• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Struggling

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Namaste

Namaste

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello,
I'm really struggling at the moment. I'm eating a very low carb diet to try to control blood sugar but it's not working. I'm gaining weight, despite cutting out bread, cakes, sugar, chocolate etc.
Today I have eaten egg and ham for breakfast, antipasti with salad for lunch and a skinny latte this afternoon plus I've mown the lawn and done some gardening and my blood test before dinner was 16.6. It's going up, not down. I don't understand and I'm struggling to know what to do.
I have an appointment with the diabetic nurse next Tuesday - I don't know if I need to go before? I really am trying hard but feeling like control is slipping away.
J
 
16 sounds very high and will make you feel rough. How soon after your latte did you test? Milk has sugars in it from the lactose and if taken on its own (ie not with a meal) can make your spike. If your numbers stay high then definitely see someone before next week.
 
Thank you for the reply. I do feel a bit odd. I tested over 2 hours after the latte and gardening in between which is what I can't understand.
In the past 5 weeks of eating low carb and cutting out sugar I have only managed to get sugar readings in single figures a few times and then it's after serious exercise.
I think I am losing the battle to manage this with diet alone.
J
 
Namaste said:
Thank you for the reply. I do feel a bit odd. I tested over 2 hours after the latte and gardening in between which is what I can't understand.
In the past 5 weeks of eating low carb and cutting out sugar I have only managed to get sugar readings in single figures a few times and then it's after serious exercise.
I think I am losing the battle to manage this with diet alone.
J
Click to expand...
Can you give us an example of the last few days meals, might be some tweaks we can suggest?
 
I agree, you are on very low carb and shouldn’t really be having numbers that high. Can I suggest you ring your surgery tomorrow to see if the DN is in and leave a message to call you back, if she’s not then ask for a telephone consultation with your GP. Always better safe than sorry. Please let us know how you get on
 
Ah! So you are not on Metformin? It may be that you have become increasingly insulin resistant and need medication to help your body shift the glucose which is already in your blood stream or it may be that you are Type 1. The first step would be to try Metformin and see if there is improvement. I very much doubt the latte is the problem and it sounds like this has been an on going issue for a while. Do you have any ketone strips to test your urine?
 
Hello everyone,
Thanks so much for the replies. I will try and get through to the DN tomorrow. I'm not on any meds for diabetes but run on a cocktail of mirtazepine, sertraline, aripirazole, etoricoxib, omeprazole and currently betahistine. Most of the first ones are known to affect blood sugar and I've been on them for years. Just retested 2 hours after dinner and it's come down to 12.9.
Menus for the last 3 days run:
Breakfast: either 2 slices of toast and marmite or eggs and ham.
Lunch: mixed cold meats, salad, olives, cheese, small bag of lentil crisps.
Dinner: home made ratatouille with chicken thighs plus fruit.
Snacks: tend not to snack. Drinks - usually tea or coffee with the occasional latte.

Any ideas?
Thanks so much for the support.
J
 
As @Anitram has said, the bead & marmite might need reconsidering, also remember that fruit is naturally high in sugar, especially the tropical ones, strawberries or blueberries are probably the lowest but again in small amounts. I can now tolerate 2 small apples a day but it has taken a long time to build up to it, I can’t tolerate the berries as I spike too high. We are all different so testing and reviewing is key. Try keeping a food diary mapped to your readings, I found it really helped me to work out what foods worked best for me. Try replacing the lentil crisps for a few almonds, pecans or walnuts?
 
Thank you Benny. Unfortunately I have to take the other pills to keep me stable. Betahistine is temporary. I should be able to stop the etoricoxib soon. I am awaiting a call back from the nurse. It is all very frustrating.
 
I would advise avoiding the high carb food and drink - unless the bread is a low carb one it will be a swift kick of carbs - I drink coffee with cream, real cream, and add a tiny amount of salt and a pinch of cinnamon.
The carbs I do eat tend to be from salad or low carb veges, prepared with oil or fat - roast or stir fried veges. I find that even small amounts of high carb foods don't suit me.
 
Hello
So frustrated!
I went swimming before breakfast this morning: blood reading after 10.6
Breakfast - ham and cheese with a cup of tea
Lunch - prereading 10.1 - mixed meats with salad and a mini pork pie.
Dinner following an active afternoon prereading 11.3.

What is going on??? I can't seem to get the sugars down and am eating low carb, low sugar etc. I don't understand.
J
 
Namaste said:
Hello
So frustrated!
I went swimming before breakfast this morning: blood reading after 10.6
Breakfast - ham and cheese with a cup of tea
Lunch - prereading 10.1 - mixed meats with salad and a mini pork pie.
Dinner following an active afternoon prereading 11.3.

What is going on??? I can't seem to get the sugars down and am eating low carb, low sugar etc. I don't understand.
J
Click to expand...

Hi Namaste

The levels still seem high throughout the day.

There are little packs of carbs in the list you give, such as pork pie in which the pastry will be highish carbs, and depending on the make there could be more in the filling as well.
In the salad are there any veg. I sometimes put potatoes in a salad, although keeping to my limit of carbs, which I know I can manage without spiking.

I hope that you can get a call back from the DN, as it is clear that you need something to help you manage the levels, in spite of all your efforts.
 
Hello
Now on metformin.
Sulking tonight then I'll get on with it.
Any tips?
J
 
Namaste said:
Hello
Now on metformin.
Sulking tonight then I'll get on with it.
Any tips?
J
Click to expand...
Don’t be disheartened, if we need to have it then we do, I loathe taking tablets and don’t agree to them lightly but like you a little cocktail of tablets keeps us working properly. Chin up I was on 4 Metformin a day but have now been able to stop them but if I do have to restart them I will. Enjoy your sulk tonight, it will be like being a teenager again !!
 
Make sure to take the Metformin with a substantial amount of food and I find it best if you eat most of the food, then take the tablet and then finish the meal so that the tablet is sandwiched by food when it gets into your stomach to minimise digestive upset side effects.
 
Namaste said:
Hello
Now on metformin.
Sulking tonight then I'll get on with it.
Any tips?
J
Click to expand...
It’s ok to sulk for a while, remember things can change and you may be able to come off it again if you control your diet, make it a goal to work towards. Our body can malfunction in many ways, if it was any other organ would you still feel the same about needing meds? Chin up, it’s not so bad 😉
 
Thanks everyone. Day 1 of Metformin and it's had its revenge! Don't think I took it with enough food this morning - thanks for the tip. Bloods between 12.3 and 7.7 so some improvement after it was taken but not in the evening. I'm due to go to 2 tablets next week but have been advised to increase it slowly.
J
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top