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Hello...

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auntiejude

auntiejude

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi everyone, I'm new here. I was diagnosed in Feb with type 2 with a HbA1C of 81. Not entirely unexpected given my family history, but 10 years sooner than I was expecting. I'm doing a lot of reading, thinking about lifestyle and diet changes, but this is hampered by 2 main things: IBS and intolerance of artificial sweeteners (they trigger IBS or migraines). I have a whole catalogue of other complaints too (hypertension, high cholesterol, NAFLD, back injury) to factor in.
Oh, and I also run a small confectionery company, which really doesn't help either.

I would like to recommend that anyone who is newly diagnosed attends a DESMOND course - it's free and you only need a referral from your GP practice. I found it really useful, and TBH a lot of things clicked together for me in that one day.

I'm here to try and pick up some tips, share experiences and chat with people who understand the choices and challenges facing diabetics!
 
Hi auntiejude & welcome to the forum. There are lots of lovely people on here who can help with any questions you need answering.🙂
 
Hi and welcome to the forum :D
 
auntiejude said:
Hi everyone, I'm new here. I was diagnosed in Feb with type 2 with a HbA1C of 81. Not entirely unexpected given my family history, but 10 years sooner than I was expecting. I'm doing a lot of reading, thinking about lifestyle and diet changes, but this is hampered by 2 main things: IBS and intolerance of artificial sweeteners (they trigger IBS or migraines). I have a whole catalogue of other complaints too (hypertension, high cholesterol, NAFLD, back injury) to factor in.
Oh, and I also run a small confectionery company, which really doesn't help either.

I would like to recommend that anyone who is newly diagnosed attends a DESMOND course - it's free and you only need a referral from your GP practice. I found it really useful, and TBH a lot of things clicked together for me in that one day.

I'm here to try and pick up some tips, share experiences and chat with people who understand the choices and challenges facing diabetics!
Click to expand...
Hi auntiejude, welcome to the forum 🙂 Are you on any medication for your diabetes? Good to hear that you have already been on the DESMOND course, many people don't even get told that such courses exist! 😱

For a bit more reading, in case you haven't already read them, I'd recommend Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter. Also, Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker comes highly recommended by many of our members 🙂 Are you using a blood glucose meter to monitor your tolerance of different foods? Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand the process. Our tolerances for things can be very individual, so it's important to know your own in order to minimise the impact on your blood glucose levels, whilst retaining maximum flexibility in your diet 🙂 A lot of Type 2s are told they don't need to test - what advice were you given on your DESMOND course? Without testing you are pretty much guessing and keeping fingers crossed until your next HbA1c - if it turns out to be not so good, you won't know where you went wrong i.e. what things you ate that were having a bad impact on your levels.

Please let us know if you have any questions, we will be very happy to help! 🙂
 
Hello auntiejude, welcome to the forum.🙂 Sounds like you're grabbing the diabetes bull by the horns...don't forget to take baby steps, Rome wasn't built in a day and all that. Let us know how you get on.😛
 
Hi auntiejude
Welcome aboard hope you find it useful 🙂
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.
 
Thank you all for the warm welcome! I'm currently on Metformin (3x500mg), and I'm looking into a high protein/low carb diet.
I was told that type 2s don't really need to test and the NHS won't fund it, but it can be useful to monitor when first diagnosed.

I'm probably going to get the 'first year' book, and I'm working my way through the forum.
 
auntiejude said:
Thank you all for the warm welcome! I'm currently on Metformin (3x500mg), and I'm looking into a high protein/low carb diet.
I was told that type 2s don't really need to test and the NHS won't fund it, but it can be useful to monitor when first diagnosed.

I'm probably going to get the 'first year' book, and I'm working my way through the forum.
Click to expand...
Sigh! We have this discussion so many times after a newly-diagnosed person has been told Type 2s don't need to test, grr! I have lost count of the number of people who have hugely improved their blood sugar control purely because they were able to tailor their diets according to the information provided from testing - it really is the best tool available if you want to learn how different foods affect you, and retain maximum flexibility in your diet 🙂 Have a read of the Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S link to see how to do it efficiently. If you don't have a meter, then the cheapest option we have come across here is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50, which a lot of our members have used with great success 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum jude. Great to hear that DESMOND course helped you. Did they say much about activity / exercise, as well as diet?
 
Hi Copepod, Yes, the DESMOND nurses emphasized the need for exercise and the reasons for it. Quite in-depth on the stress/cortisol/adrenaline thing too.
 
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