Hi new to group

[Reo B]

Hi everyone,
Been diagnosed with type 2 this week, given Metformin, not really been explained what going to happen, what diet to change/follow.
Wasn't having any symptoms, but it was found during a blood test for something else ‍♀️.
Have ordered the diet booklet from website, but overall, bit scared and confused where to start.
Thanks

 

[Drummer]

Hello @Reo B and welcome.
Did you get your Hba1c number? That gives some idea of just where you are in the great scheme of things diabetic.
If you are a plain ordinary Type 2 then by reducing your intake of carbs, which are the starches and sugars, then your blood glucose numbers ought to reduce.
If your blood glucose levels are very elevated then assessing your intake of carbs and beginning to cut out and reduce the highest carb foods so as the embark on a period of getting back to normal is the safest method, as it can be quite a shock if done suddenly.
Hopefully you can cope with Metformin - I was unlucky enough to be one of those who could not, and it got rather dismal to say the least. I opted to give up the medication, and all the distress was made worse when I realised I never needed the tablets in the first place.
I have enjoyed 5 years of low carb eating and feel very much the better for it.

 

[Windy]

Hi @Reo B welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear that you're a bit scared and confused. It is a bit difficult and overwhelming when you're first diagnosed.
I'm on metformin and haven't had any problems with them, but they can cause a very bad tummy, as @Drummer says. If you do get difficulties from the side effects, you can contact your GP and get a different prescription of slow release metformin.
I echo what Drummer says about reducing your intake of carbohydrates, I feel much better for it.
I got diagnosed at the end of October and also didn't have any symptoms either, but it was picked up at an over 50 health check.
When you say "what's going to happen", do you mean with your medication, with any appointments, or generally with diabetes?
If it's medication, maybe tummy troubles for a week or two if you're unlucky.
As for appointments, my life has been a whirl of various appointments and screening, and the NHS has taken blood and urine for various tests. This is what I've had so far:
eye screening at the hospital
foot check with the nurse
referral to a diabetes course
on the waiting list for a liver scan
urine tests for protein (checks your kidneys)
a heart trace (not sure if this was diabetes or over 50 related)
Blood pressure checked
chat about my diet with the nurse

Can you make a list of what's worrying you or what you have questions about, and then either ask us on the forum, or save them up and make an appointment with your GP or practice nurse?
I was quite anxious about the whole thing after diagnosis, but I've tried to find out as much as I can about food choices, exercise etc and asked questions here and got lots of support. I feel happier now, and making better choices in terms of food and portion size.
Ask away and my more knowledgable forum members will most likely have answers for you!
Kind regards, Sarah

 

[Reo B]

Hi and thanks for your replies.
I was told a number of 70 and believe that I should be around 40?
The GP hasn't told me that I'll need any other appointments, so I just thought being given the tablets was all I had to do.

I've had a terrible time since taking the first tablet yesterday morning, constant bad gripeing pain which gets worse just before I have an urgency to go to the toilet. (Sorry)
Hardly slept from the pain and toilet visits.
Had a couple of spells of feeling woosy.
I really hope this all settles. Dreading taking my 2nd tablet today.
I feel stupid even asking this, but should I contact my GP to chase up what appointments I may need to have, or just wait and see if it's being organised?
Not knowing what I should do, other than take the tablets is what's scaring me. I want to get this under control but don't know where to start.

Thanks

 

[Docb]

Hi @Reo B and welcome to the forum.

The 70 will be your HbA1c result. To put it into context, it ranges from around 30 to around 150 with 48 being the level at which you get a diagnosis of diabetes. At 150 you would most likely be wheeled straight to hospital. So 70 is high, but not excessively so, but in any case needs some attention because prolonged exposure at that level increases the risk of long term complications the like of which you could well do without.

Sounds like you have been started on metformin. This is "the first thing to try" in the medicine chest. Reactions to it as you have describes are common and may settle down. If they do not, then there are alternatives. Depends on how long you are willing to put up with the inconvenience.

I think you should get back to your surgery and ask what is the plan to get things under control. You, as a bare minimum, should be getting a repeat HbA1c and an appointment with a nurse at the surgery to do some basic health checks and get some basic advice.

Meanwhile, look around the forum to see how other members are dealing with situations not too dissimilar to yours and check out the learning zone. Above all just ask questions. Nothing is considered too simple or too silly. Most of us have been there and know what it is like!

 

[Windy]

Morning Reo B.
Sorry to hear about the problems you're having.
It sounds like metformin is having bad effects on your digestive system. It's a known side effect I'm afraid.

If I were you, I'd phone the GP surgery and ask if they can get the doctor to change your prescription from regular metformin to the slow release one. Tell the receptionist how you haven't slept, and have spent all night going back and forward to the toilet, with dizzy spells. Be polite on the phone, but also don't hold back with how terrible a night sleep you've had and how rotten the metformin has made you feel. They can pass the message on to the doctor and get it changed.

The slow release version is meant to be a bit kinder. If you're in tummy pain and need to "go" at great haste, it would be much better to be on the slow release version. And if you're sleep deprived because of it, that'll be making you feel terrible anyway.

You shouldn't need to chase up the other appointments, but whilst you're talking to the receptionist, ask them if they run a diabetic clinic or have a diabetes nurse at the practice and make an appointment with them. Make a list of questions to ask the nurse. Ask for your feet and their circulation to be checked and ask about what you should be eating and what you can do to manage your diabetes. Also ask about any further follow on appointments and get the nurse to check that the referrals have been made for them. See if they can either book you on a diabetes course, or if they're offering low calorie diabetes diet trials in your area.

My HbA1C was 80, so a bit higher than your 70, but you can address that with your diet. If you eat a lot of bread, cake, biscuits, sweets, crackers, potatoes, it'll push your sugar levels right up. I've cut these out and am trying to have omelette rather than toast for breakfast, home made low carb soup for lunch etc.

Hope you're feeling better soon, Sarah
PS Docb pipped me to the post and replied first!

 

[Felinia]

Hi and welcome
You have had lots of excellent advice from others here. I suggest you look through the Learning Zone (orange tab above), just one module a day so you can take it in. There are modules for diet, exercise, wellbeing etc. The first thing I did when diagnosed was to get an app for a food diary and recording carbs and cals. There are free ones online, but I use NutraCheck which is £7.99 a month. It will help you manage portion sizes and educate you on the carb values of foods. If you decide to follow a lower carb diet - which many Type 2 do - it is suggested less than 130gm carbs a day. Some people are very sensitive to carbs so go a lot lower - we are all different so it is trial and error. I experimented between 50gm and 130gm, settling around 90gm a day when first diagnosed and reduced my HbA1c from 57 to 48 in 3 months, so it worked for me. (I've been ill since, HbA1c shot up, but is now reducing again).
There is a thread on the Forum "What did you eat yesterday" which will give you lots of food ideas. A typical day for me is poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, home made vegetable soup without thickeners, 2/3 plate vegetables and 1/3 plate protein, an 80 gm serving of fruit (preferably berries), 170ml milk for drinks plus 3 pints water.

 

[Leadinglights]

Sometimes GPs give the impression that just giving out the metformin for people to take is all that is going to be necessary but it does require some effort as well from you to change your diet as that is going to be the most powerful tool you have to get blood glucose levels down.
It is ALL carbohydrates that convert to glucose so reducing those in your diet is important, being careful of your intake of potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, cereals as well as cakes and biscuits, in fact all those thing people have been used to having as a big part of their meals but which are not good options for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Basing meals on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy, vegetables, salad, and fruits like berries with small portions of some of the high carb foods. Making substitutions will still give tasty filling meals which need to be sustainable long term.