Newbie

[Parker2901]

Good morning,

I recently had some bloods done got the results on Monday saying I've got diabetes but i gotta have another blood test to determine which one, i deal with diabetes in my job on a daily basis (I'm a live-in carer) and my mam has had it for over 26 year's but I'm so scared about it when it comes to myself my head is feeling really overwhelmed with it at the I'm not sure what i need to do or what i should be doing.

Any advice would be so grateful my nurse said I'm potentially looking at type 2 I've got an appointment on the 29th to see the nurse to start everything, but I'm really scared it's all i can think about.

 

[Sussexmax]

Hello! Hope you’re ok, I was in the same position as you before being told I’m type 2. I know what you mean, there’s so much to take in and new rules of what you can and can’t do, but there’s lots of information and new treatments so I’m sure we’ll get through. Good luck and hope it goes well.

 

[Sophie DUK]

Hey @Parker2901, welcome to the forum and I hope you're ok. This is a really great place to chat to others who may be feeling or have felt the same. You're not alone in this! We also have the lovely helpline team who will be more than happy to chat to you, if you did want a bit of support or a chat before your next appointment? You can call them on 0345 123 2399 Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm 🙂 And definitely ask away on here too.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Parker2901

It’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed by your diagnosis in the beginning - and even though you’ve had experience of diabetes in the past, it’s quite different when it’s your own diagnosis I think.

Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that being told they had diabetes became a sort of catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years, but never quite managed.

Were you told the result of your HbA1c? This can help you understand your starting point, and how significant the changes you need to consider making to your menu are likely to be.

Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a brutally honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with a reasonable estimate of the total carbohydrate content (not just ‘of which sugars’) in your meals and snacks. It might sound like a bit of a faff, and will involve weighing portions, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu, because it is the carbohydrates you are eating that your body is beginning to have difficulty processing.

That doesn’t mean you have to try to avoid carbs entirely. Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the diary might suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’). Tweaking your menu and modifying your carb intake can hugely help your metabolism to keep blood glucose levels in check.

Good luck, and keep asking away with any questions 🙂