• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Feeling Overwhelmed

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

Tanyam82

Member
I was diagnosed around 6 weeks ago and I am feeling overwhelmed. I have spent the last couple of weeks in denial and still eating what I like. If I try to follow a more friendly diet I seem to have a blank when it comes to food and it very plain stuff which I soon get bored of. Food has always been something I enjoy and I'm just struggling with the changes. How can I get myself out of this hole
 
Tanyam82 said:
I was diagnosed around 6 weeks ago and I am feeling overwhelmed. I have spent the last couple of weeks in denial and still eating what I like. If I try to follow a more friendly diet I seem to have a blank when it comes to food and it very plain stuff which I soon get bored of. Food has always been something I enjoy and I'm just struggling with the changes. How can I get myself out of this hole
Click to expand...
Hi Tanyam,
Have you had a look in the recipes section on here? There's no reason why your food needs to be plain. what sort of things do you like eating? Often it's just about making a few sensible substitutions and doing it gradually rather than thinking you can't have something.
 
Hello ..and welcome!

When I was Dx'd ..my physician asked me to go on an initial ✻diet and exercise✻ regimen for a 6 week-or-so ✻probationary period✻ ..are you still presently in that phase of treatment?
 
Tanyam82 said:
I was diagnosed around 6 weeks ago and I am feeling overwhelmed. I have spent the last couple of weeks in denial and still eating what I like. If I try to follow a more friendly diet I seem to have a blank when it comes to food and it very plain stuff which I soon get bored of. Food has always been something I enjoy and I'm just struggling with the changes. How can I get myself out of this hole
Click to expand...
Hi Tanyam82, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis :( However, although diabetes is a serious condition it can be managed well, you just need to understand how things work and how to make changes that your body can tolerate well. This will probably entail changes to your diet, but there's no reason why you should end up feeling deprived, there are lots of alternatives to things that you can try, and your diet does not need to become boring and restrictive 🙂
.
How did your diagnosis come about, and have you been given any medication to help you with it? Is there any history of diabetes in your family? The first thing to bear in mind is that diabetes is mainly to do with the carbohydrates you consume and how your body responds to them, so things like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, as well as sugary things or things baked with flour will all have an impact on your blood sugar levels - sugar is just another form of carbohydrate, and in fact white bread is generally worse for you than table sugar - although both are going to raise your levels!

I'd suggest starting by reading Maggie Davey's letter, which should help put you in the picture and give you some ideas of how to choose food that is likely to help you with your blood sugar control. Have you been given a meter and test strips so that you can test your reactions to the different things you eat? People's tolerances can vary considerably, so it's important to know how you react personally so you can decide whether it's something you can retain in your diet, or whether you need to reduce or replace it. For example, some people are fine with porridge in the mornings, but others find it sends their levels high - same food, different reaction! Using a blood glucose meter is really the only way you can make informed decisions about how food choices affect you. There's no need to ditch things that you enjoy if they have little impact on your blood sugar levels. I'd recommend reading Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S in order to understand how testing works and can help you. If you don't have a meter and strips the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50 - this compares with around £30 for 50 strips for most High St brands.

Don't be afraid to experiment, and do have a browse of our food and recipes section - there are lots of ideas there for things that are kinder on your blood sugar levels than the 'ordinary' things - cauliflower rice, courgetti spaghetti, sweet potatoes or cauliflower mash, plus low carbohydrate versions of many things.

Also, regular exercise will really help you to manage you blood sugar levels, so find something you enjoy and set yourself a goal - you don't have to go and spend hours down the gym, just a brisk half hour walk each day, if possible, would really help 🙂

It's perfectly understandable that you are feeling down - it is a lot to take in and can be overwhelming, so take things one step at a time and always come here and ask questions if you are unsure of anything or have any concerns - we will be more than happy to help 🙂
 
Last edited:
Tanyam82 said:
I was diagnosed around 6 weeks ago and I am feeling overwhelmed. I have spent the last couple of weeks in denial and still eating what I like. If I try to follow a more friendly diet I seem to have a blank when it comes to food and it very plain stuff which I soon get bored of. Food has always been something I enjoy and I'm just struggling with the changes. How can I get myself out of this hole
Click to expand...
Are you type one or type 2 or other ????
 
Hi there Tanyam82 and welcome to the club. I was diagnosed in June and am right there with you on the denial - I think many of us have been through that phase. For me it was (and still occasionally is) followed by "why me" self pity, so don't feel that you are alone in feeling overwhelmed, we've all been there. Do follow Northerner's advice about testing, I found it was the way to get started with actually beginning some understanding of how my body was dealing with carbs, and you will soon get the hang of what works for you. You have made a great step forward by joining this group - I have found that everyone is endlessly patient with my "beginners" questions and support from fellow "Ds" is here for you 24/7.
 
Hi Tanyam82.

I understand completely where you're coming from. I was diagnosed just over 3 weeks ago and have spent a large chunk of it staring at foods that I don't think I'll ever be able to eat again. Very fortunately, I love bacon and am at least pleased that I don't have to give it up. While I'm constantly surprised at how many things have carbs in, I think that going cold turkey this early into a diagnosis is probably not helpful at all. So I'm not cutting anything out completely yet until I know I have to, so maybe you shouldn't either. Definitely cut down on your carb levels, but still have a bit to satisfy.
 
Beck S said:
Hi Tanyam82.

I understand completely where you're coming from. I was diagnosed just over 3 weeks ago and have spent a large chunk of it staring at foods that I don't think I'll ever be able to eat again. Very fortunately, I love bacon and am at least pleased that I don't have to give it up. While I'm constantly surprised at how many things have carbs in, I think that going cold turkey this early into a diagnosis is probably not helpful at all. So I'm not cutting anything out completely yet until I know I have to, so maybe you shouldn't either. Definitely cut down on your carb levels, but still have a bit to satisfy.
Click to expand...
Yes - it is a good idea to write a food diary, recording how many grams of carbs are in all the things you eat and drink each day - you can use information on packaging, or use a book like the Collins Gem Carb Counter to find out the values. This will give you a good indication of your daily carbohydrate consumption, and also help identify areas where you might lower the carb count by reducing or replacing items 🙂 Using this, alongside a testing regime, will help you to retain maximum flexibility in your diet and understand how things affect you 🙂
 
I use My Fitness Pal, I'd used it before and as it has quite a huge database for foods, and I find it easy to scan stuff when I'm out with my phone. Plus its easy to have an overview of my carbs, fats and proteins.
 
Beck S said:
I use My Fitness Pal, I'd used it before and as it has quite a huge database for foods, and I find it easy to scan stuff when I'm out with my phone. Plus its easy to have an overview of my carbs, fats and proteins.
Click to expand...
I've yet to get used to these new-fangled app thingies! 🙂
 
Northerner said:
I've yet to get used to these new-fangled app thingies! 🙂
Click to expand...
I'll try an app for most things!! I can access my account on my pc as well, so I can search for foods on there when I am planning my meals in advance. I know you can do it with the book, but I like my gadgety tech!
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top