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Diagnosed Today

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Where is the best place to get advice on what to eat? Struggling with what I need to do to set up a healthy eating plan. Stuff like fruit is high in sugar so what do I eat that isn't? Going to have to be big changes ahead but I don't know the first thing about it.
 
Gerryjo1984 said:
Where is the best place to get advice on what to eat? Struggling with what I need to do to set up a healthy eating plan. Stuff like fruit is high in sugar so what do I eat that isn't? Going to have to be big changes ahead but I don't know the first thing about it.
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GL for Dummies is working for me. Available on Amazon and Kindle.
 
Everyone is different when it comes to food. I wish there was a one size fits all, but you need to find what works for you. Some people will follow the LCHF (low carb, high fat), I personally have reduced the amount of carbs that I eat rather than really low carb, as I know I can sustain this in the long haul better. I swapped white bread for seedy breads, like Burgen, wholemeal pasta and brown rice. I make everything from scratch and wont use packets/jars of sauces as they have alot of sugar in them. I have reduced the amount of fruit I eat to maybe just 1-2 portions a day. I usually always have porridge for breakfast. This is where testing your blood glucose levels comes in very handy as it will indicate what foods your body can and cant tolerate. Other peole will have different opions and will tell you what they do. But its all about finding what works for you.
 
Here's a link to straightforward guidance on what to eat It's a video of the detailed advice Dr Westman gives his patients. I found it extremely useful.
 
Gerryjo1984 said:
Where is the best place to get advice on what to eat? Struggling with what I need to do to set up a healthy eating plan. Stuff like fruit is high in sugar so what do I eat that isn't? Going to have to be big changes ahead but I don't know the first thing about it.
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Hi Gerryjo, welcome to the forum 🙂 When you say the symptoms came on quickly, how long would you say you have been experiencing them - months, weeks? Do you have any family history of diabetes? Type 1 normally manifests itself relatively quickly and is due to a decline in your body's ability to produce insulin which is needed in order to utilise the fuel provided by your food for energy. Type 2 is primarily due to insulin resistance, where you may be producing lots of insulin but your body isn't able to use it efficiently - sometimes this can develop over a number of years, rather than weeks or months. There is another possibility - that you are a 'slow-onset' Type 1, also known as LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adulthood) and sometimes referred to as Type 1.5. As it suggests, this is due to a gradual decline in your body's ability to produce insulin and can take a year or two to develop. It's important to be aware of this type as people with it are often initially misdiagnosed as Type 2 and can end up on inappropriate treatment. I'm not saying this is the case with you, just that it is something to be aware of and relatively rare, so GPs don't always pick up on it.

I'd recommend looking at the GL Diet as a good approach to eating. It's a way selecting and combining foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels - The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction 🙂 It's important to know that any changes you make to your diet need to be sustainable, and you don't need to 'solve' everything overnight - this is more of a marathon than a sprint and adaptations you make will be gradual. You'll learn a lot about food and the workings of the human body - I certainly did! 🙂

Until you are clearer about your diagnosis I hesitate to bombard you with too much information, but you should be aware that, whatever the type, diabetes is a manageable condition and there is no reason why you should not lead a full, happy and healthy life with it, so although serious there are a lot of positives 🙂 Let us know how you get on at the appointment, or if you have any questions or concerns 🙂
 
Gerryjo1984 said:
Hi,

Just been diagnosed with diabetes today so thought I'd come here mostly to try and get some information about the condition and what the future holds for me.

I'm 31 years old and had some tests done a few years back but it ended up fine. Unfortunately, I've started showing symptoms again recently and went to the doctor for blood tests on Friday and got a call from them today to arrange an appointment. Managed to get a late afternoon slot and got the news there.

I know very little about the condition to be honest so will probably look around the site for information. Due to see my Practice Nurse on Monday next week so should know more after that.

Gerry
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Hello Gerry,

I'm very new to this too, I only found out last Friday and had my first visit to the practice nurse on Monday. I've been prescribed Metformin. It was a massive shock and I'm still stunned and upset, although absolutely determined to control this and not let IT control me. This forum has been so reassuring for me already, so many lovely people offering advice and directing me to sources of information. Wishing you all the best.
 
Northerner said:
Hi Gerryjo, welcome to the forum 🙂 When you say the symptoms came on quickly, how long would you say you have been experiencing them - months, weeks? Do you have any family history of diabetes? Type 1 normally manifests itself relatively quickly and is due to a decline in your body's ability to produce insulin which is needed in order to utilise the fuel provided by your food for energy. Type 2 is primarily due to insulin resistance, where you may be producing lots of insulin but your body isn't able to use it efficiently - sometimes this can develop over a number of years, rather than weeks or months. There is another possibility - that you are a 'slow-onset' Type 1, also known as LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adulthood) and sometimes referred to as Type 1.5. As it suggests, this is due to a gradual decline in your body's ability to produce insulin and can take a year or two to develop. It's important to be aware of this type as people with it are often initially misdiagnosed as Type 2 and can end up on inappropriate treatment. I'm not saying this is the case with you, just that it is something to be aware of and relatively rare, so GPs don't always pick up on it.

I'd recommend looking at the GL Diet as a good approach to eating. It's a way selecting and combining foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels - The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction 🙂 It's important to know that any changes you make to your diet need to be sustainable, and you don't need to 'solve' everything overnight - this is more of a marathon than a sprint and adaptations you make will be gradual. You'll learn a lot about food and the workings of the human body - I certainly did! 🙂

Until you are clearer about your diagnosis I hesitate to bombard you with too much information, but you should be aware that, whatever the type, diabetes is a manageable condition and there is no reason why you should not lead a full, happy and healthy life with it, so although serious there are a lot of positives 🙂 Let us know how you get on at the appointment, or if you have any questions or concerns 🙂
Click to expand...

My symptoms really kicked in over a few weeks. Particularly peeing at night, thirst and blurred vision. Guess I will speak to the nurse on Monday as it was only reading the stuff the Dr gave me that made me question things.
 
Cate1 said:
Hello Gerry,

I'm very new to this too, I only found out last Friday and had my first visit to the practice nurse on Monday. I've been prescribed Metformin. It was a massive shock and I'm still stunned and upset, although absolutely determined to control this and not let IT control me. This forum has been so reassuring for me already, so many lovely people offering advice and directing me to sources of information. Wishing you all the best.
Click to expand...
Thanks and the same to you. There seems to be a lot of information on here so I guess it's time to learn what works best for me over the coming weeks.
 
Thanks to everyone for all the advice. Still taking everything in and learning what's going on.

Today I've ate well and also had a walk in the evening. My wife has been very supportive which has been a great help as I genuinely haven't a clue about anything to do with food groups etc.
 
Just wanted to say hi and welcome - hopefully you'll get some clearer answers when you next go in.

It's a c**p club to be in to be frank but the people on here are incredible and my advice would be to just ask ask ask if you have any questions.

Good luck 🙂
 
grainger said:
Just wanted to say hi and welcome - hopefully you'll get some clearer answers when you next go in.

It's a c**p club to be in to be frank but the people on here are incredible and my advice would be to just ask ask ask if you have any questions.

Good luck 🙂
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
Hi @Gerryjo1984
Welcome aboard, I'm only a couple of months ahead of you. I have got my head around all the facts and stats you need to be aware of, though am still struggling emotionally and mentally.
You will get lots of advice both in here and elsewhere about what you MUST do, and must / must not eat etc, and unfortunately as I have found much of this will contradict and conflict which makes it all the more difficult. The only advice I will give is .... take all the advice, then do what YOU want to do, and what is right for YOU at this time. I have approached 'it' probably differently as to how many would advocate in here .... but as you can see below it has worked for me - so far!
Also, I like you genuinely could not have managed without the support of my wife. She didn't sign up for this, but has been at my side at every single bewildering, tear soaked step, and she too has adopted the way I now have to eat, and joining me in being more active in exercise. I get very emotional when I think what an amazing lady im so lucky to have, and what a 'burden' I have been of late .... God bless her!
The very best of luck.
 
Status
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