Diagnosed Type2 last week

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JaseyJas

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Type 2
Hi everyone, I am a 40 year old man who has just been diagnosed with T2, had an HBA1C test of 8.5% and a fasting blood sugar of 10. Not sure how I feel about it at the moment, a bit up and down really. I am finding I am having a lot of mood swings mid-morning and mid-afternoon on Metformin but overall I guess I just feel very guilty about it all getting to this stage and like its my fault. My doctor was really nice about it and referred me to a specialist and also for an eye appointment. Got the appointment tomorrow which I am quite nervous about, any advice about what I should be asking him? Has anyone been on a DESMOND course, are they good? Also has anyone else had very dry skin caused by Metformin on the hands? Thanks and look forward to getting to know you all. JaseyJas.
 
Hi Jasey Jas, welcome to the forum. Relative newbie myself, so will leave the advice to the more experienced ones, but will say dont feel guilty, you didn't ask to be diabetic and you've taken positive steps to get it treated. well done🙂
 
Hi JaseyJas, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but it sounds like you have a good team to help you there - especially if DESMOND has already been mentioned! I haven't done that course myself, but from hearing what others have said you should find it very worthwhile 🙂

Mood swings are part of the territory when you are newly-diagnosed as you blood sugar levels will affect your moods and now that you have started treatment it may be that you are experiencing quite large variations in your levels. Did the doctor give you a meter so you could test your own blood? If not, I would highly recommend you ask for one. Read Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter as good introductions about Type2 and the usefulness of self-testing, plus Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker comes highly recommended by many (most!) of our Type 2 members!

As for the eye test, this is nothing to worry about. If it is a retinopathy scan then what they normally do is get you to read letters off an eye chart then put some little drops in your eyeys to make your pupils widen so they can take photographs of your retinas. It's over in no time and though the drops might sting for a moment that soon wears off. If you do have drops then you won't be able to drive afterwards for a few hours, and you should take sunglasses with you even if it's not sunny as everything will be very bright.

Think that's it! Any questions, we're right here when you need us! 🙂
 
Hi JaseyJas, welcome.

I'm new to this as well, having been only diagnosed a few weeks ago with type 2 as well. I'm just hitting 37 next month.

it's an emotional rollercoaster I have found; still is. I started the Metformin, and apart from a few dodgy tums initially suffered no other side effects. As far as I know I don't think Metformin can affect your mood as such, but it may just be your blood glucose levels low before meals which could cause this? I don't know? Not had any dry skin either.

I've not been on DESMOND course, or even been offered so I can't comment on that. I am going to ask when I see the doctor in a few weeks time. I imagine it would be worthwhile though.

I have just got my appt through from the hospital, so it's good that yours came through so quickly, good luck.

Do you have a blood glucose testing kit. I wasn't offered, or even recommended when I asked the nurse, but having had it a week now I find it invaluable in working out how I react to certain foods.

My HBA1C was 8.2, which is an average of 11.9 mmol/L, but I have found with cutting out some of the sugary stuff, make changes to what i eat, portion size etc, I am getting reading within acceptable ranges. I'm getting to grips with it (sometimes) and losing weight in the process.

I have found it best not to dwell on the hows and whys. I am diabetic now. I have to manage this, and try and stay positive about this.

Keep reading up, ask questions here, and to your doctor, nurses specialist. Posting & reading here makes you realise you are not alone in this.

Good luck
G
 
Welcome to the forums JaseyJas 🙂

I do get dry skin on my hands - but I had that before diagnosis so it possibly could be high blood glucose levels instead.

I still get a little from time to time. I actually suspect the air conditioning in my office which is set to have very low humidity levels because I never have dry hands at home on the weekend.
 
Hi JaseyJay and a warm welcome to the forum.
 
Hi Jasyjes, well done you for being so proactive. I myself diagnosed 3 weeks ago it it very weird and I felt guilty as well letting this happen. As everyone says now we are all in the same boat and will need to get used to this.

I am sure we can. Onwards and upwards. Take Care.
 
Welcome to the forum JaseyJas the emotions you are going through are very normal I can remember experiencing them myself when first diagnosed.

I have been on the DESMOND course and found it very worthwhile.🙂

Welcome to Slipper and Graeme🙂
 
Welcome to the forum!
 
Hi JaseyJas

I'm new too; diagnosed T2 at the beginning of November and thought my world had collapsed. Like you I blamed myself but the good people on this forum set me right. There are a lot of extremely overweight and unfit people who don't have diabetes and a lot of thin fit people who do. I was recommended a book by Gretchen Becker "Type 2 Diabetes, the First Year". Some of it gets a little technical for me but the first few chapters felt as if she had been reading my mind, it so reflected my emotions at the time.

I'm still coming to terms with it all as it is a big life change, but the support you will find here really helps.

Oh, and my Doctor referred me for a DESMOND course this morning.

Take care
Carrie
 
Thanks Graeme and everyone who has given me replies overnight, it has really cheered me up to know there are all of you in the same boat and having similar feelings! No I wasn't offerred a blood glucose testing meter but I will definitely ask about one / invest in one. Does everyone here just test once a day in the morning or more frequently than that?

JaseyJas
 
JaseyJas said:
Thanks Graeme and everyone who has given me replies overnight, it has really cheered me up to know there are all of you in the same boat and having similar feelings! No I wasn't offerred a blood glucose testing meter but I will definitely ask about one / invest in one. Does everyone here just test once a day in the morning or more frequently than that?

JaseyJas
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Ideally, you'd need to test more than that as you use your meter to determine your body's reaction and tolerance to the different types of food you eat. For a simple guide, look at Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S 🙂
 
Hi Northerner don't want to come accross as dense here but I know so little about the disease - do you mean I need to test so frequently even though I have type 2 not type 1? My wife is saying that I should be able to live normally if I lose a bit of weight and excercise more. Is it possible to reverse / stop having diabetes if you go on a crash diet? Sorry I am very confused about the whole thing at the moment....JaseyJas
 
JaseyJas said:
Hi Northerner don't want to come accross as dense here but I know so little about the disease - do you mean I need to test so frequently even though I have type 2 not type 1? My wife is saying that I should be able to live normally if I lose a bit of weight and excercise more. Is it possible to reverse / stop having diabetes if you go on a crash diet? Sorry I am very confused about the whole thing at the moment....JaseyJas
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Not dense at all - I'm afraid there is so much conflicting information around it can be particularly difficult to sort the wood from the trees when you are newly-diagnosed.

Diabetes is a very 'individual' disease, meaning that different people can be affected in quite different ways by the same things. For example, some people find that bread - of any variety - will raise their blood sugar levels quickly and too high, but other people fnd that they can happily tolerate certain types of bread. Yet other people might find they can eat bread, but only later in the day when their insulin resistance is not so high. So you can see that it is very important to discover how YOU react as an individual if you are to be able to maintain the best control of your blood sugar levels.

If you have weight to lose, then you should certainly put a plan in place to try and achieve that, and regular exercise will also contribute hugely to keeping your blood sugars at good and stable levels. But you also need to build up a picture of the food you can and can't tolerate so that you retain maximum flexibility with your meals whilst cutting out things that may appear healthy but don't suit you.

Extreme diets won't cure you I'm afraid. They may improve blood sugar levels for a short while but it is not proven to be a permanent 'reversal' - as soon as you begin eating normally again your reactions would be much as they are now. That's not to say that you might not be able to control your levels by following a diet and exercise regime - many do - but you do need to know how food affects you.

So, testing might be more frequent initially as you test your reaction to new meals, but gradually you will build up knowledge and the need to test will reduce over time. Eventually you may reach a position where you only do a couple of test a week as 'spot checks', or when you want to try something different to eat 🙂

Hope all that makes sense!
 
Thanks very much for that I will ask at the appointment this afternoon about getting a blood glucose meter. I guess the thing for me is that there is so much to think about and it is a complete lifestyle change, its just such hard work having to think about it all the time. Honestly I have been dreaming about it all week! Take care, JaseyJas and thanks.
 
JaseyJas said:
Thanks very much for that I will ask at the appointment this afternoon about getting a blood glucose meter. I guess the thing for me is that there is so much to think about and it is a complete lifestyle change, its just such hard work having to think about it all the time. Honestly I have been dreaming about it all week! Take care, JaseyJas and thanks.
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Good luck! Read Diabetes UK's position statement on self-monitoring if you can before your appointment - they may tell you you don't need to test, but as you have read in my earlier post, it's the best approach 🙂
 
Hi JaseyJas

Like yourself, I am also newly diagnosed, so welcome to the forum.

I also have appointments next week, eyes, blood and dietician. I bought myself a blood glucose meter, direct from Bayer, ?10 at least they are VAT free for diabetics.

I decided to get one so that I can test after meals to see what 'spikes' my BG levels, so far I have been pretty constant, I shall ask for strips and lancets on prescription, but I am not holding my breath.


Keep well.

Cheers
 
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