Type 2 confusion. Has low carb not worked?

[Flowers3221]

I got diagnosed with diabetes 3 months ago with a hbca1 of 98. I am 1 stone overweight and only 40. Got tested as I had sudden onset fatigue. I have a healthy diet generally, but it did contain lots of carbs.

Told to eat low carb and exercise more. Not to keen to put me on metformin due to IBS. I now eat between 90-120g of carbs and Exercise more. Was told it maybe useful to buy a blood glucose monitor to find out what spikes me. I have logged everything I eat in an app and test 4 times a day.

So my sugars have not reduced. They are 14.5 on wake up, fluctuating to 18 when eaten. Bedtime is around 12-13. I have lost the stone but my blood sugars are not reducing. They are the same pattern. I would of thought it would of reduced considering I have halved my carbs.

I did a week of keto and no change. I didn’t continue as keto is not a life long plan I can follow.

Has any other type 2 not had any change with diet alone. It’s becoming frustrating. Advice needed

Have you looked at the Michael Mosley books? Blood sugar diet and the fast 800? Worry a try.

*Worth! Not worry 🤦🏼‍♀️

Here are a few good resources for you:

www.masteringdiabetes.org/

How not to die - Dr M Greger

nutritionfacts.org/topics/diabetes/

www.forksoverknives.com/how-tos/plant-based-primer-beginners-guide-starting-plant-based-diet/

Hope this helps.

@Flowers3221 the rise in levels in the morning is due to 'dawn phenomenon' - Google it for more detail but is very common. Medication would help with this. I would suggest taking your readings back to GP / diabetes nurse and asking for An action plan. More testing to rule out type 1.5, medication to help lower levels.. It helps if you have a food diary to show you are eating well and things are still not changing.

@handmademitlove I have been recording everything I eat on an app. Being honest as no point lying. There are on a few days have been over my limit, but not by much.

It’s frustrating, nothing changes

I thought the newest NICE guidance is that you should be offered medication straight away to reduce the circulating high glucose causing end organ damage whilst you lose weight.

@SecretDoor it is. I was offered meds that would upset my IBS. Asked for other meds abs they decided diet change. Bloods again in a few weeks to see

@Flowers3221 I was diagnosed a couple of years ago with a HBA1C of 48. Got it under control quickly by low carbing, found it very interesting to find substitutes. Last year it went up to 52 despite low carb - am usually below 50g per day - and increased exercise. Started on one Metformin a day (I too have IBS) and whilst I had the runs for a week it wasn’t any worse than I’ve experienced with IBS. I also increased my walking. This has done the trick, despite having the odd piece of garlic bread or cake.

We have T2D going back generations in our family thanks to a particular genetic condition. My mum took part in a low carb study years ago - overall the study had positive results for low carb. But it didn’t help my mum at all!

Keep going! Best of luck x

@Flowers3221
I have been struggling with DT2 for 3 years and self managing. Like you I aim for less than 120grams carb. My carbs are through a lot of vegetables and one meal per day containing half a cup brown medium grain rice. I have lost some weight but to even do that I have had to exercise for minimum 1 hour a day. I walk a minimum of 5kms a day, and twice a week I do weight lifting. Even with all this, my darn A1C is still high in the morning. Between 7 to 9 readings. As a run up my IVF Specialist wants me to get it down to 6. So now I have to take insulin to get it down as I can't take Metformin, I can't function on Metformin at all. I have tried it three times for 2-3 weeks each time, no change. I agree with you; very low carb and keto is unsustainable.

A T1 diagnosis I’m adulthood isn’t unusual - however the onset is often slower - LADA or T1.5 is T1 in that you have the autoimmune antibodies, but have a slow onset or long honeymoon period. Some Insulin resistance is also often present.

I was diagnosed as T1 5 years ago at 37. Hb1ac of 84 at diagnosis. My initial diagnosis was a tentative T2 because I’d had gestational diabetes and have 2 uncles with T2, but something didn’t sit right with my GP so she referred me to an endocrinologist for follow up tests.

Immediately dropped carbs down to under 30 and started metformin. Metformin gives me a 10% boost and helps reduce the liver dump (Google dawn phenomenon). By the time I’d actually been tested for anti-bodies I had reduced my hb1ac to 54 in 6 weeks and then 36 at 12 weeks. I’ve maintained under 40 ever since.

I love food. I love cooking. I eat 60g of carbs or less a day. It’s doable long term. Is it frustrating at times - yes. But I plan to live a full life - so it’s necessary.

Managing any type of diabetes is a combination of getting to know your own body chemistry and of building mental resilience - because it’s bloody tough.

I’d definitely ask for a screen for anti-bodies. I’d also get a metre. Test on waking, before and after meals. If you are rising to above 8 2 hours post meal then you have included too many carbs.

Instead of keto look at higher protein and lower carb diets. Some healthy fats. Lots of vegetables. Lower carb fruits.

I also worked to improve my gut flora - fermented foods etc.

Also, stress and lack of sleep are huge influences of higher blood glucose so look at reducing stress and increasing sleep.

@Fantail thank you. What were your symptoms? Mine are extreme exhaustion and it’s still here months later.

I do monitor my bloods 4 times a day. My lasted hb test is 81. Now on metformin, for 2 weeks, but it’s not really making an impact on daily testing.

My gp is calling me on Tuesday to discuss as both grandparents had type 1. Got a text saying discussed me with specialists and want to talk more.

Got to the point I don’t care what they do, just fix me so
I can stop the fatigue

[quote Toadmystery44]@Fantail thank you. What were your symptoms? Mine are extreme exhaustion and it’s still here months later.

I do monitor my bloods 4 times a day. My lasted hb test is 81. Now on metformin, for 2 weeks, but it’s not really making an impact on daily testing.

My gp is calling me on Tuesday to discuss as both grandparents had type 1. Got a text saying discussed me with specialists and want to talk more.

Got to the point I don’t care what they do, just fix me so
I can stop the fatigue[/quote]
Looking back, fatigue and brainfog. I was only diagnosed as I went in for a UTI and I had glucose in my urine. Also diagnosed with Hashimoto hypothyroidism at the same time.

No history of T1 in my family or any autoimmune conditions.

When are you testing during the day?

@Fantail I am testing - wake up, before lunch, before dinner and bedtime. I am making sure I test 2 hours after eating. I am eating 1 snack in the afternoon and have tea at 7pm.

It’s fatigue and brain fog for me. Totally exhausted being exhausted. My urine tests are fine

@Toadmystery44 It can help to keep a diary with food (carb, protein and fat content) and then your pre-meal blood sugar and post meal blood sugar.

I test - on waking, before I eat, 2 hours after I eat, before bed. So 8 times a day.

Collecting data is useful for doctors.

@Fantail thanks. I buy my own strips so test to minimum. Avoid the food that spike now. Surprised at what does spike me. Only ever get my sugars below 10 by fasting for 8 hours in the day or playing full rounds of golf. Both not really great for everyday.

@Toadmystery44 that is concerningly high.

I think the food diary along with blood sugar readings is key - especially for doctors.

Definitely concentrate on post meal testing if you are self-funding.

@Fantail yes it is. Normally wake up at 14 ish that was with low carb and food diary. Rarely goes below 11 except with the actions above. Now with 2 weeks of metformin it’s 22.8 in the morning. Thankfully a gp is listening a d doing something now. Find out on Tuesday