[Lauren Weaver]

My husband has type 2 diabetes and is currently on 2000mg Glucophage and 5 mg onglyza. He is very strict on his no carb no sugar diet and yet his blood glucose is still between 7.2 and 8.4. How long can it take for his blood glucose to reach normal levels? He was diagnosed 6 weeks ago.

 

[Shalynne]

It can take a few months to achieve and stabilize normal numbers. Six weeks is not very long, in the scheme of things. If you would like to add more detail on his diet, we may be able to help him tweak it.

That said ... the safest diabetic meds are Metformin and/or insulin. Unlike other meds, they assist the pancreas rather than pushing it. This can preserve beta cells, and help him preserve pancreatic function.

Right now, he may want to ask his doc about Metformin. If Metformin and a well-tweaked diet don't do the trick within a few weeks, he may want to ask about insulin (for many Type 2s, insulin use is temporary).

Here are a couple of links on diabetes and food that may also prove helpful:

Blood Sugar 101

Low-Carb, High-Fat (LCHF) for Beginners

Please keep us posted ... and invite him to join us, if he'd like!
​

 

[mbuster]

Glucophage is metformin by another name, and is most friendly for most type 2s. It can cause some upset digestion issues for a week or two for some. If he's having problem with it, they have an extended release version that is more user friendly.

Onglyza on the other hand is not so friendly. Link is to the onglyza site, so its side affect list is probably minimal, and it looks pretty scary to me.

 

[Shalynne]

Oook ... I forgot that Glucophage = Metformin.

I focused more on Onglyza, which is definitely not pancreas-friendly.

Diabetics vary. We each need to find our own path, and the advice we get from professionals is not always the best. We can definitely help to suggest diet tweaks, if any are needed.

 

[Lauren Weaver]

His diet includes, all proteins, healthy fats, above ground vegetables, only few berries and an occasional pear. Full cream milk, yoghurts and cheese. Olives, nuts & avocado pear. Foods he avoids completely are bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, any flour products, starchy vegetables & beans. He does eat tomatoes and only has a few raspberries and the occasional pear. With the advice he has been given, his diet should have brought his bs right down but its still sticking between 8 and 10.

 

[mbuster]

By full cream milk, you mean regular milk, not skim or 2%, etc. If so there is lactose (milk sugar) that could be causing problems. What kind of yogurt, plain full fat Greeks are better than most others, see the list of ingredients, many things say low carb that really aren't. Also see what happens to his BG if he eliminates the pear and berries a few days.

 

[diabetes86]

onglyza works by FORCING the pancreas to make more insulin. If his Beta cells (cells in the pancreas that make the insulin) are kaput then he will need to inject insulin.
Give it more time he may come around yet.

 

[Lauren Weaver]

onglyza works by FORCING the pancreas to make more insulin. If his Beta cells (cells in the pancreas that make the insulin) are kaput then he will need to inject insulin.
Give it more time he may come around yet.

thank you! How long is it safe to leave his bs between 8 and 10?

 

[donnaB]

agreeing with mbuster re food tweaks

 

[Lauren Weaver]

i will pass on the diet suggestions. Do you think a bit of milk in tea a couple of times a day can be a problem? Do you know how long it is safe for his bs to stay between 8 and 10?

 

[VeeJay]

Instead of milk, take HWC (heavy whipping cream) and dilute it with water to make it the same consistency of milk. Or, forget that and go for straight cream!

 

[Lauren Weaver]

excellent, thank you!

 

[mbuster]

Use heavy whipping cream (not processed whipped cream) in tea and coffee, there are less carbs. AS far as 8-10 BG, there are studies indicating that over 7.8 mmol/L, damage can be happening. Most of us here try to never, never go above that and some target to stay lower than that at all times.

Edit: Oops didn't see there was a next page.

 

[silvertiger]

It is never safe to stay above 7.8. How much damage is done varies by person. I felt horrible at A1C of 6, whereas I've known some diabetics with higher A1Cs who don't see the point of controlling BG because they don't feel bad. They will still suffer damage to their body, but they don't get the link between eating better now and feeling better immediately.

Let us know how he's doing with the pears and milk out of the diet!

 

[Lauren Weaver]

With no milk and pears for a day, his bs came down to 7.8. It was back up to 9.8 this morning but at least its not 10. He is complaining of aching lower legs and feet but only in bed at night. He is going to continue leaving out the milk and fruit as he is desperate to normalize his bs. is there any advice for the aching legs and feet. He still has good coloring and pulses on his legs and no sores on his feet.

 

[jademuffin]

Lauren, read up about "Dawn Phenomenon" as those numbers are usually the last to come down (It's on BS101 somewhere). Has he increased his exercise lately? That might cause the pain. Also be sure he's keeping hydrated and is getting enough salt/potassium in his diet. Lack of those will cause cramps, and when I had high numbers (before diagnosis) that was one of my symptoms.

 

[Lauren Weaver]

thank you for the reference! He has been exercising consistently for years now, but does tend to push himself hard. He does not describe the pain as cramps, but rather a constant ache.

 

[jademuffin]

If the ache is in the muscle and not the joint, he might just be overworking it, or need new shoes. Tell him to go get a Man-pedicure and a massage. Or pick up some Bio-freeze and he can do it himself.

If the joint is aching, it could be a host of things, including the evil Franken-wheat (he might be becoming gluten-intolerant) or arthritis. But new shoes might help there, too. It all depends on what he's been doing, eating, and where the pain is.

 

[silvertiger]

So his lower legs and feet only ache in bed? Could be the onset of damage, but with a good diet it can be reversed. I would ask for a referral to a foot doc to see if he maybe needs orthotics to walk correctly, especially if walking is painful.

 

[Lauren Weaver]

we think its connected to his bs still being out of range. i gave him a foot soak and massage last night which he said helped until about midnight. i have booked an appointment with another endocrinologist because i think a second opinion is called for. it really worries me that his bs has been high for so long.