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Hi....useful tips needed please

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V

VivT

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi,

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 and I am devestated by the news. I feel embarrassed to tell friends/family as I feel its so misunderstood. I have begun the online training so that i understand the condition better, joined a running group and changed my diet. Is there anyone that could give me some useful tips please? Feeling a little isolated. Thank You
 
Welcome to the friendly forum VivT. Everyone here is helpful and happy to share their experiences so you will learn a lot by reading the posts. Test test and test is one thing you can do to help yourself gain knowledge of what food works for you and what against you. The carbs like breads, pasta, rice and potatoes are the first to go (or severely limit) and try to work in more above ground veg and leafy greens. Check out the food and recipes section here to get some great ideas and inspiration. Some foods will spike more than others so play around and keep testing till you get the hang of eating what suits your own body. We all have the same thing but it reacts differently in each of us.
 
Hello and welcome from a fellow T2
 
My useful tips are:

1. Understand more about type 2 diabetes and what you can do to improve/control your symptoms.

2. Modify your diet to lose weight (if you are overweight) and to help your control (a glucose meter is useful here).

3. Do more regular exercise (even brisk walking 30+mins each day is useful).

Ah! You've done or are already doing these things. Keep it up and things may turn out pretty decently for you. It is exactly what I did 7 years ago when I was diagnosed and I am still medication free (for now) and am still healthier and fitter than I was twenty years ago (or more, but that'd be pushing it!).

Andy 🙂
 
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Hi Viv, Welcome . Try to remember this is a marathon not a sprint, any changes you make must be enjoyable as it's difficult to continue doing something if we don't at the very least enjoy it.
It will help you greatly if you test your BG (blood glucose) regularly to see how food affects you, sadly unless you are on meds that can cause hypos (metformin doesn't) then you are likely to be told every variety of no , not a good idea that they can come up with, including, it will only upset you.
Imo it's all down to cost. If you can afford to fund your own testing strips, then the SD Codefree is the cheapest to fund we've found, available VAT free and free postage here
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
We use the mmol/L measurement in uk.
 
Enjoyment does make things easier, but I cannot say that I enjoyed my daily walk initially. It was often a struggle at first. But the scenery helped (I usually walked the canal towpaths).

However, I did enjoy the result and it is that which counts in the end.

Andy 🙂
 
VivT said:
Hi,

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 and I am devestated by the news. I feel embarrassed to tell friends/family as I feel its so misunderstood. I have begun the online training so that i understand the condition better, joined a running group and changed my diet. Is there anyone that could give me some useful tips please? Feeling a little isolated. Thank You
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I know what you mean. I was diagnosed on 9th August. I still find it difficult to tell people, and only a very few family and friends know.

No doubt about it, our sedentary life styles combined with the abundance of delicious high carb food is the primary cause of T2.

I've commuted at least 2 hrs a day for over 10 years, something has to give - and that's been my health.

My tip; put yourself first. You need to be a bit selfish to make sure you get what you need to be healthy. That means the time to exercise. Having low carb food to hand, and not going to carb fests like KFC with your family.

When you start to make changes, and see and feel the positive effects it will get easier.

But it is something you are going to have to work hard at. But the reward will be a healthier life and lowered risk of future complications.
 
VivT said:
Hi,

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 and I am devestated by the news. I feel embarrassed to tell friends/family as I feel its so misunderstood. I have begun the online training so that i understand the condition better, joined a running group and changed my diet. Is there anyone that could give me some useful tips please? Feeling a little isolated. Thank You
Click to expand...
Hi VivT, welcome to the forum. There is a lot of very good advice in the previous posts, so all I will add is that you're not alone, we are all on this journey, and it helps enormously to know that others have been through what you are experiencing. It can certainly feel isolating, but I can say that it was a wonderful day when I first discovered this place. As well as good advice you will find no end of support and encouragement - and if you feel like having a rant come here and let it all out!

Keep doing what you're doing and come here regularly for a goldmine of good stuff! 🙂
 
VivT said:
I feel embarrassed to tell friends/family as I feel its so misunderstood
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Hi Viv, welcome to the group

Please don't be embarrassed, instead make telling people an opportunity to educate them about D
 
Thank you for all your advice. My doctor has told me that I don't need a glucose monitor which seems a bit strange to me. Think I will invest in one anway. I'm sure i will get to grips with this eventually...i have lost 1 stone in 4 weeks already so i must be doing something right. i'm finding the e-course really helpful. One module done.
 
No need to test is the general view of most GP's. Ignore him/her. I had my last meeting with my diabetic nurse last week & I told her that I couldn't have successfully bought my HbA1c down to non diabetic levels without testing. She agreed & wished GP's would change their views.
 
Mark Parrott said:
No need to test is the general view of most GP's. Ignore him/her. I had my last meeting with my diabetic nurse last week & I told her that I couldn't have successfully bought my HbA1c down to non diabetic levels without testing. She agreed & wished GP's would change their views.
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I completely agree. Test, test, test...until you're confident that your diet is just right for you. :D
 
Hi VivT and welcome. I told people at work when I Was DX, largely for mine and their piece of mind, plus I didn' want to hide away in the toilets when I needed to test or inject. They also needed to know where I keep my glucose tablets, and in what circumstances to help me take them and when to call an ambulance immediately. An added bonus of this was that some of them started asking questions about diabetes and are now better informed 🙄.
I agree with the other guys that testing is vital, apart from the fact that if you drive, you have to!
Ask whatever you like on here, chances are someone has been through it and can offer advice.
 
VivT said:
Hi,

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 and I am devestated by the news. I feel embarrassed to tell friends/family as I feel its so misunderstood. I have begun the online training so that i understand the condition better, joined a running group and changed my diet. Is there anyone that could give me some useful tips please? Feeling a little isolated. Thank You
Click to expand...
Well done viv to have a good positive attitude from the start 🙂. Getting out & about is good for anyone 🙂
 
Welcome Viv, can't really add to what's already been said, but testing is the way forward it shows how which foods affect you and in what way. Nearly everyone that knows me know I am diabetic occasionally I get comments about me and surprisingly its from some other diabetics who basically in denial about the condition. If unsure ask away we have all been through either by being diabetic or having a family member or friend that is diabetic.
 
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