Newbie

[Deni]

Hi earlier this week at my annual health check with practice nurse. my HbAlc showed 49 mmol (not sure what this is) but it appears I may be pre diabetic due to high steroids...Sooo since Tuesday I have spent quite a while online, researching DB2...I already had the Carbs/Cals/Fat Burner 2011 Bible..as I do Cal count to keep weight in check...and it has come in handy as it also lists the carbs.

I was totally thrown when I realised I have to watch carbs...but am doing ok...

Just bought Carbs & Cals: Chris Cheyette which is in the post.

I am to have another blood test next week, and Nurse will contact me if still at 49 to discuss things..

I want to attempt to control by diet as I have other health issues and take a lot of meds just now including the dreaded Prednisole meds.

My question is as I am not on treatment for DB and not testing...I wonder what I should be looking at Carbwise...I am counting and to date have had around 600 cals and 83 carbs...Am feeling fine, we do an hour or two walk each day..but again I am limited in speed...so more of a stroll...

Can anyone advise about Carb levels at this stage...

Many thanks Denise

 

[Northerner]

Hi Denise, welcome to the forum 🙂 With an HbA1c of 49 mmol/mol you are at the very edge of a diagnosis for diabetes, which is good news as it seems most likely that you will be able to control your blood glucose levels without the need for extra medication. It's more than likely also that it is the steroids that have put you in this situation - will you be taking them long-term?

As you say, carbs are the principle food group you need to consider, as they are what will raise your blood glucose levels the most, and the quickest. The aim is to try and select food that will release its energy slowly and steadily so that you aren't getting high 'peaks' soon after eating. I would recommend looking at the Glycaemic Load diet, as this describes how to select food that will have this desired 'slow-release' - The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction.

People can have very individual tolerances for carbs, both in type and quantity (some may be fine with bread, others get high levels and need to avoid it). Therefore, it is very helpful to use a home blood glucose monitor so you can determine your individual tolerances. It seems unlikely that your GP will prescribe one and the test strips, as you are pre-diabetic, but I think it would be worth investing in one to help you understand how different foods affect you. The cheapest option we have come across here is the SD Codefree Meter with test strips at around £7-£8 for 50. Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S is a useful guide to using the monitor and strips efficiently.

It would be worth starting a food diary, recording the amount of carbs in everything you eat and drink. You can then use this to look for areas where you might substitute other things for carbs e.g. more veg, less potato. Using the monitor you can see what meals you can continue to eat and what you might need to adapt - this way you can retain maximum flexibility with your diet rather than feeling you need to cut out all carbs. If you want to post your meals here we can perhaps make some suggestions for you for how they might be made more diabetes-friendly.

Hard to give an actual amount of carbs to aim for. I personally eat between 100-150g a day, but as I say this may not be suitable for you, but gives you an idea. Some people go as low as 20g a day, which i would find very diffcult, and since I don't need to go that low - I don't!

Hope this helps! 🙂

 

[Deni]

Hi Northerner, many thanks for reply much appreciated. Also thanks for explaining my readings...Yep it is the steroids that have caused the problem..

I have PMR (POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICS) muscular problem which is extremely painful...I also have other health issues...The steroids stop the pain, and allow more freedom of movement. Initially it was a 2 year course, reducing as I could slowly...I managed to come off steroids last Sept...but the PMR flared up again in November.

Since then I have reduced the dose each month...and as mentioned, during a health check I discovered I could be at risk and am just now pre diabetic T2. I want off the steroids as soon as poss but has to be done gradually grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I will get a monitor as you suggest, and look at the books recommended.

I do keep a food diary, am eating more veg, have cut down on potato, bread etc. Have stopped biscuits. sweets. cakes. crisps, chocs etc. At least initially.

Today i have had around 93 carbs..and about 900 cals which allows me half a round of toast later on...

Thanks for informing me of your carb intake, that does help.

I will have more information once I have seen Nurse at surgery which could be a few weeks away, as she is usually booked up...and have gotta have bloods done again next week.

In the meantime, thanks again. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Hugs Denise

 

[Mark T]

Welcome to the forum Deni 🙂

 

[Deni]

Thanks Mark...Deni

 

[Bloden]

Hiya Deni and welcome.🙂

 

[Deni]

Hi Bloden, thanks for mail...

 

[stephknits]

Welcome Denise sounds like you are doing all the right things with regards your carb intake. The books and articles Northerner recommends are great. Let us know if you have any questions we can help with. 🙂

 

[Deni]

not so newbie!!

Hi Stephknits, thanks for mail and offer of assistance.

Initially I was absolutely furious and shattered when I had Hba1c results, but Northerner's reply helped and my Carb/Cals book should be here tomorrow. I already have the Cal/Carb/&Fat Bible 2011, so the new book will be more up to date and also has lots of visuals which will help.

Thought it would be really hard getting to grips with carb counting, but I feel am doing ok...yesterday I split counts down by meal over the day and doing the same each day now...altho carbs a bit high for brekky, they will even out as today goes on. I am having between 90-110 carbs during the day just now, which is sorta guesswork but better than nothing...until I get next results.

Becos I am sorta "pre" and await results of next bloods which will have done this Tuesday (a week from appt with Nurse) who will contact me when she gets readings...As mentioned in first mail, hope to control things with diet changes, all this is due to long term steroid meds..hut ho-hum such is life eh!

hoping I don't have to do the finger testing, as I have eczema and very thin skin again the skin situation is due to steroids and probably or definitely age - but can't stop the age process so gotta live with it hey!! Would not be good for me to be constantly pricking fingers, as infection sets in very quickly for me...

Fingers crossed I can manage with diet adjustment..Am not going over top re sugar counting etc...as I feel the carb watching helps with reduction of suger...and just this week I HAVE LOST 5 WHOLE POUNDS tra la la la...:-0)

At present am in a sorta "grey" area but doing best I can re the "pre" DB. I certainly have noticed more energy just this week which can't be bad as I was feeling rather tired from time to time...As mentioned in first newbie mail, I do have other health issues, won't bore peeps with details...

So a DB smoothie for lunch and a walk this afternoon.

Am waffling a bit, so signing off for now...again many thanks hugs..Deni

 

[Northerner]

Well done on the weight loss Deni! 🙂 Something you might want to consider - most people tend to be more insulin-resistant in the mornings, with sensitivity improving as the day progresses and you become more active. For this reason, it can be a good idea to try and restrict your breakfast carbs, going for something more protein-based e.g. eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, grilled bacon etc., or something like natural yoghurt and berries/nuts. Cereals are quite carb (and particularly sugar) heavy, despite what you might be told about Weetabix or museli etc. and tend to hit the levels quick and hard. Porridge is OK for some people, as long as it is 'proper' porridge, not the highly-processed instant stuff. Also, Burgen Soya and Linseed bread is lower carb than most (because it replaces some of the wheat flour with soya flour), and also contains seeds which help slow the release of the glucose. 🙂

 

[Deni]

Hi Northerner, mmmm yep realised I need to be more aware/careful re mornings, don't eat any packet cereals, well I like Kellogs All Bran, I occassionaly use proper porridge as Dave gets the large oat one, and I blast that down in my Bamix to a fine mix which I prefer.

I use this dry in a layered dry porridge mix , topped with fruit (sometimes frozen) - almond milk,proper greek yog (total 0%), half frozen banana etc... have just begun popping spinach into mix and will look at incorporating other veg as time goes on...I find I can drink this mix slowly and quite enjoyable.

The pink label Total Gk 0% yog per 100g has 97 cals and 6.8 carbs and sugs..
The blue label Total Gk yog " " " 96 " 3.8 " "

I don't normally eat low fat anything, but Dave picked the Gk yog up yesterday...

Have eggs 3 times this past week, was not sure about bacon, so only had one slice yesterday...with egg.

Thanks for tip re Burgen bread will search online for further info and suppliers on this. I have cut right down on butties...We use Hovis seeded 122 cals or thereabouts per slice and 18.5 carbs...high I know, but not having what I was doing before all this came to light...I also used WW breads...but now having Ryvita with lunch unless like today smoothie...

Also bought 2 packs mushrooms yesterday as found they are good for Diabetic.

I already use Chia and Physllium seeds and have begun popping these into smoothies...

Soo pleased to have found this forum..thanks to all once again, hugs. Den xx

 

[Deni]

Just checked All Bran and high carbs...so a no no for now...Den x

 

[Northerner]

Burgen is available in all the big supermarkets (including Co-op) 🙂 It's 12g carbs a slice. 🙂 Sounds like you have a pretty good diet! I wouldn't worry unduly about fat, research is finally coming round to undermining the myth that it is the cause of all our ills, and (who would have thought it?) carbs are the real problem! 🙄

 

[Deni]

Yep diet has always been good, but lack of knowledge re carbs - well who'da thought as you say...

Burgen is carried by local supermarkets both Asda 'n Tesco so no probs there..have had around 900 cals and about 90 carbs today, leaves me space for orange or pear later if peckish...I tend to round my counts up rather than down...

Off to make some sugar free Jellies..

I feel that if I had a real problem re insulin, I would be having indications somehow..

I have dropped the Preds down to just recently, strugglin' with some pain, but will try to reduce again end of month - see how I go..cannot go down too quickly as on Preds your own system which makes own Prednisolone is knocked out..so has to be done really slowly..

Den x

 

[trophywench]

Well what indication do you expect? T2 - and too high BG - doesn't happen suddenly - it happens so slowly that you don't notice the symptoms.

For instance - your HbA1c of 49 (6.6 in %age form) is equivalent to a constant BG (fingerprick meter reading) of 7.9.

A non diabetic would ONLY ever get a reading like that 1-2 hours after consuming a load of carbs -(and quickly reduce to the normal 5 to 5.5 after that) whereas it's your average all the time over the 12 weeks before the vampire took your blood sample. In truth, that average will be actually made up of a load of higher than 7.9 readings and a load of under 7.9s.

Since the target before meals is 4 - 6 and 5 - 7.9 after - how will you ever know you are achieving this, if you can't test at home? Some meters, you can test using a forearm instead of a finger - I've never done this so don't know how reliable it might be.

But this brings me on to infections - higher than normal BG (5 to 5.5) can and will - delay healing. So - if you can normalise your BG - that sort of thing should reduce with your BG - if it's caused by the high BG that is. If it's something else (and I don't know what that could be unless you live (like one of the Pythons) in a dung heap LOL) then obviously it won't make the slightest difference.

 

[Deni]

Hi trophywench, assume BG is blood test? Dunno what to expect as I had absolutely no knowledge of diabetes..and was gobsmacked when Nurse suggested I may have developed it, she said is steroid related..(and when I searched online apparently, long term steroid treatment can actually cause diabetes) which was unkown to me/and presumably others when these meds are prescribed... as to indications for the DB I haven't a clue as mentioned.

I have been on steroids for a while, on a regularly reducing programme...came off them in Sept but had to go back on highish dose in November last.

Until I have bloods redone on Tuesday coming, results of which Wendy (Nurse) will ring to let me know, and if still at 49 then she will book an hour long appt to go over everything... Re the 12 weeks, the first indication was when I had bloods done about 2 weeks ago followed up with an appt to see Wendy when this reading was discussed. Therefore I cannot say this has been my average all the time ' cos I don't know.

Eczema condition is severe so until next meeting when info given, results discussed and decision made I will for now, continue with cal/carb counts.

Thanks for reply Den

Until I next see Nurse, I am cal/carb counting...