New to diabetes

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PamJHS

PamJHS

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi everyone

After a routine blood test for my blood pressure meds, four weeks ago I had a phone call from one of my GPs to tell me I had raised cholesterol and needed statins immediately, and also had Type 2 Diabetes which had to be initially tackled by dietary changes and weight loss.

Went to see another of the GPs last week for another prescription for statins, and he told me my HBa1c at 48 was right on the cusp of pre-diabetes and T2 and suggested I monitored my blood as well.

Low carb eating is going OK, I have no idea if I'm losing weight and the first reading I've taken on my monitor this morning first thing was 9.1, which was a bit alarming.

In general, I don't find numbers easy to deal with, I'm just looking to bring down the next HBa1c by following low carb eating.
 
Hi and welcome.
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but we are all here for that reason. Don't worry too much about a reading of 9.1, it is just a starting point and there will be ups and downs, but you are looking for a long term downward trend. I started off with readings of 20+ (my HbA1c was 112) in Feb and I still get occasional readings in the teens even with a low carb diet and insulin but if I can get consistent <10 readings I am reasonably happy. Ecstatic with a fasting reading of 5.3 today though!

Eating low carb takes a bit of getting your head around because, for the vast majority of our lives, carbs have formed the bulk of nutrients on our plates. I had difficulty figuring it out but once I swapped my morning porridge for a 2 egg mushroom omelette, I started to make significant progress. Now I have a variety of fillings (mushrooms, onion, peppers, aubergine, courgette, cheese and ham) in my omelette and it is accompanied by a salad with avocado. It sets me up for the day and I don't need to bother with lunch other than a few nuts or a chunk of cheese or some olives and then a dinner of meat or fish and a couple of potatoes and lots of green leafy veg (cabbage sweated in a little butter or cream cheese is a favourite). It is surprising how easy it is to lose weight just by cutting out the carbohydrates and once you lose the weight, you can then increase your fat content to make up the calories.... hence the butter and cheese and avocado.
Testing is important though to figure out what works for you as we all respond differently to different foods.

Good luck with your journey. It is a bit of a roller coaster in the beginning, so don't expect everything to go smoothly in the downward direction that you would like. The long term view is much more important than individual readings, but those meter readings will help you to make the right choices to get there.

Feel free to ask for help or support here on the forum. We have all been through it and benefitted from the wisdom of those who were diagnosed before us generously offering their knowledge and experience. Paying it forward is key to such a wonderful resource as this forum and no doubt in a few months, you yourself will be in a position to offer tips and support to newbies.

Best wishes

Barbara
 
PamJHS said:
Hi everyone

After a routine blood test for my blood pressure meds, four weeks ago I had a phone call from one of my GPs to tell me I had raised cholesterol and needed statins immediately, and also had Type 2 Diabetes which had to be initially tackled by dietary changes and weight loss.

Went to see another of the GPs last week for another prescription for statins, and he told me my HBa1c at 48 was right on the cusp of pre-diabetes and T2 and suggested I monitored my blood as well.

Low carb eating is going OK, I have no idea if I'm losing weight and the first reading I've taken on my monitor this morning first thing was 9.1, which was a bit alarming.

In general, I don't find numbers easy to deal with, I'm just looking to bring down the next HBa1c by following low carb eating.
Click to expand...

The low carb change in diet should work wonders I was diagnosed 6 weeks ago with a count of 95 and reduced that to 70 in 4 weeks,I have lost loads of weight,I have started to walk after breakfast and after dinner,each time it is a brisk 2 mile circuit of the town,I can certainly say I'm feeling lighter on my feet.
One thing that stuck with me is the nurse saying it's up to me how well that I do,and if I bought in to it,I could have a good outcome.
 
Hi and welcome, like the others I also started high but with low carb and daily walks am now back in normal range, stick with it as once you get used to what works for you, it really isn’t bad, diabetes has changed my life for the better without a doubt, my focus was on bringing that high number down, the weight loss was added value that just happened with the diet and walking, now 4 stone lighter, eating better and sleeping better, I’m happier than I’ve been in years 🙄
 
Thank you all for your encouragement, I got a bit scared by the first phone call from a GP, but the one I saw seemed a bit less concerned about my condition. Apparently referrals to DESMOND take ages round here, so I'm very much in DIY territory at the moment so it's good to feel I'm not on my own.
 
Hello @PamJHS , welcome to the forum. I know it is scary at first, but you’ll soon get to grips with everything.

Oh wow an enlightened Gp 🙂, my advise is stick with that one like glue, you see most Gp’s say no to us testing Ourselves.
Were you given any advise about when to test ?
Many of us use our meters initially to find out how the various carbohydrates affect us , so that we can make informed changes / choices , by testing immediately before eating then two hours later

With an Hb1ac of 48 you are literally on the cusp. I was much much higher at diagnosis 140 mmoll that was back in 1994
 
No advice about when to test from GP. The monitor came with a booklet to record my readings in, and that suggests times relating to mealtimes. But I don't have enough meal times to fit in all the suggested tests!
 
Hello Pam and welcome to the forum. 🙂 You don't eat three times a day? I think you're supposed to measure before and after? All that pricking gets a bit much though.
 
PamJHS said:
No advice about when to test from GP. The monitor came with a booklet to record my readings in, and that suggests times relating to mealtimes. But I don't have enough meal times to fit in all the suggested tests!
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Welcome Pam

Test first thing in the morning and then before and 2 hours after food, with diabetes, its advised to eat at regular times. So best to try not skip meals, the diabetes could have occurred because you are not eating regularly. The idea is to keep the blood glucose balanced, not too low nor too high. Take BG before bed as well.

You may have an Xpert diabetes course running near you, you can self refer to that, and they will let you know when the next course is, I phoned up and one is starting next month so that was a stroke of luck.

https://www.xperthealth.org.uk/
 
Welcome to the forum Pam from a fellow T2.

Testing: do before and 1 - 2 hours after eating. Keep a food diary, along with a record of your levels.
That way you can see what affect food has on your levels (and what effect any changes you make have). Hopefully, after a couple of weeks you'll start to see a pattern. This will help you judge what you are eating, including the carbs.
PamJHS said:
9.1, which was a bit alarming.
Click to expand...
As someone who's just been diagnosed you're blood glucose level is going to be up. Some 9.1readings isn't horrendous.
 
Ditto said:
Hello Pam and welcome to the forum. 🙂 You don't eat three times a day? I think you're supposed to measure before and after? All that pricking gets a bit much though.
Click to expand...

I work at home and I tend to eat when I'm hungry - usually brunch and an evening meal, with a snack around teatime. I just need to organise myself. It's a big change incorporating testing into my day, but I'm sure it will get easier as I get used to it The pricking isn't as bad as I thought it would be, TBH.

I think I've been slightly in shock since the diagnosis and I feel as if I'm moving very slowly through treacle to get things sorted out in my head.
 
PamJHS said:
I work at home and I tend to eat when I'm hungry - usually brunch and an evening meal, with a snack around teatime. I just need to organise myself. It's a big change incorporating testing into my day, but I'm sure it will get easier as I get used to it The pricking isn't as bad as I thought it would be, TBH.

I think I've been slightly in shock since the diagnosis and I feel as if I'm moving very slowly through treacle to get things sorted out in my head.
Click to expand...

It’s perfectly normal to be in shock after diagnosis. In a little time it will ease and then go away.
This is probably going to sound really strange or even wrong to you right now but some of us with T2 due to the changes we have made to our diet , lifestyle and all the health checks we have have found that we are fitter , feel better in ourselves than we have for a long time.

You are just starting along this diabetic road and it must seem as though you have a mountain to climb, you will get there ! Use the combined knowledge of this forum Tailor that advise to suit you and and in a few short months you will be ecstatic at your results and you Gp/nurse will be in a dazed state of shock at what you have achieved.

Now the fingerpicking , it should be virtually painless . Have a read of this
painless-pricks by Alan S

When you’re testing to find out how carbohydrates affect you , test directly before eating then two hours after the first bite, your glucose meter probably has an alarm you can set to remind you. In time you will be able to cut down on testing and end up just doing spot checks to keep an eye on things. Many of us also test when we first wake up (fasting test) in the morning and before bed.
 
What @Ljc says!

And give yourself time to sort things out - you don't need to get it all worked out overnight.
 
Ljc said:
This is probably going to sound really strange or even wrong to you right now but some of us with T2 due to the changes we have made to our diet , lifestyle and all the health checks we have have found that we are fitter , feel better in ourselves than we have for a long time.
Click to expand...

I can see how that works. I've had 15 years of awful health, and a large intake of antibiotics, which has resulted in weight gain, and every time anyone medical has pointed at the weight gain I've said 'Tell me how to lose it', but they can't, other than tell me about calories, which I know all about anyway. I even went on a local authority healthy eating course, which told us all about reading food labels, which I do anyway, and cooking from scratch, which I do anyway, etc etc. But I can already see that working to bring down my blood glucose is different from going on a diet. I just have to get my head round it.
 
PamJHS said:
Thank you all for your encouragement, I got a bit scared by the first phone call from a GP, but the one I saw seemed a bit less concerned about my condition. Apparently referrals to DESMOND take ages round here, so I'm very much in DIY territory at the moment so it's good to feel I'm not on my own.
Click to expand...
Pam, be aware that some DESMOND courses still advise a low fat approach to healthy eating, not always the best for type 2, my advice while you are waiting would be to Stick with the low carb and keep a track on your blood glucose readings alongside a food diary, you will soon see what works for you. We are all different so the testing is key, for example many others can eat a few strawberries or raspberries with full fat Greek yoghurt, sadly I can’t as it spikes my levels, but I can have 2 small apples each day.
 
CathyB said:
Pam, be aware that some DESMOND courses still advise a low fat approach to healthy eating, not always the best for type 2, my advice while you are waiting would be to Stick with the low carb and keep a track on your blood glucose readings alongside a food diary, you will soon see what works for you.
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Thanks, Cathy. I felt terrible on the low fat diet for gall bladder, so I wouldn't choose that voluntarily again! Low carb is suiting me so far. I'm getting the hang of the blood monitoring now, so that should help me to broaden out my food choices a bit.
 
PamJHS said:
I can see how that works. I've had 15 years of awful health, and a large intake of antibiotics, which has resulted in weight gain, and every time anyone medical has pointed at the weight gain I've said 'Tell me how to lose it', but they can't, other than tell me about calories, which I know all about anyway. I even went on a local authority healthy eating course, which told us all about reading food labels, which I do anyway, and cooking from scratch, which I do anyway, etc etc. But I can already see that working to bring down my blood glucose is different from going on a diet. I just have to get my head round it.
Click to expand...
Hi Pam, welcome to the forum 🙂 Hopefully, the advice given so far is helping you to get your head around things - it can be very complicated at first, with lots of conflicting information 😱 I'd highly recommend having a read of Maggie Davey's letter, which will give you a good, straightforward overview of how to set about approaching things, and I'd also suggest getting hold of a copy of the excellent Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, which is a very positive and helpful guide to these early months of your diagnosis - I know it has helped many of our members over the years 🙂

Regarding testing, I'd suggest reading Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S which explains how to test efficiently and effectively so you gain the maximum information from the minimum number of fingerpricks 🙂

Things will become clearer and begin to fall into place. Remember that you are seeking to make sustainable changes that you wish to adopt long-term - it's a marathon, not a sprint 🙂 If you have ANY concerns or questions, please ask away - that's why we're here! 🙂
 
Again, a big thank you to everyone who has replied.

I went to stay with a friend at the weekend - she had arranged her catering around my dietary needs, but didn't seem to be clear about where carbohydrates were to be found, and made kedgeree for our brunch on Saturday! I just played it by ear, and kept the carb intake as low as possible. Most of the meals had carbs as an option, so it was easy to limit my intake. My readings haven't shot up, but my early morning reading is higher than it was when I went away, so that's a good encouragement to snap back into organised low carb eating.
 
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