Just diagnose

[Philriddell]

Afternoon am Phil 45 just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes two weeks ago

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Phil and welcome.

Would you like to tell us a bit about how your diagnosis came about and what if any medication you have been prescribed for it. Also, if you know your HbA1c result (the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and monitor your management of it) that can be helpful for us to understand where you are starting from and make appropriate suggestions.
It also helps to know if you have much/any weight to lose and how active you are.

Feel free to jump in with any questions you have. We all know how overwhelming it can be in the beginning and it sometimes seems like people are talking a foreign language but you will soon be up to speed with all the medical terms and abbreviations. Anything you don't understand, please do ask. The forum was a great place to fill in the gaps between what my nurse said to me and what went in one ear and out the other. 🙄 There is a lot to take in but be assured that this could be the start of a whole new healthy you as many of us have found, so see it as a new start rather than an end to your old way of life. At 58, I am fitter and healthier and slimmer than I was 20 years ago and with the right attitude you could be too....

 

[Philriddell]

I was diagnosed because I had pneumonia and went to hospital and my bloods where taken am not too sure on my readings are don't have a copy of them I am on Metformin 500 mg twice daily and also been giving another tablet to lower my cholesterol I have not had my appointment due the diabetes clinic yet.

 

[Brambleberry]

Welcome , I was newly diagnosed 19th Oct. You have come to the right place to ask questions and research your condition. I am a nurse and I had to relearn some of my thinking. It is a mine field to begin with. There are some good dietary suggestions on here. I think most will agree the government healthy eating guidelines are out of date and totally skewed. Most of us understand low or very low carbs healthy fats and protein with lots of veg and some fruit is the way to go....but one thing I have learned is we are all so different in what makes us spike...it will be trial and error at first! You can also learn what a good blood glucose measure is what a hypo is and what a hyper is...and how to ask questions of your GP and practice nurse. There are courses do to such as DESMOND some find them good others found them out of date using government guidelines ( eatwell plate- way too high in carbs). We all have our favourite people books and websites to go to so ask away and I know everyone will help x

 

[rebrascora]

Oh Goodness!¬ That must have been a bit traumatic. Hope you are on the road to recovery from the pneumonia now.

How are you managing with the Metformin? It has a bit of a reputation for digestive upset so do make sure to take it with food. I found it was best mid meal to reduce unwanted side effects, but some people don't have any problem at all with it.

Have you been given any dietary advice?

 

[Brambleberry]

The pneumonia itself will elevate you blood sugar so it may well calm down some next time you are seen. I expect being on metformin alone you will not have been given a monitor?

 

[Leadinglights]

Most people find it useful to get a blood glucose monitor even if they have to self fund as it allows them to check the effect of meals on their blood glucose. The monitors with the cheapest test strips are the GlucoNavii or Spirtit TEE2 which can be bought on line.
This link may help you with some ideas for dietary changes, it is a low carb approach based on real food which many have found successful in reducing blood glucose and losing weight if you need to. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

Keeping a food diary of everything you eat and drink with an estimate of the TOTAL carbohydrate not just 'sugar' helps people to spot where some of the problem foods are in your meals.
Low carb generally means no more than 130g total carb per day so your diary can help you see how close you are to that.

 

[Brambleberry]

I agree with Leadinglights the lowcarbfreshwell site is excellent. Its kind of what I do. In fact it took a while to start counting carbs and just realised I was actually not even getting to 130mg somedays! I started weighing mine to be sure. I like the seminars on Youtube and books by Dr Robert Lustig. I have his book Fat chance, and the other Metabolical. These explain your biochemistry and need to eat real food. He shows too the lies the governments and food industry have spread to cause a metabolical pandemic. His seminars explain this well too.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Philriddell

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

How have you been finding things? Were you feeling ‘off‘ before the pneumonia? Or did your diagnosis come out of the blue? Does anyone in your close family live with diabetes?

Metformin will gradually build up in your system, and should help reduce any insulin resistance you have, and also reduce the glucose trickled out by the liver, but the changes you make to your menu will be just as important in terms of reducing your glucose levels.

Good luck, and let us know how things go 🙂

 

[Philriddell]

Welcome to the forum @Philriddell

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

How have you been finding things? Were you feeling ‘off‘ before the pneumonia? Or did your diagnosis come out of the blue? Does anyone in your close family live with diabetes?

Metformin will gradually build up in your system, and should help reduce any insulin resistance you have, and also reduce the glucose trickled out by the liver, but the changes you make to your menu will be just as important in terms of reducing your glucose levels.

Good luck, and let us know how things go 🙂

No came as a shock no one in the family has it, got told after they done bloods when I had pneumonia I have not had any signs that I had diabetes bit taken each day as it comes.