Type 2 Newbie

[Degurosa]

Hi, I’ve just been diagnosed with type 2. Because I have an Ileostomy (stoma) I’m unable to eat much in the way of fruit and veg plus I have to have more simple carbohydrates than usual - so the total opposite of what’s required to manage my diabetes! Just to make life more interesting, I also have severe arthritis and am in an electric wheelchair - so exercising is difficult. And I’m on long term steroids. Consequently I’m overweight with a bmi of 37.3. Because of my gastrointestinal problems the doc has decided not to put me on metformin as he doesn’t think I’ll cope with the side effects. Instead I’m to start injecting dulaglutide 1.5mg once a week.
I have to say that becoming diabetic on top of all my other illnesses (of which there are many) has seriously hit me mentally, and the associated long term risks are really scary.

 

[Docb]

Hi @Degurosa and welcome to the forum. Your needs are well outside my experience but we have some members who have to manage an Ileostomy and other conditions alongside T2 and I am sure some will be along soon with thoughts and ideas.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum

Sorry to hear how difficult you have found your diagnosis with diabetes. Balancing multiple health conditions can be a real challenge, especially when their needs seem to pull in opposite directions

You might find some hints in these earlier threads

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/search/44107/?q=ileostomy&o=date

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Degurosa . While I have no first hand experience of a Stoma, my brother has one following cancerous polyps in his large intestine. I too have genetic polyposis but have managed to keep my intestine intact.
Whenever I talk to my brother or other members of the polyposis society to which I belong, they say that thee stoma doesn't affect what they eat so much as it affects when they can eat it!

I know that complex (brown) carbohydrates are what ware advised by both NHS and this charity (though not so much in these forums). I was already eating brown carbs where possible & low fat & around 7 servings of fruit & veg per day for years before being diagnosed with T2D - so I knew that doubling down on those wouldn't work for me. So I chose to aim for remission via the Low Carb (higher protein & traditional fats) route. Dr David Unwin has great success with that for patients (including even T1D's) at his Southport (UK) surgery and has written an online module on it for the Royal Collage of GPs.

 

[Degurosa]

Welcome to the forum

Sorry to hear how difficult you have found your diagnosis with diabetes. Balancing multiple health conditions can be a real challenge, especially when their needs seem to pull in opposite directions

You might find some hints in these earlier threads

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/search/44107/?q=ileostomy&o=date

Thanks. Yes, very helpful

 

[Degurosa]

Hi @Degurosa . While I have no first hand experience of a Stoma, my brother has one following cancerous polyps in his large intestine. I too have genetic polyposis but have managed to keep my intestine intact.
Whenever I talk to my brother or other members of the polyposis society to which I belong, they say that thee stoma doesn't affect what they eat so much as it affects when they can eat it!

I know that complex (brown) carbohydrates are what ware advised by both NHS and this charity (though not so much in these forums). I was already eating brown carbs where possible & low fat & around 7 servings of fruit & veg per day for years before being diagnosed with T2D - so I knew that doubling down on those wouldn't work for me. So I chose to aim for remission via the Low Carb (higher protein & traditional fats) route. Dr David Unwin has great success with that for patients (including even T1D's) at his Southport (UK) surgery and has written an online module on it for the Royal Collage of GPs.

Hi @ianf0ster My stoma is also due to hereditary cancer. I have Lynch Syndrome, which used to be called HNPCC. Is this the same as your polyposis?