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need some advise please, medical issue.

Karl_K

Karl_K

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See bottom for the short version.
Background:
Have had diabetes for a few years now around 6-7.
It has been under control with metformin and then later glipizide added.
Then it went haywire while my wifey was gone and a1c was 10.1
After visiting with a endocrinologist and some increased doses of meds and some diet changes it was 8.7.
I was a bit down about it changing just that much, but the endocrinologist was positive about it dropping.
Because of my blood thinners I had not been doing glucose testing.
Because of my blood thinners it leaves my fingers bruised and sore and eventually like hamburger.
Anyway long story short we agreed Id do testing once a day at different times for a week at a time and if needed take a break for my fingers to recover if I needed.
What I found is bread big time spikes my blood sugar.
I will have a large meal no bread or white potatoes and my readings will be in 160-180 range 2 hours after eating.
If I eat bread with dinner my blood sugar will be in the 300s. It is full grain wheat or multigrain often Brownberry brand not the cheapest stuff.
Piazza without eating the end crust it ends up around 220s.
This explains why it was so high when my wifey was away I ate a lot of sandwiches.
I had known that too much white potato will spike my blood sugar.
So im kinda at a loss where to go from here.
My next apt is not until the end of feb.

Short version: bread spikes my blood sugar.
Any advise?
Any idea on which breads to try to see if I react less?
Any good bread replacements?

edit: due to the blood thinners green veggies/lettuce are restricted due to vitamin k content.
 
Last edited:
Can you avoid bread entirely for a couple of days and try using lettuce or cabbage leaves as a kind of sandwich wrap? Maybe split a bell pepper in half and remove the seeds, then pack in some sandwich fixings in each half for a crunchy pepper pocket sammy?

Good luck resolving this @Karl_K -- my uncle has diabetes and its hard for him to keep it under control despite his best efforts.
 
Thank you @marymm
Great ideas but wont work for me.
I should have posted that due to the blood thinners green veggies/lettuce are restricted due to vitamin k content.
I added it now.

Thank you for the well wishes!
I might just have to avoid bread but that's hard for me to do I love my sandwiches.
 
I don’t know a thing about diabetes, only that it can be tough to manage, so sorry you’re dealing with this @Karl_K.

We love Ezekiel Bread. It’s a sprouted grain bread, also a complete protein. The label says it’s diabetic friendly, but I don’t know what it needs to be in order to earn that label besides easy on carbohydrates. I usually find it at Trader Joe’s w the other fresh bread, or in the frozen bread section at the local grocery. Best of luck to you!

edited to add the link:
www.foodforlife.com

Ezekiel Sprouted Bread | Food For Life | Ezekiel Bread Ingredients

Looking for Ezekiel bread ingredients? Food For Life bakes the best-tasting Ezekiel Sprouted Bread. Discover why this is the healthiest bread on the market!
www.foodforlife.com www.foodforlife.com
 
Have you experimented with wheat or unenriched pita bread?
 
There are recipes for keto bread made with almond flour and coconut flour if those are acceptable substitutes for you.
 
I'm so sorry. Do you have access to a nutritionist? When I had gestational diabetes I saw one weekly until I was comfortable choosing my own food. They might have ideas for meals.

You mentioned a big meal, is it possible to break it up to 6 small meals and a snack in between?

No green veggies? How about squash or eggplants? Roast cauliflower? Mushrooms? One of my fav meal is roast eggplants, zucchini, onions, orange peppers tossed with salt, oil, vinegar and whole wheat.

If you can't give up bread. Look at the label. How many carbs and protein? I try not to go higher than 15g of carbs and at least 5g of protein per serving. But check with your doctor for your specific limits. When i lived in Germany i used to eat their black bread. It's extremely heavy and dense and one slice is filling. Perhaps google if you have access to that in your area. What kind of sandwiches are you eating? Check meats or cheese for sugar content. And perhaps consider having an open sandwich using 1 slice of bread? Or using a heavy bread filled with grains and nuts?

Lastly, can you move after eating? Walk around for 15 mins after a meal? If not possible perhaps consider eating your heaviest meal at lunch and a light meal and snack for dinner?

I'm sorry I don't have much advice. But go see your doc. Good luck! I hope you are able to find a solution very soon.
 
Oops I meant 5g of fiber and not protein.
 
sarahb said:
I don’t know a thing about diabetes, only that it can be tough to manage, so sorry you’re dealing with this @Karl_K.

We love Ezekiel Bread. It’s a sprouted grain bread, also a complete protein. The label says it’s diabetic friendly, but I don’t know what it needs to be in order to earn that label besides easy on carbohydrates. I usually find it at Trader Joe’s w the other fresh bread, or in the frozen bread section at the local grocery. Best of luck to you!

edited to add the link:
www.foodforlife.com

Ezekiel Sprouted Bread | Food For Life | Ezekiel Bread Ingredients

Looking for Ezekiel bread ingredients? Food For Life bakes the best-tasting Ezekiel Sprouted Bread. Discover why this is the healthiest bread on the market!
www.foodforlife.com www.foodforlife.com
Click to expand...

My mom is also a diabetic and I started buying this bread like half a year ago. It has made a huge difference as her blood sugar doesn't spike and a1c levels went from around 13 to 7 during that time. I eat it too as the bread tastes good. I also buy the cinnamon/raisin version and it tastes like raisin bagels.
I order it on Amazon Prime. If you buy multiple packs, keep one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer as the bread goes bad quickly.
 
I am starting a list, there are more things to try than I thought there would be.
I will answer questions later today.
Thank you so much!!!!
 
I third the Ezekiel bread suggestion. It's in the freezer case and I can even find it in some very small grocery stores.
 
Since being diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic in June 2019, I had to make certain lifestyle adjustments including my diet.

I tried to follow the dietary advice as seen via this link, hope this may help you:

Diabetes diet: a healthy, balanced diet for diabetes

While there is no specific diabetes diet, the foods you eat not only mak
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk

I curbed my fizzy full sugar pop intake right away, which was easy to do by cutting out the can of full sugar Coke at lunch time; and cut down on the amount of sugar I eat and/or drink (like in cocktails); as well as starchy foods such as white bread and pasta. Good job I prefer savoury treats rather than sweet ones.

However, I still have the occasional portion of chips.

I managed to lose about 14lb/a stone since then, and am hoping to continue to lose some more.

My Diabetes is controlled by medications with no need to perform blood glucose tests. Recently started on a Statin grudgingly to lower my Cholesterol as it is very hard for me to lower it via dietary changes for my love of food!

This time of the year is bad news, as I usually drink more alcohol, especially cocktails! :roll2:

DK :))
 
The Ezekiel and keto bread recommendations are really good.

to avoid having to prick all the time ask your doc about a Freestyle Libre monitor- you put the sensor on and it lasts for about a week and you just swipe the reader over it so you can check blood sugar as many times a day as you want with no finger sticks! Checking your reaction to foods and then fasting glucose gives lots of information about what you want to adjust medication abs food wise. Breads and cereals, as well as potato and potato products, juice, etc. are often culprits for glucose spikes as you have seen.



metformin is a workhorse med but Glipizide is really an “old school” med with a not so great side effect profile. I really like GLP-1 meds (these are really great for post-meal high blood sugar and also have a side benefit of promoting weight loss) and SGLT2 meds (SGLT2 basically cause you to urinate out extra glucose when your sugar is running high). Both these medication classes were shown to have cardiac benefit and have virtually no risk of causing low blood sugars, so after Metformin they are my personal favorite medication classes for most people. I also use DDP4s like Januvia for people who need a little boost on top of Metformin it comes in a combo pill called Janumet and usually gives a 0.5 ish A1c reduction on top of Metformin.
 
ask your nutritionist if all lettuce is off the table. Possibly iceberg or romaine for their lower k levels? Smaller amount of k may be a better option than continuing with bread.
How thick the bread is sliced is a factor, and some believe toasting the bread helps reduce their sugar spike.
Is pasta in the picture?
Lancets aren’t all the same, have you tried different ones? If a no stick system isn’t a viable option?
Pizza. Are we talking thick crust/traditional or thin/cracker crust? What’s on the pizza (sauce and how much)? Dipping sauce?

if a nutritionist (one that was willing to work to taper and reduce, rather than require strict & immediate elimination) wasn’t already a huge and ongoing part of your care plan, nor trying different finger stick/no stick options - if you were a friend/relative of mine, asking about changing doctors would be top of my thoughts.

best wishes - I know diet changes and understanding the broad scope of it all is tough.
 
Keto and low carb eating in general are absolute godsends for diabetes and other insulin and inflammation/hormonal related disorders.

Aldi in the US has a keto bread I believe. I believe you are based out of the US, right, Karl? There are others as well - I just did a quick search and I found the following: Keto Culture bread at Walmart, Sola bread, Carbonaut bread etc. Just do a search online for a brand of store bought bread if you don’t want to make your own. If you are willing to do some heavy duty baking, keto.Luna on Instagram has the best bread recipe hands down but it is a pain to make. Regular almond/coconut bread recipes are much easier.
 
If you have an open mind these might work :) Zero net carbs.

Crepini Egg Thins With Gluten Free Grains - 2.26 Oz - Tom Thumb

Shop Crepini Egg Thins With Gluten Free Grains - 2.26 Oz from Tom Thumb. Browse our wide selection of Tofu & Meat Alternatives for Delivery or Drive Up & Go to pick up at the store!
www.tomthumb.com
 
With vitamin K and Coumadin you can also adjust your diet and then adjust the medication dosage- the key IMO is keeping intake consistent day to day. Iceberg lettuce has a low K level compared to other leafy greens it would likely be OK to use a few for a wrap. You could also look at low carb tortillas.
 
Maybe the simplest answer is try eating your sandwiches with only one piece of bread, until you can wean yourself from the empty calories that bread is. (I had gestational diabetes with my youngest child and worked in endocrinology for 11 years along side several nutritionists who specialize in diabetes.) Another suggestion is to eat your carbs with or followed by a shot of vinegar or red wine (maybe a squirt of red wine vinegar on your sandwich?). It is proven to lower glucose. Wine may be hard to do for lunch on a work day, but then perhaps that discipline will help you limit eating it. I have found that a slow decrease in simple carbs leads to "reprogramming" your taste buds. You will eventually find you don't miss the carbs at all, and can feel the difference on the occasions you partake. When I do have a dessert I always have it with some red wine. If I don't I can sense my high blood sugar and feel horrible. It took time for me to be able to sense it.

Remember, your body doesn't really know the difference between bread and cupcakes. I found keeping this in mind and treating bread as a similar treat has helped me manage my diet and keep from being diabetic, even though my genetics appear to have me destined for it.

Another thing I do which is a bit controversial is an occasional daily fast (see Dr. Jason Fung on YouTube or one of his books for more info on that.)
 
I'm not a medical professional or expert, but try eating whole grains, minimizing carbs (focus on lean protein and veggies that you can eat), and adding healthy fats. Smaller, more frequent meals can also help space things out a bit. Try also cutting out all added sugar and processed foods. Exercise after a meal can also use up glucose.
 
I would omit breads completely until you get your numbers under control. Remember that A1C is a measure of glycosylated hemoglobin over time. This it will take time to bring it back into an acceptable range.

Focus on more protein, particularly lean protein. Focus on veggies that do not contain vitamin K. There are a lot of them out there - carrots, squash, etc. Are you working with a dietician? You seem far too dependent on bread. You don't need bread. If you must have something starchy I recommend oatmeal. The more complex the carbohydrate, the better, but I'd actively look for ways to cut carbs and replace with protein. Fish, particularly oily fish like salmon, is your friend.
 
Karl_K said:
See bottom for the short version.
Background:
Have had diabetes for a few years now around 6-7.
It has been under control with metformin and then later glipizide added.
Then it went haywire while my wifey was gone and a1c was 10.1
After visiting with a endocrinologist and some increased doses of meds and some diet changes it was 8.7.
I was a bit down about it changing just that much, but the endocrinologist was positive about it dropping.
Because of my blood thinners I had not been doing glucose testing.
Because of my blood thinners it leaves my fingers bruised and sore and eventually like hamburger.
Anyway long story short we agreed Id do testing once a day at different times for a week at a time and if needed take a break for my fingers to recover if I needed.
What I found is bread big time spikes my blood sugar.
I will have a large meal no bread or white potatoes and my readings will be in 160-180 range 2 hours after eating.
If I eat bread with dinner my blood sugar will be in the 300s. It is full grain wheat or multigrain often Brownberry brand not the cheapest stuff.
Piazza without eating the end crust it ends up around 220s.
This explains why it was so high when my wifey was away I ate a lot of sandwiches.
I had known that too much white potato will spike my blood sugar.
So im kinda at a loss where to go from here.
My next apt is not until the end of feb.

Short version: bread spikes my blood sugar.
Any advise?
Any idea on which breads to try to see if I react less?
Any good bread replacements?

edit: due to the blood thinners green veggies/lettuce are restricted due to vitamin k content.
Click to expand...

Well, we are all different, but I don’t eat bread, cereals, grains and I use monk fruit instead of sugar and my blood sugar is usually in the 90s.

The diabetes food pyramid and advice makes zero sense to me… it’s like to keep you on medicine.

I am not a medical professional. YMMV. I know keto is Expensive, especially right now.
 
Mr. CarParts was headed to insulin so he kind of got religion about his diet. New fave: CarbMaster bread made by Kroger, 4 net carbs per slice. It's in Pick-N-Save up here. Don't bother with the Mars Cheese Castle low-card bread, smells bad when toasted.
Edamame fettuccini with red sauce and Italian sausage.
Another favorite is Applebee's Grilled Chicken and Shrimp with no potatoes and extra grilled onions. And we do the low carb bowls from the grocery store. I've adapted to this, we eat well. Keto or Rebel ice cream! And his last lab was 6.9.
 
Reilly good info. Thank you so much.
I talked it over with my doc and we decided after I could not tolerate victoza to try to minimize the medications for now since I was bringing it down. However I am taking notes if needed.
My Insurance will not cover the newer disk type meters/sensors.
Both my wifey and I had a really bad experience with dieticians as kids so kinda gun shy there.

I added Ezekiel bread and some pitas with 5 net carbs and no added sugar to our grocery list. You really have to watch the sodium on stuff labeled low carb. Why does a slice of bread need 500 sodium per slice?!?!?!?!
I am making a list of the other things mentioned to try over time.

If I have to I can skip bread entirely but I would like to explore some options first.

You all rock, thank you!
 
Not bread, but maybe look at Wasa crispbreads. You can do an open faced "sandwich" of sorts that is Scandivian style. I like Wasa and other crispbreads better than normal crackers and replace bread with Wasa a lot. Plus, they are really fiberous so you eat one or two at most and you are quite full.
 
I saw this the other day Karl. I don't know if it will make sugar spike or not though. Havent tried it so don't know if it tastes
like cardboard or not either. Good luck! I hope you find some bread (or bread-like substitute) that works. If its any consolation,
I very rarely eat bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, or any of those yummy carbs.

www.walmart.com

Extraordinary Bites Keto White Bread, 23oz, 21 CT Bag (Frozen) - Walmart.com

Buy Extraordinary Bites Keto White Bread, 23oz, 21 CT Bag (Frozen) at Walmart.com
www.walmart.com
 
Karl_K said:
I added those to our pick up order, thank you!
Click to expand...

Maybe they will work out, even if for snacks. They are good with lots of stuff on them. I use Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges, split between two slices, then put turkey or lean protein on top, and you can add tomatoes, pickles, whatever you like. It's a nice filling snack that's pretty healthy. They are different, but very versatile!
 
@Karl_K I forgot to mention that I am a nurse with a lot of experience in diabetes meds and diet, anticoagulants and diet, kidney disorders and diet. Just so you know I'm not talking out of my hat, so to speak.
 
doberman said:
@Karl_K I forgot to mention that I am a nurse with a lot of experience in diabetes meds and diet, anticoagulants and diet, kidney disorders and diet. Just so you know I'm not talking out of my hat, so to speak.
Click to expand...
kewl, thank you so much.
Thank you for your service to your community!

I do often eat oatmeal for breakfast.
When I eat sandwiches its usually with leftovers.
Say have pork chops, vegies, and sweet potatoes for dinner then port chop sandwiches the next day for dinner.
I have found out that sweet potatoes do not cause me issues like white potatoes do and dont appear to raise my blood sugar a lot.
I love squash and its ok on my blood sugar so am going to have it more often.

I think if I do this somewhat systematically i can get a better idea what my diet can contain and work on menus from there for the long term. Am I off base?
 
Karl, can you have rutabagas? I would think so. We love beggies so much just steamed and with butter and pepper. Or roast some turnips, almost perfumed with their unique flavor. I believe variety is key to staying on track.
(Mr. CarParts brought me flowers and a rutabaga on our 1st date.)
Geez, I forgot the riced cauliflower!
 
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