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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 a week ago and am on metformin medication. Like every newbie I’m overwhelmed. Glad to be a part of the group
- Thread starter Ruahpax
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HenryBennett
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome. You’re in the right place. You’ll find a load of helpful advice and knowledgeable people. Read through the pinned posts for tips on what to eat and what not to eat.
Three quick bits of advice I’ll give. Don’t listen to people who say, “You’ll be asking Why Me?” This is futile. Just get on with sorting out your health which is in your hands. Second, it’s well proven that it’s all about carbs. Understand carbs, read labels, cut your carbs and eat a healthy diet. Third, ignore your GP and DN who will discourage you from using a blood glucose meter. Measure your BG relentlessly in the early days.
You can do it, even if you weaken now and then.
Three quick bits of advice I’ll give. Don’t listen to people who say, “You’ll be asking Why Me?” This is futile. Just get on with sorting out your health which is in your hands. Second, it’s well proven that it’s all about carbs. Understand carbs, read labels, cut your carbs and eat a healthy diet. Third, ignore your GP and DN who will discourage you from using a blood glucose meter. Measure your BG relentlessly in the early days.
You can do it, even if you weaken now and then.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @Ruahpax . Glad that you have found us.
@HenryBennett has hit the nail on the head, with his three key points.
There is plenty of info and help available on here, and support when things seem more difficult.
Keep in touch and ask absolutely any questions that you have.
Nothing is considered silly on here.
@HenryBennett has hit the nail on the head, with his three key points.
There is plenty of info and help available on here, and support when things seem more difficult.
Keep in touch and ask absolutely any questions that you have.
Nothing is considered silly on here.
Hello RUAHPAX and welcome to the forum
There is a lot of information available on here -
Reading old Threads & Posts
The advice & links for newcomers
On the Home Page ; Diabetes The Basics & Living With Diabetes
Asking your own particular questions in the future - don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask anything; remember we were all newcomers once
Yes, it is overwhelming, and like any new, complex subject, don't worry too much if you don't understand it all in the first couple of weeks
Put simply, diabetes is the inability of the body to deal with carbohydrates
Once you've grasped that, everything else falls into place
Note that carbohydrates include things like bread, pasta, rice, & potatoes, and not just the obviously sweet things like cakes and biscuits
Besides considering carbs, when many people are diagnosed with diabetes they take the opportunity to review and change other aspects of their diet and lifestyle, like processed & junk food, smoking, booze, exercise, losing weight, and so on
There is a lot of information available on here -
Reading old Threads & Posts
The advice & links for newcomers
On the Home Page ; Diabetes The Basics & Living With Diabetes
Asking your own particular questions in the future - don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask anything; remember we were all newcomers once
Yes, it is overwhelming, and like any new, complex subject, don't worry too much if you don't understand it all in the first couple of weeks
Put simply, diabetes is the inability of the body to deal with carbohydrates
Once you've grasped that, everything else falls into place
Note that carbohydrates include things like bread, pasta, rice, & potatoes, and not just the obviously sweet things like cakes and biscuits
Besides considering carbs, when many people are diagnosed with diabetes they take the opportunity to review and change other aspects of their diet and lifestyle, like processed & junk food, smoking, booze, exercise, losing weight, and so on
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Ruahpax
Sorry to heat about yoir diagnosis, but you are not alone! There are lots of friendly folks here who can share their experiences, hints and tips with you. In terms of getting your head around your new diagnosis, members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter to the newly diagnosed, and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life.
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
One of the biggest questions when newly diagnosed is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and again 2hrs after eating, to see what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG (initially in a way the numbers themselves matter less than the differences between them). Once you can see how you respond to different meals you can begin experimenting with reducing amounts of carbs and trying different types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels 🙂
If you need to self fund your BG meter, the most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2which both have test strips at around £8 for 50
For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
Good luck, and keep asking questions!
Sorry to heat about yoir diagnosis, but you are not alone! There are lots of friendly folks here who can share their experiences, hints and tips with you. In terms of getting your head around your new diagnosis, members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter to the newly diagnosed, and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life.
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
One of the biggest questions when newly diagnosed is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and again 2hrs after eating, to see what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG (initially in a way the numbers themselves matter less than the differences between them). Once you can see how you respond to different meals you can begin experimenting with reducing amounts of carbs and trying different types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels 🙂
If you need to self fund your BG meter, the most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2which both have test strips at around £8 for 50
For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
Good luck, and keep asking questions!
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