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Help with husband type 2 Diabetes

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libralady13
libralady13

Hi, My husband has had type 2 diabetes for a few years he is nearly 69. Firstly just diet, then metformin dose increased after initial dose. He has recently had more bloods done and now the gp has added Gliclazide 80mg in the morning.  The gp just rang and explained and left out a prescription.  I am no stranger to diabetes as our son was diagnosed with type 1 age 2 in 1974.  At that time my husband although he helped would not learn about the condition as I tried to do.  He is the same now just not interested and thinks he can just take the tablets and get on with life.  My questions are as gliclazide can cause hypos should he not be testing his blood sugar level and what about inbetween meal snacks.  The gp did not mention anything when they spoke.  What do you think.  I know he will no want to do tests and probably say I am over reacting.  I try with his diet but he is not good at trying new things.  The other thing is alcohol now more important because of the risk of hypos.  I have suggested he stop drinking at leat until he know how this new tablet affects him.  I am sure he will take m uch notice though.  I have enough to deal with as I too have health problems and family problems.  He also has arthritis and prostate problems.  I am very worried but there is only so much I can do.  Just always accused of nagging which I probably do.  I am not expecting him to be 100% perfect diabetic just to be interested and try would by a start.

Any one suggest anything.  Thanks for reading this.

1 like, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • milo4388
    milo4388 libralady13

    Posted

    Hi

    80mg of Glipizide is very high and will give him hypos (low sugar). I suggest you ask the gp to start him with 5mg and see how he does with that.

    To see the reaction of each medication and each different item of food he has to test his sugar levels before and after the foods and medication.

    I know someone who found 5mg too much so he splits the tablet in half and uses each half every twelve hours which works better.

    I have previously posted my views on fruits/carbs and breads...so please look them up and try out my suggestions.

    He has to find out what works best for him as everyone is different.

    Hope this helps.

    • libralady13
      libralady13 milo4388

      Posted

      Hi Thanks for your reply.  He is on Gliclazide is this the same as glipizide?

      I will certainly look at your views on fruits.carbs and bread.

      Thank you.

    • libralady13
      libralady13

      Posted

      Hi everyone just an update.  My husband has been on the Gliclazide and well as the metformin for 6 days so far no problems.  I was very worried about hypos but none so far.  A friend of mines husband has been given a blood glucose meter by his gp so I suggested to my husband he do the same, although he is not keen I think it would help him see what his blood sugars are at different times.  What do most of you eat for breakfast.  With regard to cereals I would as a non diabetic have either bran flakes or porridge but I sometimes have toast instead.

      He does not like porridge or branflakes so he usually has toast.  He will eat cornflakes but I realise these are not an ideal choice.  It's funny though I remember when my son was first diagnosed and the hospital also gave cornflakes for breakfast plus white bread,  I wonder if it has changedI would be surprised if it had.  Thanks anyway for reading this will continue to try and help him adjust.

    • libralady13
      libralady13 milo4388

      Posted

      Hi everyone just an update my husband has been on the Gliclazide 80mg for 6 days and so far so good no hypos. A friends husband has been given a blood glucose meter by his doctor so I have suggested my husband do the same.  He is not keen but I think it would be good for him to know what his blood sugar readings are and how food affects it.  What do you all eat for breakfast as I non diabetic when it comes to cereal I would eat either porridge or branflakes sometimes with the sultanas.  He likes neither and has toast and marmite,  He will eat cornflakes but I realise this is not the best choice.  It is funny though I remember when my son was diagnosed back in the 1970's cornflakes and white bread was what they served him at breakfast.

      Times have changed so I wonder what they give diabetics in hospital these days.  Anway I will keep on trying to help him with his diet.  Any ideas on breakfast would be appreciated.  Thanks.

    • archemedes
      archemedes libralady13

      Posted

      I suppost that to some extent the food advisory rules for diabetics have changed.

      For example both my doctor and the diabetes nurse have told me that nothing is really off the menu, but what is definitely on the agenda is how much of those 'naughty' items we eat, and definitely not skipping meals.

      Like your husband I have certain likes and dislikes, and to make things worse I really do have a sweet tooth.

      You do not  actually state what foods your husband likes.

      I believe that  it is important to have a breakfast full of energy, simply because you will have been so many hours without eating anything at all.

      Why not try a bran cerial with fruit in it, porridge with fruit as opposed to sugar, wholemeal toast with diabetic jam or peanut butter, low fat yoghurt or home made muesli (not the shop-bought stuff).

      Better still why not phone the diabetes nurse at your surgery and ask for a full diet sheet for diabetics and let him pick what he wants to eat from it?

    • libralady13
      libralady13 archemedes

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply.  I am a bit confused over dietary advice.  The NHS seems to recommend a carbohydrate diet much as when my son was diagnosed back in the 1970s.  From what I read both on the forums and Diabetic websites the diet is now more low carbohydrate.  I am not sure what to think and am worried about hypos as well.  What would be the amount of starchy foods allowed daily.  We do not have a Diabetic nurse at our surgery just the normal nurse and he was given a diet sheet way back which just listed what you should and shouldn't eat. To my way of thinking it was a just healthy diet list that everyone should follow.  I will try your suggestions for breakfast. I notice you mention whole meal toast with diabetic jam.  Well he never ever eats jam but he always has light olve spread and marmite 3 slices I have suggest cutting it down to 2.  Thanks anyway.
    • archemedes
      archemedes libralady13

      Posted

      Yes Libralady the advice today does differ considerably to that given years ago.

      As far as I know marmite should not be a problem as long as not too much is applied. In fact I completely forgot to mention that sometimes I use it just like your husband does, and yes 2 slices of wholemeal or wholegrain bread instead of 3. I find them lot better than white.

      Best wishes

      Rod 

    • akphoto
      akphoto libralady13

      Posted

      I was a bit confised about diet until I was given advice by a dietician at our local hospital (I'm in Paisley, Scotland and the hospital has a Diabetic Clinic with very helpful nurses and dieticians). I did question the 'balanced' diet with her as advice on-line seemd to advocate minimum carbs but she was keen to stick with the 'balanced' diet. She also put me onto a book called 'Carbs and Cals' which gives some excellent facts about every possible meal you can think of! I think that it is essential to not develop a regular pattern of 'hypos' so that is why you shoud not over-do the low carbs and after 5 months I'm now at a stage where i'm balancing medication against blood glucose levels and diet. It has taken a while!

      One thing that also arose: was the label 'diabetic' on any foodstuff. You don't need 'diabetic' food - it's misleading labelling, I was advised. There is quite a large range of 'carbs' that are OK:  granary bread, wholegrain rice, sweet potatoes, berried fruit, low-fat yoghurts, cereals like wheatabix and not sugary ones, but I'm sure you know about these already. If you do BG testing you can soon determine which foods cause a rapid st incease in your BGs and which are slower. Slow is good! I was diagonised 10 yrs ago and I'm now at a stage where I know how to manage my diabetes and I no longer worry about it. 

    • archemedes
      archemedes akphoto

      Posted

      I totally agree with what you have said akphoto in that a balanced diet is best.

      I have noticed that the quality of diabetic clinics throughout  the county does tend to vary very much, and also the sort of dietry advice received seems to do the same.

      In my particular case I am quite lucky, as I now belong to a decent medical surgery with its own diabetic clinic, but this was not always the case.

      Many more practices are now taking diabetes more seriously and are expanding their facilities in order to give us a decent level of advice and treatment. 

      As to suitable food, I find that anything specially sold for Diabetics such as jams, biscuits, cakes etc are usually near double the price of the mainstream products, which I believe is just another example of unfair profiteering.

      After all, we cannot help that we suffer with this dreadful disease.

      Like you I use regular BG testing to regulate what I eat, evenso I sometimes get it wrong and have to pay the price.

      Diabetes is really the most insidious lifelong disease, which requires all sufferers  to take a firm control of  if we are to get anything like a reasonable quality of life.

    • libralady13
      libralady13 akphoto

      Posted

      Hi Yes I found out way back in 1970's when my son was first diagnosed that you don't need expensive special diabetic foods.  Because my son was only 2 when diagnosed I think friends and relatives saw buying some diabetic chocolate for Birthdays or Christmas as a treat and I did succumb on the odd occasion as well.  Where did you get the book Carbs and cals if you don't mind me asking I might be interested in buying it.
    • libralady13
      libralady13 akphoto

      Posted

      Hello again I have just thought Carbs and cals must be similar to little booklets used by dieters and I am sure thinking about it I had something similar when my son was young.
  • libralady13
    libralady13

    Posted

    Hello everyone  Update on husband, have managed to get him to buy a meter and test his blood sugar.  Unfortunately he had 2 visits to a and e last September with breathing problems and has been diagnosed with asthma and copd.  The diabetes has taken a bit of a back seat.  Am still trying without success to get him to lose weight and beer belly.  He has cut down on the beer a little but will not diet. Obviously he has a second reason now to lose weight.  My question today which might seem silly is what time do you eat breakfast and take your medication.  My husband says 9am is early enough to get up now he is retired.  Although I appreciate years of getting up at 6am for work I think 8am and 8.30 breakfast would be better am I just making a fuss for nothing.  Would appreicate your views.
    • Chrisy
      Chrisy libralady13

      Posted

      Hi, 9am is fine. You need to relax a little. Your husband will be fine having meds and breakfast at 9am. It is far more important how you cook his food. Grilling and baking rather than frying and roasting in oil. Use fry light spray. A healthy breakfast could be a grilled bacon (fat removed) two slices of bacon. Or lean bacon, poached egg and tomato. Be careful with low fat yoghurt that can contain lots of sugar. There are brands that are low fat and low sugar. Fruit juice is also high in natural sugars and should be restricted to one small glass a day. Peanut butter is a good alternative on wholemeal toast but make sure it is low sugar. Diabetic foods maybe low sugar but invariably are high in carbs so no better for you. Better to have a sensible diet and allow for odd treats. They are not banned just restricted to moderate levels. I wish you well and hope you can relax a little.
    • Chrisy
      Chrisy

      Posted

      Two slices of wholemeal bread with bacon (lean only) for healthy breakfast x
  • tony09890
    tony09890 libralady13

    Posted

    There are two schools of thought with regards to diabetics and diet, one is a low/no carb diet the other being a moderate carb diet, the latter being supported by the majority of health professionals for many years; although, many now seem to be swinging toward low/no carb diets.   Oral medications are not as forgiving as injectable medications:   Injectable medications can be varied to suit carb intake (carb counting) whereas oral meds generally can’t; therefore, the carb content of meals should be kept at a similar level to avoid wild swings in BGLs.   Carb content is all important to diabetics, there are small, inexpensive books readily available on ebay in bookshops and newsagencies which contain the carb content of practically every food.   As an insulin dependent type 2 diabetic I consult my carb book at each meal, count the carbs and inject the appropriate amount of insulin.   Orally medicated diabetics would obviously need to approach carb counting in a different manner; ie, try to keep carbs in each meal much the same, this then makes it easier for the diabetic health professional to ascertain the correct dosage for oral meds.   The good news is that this could also entail drinking the same amount of beer each day, something tells me this probably wouldn’t be a problem with most blokes. 
    • libralady13
      libralady13 tony09890

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply.  It is interesting that you mention about low/no carb diet against moderate carb.  My son now aged 44 was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 2 years old.  At that time in the 1970's it was all about 10grm portions and carb to say nothing of glass syringes kept in methylated spirit.  It was wonderful when disposable syringes came out.  So I am probably stuck there although from what I read many people think no or low carb is the way to go.  The medical profession in general seem to be a bit closer to catch on.  I do try to make sure that the carb is about the same at each meal.  To be fair he has cut down on the beer quite a bit as well.  
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