Newly diagnosed Type 2 and petrified.

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aktowl

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Type 2
Hi everyone,

I'm 35 and have today been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I have 3 children and had gestational diabetes during my last 2 pregnancies but it went away after.

This diagnosis has totally knocked me for six - my eyes are stinging from crying and I just feel so devastated.

My GP wants me to diet and exercise and then have another test in 3 months to see if there's any improvement. He will decide whether or not to prescribe me Metformin depending on how I go over the next few months. My fasting blood sugar was 16 and he says I will never be free of diabetes regardless of how much weight I lose or how fit I get, I will just be able to control it if I'm sensible.

When I had diabetes in pregnancy I had to test my blood sugar 8 times a day and did very well controlling it but my GP has said I won't be given a blood sugar monitor this time. When I was pregnant it was the best way for me to tell what foods did and didn't push my levels up so I'm confused as to how I'm meant to control it now? Aside from the obvious like avoiding sugary foods and stodgy carbs, when I was pregnant there were some things that the diabetic nurse was telling me to eat (one was a particular brand of cereal) but when I did my blood sugar shot through the roof. I found that basically, all I could eat was fish, meat, fruit & veg (but not potatoes). And whilst that was fine for a few months, I would like to think that my diet wouldn't have to be so narrow for the rest of my life. I would feel so much happier if I could test but my GP just said no.

My father works in a hospital and deals with diabetic patients everyday and has told me so many horror stories about them going blind and losing limbs and even dying which has obviously added to me being completely petrified. I feel like I've been given a life sentence at 35 years of age. Losing weight, getting fitter, monitoring every single thing I put in my mouth, never being able to enjoy a meal out with my family ever again, it just feels like a huge mountain I cannot climb.

I realise this may sound dramatic to those who have been living with it for years but I can only be honest about how I'm feeling right now. I'm hoping others felt the same when they were diagnosed.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
 
First of all here's a (((((HUG ))))). Please don't be terrified. It's not a life sentence. I was diagnosed in February and yes I can still eat everything but in moderation. It's up to you how you manage your diabetes through your diet. It comes as a shock to the system but you will manage. There are lots of people on his forum who can support you through their knowledge and experience and put your mind at rest 🙂
 
Hi aktowl, welcome to the forum 🙂 Firstly, please don't be frightened by the stories of the patients your father sees, you have already taken a big step in reducing your potential risks by joining this forum. It shows that you are motivated and determined to learn how to control your diabetes and you already have good knowledge of what you need to do from your previous experiences.

You do need to question your GPs decision not to give you a meter and prescribe some test strips - this is very short-sighted and unhelpful. You may need to fight quite hard to convince the GP that you need these tools in order to gain good control and understanding, and also to retain flexibility in your diet and maintain your quality of life. Please read the following, it may give you some ideas of how you can counter whatever argument your GP has for denying you strips:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Advocacy/test-strips-advocacy-pack-0912.pdf

Restricting access to strips is a very short-term saving, but will place you at risk of potential complications which would be a much greater cost to the NHS, to say nothing of the effect on your quality of life.

Diabetes is a condition that you can control well with the right support and tools at your disposal, Your GP needs to understand that you are someone who can gain real benefits from being allowed to test and learn how best to gain control. You do not need to feel you are trapped with an illness, you can feel happy and healthy with the right support!
 
Welcome to the forum aktowl 🙂
 
Hi aktowl your not alone' I found out im type 2 last saturday I went to see the dr on weds and my dr said the same thing I do not need a monitor I just need to eat healthier and exercise while taking metformin twice daily.I cant
sleep at night and im just worried my wife says it will be ok but mynhead is all over the place im really scared to eat now my dr says Iam 400% more at risk aving a heartattack or blood clot on the brain or going blind I see the nurse next tuesday I feel like my life aswell or im male 42 married and I have 4 beautiful daughters when I look at them I just feel like crying at the moment
 
Welcome aktowl.

I'm guessing that you used insulin when pregnant? Were you told that having gestational diabetes does mean that you are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life? Obviously not good news to be told that, but perhaps slightly better to have an inkling that might happen, alongside actions you can take to lessen risk eg keeping normal weight (or losing weight if overweight), being physically active, perhaps reducing carbohydrate intake in diet. The same actions will continue to protect your body with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Hope your GP will respond to your request to prescribe strips - your experience of using strip data to adjust what you ate when pregnant shows that you will use the information obtained wisely. Most manufacturers will give you a free meter if you phone / contact via their website. Once you know how certain foods affect you, you won't need to use so many strips, perhaps just for unusual meals, a fasting test once in a while, when ill etc - so GP won't be prescribing at the same rate once you're past the initial phase.

If you are overweight, then Weight Loss Group section of this forum is the palce to look for information, advice and support about eating and exercise / activity - it's all about finding activity you enjoy and which fits into your lifestyle. Walking or cycling instead of driving or using public transport for short journeys of up to a couple of miles is a good start.

Taz - while 400% more at risk sounds bad, actually, it's just 5 times "standard" risk. If standard risk is 0.1%, then "your" risk (as a member of the group call people with type 2 diabetes) is now 0.5% - that doesn't sound so bad, does it? And the increase is if you don't make any improvements to your lifestyle, and usually based on statistics built up over past years, whereas medications, monitoring etc have all improved, but stats haven't yet caught up.
 
Hello newly diagnosed peeps 🙂 I'm sure we on the forum can all identify with how you're feeling now. To be given this news is shattering - it knocks you for six. At first there is so much information to take in - it's all too much to cope with and you feel swamped, confused and alone - the future can look very bleak. Life feels very unfair. These are very normal reactions when your life gets knocked out of kilter and everything that was familiar and safe, and that you could take for granted and not think about, now has to be planned for and adjusted. BUT day by day, little by little, you will find you will be able to cope well. There's lots of experience, advice and support here. Do press your doctors for strips - if you can't measure, you can't monitor and if you can't monitor, you can't adjust. Good luck from a fellow mountaineer! The view from the top is worth the climb! 🙂
 
Thank you everybody, for taking the time to reply. I'm glad that what I'm feeling is normal!

I've just bought a glucose monitor online (well, the monitor was free, I just bought the extras) this morning so as soon as it arrives I can start monitoring myself. My GP is a nice enough bloke but what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing and there's no way he will give me a monitor. And to be honest, I can't be bothered to argue with him about it. I will get myself so stressed about it, it's not worth it.

When I had it in pregnancy it was controlled purely with diet, I've never taken any medication at all. I think the highest reading I ever got after eating was 11 and that was just a one off because I'd had rice. It was very well controlled and neither of the babies were very big. My daughter was the heaviest and she was 8lbs 9oz, full term. So my GP always said the diabetes would go away after and it did. I also had my blood sugars tested only 12 months ago and they were completely normal. Since then I've lost over a stone in weight and been eating better than ever - and my reward is diabetes! Lol! I think that's why I'm so taken aback by it.

Taz, I feel for you, I really do. I have 3 very young children and my first thought was them. I feel guilty, like I've let them down, but I can put things right by looking after myself and you can too. Xx

Also, everybody in my family (all 4 of my grandparents) had heart problems. 3 are dead now, 2 through major heart attacks that killed them instantly (1 died in my arms) and the other through cancer but he did have angina. My last remaining grandfather is 87 but has had angina for years. None of them were overweight or smoked or drank alcohol either which is even more frightening. So when it comes to heart problems, I'm basically done for!

I'm determined to get hold of this thing and not let it control me or ruin my life in any way. Now I've slept on it, I feel like I'm taking the first tiny steps towards accepting it and as always I have been thinking about ways in which it could be worse. There will be somebody, somewhere in the world, my age, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer yesterday. I'm sure they would switch places with me in a heart beat! My Dad always says to me that "there's always some folk worse of than you so be thankful" and he is right.

Thanks again for the support and I look forward to being a part of this support network. xxx
 
Howdy! Don't listen to the scare stories! If you can control your diabetes you will more than likely be fine.

In October this year I will be four years into my post diagnosis period. Apart from the first three months, I have been diet and exercise only and am controlling my levels without any problem (so far!).

It's basically down to using my meter properly (and sorry to 'dis' your GP, but this is one thing he clearly doesn't know about!! 😉), changing my diet, upping my exercise and losing the weight.

Anyway, here's hoping your D journey is a smooth one!

Andy 🙂
 
Hi

Hi there

I was told the same as you, no monitor also, but still working on that. 🙂 Don't worry too much yes you will have to make some changes, but they will be for the better anyway. I have reduced my carbs and stopped eating biscuits, cakes and chocs, I have also started the couch to 5k running programme and started going to zumba with friends. I would say my life has improved. I'm hoping I don't have to go on medication just yet I will find out in July with my next blood test. Honestly everyone here is in the same boat and it's not as bad as you think, a friend of mine who has been diabetic for over 20 years, told me not to listen to the scare stories or look at pictures on the internet, if I control my glucose well then I will be fine. 🙂 Good luck with whatever happens but you will get through it and come out the otherside feeling much better.
 
Chin up Aktowl,

First of all i'm still in the learning stages so i can't offer much advice other than simply cut down on meal sizes or even spread them throughout the day to start the diet. With regards to excersize start off by having short walks. If you drive park a little further than you normally would.

I was in tears when i found out and the nursey had to give me a hug. Main thing is be strong and remain positive. Hopefully you will have found out about it early enough so now its simply a case of controlling it.
 
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