Completely overwhelmed

[Vj123]

Hi, not sure where to start. I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes today, I thought I knew about diabetes as there's family history but I feel completely overwhelmed by everything. One of the things I keep getting asked by family and friends is can I reverse it? I keep hearing different things about whether its possible (remission and reversing). The doctor didn't tell me my blood sugar level on the phone call but they are putting me on metformin and referring me to a diabetes specialist or dietician ‍♀️ like I said just feeling overwhelmed by information and other people's questions that I feel I don't have the answers to.

 

[Mrs Mimoo]

Hey Vj. I got diagnosed in Nov 21. Ask your GP for your HbA1C as this is the longer snapshot of your blood sugar and gives you an idea of how type 2 your are. Go to the learning zone on this excellent website and read up on Type 2. I personally opted for low carb and reduced intake of calories and I lost 11kg and put myself back to a non diabetic HbA1C reading. You may wish to do something similar. Dont panic, take control.

Can you reverse type 2 diabetes?

We don’t call it type 2 diabetes reversal, because this might sound like it's permanent, and there’s no guarantee that your diabetes has gone forever. But yes, it may be possible to put your type 2 diabetes into remission.

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Leadinglights]

This link may help you with some ideas for modifying you diet as it is a low carb approach which has been successful for many people.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi Vj123, welcome to the forum.

It's totally natural to feel overwhelmed when first diagnosed, most on the forum felt that way so you're not alone.

The link above re "reversing" type 2 is a good read and may help to put things into perspective. I try not to use these terms and just think about getting back within the 'non diabetic range' and staying there.

Low carbs and sugar have worked well for many people so it's worth keeping a diary of the food you eat for a week and then have a look at ways you can improve things.

We're here to support you every step of the way so please give yourself time to take things in and ask as many questions as is helpful.

 

[SteveR]

Hi Vj123. Your feelings are completely normal. I was diagnosed last August with an HbA1C of 112, so very high. Fast forward 9 months and my latest test shows this has now reduced to 42, so now just in the pre diabetic range. I would say the first 3 months were the worst but things gradually get easier as you learn more about the condition and what foods and drinks you are allowed. In the first few months there is a lot to get used to, probably lots of different appointments with eye clinics, feet clinics as well as your doctor or nurses at your local GPs. You will gradually get more confident about your foods. Just going out for a meal or having a takeaway was a big thing initially as it seems so scary. Going away on holiday was another big step but you do get used to all this and and these things no longer bother me. The other thing you really need is a blood sugar monitor to test your bloods before a meal and 2 hours after to see the effect your meal has had on your blood sugars. Again the first 3 months were the worst, constant testing. However once you get a good idea of the sort of meals you can have you don’t need to keep testing the same meals. Nowadays I only test new foods or perhaps once a month to make sure my blood sugars are within acceptable levels. Some GPs give you a blood monitor, others don’t but a quick check on Amazon will show a variety of devices. Others on the forum will be able to tell you the best ones as I was lucky with my surgery in that they have supplied one and all the testing strips that I need, which can be the expensive part.

The other thing I would say is this forum is a fantastic place to find out information and learn about others experience. It has been invaluable to me over the past year.