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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.
Literally diagnosed..i was diagnosed by my GP at 2.40 today..
- Thread starter Richard69
- Start date
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Martin62
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Sorry to hear that Richard, it can be a bit overwhelming when you first get diagnosed.
I have learnt a lot and have received lots of advice and support from the lovely members of this group, so you have definitely come to the right place. By the way if I may ask, what was the diagnosis, T1 or T2 ? And have they started you on any medication?
Just ask any questions you may have on here, there is always someone who can hopefully answer them.
Kind regards
Martin
Transistor
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi, Richard. Stay cool! You have probably been diagnosed using the HbA1c blood test. Post your result here to let us know what sort of shape you're in!
- Normal folks are < 42 mmol/mol.
- Pre-diabetics are 42 - 48 mmol/mol.
- Diabetics are usually > 48 mmol/mol.
Many of us here have managed without medication by avoiding both sugars **and** carbohydrates (bread/wheat, pasta, rice and potatoes). How difficult this is depends on your starting point, your body's reaction to the diet and how organised your day is. This is something you could/should discuss with your doctor or diabetes nurse.
Let us know if you've been told to get a blood glucose monitor (little handheld unit that takes blood test strips obtained by lancet - also known as "prick test").
- Normal folks are < 42 mmol/mol.
- Pre-diabetics are 42 - 48 mmol/mol.
- Diabetics are usually > 48 mmol/mol.
Many of us here have managed without medication by avoiding both sugars **and** carbohydrates (bread/wheat, pasta, rice and potatoes). How difficult this is depends on your starting point, your body's reaction to the diet and how organised your day is. This is something you could/should discuss with your doctor or diabetes nurse.
Let us know if you've been told to get a blood glucose monitor (little handheld unit that takes blood test strips obtained by lancet - also known as "prick test").
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Metformin can be tricky for some but hopefully you have been told to start with a low dose and increase it over a few weeks to the dose they want you on, that may depend on how high your Hba1C is, however dietary changes can be equally if not more effective than medication for some people who are motivated to make the changes.
This link may help you with some ideas for adopting a low carbohydrate approach which many find successful.
lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk
This link may help you with some ideas for adopting a low carbohydrate approach which many find successful.
Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home
lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Diagnosis is usually made from a HbA1C blood test, a sample is taken from the arm and sent to the lab. It gives the average blood glucose over the previous 3 months. A level of 47mmol/mol and over gives a diabetes diagnosis. This does not distinguish Type 1 and Type 2 as further tests would be needed but unless clinical symptoms indicate Type 1 the initial diagnosis is Type 2 and only if people don't respond to oral medication and continue to be unwell are those tests done.
Thus, in this context 4 doesn't mean anything. The HbA1C is not usually a fasting test as there is no need.
It would be a good idea to check what test has been done and the result as this will determine how much you need to do to get your blood glucose down.
Hello and welcome to the forum @Richard69 I was diagnosed on 30th May and for me it was a shock and I too wondered what to do in particular with regards to what foods I could/couldn't have. It may help you to contact your GP practice and ask what your Hba1c is, then you have a starting point. There are lots of knowledgeable and experienced people on here who are willing to share their experiences and expertise. I also found it useful to look at other areas on the site and the learning zone answered many questions for me.
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Not having symptoms is normal if they've detected it more or less by accident (via a blood test for other things or perhaps just a general annual test). If you have an HbA1c that's (say) 60 that would make you diabetic but quite likely without any obvious symptoms.
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
My hba1c was 83, and was not having the classic symptoms.
Sorry to hear your news Richard. I was diagnosed just over three months ago, maybe four now. In 12 weeks I have lost almost three stone, reversed fatty liver and put my type 2 into remission. My HBA1C was in the normal range after 12 weeks. I wasn't on any meds. Went low carb/intermittent fasting. I didn't think I'd get here but it is possible. Wish you all the luck with it. It can be done and you will feel much better once you've got control over it. I felt like it was almost the end of the world a few months ago.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I started off with a Hba1c of 91 but was back to normal numbers in 6 months by eating low carb foods.
I am very sensitive to carbs so can eat very few gm each day, but I can still have tasty meals with stirfries, salad, casseroles and curries.
I am very sensitive to carbs so can eat very few gm each day, but I can still have tasty meals with stirfries, salad, casseroles and curries.
EmilyJMart
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hey, I was diagnosed last Tuesday and put straight on metformin! What a ride it’s been. Honestly, don’t panic. Change your eating habits and just try to control those sugars! I’m aiming for remission as at 30 this was the last thing I ever wanted! I believe in you! Good luck
Felinia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Richard and welcome. It can be overwhelming at first so it's no surprise you didn't take in what you were told. I suggest you get back onto the surgery and ask what your HbA1c was - you are entitled to know where you are starting from. Then I suggest you start to work your way through the Learning Zone (orange tab above), one module a day so you can take it in. The food one is the best place to start, then the exercise module. These will show you how you can help yourself.
Metformin can cause tummy problems, but often settles after a few weeks. If you are working you don't want to "keep on running!" The medication is best taken in the middle of a meal. I take mine half way through dinner. If it does not settle, you can ask for a slow release version.
The first thing I did was get an app which measures my daily cals and carbs. To this day I still fill it in religiously first thing, so I have my day planned. The next thing was to start going to the pool for aquafit, starting once a week and now built up to three times a week. But I'm retired. Exercise can be as simple as walking, cycling, or following a video at home. Small beginnings.
We've all been where you are now, so please ask any questions - nothing is silly - I will probably have asked them myself. Best wishes
Metformin can cause tummy problems, but often settles after a few weeks. If you are working you don't want to "keep on running!" The medication is best taken in the middle of a meal. I take mine half way through dinner. If it does not settle, you can ask for a slow release version.
The first thing I did was get an app which measures my daily cals and carbs. To this day I still fill it in religiously first thing, so I have my day planned. The next thing was to start going to the pool for aquafit, starting once a week and now built up to three times a week. But I'm retired. Exercise can be as simple as walking, cycling, or following a video at home. Small beginnings.
We've all been where you are now, so please ask any questions - nothing is silly - I will probably have asked them myself. Best wishes
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Richard69
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It’s not at all unusual for the news to come as a shock, and to leave people bewildered and confused. It can feel quite overwhelming in the early days - so be kind to yourself.
But some people on the forum later look back, and realise that their diagnosis became a bit of a turning point for them, and that they have since started looking after themselves in a whole new way, and making positive changes that they had been meaning to make for years, but never quite getting around to.
Alongside the Learning Zone that was recommended above, you might also find these two more personal reflections a good starting point - Maggie Davey’s Letter to the Newly Diagnosed and Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, which you can work through gradually and help to fill in some of the ‘blanks’.
Good luck, and let us know how things go 🙂
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It’s not at all unusual for the news to come as a shock, and to leave people bewildered and confused. It can feel quite overwhelming in the early days - so be kind to yourself.
But some people on the forum later look back, and realise that their diagnosis became a bit of a turning point for them, and that they have since started looking after themselves in a whole new way, and making positive changes that they had been meaning to make for years, but never quite getting around to.
Alongside the Learning Zone that was recommended above, you might also find these two more personal reflections a good starting point - Maggie Davey’s Letter to the Newly Diagnosed and Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, which you can work through gradually and help to fill in some of the ‘blanks’.
Good luck, and let us know how things go 🙂
Snap starting Metacomet. Tomorrow as well
Oops metaformin
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