New and a bit overwhelmed

[celadon]

Hello Everyone,
I was diagnosed a week ago, I’m 60, overweight, and not very fit. Despite changing my diet and loosing a few lbs my numbers are the same as last time. From what I could see on the nurses screen the number was 48.5.
The day after I went to the opticians and he confirmed the diabetes due to the change in my eyesight.
I‘ve taken 4 Metformin 500mg, one each morning.
I have been having spells of feeling light headed and dizzy, suddenly shakey, and feel hungry even if I’ve eaten recently. This has happened on and off for a while.
I just have no idea what is going on in my body, or what to expect. I guess what’s making it worse is that my husband and I are going on a RailTour holiday to Germany at the end of the month, and I’m worried about not feeling well.
sorry to be so negative xxx

 

[Drummer]

Type 2 diabetes is, in its simplest form the inability to deal with all the carbohydrate in our modern 'healthy' diet.
I hope that the optician has not ordered new glasses for you, as in the first weeks or even months, changes in blood glucose can cause alteration in eyesight as the lenses in the eyes are affected by the falling blood glucose levels, but they don't settle down for a while.
Reducing the amount of the foods highest in carbs and keeping on, week by week, lowering your blood glucose levels until they are in the normal range can result in remission fairly swiftly, but usually people feel better even sooner as their metabolism picks up when no longer burdened with high blood glucose levels.

 

[celadon]

Type 2 diabetes is, in its simplest form the inability to deal with all the carbohydrate in our modern 'healthy' diet.
I hope that the optician has not ordered new glasses for you, as in the first weeks or even months, changes in blood glucose can cause alteration in eyesight as the lenses in the eyes are affected by the falling blood glucose levels, but they don't settle down for a while.
Reducing the amount of the foods highest in carbs and keeping on, week by week, lowering your blood glucose levels until they are in the normal range can result in remission fairly swiftly, but usually people feel better even sooner as their metabolism picks up when no longer burdened with high blood glucose levels.

Thank you. My optician said he’d check my eyes again in three months. Yes more tweaks to diet needed.

 

[Tdm]

Hello Everyone,
I was diagnosed a week ago, I’m 60, overweight, and not very fit. Despite changing my diet and loosing a few lbs my numbers are the same as last time. From what I could see on the nurses screen the number was 48.5.
The day after I went to the opticians and he confirmed the diabetes due to the change in my eyesight.
I‘ve taken 4 Metformin 500mg, one each morning.
I have been having spells of feeling light headed and dizzy, suddenly shakey, and feel hungry even if I’ve eaten recently. This has happened on and off for a while.
I just have no idea what is going on in my body, or what to expect. I guess what’s making it worse is that my husband and I are going on a RailTour holiday to Germany at the end of the month, and I’m worried about not feeling well.
sorry to be so negative xxx

Your feeling dizzy etc could be your blood sugars coming down...your body has got used to higher levels but the metformin will be bringjng them down

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @celadon

No need to apologise for how you are feeling. A diagnosis with diabetes can be overwhelming to begin with. But it is a condition that can usually be managed well with a few tweaks and changes, plus the help of some medication if appropriate.

Your level of 48.5 is possibly 48.5mmol/mol which would be your HbA1c. A number which reflects your general glucose levels over the preceding 3-4 months. The diagnosis for diabetes comes at 48 and above, so you may be just over the ’dividing line’. By way of encouragement, some members here have begun their diabetes journey in the high 90s or even into the 100s, and have managed to successfully reduce their glucose levels back down to non-diabetes numbers - so diabetes is something that you can live well with.

Many find that reducing the overall carbohydrate content of their menu (not just the obvious sweet and sugary things) is a very powerful strategy.

This meal plan might offer some ideas

Low-carb diet and meal plan

Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[celadon]

Welcome to the forum @celadon

No need to apologise for how you are feeling. A diagnosis with diabetes can be overwhelming to begin with. But it is a condition that can usually be managed well with a few tweaks and changes, plus the help of some medication if appropriate.

Your level of 48.5 is possibly 48.5mmol/mol which would be your HbA1c. A number which reflects your general glucose levels over the preceding 3-4 months. The diagnosis for diabetes comes at 48 and above, so you may be just over the ’dividing line’. By way of encouragement, some members here have begun their diabetes journey in the high 90s or even into the 100s, and have managed to successfully reduce their glucose levels back down to non-diabetes numbers - so diabetes is something that you can live well with.

Many find that reducing the overall carbohydrate content of their menu (not just the obvious sweet and sugary things) is a very powerful strategy.

This meal plan might offer some ideas

Low-carb diet and meal plan

Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.

www.diabetes.org.uk

Thank you

 

[RichardsUsername]

Hello Everyone,
I was diagnosed a week ago, I’m 60, overweight, and not very fit. Despite changing my diet and loosing a few lbs my numbers are the same as last time. From what I could see on the nurses screen the number was 48.5.
The day after I went to the opticians and he confirmed the diabetes due to the change in my eyesight.
I‘ve taken 4 Metformin 500mg, one each morning.
I have been having spells of feeling light headed and dizzy, suddenly shakey, and feel hungry even if I’ve eaten recently. This has happened on and off for a while.
I just have no idea what is going on in my body, or what to expect. I guess what’s making it worse is that my husband and I are going on a RailTour holiday to Germany at the end of the month, and I’m worried about not feeling well.
sorry to be so negative xxx

You've joined this forum to get advice about diabetes, correct? That's a positive. You are doing something to improve your health. Explaining your situation is always going to sound not good initally. It's about moving forward.

 

[harbottle]

Are you sure it was 48.5? That is quite low really and GPs would probably want you to try three months of lifestyle changes before starting a high dose of metformin.

 

[Tilley]

Hello Everyone,
I was diagnosed a week ago, I’m 60, overweight, and not very fit. Despite changing my diet and loosing a few lbs my numbers are the same as last time. From what I could see on the nurses screen the number was 48.5.
The day after I went to the opticians and he confirmed the diabetes due to the change in my eyesight.
I‘ve taken 4 Metformin 500mg, one each morning.
I have been having spells of feeling light headed and dizzy, suddenly shakey, and feel hungry even if I’ve eaten recently. This has happened on and off for a while.
I just have no idea what is going on in my body, or what to expect. I guess what’s making it worse is that my husband and I are going on a RailTour holiday to Germany at the end of the month, and I’m worried about not feeling well.
sorry to be so negative xxx

I had a problem with metformin it made me feel empty inside all the time Doc changed my meds to Sitagliptin I got on alot better with that I am still on it .

 

[celadon]

Are you sure it was 48.5? That is quite low really and GPs would probably want you to try three months of lifestyle changes before starting a high dose of metformin.

Thank you. I have had at least two higher blood tests done. So far no side effects 6 days in. Xxx

 

[celadon]

I had a problem with metformin it made me feel empty inside all the time Doc changed my meds to Sitagliptin I got on alot better with that I am still on it .

So far I’ve not spotted any side effects, hoping it stays that way. Xxx