Hello

[seanset]

Hi all,

Diagnosed 2 weeks ago with type 2, HbA1c level of 51. There is a history of diabetes in the family but still a shock when I was told. I’ve been started on statins and trying diet and exercise to bring my levels down, first gym session in a few years today! For me, diet is going to be a challenge as I work shifts but I’m determined to find a solution.

 

[gail2]

Hello @seanset welcome to the forum
feel free to post away no question to small or to silly
take care
gail

 

[saffron15]

@seanset welcome to the forum. I joined in August having been diagnosed in July. I had no family with diabetes. Perhaps having family members with diabetes as enabled you to be less bewildered than I was. However, I suspect ideas of how to manage diabetes are improving all the time. Check out the threads under remission given your age and hba1c result. When is your next test? I assume 3 months.
Have a look at the Freshwell website/app. It is very clear about foods to avoid reduce. Before discovering this site I had already cut processed food and carbs and was losing weight. Upping your exercise and reducing carbs will work for you. There is probably something in your diet if removed reduced or replaced will make a big difference. Obviously I was aware of sweet things but I hadn't realised how carby some items were.
This Doctors site has everything in one place.

Diabetes & Metabolic Health | New Forest PCN

newforestpcn.co.uk

Also check out the Diabetes UK site

As far as shifts things like soup or frittata could be taken to work.

My reading was 51 at end of September and now is 44 but I am on medication. I'm sure you will reduce your reading without medication.

Good luck

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @seanset . Very pleased that you have found us.

It is good that they have picked up your diabetes with your HbA1c not too far into the diabetic range. This gives you the option of tackling it through changes in diet and activity levels. Our glucose in the blood will be coming from your own release from the liver which keeps you ticking over, and the rest from the carbohydrates that we eat.

It can be very helpful to start by finding out how many carbs are in what you eat already. I knew nothing about this before I was diagnosed. I was surprised at the amounts in some of our regular meals, and in any processed meals. Where I wanted to reduce the carbs I was eating we were able to do this by doing some swaps to lower carbs options and also reducing our portion sizes.

There is a lot of info available on here and in the learning zone (tab at the top or in the menu on a phone) and loads of experience to tap into on here. Fire away with any questions that you have and know that nothing is considered silly on here. Just ask.

I look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[goodybags]

Welcome to the forum @seanset it’s great that you weren’t as high into the Diabetic range when you were diagnosed as many of us were, so you might not need major changes

you say the eating of a healthy diet will be challenging due to the shifts you work
what kind of shifts do you do and what would you have been eating in the past ?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @seanset

A diagnosis with diabetes can be overwhelming, and often comes as a shock (even if there are some known elements of risk).

Be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adjust. Great to hear you are determined to find away through the maze of options to build a diabetes toolkit that work for you.

We have literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum, and lots of different members using different combinations of approaches that work for them. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach, so it’s about trying things out, and seeing what works for you 🙂

 

[Alan44]

Hi @seanset and welcome to the forum

My HbA1c level was also 51 and reduced that to 46 with a low carb diet (130 g per day ish), reduced calorie intake (iro 1200 per day) and increased exercise (20 to 40 mins per day)

I was given 3 months to alter my lifestyle and reduce my HbA1c level which I just about did (no medication)

I did that 3 months, I also lost 2st which helped a great deal and my BMI is now 23

Alan 😉

 

[pjgtech]

Hi and welcome, lots of good info on here, good luck with finding our what works for you.
Lots of good advice already given to you, but basically reduce carbs (all carbs, not just sugars) and maybe a bit more exercise.
Please keep us updated on your progress. Cheers

 

[seanset]

@seanset welcome to the forum. I joined in August having been diagnosed in July. I had no family with diabetes. Perhaps having family members with diabetes as enabled you to be less bewildered than I was. However, I suspect ideas of how to manage diabetes are improving all the time. Check out the threads under remission given your age and hba1c result. When is your next test? I assume 3 months.
Have a look at the Freshwell website/app. It is very clear about foods to avoid reduce. Before discovering this site I had already cut processed food and carbs and was losing weight. Upping your exercise and reducing carbs will work for you. There is probably something in your diet if removed reduced or replaced will make a big difference. Obviously I was aware of sweet things but I hadn't realised how carby some items were.
This Doctors site has everything in one place.

Diabetes & Metabolic Health | New Forest PCN

newforestpcn.co.uk

Also check out the Diabetes UK site

As far as shifts things like soup or frittata could be taken to work.

My reading was 51 at end of September and now is 44 but I am on medication. I'm sure you will reduce your reading without medication.

Good luck

Next test is in 6 months, I’m lucky that I get food provided free at work so just need to explore the menu more. I’ve joined the same gym as my daughter & son in law so motivated to get an exercise regime started. Ive got into a habit of snacking on biscuits so just cutting them out should make a small fifference.

 

[seanset]

Welcome to the forum @seanset . Very pleased that you have found us.

It is good that they have picked up your diabetes with your HbA1c not too far into the diabetic range. This gives you the option of tackling it through changes in diet and activity levels. Our glucose in the blood will be coming from your own release from the liver which keeps you ticking over, and the rest from the carbohydrates that we eat.

It can be very helpful to start by finding out how many carbs are in what you eat already. I knew nothing about this before I was diagnosed. I was surprised at the amounts in some of our regular meals, and in any processed meals. Where I wanted to reduce the carbs I was eating we were able to do this by doing some swaps to lower carbs options and also reducing our portion sizes.

There is a lot of info available on here and in the learning zone (tab at the top or in the menu on a phone) and loads of experience to tap into on here. Fire away with any questions that you have and know that nothing is considered silly on here. Just ask.

I look forward to hearing more from you.

Diet & exercise is definitely my preferred way to tackle my levels. I’ve downloaded the carbs & cals app that my daughters use to help with the diet, I’ve also started to reduce the portion sizes and bought smaller plates to trick my mind into thinking I’m still having similar portions.

 

[seanset]

Welcome to the forum @seanset it’s great that you weren’t as high into the Diabetic range when you were diagnosed as many of us were, so you might not need major changes

you say the eating of a healthy diet will be challenging due to the shifts you work
what kind of shifts do you do and what would you have been eating in the past ?

I work 12hr days/nights on a pattern similar to 4 on/4 off, mostly eating sandwiches & crisps when I’m on nights because it’s the quick and easy option. I’m trying now to plan and prep meals beforehand so this eliminates the high amount of carbs that I’ve been consuming.

 

[seanset]

Welcome to the forum @seanset

A diagnosis with diabetes can be overwhelming, and often comes as a shock (even if there are some known elements of risk).

Be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adjust. Great to hear you are determined to find away through the maze of options to build a diabetes toolkit that work for you.

We have literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum, and lots of different members using different combinations of approaches that work for them. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach, so it’s about trying things out, and seeing what works for you 🙂

Thanks for the reply and advice, as you say I just need to take the time to find what works for me.

 

[seanset]

Hi @seanset and welcome to the forum

My HbA1c level was also 51 and reduced that to 46 with a low carb diet (130 g per day ish), reduced calorie intake (iro 1200 per day) and increased exercise (20 to 40 mins per day)

I was given 3 months to alter my lifestyle and reduce my HbA1c level which I just about did (no medication)

I did that 3 months, I also lost 2st which helped a great deal and my BMI is now 23

Alan 😉

Thanks for your reply, it’s seeing stories like yours that convinces me that I can achieve my goals as well. Well done

 

[seanset]

Hi and welcome, lots of good info on here, good luck with finding our what works for you.
Lots of good advice already given to you, but basically reduce carbs (all carbs, not just sugars) and maybe a bit more exercise.
Please keep us updated on your progress. Cheers

Thanks for your reply and I’ll definitely update with my progress.

 

[goodybags]

I work 12hr days/nights on a pattern similar to 4 on/4 off, mostly eating sandwiches & crisps when I’m on nights because it’s the quick and easy option. I’m trying now to plan and prep meals beforehand so this eliminates the high amount of carbs that I’ve been consuming.

yes definitely a basic bit of planning will pay off then, to give you a idea I used to live on sandwiches crisps then sometimes a chocolate bar for lunch (usually a quick lunch break if I’m on the road between appointments)

these days it’s lunch a wide mouthed food flask, containing a soup (not a tinned but Mrs @goodybags cooks up soups for me which we then freeze and I take one out the freezer each night ready for a 10 min blast in the microwave before I head off to work)
then I also have either an apple or pear usually

when the warmer weather comes
it’s a salad again in the food flask for me, I also take some nuts and a hard boiled or pickled egg / sometimes a small piece of cheese out with me in my lunch bag, incase I want a snack

 

[seanset]

yes definitely a basic bit of planning will pay off then, to give you a idea I used to live on sandwiches crisps then sometimes a chocolate bar for lunch (usually a quick lunch break if I’m on the road between appointments)

these days it’s lunch a wide mouthed food flask, containing a soup (not a tinned but Mrs @goodybags cooks up soups for me which we then freeze and I take one out the freezer each night ready for a 10 min blast in the microwave before I head off to work)
then I also have either an apple or pear usually

when the warmer weather comes
it’s a salad again in the food flask for me, I also take some nuts and a hard boiled or pickled egg / sometimes a small piece of cheese out with me in my lunch bag, incase I want a snack

I’ve started taking Eggs & nuts to replace the chocolate & crisps. The idea with soup is something that I’m going to look at doing. Thanks for the tips.

 

[198d]

Hiya @seanset
Also had a level of 51 as of Christmas Eve although I wasn’t diagnosed, my GP has classed me as pre-diabetic and I’ve been given 5 weeks or so to bring my levels down.

Low carbing and crossing my fingers until then - still getting my head around things but everyone here is so lovely and happy to offer help and advice 🙂

 

[SB2015]

I’ve started taking Eggs & nuts to replace the chocolate & crisps. The idea with soup is something that I’m going to look at doing. Thanks for the tips.

Well done on all the steps that you are already taking. You have plans in place to address each of the difficulties that you identified. I look forward to hearing how you get on.

 

[seanset]

Hiya @seanset
Also had a level of 51 as of Christmas Eve although I wasn’t diagnosed, my GP has classed me as pre-diabetic and I’ve been given 5 weeks or so to bring my levels down.

Low carbing and crossing my fingers until then - still getting my head around things but everyone here is so lovely and happy to offer help and advice 🙂

That’s interesting to hear how the same level is looked at differently. Good luck with your levels in the next few weeks.

 

[198d]

That’s interesting to hear how the same level is looked at differently. Good luck with your levels in the next few weeks.

Isn’t it?
Luckily he’s very much a lifestyle changes before meds kind of GP so fingers crossed!

Good luck to you too! 🙂