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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.
Just been diagnosed
- Thread starter Winter
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Felinia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome to the Forum you never wanted to need to join. As you've had gestational diabetes, I expect you've already got some knowledge. But please ask your doctor what your HbA1c was, and come back with this information and whether or not you have been prescribed medication. It varies from place to place and on your previous medical history. Initially I expect you will be told to follow a lower carb healthy eating plan (I hope), exercise (if you can with kids, or chasing them around is not enough!!) and lose weight if you need to. Hopefully if your HbA1C is not much above 48 you will be given the opportunity to get your levels down without medication, like I was.
Your doctor should tell you about the various tests you need annually if not more often: feet sensitivity, retinal scanning, bloods. Also you should be referred to a dietitian and a Type 2 training course (they may come as a package).
I'm sure you realise the most important thing is what you eat and your portion sizes. You should try to cut right down on potato and white carbs (bread, rice and pasta) substituting SMALL portions of wholegrain instead, or veggie alternatives like cauliflower rice, courgetti. Also to cut out the obvious things: cake, sweets, pastries; biscuits, processed/refined foods, fruit juice, smoothies, too much fruit. You'll get lots of help here, and have lots of questions once you've seen your doctor. I was diagnosed just over 3 months ago and found this site invaluable. And the diet and exercise plan has worked for me - I've lost weight, am much fitter and my HbA1c has dropped. Best wishes
Having seen the later posts, yes some people do simply cut out all bread, potato, rice and pasta, because for them it is necessary. For others, like me, it is possible to have small portions without shooting up the blood glucose. I found out by trial and error what did and did not send up my BG levels. I'm with CathyB - people simply don't understand when I say I can't eat that because I'm diabetic. And try and find a meal out that doesn't come with chips, garlic bread, pasta or rice. I have a lot of salads!
Your doctor should tell you about the various tests you need annually if not more often: feet sensitivity, retinal scanning, bloods. Also you should be referred to a dietitian and a Type 2 training course (they may come as a package).
I'm sure you realise the most important thing is what you eat and your portion sizes. You should try to cut right down on potato and white carbs (bread, rice and pasta) substituting SMALL portions of wholegrain instead, or veggie alternatives like cauliflower rice, courgetti. Also to cut out the obvious things: cake, sweets, pastries; biscuits, processed/refined foods, fruit juice, smoothies, too much fruit. You'll get lots of help here, and have lots of questions once you've seen your doctor. I was diagnosed just over 3 months ago and found this site invaluable. And the diet and exercise plan has worked for me - I've lost weight, am much fitter and my HbA1c has dropped. Best wishes
Having seen the later posts, yes some people do simply cut out all bread, potato, rice and pasta, because for them it is necessary. For others, like me, it is possible to have small portions without shooting up the blood glucose. I found out by trial and error what did and did not send up my BG levels. I'm with CathyB - people simply don't understand when I say I can't eat that because I'm diabetic. And try and find a meal out that doesn't come with chips, garlic bread, pasta or rice. I have a lot of salads!
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Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If your Hba1c is rather high then you might find that switching to brown carbs is no great help - for me it was no help at all, they are still carbs which I could not deal with.
As wholegrain is supposed to be healthy some people have trouble understanding that I can't eat what they are pressing on me as a panacaea for all my problems.
As wholegrain is supposed to be healthy some people have trouble understanding that I can't eat what they are pressing on me as a panacaea for all my problems.
I’m with Drummer, for me there are no good carbs that dont spike my numbers, I opted for cutting all rice, pasta, potatoes and the only bread i eat is a really low carb LivLife loaf that works well for sandwiches on the go or a quick toast breakfast when i have an early start. I work for a care company and most of my nurse colleagues think I’m crazy because I am so strict about what i will and wont eat, I constantly have to turn down the ‘surely one isn’t going to hurt you’ and of course the ‘my xxxx is diabetic and they eat it’.......sigh!
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I'm the same although as a Type 1 I can inject insulin to cover it but I prefer to live without bread, pasta and rice in my diet now and just have the occasional potato. Wholemeal, wholegrain, granary didn't make any significant difference to my BG levels except maybe just to keep them sky high for longer!!
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