Gosh what a roller coaster. Went in to hospital to get a disc removed from my neck 2 weeks ago and was told I had Type 2 diabetes. What a shock ! I’ve found it really difficult to get my head round this and suppose accept. I was terrified of what I could and couldn’t eat. I’m slowly getting there but finding it quite overwhelming. It’s just consuming my thoughts at the minute. Is this normal? I feel so silly!
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Inka
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Welcome to the forum @KERI
No it’s perfectly normal and natural to feel a bit overwhelmed and knocked sideways initially. Some people go through a period very like grieving when initially diagnosed, with those familiar stages and feelings all chaotically whizzing around.
If you would like a good overview of T2 diabetes, to add to the knowledge you’ve already picked up, members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, which you can work through gradually and will give you a solid starting point.
There is also the “Learning Zone” (look for the highlighted link in the main menu), which has loads of useful and informative modules that you can select from 🙂
Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions you may have - nothing will be considered ‘silly’ 🙂
No it’s perfectly normal and natural to feel a bit overwhelmed and knocked sideways initially. Some people go through a period very like grieving when initially diagnosed, with those familiar stages and feelings all chaotically whizzing around.
If you would like a good overview of T2 diabetes, to add to the knowledge you’ve already picked up, members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, which you can work through gradually and will give you a solid starting point.
There is also the “Learning Zone” (look for the highlighted link in the main menu), which has loads of useful and informative modules that you can select from 🙂
Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions you may have - nothing will be considered ‘silly’ 🙂
Hi, thank you, I feel totally consumed by it at the moment, it’s continually in my waking thoughts. But early days I suppose. I’m on Metformin and Glikliside, might have spelt that wrong! I’m hoping I can get off the medication and just control it with diet. My levels via the test kit seem a bit erratic from 4.6 everything in between to 9.4. It’s never the same but that may be until I get used to what I eat ?
Hi, thank you. Yes it does feel like going through a bereavement. Feel’s like life’s turned upside down and never going to be the same again. May be a bit melodramatic and I’m sure I’ll laugh at this some time down the line! It’s totally consuming my thoughts at the moment but I’m sure this will settle from what I read. I was terrified to eat still am a bit, but again I’m sure this will settle. Thank you very much for the links and the ‘learning zone’. It’s such a help speaking with other people
rebrascora
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Hi and welcome from me too.
I think it is helpful in the early days to understand what is normal and I can assure you that Blood Glucose (BG) levels constantly fluctuate throughout the day and night so don't be at all concerned that yours vary. Even non diabetic peoples' levels go up and down quite a bit. The problem for us diabetics is that they stay too high for a bit (or a lot) too long and they can go quite a bit higher than non diabetic people. If the highest reading you have got so far is 9.4, you are not doing too badly but there is still a little room for improvement. If it helps to put it into perspective, my highest reading not long after diagnosis was 27 and that is the time to panic I can tell you! Took me about a gallon of water to bring it down to 22 by the next morning.... I didn't sleep much that night!
It sounds like you are doing great and with a little more work you should hopefully be able to keep your post meal readings consistently under 8.5, that would be great. The fact that you are already getting some 4s is brilliant. Keep doing what you are doing! Well done!
I think it is helpful in the early days to understand what is normal and I can assure you that Blood Glucose (BG) levels constantly fluctuate throughout the day and night so don't be at all concerned that yours vary. Even non diabetic peoples' levels go up and down quite a bit. The problem for us diabetics is that they stay too high for a bit (or a lot) too long and they can go quite a bit higher than non diabetic people. If the highest reading you have got so far is 9.4, you are not doing too badly but there is still a little room for improvement. If it helps to put it into perspective, my highest reading not long after diagnosis was 27 and that is the time to panic I can tell you! Took me about a gallon of water to bring it down to 22 by the next morning.... I didn't sleep much that night!
It sounds like you are doing great and with a little more work you should hopefully be able to keep your post meal readings consistently under 8.5, that would be great. The fact that you are already getting some 4s is brilliant. Keep doing what you are doing! Well done!
Inka
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Those are really good blood sugars so soon after diagnosis. Blood sugar is a fluctuating thing - it goes up and down within in normal range. So even someone without diabetes will get different numbers.
It’s natural it’s on your mind all the time because you’ll be thinking about your meds and about what you’re going to eat, and, of course, have the usual concerns so soon after diagnosis. Getting into a routine helps because then it all becomes a bit more automatic.
Hi and thank you. That’s good to know that levels fluctuate I thought they may stay static at some point. I was 27 when they first diagnosed me too! I bet you didn’t sleep very well that night! The last few days I’ve been in the 5’s and 6’s . I was 4.3 before my evening meal 3 days ago . I was a bit scared with that as I thought I would go under that and that’s too low isn’t it? But then went up to 6 2 hours later. Tonight was 5.9 before my meal then tested 2 hours later as hubby made a chicken meal which had a bit of double cream and Parmesan cheese and it was 5.3! Thought it would have been higher but only had a small bit of chicken and sauce and lots of veg. I bought a couple of diabetes cook books today (we’re on holiday in the lakes) so hopefully will get into swing of making new meals. My aim is to get off medication. Keeping my fingers crossed anyway! Thank you you’ve made me feel better.
I’m trying really hard with my food. Cutting down on all the things I love is such a shame! I love carbs and have a bit of a sweet tooth in my old age ! (61). Made the fruity chocolate tray bake from the diabetes site which is really nice and treat myself to a little bit of that now and again! But I’m determined to try and get off meds in time. This whole thing just terrifies me. Thank you for putting my mind at rest.
rebrascora
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Chicken cream and parmesan have practically no carbs at all so don't feel you have to restrict those things as they will not adversely impact your BG levels as you saw from your fantastic post meal reading of 5.3... Great result!
Ah that’s great! It was a lovely meal I can have it again! Thank you
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