Newly diagnosed and feeling a bit abandoned

[garfie_1999]

Hi I was diagnosed just over a week ago with Type 2 , I have been put on Metformin with instructions to increase the dose from 500mg to 2000mg daily over 4 weeks, What worries me is I got no real information from the Doc during the telephone appt as he just confirmed the blood test results for me (didn't even give me my levels so had to ring back to reception (HbA1c level of 90), phoned the prescription in to the pharmacy and passed me on for review with the Diabetes Nurse , whose earliest appt (again a telephone consultation) was to be 10 days from diagnosis, I was a little concerned with that timeline but given the current situation and the time of year felt it was understandable,
That has now been cancelled and pushed off until the New Year, so I'm feeling a little adrift as I'm finding so much conflicting information online about steps to take, the medication and changes to diet etc and with the list of potentially awful side effects with what I feel is no real guidance (told to got to online NHS portal). its all getting a bit overwhelming, I'm considering just stopping the medication until I can get some advice and understand this better but before doing that I found this forum.

So looking for some advice for those who have been there,

Is this diagnosis and treatment programme so standard that this sort of timeline normal i.e. on medication a month before getting any form of review in which I can ask questions etc.
Is 2000mg of Metformin daily normal or a high dosage ?
Is the treatment normally go high to begin with to drive levels down and then reduce dosage based on testing ?
What side effects, changes should I really be concerned about ?
Is it worth investing in a BG meter this early or is too soon in the treatment to see any meaningful trends?

Thanks for any help in advance

 

[adrian1der]

Hi @garfie_1999
sorry to hear about your diagnosis. 90 is quite high - 48 and above is diabetic. Metformin should be taken with your biggest meal of the day. Some people have stomach problems which usually pass - mine lasted a few days but my GP started my on the modified release which are gentler on the stomach. The other thing to concentrate on is losing weight if you need to and controlling your diet. Carbs are your enemy not just sugars as anything high in carbohydrate is rapidly broken down into glucose by your body. So try and cut back on bread, pasta, rice, potatoes (and other starchy veg - usually root veg). With some modifications to your diet, a bit more exercise and, if needed, some weight loss and you'll be fine.

I had to wait 2 and a half months for an appointment with a diabetic nurse so I share your frustrations. Thanks to all the good advice on here I got on with managing the condition anyway

 

[adrian1der]

I forgot to say that lots of people on here do finger prick tests with a BG meter (including me!). I take a reading first thing in the morning which approximates a fasting BG level and if I am eating something new just before and two hours after eating. If you see big spikes then you know the food doesn't agree with you

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @garfie_1999 I am glad that you have found us.
The support available in the current circumstances has varied widely, but there is a lot of experience that you can tap into on here. I know I learnt most of what I know about my management from others on here.

@adrian1der has already mentioned the use of self testing. It is likely that you would need to self fund a test kit as the Practices do not see these as essential, however many find this a helpful strategy, as they have clearer pictures of what is happening to their glucose levels in response to different foods. We all react differently.

For all of us it is the carbohydrates that will be turned into glucose once inside us. This includes all carbs, not just sugars. I was amazed once I started to look at how many carbs we were eating at each meal. Even if you do not test, simply calculating the number of carbs you are eating at each can help. With T2 your body is not able to process all the carbs eaten, so changes to diet and an increase in levels of activity can help to reduce the glucose levels. A food diary can give you information which can help you to make changes to your diet and/ or reduce portion sizes.

If you have any questions just ask. No one will mind and nothing is considered silly on here.

 

[aparsonsmoore]

Was diagnosed in June and fortunately received a little better advice. I am on a similar dose of Metformin. So far OK, although it does occasionally cause an upset stomach. I was prescribed a BG meter and this has proved useful, although I suspect my testing regime could be improved. I haven't gone down the low carb route just yet, but have sought to minimise this where possible. I have also cut out sugar as far as possible, which has included sugar in my coffee and cakes/biscuits etc. This was relatively easy in part - although the other day I gave my daughter an M&S chocolate biscuit the other day and (this sounds pathetic) I felt myself welling up at the loss of eating things like this.

On the positive side of things, I have gone from 16 stone to just under 13 and have resurrected clothes that I thought were destined for the bin. I have also returned to cycling and have been surprised at my increased level of fitness. Do you do any sport that you could focus upon that would reduce weight and you could do during these long winter nights. I spend 45 minutes a night on my cycle rollers (most, but not all nights).

Keep positive, you are on the start of a long journey...

 

[trophywench]

A good testing routine is described here

Type 2 Diabetes - A Personal Journey: Test, Review, Adjust (loraldiabetes.blogspot.com)

Oh and if you want to access your own meter, there are two reasonably priced ones only available to buy online, not at any pharmacy (well the meters themselves are not that expensive anyway - but some makes, the test strips they use can be over £25 for a pot of 50 - these two meters are £8 a pot of 50) and folk on this forum have found both to be pretty accurate in use. These are the SD Gluco Navii and the Spirit Healthcare Tee 2.

 

[adrian1der]

One other very good buy is the book "the First Year: Type 2 Diabetes" by Gretchen Becker. Packed full of useful information

 

[dawn5]

A good testing routine is described here

Type 2 Diabetes - A Personal Journey: Test, Review, Adjust (loraldiabetes.blogspot.com)

Oh and if you want to access your own meter, there are two reasonably priced ones only available to buy online, not at any pharmacy (well the meters themselves are not that expensive anyway - but some makes, the test strips they use can be over £25 for a pot of 50 - these two meters are £8 a pot of 50) and folk on this forum have found both to be pretty accurate in use. These are the SD Gluco Navii and the Spirit Healthcare Tee 2.

Thanks for these ... I have ordered the Spirit and hope to get cracking with the numbers.

 

[dawn5]

Was diagnosed in June and fortunately received a little better advice. I am on a similar dose of Metformin. So far OK, although it does occasionally cause an upset stomach. I was prescribed a BG meter and this has proved useful, although I suspect my testing regime could be improved. I haven't gone down the low carb route just yet, but have sought to minimise this where possible. I have also cut out sugar as far as possible, which has included sugar in my coffee and cakes/biscuits etc. This was relatively easy in part - although the other day I gave my daughter an M&S chocolate biscuit the other day and (this sounds pathetic) I felt myself welling up at the loss of eating things like this.

On the positive side of things, I have gone from 16 stone to just under 13 and have resurrected clothes that I thought were destined for the bin. I have also returned to cycling and have been surprised at my increased level of fitness. Do you do any sport that you could focus upon that would reduce weight and you could do during these long winter nights. I spend 45 minutes a night on my cycle rollers (most, but not all nights).

Keep positive, you are on the start of a long journey...

Well done for all you've achieved so far, it's a lifelong journey we're all on and it is not easy. I don't think you sounded pathetic at all about mourning the loss of sugar/choc treats. Diabetes brings many things to grieve over and sticking to the "right" path is hard. So many people have talked over the years about how changing how they ate, once established, became the easy and automatic option, but suspect even the most dedicated to their food regime fall off the wagon from time to time so don't beat yourself up about it, just enjoy it while it lasts and move on, without guilt, to doing what makes you really feel better, livelier, more perky, less sluggish or investing in yourself for you and those who love you. One day at a time....

 

[garfie_1999]

Thank you all for the replies so far, it helps to feel I'm not alone in this.
So have ordered a meter and the books, time to get to know my enemy.

 

[Pine Marten]

Welcome, @garfie_1999 , I've nothing more to add to the good advice already given except to say this is a wonderful resource, and well done on finding the forum so quickly - I'd been diagnosed about 6 years before stumbling across it while googling!