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Hi everyone I have just been told I have type 2,my bloods showed a result of 57. Is this high or what they didn’t explain very well. I came out of the doctors with a prescription for Metformin and told to have bloods taken in 3 months and to cut out carbs. I feel a bit like rabbit in the headlight not sure what I should be doing to be honest. I have cut carbs and changed my habits like wholemeal bread,brown rice,pasta although I don’t eat those two very often and cut down on sweet things. What about alcohol am I allowed?
Thank you hope I get some reassurance x
Hi and welcome. Yes you are allowed alcohol, in moderation of course, just that if you need a mixer make sure it is one of the zero types. Cutting carbs, yes but best to avoid the high carbs or just have a small portion and test your blood glucose before you eat and about 2 hours after your first mouthful - you will probably need to buy your own BG meter as they just don't want to give them to type 2s. I started out around your level but chose not to have any meds, but to use diet and exercise, so far it is working okay. Carbs - bread, rice, pasta, veggies that grow underground, most fruit bar berries and apple, cakes, pastry, biscuits etc are the ones to watch out for, but there are alternatives you can try. You can have full fat, all dairy, a little of dark chocolate (at least 70% or higher), lots of veg, plus look out for low carb recipes or keto recipes, loads of sites to be found on the web, Keep a food diary so you can see how things are working for you, that is the one thing that has helped me as well as the BG meter. You will get lots of help and advice on here, best place you can find for friendliness, advice and support. Good luck
I too started at 57 which although diabetic, is not too high up the scale. My GP practise actively pursues a policy of diet and exercise for all Type 2 diabetics under 60, so I did that, reducing my carbs and increasing my exercise. I am overweight and was encouraged to lose weight as well. In 3 months I was down to 48 without medication. Some GP's do throw medication straight at Type 2 diabetics, and of course, in some cases it is essential. You could contact your surgery and ask if you can try diet and exercise first - there is always the option of medication if lifestyle changes do not work.
It is easy to become complacent and slip back into old habits though, so you must remember these changes are for life. I was guilty, then became ill for 4 months which also played havoc with my glucose. Now I am on medication, but am slowly reducing again. There are lots of food suggestions on this site, and suggestions for monitoring your levels with a monitor each day. I have an app to keep a running total of my daily cals and carbs, aiming for 1200 cals per day and around 90gm carbs. But we are all different and it takes trial and error to find out what suits our own body best.
Food wise, I have a cooked breakfast, usually poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes (no bread). Others like Greek yogurt with nuts, seeds and a little fruit. Lunch I usually have a salad in summer and home made soup in winter, without thickening or bread. Dinner I have 2/3 plate vegetables and 1/3 plate protein. A fruit portion is 80gm (not tropical fruits like bananas) and no more than 2 a day. I have posted pictures of my meals on "What did you eat yesterday" as examples. For exercise I go to Aquafit 3 times a week, but a daily walk works just as well. My 80+ year old neighbour goes out on his cycle every day.
You seem to be getting the same treatment that many of us T2s get when first diagnosed. Your are diabetic. Here is your Metformin. Come back in three months. 57 is definitely diabetic, but not super high. I was 88 when diagnosed. Please ask lots of questions as members will help you through.
Sorry to hear you didn’t get much in the way of information from your surgery. Hopefully being able to ask questions and compare experiences with the friendly members here will help you fill in the blanks, and help to build your diabetes toolkit.
If you are interested in following a low-carb approach you miht find the meal plans on the Diabetes UK website helpful
Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.
www.diabetes.org.uk
When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.
With an HbA1c of 57 you are a way over the diagnosis threshold of 48, but don’t be overly stressed. Several newcomers join the forum with starting HbA1cs in the 90s, or even in 3 figures, and can still manage to successfully manage their BG levels. From a starting point of 57, you may find that some fairly modest tweaks and changes to your meal plan are sufficient to help your metabolism to cope better with your menu. 🙂
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Hi @Watney With a user name lie that one, I assume that by 'alcohol' you mean beer!
In which case the answer is no you shouldn't drink it unless it's a Low Carb beer (and I don't mean Low Alcohol) because the problem is that there's a lost of carb in the majority of beers!
So most beers and sweet wine are out.
However most red wines, dry white wines, spirits (with low calorie mixers) are all OK since the alcohol isn't any worse for a Type 2 diabetic than for a normal person. However if you are testing your Blood Sugar you need to be aware that the body deals with alcohol before processing carbs you eat, thus a spike you would normally get might appear several hours or even a whole day later than you might expect due to drinking alcohol!
You are in the best place for running advice. I recall my diagnosis and first blood test at over 100! Don't panic.. The advice on the Glucose Meter is really sound. Some practitioners do not recommend by I have been glad of mine as I am a worrier! I check at 8am, Noon,4pm and 8pm. Four years in my last blood test was 43. But over this second lockdown my glucose readings are up in the morning and I am plus 13lb so back on the working! trying to manage weight and exercise are key. The meter will help you understand what foods are in and out of your tolerance and how much you can eat. Take your time.. its a journey.
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