ozgirl

DX=diagnosed

Your fasting levels are a bit high but as you have only just
begun your modified diet I wouldn't stress just yet. The
pins and needles you experienced is neuropathy. Nerve
damage, caused by high sugar levels over time. It can be
reversed sometimes, let's hope. If drugs were going to make
you feel crook it would not be so selective, i.e. right
after high carb meals etc.

Let your wife read this newsgroup with you. Higher
carbs=high blood sugar levels=diabetic complications (eye
degeneration, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes,
painful neuropathy, amputations, erectile dysfunction, to
name a few). Complications are real and happening. I know
it is hard to go against professional advice but this ain't
your dietician's body that is getting screwed with and I
have to risk offending you by saying it is not your wife's
either. You are head of your medical team. You can't go
too wrong with Jennifer's advice.

Your wife obviously has your best interests at heart and
like a lot of people, is conditioned to trust professionals.
In the case of diabetics, it is getting proven all to often
that current diabetic dietary advice is not achieving what
is hoped. As long as you get all the nutrients your body
needs, you don't need excess carbs.

alan

<rest of interesting story snipped>

Hi Allen

It sounds like you're ready to learn.

I won't say much about your dietician, because I've been accused of
"dietician bashing". I don't really think there's much I need to say
about yours.

Just remember, she is involved in your treatment, you are committed to
living with the results. She'll do an in-service course in a few years
and find that the thinking on carbs and diabetes has changed; so her new
patiients will get that news. In the meantime, you get complications.

Rather than a long "advice" post I'll give you two references you, and
your partner, need to read before deciding what to do next. The first
is easy, read Jennifer at http://jennifer.flyingrat.net/ . I personally
feel that the advice I got there saved my life.

Secondly, buy a copy of "The First Year - Type 2 Diabetes" by Gretchen
Becker. ISBN 1-56294-546-0. If you can't get it in your library or
bookshop, try Amazon or one of the other on-line stores.

Also, because much of the information, including that book, is intended
for Americans, be aware that they use different meter measurements over
there. So, to convert from mmol to bg/dl, multiply by 18. For example,
100 in the US becomes 5.5 mmol, 200 becomes 11.1 and so on. There is no
difference in HbA1c.

You will find lots of disagreement, here and among your medics, as to
what is correct. Even those two references I gave you disagree on the
recommended frequency of testing. Don't get discouraged, learn
everything you can, and use your own common-sense to decide what works
for you.

Whatever you do, don't make significant changes without discussing them
with your medics. There may be valid reasons for caution in some things,
for reasons we aren't aware of.

Good luck, and come back and ask lots of questions.
Cheers Alan, T2, Australia.
dx May 2002 , A1C 8.2=>5.9, wt 117kg=>90kg,
No diabetes meds.Diet and not enough exercise.
I have no medical qualifications beyond my own experience.
Choose your advisers carefully, because experience can be
an expensive teacher.
--
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

bob ...with thanks for privacy to:

Hey Allen, seems like you've already got your head screwed on right. Watch
the sweet stuff/carbs, you'll do OK.

My sig is: "Dx" (short for diagnosed as diabetic"; dm type (dm=diabetes
mellitus); date diagnosed (cos i'm just a newbie); and my meds. I think
that's pretty standard. Well, other than those people who think this is
also an appropriate place to advertise their nazional or religious beliefs.

--
Bob
Dx T1 4/4/2003, Insulatard & NovoRapid
(trying zeroish carb - kiddies, do not try this at home)

oldal4865

There is a "head up an arse" but it's not in your house. The
dietician lady gave you one of the old-fashioned diets for a diabetic on
heavy doses of insulin. If you want to take heavy doses of insulin,
then stick with her advice. (Of course the old-fashioned diabetics also
had a devil of a time with blindness, kidney failure, chronic diabetic pain,
and dropping dead young from heart attacks)

A lot of folks "bash dieticians". That sounds unfair but it is amazing to
me how many dieticians give such rotton advice. The last time I went to
see one, she went on and on about these massive breakfasts, stuffed with
carbs which would "give me a good start for the day". When I complained
that such a meal would immediately spike me well over 12 mmol/L, she looked
at me as if I had just broken wind, pretended I hadn't said anything, and
just kept going on and on and on.

Bernstein's books are also very good. His books won't have you stuffing
all those carbs down your throat.

If you are "feeling unwell", note that the metformin is noted for causing
diarrhea, gas and similar types of stomach upsets in some folks. The docs
often start at the lowest possible dose (500 - 850 mg/day), and slowly
increase the dose over a period of weeks in an attempt to minimize the G.I.
effects. (metformin = metfartin).

Most docs stop increasing the dose when they hit 2500 mg/day total. If I
read your post right, it looks like you started at 3000 mg/day which is
"quite a dose". You might want to clarify the metformin dose and dose
schedule at your med review.

In any case, the medications you are taking are favored by the more modern
diabetic specialists.

Their effects are:.

metformin: anti-Insulin Resistance, anti-Diabetic Heart Attack,
anti-high bG
Coversyl: anti-High blood pressure, maybe anti-Insulin Resistance,
anti-Heart Attack, anti-Kidney Failure
Simvastatin: anti-Cholesterol, anti-Heart Attack

The modern docs like the meds with anti-heart attack effects because that is
one of the major dangers of Type 2 diabetes. It's in your best interest to
try to make metformin work because it really has major, good effects on the
life expenctancy of a Type 2 diabetic.

Good luck with the wife. Perhaps if you keep harping on the heart attack
angle, you might get her out from under that Dietician's spell.

Regards
Old Al

peter c

An English edition came out on 26th Feb. It's all /anglicised converted,
down to the asides/examples "running for a London taxi" etc and a section on
the NHS by a DSN.
Available from amazon.co.uk rather than amazon.com