Newbie Type 2 - Struggling

[AyJay35]

Hello All!
I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes last year after some blood tests. I was due to have my first review in September but it got cancelled and I haven't been contacted since.
I am struggling. When I was diagnosed it was a telephone consultation with a GP who said the blood tests had confirmed type 2 diabetes. I said "OK" and the GP said "You don't sound surprised" and I advised that I wasn't because the GP who had ordered the tests indicated that it sounded like I might be diabetic.
The GP prescribed metformin, advised of a course at our local hospital and ended the call.
When I contacted the hospital they were experiencing a long delays wait for the virtual sessions (during lockdown) and suggested I wait a while.
I've taken the metformin as prescribed but since October I have had three recurrent bouts of cellulitis. I wasn't advised by the GP to monitor my sugar levels, in fact he said not to bother.
My Dad tested them for me today and they were high.
I don't know what the best eating regime is for me and I feel lost and a bit scared about how to manage this. I think I've been in denial really.
Thanks for reading, would be interested in hearing people's journeys and any tips for me trying to get a grip on this.

 

[gll]

Cai ask you if you know what your hba1c was (if the doc told it) and what was the reading you got today when your dad tested?

Might give us more of an idea where to start with advice 🙂

 

[AyJay35]

Cai ask you if you know what your hba1c was (if the doc told it) and what was the reading you got today when your dad tested?

Might give us more of an idea where to start with advice 🙂

Hi, apologies for missing that out. I've just checked my records and at diagnosis I think my HBA1C was 62.
This Morning when Dad checked my sugar it was 16.9.

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum, I hope you will find some words of wisdom which will help you to get on top of your high blood glucose level. Your HbA1C on diagnosis was not desperately high though well into the diabetic zone and with a bit more help on the dietary front you would most likely have improved things. People imagine that taking metformin is all that they need to do due to the lack of information from their surgery but dietary changes are equally if not more important.
This link may help you with some ideas of where to start with making changes to your meals. It is all about reducing carbohydrates and the link is a low carbohydrate approach with many people find successful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
Also the Learning zone here (orange tab at the top) is full of useful information. I assume you have some knowledge if your Dad has a blood glucose monitor so is he diabetic.
Please do ask any questions and have a look around the site.

 

[Windy]

Sorry to hear about the lack of support you've had so far from the NHS @AyJay35, I know that they're overstretched and under funded, but that doesn't make it any easier for you.
I bought myself a blood glucose monitor (the GP and nurse didn't say I should buy one) and have found it helpful to see what each food and meal does for my BG levels, and what my fasting glucose is in the morning.
I found learning more about diabetes in the Learning Zone (red link at the top of the page) helpful, and I bought a couple of books about diabetes which helped me also, I can recommend either of the Professor Roy Taylor books, and also the Blood sugar diet cookbook and the Caldesi diabetes weight loss cookbooks as they have nice recipes in.
Ask any questions you may have, we're happy to help, Sarah

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

Sorry to hear your levels are so high and you have been left without support.
Can I ask is your Dad Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic... and if Type 2 when did he develop it and is he insulin dependent?

I see you are just 35yrs old. I appreciate that it is a personal question and feel free to ignore it if you don't feel comfortable answering but are you particularly overweight and inactive? The reason I ask this and about your Dad is that I am wondering if you might be a slow onset Type 1. That BG reading that your Dad took for you of 16.9 is rather high and would indicate that your HbA1c may have gone higher. How long after food was that reading taken?

As has been mentioned, dietary changes are a key feature of Type 2 diabetes management and following a low carbohydrate way of eating is much more powerful than most oral meds, so it may be a lack of dietary change which has allowed your levels to creep up despite the Metformin. There really should have been some follow up to see how you were doing. How many Metformin are you taking daily?

I think you need to get back in touch with your GP and get a follow up HbA1c test and review of your situation and medication. You should also have had a referral for retinal screening and a check up with the nurse of your feet sensitivity and pulse strength and BP and weight etc. There is a list of all the checks that should be done annually on diabetics. You should also be getting your prescriptions free.... Has that been mentioned?.... or perhaps you live in Scotland where they are free anyway.

 

[AyJay35]

Hi and welcome.

Sorry to hear your levels are so high and you have been left without support.
Can I ask is your Dad Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic... and if Type 2 when did he develop it and is he insulin dependent?

I see you are just 35yrs old. I appreciate that it is a personal question and feel free to ignore it if you don't feel comfortable answering but are you particularly overweight and inactive? The reason I ask this and about your Dad is that I am wondering if you might be a slow onset Type 1. That BG reading that your Dad took for you of 16.9 is rather high and would indicate that your HbA1c may have gone higher. How long after food was that reading taken?

As has been mentioned, dietary changes are a key feature of Type 2 diabetes management and following a low carbohydrate way of eating is much more powerful than most oral meds, so it may be a lack of dietary change which has allowed your levels to creep up despite the Metformin. There really should have been some follow up to see how you were doing. How many Metformin are you taking daily?

I think you need to get back in touch with your GP and get a follow up HbA1c test and review of your situation and medication. You should also have had a referral for retinal screening and a check up with the nurse of your feet sensitivity and pulse strength and BP and weight etc. There is a list of all the checks that should be done annually on diabetics. You should also be getting your prescriptions free.... Has that been mentioned?.... or perhaps you live in Scotland where they are free anyway.

Hi

Dad is type 2. He is 67 this year and I think he developed Diabetes when he was about 45. Initially his team attempted to help him control it with diet and exercise but he is insulin dependent now and I think he has been for around 20 years.

I am quite overweight yes and I was definitely more active before the lockdowns, walking from the car park to the office each day, having a walk at lunch etc.

That reading was taken shortly after eating and it wasn't a particularly nutritional breakfast.

I have had a retinal screening and that was all fine.

It may sound really silly but, around 8 years ago my Dad was diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer, he is being very well looked after by his team and he has defied the odds given to him but I have developed severe health anxiety since this. I only got diagnosed as I had cellulitis and the Dr wanted to check why it had happened and her suspicions were confirmed.

I feel so stupid and I am now in a situation where I am terrified to go and see anyone and hear how much damage I may have done.

I was prescribed metformin once in the morning and once in the evening.

 

[rebrascora]

We all know that burying your head in the sand isn't the answer and I am sure that your Dad would not want you to be doing that. The chances are that your elevated BG levels have not done any long term damage yet but the longer you leave it, the higher the risk becomes so be a fighter like your Dad and get yourself to the Docs to get yourself checked out and some help with getting those levels down and start educating yourself about diabetes by reading the forum here and modifying your diet. I can assure you it isn't all sack cloth and ashes..... The key thing is to reduce your carb intake so things like breakfast cereals are not a good choice but bacon and eggs or an omelette would be an excellent choice as long as you go very easy or avoid the bread/toast hash browns etc..... or for a quick breakfast, some creamy natural yoghurt with a few berries and seeds or something like a Nature Valley Protein bar (under 10g carbs per bar) as a grab and go breakfast.
If you give us an idea of the sort of things you currently eat for breakfast lunch and evening meal, we can make suggestions for where you can cut a few carbs here and there to help bring your levels down.

You have taken the first step of taking control by coming to this forum for advice so you must want to do something about it and you really can turn this around with some simple changes and a bit of effort and fighting spirit, so make an appointment to get checked out and come back to us for some dietary guidance.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have had a retinal screening and that was all fine.

I feel so stupid and I am now in a situation where I am terrified to go and see anyone and hear how much damage I may have done.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and how difficult it has been for you, especially with the lack of availability of appointments and courses.

Great news that you have had retinal screening, and had the all clear. Changes to the eyes are often one of the first long-term impacts of diabetes to appear - so be encouraged by your all clear.

And even if there are other changes that may have started, please don’t wait to find out. One of the benefits of a diagnosis is the regular checks you get access to, which can identify any potential issues early so that progress can be slowed, and treatment begun as early as possible 🙂

 

[sarahb83]

Hiya! Just wanted to give you a shout one of the things I struggled with most was being diagnosed so young (age 38) and I’ve found your mindset and life view can be so different from someone In Their 50’s or 60’s. I was diagnosed as type 2 back in September with an hba1c of 89 - I was so terrified it gave me the kick I needed to shed the excess weight I had been carrying for far to long. My dad has also been diabetic since age 45 but he’s been tablet controlled for 20 years he’s never stepped up on to insulin as yet. I’m 5ft7 and was 18.5st at diagnosis since being diagnosed in September and now I’ve lost 5 st and my hba1c has gone from 89 to 38! The trick is to find what is going to work for you because it has got to be sustainable and also work with your lifestyle (I’m a busy mum with 3 kids so what works for me won’t necessarily be the same as someone say who is retired with a lot of time of their hands or someone who works very long hours and unsociable shifts) also have to take into account we are all different and our bodies respond differently to different foods. I’m not a super low carber I couldn’t cope with that and I definitely couldn’t sustain that long term I go for 130g per day but super low carb really suits some people. Keep your chin up and make a fresh start you’re 100% right to tackle this because unfortunately ignoring it won’t make it go away, the best piece of advice my nurse gave me was don’t panic (I was hysterical at the time of diagnosis) but I need you to grasp this and make the changes needed so I agreed and went hard at the weight loss x