Hi everyone , I’m new to type 2 diabetes

[paula13]

Hi everyone, I’m Paula and new to type 2 diabetes! I’m overwhelmed and find it difficult to understand everything ..

 

[Inka]

Welcome @paula13 🙂 It is all a bit overwhelming to start with but you’ll find it will get easier over time. You could look at the Learning Zone (orange tab at the top of this page). Ask anything you want here. Nothing is ‘silly’ or too trivial.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi everyone, I’m Paula and new to type 2 diabetes! I’m overwhelmed and find it difficult to understand everything ..

Would you like to say a bit more about your diagnosis, what your HbA1C is and have you been prescribed any medication as that will indicate how much work you will need to do and what advice and suggestions will be suitable .
This link has a straightforward explanation of the principals of a low carbohydrate approach which many have found successful if you are looking to reduce blood glucose by changes in diet only and /or are only on oral meds.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.com

 

[childofthesea43]

In addition, read up on the science of remission (you can find out about it on this website) and so get acquainted with the significance of getting one’s weight down, by whatever strategy.

 

[Lautie]

Hi Paula,
I was diagnosed in august 23 with an hba1c of 119mmol, I was prescribed metformin. The advice from several members of the forum was to cut my carb intake to 130g a day. So after looking into diabetes and carbs I stuck to the advice but didn’t pay too much attention to calories and on my next blood test I was 47mmol and had lost 2.5 st in under 4 mths. After studying carbs I came to the conclusion they are just accompaniments to meals and not necessary but factor in smaller amounts to your meals, you can get your energy from proteins. Stick with it and you’ll see the results

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @paula13

Glad you have found us!

You aren’t alone. Many, many forum members felt just the same at diagnosis. So be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adjust and adapt.

Keep firing away with questions as they crop up (and they surely will!). We have centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum, and nothing will be considered too obvious or ‘silly’.

 

[Dave_Z1a]

It is overwhelming, but after time you do get used to it, promise! It just becomes a way of life, took me at least a year to get my head round it, now know exactly what I can eat, how much and when, can easily work out carb values of foods in my head, only finger prick after evening meal these days out of curiosity or when I have been naughty! You will be surprised by what you can eat and enjoy the different things you may not have tried or eaten very often. Yes there is a downside, ignore those tasty cakes, puddings and tubs of quality streets, if you love pasta and pizza then thats bad news too I am afraid! Hang in there, on lower carb and reduced sugars I guarantee you will feel fitter, healthier and have more energy!

 

[Babewithdiabetes]

Hi Paula,
I was diagnosed in august 23 with an hba1c of 119mmol, I was prescribed metformin. The advice from several members of the forum was to cut my carb intake to 130g a day. So after looking into diabetes and carbs I stuck to the advice but didn’t pay too much attention to calories and on my next blood test I was 47mmol and had lost 2.5 st in under 4 mths. After studying carbs I came to the conclusion they are just accompaniments to meals and not necessary but factor in smaller amounts to your meals, you can get your energy from proteins. Stick with it and you’ll see the results

Hi - I am brand new - found out beginning of January with. a hba1c of 115, and I haven't seen any one with a similar reading! so thank you for sharing your story here as I thought I was alone with larger numbers! I'm glad to see it can go down 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi - I am brand new - found out beginning of January with. a hba1c of 115, and I haven't seen any one with a similar reading! so thank you for sharing your story here as I thought I was alone with larger numbers! I'm glad to see it can go down 🙂

Yes you are starting off with very high result and I'm sure you must have been feeling unwell but there is plenty you can do to get your blood glucose down. I assume you have been prescribed some oral medication to help but it will be making dietary changes that will have most impact.
Many find that a low carb approach is successful and you may find that looking at the link I posted above for the Freshwell program will give you some ideas for making some dietary changes.

 

[Babewithdiabetes]

Yes you are starting off with very high result and I'm sure you must have been feeling unwell but there is plenty you can do to get your blood glucose down. I assume you have been prescribed some oral medication to help but it will be making dietary changes that will have most impact.
Many find that a low carb approach is successful and you may find that looking at the link I posted above for the Freshwell program will give you some ideas for making some dietary changes.

yeah - I have cut carbs pretty much completely and am on metformin at the moment building up to 1000mg a day 🙂 so getting there! daily blood sugars were 12ish on my first day testing to now averaging 5.8-6.5 4 weeks later. so I am really happy with the changes I've made! hoping to get a much better result in a couple of months when the hba1c gets re tested.

 

[Leadinglights]

yeah - I have cut carbs pretty much completely and am on metformin at the moment building up to 1000mg a day 🙂 so getting there! daily blood sugars were 12ish on my first day testing to now averaging 5.8-6.5 4 weeks later. so I am really happy with the changes I've made! hoping to get a much better result in a couple of months when the hba1c gets re tested.

Just be careful about bringing blood glucose down too quickly as it can cause issues with your eyes and nerves, I know it is easy to be impatient, I cut carbs to 70g per day and had problems with my eyes which took several months to settle.

 

[paula13]

Would you like to say a bit more about your diagnosis, what your HbA1C is and have you been prescribed any medication as that will indicate how much work you will need to do and what advice and suggestions will be suitable .
This link has a straightforward explanation of the principals of a low carbohydrate approach which many have found successful if you are looking to reduce blood glucose by changes in diet only and /or are only on oral meds.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.com

Hi, I’m not on any medication, my HbA1c is 51, and I don’t need to lose weight, , I did look at the the fresh well low carb diet and it made sense that I go on a low carb/ sugar diet, thanks for the info, Paula…

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi, I’m not on any medication, my HbA1c is 51, and I don’t need to lose weight, , I did look at the the fresh well low carb diet and it made sense that I go on a low carb/ sugar diet, thanks for the info, Paula…

If you don't need to lose weight then it is important to make sure you replace the carbs with protein and healthy fats.
Yes it made perfect sense to me.