Feeling Guilty/Scared

[trophywench]

The foot check appointment they've mentioned isn't like podiatry - if there's anything physically wrong they find with your tootsies, then they would refer you to podiatry to try and sort it. It's to check if there's any damage to the nerves and blood supply to them, because tootsies are the first place damage to either manifest itself. Likewise the eye appointment - this is not to check your actual eyesight (although they do undertake a very rudimentary eyesight check which you keep your specs, if worn, on for) but to take photos of your retinas since again, too high blood glucose can cause something called retinopathy. Both these checks are an annual event in every diabetic's life so neither is desperately urgent and seriously, nothing to get het up about. The results of the eye check are posted out to us 4 to 6 weeks after and if there's anything seen on the photos that needs action, the letter will tell you. Never had one of those so mine have always said 'see you next year'.

Though I've always had an annual toe tickling session - they hadn't even invented retinal photography for the first 30 years after my diagnosis!

 

[rebrascora]

As others have said it is carbohydrates which you need to cut back on, not just the sweet stuff but also bread, potatoes, rice and pasta even the wholemeal varieties, as well as fruit and keep well away from fruit juice. If you do not see the nurse for another 3 months, then testing your BG readings before and 2 hours after food will prevent you possibly wasting that time eating the wrong things or not eating things that you enjoy that may be OK for you. The mix of bacteria in our gut varies dramatically from one person to another, so someone might breakdown a particular carbohydrate very easily and get a large spike from it whilst another person might digest it much more slowly and get a lower slower rise and fall of their BG. Only testing before and 2hrs after meals will tell you how you react.
Dieticians will give you general healthy eating advice but they cannot know how an individuals body will respond to particular foods. They will probably recommend the healthy eating plate which may or may not work for you.
The good news is that there are plenty of low carb foods which are enjoyable and if you do not need to lose weight then a Low Carb Higher Fat diet is what many of us follow. Eggs, meat, fish, cheese, mushrooms, nuts, olives and avocado are all good. Salads and veggies are great. I usually cook my cabbage with a good knob of butter, spinach and leeks with cream cheese, cauliflower with cream cheese and grated cheese, Mediterranean veg like courgettes, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes and onions are all great especially made into a ratatouille in plenty of olive oil baked in the oven with grated cheese on top.... Yum! Omelettes with a variety of fillings including mushrooms, cheese, ham, tomatoes, onions and courgettes make a quick and easy meal and I always have them with a large salad including mixed leaves, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and avocado. Hope that gives you some ideas.

Looking at your profile I see that you are only 29 and together with the fact that that you were not particularly overweight and you have noticeably dropped weight which people are commenting on and you have such a high HbA1c, I think it is possible that you may be Type 1 diabetic and not Type 2 but your pancreas is still producing a little insulin to keep you ticking over. This was what happened to me and it took a few months before I was tested for Type 1 and properly diagnosed. Have you been given advice about what to do if your BG levels go really high ie 25+ ie get to the docs or the hospital and have they given you Ketostix to test your urine if your levels are above 15? If I am right, it may be that your pancreas will slowly run dry of insulin and your BG levels will start to rise despite eating low carb, so do be aware of this situation and be prepared for it. Type 1 diabetes can come on very quickly and people become ill all of a sudden and often get admitted to hospital but it can also have a more gradual onset, so being aware of that possibility is important, so that you know what to do if your BG starts to get worse instead of better. Don't be frightened by this, but it is important to be aware so that you are prepared if your BG gets dangerously high.
I can tell you that I am far fitter and healthier since my diabetes diagnosis and I no longer suffer chronic migraines or joint pain since I started eating a low carb, higher fat diet. I really enjoy the food that I eat and I no longer crave carbs or even feel hungry. My partner bought a pizza last night for his tea which is something that we would have enjoyed sharing pre-diagnosis and despite the fact that I could have injected myself with inulin to cover it, I just wasn't tempted.... this is an absolute revelation. He also buys and eats lots of cakes and biscuits and that doesn't bother me either. I can have a nice big chunk of blue cheese if I fancy a treat or a pot of olives or a packet of nuts or even a pack of pork scratchings occasionally. Having low carb treats to hand is important so that you don't feel deprived.

 

[Veenorthants]

Hi Jenny, please do not beat yourself up its not your fault. I can assure you we all go through these feelings when we are first diagnosed, someone once explained it to me as a wheel of grief and I can certainly see where they are coming from.

I was diagnosed a few months ago and after complete information overload I reached out to these guys here on this forum and it was the best thing I ever did the information and support is incredible and helped me to reduce my hba1c within my first three months. I'm not going to repeat what everyone has said as it is all really useful info, I am not strict but I try to follow a low carb diet, I swapped crisps for nuts as a snack and this works for me. Very rarely am I in double figures these days frequently below 8.5 so am hoping by the time my next blood test arrives I would have reduced it further. I found an app called my sugr which is great for recording BG levels, meals, snacks meds all in one place, saves me from carrying a diary everywhere which I was doing plus it gives you a hba1c however its only as good as the information you put in it i.e if you only record your low readings it wouldn't be a fair representation. I am looking forward to my next test to compare what the app states.

Good luck and don't ever be afraid to ask any questions on here xx

 

[Lizzzie]

It's ok to feel guilty and here's a big hug.

But just wanted to say that it's ok to be kind to your past self who got confused. But now you know better, so you can do better and the good thing about T2D, is a few changes do improve it a lot!

(What they dont mention is that the changes are hard to make but supports here!)