Hello

[mattwenn]

Hello!

Just been diagnosed, and I see a diabetic nurse for the first time on 14 December.

Still trying to get an understanding of sugar, carbs etc! A lot to take in here! Anyway, hello… really don’t know what else to say for now until I start to understand things.

Matt

 

[Windy]

Hi Matt, welcome to the forum. Are you on medication for your diabetes, ie metformin? How are you coping with it all? Do you know what your HbA1c figure was? It's the amount of glucose in your blood for the last three months that the doctor would have used to diagnose you.
Any questions, I'm sure we'll all do our best to help, best wishes, Sarah

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi Matt, welcome to the forum. You will find lots of information on here and advice from some very knowledgeable people.
Perhaps you could share a bit of information about yourself. How did you come to be diagnosed, was it from having symptoms or just a routine blood test.
What was your HbA1C that has led to your diagnosis as that will indicate how much work you have to do to get your levels down? If you do not know it then you should ask.
Do you have weight to lose and have you been put on any medication.
A lot of questions but it will help people tailor their suggestions and advice.

There is a lot to take in but have a look at the Learning Zone (orange tab at the top) as it will give you a better understanding of the condition.
You have already gathered that it is all about carbohydrates (not just sugar) which you need to reduce in your diet.
Keeping a food diary of everything you eat and drink and try to estimate the TOTAL carbs will help you see where you can make some savings in your intake of carbohydrates. Info can be found by googling for Total carb of X or on the back of packets.
Many people find a low carb approach successful in reducing blood glucose levels, low carb being less than 130g per day.
Portion size of the high carb foods is important as it can soon mount up. A jacket potato served in a cafe would be about 75g carb so far more than many people would have in a day.

 

[mattwenn]

2 months ago thought I was fit and healthy. My wife had a blood pressure monitor so I tried it... 180/120?!
Saw the doc, they took a urine test and it had glucose in it, so they gave numerous blood tests!

I had to have a second for glucose levels - and it came back at 52 mmol/mol (which I note is close to the limit of being diagnosed).

Now I'm on 10mg Lisinopril for blood pressure, but I'm taking daily readings and still high.
Allopurinol 300mg (been on this 4 years for Gout... and not had an attack since.. gout bloody hurts!!!)
Metformin 500mg once a day, but goes up tomorrow to twice a day as it would of been 7 days since I first started taking it.

My BMI is fine, though I do have a beer gut! 12.5 stone, just under 6 feet tall.

I suspect alcohol is the thing doing it. I *did drink over 100 units a week, cider every day. I've had 4 days off this week so trying to look after myself. I'm also off cider, my mate who it type 1 drinks Holsten Pils as it has a lower carb amount, so I'm on that now!

 

[Leadinglights]

At just over the diagnostic level of 48mmol/mol, I am disappointed that your GP hasn't given you the opportunity to reduce your level by making some dietary changes as it is something that you need to do even though you have been prescribed metformin as metformin only helps your body to use the insulin it is producing more effectively but it is reduction in carbohydrate intake that will have the greatest impact.
Be careful of your alcohol intake if on metformin as it can react badly in some people.
You may find the metformin OK for you but some people do get stomach issues which will often settle down, just to make you aware.

 

[Windy]

Yikes, that's a lot of cider! I've worked out that you were drinking between 750g and 1500g of sugar in your 100 units per week, so between 2900 - 5800 calories (based on 15 - 30g sugar per pint, 2 units per pint). You've done well to swap it out, but like @Leadinglights says, be careful as metformin may make you bowels very unhappy if you're drinking.

I know your BMI is ok, but if you carry fat round your belly, it's more likely to give you diabetes, especially if you have a family history of it. 52mmol/mol isn't too far into the diabetic range, you can address it by losing a bit of weight and eating/drinking a lower carbohydrate diet.
I read a book by Professor Roy Taylor which has encouraged me to lose weight, he says if you lose weight, you can "unclog" your liver and pancreas of the fat that's causing them to both work inefficiently and pushing your blood sugar levels up. Prof Taylor suggests losing either 15Kg or 15% of your body weight is beneficial in controlling or pushing back diabetes.
Can you do "dry January" and see if you can get your blood pressure down and lose a bit of weight then? Everyone is on the wagon/a diet after xmas, so it's easier to say no if you're invited out the to pub.
Cheers, Sarah