Diabetes Review

DH was in this position and on four different medications and in desperation the practice nurse referred him to see a consultant. She put him onto a Libre machine to try and educate or shock him into realising what was going on every time he ate or drank. Because as far as was concerned he was following-ish a diet suitable for diabetics.
We decided to really look at his diet and see if anything he was eating or drinking was sabotaging his efforts. The Libre machine was sounding alarms when his blood sugars were too low usually in the early hours of the mornings as well when too high. It's highly educational once you realise what triggers a high reading or if you leave too long a gap between meals.
He's a big coffee drinker and never takes sugar but does like coffeemate. When we read the ingredients list, we realised that coffeemate is virtually pure glucose!! We switched to a sugar free version of coffeemate and from one blood test to another his sugar levels had dropped dramatically.
We also made a point of switching to a sugar free version of everything possible. He does like his chocolate so we compromised and bought small bars of dark, high cocoa chocolate from Lidl. I still buy in crisps but in small amounts - when they are gone they stay gone. It's very hard to completely stick to a diet and the nurses and consultants know this, which is why small amounts of what you like are quite reasonable. He doesn't do breakfast but does try to eat three meals a day and he goes for as much good stuff as he can and snacks on hard boiled eggs, good fruits, or a handful of nuts and tinned fish.
The hardest thing is giving up the carbs so don't!! Have bread for example but switch to a healthier wholewheat or similar version. You need to reduce the craving for sweet stuff which is not as easy as people think. But once you reduce the urge for sweet stuff it becomes much easier. No-one is saying you can't have it but you need to adjust your mindset and taste buds.
He is off the Libre machine and has dropped one of the medications. The consultant couldn't believe that coffeemate was one of the triggers and actually looked it up on the internet during DH's consultation. She was impressed at the massive improvement and although not perfect has referred DH back to the GP for ongoing treatments but with the proviso that they can dispense GLP1 and insulin if needed further down the line.
Don't forget that the blood test is a snapshot of the past few months - so any improvement will take a while to show. So make the changes and see how that helps. There was a chart thing available online which shows at a glance the good, the bad and the ugly of food types whic was a real help.

I am a type 2 diabetic, and live alone. My main problem is that due to a very bad back ,with knees now also causing me difficulty exercising, this adds to the efforts to keep my diabetes in check.
So I find swimming very good, as it is a form of exercise I can do. The great thing is that not only does swimming help me to keep mobile, and in less pain, the actual time spent getting there , swimming, and getting home removes opportunities to eat, and you also feel good about yourself. So if there is something that he really enjoys, that could be a way to turn his attention to which he can enjoy. It is very important that he is honest about everything with the nurse because otherwise they can think that medication is not working. He could ask for help in any ideas that he could try , which he hasn't thought of. Also in my view I think you keep to the rules if you are happy and busy doing things so you don't spend your time constantly thinking of food. A vicious circle the more you think about it the harder it is zWto eat well.. Then you could look to see which time of day is the worst. I found that having a small square of 70% dark chocolate, was better than doing without, as I used to eat more , perhaps bread or a biscuits, now that one little bit of chocolate satisfying that urge. Now I can do without that for quite a while. So it sounds a bit mad but whilst he does of course, need to follow what the nurse tells him, to think about what he could enjoy doing, so that he will be much more likely to keep doing it if it is a pleasure. Wishing you both all the best

I too would recommend a trial with a libre 2 machine.
You might be able to get a 2 week trial free.
It's really illuminating.
I am now reading the fast 800 book by Mosely and starting to follow that.
I have the book close to me as a reminder. Am now beginning to feel better about things.
Don't despair, you can do it.

Also do you test your blood sugars?
It's worth getting a machine and testing to see what your sugars go up to as you go along rather than waiting for hbaic result.

My husband is Type2, has now been on insulin for around 6 months and wears a Libre sensor which is very helpful in seeing what spikes his number and what helps bring it down.
When his diabetes was first picked up by a routine blood test his hbA1c was 82.
Bread is his weakness, he has cut down slightly but the main change is from white to brown, and eating lighter bread.
He tries to go for a walk after every meal, and if that isn’t possible will use my exercise bike.
Exercise, even a small amount, helps bring his number down.
It’s taken a while, but most days now he’s in single figures.
Please don’t feel ashamed about what you eat, be open with your nurse as she can’t help if you don’t tell her that you’re struggling.

Thank you all for the advice you've given. I think I know I've reached the point of needing more help in the way of proper guidance but I absolutely do not want to take insulin as I see that, rightly or wrongly, as the final step and a sign that I have let myself down badly.
I know exactly what I should be doing, and I have actually lost almost 2st taking me to 11st but I am bingeing on carbs and can't seem to stop. I don't invite how to begin the conversation with my nurse.
I am so encouraged to hear of the success stories you've told - it's where I want to get to but I need help.

I've been put on Ozempic to deal with this. I had to fight hard but as someone who has binge eaten many times through my struggles with diabetes, I finally managed to get through the red tape. It really has worked for me.

wildrose

Thank you all for the advice you've given. I think I know I've reached the point of needing more help in the way of proper guidance but I absolutely do not want to take insulin as I see that, rightly or wrongly, as the final step and a sign that I have let myself down badly.
I know exactly what I should be doing, and I have actually lost almost 2st taking me to 11st but I am bingeing on carbs and can't seem to stop. I don't invite how to begin the conversation with my nurse.
I am so encouraged to hear of the success stories you've told - it's where I want to get to but I need help.

Both my husband and I are pre-diabetic and keep it under control by being careful about the carbs we eat. For example some potatoes are better than others (new potatoes) and some rice (sticky is the worst and obviously brown is best). We eat more pulses now too.
Strangely, reheated pasta is better than freshly cooked if you can be bothered to cook it in advance, as are some others (try looking up "resistant carbs list" on Google).
He likes wholemeal bread or bread which contains oats, both of which are better. I'm gluten intolerant so can't eat this, but have found a GF rye bread which is ideal. Neither of us add sugar to drinks and don't eat cake or biscuits.
All of these small changes are obviously working as he had dropped out of being pre-diabetic last time he had a check-up,

So many inspiring stories! Thank you. I know I'm going to have to open up completely at my appointment but I do feel such a failure (I'm successful in other ways in my life but can't seem to take care of my health for some reason) and I don't like to be seen as such. I'm forever saying "I'll start tomorrow". I would understand if she thinks I do need shocking in to action. I will try to write something down in order to focus on what I need to get across. I fear I'll dissolve into tears and that will annoy me too. Thanks again everyone.

I've been put on the NHS Path to Remission programme. I am doing really well so far. You have to report to a coach every week which really helps keep you in check. The first 12 weeks are hard because you have to have replacement meals 7 times a day. You consume, on average, 800 cals a day but if you can get through that then it's so worth it.

The programme lasts 12 months. After the first 12 weeks you gradually reduce the replacement meals and reintroduce "real" food. They provide you with plenty of recipes and tips to help along the way.

You have to test your blood regularly and send in the readings and check you weight, and again report the results.

My nurse is really impressed with this programme and the results.

You have to be under 65 to take part, and have to be referred by your GP/Diabetic nurse.

swampy Thank you for that heads-up about Coffeemate. I too am type 2 and have been successful over the past 10 years keeping my blood sugar in check. But lately it has raised a little to 52. Might it be the Coffeemate. We shall see

Sadly I am a fair bit older than 65 but that sounds like a really helpful too. Good luck!

My DH has been put onto Mounjaro to try to prevent his next move to insulin. He has lost 12 lb in 4 weeks and his carb craving is right down, along with his need to snack

If you want to see what foods are good or bad, try using the Yuka app (found on the App Store). You can scan the barcode on the packaging and it rates the item Poor, Bad, Good or Excellent. I have recently been told I am Pre Diabetic and have found this app to be really helpful in knowing what constitutes good or bad food items. If the item comes up as Poor or Bad it offers alternatives. It can even be used on most beauty products.

I was sent by my GP to a pre-diabetic online course - helpful and enlightening because is talks about the whole of you, not just your blood sugars. You are part of a group, so doing it together helps www.england.nhs.uk/diabetes/diabetes-prevention/

That's interesting to hear about Mounjaro - I am only in the overweight bracket but wouldn't be happy injecting. I do use the Nutracheck app but it's the seemingly uncontrollable bingeing on carbs that is doing the damage. I am thinking of self funding a glucose monitor but it's not going to help until I get the carb craving sorted.
I do appreciate all this input and am going to try being proactive at the appointment.

I’ve been type 2 diabetic for around 23 years. I was put on Mounjaro in August last year. The day after I had the first injection my reading went down to 6.2 and has stayed there. I also follow the Fast 800 / Mediterranean diet which has helped loads

I was in the same position as OP with my diabetes. I’ve been tpye2 for about 10 years and controlled by metformin . In 2020 I was hospitalised with Covid and although my Covid symptoms weren’t too bad my HBA1C was very high , 27 in the old measurement. The only way they could get it down was to put me on a high dose of insulin twice a day . This carried on for 4 years with no real improvement. In November last year my diabetic nurse started me on mounjaro injections . Within a week I was taken off insulin completely . I have lost at least 4 stones and my last blood level was 42 . She said if this continues to fall I will no longer be diabetic. My kidneys were starting to be affected , but tests say they are now normal. My diabetic retinopathy test last year showed the beginning of problems but last month the test showed my eyes are fine.
I also cannot exercise due to being disabled but Mounjaro has turned my life around . I am no longer obese just overweight and I hope to get down to a not weight soon .

Do invest in glucose monitor. Don't wait to control the cravings.

The codefree one is £20 online. Approximately.

You are not one-there's nothing like being a diabetic to make you crave forbidden foods!
Don't let the nurse bully or upset you.
Let's see what's on offer .
There may be some help .

Two of my friends with type two diabetes have dramatically reduced their weight .
They both were two fat jolly ladies and great to be with
Now they are diet bores and completely obsessed with their weight loss .
They aren't fun to be with .

I'm not saying that getting your weight down when diabetic isn't advisable if not essential.
It is
But I sometimes wonder if they both weren't much happier before!

Wishing you luck .

If you have to start using insulin injections it is really no big deal . Through no fault of my own I started on insulin about 10 years ago injecting twice a day and it just becomes routine . My last diabetic review I was so pleased because my blood sugar was low . I got a shock when the nurse phoned my to say it was too low and to reduce the insulin . I do not know why this has happened but she wants my readings to be higher than I have been having " at my age " .

Floradora9

If you have to start using insulin injections it is really no big deal . Through no fault of my own I started on insulin about 10 years ago injecting twice a day and it just becomes routine . My last diabetic review I was so pleased because my blood sugar was low . I got a shock when the nurse phoned my to say it was too low and to reduce the insulin . I do not know why this has happened but she wants my readings to be higher than I have been having " at my age " .

Lows are possible on insulin and you have to notify the DVLA, test before driving, etc. I would resist insulin for as long as possible if there are other drugs I could use first and it was safe to do so. However, if I end up on insulin, I won't blame myself. It wouldn't be for lack of trying to keep low. For all those who think Type 2 is a fault thing, they should try to live with it. It's funny how people with other conditions are excused because it is a hormone imbalance, an addiction, etc. A lack of insulin or insulin resistance plays havoc with your need for sugar, your emotional well being, etc. People should be a lot kinder.

I would be honest with the nurse, otherwise how can she help you. I am currently coming to the end of a pre-diabetic course of 14 sessions which have opened my eyes to all sorts of changes I needed to make with my eating. Could your nurse refer you to something like that?