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Hey

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Welcome to the forum @Joesephton! Any questions need answering just remember that no question is too silly or too obvious
 
Look down! And welcome😉
 
Welcome Joe 🙂

What bought you to the forums? feeling a bit like "what now"? etc.

This place has been so much more helpful than GPs for me with info, tips and general support (and some much needed laughs) 🙂

When were you diagnosed and any idea what your hba1c blood test result was if they told you? (gives people an idea of where you are at and can offer some more appropriate advice if needed).

Jump right in if you have anything to ask, as Lily said, no question is too obvious or silly.
 
Hi and welcome from me too.

As mentioned, telling us a bit more about your diabetes will help us to help you.
Things like....
How you came to be diagnosed? ie. Routine blood test or symptomatic or some other event which picked it up.

Your HbA1c result if you know it..... This is the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and will be a number in excess of 47 if you have a full blown diagnosis, 42-47 if you are "at risk of diabetes" and below 42 is normal. It may also be expressed in the old units which were as a percentage which all gets a bit confusing. It is helpful to know where on the diabetic scale you are so that you can track your progress and perhaps know how big the hill or mountain is you need to climb. The great thing about mountains is the huge sense of achievement when you conquer them!

What if any medication you have been given to help manage your diabetes. I have highlighted "help" because it is important not to expect the medication to do it all and in order to be successful, you will need to make some lifestyle changes, but many of us feel that these have actually made us fitter and slimmer and healthier than we were before diagnosis and importantly we still eat well and enjoy our food, it's just that we now eat different foods. It takes a bit of getting your head around in the early days and weeks and we all know how overwhelming it is, but we are here to advise and support you through it.
 
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So much info eh? I feel like I'm always scraping info from you-tube or elsewhere! I was diagnosed formally yesterday with a HbA1c of 52. I'm not on medication as of yet?
 
A HbA1C of 52 is within a fair bit of the diabetes range but can be brought back to normal with diet
 
52 is a minor "hillock".... not even a hill, so a few simple adjustments to your diet could very well see you back over the diagnostic line in a few months.
 
Joesephton said:
Well that sounds encouraging! I guess that is why i'm not offered the drugs?
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Some GPs will give you the chance to bring your numbers down with diet before suggesting metformin or other T2 meds
 
Walking circuits around it will do your Blood Glucose levels more good.
 
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Apart from the obvious of cutting out stuff like sugary drinks, sweets and cakes etc, the one thing (that goes against the eatwell plate advice) is to cut carbs drastically as they can impact bg levels so much.

The tricky thing is everyone is individual and the blanket statement of cutting carbs is solid, carbs can effect people differently.
EG rice might send your bg soaring yet I can handle a fairly normal portion well. Pasta might be okay for you buy it shoots my levels into oblivion.
(you get my point)

Most T2s come to the realisation that buying a blood glucose meter yourself and testing how you handle foods is one of the best investments in yourself that you can make. It helps you to figure out what foods to eat, avoid or reduce portions etc etc
Gluco navii and spirit tee2 are 2 meters that are inexpensive and the cost of the test strips are reasonable 🙂

Let us know if this is something you would consider, most here can explain how to test foods and what to do with results 🙂
 
Joesephton said:
I have read about this, I am looking at significantly cutting my carbs - crazy thing is they seem to be everywhere. Thanks for the welcome and advice! You all seem so clued up!
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That is so true! I had no idea of the power of advertising until my diagnosis and I started trying to cut right down on them and suddenly they were everywhere. TV, billboards (I didn't even notice the billboards until I was trying to avoid the foods they were advertising) shopping centres are full of fast food and cookies and baked goods, even hospitals have vending machines all tempting you with carbs..... Never yet found a vending machine which dispenses Pork Scratchings....(my guilty diabetic pleasure... all protein and fat and no carbs)
 
By making some good choices for meals you can do a lot to avoid some of the high carb foods, being aware of the hidden carbs in low fat products and in pre-prepared sauces and trying to cook from scratch will help. Basing meals on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, full fat dairy, vegetables, salads. fruits like berries with only small portions of some of those high carb foods which everybody had been told are healthy but are no friend of Type 2 diabetics.
Foods to be wary of are potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, cereals, pastry, tropical fruits as well as obvious cakes and biscuits and sugary drinks and snacks like crisps and of course ready meals and takeaways.
Information on the TOTAL carb value of foods is usually on the back of the packet or by searching the internet for TOTAL carbs of X. The traffic light system is not much use for diabetics.
Keeping a food diary of everything you eat and drink estimating how much carb you are having will help you see where savings need to be made.
Many people have success with a low carb approach which is less than 130g per day though people do go lower that is a good starting point to aim for.
 
Hi and welcome from another "fairly" newbie - not on meds and trying to keep away from them. You have landed on the best site ever, a wealth of knowledge and experience to be tapped into, it sure has been a massive help to me on this rocky road - and friendliness in droves, you can't want for more. As has been said, there's no such thing as a silly question or query, so if you need to ask, do so. We are all different, we all fight the same battle in our own way, no one size fits all alas, but we can help each other along the path.
 
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