been diagnosed three weeks ago after going to the doctors for something completely different, tested me for all sorts of things and came back I’m type 2 diabetic. I’m struggling to accept and cope with the diagnosis. My parents have type 1 insulin dependant and have both got renal failure, it’s something I’m scared of too. My gp has been no use, although they referred me to a x-pert diabetes course to learn more, but I’m overwhelmed by it all tbh. I think I’ll find more out from people who actually have diabetes. Thank you for reading. Any info is appreciated, I’m currently on metformin and struggling with any appetite at all.
Hi Julie, welcome to the forum
🙂 I understand that you are worried, particularly since it was completely unexpected, and in light of your parents' experiences, but thankfully there are are some considerations that will hopefully make you feel much more optimistic. I'm guessing that your parents have had their diagnoses for quite a long time? The good news is that there is much more knowledge about, and much better treatments available for diabetes, than there used to be - and this is improving every day. Although diabetes is a serious condition, it can be managed very well with the right information and application, and often leads people to become much happier and helathier than they have been for some time prior to diagnosis - we have living proof of this among our many members who have found their way through
🙂
The first thing to bear in mind is to not become overwhelmed by the huge amount of information available. Getting good blood sugar control is a gradual learning process - there are no 'quick fixes', you need to find what works well for you, with guidance, and through your own personal experiences.
I would recommend starting by reading
Maggie Davey's letter, which will give you a very good overview of diabetes and how to approach managing it well
🙂 I'd also recommend getting hold of a copy of
Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, which is highly recommended by many of our members, and will guide you through these early months. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint, so don't feel you need to 'solve' everything overnight. Drastic changes may be unsustainable, and you need to develop a way of life and making food choices that you can stick with long-term. Your tastes will probably change over time as you become more accustomed to the choices you can safely make, and you are allowed occasional 'treats', so don't feel you will be condemned to a highly-restrictive and unappetising diet! There are many alternatives to the traditional carbs we have become accustomed to eating, that will be kinder to your blood sugar levels and just as - if not more - tasty and appealing
🙂 Have a browse of the Food and Recipes section for some of the great ideas some of our members have posted about
🙂
The key to managing your diabetes is being aware of the amount and type of carbohydrates you consume. So, things like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, as well as sweet, sugary things, all need careful consideration. I would suggest starting a food diary and keeping it for a couple of weeks so you can make an accurate assessment of your current carb consumption - write down the amount of carbs, in grams, in everything you eat and drink so you can determine your average daily consumption (you can use the information on packaging or a book like the
Collins Gem Carb Counter). You will then be able to use this diary to look for areas where you might be able to reduce the carb content of your meals, perhaps by reducing portions or by replacing e.g. less potato and more green veg.
Probably the most useful tool you can use to determine how well you tolerate your food choices is a home blood glucose meter -your parents no doubt already use these to assess how much insulin they need to give. If you don't have one, do ask your nurse or GP for one, and a prescription for strips. If they refuse (usually saying you don't need to test, but actually on short-term cost-saving grounds
) then it is really worth getting your own and using it whilst you work out how different foods affect you. The cheapest option we have come across is the
SD Codefree Meter which has
test strips at around £8 for 50. For a great explanation how to use testing to work out your tolerances for different food choices, read the excellent
Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S 🙂 Tolerances gan vary greatly from person to person, so you need to know how you are personally affected so you can tailor your diet to suit you as an individual, and also allows you to keep a diet that is as flexible and appealing as possible, without needing to go to extremes.
Something to bear in mind, given that both your parents are Type 1, is that you may actually have a slow-onset Type 1 yourself, so do keep a close eye on how you are feeling and if things don't seem to be improving at all, or even getting worse, do go back to the doctors and ask them about the possibility, if it hasn't already been considered. Much of the information I have given here will still apply, but there are also some different considerations if you use insulin.
I've probably just overwhelmed you myself with all this!
😱 😉 But do please take your time to read through it all, and let us know if you have ANY questions - we will be more than happy to help
🙂 I look forward to hearing more from you
🙂
