Just been told i have type 2 diabetes by the hospital, should i contact my doctor know or wait until my prescription is nearly running out. also what happens know? its a minefield, I'm worried that if i stick to a strict regime of low salt and sugar I'm missing out on other good things i need . please help
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Just been told i have type 2 diabetes by the hospital
- Thread starter mickh
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Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
The first thing is to make an appointment with your GP. If you read around the forum you will soon begin to realise that GP support for T2 is a bit variable but the surgery should have a nurse who specialises in T2. If so then thats the place to start.
As ditto says, no need to panic and we are always here to help you get things into perspective and to sort things out. Strict eating regimes are just one way of dealing with T2 but there are other ways - you have just got to find the way that suits you.
As ditto says, no need to panic and we are always here to help you get things into perspective and to sort things out. Strict eating regimes are just one way of dealing with T2 but there are other ways - you have just got to find the way that suits you.
AndBreathe
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
When you talk about your prescription, is that for diabetes meds, or other things?
Personally, I’d make contact and get an appointment to discuss things with someone. Your surgery may or may not know anything about it, depending on the reason you were at or in hospital. If you have, or had, a discharge letter, that’d probably let them know, but otherwise, sometimes hospital consultants aren’t the fastest at doing their outgoing letters
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Welcome to the forum @mickh
Sorry you’ve had to join, but glad you have found us!
We have literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum, with lots of friendly folks all finding their own unique kitbag of approaches, strategies, food choices, and meds if needed, to help them tame their diabetes, and keep it in its box.
It’s generally a fairly slow-moving foe, so you have time to adjust and adapt. Along with salt and sugar you’ll soon find that its total carbohydrate intake (not just the sweet and sugary things) that has the biggest impact on your glucose levels. So finding the portion sizes and the types of carbs that suit you as an individual can be a really helpful step.
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one 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.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on at your appointment. 🙂
Sorry you’ve had to join, but glad you have found us!
We have literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum, with lots of friendly folks all finding their own unique kitbag of approaches, strategies, food choices, and meds if needed, to help them tame their diabetes, and keep it in its box.
It’s generally a fairly slow-moving foe, so you have time to adjust and adapt. Along with salt and sugar you’ll soon find that its total carbohydrate intake (not just the sweet and sugary things) that has the biggest impact on your glucose levels. So finding the portion sizes and the types of carbs that suit you as an individual can be a really helpful step.
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one 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.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on at your appointment. 🙂
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Finding out 'what it is all about' is a good first step and the Learning Zone here (orange tab at the top) is very informative.
The approach you take may depend on what medication you have been prescribed and how far into the diabetes zone you are and your HbA1C will indicate that 48mmol/mol and over will be a diabetes diagnosis. Mentioning medication suggests you may be well into the zone.
Making some gradual changes to your carbohydrate intake until you get to where you need to be is kinder on your eyes and nerves especially if you have previously had a very high carb diet. The suggested amount of Total carbs per day is no more than 130g.
This link is also good for explanation and has some menu ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/ It is a low carb approach which many have found successful in both reducing blood glucose and losing weight if you need to.
Other people find a low calorie or shakes-based regime will give them a kick start.
What ever you choose to do has to be enjoyable otherwise it will not be sustainable long term and needs to be anew way of eating.
What suits you has to take into account the medication you are on and any other medical conditions, but there will be a way.
It will help people to give appropriate suggestions if you are willing to share what your HbA1C is, what medication you are on and what led to your diagnosis.
But yes you should contact your GP and get an appointment asap as you should also get eye retinal screening and foot checks.
The approach you take may depend on what medication you have been prescribed and how far into the diabetes zone you are and your HbA1C will indicate that 48mmol/mol and over will be a diabetes diagnosis. Mentioning medication suggests you may be well into the zone.
Making some gradual changes to your carbohydrate intake until you get to where you need to be is kinder on your eyes and nerves especially if you have previously had a very high carb diet. The suggested amount of Total carbs per day is no more than 130g.
This link is also good for explanation and has some menu ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/ It is a low carb approach which many have found successful in both reducing blood glucose and losing weight if you need to.
Other people find a low calorie or shakes-based regime will give them a kick start.
What ever you choose to do has to be enjoyable otherwise it will not be sustainable long term and needs to be anew way of eating.
What suits you has to take into account the medication you are on and any other medical conditions, but there will be a way.
It will help people to give appropriate suggestions if you are willing to share what your HbA1C is, what medication you are on and what led to your diagnosis.
But yes you should contact your GP and get an appointment asap as you should also get eye retinal screening and foot checks.
As above, some initial "To Dos":
What medication was prescribed?
There is no obligation to answer these questions if you don't want to, but it gives a more complete picture for others to offer advice.
- Find out what your HbA1c level was as this is key to monitoring long-term progress.
- Make an appointment ASAP to discuss diagnosis, medication & diet with your surgery's specialist nurse or GP.
- Make sure the surgery is aware of your hospital prescription & has put it on repeat.
- If available, get online access to your surgery. It makes ordering meds & checking test results so much easier.
- Consider purchasing a glucose meter. They're not generally prescribed for T2 but very useful between HbA1c tests.
- Consider purchasing ketone test strips. You won't need these as a matter of course but handy to have if your levels are high. Some glucose meters can also test for ketones with different strips, otherwise urine dipsticks.
What medication was prescribed?
There is no obligation to answer these questions if you don't want to, but it gives a more complete picture for others to offer advice.
Hi All, thanks for the replies its put my mind at rest. i went to hospital for a heart scare (tightening of the chest in the morning after waking up). While i was in hospital they diagnosed i was type 2 diabetic.
Medication prescribed is:
Aspirin - once a day
Atorvastatin - once a day at night
Bisoprolol - once a day in the morning
Metformin - every 12 hours after meals
Random blood sugar was 15 (is this bad)
HbA1c - 84 (is this bad)
These notes were taken from my discharge summary
Medication prescribed is:
Aspirin - once a day
Atorvastatin - once a day at night
Bisoprolol - once a day in the morning
Metformin - every 12 hours after meals
Random blood sugar was 15 (is this bad)
HbA1c - 84 (is this bad)
These notes were taken from my discharge summary
Those bloods are on the high side & I'd not expect Metformin to make a rapid dent in those. So moderating your diet to reduce carbs should be a fairly high priority. Again, a glucose meter will help you see what impact the meds/diet are having.
As an insurance I would also familiarise yourself with the symptoms of DKA, & purchase some Ketostix for testing should you develop symptoms. That's not to be alarmist, just something to be aware of while your bloods are still high.
As an insurance I would also familiarise yourself with the symptoms of DKA, & purchase some Ketostix for testing should you develop symptoms. That's not to be alarmist, just something to be aware of while your bloods are still high.
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harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
84 is a bit on the high side. Mine was 83.
How much Metformin are you on? A maximum dose of 2000mg can make a bit of a difference - maybe bring that down by around 12 - but lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and weight loss will make far more difference.
How much Metformin are you on? A maximum dose of 2000mg can make a bit of a difference - maybe bring that down by around 12 - but lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and weight loss will make far more difference.
AndBreathe
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
In this case, your GP should know about thee meds you have been prescribed, but checking can never harm.
Do you have access to read your GP medical history/record? If you do, you could see if a repeat prescription has been added, or the additional items added to it.
My A1c was 73 on diagnosis and I managed to lower it back down to healthy levels but changing my diet a bit, so hopefully you should be able to make some improvements.
There is so many on Amazon, any recommendation?
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
See if you can get a free Contour Plus, I got one a few months back from a link I found on the internet. Test strips around 11 pounds. Device is a nice piece of hardware and connects to an app via Bluetooth. Results are very consistent across different fingers, as well. There's also a website that gives you graphs of all your results and reports.
I also have a Contour Next One, but the strips are expensive - although it's a nice piece of kit. When I did some tests the Next and Plus gave very similar results, so I tend to use the Plus more these days. Both connect to the same app.
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I believe the Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee 2 - both available online rather than a physical shop - have been found by people on here to be pretty reliable and to have the cheapest test strips and lancets, which being as you'll need more than the few (10 strips dunno how many lancets) supplied along with the meter, can prove very expensive. eg I've long used an Accu Chek meter on prescription cos my insulin pump relies on it and last time I had to buy some strips cos I was on holiday (in the UK but had forgotten to take more strips with me, ie very careless) I had to pay £25 from a local pharmacy for one single pot of 50!)
Hi. Don't worry about salt as it has nothing to do with diabetes. You need to control the carb intake. Sugar is just another carb so think carbs and not just sugar. The good news is that proteins and fats are in general not a problem for us so focus on those rather than carby food.
D
Deleted member 21371
Guest
Many of us control salt, I don't add salt to anything, (never have), as I still have BP between 110/70 and 120/80 since I was 18, and I want to keep it that way. I also watch my cholesterol.
It's better to focus on overall health, rather than just BG at times.
I got referred to an NHS dietician, and gym, which helped me greatly.
It's better to focus on overall health, rather than just BG at times.
I got referred to an NHS dietician, and gym, which helped me greatly.
The OP has been prescribed Bisoprolol, so should indeed limit salt consumption.
The Contour Plus that @harbottle mentioned might be available FOC by calling the manufacturer on 0345 600 6030. But as others have alluded to, check the cost of test strips.
I'm prescribed a Caresens Dual that can also test for ketones. But the normal test strips are on the more expensive side & the ketone strips are very expensive.
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