Diabetic

[ignis]

Help Please

Have type 2 diabetics, found it very hard to keep the levels down in the UK, but when I moved here it was easy and well under control for the past 4 years, I had cut down the medication to ½ what the UK doctor prescribed..

Because it was down and staying down checked the levels sometimes [once a month if I remembered] then suddenly 2 ½ weeks ago went upstairs and almost pasted out, later checked to find that my blood sugar levels were very high…

2 ½ weeks later + taking 2 x 2 day metformin, the level is still the same, very high… why ? can anyone suggest what I should do.. increase dosage? Try something different [have been on metformin hydrochloride for 10 years].......... The Thai version Neoformin 500mg tablets are still very cheap, 2 months ago they had gone up when I bought my new 500 tablet tub to 198 baht from 176 baht 18months ago

I take

1x per day TENOLOL [Atenolol] Tablets 50 mg

2x morning + 2x night NEOFORMIN [Metformin Hydrochloride] Tablets 500 mg

1x day DEPROXIN [Fluoxetine Hydrochloride] Capsules 20 mg

1x day BESTATIN [simvastatin] Tablets 40 mg

1x day GLYCON/CLAZIDE [Gliclazide] Tablets 60 mg

1x day ENARIL [Enalapril Maleate] Tablets 20 mg

[Boo]

I would go have a HBAC1 blood test & also a urine test to check your other functions. If you haven't started eating something different or drinking more than usual then there must be a medical reason for the increase. But I would also go over what may have changed in your diet, lifestyle, stress levels, alcohol consuption etc over the last few weeks to see if you can try to filter out something that is not agreeing with you.

Also, sorry but you do seem to be on a lot of medication, is that what you consume in just one day??? I'm not a doctor or medical profession but can only compare to my own situation & prior to my pregnancy I was on 40mg of gliclazide per day & controlled the rest with diet, when preggers I went on insulin but since having my baby have controlled soley by diet so find this level of medicaltion very high.

Have a look too at the website for dietebes uk org as they may have more information for you. But please go to the doctor for at least a blood test.

[ignis]

I would go have a HBAC1 blood test & also a urine test to check your other functions. If you haven't started eating something different or drinking more than usual then there must be a medical reason for the increase. But I would also go over what may have changed in your diet, lifestyle, stress levels, alcohol consuption etc over the last few weeks to see if you can try to filter out something that is not agreeing with you.

Also, sorry but you do seem to be on a lot of medication, is that what you consume in just one day??? I'm not a doctor or medical profession but can only compare to my own situation & prior to my pregnancy I was on 40mg of gliclazide per day & controlled the rest with diet, when preggers I went on insulin but since having my baby have controlled soley by diet so find this level of medicaltion very high.

Have a look too at the website for dietebes uk org as they may have more information for you. But please go to the doctor for at least a blood test.

Thanks…. Yes was going to have a blood test + check up, but the ‘Check Up’ Clinic at the Private Hospital near to me do not start until 10 am……. I always get up at 5 am !!!

Not sure I could go 5 hours without my morning coffee [about 15 black coffees by 10am], yogurt & fruit and then drive the 10 km to the Hospital…. They told me nothing not even water..

changed in your diet…….. NO.… lifestyle…….NO, alcohol consumption NO Don’t drink never have

[tw25rw]

I would go have a HBAC1 blood test & also a urine test to check your other functions. If you haven't started eating something different or drinking more than usual then there must be a medical reason for the increase. But I would also go over what may have changed in your diet, lifestyle, stress levels, alcohol consuption etc over the last few weeks to see if you can try to filter out something that is not agreeing with you.

Also, sorry but you do seem to be on a lot of medication, is that what you consume in just one day??? I'm not a doctor or medical profession but can only compare to my own situation & prior to my pregnancy I was on 40mg of gliclazide per day & controlled the rest with diet, when preggers I went on insulin but since having my baby have controlled soley by diet so find this level of medicaltion very high.

Have a look too at the website for dietebes uk org as they may have more information for you. But please go to the doctor for at least a blood test.

Thanks…. Yes was going to have a blood test + check up, but the 'Check Up' Clinic at the Private Hospital near to me do not start until 10 am……. I always get up at 5 am !!!

Not sure I could go 5 hours without my morning coffee [about 15 black coffees by 10am], yogurt & fruit and then drive the 10 km to the Hospital…. They told me nothing not even water..

changed in your diet…….. NO.… lifestyle…….NO, alcohol consumption NO Don't drink never have

All that caffeine will make a mess of your metabolism..

Have you tried reducing your carb intake severely too? Lots of type 2 diabetics benefit from a low carb diet without the use of chemicals.

[ignis]

Over the past 3 year have reduced my coffee intake a lot, now only drink 7 or 8 mugs of instant coffee and 7 or 8 fresh coffee a day, before for 20 odd years always drank 30 + mugs of fresh coffee every day..

Weight maybe a problem, I do weigh 10 kg less now than 40 years ago, but still top 126 kg,

Blood/sugar is slowly coming down from 12.6 to this morning 9.1.... to me that is still high, as after moving here and settling in the reading was around 5.4 and never over 6 for over 4years

Edited November 10, 2007 by ignis

[yoochoo]

Hi, my mum is type 1 diabetic living in UK...and I had a chat with her about what is happening with you.

First thing she noticed is you only do monthly checks?? This is quite worrying whether your diabetes is under control or not. You should really be monitoring your blood suger levels and recording them before every meal, using a blood sugar monitor which is more accurate than urine sticks.

Secondly, right now you really need to have a full blood test and find out what has been going on over the last 3 months (at least). Regular visits to your doctor are a must especially if you are out of control with meds and levels.

Once your diabetes is under control you should be having a regular check up at your doctors (approx every 3 months) so they can look at your blood sugars you have recorded, check your insulin levels are correct and then they can adjust or change your medication when needed. You really shouldn't be self medicating or changing medicines on your own without a doctors advise. It could be that the medication is not working effectively and you need to change your meds, this should be done slowly and monitored by a doctor not a pharmasist (who i know some in Thailand that would have you believe they know better than Doctors and prescribe a cocktail of drugs for a simple cold).

I think the main point is, knowing my mum and how Diabetes has been a big part of her life it has not controlled her life....just making things like checking your blood sugar levels part of you daily routine and doctor check ups part of your annual routine could be the difference between a healthy you and a very sick you. Thats the sad thing about diabetes sometimes your body can be so very ill and destroying itself but without regular checks by yourself and doctor check ups the signs of your health detereating are not noticed until it gets too far on (eg insulin resistance, bladder problems, blindness, etc.), if you are not careful and start having your diabetes monitored problems listed will not just gradually happen they will happen fairly quick and be incurable.

Please take a look at some of these links for more information.

If you click on the guide to diabetes, it outlines diabetes, how it is treated, long term and short term complications etc and is very useful. Maybe you could even email them with your story and they could get you help. But please do go and see a Doctor asap.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabet...lth/Monitoring/

here are some extras you might find interesting and useful..

http://www.diabetictraveler.com/?gclid=CPi...CFQIiEAodEHAP9g

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/...betes/index.htm

I hope this helps and that you find a good Doctor to help stabilise your diabetes..

Good Luck, Angie.x

[Boo]

Hi Angie, I think the op is a type 2 as am I & we don't need to check our blood sugars every day or even every week as we have different requirements than a type 1. A type 1 doesn't produce any insulin so need to inject daily & you are right, in this case they need to be checking their BG levels after every meal whereas a type 2 produces it but can't process it so our treatment is different & can usually be treated with mainly diet & oral medication. But the op should, as you say, get regular blood checks for his HBAC1 & to check how much protien is in his urine.

[Chris Lawrence]

Ignis, how are things now.

Have things changed and if they have what have you done different to affect the change?

I am Type 2 and have been diagnosed about 11 years. I have gone on to insulin in April this year. I am also on tablets. Have put on about 15 kilo since starting insulin.

The thing I am looking into at the moment is the effect that some of this medication is having on other organs in my body ie fatty liver, which may also be a problem with body and medication being processed? I have to go back to doctor in new year to get these things looked at.

[Nignoy]

Help Please

Have type 2 diabetics, found it very hard to keep the levels down in the UK, but when I moved here it was easy and well under control for the past 4 years, I had cut down the medication to ½ what the UK doctor prescribed..

Because it was down and staying down checked the levels sometimes [once a month if I remembered] then suddenly 2 ½ weeks ago went upstairs and almost pasted out, later checked to find that my blood sugar levels were very high…

2 ½ weeks later + taking 2 x 2 day metformin, the level is still the same, very high… why ? can anyone suggest what I should do.. increase dosage? Try something different [have been on metformin hydrochloride for 10 years].......... The Thai version Neoformin 500mg tablets are still very cheap, 2 months ago they had gone up when I bought my new 500 tablet tub to 198 baht from 176 baht 18months ago

I take

1x per day TENOLOL [Atenolol] Tablets 50 mg

2x morning + 2x night NEOFORMIN [Metformin Hydrochloride] Tablets 500 mg

1x day DEPROXIN [Fluoxetine Hydrochloride] Capsules 20 mg

1x day BESTATIN [simvastatin] Tablets 40 mg

1x day GLYCON/CLAZIDE [Gliclazide] Tablets 60 mg

1x day ENARIL [Enalapril Maleate] Tablets 20 mg

Dont mean to be a know it all, I have had type 2 diabetetes for the last 6 years, I take the prescribed dose of diaformin daily Also check my levels twice daily,the only changes are when I over indulge not on alcohol but on fruit!! certain types of oranges and mangoes send my levels through the roof,your levels dont go up with out reason ,are you overweight?? have you started having problems with your eyes yet??almost passed out, been there had that, but I was over weight and the diabetes had affected my heart too,go and see a specialist get some real checks done!check your levels twice day and find the cause for the rise in your levels or ignore it at your peril, Nignoy

[ignis]

are you overweight??

Well I am the same weight now at 58 as I was at 18… as I said in a earlier post “Weight maybe a problem, I do weigh 10 kg less now than 40 years ago, but still top 126 kg,”

Blood sugar reading yesterday was 6.4 [have my UK blood tester]

I take Thai version [Metformin Hydrochloride] Tablets 500 mg, I found out that the tablets were maybe the problem [bought from Super Drug], as I drove into the chemist I normally use [50km away] and bought another bottle of 500 tablets and everything is back to normal.

Yes I will go to the hospital and get a check up in the New Year.

Is it true here that you can have nothing to eat or drink not even water from 6pm the day before the test ?? Hospital near me start these tests at 10 am.

The only test I do have is I go about 1x per year into the Opticians and have a eyesight test., the last test 2 months ago there was a small change but no need to change my trifocals, so same prescription for 5 years

[Nignoy]

are you overweight??

Well I am the same weight now at 58 as I was at 18… as I said in a earlier post “Weight maybe a problem, I do weigh 10 kg less now than 40 years ago, but still top 126 kg,”

Blood sugar reading yesterday was 6.4 [have my UK blood tester]

I take Thai version [Metformin Hydrochloride] Tablets 500 mg, I found out that the tablets were maybe the problem [bought from Super Drug], as I drove into the chemist I normally use [50km away] and bought another bottle of 500 tablets and everything is back to normal.

Yes I will go to the hospital and get a check up in the New Year.

Is it true here that you can have nothing to eat or drink not even water from 6pm the day before the test ?? Hospital near me start these tests at 10 am.

The only test I do have is I go about 1x per year into the Opticians and have a eyesight test., the last test 2 months ago there was a small change but no need to change my trifocals, so same prescription for 5 years

I guess you are overweight, but arent we all, the eye sight test is not the problem ,but the damage to blood vessels behind the eyes are!!, you are allowed to drink water ,up until you have the test, if you dont you will be too dehydrated to get a good reading, good luck, nignoy

[gavin hawaii]

I agree with yoochoo that you should check you blood sugar level before every meal and several hours after every meal. This way you can check what foods are affecting these spikes in your blood sugar. Remember its not just the foods but also the amount of the food that affects your blood sugar levels. And yes a check at the hospital is important. I also have type 2 diabetes and struggled for years. My doctor even suggested I go on insulin. Recently I was hospitalized for ten days and noticed while there my blood sugar levels improved greatly. They were monitoring it closely and gave me insulin when it was high because I was on antibiotics.I couldnt believe it because I was bed ridden and being fed 3 times a day. Some of the foods I was being fed were things that were supposedly bad for diabetes like white rice, bread, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, etc. After talking with my doctor she informed me that the size of the protions of food is also important in controlling your blood sugar. Today my blood sugar has improved immensely due to a change in diet and smaller portions. My doctor has even put off getting me on insulin since the improvement. Good luck and the best to you always....

[Wombat6]

Gidday!

I have type 2 also. Do not eat/drink after midnight if you are going for a blood test the next day. ( fast until after your test). When I left Australia my average level was around 9.5. Not long after I arrived in Thailand my level went down to 6 and now my latest self test read 4.9. I don't seem to be affected by Booze/chocolate etc. I think the Thai food and climate must be helping. For your info, my precribed medication is

For Diabetes:

1.5 x Diaformin (or Glucolyte) morning and evening

1x30mg Diamicron MR in the morning

150 mg Aspirin once a day (in morning)...keeps the blood thinner (re clotting)

For related other stuff

High Blood pressure:

1 x 2mg Coversyl before bed

Cholestrol:

1 x 20mg Zimmex20 before bed.

Any self tests should be conducted before meals or at least 2 hours after a meal.

I would be off to the Doc. if I was you to determine why the sudden increase!!

[ignis]

Many thanks.......... as I said in my post on the 29th December

I take Thai version [Metformin Hydrochloride] Tablets 500 mg, I found out that the tablets were maybe the problem [bought from Super Drug], as I drove into the chemist I normally use [50km away] and bought another bottle of 500 tablets and everything is back to normal.