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Newly Diagnosed With Diabetes

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Hev62

Hev62

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello, I have just been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes and feel quite scared. I have been to see a Diabetic Nurse who gave me a few leaflets and took some blood. I don't know what happens next. Do you see a Diabetic on a regular basis? Nobody has told me. Is diabetes something you live with or can you become non-Diabetic again? Thank you.
 
Hi Hev, welcome to the group

Sorry to say, you will be diabetic for life but there is no reason to be scared, just concerned.

Many of us have good control & live normal lives, just watching our diets& monitoring our Blood Glucose levels on a daily basis.... You will learn what you can & cannot tolerate. In a few weeks/months you will look abck & think what was I so scared about.
 
Martin Canty said:
Hi Hev, welcome to the group

Sorry to say, you will be diabetic for life but there is no reason to be scared, just concerned.

Many of us have good control & live normal lives, just watching our diets& monitoring our Blood Glucose levels on a daily basis.... You will learn what you can & cannot tolerate. In a few weeks/months you will look abck & think what was I so scared about.
Click to expand...
Thank you Martin.
 
Hi hev
A warm welcome to the forum afraid diabetes don't work on the premise of a magic wand it won't disappear unfortunately. In time even though it don't feel like it right now it will get easier once you manage things.
 
Hi Hev. As both Martin and Steff have said, it does get easier and with good control you can live a perfectly normal life, but you will always be diabetic. It is an awful lot to take in at first.
It tends to differ in each area of the country, and probably between T1s and T2s, but I was seen every week by a DSN ( diabetic specialist nurse) for the first 6 weeks whilst she took me through everything. As a T1, I see the hospital diabetic consultant supposedly every 3-6months. He is about to discharge me from his care after I next see him as I (seem to be) in control, and my care will then be seeing the diabetic specialist nurse at my GP each year.
I don't think allT2s are referred to a hospital team - it can just be luck of the draw re where you live.
If you have any questions, or just want a rant, feel free to post on the forum. We've all been where you are and know how you feel, and will try and help you out wherever we can with info and support.
 
Welcome.
Care varies around the country. Type 2 are usally cared for by the GP team. If you are not sure what the next step is ask your surgery.
 
Hev62 said:
Hello, I have just been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes and feel quite scared. I have been to see a Diabetic Nurse who gave me a few leaflets and took some blood. I don't know what happens next. Do you see a Diabetic on a regular basis? Nobody has told me. Is diabetes something you live with or can you become non-Diabetic again? Thank you.
Click to expand...
Hi Hev62...just wondering how/when you were diagnosed...might make it easier to give you the advice/support you need...initially a diagnosis of T2 is scary...daunting when you fully appreciate as Martin says it is a life long condition...however...it can be managed very effectively once you find a routine that works for you...a couple of things...when you saw the diabetic nurse (DSN)where you given any indication of what your blood glucose (BG) levels/numbers were...have you been given any medication yet...there are several ways your health care team could approach your diabetes depending on the answer to those questions...possibly manage/control your blood sugars with diet & exercise only...anti-diabetic oral medication (most common Metformin)...if you can tell us a little bit more about your condition...it would help...of course I'm presuming you know the answers to those questions...you may not have been given that information yet...sometimes we are simply told we have diabetes...given a prescription...then wait for an appointment...leave the surgery almost in the dark...wondering what on earth we are supposed to do...you can come here for guidance...advice...support at any time...ask what questions you need to...keep us updated...don't worry too much at this stage...it does/can get better.
 
Hi Hev, welcome to the forum. You're fortunate in finding this place so quickly after diagnosis, as you will find oodles of information and support here. Unfortunately it's often the case that people are given a few leaflets and left in the dark to get on with it.

Good advice already given by people above, so I'll just say try not to panic(!), take your time and have a browse around the forum, and let us know a bit more about yourself. People here are very friendly and you can ask any questions you like as someone is bound to have an answer 🙂
 
Hello Hev and welcome to the forum. 🙂
 
Hello everyone, thank you all so much for responding and welcoming me to this forum.
Bubbsie, I was diagnosed a few weeks ago. I was was told that my blood sugar level was high when I decided to have a Health Check. It was 104 not that I understood what that meant. Just high. I have seen the Diabetic Nurse and was given some leaflets. Had my feet pricked and blood taken. Advised at some point that there will be a day course on Diabetes and that was it. I felt quite lonely. The more I read about Diabetes, the more depressed I feel. I dread the worse. No medication was given because apparently one has to try to manage it with the way one eats which is going to be hard because I am an emotional eater.
How are you and others managing?
 
Hev62 said:
Hello everyone, thank you all so much for responding and welcoming me to this forum.
Bubbsie, I was diagnosed a few weeks ago. I was was told that my blood sugar level was high when I decided to have a Health Check. It was 104 not that I understood what that meant. Just high. I have seen the Diabetic Nurse and was given some leaflets. Had my feet pricked and blood taken. Advised at some point that there will be a day course on Diabetes and that was it. I felt quite lonely. The more I read about Diabetes, the more depressed I feel. I dread the worse. No medication was given because apparently one has to try to manage it with the way one eats which is going to be hard because I am an emotional eater.
How are you and others managing?
Click to expand...
That is difficult I too tend to be an emotional eater too. I try to have more good days than bad.
 
It is difficult in the beginning but we overcome a lot of things.
I saw it as a life style change and not a diet to bring down my levels.
I went and researched about my condition as the nurse and GP left me confused big time
The day course will be on management and diet of your diabetes. I found mine a waste of time as it was the eat well plate that I was already following and my levels where high all the time till I changed things.
What works for one doesn't work for another so you have to test before and after meals to see what spikes you or not.
Look at the thread of what I ate yesterday for ideas and the thread on your full day levels ask folks what they are eating and what they do to achieve theses to bring those levels down Don't be shy and ask.
 
Hi Hev62
Since being diagnosed and coming on the forum 10 months ago I have had nothing but good friendly advice from everyone, so please don't feel alone because you are not. The members are great and so knowledgeable. I too was not told a lot and I followed the linked advice other forum members had given me about controlling blood sugars. I also did a lot of research and found that when I went on the course it was based at a very low intellectual and knowledge of diabetes level ( sorry if that sounds snobbish) but I didn't really learn anything new. I hope that your experience will be better. I also found that every time I read a new resource I learnt something new, so keep reading and learning, good luck.
 
It might take some time for you to go though the system and get all the checks done, but they will get done on a regular basis from now on.
I use a meter to check my BG levels from time to time, but now that I am over 6 months from diagnosis I have a good idea of how my levels are affected by particular foods. I don't need to take tablets as my numbers are normal. I checked several times a day when I was first diagnosed, before eating and two hours afterwards, so I could adapt what I ate in order to keep my levels low and increases no more than two whole numbers.
 
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Hev62 said:
Hello everyone, thank you all so much for responding and welcoming me to this forum.
Bubbsie, I was diagnosed a few weeks ago. I was was told that my blood sugar level was high when I decided to have a Health Check. It was 104 not that I understood what that meant. Just high. I have seen the Diabetic Nurse and was given some leaflets. Had my feet pricked and blood taken. Advised at some point that there will be a day course on Diabetes and that was it. I felt quite lonely. The more I read about Diabetes, the more depressed I feel. I dread the worse. No medication was given because apparently one has to try to manage it with the way one eats which is going to be hard because I am an emotional eater.
How are you and others managing?
Click to expand...
Hi Hev...somehow missed this reply...just suddenly got madly busy...okay...so at the moment no medication to control/manage your diabetes...that is not unusual...many members here do control their condition with diet & exercise alone reasonably well...however that could be subject to change...the checks for diabetes are reasonably standard...the foot pricks...usually every year...in addition to an annual eye screening...not surprised you feel isolated...I felt exactly the same shortly after my diagnosis...it is such a life changing event...I see you've been reading...apart from the forum one of the other best sources of information I found (recommended here) is a book by Gretchen Becker...Type 2 Diabetes The First Year...herself a diabetic...who takes you through her first year month by month...answers so many of our questions...how...why...explains the relevance of testing your blood...the emotional effect a diagnosis can have...and much more...I would highly recommend it...try to get a copy...your levels at 104 are high...but with some work you can bring those down...ironically since my diagnosis (devastating at the time)...I take better care of myself than I have done for years...feel better...it can take time to come to terms with diabetes...we're all different...some manage that faster than others...you will get there...honestly...carry on asking questions...as many as you need to...we've all been where you are at some point or another...take your time...don't rush...you need to find a routine that suits you...one that's sustainable long term...good luck...keep us updated.
 
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