Hi and welcome
Lots of excellent advice above. One thing that might help you understand your carb intake is to get an app which shows both calories and carbs. I use NutraCheck - in fact it was the first thing I did when diagnosed. If you are going to follow a lower carb eating plan, less than 130gm carbs a day is what is suggested. You will be surprised at how many carbs some foods have, and how quickly they can mount up during the day.
Also everyone is different - some people are very sensitive to carbs, so have a very low daily total, others can successfully eat more. I experimented and settled on around 90gm a day. That is where the monitoring comes in. Testing immediately before and 2 hours after the first bit of a meal will indicate which foods affect you more than others. For example, I can have one slice of toast from a medium sliced 400gm wholemeal loaf, but for others it is strictly a no-no. But I can't have apples. Please avoid snacking as that might have an adverse effect on the measurements.
As you initially had very high blood glucose, coming down too quickly can effect your eyesight. Also you would be advised to reduce your carbs slowly - I read on here to reduce by a third initially for a week or so, then slowly keep reducing until you reach the desired level.
Standard Metformin can have undesirable side effects, and I have read of people whose ability to work has been affected (ie running to the loo constantly for No 2), or doubled up with cramps. If that is the case, you can request a slow release version as I did. Many people find that suits their insides better. Also the Metformin should be taken in the middle of the meal - a sort of pill sandwich. I found I could only tolerate one 500mg pill, and have been put on Canaglifloxin in addition, as I did not want to take Gliclazide, and I need to drive. It sounds like you were not given any say, just dictated to. I hope you get allocated a diabetic nurse you can talk to.
Finally there is a part of the forum where people post their meals, to give you some idea. This is fairly typical for me as I'm a fairly boring eater, but others have far more adventurous suggestions. I cook from scratch, make up portions and freeze. There are low carb alternatives to potato, rice and pasta. Cauliflower is my best friend instead of potato or rice, and courgetti / boodles take the place of pasta.
Breakfast: 80 gm berries with Greek yogurt, or a poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes
Lunch: Salad with 120gm protein like chicken, tuna, egg, salmon, prawns, cottage cheese, or 300ml homemade soup made without potato, flour or other thickeners (I puree to thicken), or crudities with a dip made from cottage cheese/fromage frais flavoured with something like paprika or a dash of curry powder
Dinner: 120gm protein like baked fish, grilled chicken and lots of vegetables like cauliflower, spinach, kale, cabbage, Brussels, green beans, broccoli, swede, squash and smaller portions of root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, sweet potato
It does seem overwhelming at first but it is amazing how quickly you can adapt to a new way of eating. Best wishes
