New and confused

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BJDM87

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Type 2
Morning all,
I’ve recently been told I’m type 2. I’m 33 and really struggling. The doctors haven’t really been helpful. They’ve just told me on the phone and now have to wait to be refered? There are so many different things online about what to do / eat but I don’t know what to believe. I keep forgetting to take the tablets I’m was given (3 times a day). I just don’t know and find myself still eating the same rubbish as before. Any help or advise would be really appreciated.
 
Welcome to the forum @BJDM87

I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but pleased that you have found the forum. There is a lot of practical experience to tap into on here. So first of all don’t panic, this is manageable condition.

You may already know this, but I certainly had no clue about any of it at diagnosis so just in case, Diabetes means that we do not have enough insulin being produced by our body (or any insulin in the case of T1) to process the amount of glucose in our blood. That glucose will come from any carbohydrates that we eat (not just sugar) and also be trickled out by our liver when we are not eating. Our mod is to manage the balance between these.

You mention that you forget to take your meds. These will either be enabling you pancreas to make more insulin, or making the insulin that you do make work harder. So these will help you to process the glucose that comes from what you eat. I also forget my meds but now out a reminder on my phone (which still isn’t foolproof!!) but does help.

There is a lot of information on this site and you can find specific information about T2 in the learning zone (a tab at the top of the page or in the menu (…). For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes

Members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.

Take a breath, do a bit of reading, and come back with any questions that arise. Nothing is considered silly on here. Just ask.
 
Welcome @BJDM87 🙂 First of all, don’t panic. Everything will seem strange and upsetting now so be kind to yourself. It will gradually get easier.

As @SB2015 says, some Type 2s have a reduced potential to produce insulin, however many actually make plenty of insulin - they just can’t use it because their cells have become resistant to insulin. If you have any weight to lose, that will help any insulin resistance. Exercise helps too.
 
Inka said:
As @SB2015 says, some Type 2s have a reduced potential to produce insulin, however many actually make plenty of insulin - they just can’t use it because their cells have become resistant to insulin. If you have any weight to lose, that will help any insulin resistance. Exercise helps
Click to expand...
Thanks @Inka for the clarification.

So many different presentations for ’Diabetes’ . Find out what works for you @BJDM87 and look for changes that you can keep to. Swapping some of your foods to lower carb options can help. Perhaps avoiding ore-prepared meals which are often loaded with carbs (even though they may have a label saying ‘reduced sugar’.
 
Hi, did they give you any useful information over the phone like your hba1c for example? This will be a number. Or have you literally got to sit and wait.
 
BJDM87 said:
Morning all,
I’ve recently been told I’m type 2. I’m 33 and really struggling. The doctors haven’t really been helpful. They’ve just told me on the phone and now have to wait to be refered? There are so many different things online about what to do / eat but I don’t know what to believe. I keep forgetting to take the tablets I’m was given (3 times a day). I just don’t know and find myself still eating the same rubbish as before. Any help or advise would be really appreciated.
Click to expand...
If you are an ordinary type two, you can't cope with carbohydrates as well as others - for many just reducing the amount of starches and sugars and checking their blood glucose levels after meals is all that is required to go back to normal.
It is what I did, and apart from one blip back into prediabetic levels, which no one thought to tell me about, and was perhaps down to Covid, I am fine.
The best bit is not putting on weight like many have done in lockdown.
 
Wow, Thank you for the reply guys. So reassuring to hear that I’m really not alone in this. Regarding any information given to me… all they said on the phone is the normal blood level is between 4-6 but mine was 7.2? So a low carb diet is possibly the best to start with?
 
BJDM87 said:
Wow, Thank you for the reply guys. So reassuring to hear that I’m really not alone in this. Regarding any information given to me… all they said on the phone is the normal blood level is between 4-6 but mine was 7.2? So a low carb diet is possibly the best to start with?
Click to expand...

It sounds like they were giving you your HbA1C but in old units @BJDM87 . 7.2 would be an HbA1C of just over 55, if so. Anything 48 and above is diabetic, so you’re not awfully far above that.

The best start is to look at what you were eating before diagnosis - literally, write down a few average days - and then look at places you could improve things and maybe reduce a few carbs, as well as things like watching calories and eating enough veg.
 
BJDM87 said:
Wow, Thank you for the reply guys. So reassuring to hear that I’m really not alone in this. Regarding any information given to me… all they said on the phone is the normal blood level is between 4-6 but mine was 7.2? So a low carb diet is possibly the best to start with?
Click to expand...
Those numbers you have been given are confusing as normally diagnosis would be made on the basis of an HbA1C test which is a blood sample taken from the arm and the result would normally be in mmol/mol and anything over 48 would be a diagnosis of diabetes, Inka has beat me to it in saying the results you have been given are in old units but has converted to the currently used units.
Yes at 55mmol/mol you are in the diabetic zone but not too far so with some changes to your diet it should be possible to make some improvement.
 
Hi and welcome
As others have said, you are just into the diabetic range so hopefully by some adjustments to your lifestyle you can improve. What medication have you been given? Some people who are just in the diabetic range are given the opportunity to change their lifestyle without medication, but it does require discipline. You say you are eating rubbish - can you give examples of your daily diet - including drink, and we may be able to make suggestions? I found it quite an adventure trying new foods.
You need to develop some kind of routine where you remember to take your pills - say in the middle of breakfast, with your lunch, in the middle of your evening meal. I keep my pills in a jar on my dining table, but that may not be appropriate if you have little people around. You can get pill containers where you could put the day's pills, and carry it with you.
You can also help yourself with exercise and losing weight if necessary.
Best wishes
 
Could I ask what prompted you/your GP to test for diabetes? And did they test for it twice?
 
Hey there BJD,
I have been diagnosed about 2 yrs as type 2, and still confused!
I started mu journey with a quite high HBA1C Count ( 107.) I am now down to 53, so not in the danger zone, and near to being in the safe zone, I did this by cutting back on all the carby & starchy food, and resisting drinking beer.
I am by no means an ardent diet follower, and still succumb sometimes, to my peckishness, but I feel better for it , I still take Metformin , but if I can control my diet , I might be able to come off that soon, but unfortunately even if I get in to remission with a below reading of 48, I will still be Diabectic and always will be,so it is a life changer.
My advice is, control how much carbs & starchy foods you consume, embrace a highfat ,low carb diet, it isn't all bad , you can still enjoy steak, fish ,chicken ,Eggs and many dairy foods, avoid rice ,bread, crisps, and other carby & starchy foods, and regular exercise, it need t be 20 mile yomp, , just enough to get ever so breathless, and you will find yourself in a better place.
Little steps, lead to big gains!
 
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