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Newly diagnosed and confused type 2!

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K

Kerri Wood

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi there, I was diagnosed last Wednesday with type 2 and was given no information at all and told to book an initial diabetes discussion with the nurse, which I attended this morning. My fasting blood result was 6.6. Apparently back in March I had a result of 5.9 which I was never told. When I rang for results the receptionist told me results were clear. Doctor then told me a couple of weeks ago that 5.9 is borderline and now I have crossed that line and have type 2 diabetes.

I have just got back from my appointment with the nurse who didn't really think I have diabetes and said that she will test me again in a month and told me that I "can get rid of this"!! I just need to lose weight and it will be gone! Well from my own research I know this not to be true (please correct me if I am wrong) she gave me a leaflet with diet advice on. She wasn't going to give me a blood glucose monitor but when I told her that I feel like I fluctuate up and down a lot she agreed to let me have one. She told me to test my blood sugar level before breakfast and once more again a couple of hours after dinner. Not sure that this is correct! I have other complications which are high blood pressure also newly diagnosed about 4 weeks ago, blood in my urine for which I am waiting on a referral to urology and at I recent hospital visit I was told that I have grade 1 hypertensive retinal changes of silver wiring. I wasn't actually told this it was just written on my discharge notes!

I am kinda understanding the dietary side of things although there is so much conflicting information out there including what the nurse told me. I am not sure when I should be testing blood sugar and whether or not I need to take any immediate action if it is high or low? The monitor I was given seems pretty straight forward and I was given a prescription for more testing strips but what do I do about the needle in the lancet? I have about 10 included in my kit. Do I use one just once? How do I get hold of more? When the nurse fish my blood sugar this morning it was 8.9 this was about an hour after a cereal bar. She said that it was a normal reading, is this correct? My ex father in law tested me about 4 hours after eating a sandwich last week and my result was 4.5 which he told me was normal.

Very confused and would very much appreciate any advice or answers to my questions. Sorry for the huge first post and thanks in advance, Kerri xx
 
Welcome!
Did you not get a prescription for more lancets, or a sharps container! The lancets are meant to be single use but many people reuse without any problem!
Most useful way to test is before a meal and 2 hours after so you can see which foods are pushing up your bloods. So you can then reduce the amount of that food or avoid eating!
8.9 is outside the upper limits of normal.
4-7 before meals is the goal.
Below 8.5 2 hours after meals.
 
Thanks for your reply that's a great help! No prescription for lancets or a sharps container! Might have to ring the surgery and ask about that. Thanks again xx
 
Also ask about your local disposal arrangements as they vary around the country!
 
Hi Kerri and welcome to the forum.
 
Welcome to the forum, Kerry. Lots of lovely people on here who can answer any questions you have. And I'm sure you have lots of questions.:D
 
grovesy said:
Welcome!
Did you not get a prescription for more lancets, or a sharps container! The lancets are meant to be single use but many people reuse without any problem!
Most useful way to test is before a meal and 2 hours after so you can see which foods are pushing up your bloods. So you can then reduce the amount of that food or avoid eating!
8.9 is outside the upper limits of normal.
4-7 before meals is the goal.
Below 8.5 2 hours after meals.
Click to expand...

Welcome Kerri.
Just a few points for a newbie.
1. Your meter is only about 15% accurate so 8.9 is nothing to worry about (your blood could easily have been 8.0).
2. read the ingredients labels on foods, especially the sugar/carbohydrate content. Your cereal bar is not usually a recomended food item as they can be high in carbohydrates (sugars).
3. I only change lancets when it starts getting painful (p.s. test on the side of your finger and not the pad). Put the little disk off the new lancet onto the sharp bit of the old lancet before removing from the lancing device.
4. phone your surgery and ask for sharps container or use a soft drinks can and tape up the top before disposal.
5. Foods that increase your blood sugar: sugar (of course), bread, especially white bread, starchy root veg(e.g. potatoes), anything made from wheat, corn etc (so most breakfast cereals, pasta), rice. The addition of oil/fat to a food will reduce the immediate impact of carb rich food.
At this stage you probably should be just reducing the amount of food you eat and monitoring what is bad for you. We are all different, if you browse this board you will see that some people can tolerate pasta and others cannot.
 
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