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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.
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- Thread starter Morag65
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rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi Morag and welcome.
Have you been diagnosed recently or are you an old hand at it?
Would you like to share some information about your diabetes? Things like ....
What if any medication you have been prescribed for it?
How your diagnosis came about? ie Flagged up from a routine blood test or were you symptomatic or maybe something else, like a hospital admission?
What if any dietary changes have you made?
Do you need to lose much/any weight?
How active are you?
Do you know your most recent HbA1c result? If just diagnosed, this is the blood test used to diagnose and monitor your diabetes management and will usually be a number in excess of 47, but can be into 3 figures if things have gone badly astray.
If you can give us more information, then it helps us to understand your personal situation better and make more appropriate suggestions or replies to any questions you have..... Oh and feel free to ask questions as that is obviously one of the main benefits of the forum, but we love to chat and have a bit banter too if you are up for that and you are also allowed to have a good moan once in a while about the unfairness of it all.... particularly at this time of year and Easter! 😉
Have you been diagnosed recently or are you an old hand at it?
Would you like to share some information about your diabetes? Things like ....
What if any medication you have been prescribed for it?
How your diagnosis came about? ie Flagged up from a routine blood test or were you symptomatic or maybe something else, like a hospital admission?
What if any dietary changes have you made?
Do you need to lose much/any weight?
How active are you?
Do you know your most recent HbA1c result? If just diagnosed, this is the blood test used to diagnose and monitor your diabetes management and will usually be a number in excess of 47, but can be into 3 figures if things have gone badly astray.
If you can give us more information, then it helps us to understand your personal situation better and make more appropriate suggestions or replies to any questions you have..... Oh and feel free to ask questions as that is obviously one of the main benefits of the forum, but we love to chat and have a bit banter too if you are up for that and you are also allowed to have a good moan once in a while about the unfairness of it all.... particularly at this time of year and Easter! 😉
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hi so all sounds a bit dramatic I was in a&e for something totally different, also had a urine infection, nurse just happened to check my sample, very high sugar, she also did a blood test and glucose levels very high. So confirmed by my GP after a blood tests a few days later. No support from GP. I am on Metformin 2 tablets twice a day.
Not eating correctly I know. Had an Indian take away and glass of wine at the weekend, shortly after I felt awful for about 3 hours. Out today landed in McDondalds, after about an hour I felt really bad again. Just really sick.
Came home obviously sugar levels through the roof (I think) googled it and it said exercise and water. So went for a walk and felt better very quickly. So here I am. The big reality check has kicked in. So I have joined you guys. Also a local group and now ready to get it together so to speak. My dad died the week I was diagnosed to. So it has been a rollercoaster ride
Not eating correctly I know. Had an Indian take away and glass of wine at the weekend, shortly after I felt awful for about 3 hours. Out today landed in McDondalds, after about an hour I felt really bad again. Just really sick.
Came home obviously sugar levels through the roof (I think) googled it and it said exercise and water. So went for a walk and felt better very quickly. So here I am. The big reality check has kicked in. So I have joined you guys. Also a local group and now ready to get it together so to speak. My dad died the week I was diagnosed to. So it has been a rollercoaster ride
I have also not been told results of anything. I have no way of knowing my blood results or if sugar in my wee. See doc 8 Dec and really going in with a list. Very isolated with everything at the moment. I don’t even know what a Hba1c is to be honest. Apparently I will have had this for years. Over weight and not very active.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Welcome to the forum
Knowing what your Hba1C is will help you know how much work you need to do to get your blood glucose level down. Anything over 47mmol/mol is a diabetes diagnosis. That test gives the average blood glucose level over the previous 3 months, the UTI is symptomatic of high blood glucose as your kidneys try to get rid of excess glucose and the bacteria that cause a UTI love a 'sugary' environment.
Metformin will help your body to utilise the insulin it produces more effectively but dietary changes are also needed.
Reducing carbohydrates in your diet will help as all carbs convert to glucose. That does not mean you can have NO carbs but the suggested maximum per day is 130g. Have a look at this link for ideas of modifying your diet, it is a low carb approach based on REAL food. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/ which many have found successful at losing weight and reducing blood glucose.
If you can increase exercise, that can just be a brisk walk, that will also help.
Knowing what your Hba1C is will help you know how much work you need to do to get your blood glucose level down. Anything over 47mmol/mol is a diabetes diagnosis. That test gives the average blood glucose level over the previous 3 months, the UTI is symptomatic of high blood glucose as your kidneys try to get rid of excess glucose and the bacteria that cause a UTI love a 'sugary' environment.
Metformin will help your body to utilise the insulin it produces more effectively but dietary changes are also needed.
Reducing carbohydrates in your diet will help as all carbs convert to glucose. That does not mean you can have NO carbs but the suggested maximum per day is 130g. Have a look at this link for ideas of modifying your diet, it is a low carb approach based on REAL food. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/ which many have found successful at losing weight and reducing blood glucose.
If you can increase exercise, that can just be a brisk walk, that will also help.
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Are you in England or elsewhere? There is an NHS app in England where you can see your test results. Scotland has a different system but provides access online too. When you go to the GP ask at reception for a printout of your blood test results and ask if they have access to test results available online or on an app.
Thanks, I’m in Scotland.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
HbA1c is a measure of how much glucose has stuck to your red blood cells. Red blood cells last for approx 120 days, so my measuring how many have been changed by the glucose that has been circulating in your bloodstream you can get an idea of your glucose levels over the past 3-4 months.
You should be given an individual target to aim for depending on your personal circumstances. Keeping your HbA1c as close to your target as you can should help to reduce your risks of developing possible long-term complications of your diabetes.
There’s more information about HbA1c here
What is HbA1c?
HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below. If you're at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, your target HbA1c level should be below 42mmol/mol (6%).
Felinia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Very sorry to hear about your dad, so I can totally understand why it has been hard to come to grips with your diabetes. Now you are ready and can start to make good changes to help yourself for your own benefit. You have already realised that high carb meals make you feel bad, so cutting back should help you feel better. It's best to cut back steadily as too quickly can affect your eyes, particularly as it sounds like you have been high for some time. Various people have made suggestions, from starting with one meal a day, to cutting back by a third for a few weeks, then a bit more and so on. I reduced my carb portions and bulked out with extra veggies and protein.
You have the right idea about going to your GP prepared with questions. The most important thing to learn is your HbA1c, as you need to know where you are starting from. I was seen by a diabetic nurse who gave me targets to aim for, and they are shown in my signature below. She also arranged for me to have the specific eye test, speak to a dietician and go on a course to educate myself. My feet were also tested and my weight and cholesterol measured. For the rest of your life your eyes, feet and HbA1c should be measured at least annually.
For many people all the changes lead to a better quality of life. I was doing OK until I became ill (something different) but am now getting back on track. I now go to the pool 3 times a week for aquafit, where we are all ladies of a certain age, and mostly overweight! Best wishes
You have the right idea about going to your GP prepared with questions. The most important thing to learn is your HbA1c, as you need to know where you are starting from. I was seen by a diabetic nurse who gave me targets to aim for, and they are shown in my signature below. She also arranged for me to have the specific eye test, speak to a dietician and go on a course to educate myself. My feet were also tested and my weight and cholesterol measured. For the rest of your life your eyes, feet and HbA1c should be measured at least annually.
For many people all the changes lead to a better quality of life. I was doing OK until I became ill (something different) but am now getting back on track. I now go to the pool 3 times a week for aquafit, where we are all ladies of a certain age, and mostly overweight! Best wishes
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