hey everyone, posting here as a regular person dealing with this day to day and honestly feeling stuck.
i was diagnosed a while back and i do the usual stuff my doctor recommended. meds are consistent, diet is decent most days, i try to walk after meals when i can. still, my numbers spike more than
So I might be voicing an unpopular opinion here, but... if you're already consistent with diet, exercise and meds and seeing no results, the next logical step is to talk to your doctor about changing your medication. You're already doing the things you're supposed to be doing, trying different variants isn't likely to get you different results.
Sometimes type 2 diabetics just need to up their medication or change them over to something else. It's not a moral failure, you're not doing anything wrong, your body just needs more than the basics of diet, exercise and the meds you're on right now.
You didn't mention which meds you're on, but I would talk to your doctor about changing them to something that'll help achieve your goals.
This is my opinion as well. I was exercising consistently, eating well and my doctor was like "do better" with hardly any changes in medication. Changed my endo and when he immediately changed my medication I saw improvement within 3 days. Diabetes really is not something you can change with will power. You need better medication
Get a CGM and use it to collect data about what spikes you and how. Change meds. Get tested for T1 antibodies.
This. They should see an endo and get antibody tests, and then decide on med changes from there.
I can't second that last bit enough. I was diagnosed T2 kind of by default simply because I was an adult at the time. Metformin didn't do shit. Turns out, T1.
A CGM was super helpful for me.
Were you prescribed one or did you purchase OTC?
Prescribed by my primary care doc. Covered by my insurance, which is a Medicare Advantage program.
There is no magical service that works for everyone. It’s all trail and error because our bodies react defiantly.
You didn’t mention what meds or what levels you are getting. Chances are probably that you might be being v a little unrealistic in your expectations.
It took me a full year to really dial it down, and then my body was like nope, let’s change shit again and I had to re adjust.
What helped me was a dietician, a doctor that listened and let me experiment within some boundaries he set. And finally ozempic was the one thing that really flat lined my levels.
that actually helps to hear, honestly. I think part of my frustration is expecting things to click faster than they realistically do. the trial and error part is exhausting but it’s reassuring knowing it took time for you too and wasn’t some straight line. I like the idea of having a doctor who’s open to experimenting within limits instead of just one size fits all advice. appreciate you sharing what actually made a difference for you and keeping it real about how much adjustment is involved.
Try to add excersise if possible
Eat fiber first, then protein, then carbs if you're going to eat carbs.
It's difficult to know if you're doing the right things nutritionally to manage because you didn't include much info. I've seen posts where people say they're doing everything right, but describe eating oatmeal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and rice or potatoes with dinner.
A CGM is a great tool. I also highly recommend Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé.
Was on metformin for several years and my sugars started to creep up. Have always struggled to lose weight and diet and exercise were not helping to keep my numbers down. Doc suggested I try Mounjaro and it made a HUGE difference! Dropped 80 lbs over 1.5 years and my sugars are consistently under 6 mmol/L. I know the shots get a lot of grief, especially when viewed through a weightloss lens, but they have been nothing short of a miracle for me personally. Of course ymmv, but it might be worth a convo with your doc. Good luck!
It sounds like you may need a change of meds, if you're sure it's T2 to begin with. (From someone that drove themselves crazy for years while nothing brought the numbers down.)
Definitely not a medical professional, but I hope you can get better results ASAP!
I'm going to share something with you, based on my own experience. (Let me begin by saying I am also dealing with atrial fibrillation by taking some medication for tachycardia - it's not at all severe, and it's controlled really nicely by a couple medications).
I was diagosed with T2 diabetes about 6 weeks ago, after joining an online group here in BC Canada (it's covered by BC Medical, so it's legit) which had me get a lab requisition completed (after 12 hour fast). Not understanding the results, I used google gemini (I was a paying customer prior to this. as it's assisted me with some completely different stuff not related to my health) to translate them into plain english. My A1C meant I was a T2 diabetic, and that was confirmed by an zoom consult I had with the group doctor a coupl
Second everyone for cgms or consistent testing with your glucometer if cgms aren't an option.
I also wonder what "diet looks decent" looks like for you. For myself, I have found cutting non-fiber carbs pretty dramatically to be helpful (starches and sugars).
Reddit was a huge resource for me. The book Bright Spots and Landmines (available for free via pdf and audio book online) is the best single resource I've seen.
Otherwise, like everyone said, revisit meds conversation with your doctor.
I used my blood glucose meter and a food diary app. I take my medication at the same time daily. I have an alarm/ reminder for that.
How long has it been since you were diagnosed? What kind of spikes are you seeing?
Try walking after eating? Lots of evidence to show a short walk can help with blood sugar.
Walking won’t help if OP is piling on carbs
How much into carbs are you? Do you wear a CGM?
ultimamente estou assim também, no começo estava bem controlada agora esta variando muito acho que deve tentar cada dia uma forma diferente, atividade fisica, ou academia, caminhada , no meu caso somente uma caminhada de uns 40 minuto ja cai um pouco a glicemia de 120 ja cai para uns 105 ( nem sempre), eu entrei na academia recentemente parece que esta e aumentando acho que cada um funciona de um jeito , agora e fazer as tentativas durante a semana e ir vendo o que faz baixar mais
It takes a LONG time. Longer than you think. I watched my CGM thinking it would be a week or two. For 6 months I got very little change despite being more conscious about my eating and exercise. Be patient and be consistent. It does happen just not quickly
You ask for simple tricks:
Remove milk from diet for a day and see what happens
Experiment with extending time between meals. Have a glass of water and then eat an hour later. Think of it as giving your digestive organs a break,
Any and all of the above with your doctor's approval.
I’ve done a lot of research and trial and error myself! As someone who has dieted, exercised, and taken medication it sucks when you feel like you do everything and nothing works. There are studies that show if you take a shot of apple cider vinegar it lowers blood sugar spikes Meta-Analysis Study on by 30%. Also if you eat your vegetables, protein, then carbs, this is also proven to lower blood sugar spikes by 30%. Eating Vegetables First Study
I found out the apple cider vinegar hack by doing it myself and then later researched why it was working for me. The vegetables first hack I found out while taking nutrition classes and then I researched it!
I use an app called Carb Manager to track my food and macros. Getting more protein and fibre was crucial for me to balance my blood sugar. Balancing my blood sugar and almost entirely eliminating alcohol helped to eliminate most of my cravings, which helped me lose weight and get more active which is helping in turn to manage my sugars. Also fasting 12-14 hours. I try for 14. Which usually means no snacking after dinner. I was able to eliminate this once my sugar levels improved. If I feel I need something I have a flavoured herbal tea.
Walking is good, but resistance training is far better in my experience. Skeletal muscles are your largest glucose sinks, and to activate them robustly resistance training is indispensable. Good Luck.
Uh reduce carbohydrates
I drink a lot of water and ate less starchy foods and more vegetables. I also have medication that i take like once or twice a day depending on when I remember (I'm really bad at this). But I think the diet change has really helped the spikes. I went back to my doctor in 3 months and my numbers were actually in the normal range (still high but in the normal range). I also lost a lot of weight eating that way without exercising or anything. I didn't use any programs or anything.
To answer your questions, I did not have any ongoing support or service. My doctor didn't even give me advice. He just gave a prescription. I think different people get spikes from different things so I don't think I've gotten any spikes from eating lots of veggies and whole grain... and also water.
This is just
Since I've started on an insulin pump I've learned a lot about insulin and how it works. It can take from 10 minutes to five hours to kick in. It's crazy.
Exercise. One walk a day can make a change.
I didn’t see a change until I got a CGM and could see what foods were spiking me. It wasn’t until I had that data that I found out rice, for instance, spikes me crazy high. Even in the smallest amounts and paired with protein and fiber. And I was using rice as my carb but since I’ve done that, things are heading in the right direction.
Two things:
I find many say they are doing the right things dietwise, but when you drill down into the specifics of the diet, problems emerge. Remember all carbs lead to spikes. Not just sugar. Even the 'good carbs'. Even those sweet oranges and fruits. Even the unrefined cereals. The oatmeal. Tailor your diet with that in mind
How much does your walking actually move the needle? All exercise isn't equal in its effects. Recommend you check your blood sugar before exercise, then an hour after a walk to see the effect on the blood sugar. It may be less then you expect. If so you may need to up the intensity or walk for a longer period then you thought was necessary. The same applies to any exercise.
Here's a secret. It is quite difficult for a type 2 to be on a true lower carbohydra
Do as much physical exercise as is comfortable every day. This can have a significant impact on blood sugar.
It is normal for blood sugars to spike after eating. Two hours after eating, bs should be under 180.
I use mynetdairy app.
I also find adding a fibre supplement and a daily probiotic very helpful
Don’t know if you are taking high cholesterol pills but if you are; you may want to read the attached article on how “high intensity statins” impact glucose.
Can you give us an idea of what you eat over the day? Sometimes the foods that people think are good for them are the opposite.
Magnesium. Lowers insulin resistance and helps you to have better blood sugar control, along with diet and medication.
Start seeing a Certified Diabetes Educator or at least a Registered Dietitian for specific guidance. Mine has been a wealth of info that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.
I use My Net Diary (the paid subscription bc it has options for tracking BG) to track all my food (I have a good kitchen scale to weigh it all before tracking) and I do frequent finger pokes when I’m trying to figure out a specific issue with my BG, even if I’m using a CGM. I’ll try different combos so I can see how adding fat/protein/exercise affects my numbers.
Even though I’ve been tracking my food for over a decade, I’m still sometimes surprised by how many carbs I’ve eaten.
I’ve learned that I’m a terrible guesser when it comes to portions and carbs eaten. I do much better with BG control when I am strict abou
Diet should always be the first line. For food I’m a really big fan of the mastering diabetes website. You can sign up for their program, or buy their book, but they also have a bunch of free resources on the website. They also have quite a few educational YouTube videos.
Then I’d talk to your doctor about meds if you are still having issues.
As I have posted a few times, but it's worth repeating.
Break down what you eating, eat one thing, wait a couple of hours and check you glucose levels, anything that is causing a spike eliminate from your diet.
You will be shocked at what causes the spikes, for me the big one was bananas which are supposed to be diabetic friendly in limited amounts.