New and nervous

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LucysLostSister

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all, I am a woman aged 50, just recently had bloods taken as multiple health symptoms not necessarily diabetes related. But drs just called to have me make another appointment as blood glucose increased to retest.

If I’m honest I’ve been worried for some time and dreading having to deal with such a serious diagnosis and major life change. Family history of type 2 Occurring for older women in my family - even the slim fit ones.

Posting here initially as seems polite thing to do but will also post in most relevant board to get advice/support.
 
Take it one step at a time, you’ve not been diagnosed yet so wait and see what the test result says. When the results come through, most important thing to do is ask for the actual number, don’t just settle for a comment like “normal” or “a bit high”, whether you have diabetes or not you need to know what your starting point is. See this as a nudge to make any lifestyle or diet improvements you might need to make.
 
Welcome to the forum @LucysLostSister

Glad you have found us. We have literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forums, so ask away with any questions, or simply use the boards as a safe place to let off steam, vent, or share your experiences.

I’ll go and check your other thread shortly 🙂
 
Diagnosis received today after 2nd blood test yesterday. Hbc1 was 103!

Dr wants to start me on metformin but I have problems with a lot of meds and mum also didn’t get on well with this med.

Also told to address diet and exercise now. Diet obviously I can do but I don’t know WHAT to do. Not eaten yet today. That’s one of my bad habits I don’t feel hungry don’t eat sometimes all day then binge af night. I know I’m fat and need to lose weight, was doing well on that a couple years ago but then moved house last year and it went to pot and I’ve lazily not got back on track.

This is certainly a kick up the backside on that score!

I’m shocked how much it’s upset and thrown me, in tears here.
 
LucysLostSister said:
Diagnosis received today after 2nd blood test yesterday. Hbc1 was 103!

Dr wants to start me on metformin but I have problems with a lot of meds and mum also didn’t get on well with this med.

Also told to address diet and exercise now. Diet obviously I can do but I don’t know WHAT to do. Not eaten yet today. That’s one of my bad habits I don’t feel hungry don’t eat sometimes all day then binge af night. I know I’m fat and need to lose weight, was doing well on that a couple years ago but then moved house last year and it went to pot and I’ve lazily not got back on track.

This is certainly a kick up the backside on that score!

I’m shocked how much it’s upset and thrown me, in tears here.
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I'm still learning, having been diagnosed in November..
It only really hit me this past week and there have been a few tears.. My advise would be read as much as you can, ask questions and find what works for you.. This forum is a God send.. You can ask as many questions as you like and someone much more experienced than me will help you out..
As far as diet goes, I'm having success with LCHF but I know it isn't for everyone.
Breathe and don't be hard on yourself.
 
Thank you. Head is spinning!

I have ocd too and my natural response to this type of thing is obsessive research, but I’m also worried as ocd can tip into eating disorder and I am worried this much focus on diet may tip me that way. In the past I haven’t been allowed to follow a weight loss plan if the ocd is bad for that reason.

I love my food so this is gonna be tough I think.
 
So sorry you’re struggling with your recent diagnosis. Although it’s tempting to go into panic mode, you’re going to want to bring those sugars down a little gently to begin with to avoid potential eye issues and some of the unpleasant symptoms that can arise from a drastic drop. There are quite a few on here who have struggled with disordered eating (myself included) there are other members with OCD also and obviously we all have the betes so your in good company. Try not to google too much , bring your questions here. The vast majority of us are doing ok and we have all been where you are now. You may already know this but slow release metformin is usually tolerated better. Please keep posting, it will really help xx
 
My gut instinct is to throw away all my bread, pasta, biscuits etc to remove temptation. I do tend to be rather all or nothing in personality.

If it’s supposed to be gradual how many grams carbs a day and how do you know how many grams you’re having?
 
I can suggest nutracheck app to log your food and you can see the carb totals for the day.
There's a 7 day free trial for full version and the free version will work for what you need it for 🙂
On both IOS and android in the usual app stores.
 
Well I went extreme low carb, around 30g a day. I didn’t have any weight to lose so it was definitely the wrong thing to do. A lot on here tend to do less than 100g so maybe start by halving what you currently have, instead of a sandwich with 2 slices of bread, maybe an open sandwich with one piece. That kind of thing. There are some low carb breads out there but be prepared for a shock when you go shopping and start looking at labels. At first it feels like everything is out of bounds and full of carbs but you will get there
 
I’ve started halving all the obvious carbs - bread, rice, pasta.

I’m not so confident on how to assess other things.

My instinct was to stop having all carbs - panic response? But now I’m reading need to have some
 
I would strongly suggest you don't cut all carbs immediately, you have been having quite a high carb diet and cutting drastically could cause issues with your eyes and nerves so you would be better to go gradually.
The suggested amount of carbs per day is no more than 130g but starting from where you are reducing by a third for a couple of weeks, then another third and so on is better.
Info on carbs can be found on packets, tins, etc, on the internet by searching for total carbs in X food, shop websites will give nutritional information as well so you can plan better options before you go shopping.

A friend cut all carbs, lost weight that she didn't need to and became seriously unwell when she got her diagnosis so do be cautious and don't panic. Managing diabetes is a marathon not a sprint.
 
But how do I reduce by 1/3 when I don’t know how much I have been having? Plus some days I eat very little and others loads.

I’m also looking at the Freshwell meal planner on the app, very very few of the ideas are things I would ever consider eating and they admit they are clueless regarding a vegetarian diet, you cannot just sub meat alternatives in recipes you have to endure certain nutrients are covered by other food items. Very disappointed. It’s also rubbish in that I’ve clicked on a few recipe links and it’s taken me to the wrong recipe. Also many of the ingredients they recommend are EXPENSIVE! I am disabled and on benefits and my energy bill just doubled! I cannot afford to spend £4 on a relatively small pack of non flour pasta - just an example. Nor can I afford real butter, olive oil etc this has all got me crying again!
 
Cost is a big factor in why I was eating what I was eating. Carbs are cheap and filling. Vegetables are increasingly expensive, as is protein.
 
LucysLostSister said:
But how do I reduce by 1/3 when I don’t know how much I have been having?
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You must have a rough idea how much you would serve yourself? Just serve yourself a bit less. You knew that eg for a sandwich you’d usually have 4 slices of bread so when you go to get 4 slices have 2 or 3 instead. Then add a bit more salad than you would usually. Same with pasta or rice, think what would I usually serve myself, and then serve less than that. For veg do the opposite, serve yourself what you usually would and then a bit extra.
 
LucysLostSister said:
Ashamed - if I have “a sandwich” it’s 4 slices white bread, I knew I was being stupid but wow kicking myself big time now!
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I can relate to this. I could happily eat 4 slices of wholemeal bread with a whole tin of baked beans for lunch pre-diagnosis and think that was a pretty healthy choice and still be hungry in the evening.
I was a sugar addict and comfort eater and I cut all the sugar and sweets the first couple of weeks and then gradually whittled down the bread/pasta/potatoes etc over the next couple of weeks and then gave up my morning porridge as the final push to get my levels into single figures. It turns out I am actually Type 1 and can in reality eat whatever I want within reason, but what I found was that cutting my carbs and eating more fat has actually given me the control over my diet that I have struggled with for years and I not only love the control, but I also love my new way of eating. I know that if I was to start eating more carbs, I would quickly revert to my old ways, a bit like a recovering alcoholic in that it is a slippery slope once you put your foot onto it, but amazingly I really don't find it difficult to resist, because I have found lots of low carb treats which I can have which don't impact my BG levels and cheese has become my new chocolate and olives my new sweets and pork scratchings my new crisps. I have real double cream in my morning coffee instead of the 3 spoons of brown sugar I used to have and it has become my daily luxury and comfort. The advantage of fat is that it fills you up and stops you from feeling hungry and provides slow release energy and it doesn't spike your BG levels. The peaks and troughs in BG from eating high carb foods is what sets the cravings away for me, so if I can keep things steady then I don't crave. It has really been quite a revelation for me to achieve this control and I don't eat regular meals to do so. There are days when I just have one or two meals a day and others when I graze or snack and don't have a proper meal at all. I am now able to have the occasional treat like last night I shared fish and chips with my partner and it doesn't give me a wobble anymore, but I know that I can't go back to eating the way I did and I cannot consume a multipack of snickers or a box of Cadbury's cream eggs anymore, but life is better without these things.

I hope you can find an approach that gives you control and which you can learn to enjoy. I am 4 years down the line with it and don't feel like I will ever go back to the way I was before and I don't want to. I feel fitter and healthier and stronger and younger. My joints no longer give me the grief that they used to and I can skip or run down steep hills now whereas before I was hobbling at a walk. At 59 years old I am pretty happy with that situation. I also no longer suffer the acute and chronic migraines that I have suffered for more than 20 years. I am very confident that these things are as a result of my dietary changes, so it has been well worth while and in many respects my diabetes diagnosis was the doorway to a healthier me, who fully expects to live longer and with a better quality of life.... albeit via a big kick up the pants with the diagnosis and yes a few tears here too, but far better for it now.
 
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