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Newbie

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Kevin McGuinness

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Type 2
Hi I am new to here . I have type 2 Diabetes and was first diagnosed in 2014 . Due to high glucose levels I have begun taking 1 metformin tablet a day . I am struggling to sleep at night , feeling really tired some days and have had my blood tested on a couple of occasions , averaging around 9 each time . I have stuck to my diet since being diagnosed but I am starting to run out of ideas . Could anyone suggest any ideas and could I get a meter on prescription or have to purchase one myself ? . If so which one would you recommend ? Please could anyone help
Thanks
Kevin of Darlington
 
Hi Kevin and welcome to the forum. Have you tried reducing the amount of carbs you eat. Some Dr's will give you a meter but it's very rare for them to give them to type 2's, as a lot don't feel that they need to test. If you are going to buy a meter the SD codefree meter is one of the cheapest ones for test strips, a pot of 50 is about £7. The accu check ones are about £30 for a pot of 50.
 
Thank you for reply . I have no idea about carbs , only to look for reduced or no sugar foods . I have noticed that some of the colour coding may only apply to a portion of the product not the product as a whole .
 
Welcome from another T2. Diagnosed December 2014. Have you been having HbA1c tests? What where the results?
Has the doctor said anything about how you're feeling. I feel that way too, did before I was diagnosed.
Youre right about the labeling.
 
I had dry throat infection in leg swelling of legs continuous heart burn . Luckily the symptoms disappeared after change of diet but lately some symptoms were starting to surface , hence starting on metformin 500mg daily . Not seen a doctor for over a year only diabetic nurse who seem to rush appointment.
 
Did you see the doctor at the time of the leg infection? I'd suggest seeing the doctor. I had cellulitis (infection in the leg), and this is why I was diagnosed diabetic. My leg swelled and became red. It was treated and I believe it's been gone a year.
 
Sounds about right Kevin!

One of the easiest ways to reduce you BG levels is to restrict your intake of white foods. By that I mean anything with flour in it, ie pasta, bread, biscuits and cake. Also rice has a big impact on BG levels with some diabetics.

Welcome to the forum. If you have any questions just ask away.
 
Hardly eat a biscuit no cakes only eat 7 seeded brown bread only occasionally rice . Did see doctor when leg was infected last visit to the nurse was informed my cholesterol was slightly high but I'm not due to see the nurse again for two and a half months .
 
Kevin McGuinness said:
Thank you for reply . I have no idea about carbs , only to look for reduced or no sugar foods . I have noticed that some of the colour coding may only apply to a portion of the product not the product as a whole .
Click to expand...
Most foods have the carb values on the back of the pack. The traffic light information is not that helpful to be honest.

You may wish to invest in a copy of Carbs and Cals as well which will give you more of an insight into what the carbohydrate value of various foods is.

If you do get a meter the best plan is to test before you eat and then two hours afterwards to see how various foods affect you. As a type two the recommendations are that before meals your levels should be between 4 - 7 mmol/l and up to 8.5 2 hours after eating with a rise of 2 or less from your pre meal reading being ideal.

Oh and welcome to the forum 🙂
 
Kevin McGuinness said:
Hi I am new to here . I have type 2 Diabetes and was first diagnosed in 2014 . Due to high glucose levels I have begun taking 1 metformin tablet a day . I am struggling to sleep at night , feeling really tired some days and have had my blood tested on a couple of occasions , averaging around 9 each time . I have stuck to my diet since being diagnosed but I am starting to run out of ideas . Could anyone suggest any ideas and could I get a meter on prescription or have to purchase one myself ? . If so which one would you recommend ? Please could anyone help
Thanks
Kevin of Darlington
Click to expand...
Hi Kevin, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear you are struggling a bit, hopefully we can help you to get things under control and start feeling stronger and brighter 🙂 Testing your blood is a really good move as it will tell you what foods you tolerate well and what you might need to reduce or avoid in your diet. As mentioned, the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50. I'd suggest reading Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to get a good idea of the reasons to test, and how to do it efficiently so you don't waste money 🙂 Also, it's worth reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter to get a better understanding of what diabetes is all about, and even though this isn't your first year, I would highly recommend getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. The more you know and understand, the better equipped you are to tackle it, lower your risks and improve your health 🙂

Regarding diet, you might find it useful to investigate the GL diet, which shows how to choose and combine foods that will have a slow and steady release of energy, and so be kinder to your blood sugar levels - The GL Diet for Dummies is a great introduction 🙂

Let us know if you have any questions and we will be more than happy to help! 🙂 Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum Kevin.
 
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