Down in the dumps!

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choccy72

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Type 2
Hi there as of 2 hours ago i'm officially a Type 2 diabetic! I've been feeling rough for about 6 months and finally plucked up the courage to go and get tested. My HbA1c came back as 9.1, BP is 140/90 and cholesterol is 5.1.....so i'm now taking Metformin 500mg bd and simvastatin 20mg nocte. As a chocoholic it's gonna be hard going but i know the struggle will be giving up the cigarettes. I've already lost 1 1/2 stone so thats been kickstarted but i shall eagerly wait to see the nurses/ dietician for guidance. I'm a night worker so a bit confused about best times to take statins and just exactly how to control diet when up all day and night! Any answers most welcome as i'm sitting here thoroughly DEPRESSED!

THANKS A LOT X
 
WELCOME when i was diagniosed with T2 i was a total mess...crying and confused and thinking this is the end of everything....but its not i can promise that ...more importantly you will start to feel much better XX big hugsxx have a good look around the forums ..no question is silly here...one step at a time... and WELL DONE on the weight loss xxx
 
Hi Choccy, welcome to the forum.

Well done on the weight loss.
Most people take statins in the evening although I doubt it makes a lot of differance.
 
Thanks am64....i was 90% certain i had it as both parents have it and had all the classic signs and symptoms (need to lose the weight but you don't lose that weight without trying!) Suppose its hard playing the waiting game to see nurses etc but thats the impatient bit of me. Am just so tired all of the time and could hibernate at the moment. Anyway i'm sure things will get better soon x
 
Hi Choccy and welcome to the forum. I was put onstatins at diagnosis and although it says they work better if you take them at night I always take them in the morning otherwise I forget! Well done on the weight loss - trick to all this in my opinion is finding what works for you - unfortunately it's not as easy as one size fits all. One thing for sure though - you came to the right place.
 
Hi choccy never fear you are hear now we will give you all the support you want and more , ask anything anytime one of us lovely people will be there to help you , have a good browse around the forum and get used to thing and you will be fine xx
 
Thanks for the replies....good to know i could take statin in morning as it makes more sense but will have to ask nurses as my shift patterns change so much i will probably forget to take it. Heads in the clouds at the moment ...just had to apologize to manager as i've just realized i was supposed to have a meeting at 11.30! oops.....fatigue is pure hell!
 
Hi Choccy72, welcome to the forum - and well done on finding us so quickly!🙂

Good news is that your numbers aren't too terrible - BP and cholesterol need to be a bit lower to make the doctors happy, but the statins will bring the chol down and hopeflly BP will start to come down as you adapt to the new you! Congrats on the weight loss - that will be a big help at improving your blood sugar levels by making you more sensitive to insulin. The absolute best thing you could do for your health right now is stop smoking as smoking will affect both your levels and your BP (as well as all the potential artery and lung problems). It's hard, I know, but let yourself get ratty with people for a couple of weeks and that'll be the worst of it over with.

As for statins, do ask your nurse. I was told to take them at night because of the action they have on your liver, so that is supposed to be better whilst you sleep - but if you don't sleep at night, I'm not sure!

Good luck with everything! As your blood sugar levels reduce (and you stop smoking:D), you will find you feel much better than you have been, with more energy - people often feel much healthier when they have started to make the necessary adjustments.
 
Thanks Northener, it's a bit of a pain being a night worker as i'm really not sure of the best times to eat certain things.......take today for example....i'll have been up all day then work a 12 hour night......so do i eat normally today then nothing at work (get peckish during the night)....i know it'll take a bit of jigging things about but am so lost what to do at the moment for the best.

any ideas for snacks at work that'll be ok for me to eat?
 
p.s....why do Gp's insist on taking BP just after announcing your diabetic? will they never learn!
 
Hi Choccy,

Welcome, you're in safe hands here. :D
I think most people would agree that a good idea is to get as much information as you can/want and then make informed decisions about your own treatment.

As far as the shift work goes, my fiancee is type 1 and works shifts. We found speaking to the dietician quite useful, it could be what you need to help figure out the best way for you. I'm just slightly reluctant to dish out advice that I am not so sure applies to type 2.

I hope all works out well for you

DP 😎
 
Welcome Choccy, my husband was diagnosed as type 2 last week and we are still floundering our way through waiting for a dieticion appointment.
It took me so much longer this week shopping because I was reading every label checking for sugars. Its amazing how much is in some foods.
 
Hi Choccy,

My advice to any non-insulin dependent Type 2 is to cut back on the starchy carbohydrate - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. That usually leads to a big improvement in blood glucose levels - and quickly too.

Best wishes - John
 
Hi there Choccy.

Take your simvastatin before you got to bed, whenever that is. It works better when you're asleep (it's got something to do with metabolism) and you're less likely to suffer from side effects when you sleep. Watch out for muscle pains, if you get those go back to your GP. If this doesn't work with your shift patterns, ask to be switched to a longer acting statin, like atorvastatin and take that the same time each day. Check this with your doc or pharmacist first, coz i'm neither.
 
Hi Choccy and welcome to the forums. You will find lots of help and support here.

Things are not so bleak, you are still allowed chocolate as a treat, I can't do without mine! I was diagnosed just before Easter 2006, so I had people creeping round hiding their Easter Eggs so I wouldn't be tempted!

I was told t take statins at night because that is when they work best, but it may be different for someone who works nights.

Have an explore of the boards, you are sure to find answers to many of your questons, and if it hasn't been answered, then ask.

I hope you are feeling better.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. x

Day 5 and i'm not doing too bad although i had a complete breakdown friday after doing the weekly shop......was probably too hungry once shopping done and other halfs response to the lack of 'goodies' just pushed me over the edge a bit so got very tearful and dived under the duvet! Like Carob posted earlier i found the whole weekly shop highly depressing and was at a complete loss what the hell was 'better' for me......yes i'm quite aware of the usual naughty suspects but when it came to things like the yoghurt aisle i was a bit miffed as the low fat ones still seem to contain loads of sugar. I'm sure it'll get easier in time and seeing my Type 2 father yesterday helped a bit (i felt proud that for once i could resist a bit of birthday cake.....for me even a slice is too tempting!)

Anyway today is another day......the thought of the bowl of special K i'm about to indulge in is great (sarcastic head on at the mo!) but needs must!

Have a great day everyone xxx
 
By the way.....does anyone know at what stage i will be offered (or ask for) a monitor?

after my tearful, hunger panged outburst on friday it would have been good just to see if my Bm's caused this or whether i was just being a miserable old cow!
 
choccy72 said:
Thanks everyone for your replies. x

Day 5 and i'm not doing too bad although i had a complete breakdown friday after doing the weekly shop......was probably too hungry once shopping done and other halfs response to the lack of 'goodies' just pushed me over the edge a bit so got very tearful and dived under the duvet! Like Carob posted earlier i found the whole weekly shop highly depressing and was at a complete loss what the hell was 'better' for me......yes i'm quite aware of the usual naughty suspects but when it came to things like the yoghurt aisle i was a bit miffed as the low fat ones still seem to contain loads of sugar. I'm sure it'll get easier in time and seeing my Type 2 father yesterday helped a bit (i felt proud that for once i could resist a bit of birthday cake.....for me even a slice is too tempting!)

Anyway today is another day......the thought of the bowl of special K i'm about to indulge in is great (sarcastic head on at the mo!) but needs must!

Have a great day everyone xxx
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Hi Choccy,

I can't really help with the depression because it isn't something that really affcts me - I never head for the duvet. However, I'll be surprised if you don't get a very positive feeling when you start to get your blood glucose levels down and start to feel as though you are in charge of the situation. Certainly, it did that to me!

As regards yoghurts, usually I eat one per day. I shop in Tesco and buy either their Natural Low-Fat Yoghurt or the Muller Light and they seem to be OK for me. At present, Tesco are selling Muller Light at 5 for a ?1 - i.e. 20p each instead of the usual 53p each.

I suspect that you'll even get to enjoy the shopping when you have managed to get your head around things. You may even get to the stage when you are proud of the food in your basket compared with the baskets around you.

Go for it and stick with it!

Best wishes - John
 
choccy72 said:
............does anyone know at what stage i will be offered (or ask for) a monitor?..........
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Often they don't offer non-insulin dependent Type 2s a meter. It's cheaper for them because the strips work out expensive. However, it is very important to test and to learn what different foods do to your blood glucose levels. Keep asking and pushing your GP and nurses! If they resist then make a nuisance of yourself.

Initally, I bought my own. However, you can often get them for little - or for free even if you contact the manufacturers. It's buying the strips that becomes expensive. I started by buying my own strips off eBay but after my GP saw the improvement that I had made, he then prescribed them for me - even though it was against the policy of Barnsley PCT and the GP's Practice.

I re-iterate, it really is very important to test - especially at the stage you are at present! It becomes less important once you have come to learn what is happening and what you need to do.

Best wishes - John
 
Thanks ever so much for your good advice John.....i know it'll take time to get in the swing of things and i'll be ok....just a case of 'fine tuning' things!

Every day i'm learning.....like today for example....swam 40 lengths and wondered why i felt sleepy and dazed afterwards......AH YES....EAT SOMETHING YOU SILLY MARE!
 
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