# Help!



## melassaz (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi everyone, i'm in an unusual position as I have been diagnosed for 4 years and still have not accepted it!!  I have been prescribed metformin which I take very irregularly, my diet is poor and I just don't understand why I am acting in such a ridiculous way.  I have 3 daughters and I can't really afford to get ill.  Has anyone else been in denial for so long?   I've been to the doctors today and been told my HbA1C is 10.9.  They want me to go onto a second medication in conjunction with the metformin.  Surely though, if I have not been taking the metformin they can't say that it won't be effective if I take it as I should.  I need a kick up the backside to get to grips with all this.


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## jackpat14 (Aug 10, 2010)

hi melassaz,i have been diabetic bout 8 years,only joined here today,i have been in denial for 8yrs,until the reality is just kicking in,im still on metformin but have been put on byetta been on 5mg for 6 weeks and just gone on 10mg yesterday,i am feelin bit scared as to what happens next maybe insulin if i cant get sugars undercontrol,which im finding very hard,if you can be good?be good dont let it go as far as i have i wish you good luck


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## ladyengineer (Aug 10, 2010)

I don't respond to being told to lose weight or any of those good things I'm supposed to do and telling me I had diabetes didn't do anything to help.  My turning point has been reading Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year - An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Gretchen Becker.  The reason is that it explains the diabetes, the complications and the difference I can make by looking at my diet and taking my meds.  This has given me such a kick that I was able to speak to the doctor today and reduce my metformin as my blood glucose is possibly going too low!

If understanding the effect on you doesn't work maybe thinking about the effect of bad diet on your children might make you think about it. 

L


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## am64 (Aug 10, 2010)

hi welcome to the forum ...we here to support you all the way ...is there any particular reason you dont take the metformin ...do you find it makes you feel unwell ? maybe you need a different regieme to help you get over the first hurdle i know some people just cant get on with it ...good luck x


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## Northerner (Aug 10, 2010)

melassaz said:


> Hi everyone, i'm in an unusual position as I have been diagnosed for 4 years and still have not accepted it!!  I have been prescribed metformin which I take very irregularly, my diet is poor and I just don't understand why I am acting in such a ridiculous way.  I have 3 daughters and I can't really afford to get ill.  Has anyone else been in denial for so long?   I've been to the doctors today and been told my HbA1C is 10.9.  They want me to go onto a second medication in conjunction with the metformin.  Surely though, if I have not been taking the metformin they can't say that it won't be effective if I take it as I should.  I need a kick up the backside to get to grips with all this.



Hi Melassaz, welcome to the forum  I think that denial is very common, no doubt partly due to the fact that problems might not materialise for a considerable time. However, that doesn't mean that damage isn't being done, so you need to give yourself the best possible chance of avoiding it happening to you.

Try not to look back, but start looking forward and tackle things one step at a time. There are some obvious simple steps you can take immediately, like taking your metformin! Do you not always take it because it gives you side effects? If so, there may be alternatives that do not.

I'd suggest you regard yourself as newly-diagnosed and take things from first principles! Get hold of a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker (amazon link)

I'd also recommend getting a book about the GL (Glycaemic Load) diet. Understanding food and the best types and combinations to eat will help you enormously.

Here are links to a couple of good books I found useful and well written:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=7719

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=7337

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we'll try our best to help!


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## Andy HB (Aug 10, 2010)

Hello there and welcome to the forum.

Four years is a long time in denial. Do you think that you are turning a corner now?

Andy


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## PhilT (Aug 11, 2010)

Hi Melassaz, welcome to the forum.


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## KayC (Aug 11, 2010)

melassaz said:


> Hi everyone, i'm in an unusual position as I have been diagnosed for 4 years and still have not accepted it!!  I have been prescribed metformin which I take very irregularly, my diet is poor and I just don't understand why I am acting in such a ridiculous way.  I have 3 daughters and I can't really afford to get ill.  Has anyone else been in denial for so long?   I've been to the doctors today and been told my HbA1C is 10.9.  They want me to go onto a second medication in conjunction with the metformin.  Surely though, if I have not been taking the metformin they can't say that it won't be effective if I take it as I should.  I need a kick up the backside to get to grips with all this.


Hi Melassaz
Welcome onboard!  Let's just forget about the years of denial and start afresh with taking medication regularly.  Once your mind is set to take control of your BG, this disease isn't the end of the world.


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## Emmal31 (Aug 11, 2010)

Hi

Welcome to the forum, I hope that being here helps you come to terms with your diabetes x


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 11, 2010)

Hi Melassaz

I'd agree with you that it might be early to add another medication if you've not been taking your Metformin regularly. Have you 'fessed up to your care team yet? It might be worth it if they try to add more meds in at this stage. 

Especially since I have read that Metformin can take up to *3 weeks* at the presribed dose to gradually ramp-up to full effectiveness. If you have been taking it irregularly it may well have been having very little effect at all.

Your posting on here is a very positive sign. Sounds like you are wanting to take control of your diabetes. That's great news. I know I feel terrible with high bgs lethargic and very grumpy!

Have you ever come across Jennifer's Advice?


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## wallycorker (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi melassaz,

I'm a non-insulin dependent Type 2 myself diagnosed nearly ten years ago. I've sorted out ny situation by cutting back dramatically on the starchy carbohydrate that I eat - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, pizza etc. In such cases doing that usually leads to a big reduction in blood glucose levels and very quickly too.

You can read details of how I changed my diet via the link below:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boa...ead.php?t=6435

As a non-insulin dependent Type 2, I have found that a tremendous amount is achievable quite simply by making a few dietary changes. 

However, it took me eight years of getting worse by following the "do not test" and "eat plenty of starchy carbohydrate" advice given to many Type 2s. My HbA1c rose to 9.4% before I really started to learn what I needed to do to get better. These days, I wish that I'd got the right messages much sooner because the sooner that we get those messages the sooner we start to improve and the less damage we do to our bodies.

In my opinion, without any doubt whatsoever, diet is the way to go!

Good luck and best wishes - John


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