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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 Ninab
- Start date
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Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Ninab, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, how did it come about? Have you been given any medication and advice from your GP or nurse?
It can often come as a big shock to people, but the good news is that, with the right knowledge and application, diabetes is a condition that can be managed well and does not have to have a negative impact on your life. In fact, many people find that, once they have understood and made the adaptations needed to bring their blood sugar levels under good control, it leads them to feeling much happier and healthier than they have for quite some time 🙂 Now that you have the diagnosis you can begin to take action, prior to your diagnosis no doubt many of the symptoms you might have been experiencing were being put down to other things (things like tiredness, mood swings, needing the loo, thirst - you may have experienced some or all of these, but even if you have not been aware of them getting levels under better control will give you a lift 🙂).
I would recommend starting by reading Maggie Davey's letter and getting a copy of the excellent Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. These will help to put you in the picture and guide you through the early months as you get to grips with things. There is a lot of misinformation and myth about diabetes, so try and avoid using Dr Google, and concentrate on these tried and tested resources for the time being - they will help you to make more informed judgements in the future about things people may tell you or that you may read elsewhere. If you have ANY questions or concerns, please let us know and we will be more than happy to help out 🙂
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Do you know what the results of your blood tests were? How are you getting on with the medication so far?
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Yes, it makes sense to me! 🙂 The '101' will be your HbA1c blood test, which gives a measure of your blood sugar levels over the 6-12 weeks prior to the blood being taken. 101 is quite high, but I have no doubt that will reduce significantly once you have got to grips with things 🙂
Medication is fine just getting used to blood testing lol I am a wuss when it comes to needles !
Been referred to a Desmond course as I want all the right information.
But was advised to this website too and I thought let’s get to know people that live with diabetes and that can help me to understand it too
Been referred to a Desmond course as I want all the right information.
But was advised to this website too and I thought let’s get to know people that live with diabetes and that can help me to understand it too
Bubbsie
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Ninab I would highly recommend reading the book Type2 Diabetes The First Year before attending the course if you can...it will give you a great understanding of what type2 diabetes is...how/why it develops & a real insight into testing your blood sugars...it explains in detail why we should test our BG levels...what benefits we get from that...it dispels many of the 'negative' myths surrounding T2 diabetes...Gretchen Becker the author is type2 herself and writes about her on diabetes on a month by month basis from her diagnosis onwards...its well written...easy to follow & is available to preview on Amazon before you decide to buy it or if possible borrow it from your library...for me it was a great investment...it may be difficult to believe it now...but...there can be many positive aspects to your diagnosis... there were for me...I've taken better care of myself than I ever have before...good luck...be interested to hear your updates
Flakie
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome ninab to this very helpful forum.
I was diagnosed 7 months ago and have gained all my knowledge here as there’s not much help forthcoming from my surgery. I was referred to a course but it never came through!
My hba1c was 73 when I started and now it’s 40 which is in the non diabetic range, though I still stick to the regime to keep it that way! Many others have had equally and better results than that somit can be done. Check out all the threads particularly the food one to give you ideas and ask away as someone here will know the answer.
I was diagnosed 7 months ago and have gained all my knowledge here as there’s not much help forthcoming from my surgery. I was referred to a course but it never came through!
My hba1c was 73 when I started and now it’s 40 which is in the non diabetic range, though I still stick to the regime to keep it that way! Many others have had equally and better results than that somit can be done. Check out all the threads particularly the food one to give you ideas and ask away as someone here will know the answer.
Grannylorraine
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Welcome. It can be quite a shock and it is natural to feel overwhelmed and confused but you will eventually get your head around it all.
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