Hello

[Heroxy]

Hello everyone,
I have just this week been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes
I am on Metformin 500mg which I started taking this morning.
I have a Nurse appointment next wed but confused I was told it was a phone call then got a txt message from gp surgery saying I needed to take a wee sample and do my BP for when I go in. They will do my weight and look at my feet. Think I had better pop to Dr Surgery to find out and get a wee pot if needed.
I feel like I am falling apart :-(

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Heroxy It’s completely normal to feel a bit emotional and down about a diabetes diagnosis. It’s always a shock and having to have regular check ups and appointments makes you feel ‘ill’ even though you’re not.

Ask anything you want here. There are lots of friendly, helpful people who’ve been in a similar situation to you.

 

[Heroxy]

Thank you Inka that's very kind of you 🙂
I have so much other stuff going on I have to take warfarin as I had heart surgery about 2 years ago and I have a pacemaker 2 months after op Suffered a stroke 3 days after my op so I really feel like a old car that's failing its MOT one step forward and two back at the moment. But I have come across many lovely people who help to bring my mind back to find something positive and help even just being able to natter here 🙂 with lovely people. I now have a F2F Nurse appointment which I am pleased about specially as I go to her to take my INR bloods 🙂
I have to take a wee sample, what else will happen at that appointment?

Question Should I get a blood thing to keep a check on my sugar levels at home ?
Will I get to know when my Sugar is low?
Please I should say or my mother will tell me off even if I am a mother and grandmother myself.

 

[trophywench]

Please I should say or my mother will tell me off even if I am a mother and grandmother myself.

ROFL at that! - tell mama that we are very informal here and just treat each other as good pals, with whom the subtle formalities are usually dispensed with, cos we both know we aren't deliberately rude - unless of course, we intend to be!

 

[Heroxy]

LOL I will x

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too.

Sorry to hear about all the health setbacks you have suffered recently but perhaps this can be the start of a new healthier you as my diabetes diagnosis has been. I knew I was carrying a bit too much weight and not eating as healthily as I should but my diagnosis provided the impetus I needed to make those changes and interestingly my dietary changes have also improved other aspects of my health which had been troublesome for years, so I am now fitter and healthier and slimmer and feel younger, so there have certainly been some positives.

I can understand you being a bit confused about providing a urine sample during a telephone appointment ..... To be honest things are a bit discombobulated in the NHS at the moment, so we are all having to run around and double check appointments and prescriptions to keep things right for ourselves but a diabetes diagnosis is rather overwhelming at first so I can understand you feeling a bit at sea when things are clearly different from what you are being told already. Hopefully, once you build up a rapport with the nurse and fill in some blanks from the hive mind of the forum here you will start to feel more confident of your way forwards.

As regards your questions....

I would wait until after your appointment before investing in a BG meter just in case you are one of the lucky ones whose GP practice provide them and more importantly test strips on prescription. The nurse may well say that you don't need to test, but you might have an enlightened one who understands the value of testing..... If you aren't provided with a test kit and strips, then most people here on the forum find it an invaluable tool in understanding how their body responds to individual foods and use that information to tailor their diet to what their body can tolerate and avoid the things which cause it problems and this can be a bit individual.

If you are only prescribed Metformin, then there is no concern about your levels going dangerously low as it doesn't work like that. It is only insulin or medication which stimulates your pancreas to produce more insulin which can cause dangerous lows (hypos).

PS. We won't tell your Mam that you forgot to say please😉. You are safe here!!

 

[Heroxy]

Thank you so much rebrascora, I feel a bit more relaxed and not so worried. I am ok about seeing my Nurse as I see her when I need my INR bloods to be taken.
I have been lucky with my NHS service I have had it was just the txt I got so I did go and make sure about it and get it changed and pick up a wee pot.
I guess its quite a long appointment?
I have to take statins :-( but got used to that now.
As my daddy would say at least your in the system and being looked after 🙂
Thank you again and I wont worry about my mum x

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I have to take statins :-(

While there can be side effects and nobody likes remembering a pill a day (though once you're taking a few one more doesn't make much difference), statins are cheap and effective, and the side effects are relatively rare.

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum @Heroxy, it is often a shock to get a diagnosis but it sounds as if you are having all the checks.
It would be helpful if you ask what your HbA1C result is as it will give an indication as to how much work you need to do.
Understanding what having Type 2 diabetes means for your diet will help you make the needed dietary changes.
This link may help you with some explanation and some meal ideas.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk

It is a low carb approach which many find successful in lowering blood glucose and losing weight if you need to.
Other people find a low calorie or shakes -based regime gives then a kick start but whatever you choose has to be enjoyable otherwise it will not be sustainable.

Interesting you say you are on warfarin as I believe you have to be careful of vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli which are good low carb options. There are some other anti-coagulants where it doesn't matter.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I feel a bit more relaxed and not so worried. I am ok about seeing my Nurse as I see her when I need my INR bloods to be taken.

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit more relaxed about your appointment @Heroxy

They can be a bit nerve racking to start with, but try to remember that the appointments are supposed to help you, and give you a chance to ask questions, get advice, and get access or referrals to additional help and support. It‘s not about being told off, or nagged - it should be like a sports coach giving you pointers to perform better and feel like you are winning 🙂

 

[Heroxy]

Welcome to the forum @Heroxy, it is often a shock to get a diagnosis but it sounds as if you are having all the checks.
It would be helpful if you ask what your HbA1C result is as it will give an indication as to how much work you need to do.
Understanding what having Type 2 diabetes means for your diet will help you make the needed dietary changes.
This link may help you with some explanation and some meal ideas.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk

It is a low carb approach which many find successful in lowering blood glucose and losing weight if you need to.
Other people find a low calorie or shakes -based regime gives then a kick start but whatever you choose has to be enjoyable otherwise it will not be sustainable.

Interesting you say you are on warfarin as I believe you have to be careful of vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli which are good low carb options. There are some other anti-coagulants where it doesn't matter.

Hi
It is a shock
I have no Idea what HbA1c is :-( I know I was told I was 52 and base line 48
Thank you for the link 🙂
Yes you are right I do have to be careful of my veg like you mentioned as they are very high In Vitamin K which is not good for my INR :-( and no wine unless 0% but that will be full of sugar which is no good for me either. So I am drinking more water and not much else but later this year I will be a grandma twice a month between one in June the other in July so I might have a small drink to wet the babies heads.
Just hope I get there. Though I must say having just started meds I am feeling a bit better in myself ?!! |or is it in my mind?

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi
It is a shock
I have no Idea what HbA1c is :-( I know I was told I was 52 and base line 48
Thank you for the link 🙂
Yes you are right I do have to be careful of my veg like you mentioned as they are very high In Vitamin K which is not good for my INR :-( and no wine unless 0% but that will be full of sugar which is no good for me either. So I am drinking more water and not much else but later this year I will be a grandma twice a month between one in June the other in July so I might have a small drink to wet the babies heads.
Just hope I get there. Though I must say having just started meds I am feeling a bit better in myself ?!! |or is it in my mind?

This link explains what the HbA1C is.

What is HbA1c?

HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below. If you're at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, your target HbA1c level should be below 42mmol/mol (6%).

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Heroxy]

This link explains what the HbA1C is.

What is HbA1c?

HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below. If you're at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, your target HbA1c level should be below 42mmol/mol (6%).

www.diabetes.org.uk

Leadinglights - Thank you for sending me the link and explaining it. I think it will take me a while to get used to the new terminology. I will look at the link and try and take it all in.

 

[Heroxy]

Hi all I am now confused after my hour long F2F with my nurse (which was fine as I see her for |INR bloods) I gave a urine sample in and had a message from my Dr that its back but slightly abnormal and I need to do it again next month. I am worried now :-( what do they test please if anyone can help?

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi all I am now confused after my hour long F2F with my nurse (which was fine as I see her for |INR bloods) I gave a urine sample in and had a message from my Dr that its back but slightly abnormal and I need to do it again next month. I am worried now :-( what do they test please if anyone can help?

They may be checking for glucose in the sample or infection as people with elevated blood glucose can be susceptable to UTI's or if your blood glucose is very high they may check for ketones.
You should ring them to ask as really just saying abnormal with no explanation is unacceptable.
Don't let your imagination run away with you, easy to do I know.
I had an X-ray on my wrist and they said it wasn't broken and then 2 weeks later I got a letter saying they had found an abnormality on the X-ray, OMG I was thinking all sorts. Indeed it was actually broken when they re X-rayed it.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I gave a urine sample in and had a message from my Dr that its back but slightly abnormal and I need to do it again next month.

My guess is they were looking for the albumin:creatinine ratio and that was slightly abnormal. As I understand it that's sometimes just because you had an infection or something so it's quite normal to repeat it. (That's one of the normal tests we should all be offered annually.)

Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease)

Diabetic nephropathy is the name given to kidney damage caused by diabetes. It develops slowly, over many years, and is also referred to as kidney disease or chronic kidney disease. Diabetic kidney disease is another name given to diabetic nephropathy. With the right support you can reduce...

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Heroxy]

OK Thank you I feel less worried now 🙂 Just so much to take in. Specially the what we can eat etc.
And a silly question... any easy ways to collect it in the pot?
Thanks

 

[Bruce Stephens]

And a silly question... any easy ways to collect it in the pot?

For men I think it boils down to being careful.

For women (and men, actually) there exist urine collection funnels, but I don't know how commonly they're available from GP surgeries/hospitals. They really should be. A quick google search comes up with https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/medical-accessories/urine-collection-funnels/ but I'm sure there are many other sources.

(One of the women on the Type 1 on 1 podcast mentions this several times and comments that one nurse gave her a box once, much to her delight.)

 

[Heroxy]

Thank you Bruce I shall have a look look.

 

[rebrascora]

At our surgery there are little clear plastic cups with a little handle and a pouring lip that you collect when you collect your test tube. I just wash and reuse and I keep it in the cupboard under the basin with other toiletries.