Hi all,
I would really appreciate some advice..
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes just over 3 years ago..at that time, I was put on the standard low-fat, high carb diet. Also at this time, was prescribed metformin 500mg twice daily. Bought a blood glucose meter which showed readings of 13-15 after eating high carb "healthy food", so did my own research and found Bernstein's info and the low carb approach. Immediately put this into effect, and saw a very rapid result..blood sugars normalised within days, and after a month was taken off metformin. I walked for 40 mins a day, stopped smoking, and ate a strict low carb diet. After 3 months, my Hba1c dropped from 8.8 to 5.5. I also lost 2 stone, and felt great.
However, and I'm very ashamed to admit this..over the last 2 years, I have found that I have slipped up in a big way..I am back on the cigs, and have not been mindful of my diet in a consistent way..after having been a huge advocate of the low carb way, I guess I just got a little arrogant..thought I could stray from the diet, and then return to it at my leisure.
My problem is this..I have realised the error of my ways and have decided to go back on low carb for good. However, I have found that my fasting readings have stayed in the 11-12 range despite eating low carb. Admittedly, I have only been back eating low-carb for about 3 weeks..and do not exercise in the way i used to. I intend to dramatically step up the exercise, and have made an appointment to get treatment to stop smoking.
My question is this..do you think I,ve caused irreversible damage to my pancreas, and will be unable to acheive the results i used to? I'm now back on metformin..horrible horrible drug, but will take it if it helps. Or, god willing, will it just take a bit longer to settle my blood sugars this time round..ashamed to say my last Hba1c was 9.8. Put the fear of god into me.
Any advice or comments would be most appreciated.
Fiona

Hi Fiona and welcome!

While none of us can predict the future, I think your best chances of achieving good blood sugar readings are by getting back on (and staying with) a low carb regimen such as Dr. Bernstein's 6-12-12 program.
I'm sorry to hear that your improvement isn't as dramatic this time around as it was the first time. I'm sure that's frustrating and more than a little disheartening. Have you done permanent damage? Hard to tell without specific blood tests. I think it's probably safe to assume that your pancreas and your beta cells were being further stressed while you were eating higher carb but that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't achieve normal blood sugars again. Perhaps this time it will take longer or you will need to be on the Metformin longer, at a higher dosage or permanently but only time will tell that.
The smoking probably won't affect your blood sugar readings much (it doesn't mine), but it will definitely drag down your HDL (good cholesterol) levels and raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. I keep trying to quit, but haven't been completely successful yet.
I'm sure you aren't the first and certainly won't be the last diabetic to get a little cocky after achieving good blood sugar readings only to find out that the good readings only last as long as your diligence does. Don't beat yourself up over it. Instead, pat yourself on the back that you learned from your experience and are taking action to correct what went wrong.

Hi Lisa N,
thank you so much for your reply..it is great to join this forum, as so much still to learn..and the support people give to each other is great. Have upped the metformin to 500mg twice a day and will just put up with the GI side effects. I think exercise helps a great deal too, so will get moving asap.
Thanks again Lisa; will post progress report when/if things improve.
Fiona

Fiona, since you are taking the Glucophage twice a day, I'm assuming that it's not the extended release version (XR). Some people have found that the XR version that you only take once a day at dinnertime (at least that's when my doc had me take it when I was on it) produced less of the gastrointestinal side effects. If the regular version is really making you miserable, you might consider asking your doc if you can try the XR version instead for a while and see if you feel better on it.

Hi Lisa,
When i last visited my GP, I asked him about the extended release type, and he told me they don't prescribe that type here. (UK) I just took his word for this, but may do further investigations if the GI side effects continue. I have been told by a friend that her side effects lasted for 3 weeks then disappeared, so I'll persevere for at least this length of time, before making a few waves at my local docs! What i'd really like of course is free glucobetic vitamins! In the UK as you're probably aware, all type 2 diabetics who are on meds for their condition get free prescriptions, which means all blood testing strips, lancets, and medicines are free..which is great..but vitamins such as glucobetic are not covered by this..wish they were, then maybe wouldn't have to take the metformin..oh well, guess we're lucky to get free meds and strips, as would i be right in saying that in America, you have to pay for meds, treatment etc? or do you get assistance with costs? Hope so!
Fiona

Hi Fiona:
What "glucobetic vitamins" you are referring to? I take Glucobetic, which is herbal/mineral supplement. Just curious if any vitamins for diabetics are called glucobetic in UK or take Glucobetic as well?
Cheers,
Dina

Dina, I believe Fiona is referring to this product: http://www.glucobetic.com/ingredients.asp

Fiona, those without medical insurance that covers prescriptions here in the US do have to pay for all of their medications (both prescription and over the counter) out of their own pockets and it can get quite expensive. I'm fortunate to have medical insurance through my employer that also covers my prescription costs minus a $5.00 copay for each prescription, although I expect that amount to go up in the next year. With 2 out of 4 of us in the family on 2 lifetime prescriptions each (all for allergies), I know that there is no way that we'd be able to afford it without insurance. Another benefit of low carbing for me...I was able to get off both of my prescriptions after only a few months.
I wonder if mail order would be an option for you to obtain the XR version if it's not available in the UK?

Hi Fiona!

I can relate to what you wrote! Altho smoking is not an issue for me I became type 2 diabetic after gallstone pancreatitis and was put on the ADA diet and metfomin with horrible results...Ac1 8.5.
Did some research and did doc Berstein faithfully!!! Went from 235 to 167...walked and did yoga as much as physically possible for me as I have fibromyalgia...ran wonderful BS and altho never taken off the metformin ac1 went to 5.6.
Got cocky..went and did alot of binging...I do have ED...went back up to 225 and blood sugars so bad that I refused to let my doc do an A1c...really stupid.
Anyway...I do have a bit of pancreas left but I don't know if I have burned out some of what few beta cells I have left. I have been sticking to doc B again and blood sugars altho lower again are not as low as they were. And I have begun to lose weight again and exercise within my limits...
Recent A1c was 6.1...not the end of the world I know but I am not happy with that.
I am just hanging in with this forum and hope to see the ## eventually improve to where I like them.
Hoping for the best,
nancy

Thanks you, Lisa. I order glucobetic on a regular basis from this site, and was actually curious if glucobetic helps Fiona to control her BGs.

Hi Dina,
yes, the glucobetic i was referring to is the same one you're thinking of..should've said supplement instaed of vitamin, to avoid confusion!
Haven't actually had a chance to try them yet..i had ordered a supply over the net, but when they arrived I wasn't in and the post service returned the goods to the post office. I was on holiday at the time and the post office returned the goods to the States, as they only keep packages for 2 weeks before returning the item to the sender..so i have been in touch with the company concerned but they say they haven't received it yet. Hoping that this will be sorted soon.
I have heard all sorts of good things about this product so am keen to try it.
If anyone else has had success with this supplement, I'd love to hear the story.
Regards,
Fiona

Hi moondanzr,
thanks for your reply..i'm not exactly glad to hear your story, as it would be great if things had just worked out as before for you..but I guess i don't now feel as if i'm the only person in the world who's known the right thing to do, and then ignored it for a significant period!
What i would like to know is this..is there a test that can be done which would measure pancreatic function, to see whether i'm still making insulin in any useful amount?
I know that a lot of type 2's have a problem with excess insulin, and it's just that the body is insulin resistant. I'm just wondering whether the two of us are still producing good amounts of insulin, but have just become more insulin resistant as a result of our indulgences. If that is the case, I would hold out hope that with time, effort, lc and exercise, we can gradually get back to where we were.
Here's hoping!
Good luck.
Regards
Fiona

Fiona:
Since I've been taking Glucobetic for almost 5 month now, my Hb1c came down from 5.7 to 5.4 (hte latest one). Although I've started with Dr.B's plan initially (no meds and Hb1C=5.7), I couldn't manage 30 g carbs a day, too low for me. I'm not trying to get into 4% club just for the number sake, neither I'm aiming to keep my Bgs at 85 around the clock. Being 2 hh pp at 100 or below, is good enough for me as long as I can allow myself some fruit (my favorite desert) and lots of non-starchy vegetalbes and yougurt in addition to good protein and healthy fats. I've found that overall Glucobetic is a good product, I also want to experiment with other herbal supplement, which I've just ordered. I will post my results The reason I want to try something else, is Glucobetic also contains minerals, like vanadium and chromium, and also heaping amount of zinc. So far I haven't seen nay side effects besides my nails hair growing faster and stronger but this may be due to changes in my diet as well. But so far so good, please, share your experience with us.
Best wishes
Dina

Fiona:
You can get an idea where you are insulin wise by getting the following tests:
1) fasting insulin
2) insulin with GTT
3) C-peptide
All tests could be done at once. If you will get GTT, you need to eat more carb for at least 3 days prior, to make sure the results are not altered by the diet. Even without GTT, c-peptide and fasting insulin will give you an idea on degree of IR.
Regards,
Dina

I take metformin. What are the side affects that you all are talking about? I take 500mgs two times a day, morning and nights. I am on the Atkins Diet, ongoing. I keep my carbs low.

Metformin is generally well tolerated, but can rarely cause a condition called lactic acidosis, which can be fatal. Minor side effecst from Metformin include upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea. These side effects typically pass as your body adjusts to the medication.