Newly Diagnosed - Given Metformin

[Leadinglights]

As I suffer from ibs and diverticulitis, tablets of any kind cause me a lot of stomach issues.… I’m flabbergasted that there is a slow release version and the doctor didn’t offer it to me knowing my problems with meds!!!

Many people find by reducing carbs improves their IBS symptoms but I can appreciate you do need to be careful that the foods you have are suitable.
The sort of things I have for breakfast are, either full fat Greek yoghurt with berries and about 15g of a low sugar granola or All Bran or eggs, boiled, fried with bacon and mushrooms or tomato, cheese on toast with poached egg, scrambled egg with smoked salmon, I am fine with 1 slice of toast. Lunch is often home made soup, ryvita or similar with cooked meat, or tinned fish, cheese, salad and half an apple or pear. Dinner can be anything like curry, chilli, meat or fish with salad or mixed veg, I tend to have butternut squash rather than potatoes or half a bread roll. Desert can be sugarfree jelly with some berries in with cream, strawberries and cream, Kvarg or high protein yoghurt with some seeds, fruit crumble with the topping made with ground almonds, granola, seeds, and butter with some erythritol for sweetener.

 

[Leadinglights]

Th

Tgis is really helpful. I’ll miss rice. I make curries (I’ll need to check carbs in it though now) and I cannot imagine not having rice but you’ve given me some great ideas! I’m assuming you aren’t needing to lose weight having full fat stuff? My head is awash with everything right now!

As long as you cut the carbs then full fat is not a problem even if you need to lose weight. Many low fat products are higher in carbs than full fat.

 

[rebrascora]

I could probably do with losing a few lbs but if I got my backside into gear and did some more brisk walking it would go without compromising the fat in my diet, which is what makes low carb eating sustainable/enjoyable and keeps the hunger pangs at bay for me. This is long term for the rest of my life, not a short term diet and I plan to make that as long as possible, so I see my BG management and enjoying my food as more important than my weight, which I can tackle in other ways.

 

[Lynne888]

Many people find by reducing carbs improves their IBS symptoms but I can appreciate you do need to be careful that the foods you have are suitable.
The sort of things I have for breakfast are, either full fat Greek yoghurt with berries and about 15g of a low sugar granola or All Bran or eggs, boiled, fried with bacon and mushrooms or tomato, cheese on toast with poached egg, scrambled egg with smoked salmon, I am fine with 1 slice of toast. Lunch is often home made soup, ryvita or similar with cooked meat, or tinned fish, cheese, salad and half an apple or pear. Dinner can be anything like curry, chilli, meat or fish with salad or mixed veg, I tend to have butternut squash rather than potatoes or half a bread roll. Desert can be sugarfree jelly with some berries in with cream, strawberries and cream, Kvarg or high protein yoghurt with some seeds, fruit crumble with the topping made with ground almonds, granola, seeds, and butter with some erythritol for sweetener.

There’s more choices of food there than I thought possible! I make soups but I read somewhere that carrots should be avoided which seems odd. I’m sure once I get my head around it I’ll enjoy more of a range of food than I do now! I was looking at ryvita yesterday, I don’t like it (although haven’t tried it for years) but willing to give it a second chance but the carbs still seemed high. I’m grateful of all the ideas. I don’t feel as out of my depth as I did before coming here for support.

 

[Gwynn]

I found all sorts of foods that, in years gone by, I didn't like, but as my taste buds 'recoved' on my new low carb, higher fats, higher protein diet, my tastes changed and many of those 'horrid' foods actually tasted really good.

For example, I always hated sprouts and would force myself to eat just one a year as part of our Christmas meal tradition. They always tasted disgusting to me.

But now, with a completely retrained palette I just love sprouts !!! Who'd have thought it !!!

Same is true of carrots, cauliflower, pears, All Bran !, tofu, garlic things, you name it. I still have my hates but perhaps they will diminish over time as my 'new way of eating' continues. The thing that really helped me was experimentation and being prepared to try old 'enemies' again (with an open mind).

My food choices now are much wider and much more interesting and much healthier than before.

It takes time to build up a 'recipe book' of new meals, but the journey can be exciting and revealing.

 

[Lynne888]

I found all sorts of foods that, in years gone by, I didn't like, but as my taste buds 'recoved' on my new low carb, higher fats, higher protein diet, my tastes changed and many of those 'horrid' foods actually tasted really good.

For example, I always hated sprouts and would force myself to eat just one a year as part of our Christmas meal tradition. They always tasted disgusting to me.

But now, with a completely retrained palette I just love sprouts !!! Who'd have thought it !!!

Same is true of carrots, cauliflower, pears, All Bran !, tofu, garlic things, you name it. I still have my hates but perhaps they will diminish over time as my 'new way of eating' continues. The thing that really helped me was experimentation and being prepared to try old 'enemies' again (with an open mind).

My food choices now are much wider and much more interesting and much healthier than before.

It takes time to build up a 'recipe book' of new meals, but the journey can be exciting and revealing.

Sprouts? I absolutely love them and always have so bring them on! Never tried tofu, wouldn’t know what to do with it! I buy low fat stuff but it seems I shouldn’t be doing that. Fruit will be hard for me as I am restricted with ibs as it is, so I tend to have grapes and pineapple a lot. That’s out. I do like watermelon and it looks like that’s a good option. Bananas are my weakness. I love them. I won’t be able to cut them out completely so I will have to restrict them and count in the carbs. Bread of course (French bread slathered with butter). I could cry You can see why I’ve gained so much weight! I’m determined though. I’ve got no choice I have to turn this around.

 

[Leadinglights]

There’s more choices of food there than I thought possible! I make soups but I read somewhere that carrots should be avoided which seems odd. I’m sure once I get my head around it I’ll enjoy more of a range of food than I do now! I was looking at ryvita yesterday, I don’t like it (although haven’t tried it for years) but willing to give it a second chance but the carbs still seemed high. I’m grateful of all the ideas. I don’t feel as out of my depth as I did before coming here for support.

At one time there was one type of Ryvita now there are all sorts of flavours, grain mix etc and they do vary a bit in carbs but they are a bit like sawdust. There are other similar 'crackers' so worth browsing the shop websites for carb values and comparing. Oat cakes like the Nairn ones are not bad either. But it does come down to how many you have. Check the carbs for the fruits which suit you and adjust your portion accordingly. Bananas are a no no for some people.
I make soups and find courgette and brie, broccoli and stilton, leek, celery and sugarsnap or mangetout or butternut squash and red pepper all make good soups. I just don't use potato in any of them. A dollop of Philadelphia helps the texture if needed.

 

[silentsquirrel]

You don't have to have a whole banana!
I don't miss banana at all, so don't have it, but with apple, pear, orange, plum, nectarine I will have 1/4 or 1/2 a fruit depending on size.

I have a non-D OH who is happy to eat the rest, but otherwise there is clingfilm.

 

[rebrascora]

Yes, I very occasionally treat myself to a banana and have half one day (usually with some cream or creamy yoghurt to slow the sugar release) and half the next. I will bargain with myself that I can treat myself to this if I go out for a nice long walk.

 

[Gwynn]

@rebrascora yup I do the same exercise vs calories and I have 50g (half of a whole) banana every morning. I think it is better than lashings of sugar.

 

[trophywench]

@Lynne888 - Most Ryvita are approx 6g carb each. 1 cream cracker is 5g. (and a Ryvita is at least twice the dimensions) One slice of medium sliced bread is about 15/16/17g.

Nobody ever suggested you eat HIGH fat - just don't cut down on it, so just eat NORMAL fat. And Oh yes, I adore a chunk of crusty baguette with THICK butter on it - but be 100% honest - that ain't 'normal' fat, now is it?

 

[Lynne888]

You don't have to have a whole banana!
I don't miss banana at all, so don't have it, but with apple, pear, orange, plum, nectarine I will have 1/4 or 1/2 a fruit depending on size.

I have a non-D OH who is happy to eat the rest, but otherwise there is clingfilm.

I shall do this!! Thank you! I’m so greedy I never thought to cut in half! I’m not willing to give them up completely. I love them so this is a good compromise

 

[Lynne888]

@Lynne888 - Most Ryvita are approx 6g carb each. 1 cream cracker is 5g. (and a Ryvita is at least twice the dimensions) One slice of medium sliced bread is about 15/16/17g.

Nobody ever suggested you eat HIGH fat - just don't cut down on it, so just eat NORMAL fat. And Oh yes, I adore a chunk of crusty baguette with THICK butter on it - but be 100% honest - that ain't 'normal' fat, now is it?

You’re right Jenny. It’s not normal fat but then I wouldn’t be diabetic if I ate normally I’m going to try the rivita again. Maybe the new varieties will be more palatable (or not!)

 

[Lynne888]

At one time there was one type of Ryvita now there are all sorts of flavours, grain mix etc and they do vary a bit in carbs but they are a bit like sawdust. There are other similar 'crackers' so worth browsing the shop websites for carb values and comparing. Oat cakes like the Nairn ones are not bad either. But it does come down to how many you have. Check the carbs for the fruits which suit you and adjust your portion accordingly. Bananas are a no no for some people.
I make soups and find courgette and brie, broccoli and stilton, leek, celery and sugarsnap or mangetout or butternut squash and red pepper all make good soups. I just don't use potato in any of them. A dollop of Philadelphia helps the texture if needed.

I’ll happily experiment with soup. I’ve yet to make one I haven’t liked. Good tip about the Philly! I’ve been shopping and armed myself with better choices for food.

 

[Gwynn]

The important thing is to calculate or look up the carbs for the ingredients that make up a meal, so you know what you are eating across the day. Personally I am not too fond of guessing but some people are good at that.

Once you have a list of foods, meals and their carb content then it becomes easier to work out the carb load for the day and you can chopnand change to suit your personsl diet strategy.

Ahh, the food diary....

 

[Lynne888]

I check the carbs on everything now (some stuff is shocking) and I put all the food I eat in My Fitness Pal and it works out how much I've had for the day, carbs, protein, and calories. I've had great advice and I've bought dips and celery so that if I'm starving at 9PM I won't have a bag of crisps! As a chocoholic, I'm going to be hell to live with for a while!

 

[trophywench]

It’s not normal fat but then I wouldn’t be diabetic if I ate normally

I did eat normally and it didn't help me 'not get' diabetes.

I don't low carb. I've never eaten very much more than 100g carb a day, usually nearer 80-ish g.

OK I have T1 and you have T2 - BUT if neither of us had the genes which enable one or t'other, we still wouldn't have diabetes. Perhaps eating too much exacerbated your T2, nobody can possibly ever guess - but unless they genetically test everyone at birth and tell us we have genes which predispose us to this that or the other - it's in the lap of the Gods whether we get that.

 

[rebrascora]

but I read somewhere that carrots should be avoided which seems odd. I’

Carrots are a root vegetable and whilst not as starchy as potatoes or as sweet as wsweet potatoes and parsnips, thay are still one of the higher carb veggies. I find I am not too bad with carrots and more importantly beetroot (particularly pickled which I love) don't seem to impact my levels at all, so it can be quite individual.
Please don't lose sight of the fact that you are only just over the diabetic threshold so you really shouldn't need to make wholesale changes and do go steady with the changes that you make..... just reduce portion sizes and make up for it with more veggies.

As a chocoholic, I'm going to be hell to live with for a while!

I still eat chocolate but I now buy 70%+ dark chocolate and a half a square with a spoon of peanut butter replaces the whole bar of milk chocolate I would have eaten pre diagnosis.

 

[Lynne888]

Carrots are a root vegetable and whilst not as starchy as potatoes or as sweet as wsweet potatoes and parsnips, thay are still one of the higher carb veggies. I find I am not too bad with carrots and more importantly beetroot (particularly pickled which I love) don't seem to impact my levels at all, so it can be quite individual.
Please don't lose sight of the fact that you are only just over the diabetic threshold so you really shouldn't need to make wholesale changes and do go steady with the changes that you make..... just reduce portion sizes and make up for it with more veggies.

I still eat chocolate but I now buy 70%+ dark chocolate and a half a square with a spoon of peanut butter replaces the whole bar of milk chocolate I would have eaten pre diagnosis.

I’m not a lover of dark chocolate but I have bought some to try and wean myself off! I need to lose weight so cutting down is a good thing right now. I’m watching carbs but I’m not going to go mad. I’m hoping that by just losing weight regardless will have a good impact on reversing my diabetes. The annoying thing for me is that I’ve had bloods taken several times over the past three years and no one from the surgery has ever told me I was pre diabetic. You’d think they’d have given me a chance to stall things!

 

[jeanettevagg]

As long as you cut the carbs then full fat is not a problem even if you need to lose weight. Many low fat products are higher in carbs than full fat.

Hi
I’m new here, newly diagnosed in April my Hba1c was 93, sudden onset following really severe Covid. I refused meds and said I’d follow Keto for 3 months and recheck my bloods, I have lost 34lbs and my Hba1c is now 55 but I’m really disappointed. Should my figure be lower or is it normal to take longer to come right down, my diet is very low carb so I don’t understand why it’s still so high, any help would be gratefully received