New to type 2 diabetes

[suepledger]

Hi all,

I have been newly diagnosed (just under two months). My sister is type 2 and we both have underactive thyroids. My Diabetic Nurse says that its probably due to that as its a 'hormonal' thing....My FBS was 7.0 - Abhc1 was 52.

I was asked to test in the mornings before breakfast (fasting) and was getting readings of 8.7, which after some perseverance I have got down to between 6.6 and 7.5. So much better.

The question I have is this. I have been asked to stop testing in the morning and to test 2 hours after my last meal in the evening. I had eaten a lot of carbs during the day and tested at 12.3 (2 hours post meal). Yesterday I was really strict with my carb intake and the last reading post evening meal was 7.3. Much better you would say? Yes. Well today I thought I would test 2 hours after my breakfast (porridge) and was quite shocked to find it was 13.8!!! I don't know whether I should be worried about this. I have to see my diabetic nurse in a couple of weeks.

Advice Please. A little 'neurotic newly diagnosed diabolic'

SueP

 

[Northerner]

Hi Sue, welcome to the forum 🙂 It's good to hear that you are being encouraged to test, as this is the best way to learn how well you tolerate various foods. Our tolerances can vary quite considerably for the same things, so it's important to find out your own personal tolerances - and it would appear that porridge is not a good choice for you! People are quite often more insulin-resistant in the mornings, so you might do better to avoid carbs for breakfast, perhaps try some scrambled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms etc.

It sounds like you have made a good start with things. For an efficient guide to testing, I would recommend having a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S . I would also highly recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and getting a copy of the excellent Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker - these will give you a good grounding in how best to tackle your diabetes. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to live a long, happy and healthy life with diabetes - it is a condition that can be controlled well, and often the modifications that people make to their diet and activity levels lead to them feeling much better than they may have felt for ages, so keep a positive outlook 🙂

If you have any other questions, pleas let us know and we will be happy to help! 🙂

 

[banjo]

I am lucky and porridge doesnt push me up too high, but i know other people do not find this. I have reduced my carb intake over the last few weeks and now am having a cooked breakfast - i leg a sausaga or a bit of bacon tomato mushroom etc into the oven and pop an egg on to boil as i get up, its ready when i am. i seem to be ok with some reduced hienz beans as well, but everyone is different and it is useful to test to start with

 

[happydog]

Hello and welcome to this forum. You will find a lot of very wise people who have helped me so much. As has been said each person is different. Porridge immediately spikes my blood sugars so I don't eat it. Try keeping a food diary and note what you eat and how much you have and your readings. This will help you to know what you can tolerate. You are on the right track and have made a good start, well done. I used to test before and after every meal, now it is just on two days a week or if I eat something new. I have had it since September 2012 and now have an HbA1c of 36 which is OK, (down from 85 and more than that in the very beginning). I have dawn phenomenon so I know that my first reading in the morning will be high but they go down over the day. Like you I have an underactive thyroid, there seems to be a link. Good luck and please ask any questions that you want. Everyone on here is really nice and will try to help. 🙂

 

[Andy HB]

Welcome to the forum Sue. When I was diagnosed I was told to test once a day too. However, unlike you, it was suggested that I test at different times. Before meals and two hours after. I was also given BG ranges to aim for.

1. Before meals 4-7mmol/L
2. 2hrs after meals 7-9mmol/L
3. Avoid >10mmol /L (hyper)
4. Avoid <4mmol /L (hypo)

This has many benefits, including saving test strips, but also allows you to slowly work out which foods are good and bad for you. What your DSN suggested was a tad limited, in my opinion. Of course, if test strips are more freely available then you can do before and after tests for the same meal giving you this info much faster.

By the way, I now work to much stricter BG ranges when I do test (which is not very frequently these days because testing no longer tells me anything new and my levels are usually ok these days)

Good luck with everything!

Andy 🙂

 

[suepledger]

Newly diagnosed diabolic

Many many thanks to you all that took the time to answer my questions. The information you each gave me was extremely useful and eye opening. It's early days but I shall be testing, testing, testing to try and discover what foods make me spike and those which don't. Porridge, I have found out today, is a def non no, but wetabix is ok. Small steps....small steps.

Once again, thank you all so much. Really helpful information.

Sue x

A newly diagnosed diabolic!

 

[KookyCat]

It's a funny old thing Sue, I can tolerate porridge quite well and one weetabix, but two and I'm sky high. Rice crispies have no effect at all and yet eggs which are protein make my blood sugar pop every time. Anyway good luck with the testing and I hope some of your favourite foods make the list. I'm very lucky because my most favourite thing in the world is almost carb free, so I happily munch away on green olives 🙂

 

[trophywench]

I can 'do' one Weetabix too Kooky. I literally couldn't eat 2 so that's fine by me!

I've actually tried to eat porridge a number of times which has been hard because the consistency of it has reminded me of wallpaper paste since I was little and I think my mom must have thought so too since we never ever had any when I was little!

It's just not pleasant to eat either. Tastes of nowt and I can't sweeten it for obvious reasons, never lived with a Scot so dunno how much salt you should add or how you cook it if it isn't instant, so it's easier to just not bother and carry on having a Weetabix or a small bowl of cornflakes or Rice Krispies.