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Hi Everyone, I'm Lesley. I was diagnosed with Type 2 15 months ago but sadly I am still not managing my diabetes very well

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Lesley Brandon

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi Everyone, I'm Lesley and I was diagnosed with Type 2 fifteen months ago but sadlyI am still not managing my diabetes very well due to other caring commitments to my family and the enormous anxiety this brings. Tonight I have decided to take the bull by the horns and go for it in every way possible as I am very scared and worried about the possible consequences for me and my family.
 
Hi Lesley, there’s loads of information on here, but push yourself up, your to do list. Sounds like you are moving in the right direction.
 
Hello Lesley
Welcome to the forum, and so good to hear that you are going to try priorities looking after yourself and your diabetes.
It is always a hard thing to do, particularly when you are caring for others and have the added anxieties of these difficult times.
But by looking after yourself you will be in a far better situation to help others.

It would be helpful if you could tell us about your diabetes - are you taking any medication, and what was your latest blood glucose reading? Do you use a blood glucose meter?

I'm not sure if you have a plan on how you will approach this but there are 3 main things that will help you:
Firstly, healthy eating, and the right solution for you to lower your blood sugars, and if you are overweight, loosing weight will help a lot. Secondly increasing exercise, and thirdly medication, which you may have been prescribed.

The Learning Zone which has a link at the top of the page is a good place to get more information
There are several options on diet but many of us on the forum find that Low-Carb way of eating is a good solution.
Maggie Davey's letter, shows how this lady approached the problem.
If you are considering getting a glucose meter then SD Gluco Navii is one that many people use, and test-review-adjust gives information on how to go about testing.

Please let us know about any particular things you would like to know about.
Please also let us know how it goes, and we will try to help and support you.
 
Agree with Toucan but would change one thing. That is that "healthy eating" for somebody trying to control blood glucose may be quite different to "healthy eating" for somebody trying to control some other health problem. Unfortunately, the term "healthy" has crept into advertising speak and can mean different things to different people.

Where toucan is absolutely right is that what you eat can have significant effects on your blood glucose and understanding this can be a key factor in getting your blood glucose under control. There is plenty of material on here talking about the principles and pit falls in working out the best diet for you so start reading and come back with questions about anything you do not understand.

As a carer myself I know that getting my diabetes under control has given me one less thing to think about, allowing me to be a better carer.
 
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Welcome to the forum Lesley from a fellow T2.
 
Hello Lesley and welcome to the forum. I don't manage mine very well either ... or at all really. 🙂
 
Hey, Lesley and welcome to the forum. I'm glad you have come to terms with prioritising managing your Type 2 Diabetes.
If you have any questions feel free to ask away.
 
I’m quite new in here, diagnosed after a heart attack just over 4 months ago. There’s just so much support and good advice in this forum and on the DUK website.

Some of the best advice is test, test, test. Keep a diary of what you eat and measure your BG before and then 1 and 2 hours after eating. That’s 9 times in the day! But after a while you’ll know what you can and what you shouldn’t eat. You can then play some tunes with your food whilst keeping your carb intake down.

You can do it.
 
Welcome Lesley

Good for you putting your own health first, its important to value yourself this way.

Wishing you every success with your new found good management of your Diabetes 🙂
 
welcome to the forum @Lesley Brandon

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but it‘s great that you have recognised that you need to focus a little more attention on your own health. That is a really important step, and you shouldnt underestimate how effective it can be simply to realise that things need to change. And then to act on it.

Try not to be anxious (far easier said than done I know!). Worry and anxiety can be paralysing and can prevent you from taking effective action. Recognise that while serious, diabetes is a condition that CAN usually be managed well with a few adjustments and adaptations. that changes dont have to happen all at once, and that a gradual, phased approach is often better for the body. Just take things one step at a time (the test-review-adjust advice suggested above is a great way of examining individual meals and gradually tweaking your menu to give better BG outcomes).

You might also find Gretchen Becker’s book about T2 a very helpful overview, written in a clear and accessible style

First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (Marlowe Diabetes Library): Amazon.co.uk: Becker, Gretchen: 9780738218601: Books

Buy First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (Marlowe Diabetes Library) Illustrated by Becker, Gretchen (ISBN: 9780738218601) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk

Most of all... keep asking questions! We have lots of experienced and friendly folks here with decades (centuries!) of life lived alongside diabetes 🙂
 
Hi Lesley it took me a while to realise that carbohydrates were as important as sugar
In diabetes control. I went on an eight week course advised by my GP which greatly
Increased my knowledge ask if there is one in your area it’s very helpful
 
Lesley Brandon said:
Hi Everyone, I'm Lesley and I was diagnosed with Type 2 fifteen months ago but sadlyI am still not managing my diabetes very well due to other caring commitments to my family and the enormous anxiety this brings. Tonight I have decided to take the bull by the horns and go for it in every way possible as I am very scared and worried about the possible consequences for me and my family.
Click to expand...
You are definitely at the right place. Simple advice ask as many questions as need Ask them again and again if needs be. There is lots to take in and it takes time.
 
Toucan said:
Hello Lesley
Welcome to the forum, and so good to hear that you are going to try priorities looking after yourself and your diabetes.
It is always a hard thing to do, particularly when you are caring for others and have the added anxieties of these difficult times.
But by looking after yourself you will be in a far better situation to help others.

It would be helpful if you could tell us about your diabetes - are you taking any medication, and what was your latest blood glucose reading? Do you use a blood glucose meter?

I'm not sure if you have a plan on how you will approach this but there are 3 main things that will help you:
Firstly, healthy eating, and the right solution for you to lower your blood sugars, and if you are overweight, loosing weight will help a lot. Secondly increasing exercise, and thirdly medication, which you may have been prescribed.

The Learning Zone which has a link at the top of the page is a good place to get more information
There are several options on diet but many of us on the forum find that Low-Carb way of eating is a good solution.
Maggie Davey's letter, shows how this lady approached the problem.
If you are considering getting a glucose meter then SD Gluco Navii is one that many people use, and test-review-adjust gives information on how to go about testing.

Please let us know about any particular things you would like to know about.
Please also let us know how it goes, and we will try to help and support you.
Click to expand...

Hi

Thank you for such a supportive response.

In answer to your questions, Yes I am on medication. I'm on Losartan Potassium which I take once a day for blood pressure and Metformin twice a day. I do also have a blood glucose monitor (True Metrix). My last reading was 12.6MMOL/L but I have only been doing this intermittently but I want to start doing it once before each meal and twice after when I can get more lances.

I know I need to move about more, something out of my comfort zone to push myself as I am overweight but not obese.

I am trying to maintain a low-carb diet.
 
Have to say Lesley - if it's only you using the machine and especially before and after the same meal, it may not be necessary to use a new lancet every time you bodge your finger - mind you normally when they get blunt they ruddy hurt.
 
I don‘t change my lancets every time either. Thereks a long running joke that PWD change lancets annually on St Swithin’s Day (whether they need to or not) :D
 
I think it is New Year's day that I change my lancet just because I can't remember the date of St Swithin's 😉 . The vast majority of the time I don't wash my hands before testing either 😱, but I do always wipe away the first drop of blood and test the second.
We are such bad role models here on this forum, but we mostly achieve pretty good diabetes management despite that!
 
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