New to all this

[What the..?]

Hello, I am newly diagnosed with Type 2, and still to some extent coming to terms with it. I really wanted to just say thanks to everyone for all the useful information and positive words on this forum. The diagnosis came as something of a shock, as I'm sure happens to many, and this site has helped me so much over the last few weeks.
I had routine blood tests, and then received a phone call from the clinic saying my blood sugar was a bit high, so I should make an appointment to see the GP. Obviously this spooked me a little, so I went online and read around what that might mean. I assumed I would be told I was pre-diabetic, and resolved to sort that out asap. However, when I saw the doctor, a few weeks ago he said 'So, you've come in today because you're diabetic'. To which my response was 'What the..?'. I think he realised he'd not exactly told me in the best way, and it would have been obvious that I was in a state of shock. But I gathered my thoughts, and remembered what I'd read online about low carbs, the Michael Mosley stuff, and also other studies. I asked if this could be addressed through diet and exercise (I admit to being overweight), but he scoffed saying that no, that wouldn't really work as 'it's all shakes and things'. In short he just dismissed it, saying vaguely 'life style changes, lose weight', but with no constructive information. He prescribed Metformin, telling me to start on one, then up it to two a day, but I was so stunned that I didn't really take in any of the details. I walked home in the dark crying and shaking a little. When I got home I went straight online and checked what my readings meant in the scheme of things - I had at least had the presence of mind to ask for a print out - and discovered that my HbA1C reading was 53, so not as drastically high as some numbers I've seen on this forum. That gave me some immediate solace, and since then I have learnt so much about diet and positivity on this site that I feel far less helpless and afraid than I did that day at the surgery. I have an appointment with a nurse next Wednesday, which is pretty much a month since my diagnosis, and I know that without this forum the wait to see them would have felt unbearable. I'm now eating low carb and exercising daily and suspect I've lost a bit of weight, and made the decision not to start taking the tablets. I want to see what the readings are when I have another blood test, and I will only start taking them if there's no improvement in the results. I don't know how this will go down when I see the nurse, but frankly I don't feel I've had any support from the GP's surgery at all, so am taking responsiblity for my own health, thanks very much to all of you x

 

[adrian1der]

Welcome

 

[rebrascora]

Wow! Well done you for taking control.... Oh and welcome!

I like your attitude! Hopefully you are realising that it doesn't have to be about "shakes and things" although that is an option that some people choose to follow and it has it's merits.... and the NHS seem to have accepted that because it is possible to have them prescribed in certain circumstances, but a low carb diet has to be a lot more enjoyable way to do it.
As you realise, 53 is not far over the diabetes threshold and shouldn't take a lot of pushing back, so you have every reason to be optimistic and I would be inclined to wait until your next HbA1c test before you disclose that you are not taking the Metformin.... Not that I am encouraging you not to take them.... I took them without questioning, but my HbA1c was 112 at diagnosis and I hadn't found this forum then and at that level it warranted medication, whereas I am not even sure that NICE guidance is Metformin at your level unless they have modified it recently in response to the Covid data re diabetes. Certainly many people here have negotiated a 3 month hiatus on medication with their health care professionals to try dietary and lifestyle changes first.

You might want to think about BG testing at home if you are not taking the medication as that gives you some idea of how your lifestyle changes are working and whether you can tweak it to improve things or perhaps allow you an occasional treat without compromising your progress and have the confidence of knowing that things are not going haywire when you are disregarding the medical advice. They are relatively inexpensive to buy @ approx. £15 for a basic kit, but it is the consumables like lancets and particularly test strips which soon tot up the costs. For this reason, it makes sense to buy a meter which has the cheapest test strips and the SD Gluco Navii and the Spirit Healthcare Tee2 are both well regarded here on the forum both for reliability and being cheaper to run. Test strips are £8 for a pot of 50 whereas some meters, the test strips are 2 or even 3+x that, although there are a couple that are very slightly cheaper but some members have experienced problems with those. You go through a lot of test strips in the early few weeks, so if you decide to buy a meter it is a good idea to also buy a box of extra lancets and at least a couple of pots of extra strips with the meter. Seeing your readings on a day by day meal by meal basis can really help you stay focused and see which foods are causing you problems and which you can get away with and as you may be aware from reading other posts on the forum, it can be quite individual.

Anyway, good luck on your diabetes journey. Sounds like you have ,made a great start and with your attitude, I have every confidence you will be successful.

PS. Don't feel obliged to get a meter. They are useful but if you will struggle to afford it or you are the sort of person who might get obsessed then it may be best to stick at what you are doing and see how things are at your next blood test.... For me I would want peace of mind to know that it was working before I got to that stage or that things were going awry which is what happened in my case because I was actually misdiagnosed.

Keep us posted with your progress either way and please ask if you have any particular questions.

 

[What the..?]

Hello Rebrascora, thanks very much for your support and advice. I think I'll wait and see what happens with my next blood test regarding testing at home. It is certainly something I'll consider if there's no improvement, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that yet. Interestingly a friend is also trying to reduce carbs and she seems to be struggling somewhat, whereas I don't really think it's been too difficult. I'm certainly eating enough, and my energy levels are better, but I'm not now as wedded to bread as I was. A couple of pieces of toast were just always the easiest, quickest, most comforting thing to grab, and so handy to load other tasty things onto. But luckily I love cheese, and enjoy making up a small plate of assorted healthier things, nuts, blueberries, avocado, the odd dollop of hummous etc, and feel really full afterwards, whilst knowing it's doing me more good.

 

[adrian1der]

Hi @What the..? and welcome to the forum. Sounds like you are making a great start. I would try and limit the hummus as chickpeas can be a bit sensitive. Some people seem to be fine with them while others see a rise in blood glucose.

I agree with your comments about toast. I was even teaching myself to bake bread before diagnosis from James Morton's book "Brilliant Bread" but kind of last my enthusiasm post diagnosis and started learning to cook Malaysian food instead!

 

[Drummer]

One of my kitchen toys is a waffle maker - I make chaffles - cheese and egg waffles, and use them for bacon chaffies - I think I am slightly odd in that I boil bacon for a minute, sieve it out and then finish cooking it - gets rid of salt and nitrates/nitrites as they are very soluble in hot water. You can let the chaffles cool and use them as wraps, but when hot they can be put around burgers, sausages or pressed into cases to stand in for pastry cases.

 

[rebrascora]

I agree that whilst I did enjoy bread (and butter), the convenience aspect of it being a carrier for other food was harder to deal with than craving it. It was difficult to learn a new way of eating but that new dietary style is just as enjoyable once you figure out the logistics of it.
Since your HbA1c is just 53 and you mention "the odd dollop of hummous" as oppose to a daily feature of your diet you should get away with it but it is a controversial food for diabetics because some people seem to be able to break down the carbs in them like they were sugar and others are unable to break them down or only slightly, or the fibre and fat slows the glucose release from the carbs down enough not to be a problem. If you look at the nutritional info on the back/side of the packaging it will tell you how many carbs per 100g product it contains, so you can work out how many grams of carbs are in your dollop of hummous but only a BG meter would tell you if your metabolism is coping with them or not. That is where the meter comes into it's own. It would be a shame if we all avoided hummous because it might spike our levels when some of us could happily be eating it and enjoying it without a problem.

 

[Pine Marten]

Welcome to the forum, @What the..? (great name!). It sounds like you've really got a handle on this, and I second what others have said about waiting until the next HbA1c before saying anything....

With a reading of 53 (and possibly lower next time) plus your sensible attitude you've got a good chance of success, and I'm surprised that Metformin was even suggested let alone prescribed.

With regard to hummus yes, it can be a bit difficult - I used to eat a lot of it but restrict it now to the very odd occasions we go to a local restaurant. A meter therefore is very useful, and to see the effects of different foods can be very motivating!

Let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[Christy]

Welcome! I was given a similar level of support (ie none!) with an HbA1c of 49 but advised to try & sort it out initially with diet. I had the same approach as you - low carb diet, exercise & adopting the advice given on this forum. I'm sure with your positive attitude you will see a difference in 3 months. I bought a meter and am glad I did but appreciate it's not for everyone. Keep up the good work!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @What the..? happy delurking!

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and the rather brutal way the news was broken to you!

It sounds like you’ve made a great start so far, and hopefully with the changes you have already been making your next HbA1c will see your efforts paying off

Keep asking questions and keep picking the brains of the forum’s hive mind. 🙂

 

[What the..?]

I agree with Barbara. Wait and see what your next HbA1c is before letting on that you've been following low carb diet control. Many of us do, having come down from levels much higher than yours. Personally, with a 53 I'm surprised you weren't given that option anyway. I don't see why anyone should take medication unless it's absolutely necessary.

Martin

Hello Martin - yes, I'm surprised too, as I was very obviously keen to tackle it myself. I'm afraid that particular GP has definitely gone down in my estimation. Anyway, onwards and upwards. I'm just wondering about the advice I've had on here from you and others about maybe not mentioning that I'm not taking the Metformin until I've had my next blood test (which I think I should be able to have next month). I'm assuming that if the nurse is doing their job properly they will ask if how I'm getting on with the medication, so that makes it tricky. Do you think I'd be penalised in some way (either consciously or subconsciously)? Thanks again for all the helpful information I've gleaned from everyone on this site.

 

[What the..?]

Hi @What the..? and welcome to the forum. Sounds like you are making a great start. I would try and limit the hummus as chickpeas can be a bit sensitive. Some people seem to be fine with them while others see a rise in blood glucose.

I agree with your comments about toast. I was even teaching myself to bake bread before diagnosis from James Morton's book "Brilliant Bread" but kind of last my enthusiasm post diagnosis and started learning to cook Malaysian food instead!

Hello Adrian, and thanks for your post. Don't worry, I don't overdo the chickpeas, though that would be easy to do in my case. I enjoy cooking, and we've always had what I'd consider a very healthy, varied diet, but that did include lots of pulses and heavier carb vegetables and fruit, and I can't help wondering if, inadvertently, that helped me along to where I am now. The whole subject of how different foods interact with us individually, and with each other to cause different outcomes, is fascinating, and I am doing my best not to become a bore about it!

 

[What the..?]

I agree that whilst I did enjoy bread (and butter), the convenience aspect of it being a carrier for other food was harder to deal with than craving it. It was difficult to learn a new way of eating but that new dietary style is just as enjoyable once you figure out the logistics of it.
Since your HbA1c is just 53 and you mention "the odd dollop of hummous" as oppose to a daily feature of your diet you should get away with it but it is a controversial food for diabetics because some people seem to be able to break down the carbs in them like they were sugar and others are unable to break them down or only slightly, or the fibre and fat slows the glucose release from the carbs down enough not to be a problem. If you look at the nutritional info on the back/side of the packaging it will tell you how many carbs per 100g product it contains, so you can work out how many grams of carbs are in your dollop of hummous but only a BG meter would tell you if your metabolism is coping with them or not. That is where the meter comes into it's own. It would be a shame if we all avoided hummous because it might spike our levels when some of us could happily be eating it and enjoying it without a problem.

Hello Barbara, and thanks for this. I am now an avid reader of labels! It seems hugely ironic that foods which I used to consider healthy (and enjoyable) like pulses, and some of the heavier carb vegetables and fruit, could actually have been harming me. I'm hoping that my new way of eating and exercising will show a result next month, when I believe I can have another HbA1c test. I'm just wondering what your thinking is behind me maybe not letting on yet about not taking the Metformin. By nature I tend to be quite straightforward and was just thinking I'd tell them so when I HOPEFULLY get a reduced level result they won't credit the medication with doing it. On the other hand it's just dawned on me that if I'm not so successful they'll just point to the fact that I've not taken the tablets I suppose, and use that as a stick to beat me around the head with! Crikey.

 

[What the..?]

One of my kitchen toys is a waffle maker - I make chaffles - cheese and egg waffles, and use them for bacon chaffies - I think I am slightly odd in that I boil bacon for a minute, sieve it out and then finish cooking it - gets rid of salt and nitrates/nitrites as they are very soluble in hot water. You can let the chaffles cool and use them as wraps, but when hot they can be put around burgers, sausages or pressed into cases to stand in for pastry cases.

Hello Drummer - that sounds like a great idea! I might hint about it for a Christmas present...

 

[rebrascora]

As regards telling the nurse about you not taking the medication, I would certainly not lie if he/she asks you. If you had a BG meter and were testing, you could ameliorate any concern they had by saying you were monitoring your progress daily and if things were not improving or had deteriorated, then you would start taking the Metformin, but you wanted to give diet and exercise a chance first, particularly as your HbA1c result is not that high.... You might also want to check out current NICE guidelines for prescribing diabetes medication and perhaps use that as part of your argument. Keeping a food diary to show how you have improved your diet is also helpful in showing them that you are committed to managing this through lifestyle changes....
Just my thoughts...

 

[rebrascora]

I just feel that not taking medication which has been prescribed to you will go down like a lead balloon and can put their backs up. Medical professionals like to feel they are the ones in charge of treatment and don't generally take kindly to patient's going their own way...

 

[What the..?]

As regards telling the nurse about you not taking the medication, I would certainly not lie if he/she asks you. If you had a BG meter and were testing, you could ameliorate any concern they had by saying you were monitoring your progress daily and if things were not improving or had deteriorated, then you would start taking the Metformin, but you wanted to give diet and exercise a chance first, particularly as your HbA1c result is not that high.... You might also want to check out current NICE guidelines for prescribing diabetes medication and perhaps use that as part of your argument. Keeping a food diary to show how you have improved your diet is also helpful in showing them that you are committed to managing this through lifestyle changes....
Just my thoughts...

Thanks Barbara. I will check out NICE. I think a factor in all this is how enlightened the practitioner is. My husband, by coincidence, was told by one of the HCAs at the same clinic yesterday that he should 'cut down on sugar and sweet things' as his blood sugar is a little higher than they'd like. He instantly said he eats a lot of bananas and should he cut down, and was told 'oh no, they're so good for you, keep on eating them', without asking just how many he eats - (a lot). Luckily, because of my new, enlightened, obsession I was able to tell him to cut down on them, and switch from his beloved cider to spirits on a Saturday night. Along with the knock-on effect from my diet changes I think he'll be fine, but I was pretty cross that that was the level of information he received. He didn't have a clue what his reading was so I sent him back for a print-out. Information is power. I'm hoping the nurse I see will have a more up to date knowledge of current thinking and that my weight loss (fingers crossed as I type) will prove my point. I have also been keeping a food and exercise diary since the day after I was diagnosed, so I hope that will at least show I'm willing x

 

[Drummer]

Keep eating bananas - sigh.
I took Metformin and Atorvastatin for just 5 weeks and was in a terrible state - the explosive incontinence was dreadful. If you find that you need to justify not taking the tablets, the possible side effects should be a good enough excuse, I think.

 

[What the..?]

Welcome to the forum, @What the..? (great name!). It sounds like you've really got a handle on this, and I second what others have said about waiting until the next HbA1c before saying anything....

With a reading of 53 (and possibly lower next time) plus your sensible attitude you've got a good chance of success, and I'm surprised that Metformin was even suggested let alone prescribed.

With regard to hummus yes, it can be a bit difficult - I used to eat a lot of it but restrict it now to the very odd occasions we go to a local restaurant. A meter therefore is very useful, and to see the effects of different foods can be very motivating!

Let us know how you get on 🙂

Hello Colin, thanks for the welcome. I appreciate your support. I am now unsure what to do about disclosure - think I might play it by ear on the day, as I don't know who I'm seeing, or what their personal 'line' on things will be. As I've said, my GP was less than encouraging about trying to do much on my own, and by coincidence my husband was told by a HCA at the same clinic yesterday that his blood sugar is a bit raised, so he should cut down on sugars, but didn't receive any useful information other than to avoid sweet things, and to carry on eating bananas (which he consumes avidly) as they are so good for you...so if those two interactions are anything to go by I'm not that hopeful about mine next week with the nurse. We'll see, and I'll let you know!

 

[What the..?]

Welcome! I was given a similar level of support (ie none!) with an HbA1c of 49 but advised to try & sort it out initially with diet. I had the same approach as you - low carb diet, exercise & adopting the advice given on this forum. I'm sure with your positive attitude you will see a difference in 3 months. I bought a meter and am glad I did but appreciate it's not for everyone. Keep up the good work!

Hello Christy, thanks for the welcome! It is good to know that you've had such success yourself - if I've read your readings correctly. Did you find it difficult? So far I have found things relatively easy, eating with my family but having hardly any rice, pasta, spuds, bread etc. And I'm actually enjoying thinking a bit more about what to have at lunchtime, instead of just going down the toast with something on it route - in fact I'm about to go and make myself bacon, egg and mushrooms. No bread, but I don't see that as a hardship, because I would never have dreamt of making bacon and egg for lunch for myself before, and I'm eating so much better now in general, and my incentive is strong.