Newbie type 2

[Hazel1010]

Hi all , got to be honest I’m feeling really sorry for myself at the mo !
im waiting for doc appointments etc but I’ve been in hospital 4 times in the last few month with what I thought was a heart problem turns out it’s probably diabetes undiagnosed and now I’m either ok or my heart rate is over 110 my legs are tingling etc etc , you probably know the road I don’t know if I’m too low on sugar or too high , loosing weight, watching what I eat but I don’t know if I’m coming or going
moan over any bright ideas or advice would be gratefully received

 

[Vonny]

Hi @Hazel1010 and welcome to the forum which is brilliant place to have a moan because we've all been there and know how hard it is starting out.
While you're waiting for your doctor's appointments, if you are type 2 it would be a good start to cut down on carbs, ie eat fewer potatoes, bread, rice and pasta in addition to sugary food and drink. I just cut them out completely to start with but discovered (via this forum) that it's a good idea to reduce them gradually to avoid problems with your vision.
Having said that, if you are losing weight you may not be type 2. There are several people on this forum with other than type 1 or 2 and they may be able to give you advice.
Are you likely to get to the GP appointments soon? And did the hospital give any indication of your hba1c level?

 

[PattiEvans]

It would be a very good idea to get a home BG meter. It would give you a better idea as to where you are rather than being completely in the dark. Members here recommend the Spirit Tee2 (https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/tee2) at £12.99 and a box of test strips from the same site £9.99. Also the Gluco Navii meter seems to be recommended.

Are you losing weight because you are dieting/curbing food intake - or is it just dropping off you for no apparent reason? Has anyone said what type they think you are? Has any medical professional given you any advice at all?

 

[Hazel1010]

Hi @Hazel1010 and welcome to the forum which is brilliant place to have a moan because we've all been there and know how hard it is starting out.
While you're waiting for your doctor's appointments, if you are type 2 it would be a good start to cut down on carbs, ie eat fewer potatoes, bread, rice and pasta in addition to sugary food and drink. I just cut them out completely to start with but discovered (via this forum) that it's a good idea to reduce them gradually to avoid problems with your vision.
Having said that, if you are losing weight you may not be type 2. There are several people on this forum with other than type 1 or 2 and they may be able to give you advice.
Are you likely to get to the GP appointments soon? And did the hospital give any indication of your hba1c level?

Hello I’m probably loosing weight through sensible eating that I’ve taken to , I’ve got blood test early next week because the cardiologist sent a report to my doctor asking them to check up on my glucose levels as they were showing to be high when I was in hospital for a week with what I thought was a heart problem, no too confusing ‍♀️ But hey ho getting there . Hopefully I shall be on the right track soonish , thank you for your reply

 

[Hazel1010]

It would be a very good idea to get a home BG meter. It would give you a better idea as to where you are rather than being completely in the dark. Members here recommend the Spirit Tee2 (https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/tee2) at £12.99 and a box of test strips from the same site £9.99. Also the Gluco Navii meter seems to be recommended.

Are you losing weight because you are dieting/curbing food intake - or is it just dropping off you for no apparent reason? Has anyone said what type they think you are? Has any medical professional given you any advice at all?

Hi , yes I’m picking up a meter and since the cardiologist picked up high glucose readings etc and got the ball rolling on checking my blood at the doctors I took it on the chin and I’m not dieting as such but am eating much healthier following nhs diabetes guidelines and that’s probably why I’m loosing weight ( I was just a lazy eater and grabbed Crap before) and I have found that my extreme palpitations are much improved although if I exert myself they come back along with tingly feet and legs and feel very shaky ‍♀️ But it goes after a few minutes where before it was lasting hours so hopefully I’m going in the right direction, thank you for your reply

 

[PattiEvans]

Hi , yes I’m picking up a meter and since the cardiologist picked up high glucose readings etc and got the ball rolling on checking my blood at the doctors I took it on the chin and I’m not dieting as such but am eating much healthier following nhs diabetes guidelines and that’s probably why I’m loosing weight ( I was just a lazy eater and grabbed Crap before) and I have found that my extreme palpitations are much improved although if I exert myself they come back along with tingly feet and legs and feel very shaky ‍♀️ But it goes after a few minutes where before it was lasting hours so hopefully I’m going in the right direction, thank you for your reply

Hi @Hazel1010 the reason I asked about your weight loss is that I didn't want to jump in suggesting you may be type 1 rather than type 2. As it is, it's unlikely you'd lose weight on the NHS recommended diet (which is far too high in carbohydrates for any diabetic). However, as you are picking up a meter let us see what your BG readings are.

When you exert yourself you are likely to be bringing your blood sugar down a bit as exercise helps the muscles absorb the glucose. If you've actually been diabetic for some time, it could well be that your body has got used to high levels and when it sees the lower levels it comes as a shock and tries to warn you with the shaky feelings. Also it often happens with undiagnosed diabetes that the nerves in your extremities have gradually become numb... so gradually that you probably didn't notice. The tingling can be a sign of these nerves "waking up".

However, as I said before, let's see what kind of numbers you are running first before offering any suggestions... and then we can explain to you how to go about a testing regime which will aid you in tailoring your diet to help control your BGs. Meantime have a look round the "Learning Zone" - the orange tab at the top of the page here.

Look forward to hearing from you with those BG levels.

 

[DiabeticJames]

Hi all , got to be honest I’m feeling really sorry for myself at the mo !
im waiting for doc appointments etc but I’ve been in hospital 4 times in the last few month with what I thought was a heart problem turns out it’s probably diabetes undiagnosed and now I’m either ok or my heart rate is over 110 my legs are tingling etc etc , you probably know the road I don’t know if I’m too low on sugar or too high , loosing weight, watching what I eat but I don’t know if I’m coming or going
moan over any bright ideas or advice would be gratefully received

Can definitely relate, was diagnosed April this year, put on meds and once weekly injection.

Cut out all the white stuff, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc, got a exersise bike for the bedroom, recently had bloods to see where I'm at and levels came back normal.

Scary place, I know to well, I've been taken off the injections and if bloods come back normal again January will be drug free in the hope I can manage through diet and excersise alone.

Was offered slimming world though nurse but turnt this down as have previously found their diets to be very carb heavy, found since being diognoised my understanding of food is far better and this helps me when making meals.

Your get there I'm sure, good luck and all the best
James