Newbie without a clue!! help please

[Mrs C]

Any help would be much appreciated.....

Despite my blood glucose fasting being 'normal'
I have for about 3 weeks been suffering with a dry mouth (I wouldn't actually call it thirst but obviously makes me want to drink water) this dosen't start till around 12noon and progressively gets worse throughout the day. When I wake up its fine, which is why I think my blood test showed normal (am I right?) do you think I could still have or be getting diabetes? I am also exhausted most of the time even though I sleep a good 8/9 hrs a night. During the last few weeks I have been aware of it and tried to cut down on carbs (as I've always liked sweets/deserts) and have started swimming twice a week ( which is hard going) I'm overweight, 58yrs old and unfit ! so obviously a ripe candidate. But I haven't got a clue what to do next... I have docs appt in a weeks time the earliest I could get.

TIA

 

[HOBIE]

You sound like you are doing the right things. Carbs. sugar is in lots of things but being active is one of the best ways to keep better control. 🙂 Welcome & good luck 🙂

 

[Maz2]

See what your doctor says. He may do an hba1c to check the average blood glucose over the last three months. I know a couple of people who were diagnosed with diabetes and had no symptoms at all. Constant tiredness can be due to anaemia, low blood counts or thyroid problems too. Or simply doing too much, of course.

I am sure more experienced members will be along soon to offer their opinions.

 

[Martin Canty]

Could be any number of problems, best to have the Dr.diagnose it..... However, the lifestyle changes are a great start, keep it up!!!🙂

 

[Mrs C]

Thanks Maz2 and HOBIE..... I really am annoyed with myself, I have not been very active in the last few years (around 8yrs ago I swam every morning for 30 mins) I struggle to lose weight, but reckon I do actually eat well (always cook from scratch) and use fresh veg, as I grow my own. However I has always been a sweet fan and make cakes aaarrggg!! we also prob had at least two pasta meals per week, trying to swap for couscous now as I heard that is ok, as well as sweet potatoes instead of white. What I can't understand tho is I already eat a lot of 'good' things like, avocados (daily) alsorts of beans, lots of veg fruit and salads, and always low sugar drinks, mostly water anyway, and I hardly ever have alcohol. Must start being more active I think but so hard when I'm always exhausted !

 

[Mrs C]

Martin, 🙂 thanks

 

[HOBIE]

When you grow your own veggies they taste better & the effort of looking after them is good for you. Well done & keep swimming 🙂

 

[Wirrallass]

Hi Mrs C & welcome - I sought my GP's advice after feeling fatigued - even exhausted at times and blood test results showed I had Hypothyroidism (Underactive thyroid). Good to see you have made an appointment with your GP - however in the meantime I would suggest that you continue drinking water - say about 1ltr - 1&1/2ltrs per day to help keep your bgls (Blood glucose levels) low. I dont wish to alarm you but sleeping 8-9 hours may indicate that you have diabetes plus the fact that you need to drink water whether it is due to a dry mouth or excessive thirst. Do try to take a walk after meals - this will help keep your bgls in range.

Notwithstanding all of the above your GP will no doubt wish you to have more blood tests to ascertain whether you have diabetes or some other condition, Good for you for swimming twice a week - keep this up - being active is so good for you.

Take care & do please stay in touch especially regarding your consultation with your GP in one weeks time. The result of that will help us to help you. If you have any more concerns or questions then do please ask, we'll do our best to help. Looking forward to hearing from you again. Take care now x

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome to the forum MrsC. 🙂

 

[Maz2]

Hi Mrs C - just a thought - you say lots of fruit and veg. I said this to my GP when she told me I was pre-diabetic and she asked me what I meant by "lots of fruit." I told her about 6-7 a day including pineapple and bananas instead of snacking on the never ending supplies of biscuits, chocs and cake in the office. She told me it was far too much and to cut down to 3 max. diabetes prevention which I am on are now saying two a day.

I also cut out the dried fruit which, horror of horrors, I was snacking on just before I went to bed - eeeeek!!!!!!

Also found out on here that cereals and toast for breakfast, sandwiches and fruit for lunch and potatoes at tea time, plus pasta were not exactly helping matters either

 

[Mrs C]

Many thanks for advice Wirralass and Maz2. I always have unsweetened porridge for breakfast made with semi skimmed milk and I buy the frozen fruit (particularly cherries) which are amazing to put on top to sweeten slightly, sometimes its banana with a half teaspoon of honey! lunch is usually what I have had the night before leftovers!! otherwise its salad mixed with couscous and mixed beans. I nearly always take a pot of berries and melon sometimes an apple to work to snack on and mixed nuts (although I saw someone on here write that nuts are a no no? I thought they were helpful for bg? Dinners always include either salad or veg, but we do eat out often, I try to stick to fish or lean steak. Cutting down on pasta meals is hard to know what else to do. But my snacking is bad, crisps or sweetened popcorn are my downfall! hard to resist. But will take some time to adapt I guess. Maz2 - what else can we snack on???

 

[stephknits]

Welcome Mrs C. I like popcorn and buy small packets of it which are only 35 calories and 5.6 grams of carbs. To be honest, this is much less carby than the banana, apple, melon etc. Porridge is a strange one, depending on portion size it can be quite a carb load in the morning, especially with fruit. Can effect different people differently though. Unless you are trying to loose weight and eat tons of them - nuts are a good snack option as quite low carb and filling. Have you tried courgetti as a substitute for pasta? I've got used to it now and it means I can have our normal 'pasta meals' without the pasta!

 

[Robin]

I find nuts are a mixed blessing. Lots of vitamins, minerals and good fats, low or slow release carb.The trouble is, if you're trying to lose weight, they pack an awful lot of calories, so a small handful as a snack not half the packet is the way forward!

Edit. Ah! Stephknits types faster than I do!

 

[Wirrallass]

Many thanks for advice Wirralass and Maz2. I always have unsweetened porridge for breakfast made with semi skimmed milk and I buy the frozen fruit (particularly cherries) which are amazing to put on top to sweeten slightly, sometimes its banana with a half teaspoon of honey! lunch is usually what I have had the night before leftovers!! otherwise its salad mixed with couscous and mixed beans. I nearly always take a pot of berries and melon sometimes an apple to work to snack on and mixed nuts (although I saw someone on here write that nuts are a no no? I thought they were helpful for bg? Dinners always include either salad or veg, but we do eat out often, I try to stick to fish or lean steak. Cutting down on pasta meals is hard to know what else to do. But my snacking is bad, crisps or sweetened popcorn are my downfall! hard to resist. But will take some time to adapt I guess. Maz2 - what else can we snack on???

Pop into the thread *Its here - the new 24/7 shop* in Off the Subject, for snack & meal ideas. What suits one doesnt always suit another Mrs C so when you try different menu's or treats, test before your meal and 2hrs post meal to determine if you are tolerant of what you have consumed. Try to be patient, rome wasnt built in a day, take things slowly at first - its the only way to find out what spikes your bgls and what doesnt. It certainly is a learning curve. I still learn something new almost every day on here and i was diagnosed in April 2016🙂 Bananas are a no-no with me, they spike my bgls. Do you test before your breakfast & 2hrs post breakfast? Diabetes is a pain isnt it - but given time you will learn to manage your diabetes once you know what food suits you. Keep up with your exercise regime too. Take care x

 

[Radders]

Pop into the thread *Its here - the new 24/7 shop* in Off the Subject, for snack & meal ideas. What suits one doesnt always suit another Mrs C so when you try different menu's or treats, test before your meal and 2hrs post meal to determine if you are tolerant of what you have consumed. Try to be patient, rome wasnt built in a day, take things slowly at first - its the only way to find out what spikes your bgls and what doesnt. It certainly is a learning curve. I still learn something new almost every day on here and i was diagnosed in April 2016🙂 Bananas are a no-no with me, they spike my bgls. Do you test before your breakfast & 2hrs post breakfast? Diabetes is a pain isnt it - but given time you will learn to manage your diabetes once you know what food suits you. Keep up with your exercise regime too. Take care x

Mrs C hasn't actually been diagnosed as diabetic so testing might be a bit premature.

 

[Wirrallass]

Mrs C hasn't actually been diagnosed as diabetic so testing might be a bit premature.

Yes i appreciate this Radders and thank you for pointing this out - seems a lapse of momentum on my part & was confusing Mrs C with Maz2 who said they were pre diabetic. Easily done. But in any event I was simply trying to advise MrsC re carby foods which isnt such a bad thing in veiw that her GP may want to arrange an HBA1C test.

 

[Mrs C]

Thanks wirralass, no I don't test as I'm not sure if I am diabetic yet, but most certainly will do, in fact I'm tempted to anyway, as my thirst/dry mouth is driving me crazy!! I didn't realise that foods affect people differently? how on earth can you learn whats good to eat or not? for instance I thought porridge was a really good one! ........ I have so much to learn!! .. also people advised walking after my main meal? does this help with bg or is it just for the exercise? I really appreciate everyones advise, thank you

 

[Wirrallass]

Thanks wirralass, no I don't test as I'm not sure if I am diabetic yet, but most certainly will do, in fact I'm tempted to anyway, as my thirst/dry mouth is driving me crazy!! I didn't realise that foods affect people differently? how on earth can you learn whats good to eat or not? for instance I thought porridge was a really good one! ........ I have so much to learn!! .. also people advised walking after my main meal? does this help with bg or is it just for the exercise? I really appreciate everyones advise, thank you

Sorry only getting back to you now Mrs C.
Some people on here can tolerate porridge whereas others can't - and this applies to everything we eat. Carborhydrates in the main is what we try to avoid - its the carbs that can elevate our blood glucose levels. Do you become thirsty after you've eaten a meal - if this is the case then this may indicate that you've eaten a higher content of carbs. Portion size is also paramount so try to reduce your meal portion size.

Whilst you haven't been diagnosed as having diabetes just take a look into *Useful links for people new to diabetes* which is the thread above yours in Diabetes Support Forums - you are sure to learn some answers to your queries. Take care x

 

[Wirrallass]

Thanks wirralass, no I don't test as I'm not sure if I am diabetic yet, but most certainly will do, in fact I'm tempted to anyway, as my thirst/dry mouth is driving me crazy!! I didn't realise that foods affect people differently? how on earth can you learn whats good to eat or not? for instance I thought porridge was a really good one! ........ I have so much to learn!! .. also people advised walking after my main meal? does this help with bg or is it just for the exercise? I really appreciate everyones advise, thank you

Taking a walk about 30-40mins post meals does help to keep bgls in range as well as keeping you active.

 

[Bubbsie]

Thanks wirralass, no I don't test as I'm not sure if I am diabetic yet, but most certainly will do, in fact I'm tempted to anyway, as my thirst/dry mouth is driving me crazy!! I didn't realise that foods affect people differently? how on earth can you learn whats good to eat or not? for instance I thought porridge was a really good one! ........ I have so much to learn!! .. also people advised walking after my main meal? does this help with bg or is it just for the exercise? I really appreciate everyones advise, thank you

Hi Mrs C...whether to test or not without a firm diagnosis is certainly an interesting question...you may find if as you suspect diabetes (type2) is confirmed...the advice you get from your GP or nurse will be not to test...various reasons are given...too numerous to mention here...so just as well to pre-empt that argument...since my diagnosis I have tested regularly...I am confident in managing my diabetes as a result of that...it really is the best indicator of how our diet affects our blood sugars...so why not do some research now...it may prove beneficial either way...non diabetics do test their blood sugars. ..which can indicate if they have reactive hypoglycaemia...applicable to a number of other conditions...wise to do some groundwork now in preparation for your appointment...good luck...keep us updated.