Hi there! After suffering from multiple urine infections,extreme tiredness and thirsty all the time , I had a blood test for Diabetes which gave me a score of 43 . This was in October. I was given advice on diets etc and asked to repeat test in March. The repeat test is 42 so still pre Diabetes. What I can't understand is I am active, slim, don't drink/smoke , hardly eat sugary foods or processed foods, no fizzy drinks etc. Only water or weak tea which I have very little granulated sweetener in. No chocolates or snacks and very little bread or fried food. Where am I going wrong with my diet ? I am 66 (female). I now have an appointment with the clinical pharmacist at my surgery at their request. I don't know if this is for medication or just advice as the appointment is not for 2 weeks. I don't feel great in myself. The tiredness is still there and the urge to drink water at night is also there. I know it's not a high number but I do really want to turn it around but at a loss what to do next? I am new to the forum and would welcome any advice especially from people in my position who've successfully lowered their levels. Thank you
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Prediabetes diagnosis
- Thread starter Aneeta55
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Drummer
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- Type 2
All my life I have had a slow first insulin response to carbs, and it seems to run in the family. Combine it with the dogma that carbs are essential, healthy and should be used to replace fat in the normal diet and it is the fuel for the huge rise in diabetes diagnoses.
It could be that there are specific foods which you should avoid, things which you can discover using a meter to test your blood after meals. It is a very individual thing.
I am particularly sensitive to carbs and need to cut out all high carb foods - but that leaves all the things I like to eat, so not at all bad, and as it also gives me energy and keeps me cheerful I don't mind keeping to the diet, not at all.
It could be that there are specific foods which you should avoid, things which you can discover using a meter to test your blood after meals. It is a very individual thing.
I am particularly sensitive to carbs and need to cut out all high carb foods - but that leaves all the things I like to eat, so not at all bad, and as it also gives me energy and keeps me cheerful I don't mind keeping to the diet, not at all.
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Hi Martin thanks for your reply. I never considered my diet to be that high in carbs but maybe it is? I have 1 weetabix for breakfast, wholemeal pasta at least once a week but it is weighed out and brown rice once a week, again weighed out. Potatoes feature a couple of times a week but small portions. And maybe bread now and then but only a few slices a week. I have tried to be careful over the past few months but maybe I have to do more. I've tried to eat more fruit but I suppose that can add to extra carbs? Mainly apples and satsumas .
Leadinglights
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The symptoms you describe would suggest a higher HbA1C but because the HbA1C test is an average over a 3 month period it can hide some high glucose levels which could be causing some of your symptoms on a day to day basis.
Getting a home blood glucose monitor would give you more information about linking your daily readings of blood glucose level to symptoms and to any particular foods or meals.
Getting a home blood glucose monitor would give you more information about linking your daily readings of blood glucose level to symptoms and to any particular foods or meals.
That's a good point and I think I will investigate further. Some nights I have awful sleep and other nights it is better. Perhaps a monitor will allow me to check levels for different meals and might give me a link to things like poor sleep too and fluctuations of tiredness . I will look into getting a monitor thank you .
I have started to count daily carbs from today and have downloaded an app for help. I just have semi skimmed milk with my weetabix. What is the daily amount you try to adhere to? I have limited my portion size on the wholemeal grains. I'm not a big fan of berries unless they're summer and in season. I will be careful of apples though.
Leadinglights
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If you are considering a blood glucose monitor then inexpensive ones can be bought on line, the GlucoNavil has the cheapest strips, you get a few in the kit but should buy more at the outset.
The monitor is about £10 with strips £13 for 100. You do not need to pay VAT if diabetic and I think that applies to prediabetic also.
Leadinglights
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If people are following a low carb regime then less the 130g per day but tend to spread them between meals as it is how much at once the body can cope with. So a 20g carb meal would be ok but not 40g.
People are guided by their monitor as to what they can tolerate.
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Welcome to the forum @Aneeta55
Your HbA1c are at the lower end of the ‘at risk of diabetes’ range, but the thirst you describe (and increased risk of urine infections) are often associated with elevated blood glucose levels.
The renal threshold is usually somewhere over 10mmol/L. This is where the kidneys try to flush out glucose by increasing urination, which then leads to increased thirst.
Hopefully more light can be shed on your symptoms, and if you decide to monitor your glucose levels at home, you will be able to see how different foods affect your blood glucose variation.
If you are interested in trying a lower carb approach, you might find this meal plan helpful
www.diabetes.org.uk
Let us know how things go at your next appointment, and what you find out 🙂
Your HbA1c are at the lower end of the ‘at risk of diabetes’ range, but the thirst you describe (and increased risk of urine infections) are often associated with elevated blood glucose levels.
The renal threshold is usually somewhere over 10mmol/L. This is where the kidneys try to flush out glucose by increasing urination, which then leads to increased thirst.
Hopefully more light can be shed on your symptoms, and if you decide to monitor your glucose levels at home, you will be able to see how different foods affect your blood glucose variation.
If you are interested in trying a lower carb approach, you might find this meal plan helpful
Low-carb diet and meal plan
Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.
Let us know how things go at your next appointment, and what you find out 🙂
Drummer
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
It could be that the 'healthy' carbs you eat are too high in starch.
To maintain normal levels I eat a maximum of 40 gm of carbs a day as I would gain weight these days, or would have spiked when first diagnosed.
I got down to the top end of normal eating 50gm, decided to try to lower it, and reduced to 40gm max each day but a year later my Hba1c was exactly the same at 42.
The only way to be sure is to check blood glucose after meals.
To maintain normal levels I eat a maximum of 40 gm of carbs a day as I would gain weight these days, or would have spiked when first diagnosed.
I got down to the top end of normal eating 50gm, decided to try to lower it, and reduced to 40gm max each day but a year later my Hba1c was exactly the same at 42.
The only way to be sure is to check blood glucose after meals.
I have ordered a glucose monitor which will arrive some time next week so I will be interested to see what the readings are and if there is any link to the meals I have and the symptoms I experience. Thank you for all your helpful advice. I'm definitely more aware of carbs now as well as sugar content in foods ; there is alot to learn when you're new to this, so it's great to have the advice.
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