Hello, I've recently been diagnosed with type 2.

[Bexter]

I'm completely unfamiliar with using on line forums
It might take me a little while to get the hang of it and I'll probably make quite a few mistakes.
I just wanted to introduce myself and say what a relief it was to find Diabetes UK.
The welcome pack has been very useful.
I felt pretty lost until I read through it.
Many thanks for that it arrived the very next day after I called the helpline.

 

[trophywench]

Can't answer how long, may as well ask how long the mythical piece of string is.

It will depend how quickly you get your head around treating your diabetes and put it into practice and you'll get plenty of that in a lifetime!

What help so far has the NHS been, if any?

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Bexter

I am glad that the welcome pack has proved useful. There is plenty of help available on here, and as Jenny says you will feel better once you start to get your BG levels back to normal range. This will depend on the changes that you are able to make. What steps have you taken so far?

A number of people on here have found the book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker very useful. It has clear explanations and takes you through things step by step.

The key thing to recognise that rises in your BG levels will be caused by ANY carbohydrates. The press focuses on sugar, but this is only one example. Carbs are in pasta, potatoes, rice, crisps as well as the more obvious cakes and biscuits. Cereals have also been described as ‘sugar in disguise’. T2 means that there is not enough insulin in your blood to deal with the glucose in your system. You will need to find how you can match Your glucose to the insulin available. This takes a bit of work, but often depends on eating less carbs and doing more exercise (which sucks out some of the glucose)

Many T2s also find it useful to self test. They are often not given funding for their test strips so need to self-fund. The test kit with the cheapest strips is the SD Codefree meter which can be found online. The article below suggests ways of making effective use of testing to gradually work out what helps you stay on target.
Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S

 

[Bexter]

Thank you to Trophy Wench and SB2015.
Both your replies help and Trophy Wench you made me laugh to with the sting analogy. Thanks.
So far my local surgery hasn't been great in terms of information.
I feel as though I'm just a condition and not a whole person I've been patronised and my concerns largely dismissed.
I was originally diagnosed in 2017 then on the strength of one finger prick test told that I wasn't diabetic after all.
I continued to lose weight ~ I wasn't very big to start with.
I'm very upset with the way that I was treated. Assumptions were made about my diet without asking me what I eat. That was the past I just needed to get it off my chest.
I was diagnosed again at the beginning of January this year after half a dozen courses of antibiotics. I'd had chest infections kidney infections tonsillitis then the icing on the cake oropharyngeal thrush. Then I had a blood test which showed a high level of Hbc1? 8 think it was 88 The fingerprick test showed 36.5 and I had sugar in my urine. Then I was prescribed Metformin 500mg for a few days. Then that was doubled and glicazide added. No real explanation fingerprick went down to 31.then a week or so later 10.5. My Gp said that "wasn't bad" and I could have cake on my birthday. She said "I tell all my diabetics that" . I thought I'm not one of your diabetics I'm a person first. No real nutrition advice from her other than for my birthday I'm more worried about the rest of the year!
I have attended all appts.. I've complied with the meds. I'm up to pee 5 or 6 times a night constantly knackered.
I would prefer to be able to self test so that I could see how my food affects my bg.
I did call the helpline for advice but all the advisors were busy. The chap who answered told me that it's not usual or necessary for type 2s to self test.
It is for me as I'm trying to take control of my health.
My gp surgery is hopeless, though many of the staff are very good and kind. Just too many patients . Impossible to pre book. I'm trying to change to one closer.
My last blood test shows abnormal liver test results and raised alkaline phosphatase..
I don't drink alcohol I'm underweight last BMI was 15.
My HBA1c is 80mmol/mol so it's coming down.
I am constantly tired and have brain fog.
I had a CT scan last week of thorax abdomen and pelvis.
I think I am being taken seriously now. Probably because someone messed up two years ago.
Reluctant to complain as what's the point.
Please don't get me wrong I know there are thousands of people with far worse struggles.
I'm not meaning to have a pity party here. I'm just so confused as my diet has relied on carbs through economic necessity.. I mean oats and wholemeal bread rather than biscuits etc.
Universal credit drastically cut my budget and it took a year to sort out. I barely got through it.
I was ill but it hadn't been officially diagnosed. I thought I was being lazy and should be able to think my way better.
Once again thank you for your very informative posts. I shall re read them and follow up all the helpful suggestions.
Are headaches and being extra over emotional normal?
Or is it just me?
Thanks all and hang on in there.

 

[Robin]

Hello, Bexter and welcome to the forum. Now that you’ve given us a complete picture, there’s one thing that stands out to me. You may be Type 1 not Type2. If you are complying with everything the doctor has said, and your levels aren’t improving that much, you’re underweight, and you’re still weeing for Britain, ask your GP about the possibility of Type 1. There are quite a few of us on here who developed Type 1 later in life, it’s not just something that children and adolescents get. But because Type 2 is so much more common, many GPs make the assumption in the first place, and only consider Type 1 when nothing seems to be working.

 

[KARNAK]

Hello @Bexter welcome to the forum.🙂 I think from my own personal opinion @Robin has a valid point, TW is also correct who knows how long it takes? Anyway nice rant we like rants, keep us up to date please and follow the link @SB2015 has provided.

 

[ChaRitch]

I'm completely unfamiliar with using on line forums
It might take me a little while to get the hang of it and I'll probably make quite a few mistakes.
I just wanted to introduce myself and say what a relief it was to find Diabetes UK.
The welcome pack has been very useful.
I felt pretty lost until I read through it.
Many thanks for that it arrived the very next day after I called the helpline.

Hi, Charlie here I am also new to it all, think I will call for a pack as it is all a bit daunting! Nice to know there are people you can talk to!

 

[Roberte]

Hi I've recently been diagnosed but have no idea about any welcome pack . Where can I get this ?

 

[ChaRitch]

I am going to phone the number on here tomorrow and ask for one!