being released from cells as your insulin resistance has fallen.
The timing is about right, I think, and it is actually a sign of progress.

No, if insulin resistance has fallen, the liver will not be releasing excess glucose (Made from stored glycogen.)
If the liver is releasing 'stored carbohydrates' it's because insulin resistance is high and sensitivity is low.

The reason for high fasting glucose in T2D is the liver releasing (Or making) excess glucose.