IrishHomer wrote: » Folks, I was diagnosed type 2 a couple of months ago and I was given medication and a blood sugar meter. I wasn't given any guidelines about taking readings but from Google it appears I should check at least daily and two hours after eating. Is this correct? Yesterday my reading was 5.2 and I felt great as if I am winning the battle to reverse it. However today at midday I got 6.2 and later this evening I got a 9.2 Today was my worst readings since I started recording 6 weeks ago. Feeling very down tonight
not yet wrote: » From what I know most foods will raise it, Heavy white carbs will drive it really high. Maybe try ACV it helped me reduce the impact of big meals. Mine is 6.2ish in the morning but drops during the day or after exercise.
IrishHomer wrote: » I've been eating little or no carbs past two months. My only carbs per day is two or three ryvita Doctor told me I'd reverse it if I lost three stone weight. So far I've lost one stone 7 pounds so half way. I'm 49yr old male 5'11 and now weigh 15 stone 7 pounds
IrishHomer wrote: » I wasn't given any guidelines about taking readings but from Google it appears I should check at least daily and two hours after eating. Is this correct?
johnnie T2 wrote: » Hi All, I Was diagnosed unexpectedly by my GP with Type 2 diabetes 2 weeks ago - was basically then given a leaflet book about diabetes, a prescription for Metformin and told I will receive a letter from Endocrinologist with appointment (I don't have private insurance). I am very concerned about not having any more information so went searching privately and think I have obtained an appointment for early august, but in the meantime still concerned with having no more information. I am 31 years old, 72kgs and athletic build, heavily involved in sports and usually a T2 from what I read would be associated with needing to lose weight. Is it common for a GP to outright say to me I am T2 and be incorrect and that it's T1 or something else? GP said that my reading for HbA1c was 55 and that it was on a level where almost I would not have to start on Metformin and that it would be safe enough for me to wait until my free medication card arrives in the post which I applied for. GP said I had very low testosterone and I should start Testosterone therapy. - The initial/only symptom I went to the GP with was ED. I had gone to my GP two years previously about this and was just prescribed sildenafil without even doing any blood tests - this wasn't working so I returned hoping to find out it was testosterone related which could be treated. After being told about the diabetes, I am concerned that it is neuropathy or am I too early/young stage for this to be case - and testosterone treatment/getting blood sugar under control will help me? Does the Encrinologist start the testosterone therapy? - I have recently had some uncomfort(without pain) in the left side of my pelvic region, just wondering is this anything commonly associated with diabetes? or might be just a different infection. - in general I would have had a high carb diet, but this would mainly be bread roll/crisps for lunch and rice with dinner which I would generally work off in the gym. should I still look to go low carb if not trying to lose any weight? - I would drink a lot of high caffeine energy drinks (no carb/no sugar) as well as soft drinks like diet coke/coke zero. I had thought that diabetes was related to too many carbs so are these ok to consume? - I would drink quite a lot on weekends or weekends away etc but not on daily/midweek basis. should I even try switch this to zero carb like vodka/diet coke? I guess I am concerned there is some other problems such as kidneys etc would people with T1/T2 be commonly able to go out drinking? if I take that metformin when it arrives do I need to not drink at all whilst on it? appreciate any help on above, just a bit worried without knowing what's actually going on and its difficult to put life on hold if there is already planned trips etc coming up! thanks!
gerrybbadd wrote: » Have you been given a blood glucose metre? The HBA1C is pretty high. With regard to neuropathy, have you had any pain in your extremeties? Any tingling? When i was diagnosed about 10 years back, I had pretty bad pains from the waist down, lots of feeling like my legs were in boiling water. Had no ED, but had a lack of sensation, meaning it took me absolutely ages to finish. Used to have my poor wife worn out! (not a boast, it wasn't fun!). With regard to the pain in your pelvis, this could be anything really. Metformin will not prevent you from having a drink. Lager & Cider are quite high in carbs however, so they would have an effect on your blood sugars. With regard to high carb diet, if your body is insulin resistant, which is a trait of T2, you won't burn off the carbs in the gym. You'll burn some off, not all. The diet coke thing, i drink tonnes of the stuff myself, but its not meant to be good for you. The aspartame is poison.
gerrybbadd wrote: » I wouldn't think too much on the body type issue. There's a mindset that only fat lazy people get T2. I was 9.5 stone when i was diagnosed with Diabetes. That being said, they've never fully diagnosed me correctly, as they tell me i display traits of both Type 1 and Type 2. I was started on just metformin, and that made no difference to my blood sugars alone, so I was then put on insulin as well
johnnie T2 wrote: » GP basically diagnosed from that one 55 reading, would that be accurate enough to ascertain if T1/T2? should GP not have done some more blood tests etc?
MrMacPhisto wrote: » Make a list of your concerns and questions. Go back to your GP, or maybe a different GP given your previous experience. You won't find all the answers and peace of mind here. Very hard to speculate on a one off result of 55. With a bit of luck and good guidance around lifestyle/diet, you could control or reverse the condition (if its Type 2).
jimf wrote: » your local chemist may be able to sort you a meter as they given out free by the company its the test strips they make their money on I was of the opinion that you should not be diagnosed with a 1 off hba1c test but yours is really in the diabetic range up to 42 is considered normal 42 to 48 prediabetic anything over is diabetes main thing try not to get stressed about it diabetes loves stress really no point getting tested again for about 2 months as its based on blood levels over the previous 60/90 days so any variation wont be much in the difference
johnnie T2 wrote: » How will the GP have decided i'm T2 and not T1 is what I am wondering? Is this one of the meters you do your own blood test with? will it give me the same reading as discussed there Hba1C rating same as we were discussing above so I can check it against what it was? Is it unusual that I am not feeling any effects as in my sporting performance etc is still very high at 55?
banie01 wrote: » Fantastic results RL! Really glad you are seeing such positive outcomes from the small changes.
banie01 wrote: » IME fitness and weight makes a huge difference. As you know I started the Newcastle diet in February, did 10weeks total rather than 8 as I took a bit of a break in the middle. My main takeaway from it is that I'm now insulin free since March and my HbA1c in May was 47, 2 points lower than October's. My BMI has gone from 29.5 down to 24.7. My base fitness was always decent, a few sedentary years did it no favours but it has improved. Unfortunately at the moment I'm laid up with an issue that means any longer than 15mins upright leaves me with fairly severe pain and reliant on opiates The main takeaway for me from the NC diet and my current improvement... Is this. I am diagnosed since 2007, it's never ever too late to make small changes that can reap big improvements. Best of luck with the liver come January RL!
Royal Legend wrote: » You are inspirational Banie, brilliant to see the changes the NC diet, hope you are back and going again soon. P.S. What was your inspiration/goal at the beginning?
wakka12 wrote: » The vast majority(85%) of T2 diabetics are overweight or obese. But roughly 15% of them also have normal BMI, so despite that being a relatively small proportion it still equates to millions of normal weight people worldwide having diabetes. In a country the size of the U.S for instance, theres roughly 1 million people with normal body weight who are type 2 diabetic, and significantly more with prediabetes. It is just a risk factor, a very significant risk factor none the less, but nothing about biology is set in stone. Though admittedly given your relatively young age, athletic build and active lifestyle and presumably no family history(?), you are very unlucky to have developed diabetes. Are you experiencing any significant and chronic emotional stress @johnnie? Just asking because stress can cause testosterone levels to plummet in men and also cause high blood sugar levels, both because of high and sustained levels of cortisol.Perhaps for that reason you should have thyroid function checked. In addition to that, high alcohol intake is also well known for lowering testosterone levels in men, if you were not aware. Regardless though try not to get too stressed out about. Theres no need to rush, just relax,please try to ejoy your holiday! Its likely youve had it for a long period before this so its not going to kill you all of a sudden just because youre now aware of it. If your GP wasnt too worried its important to appreciate that. Theres lots of intelligent and highly knowledgable people on this board but your GP is a medical health professional , and despite you thinking she comes across as clueless she is still without a doubt highly trained and educated and has likely experienced successfully treating hundreds of diabetics in your local area over the course of her career, none of these people on baords have.So remember to always take that advice over strangers on the internet.
johnnie T2 wrote: » Yeah I've no family history of diabetes at all that I know of. The only excesses I'd say I have are lots of diet soft drinks and I drink a fair amount of beer at the weekends. Possibly stress with work and family life (parents divorced over past few years)- can this be helped with the testosterone therapy? Can it be a case that I am just stressed and not diabetic? It was more that the GP didn't know much more and was referring to Endocrinologist and then was pushed for time with people in waiting room - I also didn't know anything about the topic myself then so didn't really know what to ask! she did give me prescription for Metformin but I am unsure whether to start taking it. I may try and get a meter in the pharmacy this evening, will it give me the reading I'm familiar with I.e 55 etc for blood sugar, I have seen people use a different metric.
