Hi all

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

martin1962

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi folks, sort of sorry to be greeting you on this forum but been diagnosed a Type 2 diabetic so I thought I'd go hunting for fellow sufferers and (hopefully) get some information along the way. I'm on tablets, don't have to stick pins in myself (which I thought was an obligatory badge of membership, but one I'm glad to pass on) and am learning that the best way to enjoy icecream is in dreams.
Hope to chat to youse all over time

Ps when trying to explain to a kid why I couldn't take sweets anymore I was declared to be a tippy toes dibbytec which makes me feel much better about the whole thing.
 
Hi Martin, welcome to the forum 🙂 Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis - what medication are you on, metformin?

I would recommend having a read of Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter which will provide you with some good insights into what to expect. Also, Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker is a very good read.

Try not to be overwhelmed by everything. Keep reading and asking questions and you will build up knowledge and experience that will help you get things under control. Many people find that the modifications they make result in them feelng much happier and healthier than they did before diagnosis, so it's by no means gloom and doom! 🙂
 
Hi Martin, that kid wants to be on the stage ! Tippy toe what ??? Made me smile 🙂 Welcome
 
Hi Northerner, Hi Hobie...thanks for the welcome. Am just skimming through some threads at the min.
Yep, I'm on Metformin. They changed the type of tablet a few weeks back due to some unmentionable side effects that politeness (and a lack of knowing whats acceptable on the forum) will make me draw a veil over.
The change in diet is a bit of a shocker as well as a couple of big changes to my socialising (alcohol and tablets do not seem to agree with each other...see prev unmentionable comment), but I am showing some weight loss, am taking a bit more exercise and am probably going to turn into a pain in the ass to those that know me (just been told that the "going to" is a bit late....sigh. Thanks for the links, will work through them but (hopefully) myself and this condition are going to be together for a long while so I'm not going to try and swamp myself.
Hobie, I think the child in question already knew someone....or has one heck of an intellect and imagination and should go on to rule the world for the benefit of us all, did give me a laugh on what was not my best day.
 
We call it Metfartin :D

I find it helps if I have a low-carb meal when I take the tablet.
 
Martin, I'd suggest that you investigate the GL diet - not a weight loss diet (although you may lose weight if you can improve your blood sugar control) but a way of selecting food combinations that will be kinder to your blood sugars - The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction.

There is a lot to take in. One thing I discovered after diagnosis is just how complex our bodies are and how much we take for granted. Exercise is good - set yourself goals and work towards them, it will help you greatly. Exercise makes you more sensitive to the insulin you produce so you need less of it, which is good for weight loss or maintenance 🙂
 
LeeLee said:
We call it Metfartin :D.
Click to expand...

Chuckling...yep that sums it up beautifully

Northerner........yep, I did the 2 half day course and found that none of my internal organs did what I thought, they store,leak and get up to all sorts of stuff.

Near midnight here so night night for now.
 
Welcome to the forum🙂
 
martin1962 said:
Hi folks, sort of sorry to be greeting you on this forum but been diagnosed a Type 2 diabetic so I thought I'd go hunting for fellow sufferers and (hopefully) get some information along the way. I'm on tablets, don't have to stick pins in myself (which I thought was an obligatory badge of membership, but one I'm glad to pass on) and am learning that the best way to enjoy icecream is in dreams.
Hope to chat to youse all over time

Ps when trying to explain to a kid why I couldn't take sweets anymore I was declared to be a tippy toes dibbytec which makes me feel much better about the whole thing.
Click to expand...

Hi Martin
Welcome to the forum.
Once you get your head around things you will be able to indulge in a treat every now and again. The notion that diabetics (type 1 and 2) "can't eat this" or "can't eat that" is a complete fallacy - it's all about portion control and knowing how much medication you need to administer in order to cover the carbs that you've eaten (ie knowing how to manage your diabetes). Once you learn the basics you'll be able to work out how much leeway you've got. Eating ice creams (every once in a while) can be a reality 🙂🙂
 
Welcome to the forum. 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum martin1962 🙂
 
Thank you all for greetings. One (of many) thing I'm curious about. My diabetic (can't get dibbytec out of my head now) nurse has said not to get one of the meter things, yet a lot of the info here dwells on finding out what works by testing. I'm not keen to start sticking pins in myself ( I have nightmares about being a balloon and flying round the room 3 times and then flying out the window along with an unpleasant unmentionable noise) but do you guys have any thoughts on the topic. My next apt is about 5 weeks and I will bring it up but looking for info in advance.
 
Hi Martin, there can be a couple of reasons why people are told they shouldn't test. The first is likely to be because a study done ages ago suggested that testing didn't really help and that people would become anxious and depressed if they saw high numbers. The study is largely discredited, however, but many healthcare professionals are behind the times, plus it give them a reason to say 'no' when the real reason is down to cost. The strips are expensive, so a practice can make short term savings by restricting them. But the biggest cost to the NHS from diabetes is not the strips, but the cost of treating the complications that can arise due to poor control (80% of the budget for diabetes goes on this).

I have been on this forum since it started, and I have seen time and time again how people have quickly come to understand their diabetes and how to make the necessary adjustments to diet and lifestyle to hugely improve their control. In fact, I'd say that I haven't come across anyone who has seen no improvement.

The alternative to self-monitoring is to wait for your 3, 6 or 12 monthly HbA1c blood test which can give an indication of how well you are doing. What this can never tell you though is, if the result isn't good, is where to start tracking down the problems. It simply can't be done because you can't possibly know (for example) that the healthy bowl of porridge you have each day sends your levels soaring! You need to tailor your diet to your individual tolerances for different food - only testing will tell you if you tolerate something well, or need to reduce portions of it, or exclude it altogether from your diet.

Testing doesn't have to be forever if you are not on medication that can cause hypoglycaemia, like insulin. Once you have established the chief components of your diet that you tolerate well, then you owuld only need to do the occasional 'spot check', or if you wanted to try something new. It may take a few months to establish all this, but it is better to know than to be always guessing.

So, yes, I would definitely raise the issue because it is the best tool available to manage your diabetes! 🙂
 
Last edited:
Thank you - I think. Perforations here i come:( . Now back to the reading, Wonder if I can set up a treadmill in front of my comp, would that be multitasking?
 
martin1962 said:
Thank you - I think. Perforations here i come:( . Now back to the reading, Wonder if I can set up a treadmill in front of my comp, would that be multitasking?
Click to expand...

In the olden days when you could run a B&W TV from a car battery, my grandparents' neighbour set one up in his lounge and charged the battery with a dynamo hooked up to an exercise bike. 🙂
 
LeeLee said:
In the olden days when you could run a B&W TV from a car battery, my grandparents' neighbour set one up in his lounge and charged the battery with a dynamo hooked up to an exercise bike. 🙂
Click to expand...

Those were the days there was something worth watching, if I was watching tv today I'd have trouble summoning the energy to keep the darn thing going. Got my grumpy curmudgeon head on. Hey , how much stuff can I blame on the diabetes 🙄 ? Can it allow me to get out of washing up, forgetting messages, missing anniversaries?? There has to be an upside to this somewhere...............pretty please.😉
 
The upside is, you get to meet wonderful people Martin ! people you wouldn't have otherwise met, AND you always have a common topic of conversation to break the ice with, before finding out everything else you might want to know about em! (if you are interested and they are disposed to revealing that, of course)

Sometimes it falls on stony ground though, in new company last weekend, several of us were extolling the virtues of France as a holiday destination, one person said No Way, Germany/Holland/Belgium were far better. So I said Great! - various people keep telling us how fab Germany is, so which bits have you been to and what would you say were the best bits for you? Oh I've only been once, years ago.

Instant End of conversation! ROFL
 
Just to extend another warm welcome Martin. Great you've found the forum, so soon after diagnosis.

I've been T2 for just over 2 years and it never occurred to me / issue of testing was never raised, until my optician threw a wobbly, when I said I didn't test. Even after that, speaking with nurse / doctor, they said as I was on Metfartin :D I didn't need to test...

After some horrendous HB1AC results and time spent on this forum, convinced them it would pay me to test and take control of things, as obviously things weren't working - and I don't want to go on different / more medication. Following my pleading, doctor agreed to prescribe strips on temporary basis - and the results have been incredible, in a very short space of time.

A real eye opener as to what is good / bad, what I can tolerate / need to avoid, in relation to BG levels.

All the advice / suggestions on here have been invaluable to me - particularly all the reading matter that's been suggested. Weight is coming off, readings going down and the whole issue of what diabetes is all about is SO MUCH CLEARER to me - after 2 years !

Lots of good advice on here, all freely given and the support is great. Talking to people in the same boat has been much more helpful to me than what I've been told via NHS, etc.

As and when I go back to my review, if I don't get strips on prescription long term, I will bite the bullet and purchase myself, because, per the advice on here, testing allows you to take control.

Lots to read and take in, all over the forum and including the suggested reading material, but all well worth it !

Good luck,
HelenHanfe
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top