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Newbie now taking diabetes seriously...

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

Ap0llo

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello... I’ve joined to improve my understanding and management of my Type 2. I’ve never really had any symptoms so when I was first diagnosed 4 years ago, I didn’t think anything of it. The MF side effects weren’t great and I just stopped. I was stupid. I know my ignorance to the dangers of poor food choices have got me here... I’m genuinely worried now. About to start the 8-week Blood Sugar Diet having read the book. I know I put myself here. But I’m also struggling with management. The diabetes nurse hasn’t been generous with the information and I’m just told I am poorly managing my diabetes. I’m taking the medication and that’s as much as they told me. I’m learning from various sources more and more. And checking my blood to monitor where and when it spikes to I can eliminate things from my diet. It seems high. On 4 MF a day and 90 min post meal readings coming up between 10-12 mmol/L - I’ve just found out about the control solutions for the meters and wonder if I should check my meter or whether that reading is actually a sign of no improvements despite the increase of MF.

Anyway - looking forward to getting some tips and learning more.
 
Welcome to the forum!
The metformin alone will not make a big difference to your readings, what you are eating is more important. Are you still on the standard metformin, or have they changed you to the slow/extended release version? The horrible side effects are much less for most people on these.
 
silentsquirrel said:
Welcome to the forum!
The metformin alone will not make a big difference to your readings, what you are eating is more important. Are you still on the standard metformin, or have they changed you to the slow/extended release version? The horrible side effects are much less for most people on these.
Click to expand...

Hello, I’m on the slow-release now. My last HbA1c was 74. I’m concerned they want to put me on insulin. This result followed my joining Slimming World. The weight came off but the ‘low-fat’ yoghurts and fruit, must have, I assume, been my downward spiral. I’m more of a savoury person and have never had a sweet tooth really so I can only assume it was the high sugar in these so-called ‘low-fat’ products. I’m off SW now and trying to look at nutrition for diabetes. I want to do it with diet. And I now realise this is crucial.

I’m cutting down on strachy carbs and starting (this week) the 8-week blood sugar diet to try and get some control on it.

Thank you for your reply
 
SW is the very pinnacle of a diet not for type 2. In fact it’s so bad I think they should be forced to turn anyone T2 away. It’s not just the fruit and the Miller yoghurts (up to 6 a day IIRC), it’s the ‘free’ pasta and potatoes too.

Have been happily putting people right on the DM SW article today, it was cheering to see how many others were saying the same. Seems like carbs have had their day.
 
Madeline said:
SW is the very pinnacle of a diet not for type 2. In fact it’s so bad I think they should be forced to turn anyone T2 away. It’s not just the fruit and the Miller yoghurts (up to 6 a day IIRC), it’s the ‘free’ pasta and potatoes too.

Have been happily putting people right on the DM SW article today, it was cheering to see how many others were saying the same. Seems like carbs have had their day.
Click to expand...

I agree... it’s done me no favours, other than the weight loss, but it’s just like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The group leader said I would be fine... they shouldn’t be allowed to give the green light. Mind you; I guess I should’ve known better.
 
Ap0llo said:
I agree... it’s done me no favours, other than the weight loss, but it’s just like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The group leader said I would be fine... they shouldn’t be allowed to give the green light. Mind you; I guess I should’ve known better.
Click to expand...
They lied.
Basically diabetics cannot cope with carbohydrates - but people like the bread maker down the road from me are perfectly happy to tell us that their product is fine, eat all you want - there is no come back on them when the complications kick in.
Count the carbs, avoid high carb foods, measure blood glucose - it will mean low readings, normal Hba1c and for the lucky ones, diabetes becoming irrelevant.
 
As @Drummer says , it’s the carbs that need to be cur out for us T2 diabetics, and if you carrying excess weight lose it as soon as you can..
 
As said, if you are carrying any excess weight, lose it as quickly as possible.
The 8 week blood sugar diet is the ideal starting point.
 
Ap0llo said:
Hello... I’ve joined to improve my understanding and management of my Type 2. I’ve never really had any symptoms so when I was first diagnosed 4 years ago, I didn’t think anything of it. The MF side effects weren’t great and I just stopped. I was stupid. I know my ignorance to the dangers of poor food choices have got me here... I’m genuinely worried now. About to start the 8-week Blood Sugar Diet having read the book. I know I put myself here. But I’m also struggling with management. The diabetes nurse hasn’t been generous with the information and I’m just told I am poorly managing my diabetes. I’m taking the medication and that’s as much as they told me. I’m learning from various sources more and more. And checking my blood to monitor where and when it spikes to I can eliminate things from my diet. It seems high. On 4 MF a day and 90 min post meal readings coming up between 10-12 mmol/L - I’ve just found out about the control solutions for the meters and wonder if I should check my meter or whether that reading is actually a sign of no improvements despite the increase of MF.

Anyway - looking forward to getting some tips and learning more.
Click to expand...

This sounds so familiar to me. I was diagnosed a little under a year ago, I've had 2 appointments with a diabetic nurse which were all at least 6 months ago, I'm taking metformin (when I remember) but have otherwise carried on as if nothing has happened and am only now this week realising the severity of the situation and that I've been burying my head in the sand. I can't tell you what my last blood test results showed as I don't do any self testing. I haven't been told/asked to. I'm not one for New year's resolutions but have promised myself I will will make me a priority and address the situation before I cause any irreversible damage.
 
From the moment I was diagnosed I went back to low carb - which has been the ideal diet for me, and have never looked back. I have lost weight and have normal blood glucose tests. That has been the case for 18 months now and with all the publicity about eating low carb I am surprised that poor information is still so prevalent.
 
Drummer said:
From the moment I was diagnosed I went back to low carb - which has been the ideal diet for me, and have never looked back. I have lost weight and have normal blood glucose tests. That has been the case for 18 months now and with all the publicity about eating low carb I am surprised that poor information is still so prevalent.
Click to expand...

So am I. I was diagnosed and told to take MF. Nobody said a thing about how to manage it. I found out myself about the 10k step challenge by the NHS and mentioned it to the diabetes nurse. She told me not to bother as it was unrealistic. Both nurses I have had, told me that I had to accept this was a lifetime illness and that I will always need medication. And one of the following appointments I went in with questions about the research that diet could reverse it. Again they told me I had to accept my diagnosis and offered little nutritional advice apart from ‘no more chocolate’ (I don’t eat chocolate) and ‘stay away from fatty foods’. That was it. Since I’ve been researching and reading - it’s just made me angry. How could the nurse approve my joining SW. When it’s the worse thing I could’ve done I’ve since heard. She could’ve even given an advisory and told me to watch the low-fat items.

Following the weight loss my sugars spiked and they told me off. They said I am poorly managing my diabetes. I was doing all the things they asked. I turned up for appointments, took my MF and cut back on fats and sugar. But I now know that information was wrong. And now, as equal as the drive to be rid of diabetes or normalise my levels is the determination to prove them wrong. My sugar levels are now lower and it’s no thanks to them. It’s been forums and research and documentaries and lots of piecing together what having diabetes means. More than anything, it’s been understanding what I need to eat and when! Others may have better experiences. But mine have been awful. Onwards and upwards.
 
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