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New to diabetes and scared

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Sounds awful - I cannot imagine how difficult things have been for you - but hopefully things improving - the diabetes thing is a bugger but I feel lucky it has been caught early when I can try and get it under control x x
 
Hi @Bellini59

Welcome to the forum. As you will have read it is very common to feel angry and scared at diagnosis.
There is plenty of help and support available on here from people who are living with condition day by day.

You mention that your levels are dropping but not as fast as you would like them to. Your body has been used to high levels probably for a while before the diagnosis, so they often want to bring the levels down gradually. So try to be patient with yourself, and focus on making sure that they continue in the right direction.

Whatever the reason for you developing the condition, the important thing now is to manage it effectively. Your blood glucose will rise whenever you eat any form of carbohydrates, not just sugar. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat any, but it may mean that you need to cut back on them. When I saw the spikes that were caused for me after meals I started to reduce the carbs, to decrease the height of the spike, and to change the types of carbs I ate, to slow down the rise after a meal.

Many people on here choose to test their levels before and about 2 hours after meals. This out alongside a food diary helps them to see the impact of certain foods. I found that the porridge I had been eating for years was not at all helpful for me. For others it is fine. People with T2 are often not provided with a t3st kit on the NHS, but use a SDCOdfree meter for which the strips are a lot cheaper. By testing they have found that it is easier for them to adjust their diet effectively.

One book recommended on here is Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker
It takes you through many of the practicalities. There are also a number of other resources listed at the top of the Newbies thread on here. Track down until you find those listed for T2.

If you have any questions don’t be afraid to come on and ask. Someone will come along with an idea.
 
Hi

I am type 2 and new to diabetes. I am on metformin slow release and some days I feel woolly headed and sleepy. This makes life difficult as you can imagine. I am slowly upping the dose as directed by the GP but just don't feel right and its scary. The readings are coming down slowly and that is a good sign but overall its just horrid. any help or advice welcome
 
Bellini59 said:
Hi

I am type 2 and new to diabetes. I am on metformin slow release and some days I feel woolly headed and sleepy. This makes life difficult as you can imagine. I am slowly upping the dose as directed by the GP but just don't feel right and its scary. The readings are coming down slowly and that is a good sign but overall its just horrid. any help or advice welcome
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Hi Bellini59 - Sorry to hear you're having a tough time. From your initial post, it looks like your BG levels have been very high - until you get them down anyway below say 15 or so, it's quite likely you'll feel c**p, unfortunately.

If you've made big changes to your eating habits then that could also have a big effect, until you get used to it. And of course, the stress of getting diagnosed!

There might also be some effect from the Metformin, I guess - people's reactions to it vary a lot. Personally, I think it's a pretty amazing drug, if you can tolerate it, not just for BG but for a whole range of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects which can translate into protection for your heart, eyes, against cancers etc etc. My inclination would be to stick with it and see whether things settle down - but easy enough for me to say, since I don't get any bad effects from it.

Are you on any other meds? I was a bit over-medicated for blood pressure - drove it too low which had me feeling woolly and tired sometimes. But once again everybody's different.

Is your care team good to talk with? If they're halfway decent, I wouldn't hesitate to talk with them about it.

All the best!
 
Hi

Thanks for your reply and advice. I am not on any other meds at the moment. I don't have a care team yet just the GP. I guess as I am new to this it will take a while to get me in the system. I have heard that the GPs at the my local doctors surgery, who are experts in diabetes are not all that helpful and sympathetic so I am not looking forward to meeting up with them.I have a lot going on atm which isn't helping the stress, but hopefully things will be better soon. btw what are all those readings? what do they mean at the end of your post? I have no clue.
 
Hi Bellini59

I too am quite new to this. I have managed to get my readings lower, but like you some days I don't feel great. I have to go to a busy job, so it's a worry. Before diagnosis I felt fine.
I am also on medication for my blood pressure, which has made me tired. I didn't find the practice nurse very helpful, in fact I was reduced to tears by her a couple of times. I haven't seen anyone for a while.
 
One of the features of Metformin is to lower the ability of the liver to release glucose, so if you are tired after exercise or work you don't get the usual reaction. This also reduces the dawn phenomenon, which is considered a good thing, but I felt so much better after stopping taking Metformin.
I do eat low carb, but prefer to have normal reactions to my environment rather than be swallowing medication.
 
Hi Drummer

I am not on Metaformin. I thought my tiredness was due to taking Ramilpril. As I said, I felt well until diagnosis :(
 
Bellini59 said:
Hi

Thanks for replying. I haven't started a food diary yet but might give it a go. The trouble is that I now see all food as the enemy and everywhere is full of different information and its hard to know who to believe. The craving for orange juice has gone which is good. I don't think I could give up carbs but I can cut down on all of it I think. I have started to try and walk every day which might help in the long run. Its all bit overwhelming at the moment so I am trying to get my head around it all and trying to keep things in perspective as well.
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Keeping a food diary is really good. I started mine the day after I was told. I now look back at how much I've changed my ways. Columns: Date|Lunch|Dinner|Snacks. Is surprising when you look back on it. 'Seeing all food as the enemy' ... a friend told me that it's looking at SWAPPING one food for a NEW type of food. I keep half of my 9" plate veggie. When I first was told the news I am diabetic; it was overwhelming, but try find a local support group near you and keep your diabetic nurse in loop about how you feel. I still struggle shopping as is like I have to walk around with tunnel vision. When temptation is huge. I keep one thing in mind when shopping; I tell myself I make the changes or I suffer the consequences of what diabetes can do to me. Is not to be taken lightly! Also read somewhere on this forum that 'if you don't take control of your diabetes no one will' - make the changes. I've also kept an exercise diary. Is about what I do and remember it's not a competition. Anything you do keep in mind it's good and for the better. It's for your benefit only.
 
Hi im relatively knew to this (June this year) and it hits you like a sledgehammer. However i think the shock kick started me into action. I asked my diabetic nurse loads of questions and she gave me a lot of information. One piece of information she gave me was regarding carbohydrates. She told me to aim for 10 to 14 portions a day, a portion being 10g. I've tried to stick to this as a rule and up to it seems to have worked. The best thing I've done though is cut down on the rubbish, crisps biscuits etc and especially snacking between meals. Please don't be too scared I know that's easy to say but my blood sugar was 26 and my hb1ac was 110. Now my blood sugar is between 4.4 and 5 and my hb1ac is 36. Keep strong keep determined.
 
Ralph-YK said:
Hello and welcome to the forum Bellini from a fellow T2.

What test was that? There's a HbA1c (blood taken from the arm and goes off to a lab). This gave an average from over the last 8 - 12 weeks. Then there's the finger prick, drop of blood on a strip in a macine, which give your blood glucose level at that moment.
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Hi

I am taking slow release Metformin but in the afternoons I feel dreadful, just sleepy and woolly headed. My readings are good now but this is scary and I don't feel safe on my own shopping etc, I am going back to the doctors soon but I wish he had told me that I would feel like this.
 
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