Hello

[Rhapsody]

Hi Just wanted to introduce myself and say hello
I've recently (last week) been diagnosed with Type 2 and been given Metformin 500gr. It has been a very frustrating week and a bit, struggling to get my sugar levels stabilised. I'm not even sure what they should be. I'm currently going between 6 and 10. To top it all I started the Slimfast diet a few months back to shed a few pounds - is this a good thing to be doing. Is anyone else in the same situation?

 

[Amigo]

Hi Just wanted to introduce myself and say hello
I've recently (last week) been diagnosed with Type 2 and been given Metformin 500gr. It has been a very frustrating week and a bit, struggling to get my sugar levels stabilised. I'm not even sure what they should be. I'm currently going between 6 and 10. To top it all I started the Slimfast diet a few months back to shed a few pounds - is this a good thing to be doing. Is anyone else in the same situation?

Hi Rhapsody and welcome at a difficult time for you. If you need to shift some pounds then losing it will undoubtedly help your levels and make you feel better but whether the Slimfast diet is the right one is debatable. I don't know how diabetic friendly it is or whether it encourages healthy eating long term. Metformin can cause the runs too so a liquid replacement diet could cause 'issues'. Metformin has been said to help weight loss and obviously it will help control your levels when the effects start to kick in.

You must be testing at home to know your levels but don't panic if they are higher at the beginning. Between 6 and 10 is not bad at all at this stage. Aim for on or preferably below 7 fasting/before meals and ideally no more than 8.5 two hours after a meal. Exercise after meals like walking will really help to keep the levels down. Testing will help you to understand your unique tolerances. Good luck! 🙂

 

[Rhapsody]

Hi Rhapsody and welcome at a difficult time for you. If you need to shift some pounds then losing it will undoubtedly help your levels and make you feel better but whether the Slimfast diet is the right one is debatable. I don't know how diabetic friendly it is or whether it encourages healthy eating long term. Metformin can cause the runs too so a liquid replacement diet could cause 'issues'. Metformin has been said to help weight loss and obviously it will help control your levels when the effects start to kick in.

You must be testing at home to know your levels but don't panic if they are higher at the beginning. Between 6 and 10 is not bad at all at this stage. Aim for on or preferably below 7 fasting/before meals and ideally no more than 8.5 two hours after a meal. Exercise after meals like walking will really help to keep the levels down. Testing will help you to understand your unique tolerances. Good luck! 🙂

Thanks for replying Amigo. I just feel very down at the moment because it's a new 'thing' for me and it's a case of what can I eat and what not, especially with Christmas a few weeks away. I have sent away for a couple of books to read up on and this week is the first of the increase in tabs. I started on 1 a day and now on 2 a day, gradually going up till I'm on 4 a day. Hopefully by then I will be more stable but so far the runs have escaped my metabolism. I'm not badly over weight, about 2 stone and I do try to hit the golf course at least once a week. I'm not good at exercise, have two bulging discs in the lower back and a dicky hip. All in ready for the knackers yard! Chin up, onwards and upwards ...🙄

 

[Amigo]

Thanks for replying Amigo. I just feel very down at the moment because it's a new 'thing' for me and it's a case of what can I eat and what not, especially with Christmas a few weeks away. I have sent away for a couple of books to read up on and this week is the first of the increase in tabs. I started on 1 a day and now on 2 a day, gradually going up till I'm on 4 a day. Hopefully by then I will be more stable but so far the runs have escaped my metabolism. I'm not badly over weight, about 2 stone and I do try to hit the golf course at least once a week. I'm not good at exercise, have two bulging discs in the lower back and a dicky hip. All in ready for the knackers yard! Chin up, onwards and upwards ...🙄

Oh compared to me you're in great shape Rhapsody and it sounds like you're on the right track and adopting the right attitude. Somebody will be along with the recommended links for newly diagnosed which I found helpful when I was diagnosed last year. You won't need to do masses of exercise to shift the weight if you adopt a low carb diet. I managed to lose 2 stone without hitting the gym or golf course!

I'm afraid Christmas is an extra challenge to all of us but take a look at the low carb recipes for goodies and once you get stabilised with your levels, a few little treats can be introduced. Dark chocolate preferably over 70% is ideal for low carb. You'll be amazed what a walk after dinner can do for your levels if you can manage it with your discs and hip.

A book I found absolutely fantastic at the beginning was Dr. David Cavan, 'Reversing Diabetes' or a similar title. Really helped me. You'll get there and it will be worth it for your overall health.

 

[Grogg1]

I'm barely a week diagnosed and I'm aspiring to single figure blood readings so you are doing well. I did my first check on Monday when I had my meter and it was almost 15 and over 15 after food and that was after doing low carb for 2 days. I was happy with 10.4 fasting this morning and just under 10 tonight. Fabulous support on this forum so keep posting x

 

[Ralph-YK]

Hello and welcome from a fellow T2.
For someone just diagnosed, those sound like good numbers to me. What was your HbA1c?

 

[grovesy]

Welcome.

 

[Lindarose]

Welcome Rhapsody from another type 2 🙂
It's hard not to want immediate results once you decide to make changes. But you have to give your body time to catch up and it will show improvements. You're already doing well. And we all have times when it's a struggle but so long as you have more good days than bad you're winning.

 

[Stitch147]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

[James 048]

Hi Just wanted to introduce myself and say hello
I've recently (last week) been diagnosed with Type 2 and been given Metformin 500gr. It has been a very frustrating week and a bit, struggling to get my sugar levels stabilised. I'm not even sure what they should be. I'm currently going between 6 and 10. To top it all I started the Slimfast diet a few months back to shed a few pounds - is this a good thing to be doing. Is anyone else in the same situation?

Hi Rhapsody
Warm welcome to the forum
It's only natural at this early stage to feel as you do , I was near pulling my hair out with worry and anxiety for a week or so , things will get better . just do all s that asked of you by medical profession and ask questions on the forum as you will alway get an answer , good luck and keep us updated

 

[Rhapsody]

Firstly, thanks for all the welcomes. It's great to have a forum where I can talk to people. OK Ralph - so what are HbA1c? Excuse the ignorance here, all these numbers on everyones posts are really confusing. None of this has been explained to me, all I have is a pen to do my testing and a log book! Did my sugars half an hour before dinner tonight and it was 5.2 but I haven't done it since, due to be done in about half an hour or so. Last week I did loose the will to live but I gave myself a pep talk (of course I said all the things I wanted to hear....) and this week I decided to be more positive. My biggest problem is trying to diet and eating low calorie foods, with the odd cheat, but surely the body does need some sort of sugar too?? My dieting was doing really well before I was diagnosed so I'm now unsure which one to concentrate on, dieting or diabetes. I had to go to the supermarket today and by-passed everything that looked like food, much to hubby's frustration. All I kept asking was 'how far down the ingredients is sugar or how much sugar is in it'. Am I perhaps going about this the wrong way?

 

[Amigo]

Hi Rhapsody, the different figures and expressions can be very confusing so don't despair if you don't understand them yet. The Hba1c test is explained below. It's the main test taken every 3/6/12 months (depends how often your GP requests it) in which blood is take from your arm and sent to the lab. It calculate the average over 8-12 week period. Confusingly the numbers quotes don't relate to the pin prick meter so a 6.6 on the meter isn't a 6.6 on a Hba1c.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

This chart explains the conversion and diabetes usually starts at 48 (6.5) but that is not a 6.5 you'll get on the meter you use so don't confuse the two (yes I know it's a bit crazy!).

http://baspath.co.uk/Hba1c_table.pdf

The body doesn't need any additional sugar to what is naturally forming in food and my advice would be to concentrate on a low carb rather than a low calorie diet because the former will help to lose weight and sometimes more successfully. Low calorie can still spike your levels and when I look at for instance Weight Watcher desserts, I still see carbs at a higher level even though the cals may be reduced.

At first you walk around the supermarket thinking you can't eat anything at all but that passes as you learn about low carb and work out what suits you uniquely. Eat by the meter is my advice.
Incidentally 5.2 is a superb level! Well done!

 

[SadhbhFiadh]

Hi Rhapsody. I am also new, but I think the site is full of information, as well as friendly support. I am finding this helpful in an ocean of questions.

 

[Rhapsody]

Amigo, thanks for the info where I can read about the figures. The Diabetic nurse who gave me the pen etc has told me to have the blood tests etc done at the end of January. At this point in time I guess I will get some numbers which will make more sense. In the meantime I will cut out carbs and see what happens. My reading after dinner tonight was 8.3 so not too bad I guess. I will keep reading to try and get my head around all this info and follow as many posts as I can. There is a diabetic meeting held monthly in my town so I will also go to that whenever I can. Thanks for helping me 🙂

 

[Rhapsody]

I'm barely a week diagnosed and I'm aspiring to single figure blood readings so you are doing well. I did my first check on Monday when I had my meter and it was almost 15 and over 15 after food and that was after doing low carb for 2 days. I was happy with 10.4 fasting this morning and just under 10 tonight. Fabulous support on this forum so keep posting x

Hi Grogg1. So happy to meet another newby. I started on 1 Metformin too but have gone up to 2 this week slowly upping the dosage until it's 4, I have been in double figures but trying hard to stay in the singles. Support has been good and I've been given lots of reading matter, some of which goes straight over my head. We'll get there in the end ....🙂

 

[stephknits]

Welcome Rhapsody. Sounds like you are working hard to make a difference. I would Try to reduce your carbs and go for slower release ones, rather than cut them out altogether. There are lots of great recipe recommendations and ideas for low carb snacks etc on the forum. Most people find that following a lower carb diet helps with weight loss as well. Good luck

 

[Rhapsody]

Hi Rhapsody. I am also new, but I think the site is full of information, as well as friendly support. I am finding this helpful in an ocean of questions.

Hi there. Yes support has been good and I'm getting loads of information. My head is also full of questions but I'm planning on going to our local group meeting so I can talk to a few people face to face.

 

[Ralph-YK]

OK Ralph - so what are HbA1c? Excuse the ignorance here, all these numbers on everyones posts are really confusing. None of this has been explained to me...

Typical. Although HbA1c was one thing I was actually told about. As Amigo said, it's an average over 2-3 months. 48 and above is the level when you get diagnosed diabetic. Some people are 100.
When you do your self testing, finger prick, that's your level at that moment.

Did my sugars half an hour before dinner tonight and it was 5.2

My reading after dinner tonight was 8.3 so not too bad I guess.

From what I know they are good numbers, especially for someone who's only just starting to look at things.
I discover 4 months ago my breakfast was taking my from 6.1 to 11.7. (No sugar in it at all, although there was carbs).
Your meter readings will help you figure out what to eat.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Check this page too.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Monitoring/Testing/

 

[Rhapsody]

Typical. Although HbA1c was one thing I was actually told about. As Amigo said, it's an average over 2-3 months. 48 and above is the level when you get diagnosed diabetic. Some people are 100.
When you do your self testing, finger prick, that's your level at that moment.



From what I know they are good numbers, especially for someone who's only just starting to look at things.
I discover 4 months ago my breakfast was taking my from 6.1 to 11.7. (No sugar in it at all, although there was carbs).
Your meter readings will help you figure out what to eat.

Thanks Ralph-YK. Good to know, however, my father-in-law was diabetic so I did adjust eating when they came to visit and he always liked to stay between 4 - 8 on the 'finger prick'. I wish I'd taken more notice of things then but that's why I've been trying to stay with low readings. However, when you yourself is suddenly diagnosed, it's a different kettle of fish and everything that I thought I knew is largely immaterial. My food store is just not equipped with the right sort of foods and from reading up on foods to eat and foods to avoid I'm in melt down!! I'm now heading for the no/low carbs diet so any visitors that come along, are going to think they're in heaven!