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Newbie - diabetes type 2 it's finally got me

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Hello and welcome. 🙂
 
Thanks to everyone for the messages. We'll its been a few weeks since my T2 diagnosis and I dread taking the twice daily slow release metaformin tablets as I have to run to the toilet multiple times a day although they are slightly better than the normal release tablets that I was initially on but at least I don't go to work at the moment.

I do think that because I am so overweight it doesn't help but the good news is that after the diagnosis I have by eating what I call the "goodies" crisps, cakes, biscuits, sweets and desserts lost 1st & 4 lbs or 8.1kg for younger generation.
My 1st Hba1c test was 8.8% or 72.1mmol/L so I am crossing my fingers that the next one just before Xmas will be in the normal range and be able to do something about the tablets.

In the end I decided not to get a monitor as I don't think I would get any real benefit from paying for the kit. I will just get the surgery to do the hba1c test regularly.
I have been trying to get the diabetic eye test but was told by local opticians that they couldn't do it as they are waiting for a NHS update to the equipment or software so not sure when that will happen.
 
@Kestrel521 hba1c's aren't completely reliable, you could still be spiking high which you don't want but your hba1c could still come back reasonable because most of the time your levels are ok but these spikes do damage over time but its your choice of course xx
 
Kaylz said:
@Kestrel521 hba1c's aren't completely reliable, you could still be spiking high which you don't want but your hba1c could still come back reasonable because most of the time your levels are ok but these spikes do damage over time but its your choice of course xx
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, unfortunately I think I have a lot to learn and blood testing is probably at the top since I assumed that the blood tests would give me a reasonable view of the previous 12 weeks. If I had some spare cash then I'd seriously consider getting a home kit to get more frequent results although my dn thought that I would most likely be wasting my money as I am not T1.
 
After being told that I could get a call from my Doctor on Friday to discuss my Metaformin side effects, I have decided to buy a test kit to better manage my db and hopefully get my doseage reduced. looking at some posts I will order the GlucoNavii Blood Sugar Meter (mmol/L) GM Starter Kit since the Accu meter is way out of my budget. The thought of sticking needles into my fingers does not fill me with joy so after reading that Accu check fastclix seems to be a good option for doing the deed I will get it on Amazon as Boots are doing a discount on products, they only have 4 items on the website and the fastclix is not one of them.

​

 
Check out Amazon - just purchased 100 strips for £15.99 on a Black Friday deal.
 
Hello KESTREL 521, and welcome to the Forum
You say in your first post that you don't understand why you have to be on a low carbohydrate diet; I think a simple biology lesson will explain that

The simplest sugar you can get is glucose, and this can be joined up with other glucose molecules, and other sugars to form longer and longer chains to form more complex sugars, and eventually, if you join up a lot of them, it forms starch; and all these long & short chains of sugars are called carbohydrates
When you eat them they are broken down in the digestive system, back down to the glucose, which passes through the gut wall into the bloodstream
From there it travels around the body and passes into your own cells to be used to help you live

The hormone insulin is produced by the pancreas and this enables the glucose to pass from the blood across the cell wall, and into the cells
If you don't produce enough insulin this transfer cannot take place, and has three results -

You cannot use the carbohydrates you eat to produce energy, so you feel tired.
And as you cannot use new food the body starts to use up its reserves, so you lose weight
The unused glucose stays in the bloodstream, and it is this accumulation that causes the problems we call diabetes, such as feeling thirsty, damage to the eyes and nerves. It also cause changes to the acidity of the skin, and the accumulation of sugar around the genitals, in both men and women, often causing the fungal infection, thrush.

There are three ways to solve this problem -
Take in insulin artificially by injection
Take medication which tweaks the body to produce more of its own insulin, and to make that insulin more efficient
Reduce the amount of carbohydrate you consume, which will in turn reduce the amount of glucose in the bloodstream

Of these, it will help very much if you reduce your carbohydrate consumption ---- and it is important to understand that as all carbohydrates are made up of glucose, you must reduce your level of starchy things like breakfast cereals, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, as well as the obviously sweet & sugary things like sweet, biscuits, cakes, & fizzy drinks

Many people take their diagnosis as the motivation to change the way they have been living, by cutting back very much on carbs, fatty food, junk food, processed food, especially meat products and convenience meals
Replace them with more veg, fish, especially oily fish, olive oil, a limited amount of fruit, and so on - in fact all the healthy stuff you hear about! As you do this, your consumption of sugar, salt, and bad fats will automatically reduce
Oh, and cut out smoking and a lot of booze, and do more exercise

If this all sounds like hard work and terrible news, well it need not be. You don't have to do it all overnight, and there are many Forum Members who have done that sort of thing, myself included. Quite soon it just becomes a new and different way of living

Nothing in the body happens in isolation, and these changes will help with weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure and similar problems, besides the diabetes

Have a look through older Threads, especially in Newcomers, Food & Carb, and Weight loss
 
Last edited:
@zuludog but then again Type 2's generally do produce enough insulin of their own but due to insulin resistance their body doesn't use it as it should
 
zuludog said:
Hello KESTREL 521, and welcome to the Forum
You say in your first post that you don't understand why you have to be on a low carbohydrate diet; I think a simple biology lesson will explain that

The simplest sugar you can get is glucose, and this can be joined up with other glucose molecules, and other sugars to form longer and longer chains to form more complex sugars, and eventually, if you join up a lot of them, it forms starch; and all these long & short chains of sugars are called carbohydrates
When you eat them they are broken down in the digestive system, back down to the glucose, which passes through the gut wall into the bloodstream
From there it travels around the body and passes into your own cells to be used to help you live

The hormone insulin is produced by the pancreas and this enables the glucose to pass from the blood across the cell wall, and into the cells
If you don't produce enough insulin this transfer cannot take place, and has three results -

You cannot use the carbohydrates you eat to produce energy, so you feel tired.
And as you cannot use new food the body starts to use up its reserves, so you lose weight
The unused glucose stays in the bloodstream, and it is this accumulation that causes the problems we call diabetes, such as feeling thirsty, damage to the eyes and nerves. It also cause changes to the acidity of the skin, and the accumulation of sugar around the genitals, in both men and women, often causing the fungal infection, thrush.

There are three ways to solve this problem -
Take in insulin artificially by injection
Take medication which tweaks the body to produce more of its own insulin, and to make that insulin more efficient
Reduce the amount of carbohydrate you consume, which will in turn reduce the amount of glucose in the bloodstream

Of these, it will help very much if you reduce your carbohydrate consumption ---- and it is important to understand that as all carbohydrates are made up of glucose, you must reduce your level of starchy things like breakfast cereals, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, as well as the obviously sweet & sugary things like sweet, biscuits, cakes, & fizzy drinks

Many people take their diagnosis as the motivation to change the way they have been living, by cutting back very much on carbs, fatty food, junk food, processed food, especially meat products and convenience meals
Replace them with more veg, fish, especially oily fish, olive oil, a limited amount of fruit, and so on - in fact all the healthy stuff you hear about! As you do this, your consumption of sugar, salt, and bad fats will automatically reduce
Oh, and cut out smoking and a lot of booze, and do more exercise

If this all sounds like hard work and terrible news, well it need not be. You don't have to do it all overnight, and there are many Forum Members who have done that sort of thing, myself included. Quite soon it just becomes a new and different way of living

Nothing in the body happens in isolation, and these changes will help with weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure and similar problems, besides the diabetes

Have a look through older Threads, especially in Newcomers, Food & Carb, and Weight loss
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for the explanation & info, for me it needs to be one step at a time since there is a lot to deal with and I do not want my mental health to take another nose dive. As I am feeling pretty good considering I am unable to work and have no money coming in at the moment.
step one (already started)
Get better eating habits which I am starting by cutting all sweet & sugary things out. Having eaten alot over 60 odd years it is not going to a quick fix but having lost approx 8kg since my diagnosis in October, I seem to have the right mindset to get to the end of this marathon.
Step Two (start this week)
Start taking readings at home so I can have a better understanding of what my body is doing.
Step Three (start date tba)
Understand the fuel (food) going into my body & its affects so that I can get to a normal range by eating healthy but not sure I want to give up my daily bowl of porridge which I enjoy.

Just a side note.
if my current Hba1c reading is 8.8% or 72.1mmol/L at what level will the meter just say error as it is too high to read?
I did try to find the answer on the accu chek website but it said to check the test strip range?
 
Kestrel521 said:
Thanks very much for the explanation & info, for me it needs to be one step at a time since there is a lot to deal with and I do not want my mental health to take another nose dive. As I am feeling pretty good considering I am unable to work and have no money coming in at the moment.
step one (already started)
Get better eating habits which I am starting by cutting all sweet & sugary things out. Having eaten alot over 60 odd years it is not going to a quick fix but having lost approx 8kg since my diagnosis in October, I seem to have the right mindset to get to the end of this marathon.
Step Two (start this week)
Start taking readings at home so I can have a better understanding of what my body is doing.
Step Three (start date tba)
Understand the fuel (food) going into my body & its affects so that I can get to a normal range by eating healthy but not sure I want to give up my daily bowl of porridge which I enjoy.

Just a side note.
if my current Hba1c reading is 8.8% or 72.1mmol/L at what level will the meter just say error as it is too high to read?
I did try to find the answer on the accu chek website but it said to check the test strip range?
Click to expand...
Hello again KESTREL521; you seem as though you have taken the most important step, and that is accepting that you have diabetes -- a lot of people stay in denial about this, which leads to serious problems

Diabetes is a serious condition but it can be controlled, and you have taken the first steps
Once you understand the causes, dealing with it follows on, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy, it will require hard work and concentration
 
Kestrel521 said:
at what level will the meter just say error as it is too high to read?
Click to expand...
It depends on the actual meters, some are different to others but I think most read HI over 33mmol, it won't display error though just HI but if your readings are ever that high then you should be seeking medical attention/advice xx
 
adrian1der said:
Check out Amazon - just purchased 100 strips for £15.99 on a Black Friday deal.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info,
I have a Gluco Navii meter coming from amazon hopefully next week
And spoke to Accu-chek and they are sending me a free clik needle pen to try as that seems to have good reviews.
As this is all new to me can someone confirm that these test strips are correct for the Gluco Navii so that I buy the correct ones?

Test strips for the Gluco Navii?
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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