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Newbie.

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Jenn day

Jenn day

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello all, I was diagnosed with type 2 just before Christmas so all very new to me.
 
Welcome @Jenn day 🙂 Not a great time to be diagnosed, eh? Are you on any medication for your diabetes?

Do ask anything you want here. No question is too trivial or ‘silly’.
 
Thank you so much for the warm welcome,I’m on sukkarto..I had a blood test in august my numbers was high but the receptionist told me everything was fine I had a letter about a diabetic eye screening this was the first I knew about having diabetes. I was so shocked.
 
Do you know what your test result number was (HbA1C test)? That will show how far into the diabetes zone you are, and give you an idea of how big a change you’ll need to make to get your numbers down.
 
Hi and welcome from me too.

Can you tell us a bit about how your diagnosis came about? ie. Was it a routine blood test or have you been suffering symptoms and if so, which ones?
It also helps to know if you have been prescribed any medication for your diabetes or if you have been given the opportunity to make some lifestyle changes first. It is important to note that life style changes are a vital part of good diabetes management regardless of medication, but if caught early enough, it can sometimes be pushed back into remission with diet and activity changes alone.
Do you know what your HbA1c result was? This the the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and will usually be 48 or more but can be into 3 figures if things have gone badly amiss. This result and follow up blood tests are used to track your diabetes management and ideally you are looking to get it below 42 which means back into the normal range, but any reduction is success, so knowing where you are starting from helps you to know what you are aiming for and will often indicate how significant or minimal the changes are that you need to make.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and assure you that you have found the right place for support and advice here on the forum as it is a goldmine of practical experience from people who have been there and got the T-shirt. Feel free to ask any questions, no matter how trivial they may seem as we all know how overwhelming it all is at first.
 
My number was 45 and 53 I took my daughter with me she has told me this as I ashamed to say wasn’t listening to well I did ask if I could try life style before medication and doctor said no, I have managed to lose a stone in weight since a week before Christmas.
 
I’m confused as to why I don’t need to check my sugars myself I have a blood test in eight weeks. Thank for taking the time to answer.
 
Well done on your weight loss! That will really help 🙂 48 or over is diabetic so your 53 puts you just into the diabetes zone. Many Type 2s here have had higher HbA1Cs eg 73, 89, etc, so you should be reassured but not complacent (it still needs sorting but you should be able to improve it simply).
 
Jenn day said:
I’m confused as to why I don’t need to check my sugars myself I have a blood test in eight weeks. Thank for taking the time to answer.
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@Jenn day You could certainly test your blood sugars at home if you think it would help you. There are a couple of cheap and reliable meters recommended on this forum so don’t buy one without checking here. They can be really useful because you can see what effect certain foods have on your blood sugar. You’ll probably find you can tolerate some carbs better than others.

You’ve made a fabulous first step in losing that weight. If you tweak your daily diet a bit, and increase your exercise, then you’ll be well on your way 🙂
 
Wow! Well done on the weight loss, particularly at this time of year. That is good going!

53 is not a bad score and I would very much hope/expect that if you can continue to make progress on the weight loss (assuming you have more to lose) that you will see an improvement in that result by your next test.

As regards testing. The NHS are only obliged to provide you with a means of testing your own blood if they prescribe you particular medication like Gliclazide or insulin which can drop your levels dangerously low. Metformin (Sukkarto) can't do that and unfortunately many nurses discourage patients from self testing but here on the forum, we consider it an invaluable tool in managing your diabetes because it enables you to see how your body responds to different foods and use that information to tailor your diet to suit your particular version of diabetes and what your body can cope with a avoid your food nemesis, or at least resign it to a rare treat. Many people here self fund their own BG meter for this purpose and find it really helpful and motivating. It gives them power to manage their diabetes better.
The two meters most often recommended for reliability and economy of use for those self funding are the Gluco Navii and the Spirit Health Tee2. Both are available online. If you decide to take this route.... whichever one you choose, you will need at least 2 additional pots of test strips and a box of lancets as you only get 10 with the meter kit and you will go through those in a matter of a day or 2.
 
Thank you for advise. Answer to your question I had no symptoms..I am overweight and I am carrying a lot of weight around my tummy the only thing I have thought about is I had an urgency to urinate apart from that nothing but that has stopped weather due to losing weight or taking medication I’m not sure.
 
Hi Jenn (all the best people, etc! 🙂 ) - the major effect on weight loss is diet - and exercise of course but there again that doesn't mean most of us need to start running marathons - vigorous use of eg vacuum cleaners, dusters etc helps - and a weekly shop at a large supermarket also counts. Plus all helps keep the blood glucose in check.

What changes have you made in these areas and what dose of Sukkarto did they start you on?

Onwards and downward!
 
Hello. I have increased my steps a day and do light workout at home and sukkarto I’m taking 1000mg
 
Hello and welcome. You are only just into the diabetic range, so with your continued weight loss, increased exercise and a modified eating pattern, you should soon hopefully be out of the diabetic range. I am disappointed that you were not encouraged to try lifestyle changes before medication, but some GPs are very quick to prescribe. A lower carb (less than 130gm a day) eating pattern does help a lot of Type 2 diabetics. You can get an app to help monitor your cals and carbs - I find mine invaluable. Happy and healthier New Year
 
Happy new year to you.
Thank you for your support..I too was surprised at this too I did ask him if I can try and he said a straight No which made me feel worse about all this because I don’t like taking tablets..to be honest my appointment was the last in the day and I was wondering if prescribing the tablet was quicker than to explain everything to me I just came out the surgery and cried because I was so confused by it all. I nearly delayed taking the tablet until I tried to lower my numbers myself but I googled things on diabetes and it worried me in to taking it hope one day I will be able to stop taking it I’m not sure if that’s possible even after the weight lose and diet change.
 
Jenn day said:
Happy new year to you.
Thank you for your support..I too was surprised at this too I did ask him if I can try and he said a straight No which made me feel worse about all this because I don’t like taking tablets..to be honest my appointment was the last in the day and I was wondering if prescribing the tablet was quicker than to explain everything to me I just came out the surgery and cried because I was so confused by it all. I nearly delayed taking the tablet until I tried to lower my numbers myself but I googled things on diabetes and it worried me in to taking it hope one day I will be able to stop taking it I’m not sure if that’s possible even after the weight lose and diet change.
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It really is possible. When I was first diagnosed my very enlightened GP allowed me to try diet and exercise, and I reduced from 57 to 48 in 3 months. Would I be right in guessing your GP is from the old school? I've been ill since (unrelated), my glucose shot up, and it's a work in progress to try and get it down again (slight hiccup recently). What it has taught me is that I have to be careful - no slipping back into all my bad habits, but the occasional treat is fine, and all the more enjoyable. Another tip I found useful was using smaller plates, so I use an 8" tea plate for salad or omelettes, a bowl that only holds 250ml for soup, and a 10" dessert plate for my main meal. You'll get plenty of support here and in the Learning Zone. So my New Year resolution is "onward and downward - both weight and HbA1c" :rofl:
 
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I think just the look of me being overweight and admitting I had a very poor diet may of helped him decide this was the only option for me my height is 5ft and I’m 5st over weight..but Iv lost a stone already so Iv proved to myself I can do it especially over the Christmas period, speaking to all you lovely people has lifted my mood no end and I say thank you to all of you, and I hope your feeling better now.
 
Jenn day said:
I think just the look of me being overweight and admitting I had a very poor diet may of helped him decide this was the only option for me my height is 5ft and I’m 5st over weight..but Iv lost a stone already so Iv proved to myself I can do it especially over the Christmas period, speaking to all you lovely people has lifted my mood no end and I say thank you to all of you, and I hope your feeling better now.
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I'm 5'4", 72, a size 22, and would like to lose 6 stone (I've never managed it before in all the years of trying) but I did lose 11kg when I was first ill and most of it has stayed off.
 
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