>I was told this week that I am hardly producing any insulin at all
It may be time to ask about testing for LADA or MODY, although that can happen to some T2s late in the progression.
I can't help with BP; scary numbers there. Before I offer any other comments on your high numbers, would you mind listing your typical breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks menu in terms of carbs? ALso consider testing a little earlier after meals to find when you are peaking.
Like I said above "I have had no dietary advice from the so called professionals, so I am looking at the best way forward myself, I hardly eat at all, but more than likely the wrong things". I am trying to look at low or no carb meals.
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs or Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Ham Wrap or Soup
Evening meal: Chicken salad or Pork chops with vegetables/salad.
Odd glass of red wine or two at weekend.
What is LADA or MODY ?Menu looks pretty good; that is almost exactly mine today.
Odd glass of red wine or two at weekend.
I think you will like this: Red, Red Wine
To my last question: What is LADA or MODY ?
I have looked up and read and will ask my Doctor next week when I go and see him.
Thank you.
Thank you you have been most helpful.
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This link to Jenny Ruhls page should be here. The page is a bit dated, MODY is now called Monogenic diabetes and isn't called Type 1.5. We have a group here on Monogenic Diabetes. Unfortunately testing can be quite expensive and most US insurance is extremely reluctant to pay for it.
Alan's advice to closely examine diet is spot on. Unfortunately many of who have T2 have been victims of what I consider the "great lie." Namely the dietary advice that we should eat high carb diets and just medicate ourselves enough so that we can be ok. It just doesn't work that way. It is important to test your blood sugar after meals and restrict your carbs so that you can achieve your blood sugar goals. In my case I eat less than 50g of carbs a day.
You're really between a rock and a hard place. If you are producing almost no insulin, then you really need insulin. You say you think you're allergic to an additive in the insulin. Do they have an idea what additive it is? Would different brands have different additives?
You might ask Will Dubois on Diabetes Mine. He is a type 1 CDE with a lot of experience.
http://www.diabetesmine.com/2013/01/ask-dmine-insulin-on-the-rocks.html
Thanks. I'm not sure why that happened. And thanks, Brian, for the correct link.
G'day Gretchen, nice to meet you on-line again.
Paul, you absolutely MUST get those BG numbers down between 4.5-5.5. You are at a very dangerous, damaging level of chronic hyperglycemia. Also, as I don't need to tell you (your doctor I'm sure is hammering you about it) the BP numbers are very high risk as well.
What to do? First, try Humulin. Just the straight stuff. Same thing your body makes, so you should be able to take it. I don't know where it's available in the UK, but in the US it's available at Walmart for US$25/10ml bottle. If you can tolerate it, then this is the key to getting your BG under control.
Also, you can adapt your metabolism to run entirely ketogenic -- no carbs AT ALL. This is a perfectly healthy way to live, and there are lots of people doing it. Take a look at this article on ketoadaptation to get started on learning about it. It's a protein/fat based diet, so unless you're a vegetarian/vegan, you can eat all sorts of stuff that's yummy. Like bacon and eggs. The key is avoiding all carbs.
Your body still needs a small amount of glucose, which will be created by the liver from protein, mostly. This requires a little to no insulin. The reason why is because the few tissues that depend on glucose (chiefly neural and red blood cells) do not need insulin to absorb glucose.
Part of what is making your BP so high is the out of control hyperglycemia. I've been there. Get your BG in line, and keep it well controlled for 6-8 weeks, and your BP will come down. I was chronically running sugars in the same high range you are for quite a while, and my BP was concomitantly 180/140 or similar -- like you.
I did a 180, got my BG under control, and now 1 year later my BP is normal. Without any meds.
High BG also sends your cholesterol out of whack. While getting BG in line may not bring LDL/triglycerides to where they need to be for a diabetic, they'll come way down with good BG control.
Paul, your chronic hyperglycemia is a major contributing cause of many of your other issues. It's the key. You've got to focus on that, and that alone in the immediate moment, and tame it.
One more thing: You feel rotten below 8 because you are experience something called "false hypoglycemia". I went through that too. It's a result of your brain being bathed in syrup for so long, that's its used to it. Take it away, and it goes into withdrawal. Really. Acts like BG levels are getting dangerously low, even though there's no danger at all. This too will resolve in a week or two of having normal BG. You can either go the commando route like I did, slam the BG down to normal and just ride out the 3-4 days of false hypo, or do it gradually, bringing your BG down over a few weeks to normal, and pretty much avoid the false hypo thing altogether.
In summary, you are not without any options. Try plain old Humulin. If that's a problem, try keto-adaptation. And, like others have said, throw desensitization into the mix. Some combination of those 3 (human insulin, very low carb, desensitization) can work.
At those BG and BP levels, friend, you're life is literally on the line.
Humulin is really when it all this kicked off. I had a massive reaction to it and ended with an ambulance/hospital, so really don't think I should go back there, but I shall take all your other advice, Thank you.
Really don't know what additives, but have been tested against all Insulin, the last one tested was Tresiba, which again was no good.
UPDATE
Since the 18 July I have been on a low carb diet as recommended by some of you and firstly I must thank you all for a fantastic bit of advice, not only have I lost around 16lb, but my blood sugars are down to 7.0 in the morning and 8.4 before going to bed and they are still decreasing. I have told my Diabetic team that i do not want to take this new tablet Dapagliflozin because I'm winning the war on my own and do not want any more side affects from drugs. I stopped taking Insulin altogether on the 29th July (my birthday) after having yet another bad reaction, so I'm just now on a low carb diet and Metformin.
Wonderful you're doing better & hope BG continues to decrease closer to more normal levels.
You're fortunate living in the UK where animal insulin is still available, should you ever need it. It's no longer available in the US. I investigated porcine insulin several years ago & read that it's far better tolerated by those with insulin allergies.
That is great news. Many of us here follow a low carb diet and have found that with a little creativity and planning you can eat very low carb and still eat like a king. Food is "medicine." And so why not spend a little extra time, effort and money to get the best. Why eat donuts when you can have filet mignon?
That is wonderful news, Paul! Your situation was one of the most worrying, to me, that's been shared here.
One thing: How are you feeling? Better? More energy? Clearer head?
7-8 is a vast improvement, and it's still heading in the right direction. Keep in mind that high BG increases insulin resistance, so as more and more time goes by with BG under control, it will get easier to control. When you've spent a month or two with good control (back in the fours and fives fasting), try reintroducing a bit more carb (if you want to). 10-15g at a meal... a burrito, a piece of toast, etc.
There's some level of carbs you can tolerate as a T2 and still manage your BG. Knowing what that limit is will help you structure your diet so that you can still have a treat now and then.
Thanks for your replies, I must admit that at first, my energy levels did suffer and I am still having problems, but not as bad.
Each day I see an improvement in my blood sugars and i am losing weight which is a great thing for me.
I wish i knew about this years ago, instead you are constantly told by dietitians to eat plenty of carbs, how wrong can they be.
I do have the minimal amount of carbs,but No bread, No fruit, No rice/pasta, No potatoes or fruit juices or fizzy drinks including any alcohol, so i am being good. A treat now and again, yes i like that idea...but what?