Newbie and clueless

[GraceBarton2065]

Hello,

I apologise if this is a bit higgledy-piggledy but I'm kinda anxious and low right now.

I just got diagnosed with diabetes today - they didn't say what type but have started me off on a half-dose of type 2 medication (Metformin). I haven't taken the first one yet because I'm anxious about side effects so I'd rather take the first tablet tomorrow at work when there's people around in case I have a reaction.

Anyway, I know next to nothing about diabetes. I have no known family history of it, so it's come as a big surprise to everyone. I've spent the day with online friends trying to put meal plans together and just ended up in tears because I'm already a fussy eater and it feels like I have to give up everything I actually like and can only eat foods I hate from this point on. Childish sounding, I know, but I'm currently in a low/despairing stage. That and I don't understand numbers/carbs, etc. Whenever I've tried to put meal plans together in the past I couldn't even put anything together for a single day, let alone a potential lifetime.

Sorry, I know I'm whining. I've never been in this position and I feel I'm just wrecked.

So, I guess, I'll take any advice from those in the know at this point. I know I have to make changes whether I like them or not, but I don't know where to begin or if I can even maintain them.

I'm just gonna... *hide*

 

[Drummer]

As you can eat any meat or fish, or eggs or cheese as the basis for a meal - and need to stay away from starchy veges, grains and sugary fruits - why not make a list of the foods you can eat and then just mix and match?

 

[CathyB]

Hi Grace and welcome! I spent my first couple of weeks convinced I was going to starve to death 😱 trust me it is manageable and you will get the hang of it, we have all been there 😉 Take some time to read through the back posts on here and you will find all you need to know, there is a lot to digest so take your time. Whatever changes you make need to be sustainable for you so don’t rush things. Most of us have chosen low carb diet, our bodies use carbohydrates in exactly the same was as obvious sugar so pasta, rice, potatoes and starchy bread are the enemy, they will push your blood glucose levels up. Fruit has a lot of natural sugar, especially tropical ones and grapes are just little sugar balls We are all very different in what our bodies tolerate so testing is key to working out what foods are best for you personally, for example I can’t tolerate berries, 4 raspberry will push my numbers up but I can eat 2 small apples a day now.
Do ask any questions you have, no such thing as a stupid question and we will do our best not to give stupid answers 😎

 

[SueEK]

Hello Grace and welcome. You sound just like me when I was first diagnosed, panic. I am also a fussy eater and the foods I loved were the ones that had to go. Take things slowly and cut things out bit by bit, especially things like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. I don’t like veg but have slowly managed to eat very small portions of some. Do you have a meter, that helped me? As regards the Metformin I am on 2000mg daily and haven’t really had any problems with it. Try not to worry, we are all here to help you and you will be surprised how you manage to get a ‘hold on things’ just don’t try and change everything at once or you will make yourself miserable. Stay in touch

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too.
I was diagnosed in Feb this year and I will admit I was a complete sugar addict, so the sweets and chocolate and biscuits and cakes were the first things to go. I did buy the odd bar of 70% chocolate and low sugar hot chocolate for times when I was struggling. I did also use some dried fruit (not great for a diabetic but I had to break the habit somehow) to help wean myself off the bad stuff and then gradually cut that back. It will take time to retrain your palette but I actually find that I enjoy food now more because I am re-sensitised to sweetness and even plain natural yoghurt now tastes pleasant whereas before I would not have thanked you for it. It is about finding other things that you like to replace the things that your body can no longer tolerate. Nuts, cheese and olives make nice snacks in my opinion. I start the day with a mushroom omelette (or you could have cheese and ham and/or onion or aubergine or sweet pepper or a combination of all of them) and some salad leaves and avocado. That really sets me up for the day and I just have a few nuts or a chunk of cheese at lunchtime or a small portion of fruit like raspberries or blueberries with yoghurt and a meal of meat or fish with green veg and a small portion of potatoes (usually sweet potatoes) on an evening. I sweat kale or cabbage in a little butter to cook it, which makes it all the more tasty. I did the whole low fat, low carb, low salt thing to start with and then I realised that I needed to get my energy from somewhere if I wasn't eating carbs, so fat and oils like butter and cream and cheese and nuts and avocado and fatty meat came onto the menu and everything is much more enjoyable now and I am not putting weight on.
People here on the forum were kind enough to help me find my way forward with this. We have all been through it and it takes time to adjust and learn to manage it and it is pretty scary in the beginning and needs some initial planning (I am the least organised person in the world!) but once you develop a new routine and lifestyle and figure out the things you can eat and enjoy and focus on those instead of thinking about all the things you can't have, it gets much easier.
Don't be frightened of the Metformin. The worst it will do is give you a bad tummy. At a low starting dose you should be fine but do take it with food to offset the risk of it upsetting your stomach. It will not put you into a Hypo or anything like that, so don't worry about being alone when you take it. It will have a very slow and gradual effect by helping your body to utilise any insulin that it is still producing.
Do you know what your initial Blood Glucose reading is..... it is known as an HbA1c. It is the amount of glucose attached to the haemoglobin in your blood and to be considered diabetic it will be over 40. This reading is your starting point in your diabetes journey and the aim is to get it as low as possible over the months and years. It helps to have goals I find, so that I know what I am working towards.
Good luck with figuring this out. There will almost certainly be ups and downs, but when the downs hit, remember that it can and will get better so hang in there and we are here for help and support if/when you need it.

 

[Drummer]

Watch out for sweet potato - some people get huge spikes - because it is potato, and it is sweet.

 

[Maz2]

Welcome to the forum. It is understandable you are panicking and upset. My friend nearly passed out when she was told she was diabetic. I was told I was pre-diabetic at 42 then 43. Sent on diabetes prevention course which said the "eat well" plate was the way to go which was bread, potatoes, pasta etc. Took more notice of people on here to be honest. Bought Michael Moseley's books and took ideas from him. Also David Cavan "Reverse your Diabetes." He is not suggesting everyone can reverse it. He is talking about "better control."

People here are very helpful so stay on here and take advice from members.

I cut down on starchy carbs and self-tested to see what I can and cannot tolerate. Whilst on the course I was tested via a machine not via the labs at the hospital. I had 4 normal results. However, GP decided at end of course to re-test via the Phlebotomist and the hospital lab and I was on 42. Another test was done this year a week ago and it was down to 40. GP was happy with it and will test again next year. I want it down further than that so am self testing again to see if there is anything that is not good for me which I maybe could cut down on.

I must admit I enjoy my food more now than when I was eating breakfast cereal, toast, sandwiches, potatoes, pasta all the time and I don't feel hungry either.