I am just 4 days in after being diagnosed type 2, it is all very confusing. Not yet seen my diabetes nurse that's 3 weeks away, so trying to work it all out before i get to that, have medication, diagnosed high blood pressure same time and different medication for that too. Also have many allergies to certain foods and drinks which isn't helping me.
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Hello, newbie here !!!
- Thread starter mcbutler
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Hello @mcbutler
Welcome to the forum!
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Yes it can be a worrying and bewildering time, especially if your first appointments for information are weeks away and you are just left to flounder in the meantime. So pleased you have forum. Lots of experienced, friendly folks here whose brains you can pick 🙂
While a diabetes diagnosis can feel a bit overwhelming, be reassured that it is a condition which can be managed well, with some adaptations and a bit of support. When looking back, some people even consider their diagnosis to have been the prod they needed to finally make some positive changes to a healthier lifestyle and feel more energetic and ‘alive’ than they have for years. Plus they have access to regular healthcare checks which mean any potential
issues can get spotted sooner and treated earlier.
For a good introduction to diabetes you might like to start with Maggie Davey's letter, which many members of the forum have found extremely helpful in those early weeks. For a little more detail, lots of members here have recommended Gretchen Becker’s book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year which written in a clear style without lots of medical jargon.
One question you almost certainly have is ‘what can I eat’ and the answer, like many things connected to diabetes is more complicated than many sources would have you believe. Diabetes is a very individual condition and there’s no ‘one size fits all’. It’s not simply a matter of avoiding sugar and sweet things, neither is it a matter of avoiding all carbohydrates forever.
The amount of carbohydrate in your diet will certainly have the biggest effect on your blood glucose levels, but it’s important to realise that we all have our own individual tolerances for different types, amounts and sources of carbs (partly down to our unique ‘gut flora’). So part of learning to manage your diabetes is learning your own body's tolerances for your different food choices so that you can find out what works for you in a way that is sustainable long term and allows you to enjoy your food (https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food).
Most members here find the most important tool they have access to in terms of improving their BG results around food is to use a BG meter with a simple ‘before and after meal’ framework as described in Alan S’s Test, Review, Adjust.
If your surgery are reluctant to prescribe a BG meter for you (some will only provide to people at risk of hypos, but partly this is a cost-saving measure) re are affordable self-funding options like the Caresens or the SD Codefree which have strips at approx £8 for 50 (where you can pay more than £25 for a pot of strips for other brands).
Hope this gives you a few starters... there are other links and suggestions in the Useful Links thread:
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/#post-938458
Ask any questions you have as they occur to you, nothing will be considered too obvious or ‘silly’, and people here instinctively ‘get it’. 🙂
Welcome to the forum!
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Yes it can be a worrying and bewildering time, especially if your first appointments for information are weeks away and you are just left to flounder in the meantime. So pleased you have forum. Lots of experienced, friendly folks here whose brains you can pick 🙂
While a diabetes diagnosis can feel a bit overwhelming, be reassured that it is a condition which can be managed well, with some adaptations and a bit of support. When looking back, some people even consider their diagnosis to have been the prod they needed to finally make some positive changes to a healthier lifestyle and feel more energetic and ‘alive’ than they have for years. Plus they have access to regular healthcare checks which mean any potential
issues can get spotted sooner and treated earlier.
For a good introduction to diabetes you might like to start with Maggie Davey's letter, which many members of the forum have found extremely helpful in those early weeks. For a little more detail, lots of members here have recommended Gretchen Becker’s book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year which written in a clear style without lots of medical jargon.
One question you almost certainly have is ‘what can I eat’ and the answer, like many things connected to diabetes is more complicated than many sources would have you believe. Diabetes is a very individual condition and there’s no ‘one size fits all’. It’s not simply a matter of avoiding sugar and sweet things, neither is it a matter of avoiding all carbohydrates forever.
The amount of carbohydrate in your diet will certainly have the biggest effect on your blood glucose levels, but it’s important to realise that we all have our own individual tolerances for different types, amounts and sources of carbs (partly down to our unique ‘gut flora’). So part of learning to manage your diabetes is learning your own body's tolerances for your different food choices so that you can find out what works for you in a way that is sustainable long term and allows you to enjoy your food (https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food).
Most members here find the most important tool they have access to in terms of improving their BG results around food is to use a BG meter with a simple ‘before and after meal’ framework as described in Alan S’s Test, Review, Adjust.
If your surgery are reluctant to prescribe a BG meter for you (some will only provide to people at risk of hypos, but partly this is a cost-saving measure) re are affordable self-funding options like the Caresens or the SD Codefree which have strips at approx £8 for 50 (where you can pay more than £25 for a pot of strips for other brands).
Hope this gives you a few starters... there are other links and suggestions in the Useful Links thread:
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/#post-938458
Ask any questions you have as they occur to you, nothing will be considered too obvious or ‘silly’, and people here instinctively ‘get it’. 🙂
Flower
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
Hello and welcome @mcbutler , glad you found us so soon after diagnosis - sorry you needed to.
This is a useful list of annual tests and checks you should get at some point following a diabetes diagnosis - not all will be applicable - but the majority will be https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/15-healthcare-essentials
Keeping a food diary is a really good way to see what and when you're eating then have a look at where you can try to reduce some of the carbohydrate content - pasta, potatoes, rice, pastry, bread etc and also look at portion sizes.
A diagnosis is a shock to the system but there's a wealth of experince on here with dealing with diabetes. Best Wishes 🙂
This is a useful list of annual tests and checks you should get at some point following a diabetes diagnosis - not all will be applicable - but the majority will be https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/15-healthcare-essentials
Keeping a food diary is a really good way to see what and when you're eating then have a look at where you can try to reduce some of the carbohydrate content - pasta, potatoes, rice, pastry, bread etc and also look at portion sizes.
A diagnosis is a shock to the system but there's a wealth of experince on here with dealing with diabetes. Best Wishes 🙂
Hi mcbutler,
When you look around the forums to see who are successful in managing/reversing their Type 2 Blood Glucose levels, you will find that most use some form of Low Carbohydrate 'Way Of Eating' and many use a Blood Glucose meter (like a speedometer for Blood Sugar) to tell them which sugary/starchy foods have the worst or least effect on their own individual bodies. We are all different. Low Carb can be anything from Zero Carbohydrates per day up to around 130gms of carbs per day or approx. 25% of daily Calories from carbs.
When you look around the forums to see who are successful in managing/reversing their Type 2 Blood Glucose levels, you will find that most use some form of Low Carbohydrate 'Way Of Eating' and many use a Blood Glucose meter (like a speedometer for Blood Sugar) to tell them which sugary/starchy foods have the worst or least effect on their own individual bodies. We are all different. Low Carb can be anything from Zero Carbohydrates per day up to around 130gms of carbs per day or approx. 25% of daily Calories from carbs.
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