New today and scared

[Vince_UK]

@Halfhybrid
Hi Halfhybird, I also will not repeat the excellent advice already given and I was only diagnosed at the end of September 2017.
Lifetyle change bring with it a mulitude of benefits as you will discover.
My view now on my T2? Purely an inconvenience I have to deal with from time to time and not more or less.
Always view everything positively and you will be fine and please don't worry about what the GP will say usually, eventually in a very short time you may know more than your GP does about diabetes.
Low Carb Diet is the absolute key to getting it under control and doing it quickly.
Good luck and please keep us updated and never be afraid to ask any questions here at all, there is a wealth of experience, knowledge and support here to tap into.
Someone will always help you.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Hey all, thanks for your advice. Saw my GP today. She didn't soft-soap but was kind yet firm. Said that I needed to lose weight and now (no surprises there). I told her I had started cutting on carbs already which pleased her - I have lost half a stone since I first received the news slightly less than 2 weeks ago. Feel pleased about it but I am also sooooo hungry. The GP wants to do a second blood test in about 12 weeks after the first to see if it has fallen/risen. There is a target to work towards.

I now want to make sure I continue to cut out carbs and cut down on portion size. I'm desperate not to lose momentum as I have in the past when on diets and eating regimes. I must not fall off the wagon this time.

 

[Martin Canty]

I'm desperate not to lose momentum as I have in the past when on diets and eating regimes. I must not fall off the wagon this time.

Think of it as a Way of Eating rather than just a diet, it's an adjustment of lifestyle. This way you are setting yourself up for success.....

 

[Vince_UK]

Think of it as a Way of Eating rather than just a diet, it's an adjustment of lifestyle. This way you are setting yourself up for success.....

Excellent way of putting it Martin, that is my approach.

 

[Jeandp]

What did your GP say about self testing? I am guessing she didn't give you a kit?

 

[Carolg]

Hey all, thanks for your advice. Saw my GP today. She didn't soft-soap but was kind yet firm. Said that I needed to lose weight and now (no surprises there). I told her I had started cutting on carbs already which pleased her - I have lost half a stone since I first received the news slightly less than 2 weeks ago. Feel pleased about it but I am also sooooo hungry. The GP wants to do a second blood test in about 12 weeks after the first to see if it has fallen/risen. There is a target to work towards.

I now want to make sure I continue to cut out carbs and cut down on portion size. I'm desperate not to lose momentum as I have in the past when on diets and eating regimes. I must not fall off the wagon this time.

Hello and well done on weight loss

 

[Katieb]

Well done! You are doing well already! Don’t be hungry though. Fill up on healthy, low carb snacks. Keep a stock of cooked chicken legs for example in the fridge, ham wraps stuffed cottage cheese with chives or carrots and hummus. Keep up the good work! Katie

 

[Halfhybrid]

I meant to ask what people do for snacks. I have been feeling so hungry that I could bite my own hands off! I have cut down on portion size for main meals and cut out carbs as much as possible and am STARVING! I ate a lot of fruit at work one day last week and ended up with a bad stomach. I'm not keen on too much sweet stuff anyway so savoury alternative ideas are very welcome.

Re a testing kit, I asked my GP if I should get one and she said not at this stage. To wait until I have second blood test 12 weeks after the first and take it from there. I'm tempted to get one anyway so that I don't fall into bad habits with the passage of time. Is that a good idea though?

 

[Martin Canty]

I meant to ask what people do for snacks. I have been feeling so hungry that I could bite my own hands off! I have cut down on portion size for main meals and cut out carbs as much as possible and am STARVING! I ate a lot of fruit at work one day last week and ended up with a bad stomach. I'm not keen on too much sweet stuff anyway so savoury alternative ideas are very welcome.

Re a testing kit, I asked my GP if I should get one and she said not at this stage. To wait until I have second blood test 12 weeks after the first and take it from there. I'm tempted to get one anyway so that I don't fall into bad habits with the passage of time. Is that a good idea though?

Regarding snacking.... With a fuller fat diet you will likely see the appetite sated quicker & for longer, also feelings of hunger are often a cry from the body for more water than food, try drinking a pint of water at room temperature.
As for the testing, I'd recommend starting right away; form good habits from the start.... Sounds like your GP is quietly trying to shut you down on the subject of testing.

 

[Martin Canty]

I meant to ask what people do for snacks. I have been feeling so hungry that I could bite my own hands off! I have cut down on portion size for main meals and cut out carbs as much as possible and am STARVING! I ate a lot of fruit at work one day last week and ended up with a bad stomach. I'm not keen on too much sweet stuff anyway so savoury alternative ideas are very welcome.

Re a testing kit, I asked my GP if I should get one and she said not at this stage. To wait until I have second blood test 12 weeks after the first and take it from there. I'm tempted to get one anyway so that I don't fall into bad habits with the passage of time. Is that a good idea though?

Regarding snacking.... With a fuller fat diet you will likely see the appetite sated quicker & for longer, also feelings of hunger are often a cry from the body for more water than food, try drinking a pint of water at room temperature.
As for the testing, I'd recommend starting right away; form good habits from the start.... Sounds like your GP is quietly trying to shut you down on the subject of testing.

 

[Drummer]

If you are hungry - eat - just don't eat any high sugar fruit, high carb veges or rice, pasta, potatoes or any other high carb foods.
Buy salad or courgettes mushrooms radishes sweet pepper aubergines - try to stick to a maximum of 10 percent carbs, but you can eat whenever you are hungry.
I do find that when eating low carb I do not feel very hungry at all - remember that although your doctor has fixated on your weight, all you really need to do is get lower blood glucose, as that should reverse all the symptoms of diabetes - one of which is weight gain, in the early stages of Type 2.
I used a BG meter at first in order to see how my levels were dropping. I found it really encouraging to get those low numbers - last Christmas I got 5.6mmol/l after dinner two days in a row - still smug about that. You can get a 'Codefree' meter mail order, along with the strips, for a very reasonable cost.

 

[mikeyB]

The hunger you feel will pass as you continue with the diet. It’s just your brain telling you you haven’t eaten enough. It will soon settle. Martin’s tip about drinking water is excellent. Water is a surprisingly good appetite suppressant. And as you lose weight, your work colleagues will notice, and make comments - that will encourage you further, as will we all🙂

 

[Halfhybrid]

I've read a few posts where people have said that their GP won't prescribe blood sugar testing kits or say that they don't need one. My question is - why would they do that? Is it because they don't want to spend the money or would they, for some reason, be against it even if you bought your own?

 

[Drummer]

It seems to be the normal thing that type twos are told not to test, even discouraged from testing.
It is a bit like suggesting all speedometers are removed from cars and we just rely on the number of fines we have to pay every month to gauge how well we are driving.
When I was first working out my diet being able to test gave me all the information I needed to get down to normal numbers, so I think it is an essential tool.

 

[CathyB]

I meant to ask what people do for snacks. I have been feeling so hungry that I could bite my own hands off! I have cut down on portion size for main meals and cut out carbs as much as possible and am STARVING! I ate a lot of fruit at work one day last week and ended up with a bad stomach. I'm not keen on too much sweet stuff anyway so savoury alternative ideas are very welcome.

Re a testing kit, I asked my GP if I should get one and she said not at this stage. To wait until I have second blood test 12 weeks after the first and take it from there. I'm tempted to get one anyway so that I don't fall into bad habits with the passage of time. Is that a good idea though?

I had my first meeting with the diabetic nurse this week, I had been told to test for the first few weeks as my levels were so high (22) so had expected to be told to stop, as expected she told me it wasn’t necessary but I said what I had learned from here, that how would I know what foods I reacted to if I didn’t test....I got my prescription for more strips 😛

 

[Maz2]

welcome to the Forum.. Please do not blame yourself. There are plenty of people who do what you have done and do not go diabetic. I know many people who eat all the wrong foods and drink a lot and are not diabetic. A friend's brother is 26 stone and no probs with blood sugars.

As other posters have said if you keep control and accept the help of the diabetes team this is not a "death sentence." many people on here have lived with it for many, many years. My neighbour is 87 years old and has been diabetic for 21 years. I was talking to a friend's sister who is diabetic last week as \I was pre-diabetic, got out of it, and now in it again and she said you are very well looked after when you have it.

I find Dr David Cavan's book "Reverse your Diabetes" very helpful (he means keep it under better control, he is not suggesting everyone can reverse it). "Blood Sugar Diet." "Blood Sugar Diet Recipes" by Michael Moseley, Davina's low sugar diet book (without the pasta, rice, potatoes), and Tom Kerridge's dopamine book.

There are some lovely recipes in the recipes section.I particularly like Mark Parrott's Flaxseed Loaf.

Since I changed my diet I have enjoyed my food a lot more.

This Forum is also full of help and advice. Testing is very important too. 48 is only just on diabetes.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Hi Maz2. Thanks for your post and your advice too. Reassuring words. I have just bought the Michael Moseley book so am "looking forward" if that's the right phrase, to trying out some of the recipes.

I bought a blood sugar testing kit which arrived yesterday and was very disappointed to discover that wasn't working properly and just keeps displaying an error message in spite of me having followed the advice to the letter.

The brand is "SD CodeFree" that I bought from Amazon. I'm going to send it back but not sure I want a replacement of the same brand. Can anyone recommend a reliable, easy-to-use one at all please?

 

[Maz2]

Hi Maz2. Thanks for your post and your advice too. Reassuring words. I have just bought the Michael Moseley book so am "looking forward" if that's the right phrase, to trying out some of the recipes.

I bought a blood sugar testing kit which arrived yesterday and was very disappointed to discover that wasn't working properly and just keeps displaying an error message in spite of me having followed the advice to the letter.

The brand is "SD CodeFree" that I bought from Amazon. I'm going to send it back but not sure I want a replacement of the same brand. Can anyone recommend a reliable, easy-to-use one at all please?

I have an Accu-Chek machine which you can get at Boots but the strips are expensive. I have an SD Code Free. You should be OK if they send you another one. I have not, as yet, had any trouble. I did have a few probs when I started to test as I got error messages. However, my friend's wife (my friend is diabetic) told me I was not using the strips correctly and showed me how to do it. I am not suggesting you are doing anything wrong but I would certainly let them send you a replacement. Other posters may use other machines although a lot on here do recommend the SD code free and it is given by my GP surgery but only to those patients now who may have hypos. They do hba1c every 3 months so they think that is sufficient.. I have to wait a year as I am pre-diabetic, got out of it, and now in it again.

I must admit when I had my problems I told everyone but then that is me. You will be amazed at how many people are diabetic or pre-diabetic.

 

[Jeandp]

When I first started using the strips I got an error message when I put the blood drop on too quickly, I wasn't waiting for the drop symbol to appear. That was just my experience, hope it helps.

 

[Wirrallass]

When I first started using the strips I got an error message when I put the blood drop on too quickly, I wasn't waiting for the drop symbol to appear. That was just my experience, hope it helps.

This has happened to me too ~ i didnt realise I had to wait for the drop symbol to appear on the meter but...after wasting several test strips & re-reading the instructions booklet, I finally got the hang of it. You're not the only person that this has happened to. I use a Contour TS meter with which I'm happy. I have tried the Codefree meter but I found my bgls were always higher than the Contour by 1 or 2 mmols. I'm not the first person who has noticed this I believe. But everyone is different Halfhybrid ~ some here are happy to continue using the Codefree. Its a personal choice.
WL