Hi from Sydney - newly diagnosed Type II

[Sydney Bristowe]

Hey everyone... My name is Gerri - although I tend to go by Sydney online because I'm obsessed with the TV show Alias

I went to the Doctors over Christmas because I'd been suffering from unusual levels of fatigue for a few months. She ordered a whole heap of blood tests - 5 tubes worth! - and I was called in for a follow up on Tuesday this week. I was expecting to be told they found nothing and get a diagnosis of 'post viral fatigue syndrome' so I was utterly knocked for six to be told that it was Diabetes (along with something a bit dodgy going on with my liver and Vitamin D deficiency)

So I'm going for a repeat HbA1c test tomorrow to confirm and have my 'new diagnosis' appointment next week. Mind is utterly blown at the moment and I'm not sure what - if anything - I should be doing until next week, but I've found the information on this site to be really good and figured joining the forum was a good idea 🙂

 

[Lynn Davies]

G'day Gerri - good to meet you. Yes there is a lot of information on this board but it is hard to take it all in at once. You can start by reducing your carbs by cutting way back on 'white' foods like - sugar (obviously), flour, pasta, rice, bread and filling up on veggies and salad. As you are in summer the salad bit will be nice and easy

 

[Northerner]

Hi Sydney, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm a huge fan of 'Alias' too - have all the series on dvd!

I'd suggest reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter in order to get a good overview of what it's all about, and you would also find Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker really useful 🙂 Let us know how the new test goes. How are you feeling now, better or worse than you did when you went for the original tests?

Please let us know if you have any questions, there's always someone who can answer whatever it may be - we have lots of friendly, knowledgeable people here, some in your position, and quite a few who have been living with it for decades. With the right knowledge and application it doesn't have to affect your life adversely, and many find their diagnosis to be a turning point in paying greater attention to their health, leaving them happier and healthier than they were previously 🙂

 

[Stitch147]

Hi Gerri aka Sydney and welcome to the forum. This is a great place for help and advice. If you have questions just ask, we dont bite. I have found that this forum has been a great help since being diagnosed last august and its helped me get the right diagnosis and treatment I needed. Enjoy the chit chat. Love the colour of your hair by the way.

 

[Amigo]

Hi Sydney, which is guess is the name you like rather than where you come from! I notice Lynne mentioned your summer at the moment but like us you're probably actually suffering the dreary UK weather and fancying the comforting carbs that got us into strife in the first place! 😳

I was diagnosed type 2 this year and it's not fun but it's manageable with a diet rethink which means cutting down on the bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and sweetie treats. Possibly you have a fatty liver which is pretty common in type 2 diabetics but can be turned around. Vit D deficiency will have made you tired too so hopefully your doc can address that.

Hope you get back on track to good health and good luck with the repeat HbA1c test.

 

[Lynn Davies]

Your not from Sydney are you!😳

I thought you was from Australia! Never mind the results are the same. Welcome

 

[Amigo]

Must admit, the Hi from Sydney threw me at first Lynn! Lol 😛

 

[Lynn Davies]

Glad I am not on my own amigo lol

 

[Mark Parrott]

Hi Sydney. I was diagnosed last Friday so my head is still all over the place at the mo. But this forum has been fantastic and everyone on here is so helpful. Keep your chin up.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Hi Gerri / Sydney and welcome to the forum. 🙂

 

[Flutterby]

Hi Gerri, I too was confused by the Sydney thing haha. What are we all like eh? Anyway welcome to the forum.

 

[Carolg]

Hi gerry. I was diagnosed in november. Still trying to make sense of everything. Good luck in this journey and people here are really supportive and informative

 

[thelis]

Hey everyone... My name is Gerri - although I tend to go by Sydney online because I'm obsessed with the TV show Alias

I went to the Doctors over Christmas because I'd been suffering from unusual levels of fatigue for a few months. She ordered a whole heap of blood tests - 5 tubes worth! - and I was called in for a follow up on Tuesday this week. I was expecting to be told they found nothing and get a diagnosis of 'post viral fatigue syndrome' so I was utterly knocked for six to be told that it was Diabetes (along with something a bit dodgy going on with my liver and Vitamin D deficiency)

So I'm going for a repeat HbA1c test tomorrow to confirm and have my 'new diagnosis' appointment next week. Mind is utterly blown at the moment and I'm not sure what - if anything - I should be doing until next week, but I've found the information on this site to be really good and figured joining the forum was a good idea 🙂

Welcome to the forum Sydney.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Hi Sydney. Welcome from someone a year in to being a diabetic type 2.

 

[Sydney Bristowe]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Been reading loads and trying to make some sensible food choices over the last week. Big Day tomorrow when I get to see the nurse, find out what my HbA1c number is (because I didn't think to ask when I saw the Doc last week) and if I need meds yet. I'm sure I'll have a tonne of questions after that so will be back bugging y'all then

 

[Mark Parrott]

I'm still waiting for my HbA1c results. They sent off all bloods for testing nearly 2 weeks ago but the HbA1c results didn't come back. 6 months ago it was 55 & I wasn't diagnosed as they didn't notice! So waiting patiently for a phone call.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Been reading loads and trying to make some sensible food choices over the last week. Big Day tomorrow when I get to see the nurse, find out what my HbA1c number is (because I didn't think to ask when I saw the Doc last week) and if I need meds yet. I'm sure I'll have a tonne of questions after that so will be back bugging y'all then

Hope things go well tomorrow 🙂 Fire way with the questions, we can handle it! 🙂

 

[Stitch147]

We love questions on here. Good luck with the nurse.

 

[Sydney Bristowe]

I'm still waiting for my HbA1c results. They sent off all bloods for testing nearly 2 weeks ago but the HbA1c results didn't come back. 6 months ago it was 55 & I wasn't diagnosed as they didn't notice! So waiting patiently for a phone call.

That's nuts!!

It normally only takes a few days for bloods to come back, I'd definitely give the Docs a call to chase that one up - afterall they don't have the best track record with these things 😱

 

[Sydney Bristowe]

Hi Everyone!

Had my appointment with the practice nurse this morning. I'm so glad I read up on here beforehand otherwise my mind would have been utterly blown!

Repeat HbA1c result was the same as the first one - 54 so not as horrendously high as I'd feared. They are starting me on Metformin 500mg on a 4 week programme to increase from 1 tablet a day to 4 a day. I asked for (and got) a referral to a dietician as I wasn't entirely comfortable with the depth of the dietary advice I was given. I have all the usual referrals for retinal screening and to the X-Pert programme and they gave me the flu jab right there

What I was pleasantly surprised by was that they didn't make an issue of my weight. My BMI is currently around 38 and I know weight loss is a key factor that will help my long term control, but at no point has it been made a big issue of nor have I been made to feel bad because of it.

As expected they don't want to provide a monitor and strips, but I asked for my personal circumstances to be considered and the nurse is going to go back to my Doctor to see what they can do. Follow up bloods in 3 months