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Lindiloo

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
L

Lindiloo

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes - was put on meds But don’t know what best diet is. How many carbs should I be eating
 
Many people have had excellent outcomes by reducing the amount of carbohydrate they eat each day, but they get a glucose meter with cheap strips, so that the testing doesn't cost a lot, then they see how various foods affect them and adjust in the light of that information.
Some people find that they can manage porridge, or low carb bread, or legumes - others like me discover that all the high carb foods result in high blood glucose, but we are all different and even though the advice is not to test, there seems to be no other way to see just how to get control.
 
Hi Lindi and welcome.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you have found the right place for advice and support. What medication have you been put on?
There is no " one size fits all" diet for diabetes but the general idea is to reduce your carbohydrate consumption. It might help to start by working out roughly how many grams of carbohydrates you eat a day now and then looking at how you can reduce that. Your HbA1c reading will give us an indication of how much work you need to do to reduce your levels, so for instance, if your HbA1c reading was 52 then you are only just over the diabetic threshold of 48, so you may find that only small changes are needed whereas if you are over 100 then you probably have some significant changes to make to bring it down, but it is best to make those changes slowly so that very high levels are reduced gradually.

Because we all digest foods differently the most effective way of figuring out what you can get away with eating an what you probably need to cut from your diet, is by using a Blood Glucose Meter and testing your blood before eating a meal and 2 hours afterwards. BG meters are relatively inexpensive but the test strips for them can tot up the finances, so buying a meter which has the cheapest test strips makes financial sense. We can supply you with details if which meters are cheapest to self fund, if you are interested.... just ask.
 
I would like t repeat what rebrascora said. It goes against all the current conventional medical advice (though actually endorsed by the NHS), but a Low Carb 'Way Of Eating' (not a calorie restricted diet) is the best way of gaining remission from type 2 diabetes. Calorie Restriction leads to starvation mode , leads to reduced metabolic rate, lead to even more calorie restriction being required!
But Low Carb is a broad church, so if you can afford it get a Blood Glucose meter such as a Tee2 from Spirit Health ( or another with relatively cheap test strips) and test before an 2hrs after first bite of every meal in order to determine what your body can handle. The spike from before to after a meal should ideally be 2.0 mmol or less and the highest level should be less than 8.0 mmol (or 7.8 mmol if being extra careful).
 
rebrascora said:
Hi Lindi and welcome.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you have found the right place for advice and support. What medication have you been put on?
There is no " one size fits all" diet for diabetes but the general idea is to reduce your carbohydrate consumption. It might help to start by working out roughly how many grams of carbohydrates you eat a day now and then looking at how you can reduce that. Your HbA1c reading will give us an indication of how much work you need to do to reduce your levels, so for instance, if your HbA1c reading was 52 then you are only just over the diabetic threshold of 48, so you may find that only small changes are needed whereas if you are over 100 then you probably have some significant changes to make to bring it down, but it is best to make those changes slowly so that very high levels are reduced gradually.

Because we all digest foods differently the most effective way of figuring out what you can get away with eating an what you probably need to cut from your diet, is by using a Blood Glucose Meter and testing your blood before eating a meal and 2 hours afterwards. BG meters are relatively inexpensive but the test strips for them can tot up the finances, so buying a meter which has the cheapest test strips makes financial sense. We can supply you with details if which meters are cheapest to self fund, if you are interested.... just ask.
Click to expand...
Thankyou so much. My HBC 1a was very high - I think over 130. I started slimmingworld last August and lost 2 stone and then started having symptoms of dry mouth and weeing - but I had had lots of antibiotics and doctor didn’t pick it up. But i made them do blood test and here I am.

have been given blood monitor and metformin and gliclazide. - I went to see specialist yesterday and well it was terrible. He basically said eat what you like take another load of meds and in 10 years you will be ill - he didn’t once talk about or want to talk about diet. I showed him my blood counts have gone down from over 15 to 7, 8, 9. But he wasn’t interested

I just need to understand what to eat - I have dropped carbs but after reading some posts I need to find out what spikes mine - I think pots is one

many advice would be welcome I’m scared and very overwhelmed by it all. Thanks
 
Hello Lindiloo, and welcome to the forum

Professional advice for diabetes does seem to vary; I have lived with diabetes in two areas of UK and the advice & treatment has been good in both of them

As you say, discovering that you have diabetes is a shock, and worrying
There is so much information and understanding to take in that for most people it is confusing and overwhelming, so here are a few general comments, without going into too much detail -

Put simply, diabetes is the inability to digest, control, and use carbohydrates. Once you grasp that all the rest of the advice, restrictions, and 'rules' fall into place
Glucose is the real culprit, but as all carbohydrates are converted into glucose by the body, we must consider things like rice, potatoes, pasta, as well as the more obvious ones like sugar, biscuits, & cakes

The emphasis now is to try to look after yourself and your own control, so it helps to understand what's going on
I'm sure other members will post their own links and references, but a general book on diabetes would be a good start
I like 'Diabetes For Dummies' but make sure you get the UK edition

This forum is part of Diabetes UK. Go back to their Homepage, and across the top you;ll see several categories; click on them, especially 'Living with Diabetes' There is lots of information

Read through previous posts & threads on this forum, especially the Newbies; you'll probably find that they'll have asked your questions before

You could join Diabetes UK (DUK) They have an information pack for newly diagnosed; a magazine; and a phone Careline, even if you're not a member. they're very helpful and would help to reassure you, which I suspect is what you want at the moment

As with any subject, you can't learn it all at once. Gradually the confusion and worry will recede, and you'll get the hang of what you need to do

Try not to be too worried (Yes, I know it's easy to say) You will need to make changes, but it gets easier as you go along.
And don't be worried if you hear about any side effects or horror stories; the good news is that if you look after yourself you'll be OK
The bad news is that you will have to do that every day for the rest of your life; but once you get used to it, it becomes less of a problem, and more of just a new and sensible way of living

There is a lot of publicity about low carb diets at the moment, especially with books by Roy Taylor and Michael Mosley - yes, consider them, but perhaps not too strictly yet, till you've got used to things a bit more

I think that's enough for now - ask again if you have any questions; remember we all started where you are

Oh, I've just re - read your post
Weeing is a normal part of losing weight, don't worry about it
And it helps to drink a lot of water if you're trying to lose weight, say 2l a day. So don't be surprised if you do wee a lot!
 
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I have personally found what works for me has not remained the same, and I have found you have to see what work for you and can maintain long term.
Sometimes it is not only what you eat, by reducing the portion you eat can make a difference.
 
zuludog said:
Hello Lindiloo, and welcome to the forum

Professional advice for diabetes does seem to vary; I have lived with diabetes in two areas of UK and the advice & treatment has been good in both of them

As you say, discovering that you have diabetes is a shock, and worrying
There is so much information and understanding to take in that for most people it is confusing and overwhelming, so here are a few general comments, without going into too much detail -

Put simply, diabetes is the inability to digest, control, and use carbohydrates. Once you grasp that all the rest of the advice, restrictions, and 'rules' fall into place
Glucose is the real culprit, but as all carbohydrates are converted into glucose by the body, we must consider things like rice, potatoes, pasta, as well as the more obvious ones like sugar, biscuits, & cakes

The emphasis now is to try to look after yourself and your own control, so it helps to understand what's going on
I'm sure other members will post their own links and references, but a general book on diabetes would be a good start
I like 'Diabetes For Dummies' but make sure you get the UK edition

This forum is part of Diabetes UK. Go back to their Homepage, and across the top you;ll see several categories; click on them, especially 'Living with Diabetes' There is lots of information

Read through previous posts & threads on this forum, especially the Newbies; you'll probably find that they'll have asked your questions before

You could join Diabetes UK (DUK) They have an information pack for newly diagnosed; a magazine; and a phone Careline, even if you're not a member. they're very helpful and would help to reassure you, which I suspect is what you want at the moment

As with any subject, you can't learn it all at once. Gradually the confusion and worry will recede, and you'll get the hang of what you need to do

Try not to be too worried (Yes, I know it's easy to say) You will need to make changes, but it gets easier as you go along.
And don't be worried if you hear about any side effects or horror stories; the good news is that if you look after yourself you'll be OK
The bad news is that you will have to do that every day for the rest of your life; but once you get used to it, it becomes less of a problem, and more of just a new and sensible way of living

There is a lot of publicity about low carb diets at the moment, especially with books by Roy Taylor and Michael Mosley - yes, consider them, but perhaps not too strictly yet, till you've got used to things a bit more

I think that's enough for now - ask again if you have any questions; remember we all started where you are

Oh, I've just re - read your post
Weeing is a normal part of losing weight, don't worry about it
And it helps to drink a lot of water if you're trying to lose weight, say 2l a day. So don't be surprised if you do wee a lot!
Click to expand...
Thankyou so much for your help - I’m beginning to understand - it was such a shock the way the specialist was. - my mum is type 1 which is so different food wise. But she is 83 and is amazing her HBC1a is always correct every time she has it done - so I’m determined to sort myself out. Thanks once again
 
I'm horrified quite frankly that a Diabetes Consultant anywhere at a UK hospital should say THAT to anyone in this day and age!

What a defeatist person they must be - three rousing choruses of 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life!' please!
 
Lindiloo said:
Thankyou so much. My HBC 1a was very high - I think over 130. I started slimmingworld last August and lost 2 stone and then started having symptoms of dry mouth and weeing - but I had had lots of antibiotics and doctor didn’t pick it up. But i made them do blood test and here I am.
Click to expand...
Hi again Lindi
Sorry to hear your levels were so high and you had such a bad experience with the consultant. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope it was just some sort of misunderstanding but there are good and bad and mediocre in all walks of life, so who knows.

The paragraph above rings warning bells with me and since your mother is Type 1, I wonder if you might also be Type 1. How easy was the weight loss? I know Slimming World has a reputation for success but did you feel like it came off very easy or did you have to put a lot of effort into losing the weight. The dry mouth and thirst are clear symptoms of diabetes and along with the weight loss and your family history, would start tipping the balance towards a possible Type 1 diagnosis.

An HbA1c of 48 or above gets you a basic diagnosis of Diabetes and if you are an adult (particularly a middle aged adult with a higher than normal BMI) then Type 2 diabetes is assumed. What many people, including health care professionals, don't seem to realise is that Type 1 can hit you at any age, not just children and young adults and many older Type 1s get misdiagnosed as Type 2. There are specific blood tests they can do which will indicate if you are Type 1. These are GAD antibody and C-peptide tests. They are not routinely carried out on mature adults who develop diabetes, but in your circumstances I think it would be reasonable to ask for them. Being misdiagnosed between Type 1 and Type 2 can make a difference to the support, medication and equipment that you have access to, to manage your diabetes, as well as potentially make your dietary choices a little easier although I personally prefer to still follow a low carb diet as a Type 1 diabetic.
 
Welcome to the forum @Lindiloo , glad that you have found us.

You have had lots of good advice from others above, and I am also horrified by the experience that you had with the consultant. I would also echo the possibility that you may be T1, and it is worth getting a test for the GAD antibodies which will be an indicator.
 
I would also like to say that you have done really well in reducing your BG levels into single figures. Doctors put a lot of faith in medication but with diabetes, diet can play a significantly more dramatic effect. Many Health Care Professionals (HCPs) including dieticians, even in the field of diabetes, are unaware of how powerful a tool Low Carb eating can be in it's management.... and they don't want/like to give credit to the enormous effort it takes on the part of the patient to learn how to follow such a regime, so despite the consultant being somewhat ignorant, many of us here on the forum know how much work you will have put in to get those readings down, so a big CONGRATULATIONS from us on that.

How many carbs are you currently eating each day? Have you set yourself a limit for them or just made a conscious choice not to eat too many high carb items. Finding out what spikes your BG is the job of your BG meter and a food diary. We recommend you test before starting a meal and 2 hours after it. You are looking for it to rise less than 3 mmols at the 2 hour point but ideally 2 or less. If it climbs by 3 or more then reduce the portion of carbs with that meal and try it again, maybe the following week. Gradually over time you will see patterns emerge of foods which cause you more problems than others.
If potatoes are an issue, many of us replace them with mashed cauliflower or mashed celeriac. I am going to be making a chicken leek and mushroom pie today (like a cottage pie) topped with cauli mash. I boil the cauli, strain it and then add a good dollop of full fat cream cheese and a spoon of wholegrain mustard and mash, then use to top the chicken, meat or fish, finish with grated cheese and brown off in the oven. Cauli mash also works well with high meat content sausages (cheap sausages contain a lot of rusk which is carbs) for bangers and mash or burgers etc along with some cabbage sweated in butter or a nice big portion of brussel sprouts (if you like them)

If you want to give us an idea of what your current menu looks like ie an average breakfast, lunch or dinner we could perhaps make suggestions for some lower carb swaps, but be aware that if you really are type 2 and on Gliclazide then going too low carb could result in you having a hypo, because the Gliclazide works by stimulating your pancreas to produce more insulin.... If you are Type 1 the Gliclazide is unlikely to have any effect as your pancreas' capacity to produce insulin is fading and the medication is just trying "to flog a dead horse" if you excuse the rather sad analogy ... just not going to work.

The important thing to remember is that you are doing great and whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 it can be well managed and clearly you have the mindset to do that. We are here to support you with that and there are many inspirational stories from members of the forum who have had great success.
 
Good to hear that they have sanctioned a GAD test..... the consultant obviously was switched on enough to consider that option, even if his bedside manner and general optimism needs a lot of work! Will you update this thread with the result when you get it please.
 
rebrascora said:
Good to hear that they have sanctioned a GAD test..... the consultant obviously was switched on enough to consider that option, even if his bedside manner and general optimism needs a lot of work! Will you update this thread with the result when you get it please.
Click to expand...
I asked for antibody test. - when first diagnosed I had high sugar in wee. I may get this wrong but they thought I had GKA (I think) and thought I was going in high sugar coma because type 1. Blood test at hospital was 0.6 and doctor said I was type. But within a week on diet I have no sugar in wee anymore. - Thanks for food advice - sounds lovely. So sorry to keep asking but what are good bg levels - what am I aiming for Thanks
 
Ask away.... whatever questions come to mind and do not apologise, it is what the forum is here for and we have all been through this so we know how overwhelming it is, with so much to take in.

You are ideally aiming for between 4 and 7 but at this relatively early stage for you anything under 10 is good, as long as it is not too low.

My situation was not too dissimilar to yours except that my HbA1c was only 112 at diagnosis. I had sudden onset symptoms 2 weeks before and after a couple of days I started to realise that it wasn't just a salty pie I ate which was making me desperately thirsty and consequently drinking water like a drowning man and weeing 5x a night. I stopped eating sweets and sugar suspecting diabetes but like most people I had no idea that starchy carbs were equally problematic. So my 112 reading was after 2 weeks of not eating sweets/sugar.... but it is a 3 month average. I then slowly embarked on a low carb diet with guidance from this forum. After 5 weeks of slowly whittling the carbs down I got my first in range readings. By then I was more or less eating food that tasted like cardboard.... low fat, no sugar, low salt, no processed meat, minimal red meat, chicken breast (I am a dark meat girl), salads with no dressing. 4x Metformin a day with some of it's usual side effects of course and 2 Gliclazide. It was no fun, but I was exhilarated that I had got a reading under 7! I had a second HbA1c result come back the next day and it had gone up to 116 and I was given the news that I would have to be started on insulin. I was beyond gutted and begged for another week to keep trying with my very low carb diet! They humoured me for a few more days and then started me on insulin..... my body was just running out of insulin and whilst I was barely producing enough to cope with the very few carbs I was eating, it was obviously running out fast. I month later I saw the consultant and he authorised GAD and C-peptide tests and I was confirmed Type 1 a month later. Some Type 1s run out of insulin suddenly and others can limp along for several years with help from Type 2 meds before their pancreas runs dry. Many are wrongly diagnosed as Type 2 and never get a correct diagnosis. These slow onset Type 1s are often referred to as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults or LADA and will sometimes be referred to as Type 1.5. So it is quite possible that you are Type 1 but still producing enough insulin to survive on a low carb diet for the moment.... how long that will last is anyone's guess but if your levels suddenly start to rise into the high 20s (when you haven't eaten anything to cause it) and you start to feel unwell, get yourself to hospital pronto.
 
rebrascora said:
Ask away.... whatever questions come to mind and do not apologise, it is what the forum is here for and we have all been through this so we know how overwhelming it is, with so much to take in.

You are ideally aiming for between 4 and 7 but at this relatively early stage for you anything under 10 is good, as long as it is not too low.

My situation was not too dissimilar to yours except that my HbA1c was only 112 at diagnosis. I had sudden onset symptoms 2 weeks before and after a couple of days I started to realise that it wasn't just a salty pie I ate which was making me desperately thirsty and consequently drinking water like a drowning man and weeing 5x a night. I stopped eating sweets and sugar suspecting diabetes but like most people I had no idea that starchy carbs were equally problematic. So my 112 reading was after 2 weeks of not eating sweets/sugar.... but it is a 3 month average. I then slowly embarked on a low carb diet with guidance from this forum. After 5 weeks of slowly whittling the carbs down I got my first in range readings. By then I was more or less eating food that tasted like cardboard.... low fat, no sugar, low salt, no processed meat, minimal red meat, chicken breast (I am a dark meat girl), salads with no dressing. 4x Metformin a day with some of it's usual side effects of course and 2 Gliclazide. It was no fun, but I was exhilarated that I had got a reading under 7! I had a second HbA1c result come back the next day and it had gone up to 116 and I was given the news that I would have to be started on insulin. I was beyond gutted and begged for another week to keep trying with my very low carb diet! They humoured me for a few more days and then started me on insulin..... my body was just running out of insulin and whilst I was barely producing enough to cope with the very few carbs I was eating, it was obviously running out fast. I month later I saw the consultant and he authorised GAD and C-peptide tests and I was confirmed Type 1 a month later. Some Type 1s run out of insulin suddenly and others can limp along for several years with help from Type 2 meds before their pancreas runs dry. Many are wrongly diagnosed as Type 2 and never get a correct diagnosis. These slow onset Type 1s are often referred to as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults or LADA and will sometimes be referred to as Type 1.5. So it is quite possible that you are Type 1 but still producing enough insulin to survive on a low carb diet for the moment.... how long that will last is anyone's guess but if your levels suddenly start to rise into the high 20s (when you haven't eaten anything to cause it) and you start to feel unwell, get yourself to hospital pronto.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for your help. So now do you control your sugar levels with carbs Can you eat a lot more
 
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