Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
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.
We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk
Hi all , was diagnosed with type 2 on 25/08/22. Currently trying to understand what to do , what I can eat , starting to take metformim which has made me feel super sick - Lost 11 kgs in 10 days. Also coping with menopause so a bit overwhelmed. Learning quite a bit from the forum.
I found this link https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/ had very sensible principals about a low carb approach.
Hopefully your stomach will settle down with the metformin, taking with food apparently helps. But the slow release version can have less unpleasant side effects. Hopefully you have been started on a low dose and told to build up over a few weeks.
Hi and welcome to the club nobody wants to join! We are a friendly helpful bunch so please do ask any questions you have. Nothing is silly - we probably all asked the same questions at the beginning.
With an HbA1c of 67 you are definitely in the diabetic range. Some people just in the diabetic range are given the opportunity to reduce their glucose by lifestyle only but your GP thinks your level does need medical help. Metformin is the first medication of choice, but it can have side effects, namely gastric upsets and nausea, particularly if you have a pre-existing condition like IBS. It is recommended taking it in the middle of a meal, a sort of pill sandwich. I take mine in the middle of my evening meal. My friend has peppermint or ginger tea to help with nausea. If the side effects do not ease off after a few weeks, particularly as you increase the dose, you can request the slow release version. There are other medications but they too can have side effects. I am also on Canagliflozin (or "pee-a-lot"!!).
I am concerned with that weight loss of almost 2 stone in 10 days - have you not been able to retain any food? You need to keep an eye on it, as rapid weight loss can be an indication of late onset Type 1 diabetes. Any doubts and I suggest you go back to your GP.
There are a couple of suggestions above recommending a low carb eating plan. This should be done slowly to avoid eye problems if carbs are reduced too quickly. I started off by reducing my carbs and filling up with veggies and protein instead. I also got an app which records daily cals and carbs amongst other things. It requires measuring everything and can be quite an eye opener. 3 years in, and I still use the app, measure many things, and have learned a lot about portion sizes.
I sopped eating almost anything other than vegetable and some nuts and chicken or tuna - and Greek yoghurt with berries for breakfast - Hence I think the weight lost , also got more active , walking every day for 40 minutes. I am very overweight - was 141 kgs 9 days ago now 130 kgs today .
I will book an appointment with Gp this week as I was told I had T2 and sent away with metformim and only told that have my plate has to be veg - 1/4 carbs and 1/4 protein - but I am afraid of carbs now - so only had a few potatoes and stopped eating bread .Maybe I should add some .
I sopped eating almost anything other than vegetable and some nuts and chicken or tuna - and Greek yoghurt with berries for breakfast - Hence I think the weight lost , also got more active , walking every day for 40 minutes. I am very overweight - was 141 kgs 9 days ago now 130 kgs today .
I will book an appointment with Gp this week as I was told I had T2 and sent away with metformim and only told that have my plate has to be veg - 1/4 carbs and 1/4 protein - but I am afraid of carbs now - so only had a few potatoes and stopped eating bread .Maybe I should add some .
If you are going with a low carb approach then less than 130g total carbs per day is a good place to start. Reducing slowly over a few weeks can be better as it will be less likely to cause issues with your eyes and nerves especially if you previously had a high carb diet.
Rapid weight loss often happens when you reduce carbs as quite a bit of the weight loss is fluid, so important to drink plenty to stay hydrated.
Healthy fats are good to include as they help to stop you feeling hungry and tempted by high carb snacks.
Yes you have to watch your intake of carbs but it does not mean no carbs and I feel the carbs have to be worth it so boring potatoes, rice and pasta get swapped for more tasty things.
If you are going with a low carb approach then less than 130g total carbs per day is a good place to start. Reducing slowly over a few weeks can be better as it will be less likely to cause issues with your eyes and nerves especially if you previously had a high carb diet.
Rapid weight loss often happens when you reduce carbs as quite a bit of the weight loss is fluid, so important to drink plenty to stay hydrated.
Healthy fats are good to include as they help to stop you feeling hungry and tempted by high carb snacks.
Yes you have to watch your intake of carbs but it does not mean no carbs and I feel the carbs have to be worth it so boring potatoes, rice and pasta get swapped for more tasty things.
I came across these resources today, I think a lot of the information is from this website, but if you prefer a "handout" format it may be helpful to use these. The first one is the different types of dietary lifestyle that different people with diabetes may use (particularly those of us with type 2, who may be looking to change our diet significantly as part of management of diabetes). The second is carbohydrate tables to give estimates for foods where you may have trouble working out for the portion size, or may not have the information otherwise available.
I sopped eating almost anything other than vegetable and some nuts and chicken or tuna - and Greek yoghurt with berries for breakfast - Hence I think the weight lost , also got more active , walking every day for 40 minutes. I am very overweight - was 141 kgs 9 days ago now 130 kgs today .
I will book an appointment with Gp this week as I was told I had T2 and sent away with metformim and only told that have my plate has to be veg - 1/4 carbs and 1/4 protein - but I am afraid of carbs now - so only had a few potatoes and stopped eating bread .Maybe I should add some .
Hi Emma
Your reaction was very typical of most newly diagnosed diabetics, but as others have said, cutting carbs drastically is not good for the eyes, and might also be why you have been feeling so bad. Now you have given your weigh measurements, I have known others at your weight level lose over 2 stone in 2 weeks (Slimming World). So I am not so concerned.
My diabetic nurse gave me some information which I am passing on to you, for consideration. A portion size of potato is 2 new potatoes (about 75gm). A portion size of bread is 1 medium slice from a 400gm wholemeal loaf (I use Warburtons or Kingsmill crustless) but others have low carb bread. A portion size of fruit is 80gm berries as a dessert or 40gm with yogurt and nuts - no more than 2 portions per day and not tropical ie no banana, pineapple etc. Have your meals on a smaller plate - I have my main meal on a dessert plate and my breakfast on a side plate (they are big but not as big as the modern sized dinner plates). Have 3/4 plate of vegetables and 1/4 plate protein. Some surgeries still promote carbs, albeit wholemeal ones for Type 2 diabetics. Everyone is different and it takes trial and error to find out what suits your body. So I am going to send you a private message now which I hope will give you some ideas.
I came across these resources today, I think a lot of the information is from this website, but if you prefer a "handout" format it may be helpful to use these. The first one is the different types of dietary lifestyle that different people with diabetes may use (particularly those of us with type 2, who may be looking to change our diet significantly as part of management of diabetes). The second is carbohydrate tables to give estimates for foods where you may have trouble working out for the portion size, or may not have the information otherwise available.
You may also find the book or app Carbs and Cals useful as it gives carb values for various portion sizes of foods and meals. There are other apps people use and also product information on shop websites looking for the TOTAL carbohydrate in the nutritional information.
Often it is not what you are eating but how much of it you are having so portion control is important.
Hi Emma
Your reaction was very typical of most newly diagnosed diabetics, but as others have said, cutting carbs drastically is not good for the eyes, and might also be why you have been feeling so bad. Now you have given your weigh measurements, I have known others at your weight level lose over 2 stone in 2 weeks (Slimming World). So I am not so concerned.
My diabetic nurse gave me some information which I am passing on to you, for consideration. A portion size of potato is 2 new potatoes (about 75gm). A portion size of bread is 1 medium slice from a 400gm wholemeal loaf (I use Warburtons or Kingsmill crustless) but others have low carb bread. A portion size of fruit is 80gm berries as a dessert or 40gm with yogurt and nuts - no more than 2 portions per day and not tropical ie no banana, pineapple etc. Have your meals on a smaller plate - I have my main meal on a dessert plate and my breakfast on a side plate (they are big but not as big as the modern sized dinner plates). Have 3/4 plate of vegetables and 1/4 plate protein. Some surgeries still promote carbs, albeit wholemeal ones for Type 2 diabetics. Everyone is different and it takes trial and error to find out what suits your body. So I am going to send you a private message now which I hope will give you some ideas.
I came across these resources today, I think a lot of the information is from this website, but if you prefer a "handout" format it may be helpful to use these. The first one is the different types of dietary lifestyle that different people with diabetes may use (particularly those of us with type 2, who may be looking to change our diet significantly as part of management of diabetes). The second is carbohydrate tables to give estimates for foods where you may have trouble working out for the portion size, or may not have the information otherwise available.
I was unable to add pictures into a private message, which is frustrating. So a vegetable portion is a handful; a meat portion is 60gm - 75gm; a plain fish portion is up to 120gm. With apologies to all the people who have seen these before, here are some of my breakfast and lunch meals. Salads and dinners to follow. Recipes available if you would like.
Breakfast:
Peach and Skyr, grill up, 40gm keto cereal with unsweetened almond milk (it tasted better than it looks), mushrooms and tomatoes on toast, egg on toast,
Lunch:
All soups home made 300ml and served without bread or thickeners:
Minestrone; butterbean and sweetcorn chowder; curried squash, sweet potato and red pepper; prawn and cottage cheese cocktail with homemade dressing
Salads as lunch or main meals:
Prawn and egg; SW Quiche; Ham; Also salmon, tuna, you get the idea.
Main meals - bear in mind these are on a dessert plate. Cauliflower, carrot/swede puree and roasted squash are my potato substitutes, other substitutes cauliflower rice, soybean pasta:
Veggie burgers with HM ratatouille; Roast beef; Gammon and cauliflower cheese hotpot; Haddock Mornay; Pork and apple burger
Sorry to hear Metformin has been making you feel a bit grim. Hopefully any similar symptoms will subside in the first few weeks.
You’ve had lots of helpful experiences shared by forum members, and great to hear that you’ve a 1-day course tomorrow to help fill in some blanks.
The Diabetes UK Learning Zone is often recommended on the forum too. Loads of bite-sized modules you can take at your own pace 🙂 You’ll find it under the orange highlighted link in the main menu.
I can really sympathise about Metformin as it tried to turn me inside out and made my life a misery for 5 weeks before Christmas 2016, combined with Atorvastatin dislocating my memory and destroying my strength and mobility I was suicidal. As it turned out I never needed them in the first place, and even though my Hba1c was 91 at diagnosis I was no longer diabetic by March 2017.
I eat any meat, fish or seafood, eggs, cheese, full fat dairy - just checked my glucose levels after eating and changed my diet so I did not exceed a number I decided for myself, lowering it every week or so.
When I got down to no more than 8mmol/l after meals I stuck to the same meals and saw levels continue to reduce as my metabolism - presumably - recovered from all the 'healthy' carbs I was told to eat. I always felt so much better without them, and have always been told that it was my imagination, right up to being diagnosed type 2.
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
