Hello, can't quite believe I am here

[MitMot]

I was diagnosed yesterday, had noticed a few symptoms and asked for blood test. GP rang to say my HBA1C was 100 and sent me to hospital for further tests. BG 19 - home now with Metformin and going to monitor BG for next few days then go back to GP.

Other then that, not a clue what I am supposed to be doing so I am glad I have found my way here.

 

[Gruers]

Welcome and good luck

 

[YMFB]

Welcome, I’ve not been here long myself, they seem a friendly and very helpful bunch.

Have you been told when to go back for a retest ?

 

[SB2015]

Good morning @MitMot

I would imagine that you have been feeling fairly rough with BG levels that high, and the HbA1c shows that this will have been for a while. Do you know if they did any other tests at the hospital, and when to expect any results?

The main focus for any form of Diabetes is carbohydrates, since all of them (and not just sugar as so often indicated on the news) get converted into glucose once inside us. So a useful step can be to start finding out how many carbs you are eating at each meal. That way you could start to reduce them, by reducing portion size, or swapping some of the higher carbs for lower ones.

Do you have a test kit at home? These are usually not provided for T2 but many people on here find that using one both before and after meals helps them to see how they react to different foods. We are all so different so it is a case of finding out what suits you.

I hope that you get some more information from your GP when you go back, but come back with any questions that you have, and someone will come along with some answers.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @MitMot

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Be kind to yourself, it can come as a bit of a shock and take some time to adjust.

Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life.

As others have said, you can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and 2 hrs after eating to see how food is affecting you as an individual (everyone is different, and it’s important to understand your own tolerances and ‘safe choices’). The numbers themselves sprint matter so much at the beginning, it is the difference between them - the ‘meal rise‘ which you want to keep as near to 2-3mmol/L as you can. If you happen to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG, you can experimenting with reducing amounts or swapping types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference).

If you are interested in this apporach you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S a helpful framework.

If you’d like to try this approach and have to fund your own meter, a key factor is the ongoing cost of the stips - One of the most affordable meters members here have found is from SD, and has been recently updated to the SD Gluco Navii which has test strips at around £8 for 50

For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes

Members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.

Good luck, and keep asking questions 🙂

 

[MitMot]

Welcome, I’ve not been here long myself, they seem a friendly and very helpful bunch.

Have you been told when to go back for a retest ?

I've been asked to do lots of monitoring over the weekend and let GP know my recordings on Monday. Picked up a testing kit from Boots. Seems as if the tablets are already having an effect though so keeping everything crossed. How have you been getting on?

 

[MitMot]

Welcome to the forum @MitMot

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Be kind to yourself, it can come as a bit of a shock and take some time to adjust.

Thank you so much, really helpful links. The meal rise information is really useful too, I did wonder about that!

 

[YMFB]

I've been asked to do lots of monitoring over the weekend and let GP know my recordings on Monday. Picked up a testing kit from Boots. Seems as if the tablets are already having an effect though so keeping everything crossed. How have you been getting on?

I feel that I’m on top of it, now I’m on insulin, but it cannot be that simple !

ive cut back on fruit juice, which I only had with breakfast, I’ve stopped eating white bread and taking the healthier choices where possible. My BG was down to 4.8 yesterday after a 10 mile cycle so drank 200 ml of OJ to get it back up.

Today I’m going on a slow 30 mile ride but armed with my meter and snacks.

 

[brisr949]

I feel that I’m on top of it, now I’m on insulin, but it cannot be that simple !

ive cut back on fruit juice, which I only had with breakfast, I’ve stopped eating white bread and taking the healthier choices where possible. My BG was down to 4.8 yesterday after a 10 mile cycle so drank 200 ml of OJ to get it back up.

Today I’m going on a slow 30 mile ride but armed with my meter and snacks.

I would always carry a hypo treatment too, gluco tabs or lucozade drink especially as its going to be quite a hot day. enjoy your ride.
Adam.

 

[YMFB]

I would always carry a hypo treatment too, gluco tabs or lucozade drink especially as its going to be quite a hot day. enjoy your ride.
Adam.

I carried a gel, which I was grateful for after about two hours, my BG was 4.8. We ended up calling in at friends after 22 miles to refresh bottles. 31 miles 1518 ft climbed, resting now.

 

[Drummer]

I feel that I’m on top of it, now I’m on insulin, but it cannot be that simple !

ive cut back on fruit juice, which I only had with breakfast, I’ve stopped eating white bread and taking the healthier choices where possible. My BG was down to 4.8 yesterday after a 10 mile cycle so drank 200 ml of OJ to get it back up.

Today I’m going on a slow 30 mile ride but armed with my meter and snacks.

As you have insulin you can't do low carb and keep to the same regime. If you are stable with meals and insulin in balance then snacking on something low carb might be an option so as not to get off track, but for type twos there seems to be two ways of thinking, one to avoid medication and go low carb - the whole hog, and regain normality or as close as possible, the other to medicate and retain as many carbs as possible.
Personally I just don't do 'healthy' as I had a so healthy diet for almost two years before diagnosis and it not only came close to killing me, I was begining to look forward to the end. I just do not get on with carbs, never have done.

 

[Sally W]

@MitMot I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis & hope you get your blood sugar under control soon. However I am proof you don’t have to completely avoid carbs or medicate as my HBA1C is currently 38 & whilst carbohydrates are of course moderated you may find with testing & adjusting you can have a little of what you like moderately now and again. Also if you start walking every day that can help. I follow a Mediterranean diet, which is low carb BUT not excessively so & I do allow myself treats now and again. It’s a serious condition but don’t despair. With testing, support & adjusting you may have the odd takeaway or treat. I can’t say how your blood will react to certain foods. Some tolerate oats some do not. Keep asking & probing & let us know how you get on. Good luck

 

[Caroline2020]

I was diagnosed yesterday, had noticed a few symptoms and asked for blood test. GP rang to say my HBA1C was 100 and sent me to hospital for further tests. BG 19 - home now with Metformin and going to monitor BG for next few days then go back to GP.

Other then that, not a clue what I am supposed to be doing so I am glad I have found my way here.

Hi there - I was diagnosed 2 months ago. Such a shock. Lockdown is a great time to diet and exercise and get to grips with a change in lifestyle. The diabetes UK website is a fantastic resource. I’ve Googled loads about glycemic index and glycemic load as well. Still learning about all that eg are apples good or bad!!! That’s 18g of sugar.... but it’s an apple. I’m still looking that one up. Other thing I’m doing is tracking my diet on My Fitness Pal app. Good luck

 

[Gruers]

Hi Caroline I’m doing the same as you during lockdown and I’ve found the Low Carb program app very useful too, they ask you to buy it but it seems to work just as foc
good luck in your journey