Has anyone controlled their diabetes by diet alone? I am trying that for now and checking every morning, readings this week have averaged 6.9

Yes, I did try but it was impossible. Even now I am still averaging anywhere from 7.2 to 8.7 every day. I think I need the medication regulated again.

Pleased that this room has been created. Thanks, Rowan.

This mag is very useful and called Balance. The help desk is useful too if you ever need to ask a question.

Rowan wrote:Yes, I did try but it was impossible. Even now I am still averaging anywhere from 7.2 to 8.7 every day. I think I need the medication regulated again.

Those readings are not that high and some diabetes care nurses have different ideas about what your sugar numbers should be. As long as you do not go over 10mmols regularly but it depends on what other conditions you may have. Mine have shot up to 13/14 when I have been naughty but it comes down again to below 10mmols. when my sugar number is high I feel bery tired and nod off at the drop of a hat.

Re diet: diabetesuk do booklets on what to eat and how to maintain a good and healthy eating plan. I cut out sugar at first ( but do use a lillte at times in tea and coffee and on cereal but Splenda is pleasant to use.) all butter and fats and white bread, read labels and guidelines on tins and packets boring for some but I got used to this and now always check sugar salt and saturated fat content. It does help me and can give one confidence in managing diabetes 2.

Careful management is essential and I personally feel that finger prick testing is helpful. There seems to be a stance about this at the moment and NICE instruct GPs to not encourage this testing and it is known to be for the reason of cost to the NHS! Diabetesuk actually encourage finger prick testing and in a recent Balance mag it stated this. If you do not like the idea of doing this test then it's up to the individual but for me it's very helpful and although I do not do it as frequently as I used to I do it every now and then to give myself reminders.

As a new patient 5 years ago I was offerred a guidline of what to expect and my rights from the NHS re diabetes care. This may still be available from diabetesuk and should be updated

Yesterday I ate some Welsh Rarebit on toast. I made the cheese mix as I always do for this tasty dish. An hour later I sat down and felt so very tired and lethargic I fell into what seemed like a drug-induced slumber. I woke up feeling dreadful. I decided to take my tablets for diabetes about two hours before I normally do. and seeemed to buck up. My sugar number was 12mmols!! No wonder I felt so tired.

Went to bed and slept ok but in the morning I had a thumping headache, a reet mother and felt sick all morning. I deduce it was all caused by the rich cheese on toast. Funnily enough cheese upsets me with my tablets. Think I'd learn, eh!

Some foods can upset me with these pills.

I didn't realise that the high sugar made you tired, I thought it was when it went the other way. Sometimes I have been feeling extremely tired but put that down to my chemo when it may have been the high sugar, side effects of chemo and diabetes seem to be similar, it's hard for me to NOT put every symptom I get down to the chemo though. Anyway I finish tablets on Wednesday, so maybe be able to be a bit more single minded about the diabetes
when the drugs are out of my system.

jollyjack wrote:I didn't realise that the high sugar made you tired, I thought it was when it went the other way. Sometimes I have been feeling extremely tired but put that down to my chemo when it may have been the high sugar, side effects of chemo and diabetes seem to be similar, it's hard for me to NOT put every symptom I get down to the chemo though. Anyway I finish tablets on Wednesday, so maybe be able to be a bit more single minded about the diabetes
when the drugs are out of my system.

How are you getting on with the tablets finishing JJ? Yes, high sugar levels cause lethargy and tiredness. Sometimes I feel as though I have been doped! I did a lot of gardening today and I did not feel tired all day in fact I felt fine for once. But I can't spend my life in the garden! I always fall asleep in the afternoon but this could also be just my age as well as the sugar factor.

On the 17th March your readings were 6.9 and I think this is good. Hope they are still steady.

I don't know if this is of any use to you sufferers, but it might be worth a look

Web Page Name

You might need to copy and paste

dejavou wrote:I don't know if this is of any use to you sufferers, but it might be worth a look

Web Page Name

You might need to copy and paste

Thanks will have a look!

Have had a look and this is an American site and movement. Personally I will check it out with our UK site www.diabetesuk.org Diabetes treatment in the USA differs form ours I am given to believe and it is well worth checking all foreign treatments that may not be here at the moment.

It looks good what I can see on there and if only it proved a possible cure!
Thanks for sharing.

I have completed chemo tabs and am now on radiotherapy for 5 weeks, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer. I have had a bug all week and have been feeling extremely tired, was putting it down to tablets as usual, but there are a few people round about that have had the same problem so I think it is a bug. My sugar levels have been about 7 so maybe be ok, fingers crossed.

I'm off the steroids now and my levels have been much lower too.

I think steroids definitely raise your levels the last time I had them was Christmas eve so I think the chemo tablets must have had something to do with mine being raised. Will see the diabetic nurse on 16th and see what she has to say. Fed up with the whole bliddy lot of it.
Hope you are feeling better Eve

Hope you are too JJ - however as you say, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer.