Well I understand the words but no idea what you.lit are on about. Dr called today blood test results where 80 somthing for sugar and they say you diabetic at 40. So start with 2 M ..... somthing tablets tomorow then on to 4. see nurse of Thursday for a chat. Dr didn't say t1 or t2 so assume that's takes a while to diagnose, driving and DVLA will be issue if T1. Generaly loose weight eat healthy but don't eat carbs or sugar or alcohol.... that it?
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
diagnoses today
- Thread starter Phill
- Start date
- Status
JMyrtle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Sounds like type 2 and yes 80 is high, below 42 is "Normal" 42 - 48 is pre diabetic and anything over 48 is the full monte.
Having said that cutting out the carbs, exercise will reduce it quickly but it's new way of living for life I'm afraid.
I started out at 55 and got my reading down to 38 just by change of diet but you need to get a blood glucose meter and start testing so you know what you can eat and what you can't as everyone is different in what type of carbs they can tolerate.
In my case I can eat pasta, chips and plain boiled potatoes but not rice or mashed potato, it's a matter of measuring two hours after eating and seeing what elevates your levels.
Having said that cutting out the carbs, exercise will reduce it quickly but it's new way of living for life I'm afraid.
I started out at 55 and got my reading down to 38 just by change of diet but you need to get a blood glucose meter and start testing so you know what you can eat and what you can't as everyone is different in what type of carbs they can tolerate.
In my case I can eat pasta, chips and plain boiled potatoes but not rice or mashed potato, it's a matter of measuring two hours after eating and seeing what elevates your levels.
Cherrelle DUK
Much missed Online Community Coordinator
Hi Phill, welcome to the forum!
It's all a bit confusing at the beginning but glad you're having a chat with the nurse as they can answer any questions you may have.
Might be worth taking a pen and paper with some questions but also to take notes so you know what's ahead of you.
It's all a bit confusing at the beginning but glad you're having a chat with the nurse as they can answer any questions you may have.
Might be worth taking a pen and paper with some questions but also to take notes so you know what's ahead of you.
Eddy Edson
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- In remission from Type 2
Jargon: That 80 number would be your "HbA1c", which reflects your average blood glucose levels over the last 12 weeks or so. It's pretty high but not off the scale. This pic might be useful:
HbA1c levels are the blue numbers at the top. Your 80 reading is in the yellowy-orange area and the goal is to get it down to the green.
Plenty of people around here started higher and got things sorted. I was 89 at diagnosis, got things sorted in about 6 months; not uncommon.
What worked for me: cutting out c**p and reducing carbs at the beginning, then losing a bunch of weight to get to what looks like sustainable "remission" or "reversal" or whatever you want to call it.
Good luck!
HbA1c levels are the blue numbers at the top. Your 80 reading is in the yellowy-orange area and the goal is to get it down to the green.
Plenty of people around here started higher and got things sorted. I was 89 at diagnosis, got things sorted in about 6 months; not uncommon.
What worked for me: cutting out c**p and reducing carbs at the beginning, then losing a bunch of weight to get to what looks like sustainable "remission" or "reversal" or whatever you want to call it.
Good luck!
yes spent a few houres reading these threads got a few questions.
I think my local takeaway will go out of business... emergency services to it gets hit most late shifts. only got a microwave at work and dinner time can be anithing from 6.30 to 9.30 but usualy 7.30 to 8 ish. so tend to snack at work and with shift work I have a terrible eating pattern... buy as I run tuck shop every one may be on a health food kick now...... if I have to suffer so dose every one else. I tryed to diet about 10 years ago but stopped because I an more grumpy when hungry than normally.
goodybags
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @Phill
welcome to the forum, as others have advised it sounds like they think your type 2
whilst a Hba1c of 80 is quite high (I was higher than that at the end of 2019)
it will come down with the medication and understanding what you can eat and you will find loads of advice on here.
a neighbour of mine started off on Metformin which is one of the popular tablets, but after a few months he is just eating a bit healthier and his controls are quite good,
it’s great that your Dr has put you in touch with a DSN (Diabetic Speciality Nurse)
I used to see one of those but at my surgery they axed the DSN a few years ago which as a shame..
definitely agree with the advise of @Eddy Edson in “cutting out the junk food” and reducing carbohydrates it took years for that message to sink in for me, as it does with some people sometimes.
welcome to the forum, as others have advised it sounds like they think your type 2
whilst a Hba1c of 80 is quite high (I was higher than that at the end of 2019)
it will come down with the medication and understanding what you can eat and you will find loads of advice on here.
a neighbour of mine started off on Metformin which is one of the popular tablets, but after a few months he is just eating a bit healthier and his controls are quite good,
it’s great that your Dr has put you in touch with a DSN (Diabetic Speciality Nurse)
I used to see one of those but at my surgery they axed the DSN a few years ago which as a shame..
definitely agree with the advise of @Eddy Edson in “cutting out the junk food” and reducing carbohydrates it took years for that message to sink in for me, as it does with some people sometimes.
Last edited:
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
The good news is that for many people just cutting down on the carbs is enough to start weightloss.
You do not have to starve yourself.
I always have things to eat in the fridge or freezer - there is the last bit of a joint of pork in the fridge and a pot of left over veges in the juices from the last chicken I roasted, so my first meal tomorrow will involve blending the leftovers then chopping up whatever looks good from the fridge, maybe with a small onion, some spices and more veges from the freezer, then after a slow simmer for an hour or so it will be a nice warming first meal, and I will not have high glucose levels.
You do not have to starve yourself.
I always have things to eat in the fridge or freezer - there is the last bit of a joint of pork in the fridge and a pot of left over veges in the juices from the last chicken I roasted, so my first meal tomorrow will involve blending the leftovers then chopping up whatever looks good from the fridge, maybe with a small onion, some spices and more veges from the freezer, then after a slow simmer for an hour or so it will be a nice warming first meal, and I will not have high glucose levels.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Phill
This might give you a good starting point:
forum.diabetes.org.uk
Just one woman’s account of what she did and what she learned, but it has helped lots of forum members over the years. Quite long, so you might want to read it in chunks.
Good luck and let us know how you get on 🙂
This might give you a good starting point:
Maggie Davey's letter to newly-diagnosed Type 2s
This disappeared from the original site, but @Alan S has managed to track it down. Rather than risk losing that link I'm posting the text here. I've had to split it over a few posts, as there is a size limit for each post and it wouldn't all fit in one! :) An open letter to the newly-diagnosed...
forum.diabetes.org.uk
Just one woman’s account of what she did and what she learned, but it has helped lots of forum members over the years. Quite long, so you might want to read it in chunks.
Good luck and let us know how you get on 🙂
Well chat with the nurse was underwhelming, not sure what I was expecting but she gave me a photocopy of "understanding diabetes" booklet by diabetes UK and read through it. just referred me to there website and said she gets most of her info off there. Loose weight and reduce carbs. From looking on her blood test machines appear to be popular but Drs would not provide them. few on here recommended Spirit Health care. I called them order £40 pounds if test strips and needles and they threw in a free meter so days looking up. Am 6ft 3 in 128 kg I walk around at work most days work shifts so eat takeaways and sandwiches at work. I really don't know if I should try a very low carb/ atkins style diet to try drop some weight first or just try to limit carbs as a diabetic style diet and weight would hopfully reduce in time.... problem is I hate green food.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ah that’s a shame about the slightly underwhelming appointment with the nurse @Phill 
Good news about the BG meter. I think a gradual approach would be the better bet from your starting point of 80. Often it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and again 2hrs after eating, to see what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG (initially in a way the numbers themselves matter less than the differences between them). Ideally you will be wanting the rise from meals to be a maximum of 2-3mmol/L. If you can get your meal rises down to modest numbers more often than not, then over time your average levels will gently come down because food isn’t regularly spiking them back up high.
There are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
Once you can see how you respond to different meals you can begin experimenting with reducing amounts of carbs and trying different types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels 🙂
Good luck and let us know how you get on 🙂
Good news about the BG meter. I think a gradual approach would be the better bet from your starting point of 80. Often it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and again 2hrs after eating, to see what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG (initially in a way the numbers themselves matter less than the differences between them). Ideally you will be wanting the rise from meals to be a maximum of 2-3mmol/L. If you can get your meal rises down to modest numbers more often than not, then over time your average levels will gently come down because food isn’t regularly spiking them back up high.
There are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
Once you can see how you respond to different meals you can begin experimenting with reducing amounts of carbs and trying different types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels 🙂
Good luck and let us know how you get on 🙂
Yes nearly 2 houres in sainsburys and morrisons today and looks like most things contain carbs. don't think I can do one of those very low carb diets. going to chit takeaways/ sweets / beer / chips on head. got some low carb bread for meals at work etc and see what happens when I get blood test machine. just can't see how I loose much weight eating less carbs and more protean and fat. and I deff need to loose weight
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Many members have found that reduction in carbs has helped them to lose weight, and help their BG management. Generally I think lower carb eating plans tend to have a lower calorie intake (as long as you only aim for a ’normal’ rather than low or high fat intake)
Yes all that squinting at the backs and sides of packets can be a bit of a faff to start with - but soon enough you will begin to build up your own knowledgebank of the sorts of foods that work for you.
And remember it’s not total abstinence you need to aim for carbs-wise... A little moderation of the staples and cutting out the obvious candidates are probably all you need 🙂
Yes all that squinting at the backs and sides of packets can be a bit of a faff to start with - but soon enough you will begin to build up your own knowledgebank of the sorts of foods that work for you.
And remember it’s not total abstinence you need to aim for carbs-wise... A little moderation of the staples and cutting out the obvious candidates are probably all you need 🙂
true just being an emotional
emotional roller coaster last 3 days. was really expecting some help from drs. she said there is an computer course she would put me forward for if I can access it on my phone. feel sorry for local takeaway at work will go out of business lol. but work is main concern shift work and very unpredictable eating times. somtimes it's literally grab a bar of chocolate and go.
emotional roller coaster last 3 days. was really expecting some help from drs. she said there is an computer course she would put me forward for if I can access it on my phone. feel sorry for local takeaway at work will go out of business lol. but work is main concern shift work and very unpredictable eating times. somtimes it's literally grab a bar of chocolate and go.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
For me Atkins and controlling diabetes is exactly the same - my Atkins CCLM was 60 gm a day and that was what I could just manage, in ordinary times, but I started off after diagnosis at 50 gm and am now at 40gm - but the rational and the foods are exactly the same.
If you are up for some preparation, you could use 'Fat head' dough and make yourself some sausage rolls, or just take along cooked sausages, or chicken thighs - at home cheese waffles with thick cut bacon are pretty good. A waffle maker was my latest kitchen toy. The cheese and egg based waffles are known as chaffles, and there are recipes for plain, sweet or savoury versions available online.
If you are up for some preparation, you could use 'Fat head' dough and make yourself some sausage rolls, or just take along cooked sausages, or chicken thighs - at home cheese waffles with thick cut bacon are pretty good. A waffle maker was my latest kitchen toy. The cheese and egg based waffles are known as chaffles, and there are recipes for plain, sweet or savoury versions available online.
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Why don't you try reduce your portions even slightly, some times small steps are more manageable and can be built on.
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
You don't need to do a very low carb diet, just make small changes. So for a first step it sounds like you're cutting out takeaways, sweets, beer and chips. Try doing that for a while and getting used to it, perhaps experimenting with some new recipes with the takeaways and chips gone. Try and make the new meals you try balanced, so they include some vegetables, some protein, and some carbs but at a slightly smaller portion than you would otherwise. After a while of getting used to your first set of changes, when you're ready you can make more changes.
- Status