Hello

[Tara C]

Newly diagnosed and finding it difficult to cope with the overwhelming feeling that my life is over. I know it's not, but it just feels so depressing. All the Christmas food adverts on TV certainly aren't helping. I love to cook but now find all my ingredients have hidden carbs so food has gone from being one of the only joyful things in my life to being bland, boring repetative and making me feel sick.

 

[Docb]

Hi @Tara C and welcome to the forum. That sort of reaction is pretty common, especially if you are given a diagnosis and then basically left to get on with it without really being told what "it" is. That's where we can help. There are lots of friendly people on here who have been where you are now, found a way out, and are only too happy to share their experiences.

It helps if we know a bit more about your diabetes so do you want to tell us how you came to be diagnosed and if you know your HbA1c result was. That is the result of the blood test which would have led to the diagnosis and it tells you where you are on the diabetes scale.

PS... I like cooking and have adjusted my diet to keep my blood glucose in check and I can assure you it is a long way from being boring or bland! Also, if you like cooking then getting carb intake down to can be an interesting challenge and good fun. You don't have to eliminate carbs, you just have to reduce them to the level your system can cope with.

 

[Leadinglights]

Newly diagnosed and finding it difficult to cope with the overwhelming feeling that my life is over. I know it's not, but it just feels so depressing. All the Christmas food adverts on TV certainly aren't helping. I love to cook but now find all my ingredients have hidden carbs so food has gone from being one of the only joyful things in my life to being bland, boring repetative and making me feel sick.

Welcome to the forum, it is all very overwhelming when you get a diagnosis but far from your life being over it is an opportunity to make your life better and healthier.
As for food being bland and boring, none of it. Have a look at the threads in the food forum What did you eat yesterday and the Recipes and you will find plenty of tasty meals which are low carb.
There are quite a few recipe books people use but just google low carb or keto recipes for adaptations of your favourite meals.
If you like cooking then all the better as you can avoid those high carb preprepared meals and bought sauces that many people would have relied on.

 

[Tara C]

Thanks - yes I do feel a little like I've been dropped in the middle of Japan without a phrasebook.

I was pre-diabetic pre lockdown but then didn't see the dr again until a couple of weeks ago when I wanted to switch my HRT (I have endometriosis and have been in a medical menopause for over 15 years but am now doing it naturally on top) and the blood tests for that showed my HBA1c was 102 which I think is very bad! I also had a "marker for fatty liver disease" but other than being told I need a liver scan I wasn't told much about that. The Dr told me to get the "carbs and cals" book but didn't tell me how many cals or carbs a day to opt for. I just find myself waking every morning with a dread of starting the day, am very clingy on my husband and cry for no good reason.

I've stopped drinking (wasn't a huge drinker but do enjoy a G&T and would have one most Fri/Sat nights but can't do low cal tonics as the sachrin in them upsets my stomach and makes my endo flare) and cut out chocolate and crisps and am trying to keep each meal below 45g carb. Am trying to walk more but running my own business post-lockdown has increase my "desk hours" as we had to let our only employee go so I'm doing 2 jobs, but we did do a 2.5 mile walk yesterday. I've lost a couple of kgs in a couple of weeks. Now I've increased metformin to 2 a day I am also finding that is upsetting my stomach (17 visits to the loo on Saturday) and am finding my acid reflux is worse and waking me early each morning.

 

[Tara C]

Hi @Tara C and welcome to the forum. That sort of reaction is pretty common, especially if you are given a diagnosis and then basically left to get on with it without really being told what "it" is. That's where we can help. There are lots of friendly people on here who have been where you are now, found a way out, and are only too happy to share their experiences.

It helps if we know a bit more about your diabetes so do you want to tell us how you came to be diagnosed and if you know your HbA1c result was. That is the result of the blood test which would have led to the diagnosis and it tells you where you are on the diabetes scale.

PS... I like cooking and have adjusted my diet to keep my blood glucose in check and I can assure you it is a long way from being boring or bland! Also, if you like cooking then getting carb intake down to can be an interesting challenge and good fun. You don't have to eliminate carbs, you just have to reduce them to the level your system can cope with.

details above - thanks - only just spotted the reply function!

 

[janw]

Hi and welcome
I don't have time to say much now, but let's get the important thing out of the way - there is no need to stop your G&T, just count in on your food diary. They do say to have something like zero coke with alcohol, OR tonic water, so don't give up your weekend tipple 🙂 Still pretty new here too, but you will learn so much. Good luck.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks - yes I do feel a little like I've been dropped in the middle of Japan without a phrasebook.

I was pre-diabetic pre lockdown but then didn't see the dr again until a couple of weeks ago when I wanted to switch my HRT (I have endometriosis and have been in a medical menopause for over 15 years but am now doing it naturally on top) and the blood tests for that showed my HBA1c was 102 which I think is very bad! I also had a "marker for fatty liver disease" but other than being told I need a liver scan I wasn't told much about that. The Dr told me to get the "carbs and cals" book but didn't tell me how many cals or carbs a day to opt for. I just find myself waking every morning with a dread of starting the day, am very clingy on my husband and cry for no good reason.

I've stopped drinking (wasn't a huge drinker but do enjoy a G&T and would have one most Fri/Sat nights but can't do low cal tonics as the sachrin in them upsets my stomach and makes my endo flare) and cut out chocolate and crisps and am trying to keep each meal below 45g carb. Am trying to walk more but running my own business post-lockdown has increase my "desk hours" as we had to let our only employee go so I'm doing 2 jobs, but we did do a 2.5 mile walk yesterday. I've lost a couple of kgs in a couple of weeks. Now I've increased metformin to 2 a day I am also finding that is upsetting my stomach (17 visits to the loo on Saturday) and am finding my acid reflux is worse and waking me early each morning.

Carbs and Cals is excellent and was /is my bible for making better food choices. Many people do get stomach issues when first starting metformin but find it settles down, if not soon then ask to be switched to the slow release version. However it will be reducing the carbohydrate in your diet that will have the most impact in reducing your blood glucose levels.
The reason G Ps are reluctant to advise on how many carbs per day is that everybody is different in their tolerance to carbs but one approach is for low carb and that is regarded as being less than 130g per day including drinks.
A good start is to make a food diary of everything you eat and drink and estimate how many g TOTAL carb you are having and then reduce gradually to the lower level, this can help to avoid any issues with your eyes or nerves by a sudden reduction in blood glucose levels.
Buying a home blood glucose monitor will help you see what foods and meals may be the problem and allow you to cut out some things or reduce portion size of the high carb componant.
Clearly there are some things you need to avoid for other reasons, is it all artificial sweeteners that cause you a problem. Some people do seem sensitive to things like erythritol which give them stomach problems.

 

[Tara C]

Carbs and Cals is excellent and was /is my bible for making better food choices. Many people do get stomach issues when first starting metformin but find it settles down, if not soon then ask to be switched to the slow release version. However it will be reducing the carbohydrate in your diet that will have the most impact in reducing your blood glucose levels.
The reason G Ps are reluctant to advise on how many carbs per day is that everybody is different in their tolerance to carbs but one approach is for low carb and that is regarded as being less than 130g per day including drinks.
A good start is to make a food diary of everything you eat and drink and estimate how many g TOTAL carb you are having and then reduce gradually to the lower level, this can help to avoid any issues with your eyes or nerves by a sudden reduction in blood glucose levels.
Buying a home blood glucose monitor will help you see what foods and meals may be the problem and allow you to cut out some things or reduce portion size of the high carb componant.
Clearly there are some things you need to avoid for other reasons, is it all artificial sweeteners that cause you a problem. Some people do seem sensitive to things like erythritol which give them stomach problems.

Thanks - I have found I'm getting a bit blurry sometimes (have an eye scan in Dec but eye screening at opticians showed no issues on their back of eye photo) so is that bacause I've gone hard on carb cut back?
I haven't yet found a diet drink I can tolerate - sachrin and stevia defo set me off but I haven't tried others as I just assumed they would all be the same.
Is the overall aim to get the hba1c level back below 47 or is that never going to happen?
They didn't tell about pricking my finger at the drs but I assumed they would as my BIL is diabetic and he does it 3 times a day.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks - I have found I'm getting a bit blurry sometimes (have an eye scan in Dec but eye screening at opticians showed no issues on their back of eye photo) so is that bacause I've gone hard on carb cut back?
I haven't yet found a diet drink I can tolerate - sachrin and stevia defo set me off but I haven't tried others as I just assumed they would all be the same.
Is the overall aim to get the hba1c level back below 47 or is that never going to happen?
They didn't tell about pricking my finger at the drs but I assumed they would as my BIL is diabetic and he does it 3 times a day.

Most Type 2 have to self fund a monitor and strips unless they are on medication which can cause hypos which you are not but it really is a game changer on giving you the control of your condition.
Blurry vision can be because your blood glucose levels are high but also as your level decreases the eye environment changes and they have to adapt from sugary tears back to salty tears. No justice there.
It is very possible to get your HbA1C back to normal level of below 42mmol/mol, many on here have done so.

 

[Docb]

@Tara C. A HbA1c of 102 is still a bit short of the forum record but it is still up in what I like to think of as the red zone; that is a level where it is advisable focus on getting it down. If it stays there then you are increasing the risk of getting complications in the long term you could well do without.

I also like to think about the four levers you can pull. These are weight loss, diet, exercise and medication. Quite which levers you pull and how hard you pull them depends very much on what will suit you. Somewhere there will be a combination that will work, you have just got to find it. My approach was to pull all four with a bigger pull on the dietary changes with a simple aim of cutting carb intake to around 100 -130g carb per day. That's what suited me because I am the sort of person who recognises that there is a good side and a bad side to most things, and that it is better to take the benefits I can get from balancing several approaches to a problem rather than look for some magical (and usually mythical) solution which will instantaneously fix everything.

 

[Tara C]

Most Type 2 have to self fund a monitor and strips unless they are on medication which can cause hypos which you are not but it really is a game changer on giving you the control of your condition.
Blurry vision can be because your blood glucose levels are high but also as your level decreases the eye environment changes and they have to adapt from sugary tears back to salty tears. No justice there.
It is very possible to get your HbA1C back to normal level of below 42mmol/mol, many on here have done so.

My eyes are very dry at the moment - which I thought was a menopause issue - could this be a diabetes thing too? I am currently using eye drops (cellusvisc preservative free) 2-4 times a day.

 

[Leadinglights]

My eyes are very dry at the moment - which I thought was a menopause issue - could this be a diabetes thing too? I am currently using eye drops (cellusvisc preservative free) 2-4 times a day.

Some people do have dry eyes anyway, not always diabetes related.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Tara C

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and the other health challenges you are having to juggle. It is not at all uncommon to feel knocked completely sideways by diabetes, and to feel quite shaken and teary.

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 upset by your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that being diagnosed became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.

It sounds like your HbA1c rose quite dramatically from being at risk of diabetes (42-47) up to 102 at diagnosis. Did you lose any weight during that time without intending to?

Feel free to ask away with any questions you may have. We have lots of friendly folks here, with literally centuries lived with diabetes between us. It can make such a difference being able to compare notes with others who instinctively ‘get it’.

 

[Tara C]

Welcome to the forum @Tara C

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and the other health challenges you are having to juggle. It is not at all uncommon to feel knocked completely sideways by diabetes, and to feel quite shaken and teary.

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 upset by your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that being diagnosed became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.

It sounds like your HbA1c rose quite dramatically from being at risk of diabetes (42-47) up to 102 at diagnosis. Did you lose any weight during that time without intending to?

Feel free to ask away with any questions you may have. We have lots of friendly folks here, with literally centuries lived with diabetes between us. It can make such a difference being able to compare notes with others who instinctively ‘get it’.

Hi everydayupsanddowns

No weight lost, my weight has been pretty static for years but I am overweight especially for my height.

Still finding it difficult and still very teary alot of the time, but making positive changes too - walking every day (only 30 mins for now but its better than nothing right?) and have lost 4 kgs since diagnosis on the 9th.

Getting a lot of lower back pain at the minute - could that be from the metformin (switched to slow release this week due to upset stomach and since taking those have noticed twinging that feels around kidneys)

Thanks for the supportive message - its really helpful to not feel so alone.

 

[Felinia]

Hi and welcome

As others have said everyone has a different diabetic journey, as each body reacts differently to various foods. The best way to find out is with a Monitor, recording immediately before and 2 hours after first bite of a meal. The goal is to keep the increase below 3 mmol. If you also keep a food diary at the same time, you will soon work out what causes your blood glucose to spike. For example, I can get away with a small slice of wholemeal from a 400gm loaf, to have with my poached egg. But I can't take rice, pasta or apples! Other people will have different reactions. I monitored my carbs and cals with an app - there are several on the market, like MyFitBit and Nutracheck. When I was diagnosed, getting one was the first thing I did, and I plan in advance each day so know exactly where I am. I just monitor for new foods these days.

Carbs are a tricky thing. Some people are very sensitive and follow a very low carb diet. I experimented between 50gm and 130gm a day, settling on around 90gm +-15gm. It is impossible to cut out carbs, as even the humble lettuce has carbs. In general vegetables grown above ground are good to eat. Those below ground, like potatoes, parsnips etc are best restricted or substituted.

Cauliflower is my new best friend, riced or mashed. I sometimes top it with a sauce made from the cooking liquor and grated cheese (my brother's recipe). Then I have a selection from runner beans, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, kale, Brussels, spinach, Spring greens, cabbage, squash, celery, leek, onions, peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, swede, a small portion of carrots or sweet potato. That covers 2/3 of a dessert plate (10") and the other 1/3 is protein. You can get courgetti or boodles for pasta, and there are now some zero carb options. I haven't tried them so can't comment.

For me diabetes was an opportunity to try out lots of new things, make a lot of my own soups, try lots of different herbs and seasonings, and use my slow cooker. I've posted quite a few meals on the Food/Recipes section of the Forum, and the thread "What did you eat yesterday" has lots of ideas and pictures. For example, today my meals are: Breakfast, Mushroom and cheese omelette; Lunch: Salad with a couple of slices of corned beef and lemon/black pepper dressing; Dinner: One pot chicken and vegetable casserole done in the slow cooker. It comes to 1100 cals and 48gm carbs, so I have a few carbs to play with. I'll probable have a lime and soda. I checked the soda water and it does not have sweeteners. I don't drink, so I don't know if soda water would go with gin!!!

I make a chickestrone soup, where I substitute cooked chicken for pasta, and throw in carrot, celery, onion, cabbage, leek, squash, green beans, cabbage, haricot beans and tomatoes, with my home made chicken stock and some Italian herb seasoning (and any other left over veggies lurking in the fridge). A 250ml serving is 250 cals and 25gm carbs. Another soup I make with celery, onions, yellow and green peppers, butter beans, sweetcorn, chicken stock, a little skimmed milk and sage. A 250ml serving is 160cals and also 25gm carbs. The beans in both are the source of fibre. For a quick easy meal, take a pack of Mediterranean veggies, top with two or three skinless, boneless chicken thighs dusted in chicken seasoning, and roast in the oven - it will serve 2. It also works with a firm fish dusted in fish seasoning, which goes on half way through the cooking time.

So meals are never boring - in fact I'm having a cooking session today. Best wishes

 

[trophywench]

Gin & soda water ........ Noooooooooo! Mum used to buy a soda syphon refill every week (Once you'd bought the original syphon, a huge cost of approx 1/- per refill when I was a teenager) to dilute the Quosh orange & pineapple squash she already provided for us. Soda water on it's own isn't at all palatable to me.

OTOH a G & (slimline) T - well now you're talking. If no gin, a V.A.(slimline)T. is equally acceptable!

 

[Drummer]

You can always use herbs and spices in your cooking, and I find that cauliflower cheese is a better option than macaroni cheese any day - I find my menu pretty tasty.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Getting a lot of lower back pain at the minute - could that be from the metformin (switched to slow release this week due to upset stomach and since taking those have noticed twinging that feels around kidneys)

Maybe have a chat with your local pharmacist of the discomfort continues? (one of the qualified ones out the back, rather than just the counter staff). They should be able to help.

Metformin: a medicine to treat type 2 diabetes

NHS medicines information on metformin – what it's used for, side effects, dosage and who can take it.

www.nhs.uk

Kidney pain isn’t mentioned in the list of common side-effects, but perhaps check the PIL in the box for rarer effects.

Metformin isn’t advised for people with established kidney problems, so it probably is worth asking about.

 

[EmmaL76]

My eyes are very dry at the moment - which I thought was a menopause issue - could this be a diabetes thing too? I am currently using eye drops (cellusvisc preservative free) 2-4 times a day.

I recently had an episode where one of my eyes went completely foggy, like looking through cotton wool. Had an emergency appointment, could find no diabetes related issues but was told I had very dry eyes. Sometimes this happens with the changes in season, suppose it could be related to diabetes also, who knows. They prescribed me some drops (will post a pic) I’ve found if I pop these in before any screen work or during the many hours online shopping on my phone , it helps no end. I’ve also purchased an anti glare screen for my phone xx