• 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.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

New and confused (and dizzy)

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

Pinklizard

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello everyone,
I was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago and I am still distressed about it. I knew I was at a higher risk to developing diabetes so the news wasn't a total shock but still quite bad. What has stressed me is the way it has been handled so far by the my GP practice and diabetic nurse, and I would like to hear from others if this is normal, as I feel left very much to my own devices. A locum doctor from my GP practice told me on the phone that I had diabetes and a nurse would contact me. I met the diabetic nurse last Thursday, she confirmed I have diabetes, weighed me, checked my BP, feet, had a chat about symptoms, family history (my dad had Type 2), my eating habits. She showed my blood test results quickly on her computer screen and said she wanted to check for anaemia and something else before prescribing any medication. I can't remember what the values were but I also noticed that some blood sugar tests in 2014 were abnormal but the doctor never told me, so I am angry because something could have been done back then.
I asked the nurse about diet and she said that diet won't help much to reduce glucose levels as my diet sounds good enough (I am just within the normal BMI although my waist is well over the 80cms but she didn't check it) and after the blood test I will be told if and what medication I should take. I believe diet matters a lot and this is also the advice I read on this website, I was left with the feeling that my pancreas is going to pack up at some point no matter what I do. I would like to be referred to a dietitian to help me set up a diet plan to control blood sugar as I have tried before on my own and found it hard, for a start I have no idea of what my portion seize is etc and sometimes even on a low-carb day I get hypos, other times when I had a huge meal I was perfectly fine! Apologise for the rant but I to get it out, thanks for reading
 
Are you on medication at the moment as if your not it is highly unlikely that you are suffering hypos as for something being done all those years ago it maybe wasn't needed I had a raised bg level a few years ago so they took another test, it came back fine, 2-3 years later I was diagnosed type 1 x
 
Hi, thanks for replying. I am not on any medication as I am waiting to see the nurse again after some more blood tests, I have been suffering from hypos since I was a teenager (I am 54 now), years ago I was told I was insulin resistant (I have mild PCOS) but not given any diet or medication. The nurse seemed uncertain whether I have type 1 or 2 although she reckons is type 2, I think would help in both cases, with medication if necessary x
 
How low are you going x
 
I get sweaty, confused, very weak, huge craving for food but not proper hunger. Sometimes get I headaches afterwards and don't feel right for many hours. I never fainted but got very close x
 
Have you actually tested when you feel like this, i'm unsure but I think as your not on medication they aren't dangerous to you, as for diet what works well for someone else may not work for the next person, you have to test and see, do you have a date for your next appointment x
 
Not dangerous but very unpleasant and disruptive, I have never tested myself, just got on with it. I am seeing the nurse in a couple of weeks. My rant was really about the fact that the nurse was dismissive of the importance of diet, even when I told her that I piled up a lot of Kgs in a short time, I was expecting more support and I was wondering whether other people are referred to dietitians on the NHS and that's something I should ask for, or if I should go and see a dietitian privately
 
Oh I know how unpleasant it is but if you don't test how do you know you are hypo, as for a dietician I'm unsure about your circumstances but there would certainly be no harm in asking your GP or Nurse, don't go spending a fortune on one privately before you've spoken about it, every practice works differently so where one may be quite willing to send you to a dietician another may not, certainly ask about it though and I wish you good luck with it, what is it that makes you unsure of portion sizes etc x
 
I will definitely ask the nurse about receiving some professional advise regarding diet, all I got so far was a diabetes welcome pack, I was reading about the different kind of diets and to be honest I have no idea of which one would be best for me, so it will have to be matter of trial and error. Thanks for your time and support x
 
I have seen the meal plans on here and will try one of them and see how it goes, this website has got lots of useful info.
 
Hello Pinklizard & welcome to the forum - do stay with us & ask as many questions as you want - there's always someone who will pick up your question and answer it for you.

It's very confusing when you are initially diagnosed (dx) because diabetes is new to you - we have all been where you are right now - so you are not alone - a lot of members have experienced what you are experiencing with your DN - some DN's are really helpful - others are not unfortunately.

In the meantime it would be wise to do some research of your own as to your type of diabetes - collate as much information as you can and learn from it by the time you see your DN.

There are lots of recipes here in the Recipe thread and if you wonder into the thread 'What did you eat yesterday?' you will see what meals other like diabetics are eating.

Have your GP or DN given you a monitor kit so you can finger test your blood glucose levels? - we test our waking bg levels and pre meals, and 2&1/2 post meal - this will give an indication as to whether the food you have eaten has spiked your bgls or not.

Good luck with your appointment with your DN - do let us know how you get on, take care.

Dx Type 2 April 2016
Metformin withdrawn
Diet control and exercise only
 
Last edited:
Hi Wirralass,
Thanks for all the pointers. The DN didn't give me any monitors, I guess she may give it to me at the next appointment if it is something I need to use, she didn't mention anything last week. She's unsure whether I have type 1 or 2, and has sent me for more some blood tests to check cholesterol and other fats, anaemia and Vit D. I have already started to read lots about diabetes, mainly type 2 but I need the nurse to confirm for sure whether I have type 1 or 2. I will definitely ask questions on here as I feel quite overwhelmed
 
Pinklizard said:
Hi Wirralass,
Thanks for all the pointers. The DN didn't give me any monitors, I guess she may give it to me at the next appointment if it is something I need to use, she didn't mention anything last week. She's unsure whether I have type 1 or 2, and has sent me for more some blood tests to check cholesterol and other fats, anaemia and Vit D. I have already started to read lots about diabetes, mainly type 2 but I need the nurse to confirm for sure whether I have type 1 or 2. I will definitely ask questions on here as I feel quite overwhelmed
Click to expand...
Pinklizard.
Yes please do that - there's a wealth of knowledge here and forum members will be only too willing to pass on to you anything and everything they know to help you on your diabetes journey whether it be Type1 or Type2 or otherwise.

It is understandable that you feel overwhelmed - I felt exactly the same when I was dx as many others on here did too - my dx came as a shock too - of course you need your DN to confirm which type diabetes you have - once you know this then you are on the first rung to managing your diabetes - a fellow member once said to me that diabetes is irritating but manageable and another @Northerner says diabetes is not a sprint - it is a marathon.

Some GP'S practices don't issue monitoring kits but should your DN not volunteer to supply you with one then you could perhaps try asking why not? There's a lot of controversy with regard to supplying monitors, testing strips & lancets at the moment & some GP'S & DN's will supply - and some unfortunately won't - or can't because of the lack funding.
Take care Pinklizard x
 
Thank you for all the precious info Wirralass, the monitor would certainly help to find out how different foods affect my bg, I will pester Nurse Doom next time!
Love your tag line! x
 
Pinklizard said:
Thank you for all the precious info Wirralass, the monitor would certainly help to find out how different foods affect my bg, I will pester Nurse Doom next time!
Love your tag line! x
Click to expand...
Thank you Pinklizard x
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top