Newly Diagnosed after sudden onset symptoms

[imran999]

Background : Age 44, 5'10, average weight over last year, 17-17.5st , high blood pressure for which i take tablets. Family history of diabetes and heart disease. My diet is probably very carb rich, and diet drinks.
After feeling pretty poor the last 2 weeks (general fatigue, severe thirst and high urination. Also noticed this past week, blurred vision and weight loss), i got full bloods done by the doc.

Nurse phoned Monday and said my Hb1ac was 90, and my morning fasting blood test was 20.
She has prescribed metaformin once a day first week, and moving to twice a day second week onward
My first consultation is on Thursday where i think they will tell me the dos and donts.

Tuesday (today), I took a brisk walk for 50mins, then got home and had dinner at 7.30pm....Took my first metaformin tablet just after dinner. I then had a jaffa orange at 9.30pm

My mum popped over with her meter and did prick test (10pm), which came back at level of 30.
Not really sure what it all means , but mum was really panicked.

Can anyone advise/help?
What should i be avoiding food wise...are fruits bad?

 

[Madeline]

With a result of 30mmol I’d wash my hands and retest. If it’s still that sort of level I’d go to A&E.

 

[Drummer]

Oranges are high sugar - if you had any of the juice on your finger it would give a high reading. However - when I was diagnosed I went low carb and got back to the top end of normal in 6 months - but oranges were not on my list of foods to chose from.

 

[imran999]

i have retested just now after washing hands , and reading is at 25. Will retest first thing in morning and take metaformin tablet with breakfast

 

[grovesy]

Your onset, weight loss and high levels sound more like Type 1.

 

[Docb]

Hi @imran999, and welcome to the forum. Those readings are well into the "red" zone when it comes to a diabetes diagnosis. A few (me included) on here have been there or thereabouts on diagnosis and have got themselves back into the green zone, so don't panic, but you need to recognise that time has come to do something sharpish.

Read around the forum and the learning zone and you will be able to get yourself informed about ways to go about it but, more important, it will enable you to have a decent conversation with your GP/Diabetic nurse in devising a plan to get things back under control.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with your consultation.

 

[imran999]

I am wondering why the GP/nurse is not showing more concern. She called yesterday to request a second urine sample to check for ketones. The first came back clear.

Morning blood level after waking up was 16.1
I usually skip breakfast, does this do more harm then good for BG?

 

[Docb]

@imran999, if you read around the forum you will find that the reaction from GP/nurse to a diabetes diagnosis varies a lot. Some show a lot more concern than others, some maybe are concerned but do not show it. The fact that she called back asking for a second urine sample says to me that they are thinking about your case and want to get as much information together before your consultation tomorrow.

Skipping breakfast? Like everything else diabetes, it depends..... A carbohydrate heavy breakfast on top of a 16.1 waking blood glucose is obviously not a good thing so skipping it is good. Making up for no breakfast by having morning coffee and biscuits and then a large lunch could easily undo the benefit.

If your GP is on the ball, your consultation should focus on three things. Getting your weight down, looking at what you are eating and support from medication. It's a lot to cram into a consultation slot which is likely to focus on medication - unless as I say your GP is really switched on. It's in the eating/weightloss area where looking at the collective experience of forum members can be very helpful in working out a plan that suits you because you can take it at your pace and not that dictated by a GP with a busy schedule.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too.
What did you have for dinner last night. Yes the Jaffa orange was not a good choice but I am guessing you also had carbs with your dinner... maybe potatoes or pasta or rice? Those things will also spike your levels and can keep them high for hours. Even the likes of baked beans contain a lot of carbs without thinking about the toast.

A year and a half ago I was like you. Sudden onset symptoms, high HbA1c (114) and weight loss. I had 6 weeks on increasing doses of Metformin and Gliclazide and gradually cutting all the carbs out of my diet before they started me on insulin and referred me to a consultant and 2 months later before I was tested for Type 1 and confirmed. I also think it is likely you are Type 1 but starting to cut the carbs now will help to bring down those dangerously high levels more effectively than the Metformin.
You say that diabetes runs in the family, is that Type 1 or Type 2?

 

[imran999]

Parents were Type 2 diabetics; Their sugar levels rarely went over 12 even after food


For dinner last night , i had 2 white floor chapati, with a chicken curry with water. (going to change to wholemeal flour)

This morning, 16.1mg BG before breakfast....for breakfast, 2 white piece of toast (will change to brown bread) with a boiled egg. plus water and then metaformin tablet. I had a piece of wrigleys cool breeze sugar free gum at 10.40

I have now tested after 2hr 10mins (12.10pm) and my BG ishowing as 27.6!
Think i will need to skip lunch

phoning doctors right now to see what thy say...

 

[trophywench]

Imran - the body doesn't actually care what colour carbohydrates are - it turns every bit of it into blood glucose - though I freely admit, I'd rather eat a wholemeal chapatti than a white one cos I prefer the taste LOL

But anyway, the chapatti's are carb, so here's a guide, do yours weigh more or less than the ones they tested? in which case you'll need to adjust the amount of carb according to the weight.

Calories in Chapati and Nutrition Facts

There are 68 calories in 1 piece of Chapati. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Chapati including 100 g.

www.fatsecret.com

 

[Docb]

Phoning the doctor is exactly the right thing to do, a bit of urgency seems to be needed.

TW beat me to it on whether changing from white to wholemeal flour is likely to be of benefit.

 

[Largesse1!]

Hi,

you’ve had good advice so far. I just wanted to add that I had a similar presentation to yours and after cutting carbs to under 60g a day (I get most of my carbs from over the ground veg these days. - lots of cabbage and kale) I got my levels right down. Even whole meal, slow release carbs like brown rice and whole meal bread would bring me right up. lots of great Keto diet advice on here and on diet doctor.com which you won’t get from doctor. Worth watching Fat Fiction too if you have Netflix.

 

[MAC2020]

imran999 said:
Background : Age 44, 5'10, average weight over last year, 17-17.5st , high blood pressure for which i take tablets. Family history of diabetes and heart disease. My diet is probably very carb rich, and diet drinks.
After feeling pretty poor the last 2 weeks (general fatigue, severe thirst and high urination. Also noticed this past week, blurred vision and weight loss), i got full bloods done by the doc.

Nurse phoned Monday and said my Hb1ac was 90, and my morning fasting blood test was 20.
She has prescribed metaformin once a day first week, and moving to twice a day second week onward
My first consultation is on Thursday where i think they will tell me the dos and donts.

Tuesday (today), I took a brisk walk for 50mins, then got home and had dinner at 7.30pm....Took my first metaformin tablet just after dinner. I then had a jaffa orange at 9.30pm

My mum popped over with her meter and did prick test (10pm), which came back at level of 30.
Not really sure what it all means , but mum was really panicked.

Can anyone advise/help?
What should i be avoiding food wise...are fruits bad?
Click to expand...

Hi Imran and welcome to the forum! Sorry to read of your T1/T2 diagnosis.

I notice your BMI is 35 or there abouts (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/) which puts you in the Obese category and you are also South East Asian or Indian (forgive me if I am wrong) which makes you more susceptible to health issues. But it's not too late!! 🙂 You're relatively young and can make a successful U-turn.

NHS conclusion:
Your ethnicity means you will be at high risk of health issues at a BMI of 27.5 and above.

Losing and keeping off 5% of your weight can have health benefits, such as lowering your blood pressure and reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

You should work towards achieving a healthier weight over time. We suggest you visit your GP to discuss.

Aim to lose 12lbs
Recommended daily calorie intake:
2051 - 2637 kcal
To lose 1-2lbs a week stick to the lower end of the range."

You've got your GP appt tomorrow so the "discussing with your GP" part you've got covered.

Now for the weight loss.

Here on this DB forum we treat carbs as the enemy. Carbs includes all added sugars, syrupy treacle-like Indian desserts, syrupy sugary sweet Greek/Persian desserts like baklava, honey, maple syrup, alcohol, soft drinks, fruit juices, smoothies, most fruit including exotic fruits (alas that's mangoes [boo!! 😳]) but excluding berries [yaa!!], all below ground veg, starchy veg e.g. potatoes, sweet - the clue is in the name - potatoes, orange flesh and white, then grains (flours, pastas, breads, chapatis, samosas, rice - white and brown [the body isn't racist and doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care about the colour or type of the carb!], barley, oats etc.) continental breakfasts- those pastries, croissants, Danishes, choc-chip or other types of muffins, cinnamon buns, all out, biscuits and breakfast cereals including Wheetabix, bran flakes and wholegrain organic rolled porridge oats. In fact anything where the carbohydrates per 100gms is > 5gms should be avoided! Therefore reading labels especially the carbohydrate content per 100gms, (not the "of which sugars") on packaged foods becomes forensic and fanatical. Some on this forum now know with laser-sharp precision the carb content of any one food item.

What can you eat? Everything else! Curries, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds and veg, and yogurts, go for it, just leave out the poppadoms, the naan breads, potatoes and the rice. Low sugar sweetners like stevia, sorbitol, erythritol are fine. Eat as much green and cruciferous veg and salads as you can, mountains of it! Lots of fibre too. Saag aloo is out because of the potatoes, but Saag is in! Vegetable soups and meat stews with plenty of herbs and spices all good, as are meats, and, this may surprise you, ghee and butters! Counter-intuitive I know, but many on this forum report great success in weight loss and controlled T2 by consuming more fats, even saturated fats (who knew?!) in place of the carbs.

For desserts, leave out the syrup coated desserts and swap for a handful of raspberries, strawberries or blackberries. Anything full-fat yoghurty, full-fat dairy and cheese seems fine.

And Drinking? Good old fashioned plain water. Lots of it. Tap. Bottled. Mineral. Spring. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Drink before you feel thirsty. Aim for 2ltrs a day.

Oh, and do try to quit if you smoke.

Exercise. Walking. You've already started, great job! Keep it up. Just walking ten or twenty minutes a day makes a difference. The key is to be consistent. If you miss one day, don't give up and don't get demotivated. Just pick it up the next day. Your body will thank you for it. Aim for ten minutes every day for a week, then fifteen minutes a day the next week and so on. You'll soon be walking then running then doing half and full marathons before you know it.

Apologies if I sound prescriptive. Feel free to ignore everything I've written! I'm not a doctor so won't dare to advise you medically. I just know what works for me. The key is to find what works for you. Which is where the BG readings before and 2hrs after meals come in. but someone else will inform you on that, or just read around and you'll get the hang of it.

Look, you've said DB and heart disease run in the family. But I like to believe Genetics loads the gun but lifestyle pulls the trigger. And you, me, we all have control over our lifestyle....

I'm so excited because I know you can make great gains if you start now and believe in yourself. Believe that you can halt and reverse it and you will.

 

[imran999]

Thanks for all advice.

went to doctors n submitted urine sample which showed ketones. Sugar level was still high.

Now sitting in hospital ward while they do battery of tests.

 

[Deleted member 27171]

Sorry you now find yourself in hospital, fingers crossed you’re not there too long. Hopefully they will get you some treatment that works a little better at lowering your bgl and have you feeling better soon. Do keep us updated.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @imran999
With the high glucose levels, weight loss and ketones it does sound like T1.
I am pleased that your Practice followed up with w second urine sample.
They so often ignore the possibility of T1 in older people. I was 53 at diagnosis
Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

 

[Docb]

Hi again @imran999. Sorry to hear you are in hospital but full marks to your GP for getting your second sample, testing it straightaway and deciding that things needed a proper looking at.

Keep in touch and let us know how things go.

 

[imran999]

Update: My 2nd urine sample showed double plus ketones(?) via the test strip...so doctor suggested i should go get checked at hospital for potential T1 and DK. She told me go home, pack a bag, have some food then go into hospital.

At the hospital, where they checked my blood sugar n ketones. Ketones were 0.8 and blood was 18...told i was type 2.
Monitored me for about 2 hrs and then sent me home and told me to speak to gp and have put me on Gliclazide 80gm once a day plus the metaformin. GP has also given glucose meter and told to monitor my levels over next 2 weeks plus appointments booked in for diabetes specialist nurse, opticians, podiatrist and dietician.

 

[imran999]

Now for the weight loss.

Here on this DB forum we treat carbs as the enemy. Carbs includes all added sugars, syrupy treacle-like Indian desserts, syrupy sugary sweet Greek/Persian desserts like baklava, honey, maple syrup, alcohol, soft drinks, fruit juices, smoothies, most fruit including exotic fruits (alas that's mangoes [boo!! 😳]) but excluding berries [yaa!!], all below ground veg, starchy veg e.g. potatoes, sweet - the clue is in the name - potatoes, orange flesh and white, then grains (flours, pastas, breads, chapatis, samosas, rice - white and brown [the body isn't racist and doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care about the colour or type of the carb!], barley, oats etc.) continental breakfasts- those pastries, croissants, Danishes, cinnamon buns, all out, and breakfast cereals including Wheetabix, bran flakes and wholegrain organic rolled porridge oats. In fact anything where the carbohydrates per 100gms is > 5 should be avoided! Therefore reading labels especially the carbohydrate content per 100gms, (not the "of which sugars") on packaged foods becomes forensic and fanatical. Some on this forum now know with laser-sharp precision the carb content of any one food item.

What can you eat? Everything else! Curries, meat, fish, eggs, dairy and veg, and yogurts, go for it, just leave out the poppadoms, the naan breads, potatoes and the rice. Low sugar sweetners like stevia, sorbitol, erythritol are fine. Eat as much green and cruciferous veg and salads as you can, mountains of it! Lots of fibre too. Saag aloo is out because of the potatoes, but Saag is in! Vegetable soups and meat stews with plenty of herbs and spices all good, as are meats, and, this may surprise you, ghee and butters! Counter-intuitive I know, but many on this forum report great success in weight loss and controlled T2 by consuming more fats, even saturated fats (who knew?!) in place of the carbs.

For desserts, leave out the syrup coated desserts and swap for a handful of raspberries, strawberries or blackberries. Anything full-fat yoghurty, full-fat dairy and cheese seems fine.

Thanks for the advice....its a lot to take in. i can honestly say, everything in my diet is carb heavy.
Binned all the snacks and sweets and going shopping tomorrow in sainsburies to see what i can buy that is healthy.

So when i am looking at the nutritional info, i want to avoid carb heavy and/or sugar heavy? and ignore the fat content?
Is all fruit bad? Grapes, apples, bananas?

Might be better if i create new thread to get more specific advise.


Thank you all for your input.