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administering treatment for the first time

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Steven O'Neil

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I am about to start treatment to improve Type 1 and was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with me? What was it like the first time you had to administer your own treatment?
 
Hi Steven

When you say start treatment to improve it are you already on insulin or have you only just been diagnosed?
 
Matt Cycle said:
Hi Steven

When you say start treatment to improve it are you already on insulin or have you only just been diagnosed?
Click to expand...
I have only just been diagnosed. I wondered if anyone could share with me what their first experiences was like? I am just generally interested in the starting block
 
Have the doctors/nurses prescribed any medication or given you any other guidance/advice on how to manage it?

Our admin @Northerner has links to various useful reading material for T2. 🙂 Hopefully some of those recently diagnosed with T2 will be along to offer advice.
 
Hi Steven Welcome. How did you come to be diagnosed. What treatment are you on. It been a few years since I was diagnosed and put on metformin, I remember being worriedbut decades later I'm still here to tell the tale :D The thing you need to know is, that you can control it, the medics can help but it is basically up to us to try and get a full nelson on it. For that your going to need some tools which your GP practice unless they are enlightened, will say no to if your only on metformin. If this is the case and you can afford to self fund a glucose meter and regular supplies of test strips the SD Codefree meter has test strips at £11.99 when you claim VAT relief , they're available here
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
When you have some time, have a read through the type 2 section in the newbies forum here.
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/
Feel free to ask questions, we will do our best to help.
 
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Ljc said:
Hi Steven Welcome. How did you come to be diagnosed. What treatment are you on. It been a few years since I was diagnosed and put on metformin, I remember being worriedbut decades later I'm still here to tell the tale :D The thing you need to know is, that you can control it, the medics can help but it is basically up to us to try and get a full nelson on it. For that your going to need some tools which your GP practice unless they are enlightened, will say no to if your only on metformin. If this is the case and you can afford to self fund a glucose meter and regular supplies of test strips the SD Codefree meter has test strips at £11.99 when you claim VAT relief , they're available here
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
When you have some time, have a read through the type 2 section in the newbies forum here.
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/
Feel free to ask questions, we will do our best to help.
Click to expand...

Is there anything I should be aware of when first starting? What helped you through the initial stages?
 
Steven O'Neil said:
Is there anything I should be aware of when first starting? What helped you through the initial stages?
Click to expand...
It perfectly natural to be worried ok! Yes It seems insurmountable at first but once you get your head round it, it really isn't. Once I got over the shock, it was grit that got me through the first weeks.There were no forums like this one around. Then when you see your BGs improving you start to gain confidence. If you felt rough before diagnosis (I had no symptoms) you will start to feel better as your control improves. Many of us are now far fitter than we ever were before diagnosis
Its carbohydrates that our bodies can't handle too well, sugar is just another carb. D is very individual , I can eat a bowl of porridge and my BGs hardly budge another person may only need to glance at a box of it for their BGs to go up into double figures, that why a meter is invaluable to us
Some exersize is a big help too.
 
I'm sure I will hear more from the doctor next week but I was just wondering if there is anything you worry about on a day to day basis which I can expect?
 
Worrying is extremely natural! A big thing to remember is that diabetes is about ALL carbohydrates, not just sugar. Making small changes was the easiest way I found to change my diet. Doing it all in one go can seem way too difficult! I started by changing my bread, pasta and rice to brown varieties. These versions have roughly the same amount of carbs in however they are slower release so in theory, don't spike your blood sugars as much. Has the GP mentioned any medication? Like Ljc mentioned, metformin is the first line treatment for type 2 diabetes. The biggest bit of advice I have re medication is don't despair if standard metformin makes you feel unwell. There's a modified release version which is much easier on the stomach 🙂

Do you know anything about testing your blood sugar levels yourself? Self monitoring is KEY to knowing which foods you can and can't eat. Hopefully our admin will be along soon with a very helpful blog post about testing (I can't remember the name of it!)

Is there anything in particular you are worried about??
 
It's a good idea to take a list of questions with you + pen and paper to take a few quick notes
 
Hi Steven, as has been said, worrying is natural.... You hear so many negative things about D that it's not even funny... Having said that.....

Step 1, accept that you are D, the biggest hurdle was to get to the point of diagnosis. If you were like me you would have felt like c**p without knowing why.
Step 2, control the carbs, I pretty much threw out all the refined carb sources in the house when I got home from the Dr.'s, can't have done a very good job of it as 18mo in I might still come across a pack of pasta!!! Initially I followed the Dr.'s advice & went wholegrain just about everything & the numbers started to come down 14 to 11 in weeks... Then I went on a Mediterranean cruise & got interested in the Cretan Diet which ultimately led to the way I eat today
Step 3, listen to the guys on the board, we have been living with D for a while & have experiences & tips we can share

Remember that this is your disease & the way you control it is entirely up to you..... We will help

Things to consider.... Testing, you probably won't be issued a test kit, the SD Codefree from Amazon is probably the most affordable self funded option
Cut/reduce carb sources like bread, pasta, rice, cereals & starchy vegetables like potatoes replacing them with green leafy vegetables.... Personally those carb sources are not in my diet (often) & I am probably in the best shape I have been in for 30 years.
 
Hi Stephen, it's a challenge when first diagnosed to find your feet and learn what to do to help yourself. As Rosie said, testing is key to learning how your diabetes affects you and what food and exercise do to help or hinder you in your efforts to get control. There are a number of useful publications that can help you:

Jenny Ruhl's Blog has reams of useful information. Also, The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes by Gretchen Becker, and Alan Shanley's Blog about his own journey to better control. If you haven't been given a meter, or have been refused one (not an unusual occurrence unfortunately) there is a cheap and reliable meter available here. The SD Codefree isn't 'sexy' but it does the job and for folk who are self funding it's a reasonable alternative, it does the job. There's a code for bulk buying their strips, but I've mislaid that and will have go looking for it.
 
Hello Steven and welcome to forum. Everything can be overwhelming at first and getting your head round it can take time. I did the throw everything out the cupboards, and now 11 months on have had highs and lows not only in glucose levels, but in commitment to diet, denial etc. There's lots of people with experience here and lots of support, so don't feel daft asking the questions or saying the things you don't want to say to people closest to you(if that makes sence)
 
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