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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Newbie here
- Thread starter IreneH
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rebrascora
Well-Known Member
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Hi Irene and welcome.
Would you like to tell us a bit about how you came to be diagnosed ie symptomatic or routine blood test and if you know it, what your HbA1c result was. This is the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and will usually be a number of 48 or more. How much above 48 gives us an idea of where on the diabetes scale you are and indicates how much or little dietary changes may be required to get you back in range. Ie If you are low 50s then just cutting the sugar might be enough whereas if you are up at 80 or 90 or into 3 figures then more significant changes will likely be needed.
Have you been prescribed any medication.
Yes it can be hard at first both coming to terms with the diagnosis but also the cravings. Cutting the sugar is a good start but it is all carbohydrates which are converted to glucose by our digestive system and absorbed into the blood stream, not just sugar. It helped me to understand it by thinking of a slice of bread... medium wholemeal is about 14-15g carbs per slice. 1 teaspoon of sugar is 5g carbs, so that 1 slice of bread has the equivalent of 3 teaspoons of sugar once your digestive system has got to work on it, so your average sandwich of 2 slices of bread has the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar. Not saying that you shouldn't eat bread, but cutting down on the amount of it and pasta and rice and potatoes and breakfast cereal will be the next step after cutting out the sugar.
The good news is that the cravings subside once you cut back on all the carbs and eat a little more fat and protein and fill up on low carb veggies, in particular cabbage and broccoli and cauliflower and salad etc. Feel free to have a knob of butter with your cabbage or cheese with your cauli and a dollop of full fat coleslaw with your salad as that will help to fill you up.
If you want any breakfast or other meal suggestions shout up or any other queries/things you don't understand then feel free to ask... ANYTHING. It is what the forum is here for.
Would you like to tell us a bit about how you came to be diagnosed ie symptomatic or routine blood test and if you know it, what your HbA1c result was. This is the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and will usually be a number of 48 or more. How much above 48 gives us an idea of where on the diabetes scale you are and indicates how much or little dietary changes may be required to get you back in range. Ie If you are low 50s then just cutting the sugar might be enough whereas if you are up at 80 or 90 or into 3 figures then more significant changes will likely be needed.
Have you been prescribed any medication.
Yes it can be hard at first both coming to terms with the diagnosis but also the cravings. Cutting the sugar is a good start but it is all carbohydrates which are converted to glucose by our digestive system and absorbed into the blood stream, not just sugar. It helped me to understand it by thinking of a slice of bread... medium wholemeal is about 14-15g carbs per slice. 1 teaspoon of sugar is 5g carbs, so that 1 slice of bread has the equivalent of 3 teaspoons of sugar once your digestive system has got to work on it, so your average sandwich of 2 slices of bread has the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar. Not saying that you shouldn't eat bread, but cutting down on the amount of it and pasta and rice and potatoes and breakfast cereal will be the next step after cutting out the sugar.
The good news is that the cravings subside once you cut back on all the carbs and eat a little more fat and protein and fill up on low carb veggies, in particular cabbage and broccoli and cauliflower and salad etc. Feel free to have a knob of butter with your cabbage or cheese with your cauli and a dollop of full fat coleslaw with your salad as that will help to fill you up.
If you want any breakfast or other meal suggestions shout up or any other queries/things you don't understand then feel free to ask... ANYTHING. It is what the forum is here for.
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Welcome to the forum @IreneH
Not silly at all! A diagnosis with diabetes affects everyone slightly differently, and can come packaged with a rather unhelpful torrent of emotions.
Some people liken their experience to being rather like a sort of grieving - with the familiar phases of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, of which you may experience some more profoundly than others, or quite possibly all of them at once!
Yes the body (and mind!) can be a stubborn so and so when it is used to certain things - but hang in there. You can beat those cravings and make changes for the better!
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a kind of 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.
Not silly at all! A diagnosis with diabetes affects everyone slightly differently, and can come packaged with a rather unhelpful torrent of emotions.
Some people liken their experience to being rather like a sort of grieving - with the familiar phases of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, of which you may experience some more profoundly than others, or quite possibly all of them at once!
Yes the body (and mind!) can be a stubborn so and so when it is used to certain things - but hang in there. You can beat those cravings and make changes for the better!
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a kind of 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.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
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That last sentence of Mike's is certainly relevant in my case. I am fitter, healthier, slimmer and feel younger than I was 3 years ago at diagnosis. Diabetes was the kick up the pants that I needed to quit my sugar addiction and eat better and sleep better and feel better. I hope it can be the same for you.
Thanks for your replies.
I was diagnosed last week. Although my HBA1C was at 50, I am very symptomatic. I was prediabetic for a year before that. My GP thought it best to start me off on Metformin because of my symptoms. I also have a multitude of other health problems, some of these being Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease, M.E/CFS, Fibromyalgia! I have an appointment to see a Dietitian next month.
The Information about thinking about food in terms of carbs and not sugar is really helpful. I will do a bit more research on that. I shall keep battling the craving demons!
Once again thank you
Irene
I was diagnosed last week. Although my HBA1C was at 50, I am very symptomatic. I was prediabetic for a year before that. My GP thought it best to start me off on Metformin because of my symptoms. I also have a multitude of other health problems, some of these being Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease, M.E/CFS, Fibromyalgia! I have an appointment to see a Dietitian next month.
The Information about thinking about food in terms of carbs and not sugar is really helpful. I will do a bit more research on that. I shall keep battling the craving demons!
Once again thank you
Irene
Dominic DUK
Supporter Care Advisor
Hi @IreneH and welcome! I hope the dietitian proves useful to you and offers some constructive advice going forwards! You are spot on in that it is important to focus on the carbs you consume. You can find our guide Carbs Count which hopefully will prove useful https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2017-11/carbs-count-2012.pdf 🙂
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