hi all I'm a newbie and I'm struggling. I was diagnosed in June this year with t2diabetes and I crave sugar even more than i ever did before. I think my mind has just rejected the fact I have diabetes at all. I have no symptoms so I think im ok. I'm really looking for some support. I was treated so badly by a nurse when I first found out I feel really intimidated. Can anyone help me. I need to know how you guys deal with the condition and what were the first changes you made and how. Please say you can help.
Hi Marlene, welcome to the forum
🙂 Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and particularly sorry to hear that you were treated so poorly by the nurse - that is totally unacceptable
Don't worry, you will get nothing but friendly, practical help and support here, so please let us know if you have any questions or concerns
🙂
How did your diagnosis come about? Do you test your blood sugar levels at home, and have you been given any medication for your diabetes? You've identified two of the chief problems with Type 2 - it can make you crave sugary things, and often is free of other symptoms. The brain adapts to the 'new' situation of higher than normal blood sugar levels and starts to act as though they were normal, so you're not really aware of them. However, even if you don't have any obvious problems, high or swinging levels can cause significant health problems over time, so it's very important to get things under good control to reduce your risks. The sugar craving is because, even though your levels may be on the high side, your body is not able to use the energy from your food efficiently, so your brain mistakenly thinks you need more. Gradually, the craving will decline as you start to get your levels better controlled, but you do have to be determined and disciplined to overcome the craving. If you really must have something, I'd suggest a square or two of dark, high cocoa-content, chocolate (70% or preferably 85%) as this is relatively low in sugar. Ideally, when you crave something sweet, have something like nuts or cheese instead.
I would recommend reading
Jennifer's Advice and
Maggie Davey's letter for starters, so that you understand diabetes better (you might like to print a copy off for that nurse!
😱), and also get a copy of
Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. Better understanding will help you to deal with it.
If you haven't been given a blood sugar meter and test strips, I'd highly recommend getting them. Testing your reaction to eating different meals is the best and quickest method of establishing what items in your diet you tolerate well, and what you might need to reduce or replace. Read
Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how this works. The cheapest option we have come across is the
SD Codefree Meter which has
test strips at around £8 for 50 (High Street brands can charge up to £30 for 50 test strips)
Regarding what to eat - diabetes is chiefly about carbohydrates - bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, sugary items etc. What you are looking for are meals that will release their energy slowly and steadily, and the GL (Glycaemic Load) diet is designed to achieve just this, so certainly worth looking at -
The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction
🙂
Diabetes is a serious condition, but with the right knowledge and determination it can be managed well, and you will feel healthier and happier because of your efforts, so it's really worth it!
🙂 Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to make loads of changes all at once, take your time to absorb and understand things, and let us know at any point if you have a question, or if you just want to have a good rant - we'll understand!
🙂
