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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
hello
- Thread starter Pina
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rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi Pina and welcome.
It can be a bit overwhelming at first but hopefully, with the help of this forum, you will soon feel like you can manage it. Quite a few of us even feel like it has been the spur we needed to kick start a new and healthier diet and lifestyle and feel so much better for eating healthier food and losing a bit of weight as well as getting our Blood glucose levels into range..
Would you like to tell us a bit more about how your diagnosis happened (ie routine blood test or symptomatic), your HbA1c reading and what if any medication you have been given. This will help us to give more appropriate advice where needed.
Is there anything in particular which is concerning you at this early stage?
Look forward to hearing more about you and helping to support you on your diabetes journey.
It can be a bit overwhelming at first but hopefully, with the help of this forum, you will soon feel like you can manage it. Quite a few of us even feel like it has been the spur we needed to kick start a new and healthier diet and lifestyle and feel so much better for eating healthier food and losing a bit of weight as well as getting our Blood glucose levels into range..
Would you like to tell us a bit more about how your diagnosis happened (ie routine blood test or symptomatic), your HbA1c reading and what if any medication you have been given. This will help us to give more appropriate advice where needed.
Is there anything in particular which is concerning you at this early stage?
Look forward to hearing more about you and helping to support you on your diabetes journey.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Pina
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
One of the biggest questions when newly diagnosed is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
The really tricky thing is that blood glucose responses to food are highly individual, and it can be impossible to say which types and amounts of carbohydrate will ‘spike’ your BG without checking for yourself.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and 2hours after eating, and noting what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG. Then experimenting with reducing amounts and types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels 🙂
If you are interested in this approach you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S a helpful framework.
One of the most affordable meters members here have found is from SD, and has been recently updated to the SD Gluco Navii which has test strips at around £8 for 50
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels can actually cause problems with some parts of the body including eyes and nerves.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life.
For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
Members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.
Good luck, and keep asking questions!
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
One of the biggest questions when newly diagnosed is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
The really tricky thing is that blood glucose responses to food are highly individual, and it can be impossible to say which types and amounts of carbohydrate will ‘spike’ your BG without checking for yourself.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and 2hours after eating, and noting what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG. Then experimenting with reducing amounts and types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels 🙂
If you are interested in this approach you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S a helpful framework.
One of the most affordable meters members here have found is from SD, and has been recently updated to the SD Gluco Navii which has test strips at around £8 for 50
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels can actually cause problems with some parts of the body including eyes and nerves.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life.
For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
Members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.
Good luck, and keep asking questions!
Pina
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I have had blurry eyes for months and months. I have been wearing specs since I was 3 years old due to Measles, and I hadn't had them checked for a couple of years. Then I realised one day that I'd finished off my cold water bottle in the fridge, I've never been a liquid drinker, always struggled getting water down. So, a little bell went off, and I remembered something about drinking a lot and diabetes. Off to the DR I went, and yep, sugar in my urine, and my blood was 13.5.
He sent me off to the hospital for a blood test, and an appt with the diabetic nurse. So, here I am...….
He sent me off to the hospital for a blood test, and an appt with the diabetic nurse. So, here I am...….
SueEK
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi again Pina. Strange how things seem to come on all of a sudden and like you say 'ping' lightbulb moment and off to the docs. My level was 20.3 at my diagnosis, surprised was an understatement but hey ho here we all are and nice that you have joined us. I notice you say that you have had blurry vision for a while, have you been put on any form of medication at all. Quite a few of us have had the blurry vision, it is because the fluid is taken from everywhere in the body including the eyes and this thankfully does settle once we manage to get our glucose levels under control so it may take a little while yet, depending on whether you are on medication/insulin or just by diet. Don't worry though I don't think any serious damage is usually done if you get on top of it.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @Pina . I am glad that you have found us.
You have already had a host of information from others. Do keep questions coming. There is plenty of help and support available on here, and I know that I have learnt most of what I know about my Diabetes management from others on here, who are living with it day to day.
You have already had a host of information from others. Do keep questions coming. There is plenty of help and support available on here, and I know that I have learnt most of what I know about my Diabetes management from others on here, who are living with it day to day.
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