Type 2 - Dilema

[TLC55]

Hi, I was diagnosed type 2 last June and since then have been on 4 different medications all of which have given me bad side effects, the 1st Metformin, 2nd Sitagliptin both constant diarrhoea, the 3rd Semaglutide waking up feeling nausea every morning. I am now in my 5th week of Trulicity once a week injection on a Friday - followed by diarrhoea for 2 days, I’m at the end of my tether its really getting me down as I’m restricted on a weekend going anywhere, surely this can’t be how it should be, please can anyone advise.

 

[Inka]

Hi @TLC55 Are there more adjustments you could make to your diet to help? What would an average day’s food be for you?

 

[TLC55]

Hi @TLC55 Are there more adjustments you could make to your diet to help? What would an average day’s food be for you?

Hi Inka - I’ve tried everything even to the point of hardly eating which I know is not good.. Breakfast is either Fruit, cereal or toast,, dinner is usually a sandwich and tea is usually fish or chicken with veg

 

[Inka]

Do you test your own blood sugar to see how you react to those foods? Sometimes that can be very enlightening and help you make further adjustments. Many Type 2s here like plain Greek yoghurt and a few berries and seeds for breakfast, for example.

 

[Drummer]

Hi Inka - I’ve tried everything even to the point of hardly eating which I know is not good.. Breakfast is either Fruit, cereal or toast,, dinner is usually a sandwich and tea is usually fish or chicken with veg

I live on meat fish eggs cheese, full fat yoghurt with low carb mixes of vegs and berries (not together) and even though I am unable to deal with over 50 gm of carbs on a daily basis, I can cope and need no medication.
I actually plan on under 40 gm of carbs a day, two meals, with up to 10 gm first thing, then the rest later. I can go out and not have to worry about eating.
My meter showed me that I am more insulin resistant in the mornings, so I might have a salad, or stir fry but with protein and fats I am well nourished all day. I have coffee with cream.
I would not eat any fruits other than those I know are low carb, berries are easiest as I have them frozen so they don't go off. Cereal or toast, I just don't include them. There are some low carb breads, but I'd rather 'spend' the carbs on a multi coloured, flavoured and textured option. Many supermarkets sell stir fry or vege mixtures with the carb content on the packet and frozen so no waste and no preparation required.

 

[TLC55]

Do you test your own blood sugar to see how you react to those foods? Sometimes that can be very enlightening and help you make further adjustments. Many Type 2s here like plain Greek yoghurt and a few berries and seeds for breakfast, for example.

No my Gp has told me I don’t need to 🙄

 

[TLC55]

I live on meat fish eggs cheese, full fat yoghurt with low carb mixes of vegs and berries (not together) and even though I am unable to deal with over 50 gm of carbs on a daily basis, I can cope and need no medication.
I actually plan on under 40 gm of carbs a day, two meals, with up to 10 gm first thing, then the rest later. I can go out and not have to worry about eating.
My meter showed me that I am more insulin resistant in the mornings, so I might have a salad, or stir fry but with protein and fats I am well nourished all day. I have coffee with cream.
I would not eat any fruits other than those I know are low carb, berries are easiest as I have them frozen so they don't go off. Cereal or toast, I just don't include them. There are some low carb breads, but I'd rather 'spend' the carbs on a multi coloured, flavoured and textured option. Many supermarkets sell stir fry or vege mixtures with the carb content on the packet and frozen so no waste and no preparation required.

I eat most of the above, but no to coffee or cream, I maybe have a cup of tea then I’m a water drinker, I’ve been through my diet with my Gp and she says I manage really well.

 

[cr1979]

Hi, I was diagnosed type 2 last June and since then have been on 4 different medications all of which have given me bad side effects, the 1st Metformin, 2nd Sitagliptin both constant diarrhoea, the 3rd Semaglutide waking up feeling nausea every morning. I am now in my 5th week of Trulicity once a week injection on a Friday - followed by diarrhoea for 2 days, I’m at the end of my tether its really getting me down as I’m restricted on a weekend going anywhere, surely this can’t be how it should be, please can anyone advise.

Hey! I was going through the exact same thing. I was diagnosed last September and my gp had me on 2 Metformin twice a day and 2 gliclazide. I was having hypos galore and he reduced my gliclazide to 1 a day. But since I started the meds I’d had the worst diarrhoea all day every day and I just could take it no more. I went back after my last quarterly bloods and told them I couldn’t take the meds they had me on, so they put me on Jardiance once a day along with my Metformin and Gliclazide and 3 weeks later I feel so much better and the chronic Diarrohea has gone! I haven’t had any of the side effects with the jardience. So far so good! You could ask to try them and see if they help?

 

[Drummer]

I eat most of the above, but no to coffee or cream, I maybe have a cup of tea then I’m a water drinker, I’ve been through my diet with my Gp and she says I manage really well.

I am rather bemused as to why she would think so - first you have no data if you are not testing - the bread and cereals could be causing huge spikes - they did for me.
As well as plain water I have various teas, fruit flavour or mint and liquorice which are handy either chilled in this weather or warm in the colder months.
I suggested lower carb options so you might be able to stop the medications. After a few weeks of violent upsets which so restricted my existence I thought life not worth living I stick to the low carb very easily not wanting any possibility of needing medication.

 

[TLC55]

Hi, it’s good to hear (in a nice way) I’m not on my own with the side effects.. I am confused though why do you need to be on more than one medication, I’ve only ever been put on one.. I’ll certainly ask too about the ones you’ve mentioned, thank you..

 

[TLC55]

I am rather bemused as to why she would think so - first you have no data if you are not testing - the bread and cereals could be causing huge spikes - they did for me.
As well as plain water I have various teas, fruit flavour or mint and liquorice which are handy either chilled in this weather or warm in the colder months.
I suggested lower carb options so you might be able to stop the medications. After a few weeks of violent upsets which so restricted my existence I thought life not worth living I stick to the low carb very easily not wanting any possibility of needing medication.

I was bemused too and in the beginning was getting so many mixed messages - do I - Don’t I - I did buy a blood machine but she was really insistent I didn’t need to use it, my last blood test also was excellent (sorry can’t remember what it was) but I do know I was well below and my weight was well down , she said if I wanted because I had everything under control I could carry on without meds, then I asked what would be the repercussions, I then get the lecture of heart, stroke etc and it worries you so I said I’d try the Trulicity, I just get so confused and don’t know the answer.

 

[harbottle]

Hi, it’s good to hear (in a nice way) I’m not on my own with the side effects.. I am confused though why do you need to be on more than one medication, I’ve only ever been put on one.. I’ll certainly ask too about the ones you’ve mentioned, thank you..

They will generally start on one medication (Usually Metformin) and then add another one if the BG levels do not come down to a target level. If dual therapy does not work, they might add a third. I know someone with T2 (A skinny T2) who is on Metformin, the one that makes you wee sugar (Empagliflozin) and the one that prods the beta cells to make more insulin (Gliclazide).

Each one helps bring down hba1c - Metformin and Empagliflozin can do over 1% each, but I think when used together the results might be different. I've seen .7% as a figure for Gliclazide. I think Metformin is used first as it has fewer side effects.

My own diet is similar to Drummer's.

 

[harbottle]

I was bemused too and in the beginning was getting so many mixed messages - do I - Don’t I - I did buy a blood machine but she was really insistent I didn’t need to use it, my last blood test also was excellent (sorry can’t remember what it was) but I do know I was well below and my weight was well down , she said if I wanted because I had everything under control I could carry on without meds, then I asked what would be the repercussions, I then get the lecture of heart, stroke etc and it worries you so I said I’d try the Trulicity, I just get so confused and don’t know the answer.

Do what you want to do, not what the nurses and GPs say, if it eases your mind and helps. I've been told by my GP it's my responsibility to manage the condition so to do so I occasionally like to do a blood test to see how things are. I can go a few months without doing a test now.

To be blunt, the NHS has been about as much use a chocolate teapot for me, nothing more than form fillers and box tickers. I just do my own research.

 

[TLC55]

They will generally start on one medication (Usually Metformin) and then add another one if the BG levels do not come down to a target level. If dual therapy does not work, they might add a third. I know someone with T2 (A skinny T2) who is on Metformin, the one that makes you wee sugar (Empagliflozin) and the one that prods the beta cells to make more insulin (Gliclazide).

Each one helps bring down hba1c - Metformin and Empagliflozin can do over 1% each, but I think when used together the results might be different. I've seen .7% as a figure for Gliclazide. I think Metformin is used first as it has fewer side effects.

My own diet is similar to Drummer's.

Hi thanks for this information it really helps to give me a better understanding

 

[Drummer]

I was bemused too and in the beginning was getting so many mixed messages - do I - Don’t I - I did buy a blood machine but she was really insistent I didn’t need to use it, my last blood test also was excellent (sorry can’t remember what it was) but I do know I was well below and my weight was well down , she said if I wanted because I had everything under control I could carry on without meds, then I asked what would be the repercussions, I then get the lecture of heart, stroke etc and it worries you so I said I’d try the Trulicity, I just get so confused and don’t know the answer.

First they say that your results are excellent - and then that you are likely to have problems with your health - honestly - so many HCPs seem to be totally clueless.
I decided to keep my numbers in the normal range by not eating what I have always known made me feel unwell. So many HCPs have tried to tell me that I was wrong about carbs all through my life, so I am unable to equate good advice and medical 'expertise' as the two just do not match up when I consider my own experience.
If you use your meter and sort out a selection of meals you enjoy and know do not cause spikes in BG levels - as long as you are an ordinary type 2 diabetic your metabolism is likely to recover.