complete newby with questions

[BeardedBlind]

Hi everyone, completely new to diabetes as only just been diagnosed. I must admit, I'm a little confused. As you can imagine, I've been researching the heck out of it since I heard the news. I seem to be finding a lot of conflicting views/opinions. When I look at facebook groups and such, most of what I see is sadness for foods we can't eat anymore, or how awful it is to live with diabetes. My diabetic nurse made it sound like as long as I tested regularly, kept up with insulin and didn't go mad, I wouldn't have to actually give stuff up, maybe just cut down and eat a generally healthier diet than I did before. For some reference, I was diagnosed with diabetes due to side effects of a kidney transplant, so not particularly due to my lifestyle or anything. I'm finding it tricky to know what to believe, I mean, if any of the facebook groups are to be believed, I'm never eating chips ever again! Not that I would particularly care, but you get my point. I also noticed that the vast majority of these sorts of opinions were coming from americans, (maybe the process is different over there?) I don't know. I suppose I just want to know what to expect, I obviously know every case is different. at the moment i'm only on a very small amount of insolin, 2 units with each meal and 6 for my 24 hour one, and things will be a bit different once that dose is changed and I learn to manage it more myself. But even then, my nurse told me that it was about adapting the dose to what you were eating, rather than cutting things out of your diet completely!
Just a bit confused and would welcome any and all views on this.

thanks

Rob

 

[ColinUK]

Hi Rob,
And welcome to the forum.
It’s clearly daunting being diagnosed as it’s an awful lot to process but this forum is great because it’s people with real lived experience so we learn from each other.
I should say I’m not on insulin so I’ll wait for one of the others to come along and offer more directly relevant advice/suggestions etc but to start them off can you tell us a little bit more about you?
Do you know you HbA1C levels for example?
And the names of the insulin you’re injecting?

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum. Diagnosis is a shock for many people though many will have has warning signs that they ignored in the hope it would go away.
Many of the things you will read can seem conflicting because some will refer to the sort of lifestyle changes people will need to make because they will have been diagnosed with Type 2 which is a very different condition to Type 1 which will almost certainly require insulin. That regime may vary between individuals and the approach their diabetic clinic or GP has in managing those diagnosed. In any event you should have the back up of a diabetic specialist in the early days following diagnosis as your regime may need to be adjusted.
I expect you will get some replies for those who are more familiar with Type 1 regimes.

 

[helli]

Welcome to the forum (and the T1 club),

With T1 most of us manage it by continuing to eat the same "healthy" food someone without diabetes would eat and then dosing for it with insulin. Some people with type 2 (and a few with Type 1) chose to manage their condition with low carb diet.

I eat what I want and do a reasonable job of managing my diabetes so I agree with your nurse. In the early days, you will have fixed doses but over time you will learn how to calculate the dose with carb counting and some adaptations on timing based on the type of food.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @BeardedBlind 🙂 Lots of the time when you see random stuff about diabetes online or in the newspapers, it’s actually talking about Type 2 not Type 1. Type 2 is a very different condition to Type 1 so always bear that in mind.

The recommended diet for Type 1s is the same healthy diet recommended for everyone - low sugar, low salt, low fat, plenty of fibre, etc. When I was diagnosed, I was told the only thing I had to avoid was full sugar drinks unless I was treating a hypo or using them as a glucose boost before exercise.

Type 1 is an auto-immune condition. We have to replace the insulin our bodies no longer make. We have to get our basal/slow insulin at the right dose, and also calculate our bolus/meal insulin dose according to the carbs we’re about to eat. So, we eat normally but just have to think a lot more and work out our insulin 🙂

 

[Inka]

Oh, and there are plenty of extreme ideas on Facebook, including the Flat Earthers! I strongly advise you to steer clear of fad diets, eat a normal healthy diet and retain your sanity.

Chips are fine occasionally, just as they would be for someone without diabetes. As you’re on fixed doses of insulin for your meals, you should aim to have roughly the same amount of carbs each meal for consistency. You should also ask about carb-counting and adjusting your own meal-time insulin. It’s a lot more flexible.

I didn’t have chips tonight, I had bulgar wheat baked with Halloumi, red onion, mango with spinach and avocado and a lime dress. Other days I’ll have pasta or potatoes or something with rice. Just normal foods like I would have eaten if I hadn’t developed Type 1. I also have moderate portions of desserts and chocolate.

As you get to grips with Type 1 and learn to adjust your insulin, you’ll be able to eat what you choose, just with the addition of a bit of thought and the right amount of insulin 🙂

 

[Pumper_Sue]

My diabetic nurse made it sound like as long as I tested regularly, kept up with insulin and didn't go mad, I wouldn't have to actually give stuff up, maybe just cut down and eat a generally healthier diet than I did before.

Keep or even clone your nurse, she is spot on 🙂
What us type1's do is match the insulin to the food we eat. Back in the days of the ark we had to match the food to the amount of insulin.

You will find it a bit overwhelming to start with but as time goes on you will become your own expert. I will be starting year 57 on insulin in a couple of months time and have never had a restricted diet. That was until I developed coeliac disease then I just found some alternatives to compensate. 🙂

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @BeardedBlind

I also agree with your nurse. You can eat any normal healthy diet and they will work with you to enable you to work out the dose of insulin you need to match the carbs in what you choose to eat.

As you are in fixed doses of insulin at present it would be worth using this time to start familiarising yourself with carb content of what you are eating. This will help you to aim for a fixed number of carbs to match your fixed insulin doses.

They will want to bring down your glucose levels gradually to avoid damage to your eyes and other fine blood vessels. It sounds like you are in good hands with your specialist nurse. Dont be afraid to ask them questions. The more you understand the easier our diabetes is to manage.

There is plenty of experience to tap into on this forum, from people who are living with the condition. There are some ‘unusual’ bits of advice from Google/Facebook/ …. There is no need for you to change your diet, just keep to a good healthy diet, as for anyone else without diabetes.

Keep in touch and ask any questions that you have. Nothing is considered silly on here. Just ask.

 

[trophywench]

There are various courses for T1 folk like me and you - most if not all based on the same principles as one called DAFNE - which stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating - ie exactly what Nursie told you.

Facespace is not the best place to learn bout health matters - would you consult them if you got knocked over crossing the road? Or your child had a fit and had gone blue round the lips?

Nope! - you've come to the best UK source for sensible diabetes info - ie Diabetes UK. I recommend you sign up to the 'Learning Zone' (as per bright orange tab at top of page) and get stuck into that. Also ask questions on the forum as you've already done and started getting sensible advice!

 

[ColinUK]

The laughter is in response to the consulting MyFace about medical conditions!
If my child had a fit I’d consult a miracle worker. I don’t have kids!

 

[nonethewiser]

When I look at facebook groups and such, most of what I see is sadness for foods we can't eat anymore, or how awful it is to live with diabetes.

thanks

Rob

Sadness for food, well that is their loss not yours & ours here, diabetes isnt awful to live with, its hindrance at times but doesnt stop you enjoying life, certainly not for me anyway & expect others here will agree.

See that is why woildnt join facebook, like lot on net its full of poor information & advice, some dangerous to vunerable people who are desperate & know no better, so stick with good advice from nurse my friend.