Weight Loss Type 2 Diabetes

[RichyB]

Good Morning.
I'am a middle aged male and have had Type 2 diabetes for a good number of years now, diet controlled initially however have been on meds for the last 6-7 years. My control is shocking with Hab1c readings being on average over 105 for at least the last 6-7 years based on being a combination of very poor diet control and not taking medication rigourously.

Have noticed recently a reduction / loss of muscle mass in the legs and arms and hence weight loss whilst still maintaining an over zealous appetite. Is this a by product of my poor diabetic control and has anyone else experienced this ?.

Asides radicalising my dietary control and taking the meds religiously, have set off on a new regime which I will need to stick to any other ideas for reducing this trend.

On 500mg Metfornin twice daily and Gliclazide 80mg twise daily.

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum
Medication will only go part of the way in managing blood glucose level but without suitable dietary measure you will be fighting a losing battle.
Restricting carbohydrates and basing meals on protein and healthy fats with plenty of veg and salads still will give you options for filling tasty meals. Replacing the reduction in carbs with protein and healthy fats should help to stop the weight loss.
Have a look at this link for ideas of modifying your diet, it is a low carb approach based on real food. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
However if you have already been having a low carb diet (less than 130g per day) and taking the meds and your blood glucose is still that high then you may actually not be Type 2 but LADA or Type 1 so should discuss that possibility with your GP or diabetic nurse.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. LADA/T1 comes to mind unless you are pigging-out on carbs. Ask the surgery to arrange for C-Peptide and GAD tests. Weight loss can be due to reduced insulin output from the pancreas so you can't digest carbs properly.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

How are you feeling in general? Are you having the typical frequent urinating and thirst and fatigue? I would imagine you must be feeling pretty rough, but sometimes peoples bodies adjust to the high levels when they are prolonged and stop giving these warning signs.

The loss of muscle mass is particularly concerning and suggests that your body is no longer able to produce enough insulin to use the glucose in your blood stream and your body is starting to live off your muscle stores. Whether this is because your immune system has killed off your insulin producing beta cells (a slow onset Type 1 diabetes referred to as LADA.... Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) or because you have failed to manage your Type 2 diabetes well enough for the past 6-7 years and your beta cells have got burned out with overwork. Either way, my thoughts are that you probably need insulin sooner rather than later. The Gliclazide works by encouraging your beta cells to produce more insulin, but if they are already working at max. capacity and failing to control levels then it is like flogging a dead horse, so the proof of the pudding will be whether the Gliclazide shows any improvement in your levels.
It would be worth asking your GP or nurse to arrange a C-peptide and GAD antibody test as this will show how much insulin your body is currently producing and if you have the antibodies which would suggest your immune system has killed off your beta cells.

Do you have any means of testing yourself for Ketones? Urine sticks perhaps....Ketostix are the usual brand name. If you don't have any, it would be worth purchasing some from a pharmacy.... usually about £5 for a pot of 50, so that you can test your urine for ketones when your BG (Blood Gluycose) levels are mid teens or above..... I assume, since you have been given Gliclazide, that they have given you a BG meter and test strips to test your levels?... at least I hope so! What sort of readings are you getting from the BG meter assuming you do have one?

I hope I am wrong and you are able to turn this around with dietary changes, gentle exercise and oral meds but my gut feeling is that you need insulin and testing for ketones when your BG is high will be important to keep yourself safe in the measntime. If you start to feel really unwell... abdominal pain, vomiting, respiratory difficulties or your breath smells fruity/pear drops smell or your urine shows high levels of ketones, then get yourself to A&E pronto.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @RichyB

Sorry to hear your diabetes is giving you such a hard time

Sounds like you’ve decided to try to turn things around. Hope the adjustments you are making to your menu, and taking your meds regularly gradually start to get your levels more towards target.

Don’t worry if it takes a while for this to happen. it’s gentler on the eyes and nerve endings to reduce your levels in stages rather than all at once.

This is a marathon, not a sprint 🙂