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Samdon

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Type 2
Hi

I have just had confirmation today that I now have diabetes. Although half expecting it, still a shock and left my GP surgery with information and medication.

I am finding it all a mind field at the moment, and trying to work out what I can and can not eat.

For the time being, I will be looking through the forums, and probably asking some stupid questions so be kind.
 
Hi and welcome from me too.

What medication have you been given and do you know your HbA1c result? This is the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and will be a number in excess of 47 since you have a formal diagnosis, but it can be up into 3 figures if things have gone seriously amiss. Knowing that figure helps you to keep track of your progress but also to have an idea of how minimal or significant the changes you need to make are. ie. If you are just in the 50s then some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle should enable you to push it back. If you are 80+ then obviously more significant changes may be needed.

There is a lot of conflicting information particularly around diet with diabetes and that is partly because there is more information known now but old school advice is still perpetuated even within the NHS and secondly because we all react slightly differently to different foods. Our gut biome (the bacteria which help breakdown our food) can vary from one person to another, our metabolism can vary, our activity levels vary and our tastes vary..... plus lots of other things like culture and appetite etc. What we advocate here on the forum is to invest in a Blood Glucose (BG) test meter and use it to test immediately before eating a meal and then 2 hours afterwards and this will sow you (in numbers) how your body coped with that food. Using this testing strategy, we can adjust our individual diet to suit our body's response and tastes. For instance some people can get away with porridge which has typically been advised for Type 2 diabetics as it has a reputation for slow release, but some of us find that it sends our BG into orbit and it is therefore not a good choice whereas others can eat it with only a minor increase in their levels. Lentils and peanuts seem to release twice as much glucose as they are supposed to contain when I eat them but others find they are a good choice. Testing is the way to find what works for you and your body.

Test kits can be bought relatively cheaply and some companies even give their meter away if you contact them, but be aware that they make their money on the consumables and in particular the test strips which are not universal, so whichever meter you get, you are tied to buying strips for that meter. Therefore it is best to find a meter which has the most affordable test strips.... Most of us reuse the lancets for finger pricking as long as they are just for our own use.
If you are interested in getting a BG meter, the 2 most frequently recommended by people who self fund on the forum as being reliable and economical to use are the Spirit Healthcare Tee2 and the Gluco Navii. There may be others slightly cheaper on the market but we have had occasional negative posts about them whereas these 2 are well tried and tested with good customer services.

Anyway, ask away with any silly questions you have..... In reality, the only silly one is you if you don't ask them. Don't worry that they might have been asked a hundred times before. We were all new to this once and know how overwhelming it is and we all know that knowledge is empowering and the forum is a gold mine of knowledge, personal experience and practical tips, so make use of it as much as you can.
 
rebrascora said:
Hi and welcome from me too.

What medication have you been given and do you know your HbA1c result? This is the blood test used to diagnose diabetes and will be a number in excess of 47 since you have a formal diagnosis, but it can be up into 3 figures if things have gone seriously amiss. Knowing that figure helps you to keep track of your progress but also to have an idea of how minimal or significant the changes you need to make are. ie. If you are just in the 50s then some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle should enable you to push it back. If you are 80+ then obviously more significant changes may be needed.

There is a lot of conflicting information particularly around diet with diabetes and that is partly because there is more information known now but old school advice is still perpetuated even within the NHS and secondly because we all react slightly differently to different foods. Our gut biome (the bacteria which help breakdown our food) can vary from one person to another, our metabolism can vary, our activity levels vary and our tastes vary..... plus lots of other things like culture and appetite etc. What we advocate here on the forum is to invest in a Blood Glucose (BG) test meter and use it to test immediately before eating a meal and then 2 hours afterwards and this will sow you (in numbers) how your body coped with that food. Using this testing strategy, we can adjust our individual diet to suit our body's response and tastes. For instance some people can get away with porridge which has typically been advised for Type 2 diabetics as it has a reputation for slow release, but some of us find that it sends our BG into orbit and it is therefore not a good choice whereas others can eat it with only a minor increase in their levels. Lentils and peanuts seem to release twice as much glucose as they are supposed to contain when I eat them but others find they are a good choice. Testing is the way to find what works for you and your body.

Test kits can be bought relatively cheaply and some companies even give their meter away if you contact them, but be aware that they make their money on the consumables and in particular the test strips which are not universal, so whichever meter you get, you are tied to buying strips for that meter. Therefore it is best to find a meter which has the most affordable test strips.... Most of us reuse the lancets for finger pricking as long as they are just for our own use.
If you are interested in getting a BG meter, the 2 most frequently recommended by people who self fund on the forum as being reliable and economical to use are the Spirit Healthcare Tee2 and the Gluco Navii. There may be others slightly cheaper on the market but we have had occasional negative posts about them whereas these 2 are well tried and tested with good customer services.

Anyway, ask away with any silly questions you have..... In reality, the only silly one is you if you don't ask them. Don't worry that they might have been asked a hundred times before. We were all new to this once and know how overwhelming it is and we all know that knowledge is empowering and the forum is a gold mine of knowledge, personal experience and practical tips, so make use of it as much as you can.
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Thank you for your reply.
I have been put on Meformin 500mg 1 tablet a day for a week, then 2 for a week then up to 3. My HbAC1 is 51. I have purchased a blood test kit as it will keep me on track.
I did have gestational diabetes but that was 20 years ago now, and been told by my GP that this is now being studied.
There is so much to take on board, but I think it is more wanting to do it right, and a lot of overthinking
 
There is every good chance you can turn this around by making some dietary changes as 51mmol/mol is not desperately high, just over the diagnostic threshold so a bit disappointing that you have not been given the opportunity with dietary changes before starting the medication. It may be they are thinking that having had gestational diabetes you are going to need extra help with the metformin but if it was so long ago it seems unlikely.
Many do find a low carb approach will be successful at reducing blood glucose and helping you lose weight if you need to, this link may help you with some ideas if that is the way that interests you. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
It has good sensible information.
Some people opt for other ways and there are various menu plans on the main DUK site.
I started off with an HbA1C of 50 and followed the principals in the link and reduced my HbA1C to 42 in 3 months no meds and to 39 after another few months and still there 2 years on but still sticking with what has become my new way of eating.
 
Welcome to the forum @Samdon - there’s no such thing as a silly question here - only the ones you don‘t ask!

Most of the answers will start to sound very familiar though - as diabetes can be fiercely individual, and even slightly illogical at times. So the answer to many questions will often be variations of ‘it depends’, ‘there’s no one way that works for everyone’, or ‘you will have to work that out for yourself really, here’s how I did that’. 🙂

Fortunately diabetes is a condition which generally responds well to a bit of attention, some experimentation, and a few modest changes to menu and activity. There are some general principles and guidelines, but you’ll see that there are lots of different approaches, and varying combinations of strategies being used by members here. In time you’ll develop your own diabetes toolkit which gives you the results you are looking for, and suits your own individual diabetes 🙂
 
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