Self Medicating With Food...Diabetes, Support?

[73kittycat73]

Hi, I've tried to word/start writing this a few times, so I hope it comes out OK...But, today I have finally realized that I eat junk/sweet food to self medicate.
I have type 2 diabetes and have been 'getting away' with it for a while, but I'm starting to feel the effects of eating sweet food. If I eat chocolate before bed for example, I get terrible cramps in (Mainly my left) calf. Recently I have cut down on chocolate as it was making me feel like crap after eating it. I take depression and anxiety tablets and they make me tired so I thought it was them. However I have really noticed recently that eating it makes me so wiped out afterwards.
Today I was bored so ate a bit of cheesecake. Boy did I feel like shit afterwards. I was still feeling a bit rubbish a few hours later so I decided to dig out the old blood sugar testing kit. My blood sugars were17. In the dangerous category. (A non diabetic person should be between 7.1 to 10.0). It has given me a shake, and a wake up call.
I went to my Sainsburys delivery (Due Sunday.) and have taken all the sweet things out, including Pepsi Max. I drink 2ltrs of the stuff a day (I get 'cotton wool' mouth from the medications I take for depression/anxiety and just water does nothing.). I have read conflicting articles on whether Pepsi Max spikes your insulin so have taken them out my list too. I tried finding a decent drink that wasn't full of sugar or artificial sweeteners, I couldn't find any! So I have ordered some fizzy water and orange squash (With sweeteners.) to have it very diluted for some flavour.
However, like I said, it's only just clicked that I self medicate with food (Sweet stuff being the most.). I know I'll be back to craving even later tonight, or definitely tomorrow, so I was wondering if anybody would like to join me on cutting down on junk food. We could come on when we are craving, or just for some support generally. If you're doing it to loose weight that's fine too.
I hope I haven't gone on...I just wanted to be honest (With myself too.) and start a new, healthier, way of eating.

@Fairymad The trouble is the diabetic nurse at my practice wouldn't do home visits at first (I'm agoraphobic so can't go to her.) so I've sort of muddled through on my own. I've been diagnosed a few years now and have only seen her once. She told me if I want to diet, go low carb, but apart from that, everything in moderation.

@Fairymad a blood sugar monitor is an absolute basic necessity for a T2D to identify which foods raise their blood sugar levels! The NHS might not pay for them anymore (although I have a colleague whose GP still prescribes them to him) but they are very much recommended by up to date Diabetes practitioners.

I said an indwelling bsm if you look properly, not a normal one, the ones that are attached to your arm and read by a phone/device, I have a bsm and if you want to find out about how food affects you, test after the meal.

I'm getting confused. What's is a freestyle libre then? I have a blood sugar monitor from the nurse (Accu-Chek Mobile) that I use daily to test for blood sugar. It's a finger prick device.

@Fairymad apologies - I read that as a poster’s name

OP the freestyle libre is a flash glucose monitor and it is attached to your arm with a little filament under the skin. It's very useful and there are lots of type two diabetics who use it but they self fund (not available on the NHS, but it wasn't available for type ones for years either). You'd have to phone the asda or Superdrug pharmacy and get them to order one in usually. They are absolutely brilliant. A finger prick result will only give you the result of what your level is at that moment whereas the libre can give you a while graph. Athletes use them too (but I'm not sure why?!). You can order it online direct from the suppliers too. I have attached a day of results from mine for you to see. Anyway it's obviously up to you but it's nice to know everything that's available so you can make your own choice.

Thank you so much WreckTangled. I really appreciate your input. I must admit, I'd have to save up for one for a few weeks. Have just had my bedroom decorated and has taken up all my funds! Like you said though, it's good to keep in mind, and thank you for telling me where I could get them from.

There's a study due to take place later this year on the benefits of the libre for type two diabetics who aren't on insulin therapy. Should be interesting to see the results I think.

Do you like hot chocolate? The options ones are my go to in the evening when I'm craving some chocolate. Anyway I think you're doing brilliantly, I have the biggest sweet tooth so I know how hard it is but I'm pleased you're still seeing an improvement.

Hi, Haven't been on much today as my mum's just come out of hospital and I'm having to look after her (All good news though, she's had her op and is getting better each day. )
I'll have to try some of that hot chocolate WreckTangled I tried it years and years ago but not had any since. How are you today?
Thank you for the encouragement.
I was craving big time earlier and would have given in if I had sweet stuff near. But, I suddenly realised I was not feeling tired. Normally I feel shattered and can barely keep a wake, it's a real struggle, really bad. Today I realised I felt OK! I was awake! I didn't feel anywhere near as tired!
It really lifted a fog for me. I can't believe the difference, so I'm going to keep with the healthy eating.
Hope everyone else is OK?

*Awake, not 'a wake'!!!

I've discovered the 8 week blood sugar diet is brutal😁 800 corries just wasn't enough for me, so I'm sticking to the principles of it, but adding a third meal. I was only eating twice a day, it's suiting me much better, and my numbers are still good.

I enjoy cooking, so really enjoyed my trip to the supermarket this week. We had sea bass and samphire, neither of which I would have looked for if I had done my usual on line shop. I haven't actually changed my way of eating too much, just substituted the carbs for extra veg, but if anyone wants to post favourite low carb meals, I'm happy to try them.

I'm gutted I can't find a good substitute for crisps. The lentil things are delicious, but too high in carbs for me for now.

Instead of crisps, have you tried pork crunch/pork scratchings? Around100 Cals for a small bag, and zero carbs

I haven't! That's a great idea, thanks. I'll have a look when I go shopping next.

T1 DD (11) in the house here. We've had to learn a HUGE amount about carbs, carb counting and so on over the last 2 years. She uses a libre with an extra attachment that sends blood sugar info directly to my phone as well - it is just amazing. You might find it really useful just to use one over a fortnight - how your days go after different foods - to give you an idea of what patterns you have. They are not cheap but so worth it.

We've found the Diet Doctor website really helpful - lots of low carb recipes, meal ideas, and menu plans.

It's easy to make low carb pancakes or waffles, or eggs, or egg muffins, or... as an alternative to cereal or toast for breakfast.

Quite glad DD has no desire to be veggie - it would make things so much harder!

There are many stories around now about T2 being controlled with diet, or vastly improved with diet. Michael Mosley is T2 IIRC.

And on a more cheerful note, this is the BEST recipe for lemon cheesecake. Really, really good...
Low carb Londoner lemon cheesecake tart

@LostInTheColonies I've just got the libre 2 prescribed so will get rid of my mm once I start using that. Sounds like you're doing an amazing job for your dd I just wish more people were told low carb is an option (and the best one at that!) just lying here with a 2.2

T1 here. I’ve maintained a hb1ac in the mid-30s for the last 4 years. It is definitely doable.

I eat low-carb - on average under 60g carbs (the total carb count - not the sugar count) a day, any less and I lose too much weight. It is important if you are cutting carbs down to this level to make sure you eat enough protein and good fats otherwise you won’t be full and then you’ll get cravings.

The body needs less or no insulin to use protein and fat for energy.

While my pancreas doesn’t work and doesn’t produce insulin, as a T2 yours does, but your body doesn’t use the insulin properly as it is resistant to it. Your body has to make more insulin to deal with any carbs you eat. This also means you may find it harder to lose weight.

Basically, you are intolerant to carbs. The more you have, the worse you feel and the higher your blood sugar levels go.

Metformin helps your body be more sensitive to insulin and reduces the amount of glucogen your liver releases. I take a small amount of metformin because I get what T1 know as “dawn phenomenon”, my liver does a big glucogen dump before I wake in the morning. Metformin helps me with this, even though I’m type 1. It doesn’t do heaps that much though, it’s not a “cure” it’s part of the solution.

Also, just one other part of this ramble. Changing your diet is mentally hard. Even if you miss a step, keep going, the rewards are huge. Aim for non-diabetic levels, it’s doable.

@WreckTangled when DD was dx the diabetes team repeatedly said that she should just eat 'a normal healthy diet' and dose accordingly, and said there was no need for a 'special diet'. I had no idea what they were on about and it took a while for me to find out about low carb! And it turns out that it's extremely controversial for kids. We're not super low carb, would like to be lower and I know it works! All the 'child first, diabetes second' and 'don't let them miss out on sweets, party food and crap' drives me nuts. You wouldn't feed someone with a peanut allergy a load of peanuts, so why feed a diabetic sugar?!

So long as DD knows what she needs to do to keep herself healthy - and there's no need for her to be any less healthy than anyone else - then I think I'll have succeeded.

I don't think you realise how awful the rollercoaster makes you feel until you establish those stable bloods. It really makes it worthwhile. Plus I don't fancy losing my eyesight or a limb. I had to leave the type one fb groups as I couldn't bear to see all the posts of people laughing about their levels in the 20's

Op I'm so pleased you're finding that you feel better in yourself. I really like the mint options. You're right about not having things in the house, much easier that way. I hope your mum is ok. I'm going to make some cauliflower soup today for lunch.

@Fantail that's a fantastic explanation, thank you. I'm very new to all this, and the expression "intolerant to carbs" gives such a different mindset to "can't have..." especially as I don't understand all the medical /physical aspect.

I've had a few conversations with nurses over the past few weeks. They've all said different things. I've been so confused😳

It was the 'I am built differently and so must eat differently" that really made me realise (thanks NHS for telling me to just eat normally and then telling me my levels are high, err ...). So I really like that language about intolerant to carbs as a good simple explanation that is relatable.

Great thread OP, I've found it really helpful. Keep going!

And to the lady on Blood Sugar, killer no? I am eating between 800-1000 cals and losing - after the initial big loss, it's slowed down but I'd rather eat real food, not fall off the wagon because I am starving and it take a little bit longer to get to the goal. Adapt and thrive!

I agree with the 'intolerant' to carbs. I always liken it to someone with a gluten or dairy intolerance being told to just carry on eating it and taking Imodium to relieve the symptoms, you just wouldn't do it! Ok, maybe occasionally you would and then deal with the aftermath in the same way I occasionally eat a McDonald's and then regret it

@LostInTheColonies - this is exactly how I view it too. I deserve a normal life and with some modifications I can have one. It’s so much harder with children having to take into account growing and puberty!

@CaffeineInfusion - no problem. Diabetes of all types is confusing on diagnosis. Finding a way to get around making changes to your whole life is hard, especially as food is central to the way we live and socialise.

Also, cake wise, Nigella’s chocolate olive oil cake is amazing. Just sub sugar with a low carb alternative. I like a monkfruit/erythritol blend.

Fantail that recipe looks great! Here is my favourite chocolate brownie recipe (not that you asked for it , I just love them)

Looks delicious thanks @WreckTangled! It’s always good to get recommendations as some of these recipes are expensive to try (and fail).