Diagnosed with Type 2

[Laurence 68]

Hi Everyone,

Just been told I have diabetes. I've been feeling a bit different for months but put it down to work and lack of holidays. I recently attended the Doctors because I had a nasty water infection and started passing blood, after a course of antibiotics it cleared up.

The surgery decided to send me to hospital for some scans on my kidneys and bladder. They said my kidneys were fine but my bladder was not emptying fully. Ive had my prostrate checked and my PSA levels were normal which was good news. Not sure what the problem was but I'm not having any issues now thankfully. I also had blood tests and found out that my glucose levels were (71 HBA?) which apparently is high. I'm still getting my head around all the terminology at the moment so excuse my ignorance. Anyway I'm now on Metaformin (500mg) once a day.

Weight wise I was averaging 20 stone, I'm 6'1" and have a large frame, most of my weight is around my waist and stomach. I class myself as reasonably active being a Carpenter / Builder and love walking with the dog. I realise my weight is a massive issue and I've managed to lose 1- 3/4 stones so far. I eat mostly heathy foods and my wife and I tend to cook from scratch with natural ingredients (no ready meals). My main problem has been portion control and beer, I was a home drinker and drank above average amounts most of my adult life. I've now decided to pack it in completely, I've seen the benefits already and was surprised that I didn't miss that much!

Like others I was initially hit for six when I got the diagnosis, but if I'm honest I guessed something wasn't right. With the current situation my Doctors weren't exactly on the ball acting, I waited a month to get diagnosed which was a little frustrating but to be fair they've sorted it all now and I have my medication and diabetic nurse.

I saw this site and have been reading the posts from contributors and found it to be very comforting and informative, so I decided to sign up!

All the very best to everyone and I look forward to gaining as much knowledge as possible about T2D.

Laurence.

 

[SueEK]

Hi Laurence and welcome to the site. You have come to the right place for advice and support. Sadly we have all been where you are. Just a general rule of thumb is to cut down as much as you can on carbs eg potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Fruit with berries in the name are usually ok but beware of other fruits, you will be surprised by the amount of sugars in most of them.
We are all very different and what foods one can tolerate another can’t. There is a great book or app called Cals and Carbs which gives photos of portion sizes and the amount of carbs in them, this gives a really good snapshot of how many carbs general foods have in them.
71 is high but certainly not as high as a lot of others who have successfully got their numbers down over time. Losing weight is a great start and well done on losing some weight already.
As you have probably noticed a lot of us test our blood sugar before we eat and two hours after starting eating as this gives a great indication of how our body is reacting to certain foods.
Others will be along with more advice but in the meantime if you have any questions at all, no matter how daft you may think they are, just ask as we all had to start at the beginning, a lot of us with a no knowledge of diabetes at all.
Again a big welcome to you. Sue

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Laurence 68

And thanks for sharing your story with us. Congratulations on giving up the booze - and great to hear you don’t miss it.

Congratulations on the weight loss too - that can really help with insulin sensitivity, and in how efficiently your internal organs (especially the pancreas and liver) can work.

Glad you have joined us. You will find that in general the forum’s approach for newly joining T2 is to find a balance of types and portions carbohydrates that the individual‘s body can cope well with as it is all carbs that raise BG levels not just the obvious sweet things and sugars.

Many find a BG monitor, checking before and 2hrs after meals with a ‘test review adjust’ approach is very helpful for finding a way of eating that suits them, is sustainable long term and offers the BG outcomes they are looking for.

Good luck and keep asking questions 🙂

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome. 🙂

 

[Vonny]

Welcome @Laurence 68 from another type 2 🙂. I started out with Hb1c of 76 and 6 months later it is now 37. Mind you I was on 3 metformin a day (now reduced) and I did cut out nearly all refined carbs such as bread, taters, rice and pasta, but I haven't missed them and still don't eat them.

As @grovesy reminded me in a recent thread of mine (when I was grumbling that my weight had plateaued) that diabetes is a marathon not a sprint. So slow and steady is the best way to reduce your weight and BG.

You must be thrilled with your weight loss, and giving up the beer is impressive! I'm afraid the red wine calls me most dinner times and I am like putty in its hands 🙄 Fortunately, I think because of the lack of carbs, I fall asleep on the sofa around 10pm if I have a 2nd glass, so it keeps it under control!

Hope you learn as much as me from this forum, it's a positive mine of information and friendly support. I don't know where I'd be without it. Glad to have you aboard!