General Chat

Yes Annie RN, Thorntons do a lovely line in diabetic chockies.....one of my special treats, birthday's and xmas etc........but, don't get carried away (eat too many at once go....very tempting after being denied one's goodies), they do make for an excellent laxative........whatever ingredient is included to replace the sugar I expect??? And a tasty wholemeal sandwich is a healthier substitute for sweet things to boost sugar levels. Lin XX

I work in a nursing home and one of our residents was diagnosed with diabetis a few years ago. All the advice above is sensible. People with diabetis often have cardio vascular problems as well you might hear the expression metabolic syndrome and can have problems with fat digestion as well so doctors usually recommend a low fat low sugar diet with plenty of fibre. You need to be careful with alcohol as well. A normal healthy eating diet is fine but unless the patient is already overweight you may need to increase the quantities. Meals should be small and regular. You should also be careful with salt. You don't really need to buy diabetic foods though something like an easter egg done by Thornton's might be useful as a treat. Encourage your husband to have a sandwich if he feels hungry rather than a bar of chocolate. Our patient is still healthy and still off insulin. Initially when she started the diet she lost too much weight so we had to increase the quantities but now she eats the same meals as the other residents in the nursing home but we substitute fruit or yoghurt for sweet puddings.

Hi Heather, Yes.....Hypo Glaecemia means LOW blood sugar and Hyper Glaecemia is HIGH sugar levels. The dizziness and tiredness comes due to Low sugar levels, so it's good that your son carries food with him. When he gets dizzy and tired, does he also shake and feel faint as though his legs are giving up on him??? Does he feel he is getting over-heated......getting hot? These are warning symptoms of a impending Hypo........ If he has not seen a doctor about these symptoms, perhaps he should. I think a lot of people go through life with one or two of these symptoms from time to time.....usually, they might mean nothing but sometimes they might be early indications that one could possibly develop full blown diabetes. That's why it's advisable to see your doctor. I think that's what the hospital nurse who treated me was getting at when he informed me that, these days, there are people out there walking around with the condition, without realising it, and sometimes, this can go on for years. It was not until I was diagnosed, that I was able to put all the pieces of the jig-saw together i.e, For several years beforehand, I was totally exhausted and when I went shopping, I would come home near to collapsing......I could not explain it then, but it all makes perfect sense now. On one occasion, I remember walking from my lounge towards the kitchen and instead of going through the door, I missed it completely and walked straight into the wall. Very alarming at the time....but, being a woman....I put all these things down to my age.....as we often do!!!! However, since my diagnosis....although I ended up on Insulin......I have not felt this well for years. I hope your son keeps well Heather, please wish him well from me. Lin XX

Does anyone know the difference between diabetes and hypo glaecemia? My son was diagnosed years ago with this when he was about 16. He used to get shakey and dizzy if he hadnt eaten for a while. He still gets it but always has something like a banana in his car or at work which seems to help. He used to stuff sweets and mars bars when he felt like this as it said it made him feel better. Sometimes he gets awfully tired or very tetchy before he eats. Does this condition become diabetes?

Hi Diane, It must be so difficult for your mum especially as she is ill herself but, she cannot afford to neglect her own health. She must eat regularly and check her sugar levels at least twice a day. The sensation of 'life draining out of her,' Is complete exhaustion and without wishing to alarm you too much on such occasions she may be near to collapse. So you must encourage her to seek further help if you can. Also, the sensation of foot and leg pain may well be connected to the diabetes, I have experienced similar on several ocasions. But please Diane, don't panic too much, all these problems can easily be rectified if mum gets on her case now and stays on it. Get the info from the Diabetes address I have left on Alyson's thread, perhaps if your mum has this info, it may encourage her to take better care of herself. If you feel you or your mum are not getting enough advice from her G.P, don't be alarmed, as I was. Some G.P's know little more than we (the diabetic) do, and that's not because they are bad G.P's, only that diabetes might not be their speciality. That's why it is helpful to gather as much info as you can from the appropriate sources. I do wish your mum well Diane......hope she improves soon. Best wishes, Lin XX

I'm so pleased to have spottted this today. I'm quite worried about my mum at the moment, she has had diabetes for about 3 years or so. She isn't taking insulin. She does not look after herself properly. She is having leg and foot pain. This last week she has had a really bad pain in the bottom of her back and her water has been very strong. She called me today and I have said she should see the doctor. She doesn't check her blood and eat and drink at regular intervals. I'm worried as she has a lot of stress looking after my dad who is very disabled now mainly due to Parkinsons. She's 67. I've told her she should ask to see a diabetes nurse at the very least. She's had times when she feels all the life has drained out of her and I feel sure it must be to do with this. I don't really know what to do. Diane

Wonderful support on this thread. My wife has Type 2 and simply looks after herself religiously. I help as well of course! Best of luck. It's mostly a case of being SENSIBLE in all things.

Alyson I would phone you surgery and ask their advice if worried. They may just want to see if the diabetes improves with just a reduction of sugar for the time being. During the two weeks they may have an overall idea of how they want you to manage the condition. Elaine x

Morning Alyson & Hubby, Just now rooted this address out for you. It's the diabetics U.K association, if you contact them, they will send you a pack with all the relevent information you need which is appropriate to the type of diabetes hubby has. Their address is 10 Queen Anne street, London W1G 9LH Tel: 020 7323 1531 OR Email [email protected] Website www.diabetes.org.uk Best wishes, Lin XX

Thankyou Linda. Off to bed now...early start in the morning. Alyson.

Yes Alyson, it definately sounds like type 2 as Anna says, that's the one you get in later life, and your hubbies past lifestyle will, like the nurse suggested, have contributed to the condition. Going without food all day is no good. You must eat little and often. I was diagnosed with type 2 as I was 51 when I was diagnosed. However, if your husband only has to control his diabetes with a good healthy diet and possibly prescribed tablets, he could eventually revert back to near normal, even if he doesn't rid himself of it altogether. I'm sorry to hear about his arthritis but whatever excercise he can manage will help. If I'm going out, I take the bus.....as it's uphill, then walk back, a good half hours walk. Porridge or Ready Brek is better than weetabix, less sugar and slower burning. And don't forget, there is always hidden sugar in most foods today, as well as salt, also NO good. It is a lot to take in at the beginning, but it will become easier and I know your husband will definately feel all the better in time. He will become less tired and perhaps in time, will get around better which in turn may also help his arthritis?? Of course it's not for me to try and diagnose anyone else. I'm only speaking from my own experiences Alyson but, I wish you and hubby well for the future. Lin XX

Hi Linda and Anna. Thankyou both for your input. Any information is very much appreciated and helps a lot. Hubby was told by the nurse at our GP surgery to take his blood sugar levels once a day about 3 hours after a meal. He has started eating breakfast of weetabix with skimmed milk and a piece of toast using wholemeal bread. He then has a light lunch and evening meal. He cannot do a lot of exercise because he has very bad arthritis but he is trying to do a bit more walking. We think that this has only just started because he was tested not long before Christmas and all the tests came back negative which is a good thing because as you say Lin people can walk around with it for a long time not knowing. You have done very well Lin to regulate it the way you have and congratulations on the weight loss. Keep it up. ANNA: I think it is type 2 that he has but we have not been told. There are a lot of question that we will ask when he goes back to our GP in 2 weeks. Hubby does not take very much sugar anyway as he has been trying to lose weight. Very rarely eats anything sweet. He was only eating one proper meal a day which was usually grilled meat and salad and sometimes a piece of toast in the mornings. The nurse said that this was probably a key factor in him developing diabetes as his body was going too long without food. I had a look at the information about GI indexes but i could not understand it.Think it will take a bit of getting used to. Thankyou all for your advice. Regards. Alyson.

Hi Alyson Is it Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes? It is probably type 2 if he has developed it later in life. I was diagnosed with type 2 about 5 years ago and I have been keeping my blood sugar levels stable simply through losing a little weight, exercising - a good brisk walk daily - and being sensible about what I eat. I don't need any medication. You can eat some sweet things but everything in moderation. I find a lot of fatty things like chips etc shoot my blood sugar levels up more than the occasional sweet thing. GI is good once you get a handle on it - it's just eating food which takes longer to digest and therefore requires less insulin all in a rush - things like wholegrain bread, rolled oats and some types of rice are excellent. Things like white bread, biscuits, processed cereals etc are digested very quickly and are not so good for a diabetic. I was quite stressed about it at first but it is not hard to live with once you get to know which foods affect you. I still have to test my blood sugar regularly but it just becomes routine. Seems dreadful that he wasn't given any information - and I thought the health system in Australia was crook! I'm sure you will find the web sites helpful though. Good luck Anna

I was diagnosed 7 yrs ago and take insulin twice daily. Don't buy diabetic foods, too costly and not much better than ordinary foods. Eat little and often, Have breakfast usually porridge - slow release energy food. Mid morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and evening meal. If sugar levels are too low before bed time, have snack. Monitor sugar levels regularly throughout the day. Usually morning and evenings before retiring, and on alternate days stagger in-between i.e, 2 hrs after breakfast, following day, 2 hrs after lunch, following day, before evening meal. Sensible and wholesome diet and plenty of excercise if capable, to maintain sugar balance. Always carry something to snack on or boost sugar levels if outdoors, I usually carry those small lucozade sweets. Lucozade is the best thing to boost sugar levels quickly if needed. If overweight, try to lose a few pounds, as this will help maintain a healthy lifestyle. It has been known for those who are diagnosed diabetic, to reverse the condition if a healthy lifestyle is maintained and excercise taken......unless they are on insulin. This will help prevent related illnesses later down the line. Also, keep a check, or get your G.P, to always check your blood pressure. If you have your eyes checked regularly, due to having to wear glasses, an optician can detect any changes related to the condition. I know it all sounds quite scary but, when I got the condition, I was extremely ill for several months before it was diagnosed, and went straight to insulin. I was told at the time that people can be walking around with the illness for up to seven years without realising that they have it. I have done very well regulating my illness, and keeping my sugar levels normal, I've lost about a stone in weight and feel so well now. Wishing your husband good health, Lin XX

Thankyou all once again for the advice. Just been to have a look at the website and i must say was very impressed with the amount of information on there. Gives me a lot to go on with what type of foods he can eat and what to avoid. The GI indexes are very confusing though so i think i will pass that one by and just try and use common sense. Bryan: He has not been given an advice pack as yet. He will see a dietician in about 3 months time who will give him all the info. Mind you i think by that time we would have worked most out for ourselves and with the help of good people from here. Once again thankyou all. I am sooo grateful. Alyson.

sorry about your hubby sue. but it really is a bloody disgrace,the way some patients are being diagnosed,and basically told to get on with it...don't start me off!! bryan.

Bryan. When my late husband started with diabetes he wasn't given any health pack or advice. So I took him to Diabetic clinic at the local hospital and I got loads of info from a woman that worked there. Sue

Diabetes UK do an excellent book (I think it has a Rainbow on it) that my Mum first used. There are lots of different sorts of sugar (including foods that you don't realise have sugar in them) and he should get some proper advice for him. Has he been referred to a diabetic clinic at the doctors or hospital? Is he being treated by diet only for the time being? My Mum started off diet only, then onto Metformin and now has insulin. Hubby should always have something on his feet and shouldn't go barefoot. Unfortunately she has sustained damage to her eyes that can never be repaired which is all her own fault for not controlling her sugar levels properly. The probelm is that she is use to having high sugar levels so when it is what we call normal she feels ill. As long as he does the right things he should lead a normal life. PS Definitely don't bother with Diabetic Chocolate yuk! - might as well have the real thing as long as it is all planned and controlled

alyson,your hubby should have been given a full diet/nutrition package by the doctor/hospital. no great changes required normally,just a healthy diet,low in fat,sugar,and salt. but he really should have been given a health pack!! bryan.

Thankyou all for your advice. He has not been given any medication as yet but has to go back in 2 weeks time to the surgery. When he was diagnosed on Monday his levels were 15.5 and today they were 9.5 so i think we must be doing something right. Just not sure what food to buy for him when i go shopping tomorrow. Alyson.