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Saw the doctor today...

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PinkGrapefruit

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Had an unscheduled routine blood test last week (due to IBS symptoms), and then a second-fasted one on the back of high blood sugar levels recorded by the first test.

The surgery invited me in today to see the diabetes nurse. He said my blood was 99 and 15.

I'm not sure what the numbers mean but they were double or triple what they should be.

He tested my feet sensitivity, weighed me (95kg) and measured my height (180cm).

I'm overweight, but he said diet alone would not get my BS in check.

I've been given a prescription for Metaformin, and he's told me I need to take them for the rest of my life! (I'm 38 years old).

I haven't got a blood test meter.

I am going back in 3 months for more blood tests.

I'm really in the dark about what this means and feel like a failure.
 
Hi PinkGrapefruit,

First, you are not a failure, diabetes can hit anyone at any time, many of us have a genetic predisposition (I'm diabetic, one of my brothers is pre-diabetic & my grandfather was diabetic), unfortunately, in this age & the diet we eat (very high in carbs) promotes insulin resistance. You are not alone, this forum will help you with advice & encouragement; we live with diabetes daily.

With some work & the right attitude you will be able to control your D, not the other way around. Don't let it, take control now!!! It's a long process but take it steady, with diet & exercise many people find that the may not even need meds but Metformin has many benefits (not just for D).
As far as diet goes, reduce or cut starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta & potatoes (leafy vegetables from above ground are way better for your blood glucose control.
 
Hello, Pink Grapefruit, and welcome to the forum. I'm not surprised you feel as if you're floundering around in the dark, there's a lot to take on board, and learn, and GPs aren't always very good at either explaining things, or pointing you in the right direction.
Your tests, at a guess were an hbA1c, the 99 one, anything over 48 is a diagnosis of diabetes, and the 15 would probably be a spot check, and should be between 4-7.
Have a look at the top of the newbies section, there are resources to help you understand diabetes, I found the Gretchen Becker book really useful. ( I was initially misdiagnosed as a Type 2 because of my age, (51) at diagnosis. When you feel ready, getting a test meter is a really good idea ( GPs are reluctant to fund them, but in my opinion they are vital if you want to understand what effect foods have on your blood sugars, so you can avoid or cut done in the ones that give you a massive spike)
Do ask about anything you're not sure of, there usually someone on here who has the teeshirt.
 
Hi welcome to the club that no one wants to join.
Your not a failure, far from it but it sounds to me that that practice nurse you've seen has not been very helpful info wise.
ATM No it's not possible to cure diabetes , however not all t2s have to stay on meds, their is at least one person on here (not me) who's control is so good that they are no longer on the diabetic register, some others have been able to come off meds, others try as they might need to stay on meds.

It's all to do with what we eat and exersize.
Try to increase your exersize , you don't have to go to a gym,walking is good

Sugar is a carbohydrate and carbs is what our body can't handle so well.
So it's not just sugary things we need to cut down on.
Firstly you do need to know what foods make your sugars rise and what don't. Just to make life interesting D affects us all differently,for instance some (me 🙂) can eat porridge, others can't . But to discover these things you need a glucose meter and test strips, now if your practice like most others will not provide you with one because you're not on meds that can cause hypos ( low glucose levels) which in our view is very wrong , how can you know how well or not you are doing. If you can afford one , the cheapest to fund we've found is the SD Codefree from amazon , the test strips are around £8 for fifty other brands are a lot dearer

Potatoes, rice, bread, pasta and fruit juice are our worst culprits we do have to be careful with fruit, it's the sugar in fruit, root veg tends to be carby too.

Unless you really enjoy them , personally I don't , I suggest you don't go for low fat options, I mean , yogurts ect as they tend to be more carby to make them taste a bit better.

This is probably going to give you a bit of a shock, do you like , eggs, bacon, sausages if you do then their is no need at all to give them up or cut down on them , do go for the better quality sausage though as less carbs.
I think I've given you plenty to go on with and to think about for the time being.

Just remember this diabetes lark is a marathon not a sprint.
Have a look round the forums and get to know us, you'll find we have lots of fun here too.
 
Hi PinkGrapefruit. I'm very fortunate that I've been able to bring my levels under control using diet and exercise. For many people this is not an option, but if it's an option for you then I'd urge you to give it your best shot. As many people have said...the best way to start is by reducing your carb intake while testing your BG levels to determine what your body will tolerate. I tried to view this process as a challenge. I realise that's a bit 'management speaky', but it really helped.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. You are definately not a failure.
 
Thank you so much for your comments - it means a lot.

Robin, yes that's the numbers - he did mention those ranges, so yes that must be it; thank you 🙂

I will think about getting a blood tester - 3 months of wondering how I'm doing seems like a long time. My Father in Law is T2 and tests several times a day. But then he seems to balance eating cake with a gin and tonic?

For the foreseeable, alcohol will be an exceptional and rare treat. Partly because I want to lose weight and I have found it seems to inhibit that process (healthy liver) and it's empty calories I don't need. Also detoxin off it and helping my liver doesn't seem to be a bad thing to do right now.

My diet was very carb rich, and I did like sugary things. I did also find that I needed a biscuit or something as a pick me up, especially having got home from a long drive and needing the big push to get the kids in bed and cook tea. I don't quite understand how that works if you already have high BS but there you go! But with the second blood test, I've gone cold turkey on sugar, and veggies like spinach aubergine and courgette is now 2/3rds of my plate!

My twin goals at the moment are to successfully strip out sugar and develop a system that I can use at home and at work to eat well and not expose myself to risk of eating badly or not eating. I also want to get back into exercise. Food scares me right now, I need to do more research on good and bad ingredients.

Around 5 years ago I lost 3 stone through better eating and running 3 times a week, I even managed a couple of HMs. But young kids and a lot of commuting just made it too difficult for me to keep it going.

I am looking forwards to feeling better (I have slept much better since cold turkey on the sugar and starting to change my diet). I really have felt awful lately, tired... and gnarly.

I had my first tablet at breakfast - seems OK - It freaks me out a bit that I will be swallowing them like candy (that's a D joke BTW).

Thanks again. PG
 
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Welcome to the forum, PinkGrapefruit. One tip - always ask for name of test and units as well as numbers. My guess is that 99 is HbA1c, which is a rough average measure of blood glucose over tha last few months, particularly most recent weeks. It's measured in mmol/mol. The 15 is probably a spot test of blood glucose at the time blood was tested, measured in mmol/l 15 is so it's not so bad (although still too high) if blood was taken just after eating, but worse if blood was taken in morning after you'd fasted overnight.
This page covers all the common tests, units etc https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Monitoring/Testing/
 
thanks for the link Copepod, and the advice on units 🙂
 
Hi PinkGrapefruit. Welcome to the forum. If you are a failure, the we all are! :D It takes a while to adjust your diet, working out what works for you but you'll get there, I promise. A blood glucose monitor would help and I have a Codefree one which, if you can't get one from the doctor, is inexpensive with cheap testing strips and lancets. I got mine from Amazon. Good luck and you are welcome to come in here and ask advice any time. Someone will have the answer and no question is stupid. 🙂
 
Hey PinkGrapefruit,

Firstly, echoing what everyone else has said, you are absolutely not a failure. I was originally diagnosed with type 2, and was made to feel much the same way. There is much misconception around diabetes, particularly type 2. It's now understood that there is often a genetic predisposition to this condition, but even if there weren't, you're definitely not a failure 🙂
Well done with the change of diet, that is one of the hardest things to do, and continue doing, so you are already being awesome!
Testing is a great idea, as you can be aware of where you are, and what foods affect you in certain ways. For example, before I was on insulin, I found that a jacket potato with cheese didn't cause much of a spike at all in my blood glucose, but roast potatoes were a nightmare. As others have mentioned, the codefree seems to be a good choice for those not being prescribed one.
It would also be worth asking your diabetic nurse or GP about any education courses in your area. I attended an Xpert course, which was geared towards T2s, and was really helpful. I also took my husband along, he also comes to all my appointments, and he almost knows more about Diabetes than me 😉
Anyway, I've gone on for long enough!
This forum is great for support though, ask lots of questions if you need too - knowledge is the key to success! (That's actually written on a motivational poster opposite me in the staff room right now - I can't take the credit for that one! 😛)
 
Hi. I really get how you feel as I was like that when I first got diagnosed just 3 months back. I kind of still am in the dark a little as my diagnosis might not be right, and am currently waiting for results on that.

The trick is not to let it control you, which is what I was allowing it to do during the first 4 or 5 weeks. I finally got a hold of it though. It can play havoc with your emotions, and keeping them in check is just as important as other stuff that raises your BG levels!

I wasn't given a BG testing kit either, but I went out and bought one anyway as I wanted piece of mind. I don't test obsessively, but I find having it helps me see what certain foods are doing to my levels.

This is a great forum to be a part of if you have questions. 🙂
 
I've just taken my third tablet, so day three of metformin. It's not giving me cramps, but I am having lose/watery bowels; without a huge amount of warning. My dose goes up next week, so I hope I can build a tolerance to it.

I've hugely cut down on carbs, and eating the least bad form that I can. I couldn't give exact numbers, but one wholemeal pitta and two tablespoons of cooked rice. The rest veg fish and eggs.

I feel tired. I forced myself to go for a walk, but I am sleeping a huge amount at night now. I know part of it is the reduced Cals and low carbs. But it feels like my body is out of balance and needs to find harmony!

Looks like my home scales puts me on 15stone dead (having lost half a stone in the last week). The doc surgery weighs me less, so I think my scales are out a bit. Doesn't really matter, I can see and notice the loss. It's mainly less bloating. My belly is less bloated. I will monitor my loss carefully.

I'm doing OK. Not exactly a happy bunny, but trying to make positive actions.

Thanks again for the support. This is a fantastic forum and reading lots of posts and shared experiences is really helpful insightful and uplifting.
 
If you find you are not tolerating metformin, there is a slow release version that some people find better.
I was on Metformin for a couple of years, and found it didn't agree with me at all. My doctor didn't suggest the slow release version, I only found out about it on here, by which time I was taken off Metformin anyway :confused:
Having pretty constant bout of diarrhoea can unbalance our electrolytes and other vitamins/minerals. So if you are struggling with it, do talk to your GP.
Well done on making the changes to your food and exercise though, you will definitely feel the benefits 🙂
 
Thanks for the info Mini-Vicki.
 
Marsbartoastie said:
Hi PinkGrapefruit. I'm very fortunate that I've been able to bring my levels under control using diet and exercise. For many people this is not an option, but if it's an option for you then I'd urge you to give it your best shot. As many people have said...the best way to start is by reducing your carb intake while testing your BG levels to determine what your body will tolerate. I tried to view this process as a challenge. I realise that's a bit 'management speaky', but it really helped.
Click to expand...
Unless u have a high cholestrol which often goes hand in hand with diabetes so then u have to watch the bacon etc!!
 
I eat bacon, butter, double cream, full fat milk & cheese & have managed to lose 3 stone & reduce my cholesterol on this diet. The key is to vastly reduce carbs which have more influence on cholesterol than natural fats.
 
Mark Parrott said:
I eat bacon, butter, double cream, full fat milk & cheese & have managed to lose 3 stone & reduce my cholesterol on this diet. The key is to vastly reduce carbs which have more influence on cholesterol than natural fats.
Click to expand...

Exactly this. One of the reasons people
With diabetes are more prone to high cholesterol, is that high BGs are linked to an increase in cholesterol. More so than fat 🙂
 
Actually, just weighed myself this morning. Lost another kilo in 1 month.🙂 Now 78kg & BMI now 24.6.🙂
 
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