• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Very, very newly diagnosed

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
R

retrolady

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi,

After kidding myself that tiredness, thirst and the rest were all part of my age (61 - ouch!), I now know I have type 2. I am floundering to say the least. I know my GP and the practice nurse will help and advise, but right here, right now, I need someone to say it's going to be ok! All I know about diabetes is through my work in a school where some students have type 1 and have to faff around measuring blood sugar levels, then inject, or not, insulin. That's not me, is it? Does type 2 mean careful monitoring of what I eat? Losing weight? I'm not overweight - bodymass within normal levels (ok, upper end, but still ok), so I'm confused and not sure what to do. As I said I guess I just need someone to metaphorically hold my hand and tell me it'll all be fine and that I will cope.
I'm aware that all that makes me sound needy, not to mention slightly helpless and/or pathetic. I'm not usually like that, just shocked and reeling at the moment.
Any advice and/or reassurance would be very welcome.
Thanks.
 
Hi retrolady, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but don't panic - it is something that can be controlled well with the right knowledge and application! 🙂 It can be a lot to take in at first, as there is a lot of conflicting information around. I would recommend having a read of two documents that have stood the test of time and helped many people get to grips with the basics: Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter. I would also recommend getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker - a step by step guide that is very positive in outlook 🙂

Do you have any family history of diabetes? How long have you had the symptoms before diagnosis?

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we will be very happy to help and reassure you 🙂
 
Ooh, that was quick. Thank you. I shall definitely get that book (I do like having a book to refer to when I'm worried about anything), and have a look at the two documents. It's very reassuring that there is information for newbies out there. Means I'm not the only one who finds it difficult to take in and wondering what impact it's going to have. Thinking positively, at least I know what's going on and eventually, I hope, I shall feel more like my old self. Getting fed up with always feeling completely exhausted.
I think I've probably had the symptoms for a few years, off and on, but have always explained them away ... burying my head in the sand, I think. No, there is no family history that I'm aware of.
 
Hi Retrolady , Welcome to the club that no one wants to join, however this forum and the people here are great. I only joined around April this year and have learnt loads and have been supported through some difficult times.
Feel free to ask questions K .

Now the only thing that's changed is, is that you now know you have diabetes, it's what you with that knowledge that counts.
With a little care , exersize and probably having to change your ideas about what a healthy diet is, a full and healthy is the norm !
 
Hi Retolady, welcome to the forum.

I guess we have all been there, it certainly was a surprise to me when DX'd but it did explain those symptoms you were describing. Diabetes is a life changer, though not in the way you might think, it's more of a case of paying more attention to what your body is telling you than radically changing your whole lifestyle.

The first two things I would suggest is to cut (or drastically reduce) things like rice, pasta, starchy vegetables & breads (all major sources of carbs). Next t to get a test meter so you can determine what your BG levels are & determine what foods affect you & which you are OK with (different people react to carb sources differently)

Best of luck & ask any questions, there will always be someone with an idea or opinion.
 
Hi all, i was diagnosed last Fri with T2D. Oddly, I am not worried about it perhaps due to naivety. Readings off the scale at present but the Metformin should help.

Anyone else have problems at work ? I seem to be in a permanent fog with the memory span of a goldfish. I have made some monumental errors which i am certain are medically related. Any help gratefully received.
 
Hi Dave, before DX it was not unknown for me to fall asleep at my desk after lunch..... Fortunately I work out of my house & the dogs were not telling!!!!
 
Martin Canty said:
Hi Dave, before DX it was not unknown for me to fall asleep at my desk after lunch..... Fortunately I work out of my house & the dogs were not telling!!!!
Click to expand...

What about overall concentration, memory loss etc. I have been struggling for a couple of months and have made a couple of monumental.and uncharacteristic errors both an hour or so after lunch which was rarely healthy. Is this likely to be a related issues?
 
I wouldn't be surprised..... Large amounts of carby foods made me very drowsy...... In fact, once, after a great Chinese Buffet I felt myself nodding off during a vey interesting presentation at our county Coroners Office.....
 
It's a classic symptom of high BG - feeling tired and brain fog - and now I've read this thread - Yes - 12 is too high to stay at for any length of time so you need to Zap it into submission asap. First get a meter if you haven't got one, and second follow 'Jennifer's Advice'.

If you cut out all the c**p too quickly though, you can have withdrawal symptoms (seriously!) so you can either go cold turkey for a week - 10 days or reduce it gradually - whichever is easier on you.

This is actually a marathon, not a sprint, so best get used to it.

Metformin doesn't actually reduce BG directly - it does a couple of things. First it works on your body to reduce any insulin resistance it has built up, helping the insulin you are still producing work a bit easier. And, it was developed originally as a slimming drug! - and if you eat too much carbohydrate whilst taking it, it helps them rush through from your tum and come out the other end somewhat alarmingly. (you also get full of wind - it gets called Metfartin quite often because of this)

I have no idea whether your doc has put you on statins Dave - but I had the memory loss caused by them - so resist if suggested.
 
Welcome to the forum retrolady and Dave.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top