Hi thank you for your lovely reply, I'm about 5 STONE over weight, so trying tackle that too, it's Al just a minefield, my hba1c was 144. This morning had reading 7.8 my first below 10 in 3 weeks I've been at 32, trying cut back carbs but don't understand most of it x
Welcome to the forum
It’s not at all uncommon to feel the way you are feeling. A diagnosis with diabetes can be a bewildering and scary time. Diabetes is serious, but it’s also a condition 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. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
One of the biggest questions when trying to get to grips with your diabetes is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a really honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with a reasonable estimate of the
total carbohydrate content (not just ‘of which sugars’) in your meals and snacks - it doesn’t have to be gram-perfect, the nearest 5-10g is fine.
It might sound like a bit of a faff, and will involve weighing portions, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu. Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, you might also spot some likely candidates for swaps, drops, portion reductions, or chances to use lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’).
It’s best to make any changes to your meals gradually and incrementally. You menu needs to balance with the meds you are taking, and very rapid changes in average glucose levels can be quite hard on the fine blood vessels. Your eyes and nerves will appreciate the opportunity to gradually adjust as your BG levels more to being more in-range.
Good luck, and keep asking questions!
🙂
