Will I die if I don't change?

[hadntbeen]

I'm a 30 year old female. Full disclosure - my eating is out of control. Full of carbs, sugar and I drink a lot, and I mean a lot of semi skimmed milk which is just full of sugar. I am 5 foot 4 and weigh around 15 stone.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes around 2 years ago when I started to become very sleepy throughout the day.

My hba1c results in October were 8.0 so not too bad, however, I hadn't been taking the 2000 mg metformin that was prescribed to me. I was honest with my doctor about this and so she told me to just take 500 mg and we would do another test in January.

I didn't do that - I honestly don't have any other reason for it other than the tablets make me feel sick and I don't like swallowing them. I've noticed over the last month that I have been urinating a lot more. I just got my hba1c results back and they are now 9.6.

I'm quite worried by these results as my diet hasn't changed since my last results in October but still my sugar levels aren't even staying the same they are just rising.

I'm scared to talk to my doctor. My plan from today is to start taking my one tablet 500 mg of metformin and to cut out the milk. I literally drink about 2 litres a day.

Is it reversible still at this point? If I continue the way I am, what can I expect going forward?

Every part of my life is going so well, I just can't quite get a grip of this.

I guess I need some horror stories/cold, hard facts to shock me into action.

No. It’s lactose, a naturally occurring sugar, not added. There is absolutely no evidence linking the lactose in milk to type 2 diabetes.

But it won’t be the same for type 2 diabetic unless they are insulin dependent. Our advice for my type 2 diabetic husband is that natural sugars are OK in moderation (which is what you seem to be saying) - it’s the added sugar and the unused carbs stored as sugar that are the problem. We’ve been advised that fruit juices are to be avoided as they contain more concentrated fructose than fresh fruit, but there are no warnings specifically for milk.

These are for type 1 diabetes, not type 2. Your GP surgery should supply you with a finger prick type glucose monitor as standard.

Not suitable for type 2 diabetes. Most type 2 don’t need to test frequently unless on insulin. HbA1c test usually suffices.

You are correct, but every time I disagree with anything I get vilified so I was being tactful.

Hope you’re doing ok op

The issue for OP is that her blood glucose is very high and making her symptomatic. At that level all carbs become relevant Once she is back in control she will probably be able to drink modest quantities of milk as part of a normal diet.

I drink lactose-free milk as part of my low carb diet and if I can’t get hold of that, whole milk. I found if I had a brew with lunch, then my levels would go up but if I used lactose-free milk, they wouldn’t. But I discovered this using a meter and, whilst GPs don’t routinely give these out they are very useful if you want to actively manage your diabetes and lower your HBA1C. I have a friend in the medical profession who scoffed at me finger pricking and said all I needed was the hba1c but went on some CPD with that GP from Southport who’s a diabetes expert - forgot his name. Now understands the benefits of my finger pricking!

I test 4 times a day because of insulin. My results are downloadable on my phone from my monitor by nfc.
I also have an ap called Diabetes M that connects to glucolog which forecasts my Ha1bc.
Last time it forecast 37 and it was actually 39 so not too bad a guide

Agree 100% @LavenderHillMob

Finger pricking 4x daily with charting of numbers and keeping an account of food and drinks are going to help the OP feel she's regaining some control overr this situation too, on top of offering hope of bringing the blood sugar level down.

The pancreas can only sustain so much damage. It is really important to tackle that blood sugar.

These are for type 1 diabetes, not type 2. Your GP surgery should supply you with a finger prick type glucose monitor as standard.

@Lovelysausagedogscrumpy The monitors that measure BG 24/7 like the Libre one ( patch on your arm and info sent to your phone as an app) are surely for anyone wanting to monitor blood glucose. They aren't just for Type 2 diabetes.

They show the rise and fall of BG not just the reading at the time of taking blood.

Sorry- typo above- meant to say not just for Type 1.
Why should they be?

As I said above Libre will send you the first one free of charge, you dont have to join a subscription or give credit card details . They are £50 a go and last for 2 weeks.
The glucomen areo 2k i got given in hospital costs about £20 but the the strips are about £15 for 50

sample.freestyle.abbott/gb-en/freestylelibre.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA5sieBhBnEiwAR9oh2gLPW3QHsgOByb-npRvJ733DiSqzJfa405v6wJg0xI7gJhy9dDIo9hoCZ5QQAvD_BwE sample sensor

Remember the NHS guidelines are influenced by cost. They prioritise T1 for glucose meters because of affordability. That doesn't mean that they aren't of benefit to people with type 2, especially if they aren't well controlled.

It's worth you asking what the local NHS policy for T2 is OP, to see if you are eligible. If not, could you consider paying in the short term to help you get better control?

Remember the NHS guidelines are influenced by cost. They prioritise T1 for glucose meters because of affordability. That doesn't mean that they aren't of benefit to people with type 2, especially if they aren't well controlled.

Type 2 diabetes is different and doesn’t require blood sugar monitoring on the same scale as someone with type 1 who has to inject insulin and measure carbs etc at each meal. Blood sugar monitoring for type 2 is advised if they are at risk of, or medicated for hypoglycaemia- if not the HBA1c test is sufficient. My DH has a finger prick machine supplied by his GP to check a couple of times a week to make sure he is on track.

Once more with feeling. With type 2 the HBA1c test will give this information and GP’s will advise on whether blood sugar is spiking and how to avoid. Finger pricking 4x daily for type 2 is not necessary as the onset of type 2 isn’t the same as type 1 - originates in the gut. Flame me if you want but this advice is based on my DH’s diabetic nurse’s advice. If HBA1c comes back showing blood sugar is spiking, GP will advise to monitor daily for a week to determine why spikes are happening and advise accordingly.

Whereas my Diabetes Nurse and the practice specialist say the best thing you can do is finger prick. HBA1C doesn’t give enough info. But you have to self fund.

Im Type 2. First diagnosed last april aged 59 in hospital with DKA without the A and went straight onto insulin. What might be right for your DH might not be right for anyone else. They didnt know if i was type 1 or 2 for a while and there is a type 1.5
Everyone is different and what might be right for your DH might not be for someone else.

The point I'm trying to make - obviously badly - is that blood sugar monitoring MAY still be helpful in type 2.

It's not true to say it isn't required. It isn't usually necessary but may be advised depending upon the individual person's control and their medication.

It CAN be helpful people trying to improve their control.

@Lovelysausagedogscrumpy

A test every three to six months is not going to accomplish what daily finger pricking is going to do, namely educate the OP about her blood sugar level in response to food, drinks, and exercise, as well as stress, health issues, and any medications she takes.

A regimen of skin pricking testing will demonstrate in a very concrete way what foods and drinks the OP will need to cut back on or avoid, and the impact of exercise.

Everyone's experience of blood sugar is going to be unique. The OP needs to find a way to reduce her blood sugar levels through her own indivual diet and exercise regimen. Testing her HBA1c is not going to teach her where she's going wrong and what she needs to do daily on the front lines to turn this thing around.

I'm T2. My GP provided me with a finger prick monitor. I find it useful to see where I'm at.

For those debating the sugar content of milk and whether it’s bad for diabetics etc. Not all sugars are created equal, and what they enter the body with also matters (fats and proteins), as it all effects the glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) of food is what effect it has on blood glucose levels. High GI means a high sugar/carb content that the body can break down quickly into usable glucose and it will cause high levels in diabetics, low GI means lower content and/or conversion.
Milk is low GI, so while it does contain sugars and carbs, it also contains fat and protein, which slows down the rate in which the body converts it to glucose. In other words it doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes.

I'm going to be blunt, as an ex-obese person. Yes, you will cut your life short/impact your life negatively if you do not change your eating habits now. I suggest professional help in your case. Make an appointment with a registered dietician.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160907143112.htm

GI is not now considered accurate and further studies have confirmed this.

Milk can definitely increase your blood sugar level - especially if you're diabetic or prediabetic. I'm prediabetic, and I can assure you if I have a glass of milk (say 200mls) whether it's full fat/semi/skimmed it will spike my blood sugar.