I have had type II diabetes for approx 13 years. When I was working I had breakfast at 7am but couldn't last until 1pm lunch so had a snack at 11am. This consisted of a cup of tea and a low sugar snack bar or fruit. Only once was I late having a snack as I was so busy and I had a hypo. My practice nurse and GP have never had a problem with snacking, depending on what it is. However, recently I went on a course with the charity Xpert and was told I should not snack at all. I feel I need to occasionally especially if my blood sugar drops and the next meal isn't due.
What do other people think? Any advice appreciated. 😀
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Suzieq48
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Hi Suzieq48 I was told by my doctor when I was diagnosed with type 2 two years ago that with the Mefformin I couldn't have hypos yet I do definitely get the "drained down" feeling on occasion and need to have something to eat.
I guess that being at home 24/7 I'm fortunate that I can schedule my meals to be at the same time every day.
I'm not a medically trained person but if I remember rightly on the Diabetes website it lists suggestions for "snacking" so I guess it's OK to do it.
Thank you. The GP did reduce the Gliclazide once they started me on Victoza but I will go back to my GP to see what can be done. I do test my blood and since Victoza it has been very good. Thank you again for your advice 😀
It looks like the Xpert course has changed since I did mine 4/5 years ago, because I've just looked at the book I got and it shows snacks in the menus and in the back of the book as adapted recipes for healthy eating which includes things like Fruity Tea Loaf, Banana Nut Loaf & Chocolate Cake - definitely snacks not meals. Is it still based on the eatwell plate?
Hi, I had a look in the back of my book and it is as you said, recipes for cakes!! I think I need to talk to the Xpert lady. I was the only one who admitted snacking I was was embarrassed to follow this up at the time. Now you've brought this to my attention I can talk to her about it. Thank you, that is very helpful. 😀
Because I had two thirds of my stomach removed 58 years ago I struggle to eat anything within two or three hours before bedtime so I have a twelve hour gap between my "late supper" at 7.30 until my breakfast the following morning. I often feel hungry at bedtime and in the mornings can feel quite shaky.
If I snacked I would have problems lying down.
Any ideas anyone?
I've had Type 2 diabetes for two years and Pernicious Anaemia for 45 years
Simply put, Pernicious Anaemia (P.A.) is the inability to process Vitamin B12 via the stomach.
It's an autoimmune disease by which the body's antibodies stop distinguishing between diseased and healthy tissue. In P.A. the antibodies destroy the cells making Intrinsic Factor which is essential to process the B12 from food.
The only "natural way" we can source Vitamin B12 is from eating animal products such as red meats, fish, seafoods, eggs, poultry and dairy produce (although I believe Marmite and seaweed contain it).
In a normal healthy person the stomach lining has what are called "Gastric parietal cells" which produce "Intrinsic Factor" which travels with food through the small intestine which is made up of three parts - the Duodenum, the Jejunum and the Ileum.
Iron is absorbed in the Duodenum, most other nutrients in the Jejunum and B12 in the Ileum.
Here the Intrinsic Factor binds to the B12 and the "B12/IF Complex" enters the cells on the wall of the Ileum after binding to receptors on the surface of the Ileal cells, allowing it to enter the blood stream.
Sadly some people with "traditional P.A." either do not produce Intrinsic Factor or if they do, they also produce an antibody which destroys it and it is then called "Autoimmune Pernicious Anaemia". In addition it can happen that we produce "Parietal cell Antibodies" and "Intrinsic Factor Antibodies" which totally wipes out any chance of absorbing the B12.
P.A. can only be controlled by having regular Vitamin B12 injections for the rest of my life - which I have been having for 45 years.
I was too young at the time to know or understand what my gastric surgery involved but suffice to say it led to my developing a B12 Deficiency and P.A. and of course, problems with eating "normally".
"If I snacked I would have problems lying down." That's because reduced capacity of stomach. Stomach's main mechanical functions are storage and mixing of food. Your 2/3 stomach has been removed so storage capacity has been reduced greatly. Also there will be a functional problem in mixing. Mixing of food produce certain substances that will stimulate peristalsis and open up the pylorus so that processed food is pushed into small intestine.
You are right. You have to take b12 by nongastric route. Sublingual or injectables.
Yes. You need to snack. The people undergoing bariatric surgery should consider your case.
Well. Are you sure an immune component is behind your PA? Maybe, gastric atrophy is the cause.
I guess it's too long ago now to be able to have sight of the test results to determine the cause of the P.A. and in those days I was completely ignorant of what it was all about.
I had a first "Schilling" test in 1968 (nine years after surgery) which was "inconclusive" whereas the (unheard of) second Schilling test proved positive for P.A. The tests involved drinking a glass of radioactive B12 at the same time having a huge dose injected and collecting a day or so of urine. I'm guessing that if I passed a lot B12 that would indicate P.A. due either to low acid or lack of Intrinsic Factor in my stomach but as I have said above, I'm not a medically trained person.
"Little and often" have always been the watchwords but still it takes an age for food to digest and I cannot drink anything for two or three hours after eating.
However there is life after P.A. and Type 2 as I'm still "clivealive" at 75
1) Victoza® stimulates beta cells to release insulin when blood glucose is high. Cause you to have hypos.
2) Low sugar snack bar or fruit..
First let us know your reports. We type 2 Diabetics can't utilize glucose efficiently. So, if your fuel is carb you will feel weakness.
Just an overview of what you can do depending on your numbers and lab reports:
1) You can change your diet to moderate keto. Carbs around 50+-20. Go for lchf diet.
2) Stop / reduce dosage of victoza.
3) Keep taking metformin
4) Add some exercise, if possible.
5) You need to snack because of hypoglycemia causing medication- victoza. If you start lchf and drop /cut victoza, you won't feel hungry. Won't need to snack too often.
6) 2 or 3 meals are good. Repeated snacking keeps your pancreas on toes. Also, your insulin level will remain high. The key to reverse Diabetes is to keep your insulin level low below 10u%. Repeated snacking is not good and should be avoided.
Lchf diet will keep you full for a long time. Please understand Diabetes and whatever you do, do it with consideration. Go to a gp who understands lchf and comply with your needs. Medications are not the solution, but lchf diet is.
Thank you for your opinion but I haven't had a hypo since starting Victoza about 6 months ago. I have however reduced Gliclazide as requested by my GP.
It really does matter what you snack on ? Things full of sugar or carbs. Bad news. Stick of celery seafood fine. I have two of my friends now OFF all medication for there T2. Good luck
Hi there, I try to be careful what I snack on. I had to laugh when you celery and seafood. The two things I dislike most 😜😜 I'm not a hopeless case though as I like raw carrotts, most salad and baby mushrooms are lovely raw. Thank you for your advice. 😀
When I was a kid my uncles had allotments. As a family we used to spend weeks there. Peas straight out of pods & I had some Rhubarb the other nt which is good according to the web for diabetics (not with sugar)
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