Another new member

[Rez]

Hello everyone 🙂

I just joined today and popped in to say hi.

I'm recently diagnosed type 2 and still have very little idea about any of the figures I'm being told. As far as I understand it, I believe my Hba1c was 131, but the card I was given has loads of numbers and percentages and most of it doesn't make much sense at the minute. I'm still in the researching everything and going round in circles stage.

I've been testing my blood for the past week or so, along with a major diet change and extra exercise. My mother was type 2, so I'm assuming by what I read that that might be the main contributing factor to my own. I had no real symptoms that are usually associated with diabetes and I thought I got enough exercise, but a little more never hurts eh? 🙂
Another thing that I was slightly ignorant to was the amount of carbs I ate. I always assumed I was eating healthily with things like fish, chicken & such, but it turns out that battered/breadcrumb coated fish, chicken nuggets & chicken burgers aren't really ideal. I was also brought up to believe that a glass of fresh (not from concentrate) juice with breakfast was good for me... apparently that's not the case either. It's all so confusing and I am having to adjust to eating things other than what I have always thought to be healthy foods.

Anyway, enough of all that, you've probably heard all this a million times. I got carried away with this "Hi" message. 🙂

I'm sure I'll catch up around the forum.

Nice to meet you all.

 

[Kezza1970]

Hi ... Also a newbie and also in a bit of a whirlwind myself .. it is all very " Argh " ... But I am assured that it all gets easier .. Here's hoping 🙂 I guess it's a fabulous excuse to actually take proper care of ourselves ... Well that's what I keep telling myself ;-)

 

[Drummer]

Wow - that really is high - I was told I was bad at Hba1c of 91.
The good news is that 80 days later I was no longer in the diabetic range, and that I did it by eating a low carb diet.
It really makes me smile most ruefully when I see things marked as 100% chicken breast or 100 percent prime beef when on the back it shows a hefty dollop of carbs.
Fruit juice is just sugar water, I'm afraid - yes with vitamins - but you'd be better off with a fizzy vitamin and mineral tablet dropped into a glass of tapwater.
Type two diabetics can usually get very good results eating meals based of protein and fat, with low carb veges as a stirfry or salad - drop back to normal levels eating that and then add in a few berries and cream. Coffee with cream is usually a better idea than with milk - which is sugary.
All the brown or wholemeal starches are just about as bad for a type two diabetic as any other sort of carb.
It is not really very complicated, once you can accept that all the advice about eating carbohydrates no longer applies - and that the concept of fats being bad is looking very iffy.
As you are testing you might find some foods you can eat in small amounts without causing spikes - porridge is one some can eat and some can't. I am slightly unlucky in that I have to avoid all carb dense foods, but it does remove all doubt and uncertainty. I eat meat fish and shellfish, cheese and eggs, and a lot of salad.

 

[SueEK]

Hi Rez and welcome. I was diagnosed in Jan with a finger prick test of 20.3 (365), I have struggled with cutting out some foods but 3 months on my HbA1c was 51 so I was chuffed and it just shows how the hard work pays off. It does take a time to adjust and to find out what foods suit you best. Certainly we all know what a shock and how overwhelming it can seem first of all. Have a good look at the different posts, there’s so much useful information and advice and feel free to ask anything want, there is always someone who can help.

 

[Rez]

Hi ... Also a newbie and also in a bit of a whirlwind myself .. it is all very " Argh " ... But I am assured that it all gets easier .. Here's hoping 🙂 I guess it's a fabulous excuse to actually take proper care of ourselves ... Well that's what I keep telling myself ;-)

Hi there, Kezza.
Yes, it's all a lot to take in, but you're right about it being a good excuse to take care of ourselves. I'm annoyed with myself though that I had to be diagnosed as diabetic to give me the kick up the butt to what I should've done before. It is what it is though and I'm not being too hard on myself because things change and some of it isn't really anything we could do anything about. Since a child I've heard one minute "This is good for you", then the following year "This is bad for you". I'm still hearing it now, how things that were supposed to be good aren't particularly and things that were always bad, again, aren't as bad as 'they' said previously.

All that aside, it's nice to meet you and while I don't know much about any of this, feel free to just chat any time. 🙂

Wow - that really is high - I was told I was bad at Hba1c of 91.
The good news is that 80 days later I was no longer in the diabetic range, and that I did it by eating a low carb diet.
It really makes me smile most ruefully when I see things marked as 100% chicken breast or 100 percent prime beef when on the back it shows a hefty dollop of carbs.
Fruit juice is just sugar water, I'm afraid - yes with vitamins - but you'd be better off with a fizzy vitamin and mineral tablet dropped into a glass of tapwater.
Type two diabetics can usually get very good results eating meals based of protein and fat, with low carb veges as a stirfry or salad - drop back to normal levels eating that and then add in a few berries and cream. Coffee with cream is usually a better idea than with milk - which is sugary.
All the brown or wholemeal starches are just about as bad for a type two diabetic as any other sort of carb.
It is not really very complicated, once you can accept that all the advice about eating carbohydrates no longer applies - and that the concept of fats being bad is looking very iffy.
As you are testing you might find some foods you can eat in small amounts without causing spikes - porridge is one some can eat and some can't. I am slightly unlucky in that I have to avoid all carb dense foods, but it does remove all doubt and uncertainty. I eat meat fish and shellfish, cheese and eggs, and a lot of salad.

Hello Drummer.
I was told that mine was pretty high, but I have spoken to people who have it higher, which makes me feel a bit better, even though it probably shouldn't.
Today I had my first 'normal' range reading since being diagnosed, which was nice. I have been on a bit of a mission, so hoping it's actually making a difference.

Regarding the wholemeal stuff, there is an example of what I was talking about, even the doctor told me that that is better than white. They said that wholemeal pasta, rice, bread etc is definitely better than white. So, this is where my confusion comes from. The nurse did say that the best way is just to experiment a little and see how I react to various things.
It's just about relearning from what I can see.
Thank you for the tips, any help is always welcome.

 

[Rez]

Hi Rez and welcome. I was diagnosed in Jan with a finger prick test of 20.3 (365), I have struggled with cutting out some foods but 3 months on my HbA1c was 51 so I was chuffed and it just shows how the hard work pays off. It does take a time to adjust and to find out what foods suit you best. Certainly we all know what a shock and how overwhelming it can seem first of all. Have a good look at the different posts, there’s so much useful information and advice and feel free to ask anything want, there is always someone who can help.

Hello Sue.
Thank you. it is very encouraging to hear people dealing with it well and getting the results down. I'm very pleased for you. 🙂

I've only looked at a couple of threads so far, but I can see there is a lot of information here, which is great.

 

[Kezza1970]

I am so glad I found this place ... It has made me feel better already .... It's always good to talk to people who know exactly what it feels like ... ;-)

 

[merrymunky]

Welcome. I was diagnosed in January and through reduction of some of the nasty carbs and sugars I’m down from 75 to 55.

It can be done with carful adaptation and enough exercise. Good luck!

 

[Rez]

I am so glad I found this place ... It has made me feel better already .... It's always good to talk to people who know exactly what it feels like ... ;-)

I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better already. It definitely helps to speak to people who are not just advising you as professionals because it's their job, but people who are in the same boat and who can speak from experience. I'm not saying the professionals don't care, or don't give good advice, but it's different, isn't it? 🙂

 

[Rez]

Welcome. I was diagnosed in January and through reduction of some of the nasty carbs and sugars I’m down from 75 to 55.

It can be done with carful adaptation and enough exercise. Good luck!

Hi there. I don't know whether to address you as Merry (which makes you sound like a hobbit), or Munky
Good to hear that you're getting it down & thank you for the encouragement. 🙂

 

[Docb]

Hi Rez. Looks like your nurse is a bit more sensible than your doctor. Treasure her, she should be your friend. Any wheat product, white, brown or sky blue pink is not good for me and I found that by experiment.

 

[Rez]

Hi Rez. Looks like your nurse is a bit more sensible than your doctor. Treasure her, she should be your friend. Any wheat product, white, brown or sky blue pink is not good for me and I found that by experiment.

Hello there.
Thanks for the advice. I'm monitoring it closely as recommended. I'm hoping it won't be too long before it's all clear what does & doesn't agree with me.

 

[merrymunky]

Hi there. I don't know whether to address you as Merry (which makes you sound like a hobbit), or Munky
Good to hear that you're getting it down & thank you for the encouragement. 🙂

Either/or will do! I am obsessed with LOTR and all things Middle Earth but that’s not where the name originated from.

My actual name is Emma so...you have options!

 

[trophywench]

The figure at diagnosis really doesn't matter - the ONLY thing that matters right now is starting to get it down!

 

[Rez]

Either/or will do! I am obsessed with LOTR and all things Middle Earth but that’s not where the name originated from.

My actual name is Emma so...you have options!

Thank you, Emma. 🙂

I'm a LOTR fan too, but wouldn't say I'm obsessed. I read the book when I was quite young and was happy that they didn't ruin it for me with the film. Do you have figures & posters & such then? I had a large, foil style map of Middle Earth on the wall, but that's as far as it went for me.

 

[Rez]

The figure at diagnosis really doesn't matter - the ONLY thing that matters right now is starting to get it down!

Hello Jenny, nice to meet you.
I've started. 🙂

 

[Drummer]

Perhaps there is a stone tablet somewhere with 'wholemeal is good for you' carved into it an inch deep or more, and another with 'don't hand out meters to type twos' - before which health care professionals are made to worship - by getting hold of meters and testing type two diabetics are reversing, negating or at least reducing the problems they have with diabetes - if they are lucky.
When faced with my own results my doctor added NFA to my notes and I have not seen him since.

 

[trophywench]

Good! Now have a read of this please, to do it in a structured way and learn a lot more, more easily.

https://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

 

[Rez]

Good! Now have a read of this please, to do it in a structured way and learn a lot more, more easily.

https://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

That's an interesting & helpful read, thank you for the link.

This part - "The so-called "heart-healthy" Breakfasts are NOT for most type 2's" stood out (among other parts of course) to me as I am struggling with breakfast at the moment. I'll find something suitable eventually.

Thanks again. 🙂

 

[trophywench]

If it's any help - Alan Shanley (writer of Test, Review, Adjust) swears by dry frying a rasher of bacon and frying an egg in the released fat. He hasn't yet died of heart trouble. He's also very physically active.