Diabetes

[julesapple]

We've just had a call from the doctors and the BH has to go in tomorrow at 3pm. Wasn't expecting the bloods to be back so soon, they were only taken on Tuesday. Fingers crossed it isn't anything more serious than diabetes...the waiting is always a bit worrying.

Jules

[taff]

the stevia based ones are ok too. I have tried the truvia and it's not as bad as aspartame [I really hate apsartame, I don't drink or eat anything with it in - apart from toothpaste...]

[taff]

they usually are back quickly, don't panic!

[Alison]

the stevia based ones are ok too. I have tried the truvia and it's not as bad as aspartame [I really hate apsartame, I don't drink or eat anything with it in - apart from toothpaste...]

Apsartame is really nasty stuff, wouldn't touch it - why do you want it in your toothpaste?

[julesapple]

We saw a bag of Half Spoon Sugar on reduced today, but when the BH read the ingredients it said Aspartame and Acesulfame-K. Both of these sounded particularly nasty and the BH said he'd rather not have sugar at all.

Taff, do the stevia-based sweeteners have an after taste?

Jules

[Kleftiwallah]

I've got type 2 and I'm on Humalog insulin injections after meals (quick release) and Lantus at bedtime (slow release). Forget all this rubbish about special foods and sugars, they aint worth the expense.

The reason why you lose weight is that the body moves the sugars obtained from your diet into thebloodstream but cannot move the sugars obtained from your diet from the bloodstream into the muscles, so when the body requires energy it gets it by using up muscle. The excessive urination (I visit the toilet about 5 - 7 times each night) is due to the body trying to wash the surplus sugars out of the bloodstream by urination.

The sugar crystals get 'lodged' in the capilaries and block them up, that is why diabetics MUST keep a close eye on the condition of their extremities, fingers and especially toes. I have the backs of my eyes photographed each year to check there is no damage to the tiny blood vesels there.

I'm off to get my wrist slapped on Friday for not losing weight. Cheers, Tony.

[Hilary B]

Stevia is much better tasting than the typical artificial sweetener. I recently started using the Syevia type (after becoming disillusioned with sucrulose) and it is definitely better.
What I was thinking of was Sorbitol, which has to be handled with care (too much causes funny tummy) but should be good in modest quantities for making sweet treats.

[julesapple]

Klefti, how many injections is that per day and do you feel bruised from all the jabbing? Thanks for the explanation, that's the simplest one I've had and explains why the BH feels so tired. And, of course, the broken sleep pattern isn't helping. Do the nocturnal loo visits not get better when you get the meds then? I hope they do because he wakes me up every time he gets out of bed to help him.

Jules

[Hilary B]

I've got type 2 and I'm on Humalog insulin injections after meals (quick release) and Lantus at bedtime (slow release). Forget all this rubbish about special foods and sugars, they aint worth the expense.

The reason why you lose weight is that the body moves the sugars obtained from your diet into thebloodstream but cannot move the sugars obtained from your diet from the bloodstream into the muscles, so when the body requires energy it gets it by using up muscle. The excessive urination (I visit the toilet about 5 - 7 times each night) is due to the body trying to wash the surplus sugars out of the bloodstream by urination.

The sugar crystals get 'lodged' in the capilaries and block them up, that is why diabetics MUST keep a close eye on the condition of their extremities, fingers and especially toes. I have the backs of my eyes photographed each year to check there is no damage to the tiny blood vesels there.

I'm off to get my wrist slapped on Friday for not losing weight. Cheers, Tony.

I have 2 older sisters and a niece with (presumably mild) diabetes, and in all 3 cases it is controlled predominantly by diet. I don't think my niece uses any medication at all (she certainly wouldn't if she could in any way avoid doing so, it's one of her basic beliefs).
The needs for treatment vary a lot from person to person.

[Buleste]

Klefti, how many injections is that per day and do you feel bruised from all the jabbing? Thanks for the explanation, that's the simplest one I've had and explains why the BH feels so tired. And, of course, the broken sleep pattern isn't helping. Do the nocturnal loo visits not get better when you get the meds then? I hope they do because he wakes me up every time he gets out of bed to help him.

Jules

I've got Type 2 Diabetes and I can safely say that even though my blood sugar is under control the trips to the toilet carry on. Some nights are better than others but 4+ trips are the norm for me.

As for all the sweetners etc it's basically a lot easier just to cut down on the sugar he eats. No sugar in tea/coffee and then everything else in moderation.

The metformin that he'll be on will cut his appetite so he won't want to snack. The main problem I had with metformin was that it messed with my senses of smell and taste and food became unpleasant but that is a rare side effect that goes away with most people.

Diabetes is a very scary sounding disease but as long as you are sensible and listen to what the doctors say you can live with it for decades with little or no problems and just a minor change in lifestyle.

[julesapple]

Thankfully, the BH doesn't take sugar in tea/coffee. He doesn't drink alcohol either, so giving up those simple things isn't a problem. I think, if this is just diabetes, the hardest thing will be finding snacky things that he can have.

We're at the doctors at 3pm today and I think we are both dreading it. The BH has it in his mind that there's something else wrong, some horrible underlying cause, because the bloods came back so quickly and because the doctor phoned yesterday to request that we go in today. I've tried to calm him but he is, understandably worried. My bloods for my hypothyroidism usually come back quickly too, but that isn't much help right now.

Anyway, we'll see.......

Jules

[donnakebab]

I don't need the toilet at night. Two different types of insulin like Buleste and 4 injections a day depending on what I eat. For example I had mushroom omelette no bread for breakfast. So don't need a quick release insulin jab. Sometimes I bruise and sometimes I bleed a bit (like when you prick your finger), but it's not painful.

It's all about the carbs. I'm trying to loose a bit of weight to help my knee even though my doc says my BMI is fine. I still think I could loose about 10lb.

Good luck to both of you. I'll be at work but I'll be thinking about you.

[julesapple]

Thanks DK!

Jules

[julesapple]

Ok, we had the diabetes Type 2 confirmed by the doctor this afternoon. She wants to start him on one Metformin 500mg per day and then he has to go back in a fortnight and she'll up the dose to two a day if his body is coping with it. After that she's putting him on tablets for his 'hugely high' cholesterol level. The Bh's level is 6.0 which I don't think is too bad for a non-diabetic but as a diabetic that's too high. Next week he's booked in to see the Diabetic nurse and get some info on diet and health.

When we went to get his Metformin there was a display stand with medical books next to the till. The top row had Arthritis, Diabetes, Back Pain, Glaucoma, Testicular Health, Menopause and Gallstones....I offered to buy him his own little library.........bless, him he wasn't amused. The assistant said he wouldn't need the Menopause book - don't you believe it, love, he should be forewarned!

Jules

[taff]

it does have an aftertaste but it's not as bad as aspartame.

I don't want it in my toothpaste, it was in there anyway. I just checked the current one and it's sorbitol, so not as bad....