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Newly diagnosed Type2

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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Greenman07

New Member
Hi

I have recently been diagnosed type 2 diabetes which to be honest has been quite alarming having read loads of and minefield of information about diabetes. Since diagnosis I was told very little during a five minute phone call, plus the bad news was transmitted by the GP practice nurse following blood tests with no direct contact with the GP at all following tests. I have a further appointment again with practice nurse on 8th December which I am not looking forward to as I haven’t a clue about my diabetic figures mmol/l or HbA1c levels or the method or treatment I can expect.
 
Hi and welcome
Firstly I would say stop worrying. If your result was sky high they would have you on meds already. Secondly don't believe everything you read. Everyone is different and we all have to find our own way of making our body and lifestyle healthy.
One of the best things you can do is to get yourself a blood glucose (BG) meter with a good amount of test strips. The GlucoNavii has the cheapest test strips currently - us type 2s generally have to fund these things ourselves, but they are worth every penny as they help put you in control. Anyway, this BG meter is available on their website or on Amazon....just make sure to click the yes box to being a diabetic so you don't have to pay the VAT - it's one perk 🙂 Anyway, test your BG before a meal and again 2 hours after that first bite - it will show you whether what you have eaten causes a spike, so then you can look at the carbs and work out if you need a smaller portion size - or maybe to find an alternative. Cutting carbs will also help you lose weight if that is needed, plus try and do some exercise - brisk walking, cycling, swimming - whatever suits you and your abilities. The carbs best to avoid or eat little of are potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, cakes, biscuits, pastries, veggies that grow under the earth, most fruits (except berries and the occasional apple or pear), sweets, chocolates, full sugar drinks. It is a case of try, test, see the result - we are all affected (or not) individually, no "one size fits all". I hope this helps a little, it is sad that you have received no real advice, but we hear that a lot - and I'm still pretty much a newbie here, but I've learnt such a lot and everyone is lovely. No question or query is daft, so ask away when you need to - we all started blind, but we can help each other here - there is a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Do let us know when you get your figures and other info, that always helps us to help you. Best of luck - but remember, you are not alone.
 
Good morning @Greenman07

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis but pleased that you have found the forum.
I am pleased to hear that you are seeing your Practice nurse rather than the GP. They have more time and are often far more knowledgeable than the GP about the practicalities of managing diabetes.

Read around the forum, come back with any questions that arise and prepare a list of questions for your nurse. There is a wealth of experience to tap into on here. Just ask.
 
SB2015 said:
Good morning @Greenman07

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis but pleased that you have found the forum.
I am pleased to hear that you are seeing your Practice nurse rather than the GP. They have more time and are often far more knowledgeable than the GP about the practicalities of managing diabetes.

Read around the forum, come back with any questions that arise and prepare a list of questions for your nurse. There is a wealth of experience to tap into on here. Just ask.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your kind words and support much appreciated hopefully I’ll learn more from my next visit to the GO practice and get started with a good management system
 
SB2015 said:
Good morning @Greenman07

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis but pleased that you have found the forum.
I am pleased to hear that you are seeing your Practice nurse rather than the GP. They have more time and are often far more knowledgeable than the GP about the practicalities of managing diabetes.

Read around the forum, come back with any questions that arise and prepare a list of questions for your nurse. There is a wealth of experience to tap into on here. Just ask.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your support and kind comments I am sure the level of support that can be gathered from the forum and it’s members will be of great benefit and assist me in the quest of obtaining the optimum management plan.
 
Morning @Greenman07, sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I appreciate it's a shock at first.
In addition to the excellent advice of @janw, I can recommend having a look through the Learning Zone and the book recommendations to learn more about diabetes and how to manage it. I got some second hand copies of some of the books and read those to help me, as I felt like I was staring into the diabetes abyss when I was diagnosed in October this year.
There'll be a load of follow on appointments once you've seen the practice nurse, I've had diabetic eye screening at a local hospital, my feet checked by the nurse, blood and urine samples taken and sent away, am on the waiting list for a liver scan (for fatty liver) and am on a DESMOND course next week (though this comment thread isn't too enthusiastic about it! and it's not available in all areas). Also, I put myself on a drastic diet, as I need to lose nearly half my body weight, and I'm taking more exercise.
It gets easier the more you find out, as you can make better, more informed choices.
Best wishes and good luck, Sarah
 
Hello and welcome
Lots of excellent advice above. I would just add, keep a food diary so you can match it up with your monitor results. Mine is an online app, so no pen and paper, and I carry it on my phone round the supermarket!! Also don't go too drastic on the diet. I know that sounds strange, but if you drop your blood glucose too quickly, it can affect the capilliaries in the eyes. So if you get blurred vision that might be why. You are at the start of a marathon, not a sprint, as some people say.
 
Welcome to the forum. You have some very good suggestions from the others but I would just add it would be useful to ask what your HbA1C is so you know how much you need to do.
Also it would be a good idea to start a food diary noting everything you eat and drink with quantities and an estimate of the amount of total carb in the food/meal. This will help to see where savings can be made.
The final thing would be to go armed with a list of questions as it is easy to forget something you meant to ask.
Do keep us posted with how you get on and feel free in the meantime to ask any questions.
 
Leadinglights said:
Welcome to the forum. You have some very good suggestions from the others but I would just add it would be useful to ask what your HbA1C is so you know how much you need to do.
Also it would be a good idea to start a food diary noting everything you eat and drink with quantities and an estimate of the amount of total carb in the food/meal. This will help to see where savings can be made.
The final thing would be to go armed with a list of questions as it is easy to forget something you meant to ask.
Do keep us posted with how you get on and feel free in the meantime to ask any questions.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your valued comments, looking through learning zone and some books at the moment and once I get all of my readings clarified I can embargo on a proper maintenance plan
 
Felinia said:
Hello and welcome
Lots of excellent advice above. I would just add, keep a food diary so you can match it up with your monitor results. Mine is an online app, so no pen and paper, and I carry it on my phone round the supermarket!! Also don't go too drastic on the diet. I know that sounds strange, but if you drop your blood glucose too quickly, it can affect the capilliaries in the eyes. So if you get blurred vision that might be why. You are at the start of a marathon, not a sprint, as some people say.
Click to expand...
Hi thank you for your warm welcome and valuable advice Thank you also for the heads up on not going too drastic on diets.
 
Leadinglights said:
Welcome to the forum. You have some very good suggestions from the others but I would just add it would be useful to ask what your HbA1C is so you know how much you need to do.
Also it would be a good idea to start a food diary noting everything you eat and drink with quantities and an estimate of the amount of total carb in the food/meal. This will help to see where savings can be made.
The final thing would be to go armed with a list of questions as it is easy to forget something you meant to ask.
Do keep us posted with how you get on and feel free in the meantime to ask any questions.
Click to expand...
Thank you your support and advice I am embarking on a plan and when my type 2 results and figures are confirmed I will be addressing diet and lifestyle plans in addition to a suitable monitoring and maintenance plan
Will update with some current figures HbA1c and other when these are clarified at next weeks visit to the practice nurse.
 
Leadinglights said:
Welcome to the forum. You have some very good suggestions from the others but I would just add it would be useful to ask what your HbA1C is so you know how much you need to do.
Also it would be a good idea to start a food diary noting everything you eat and drink with quantities and an estimate of the amount of total carb in the food/meal. This will help to see where savings can be made.
The final thing would be to go armed with a list of questions as it is easy to forget something you meant to ask.
Do keep us posted with how you get on and feel free in the meantime to ask any questions.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your support and valued advice I will ask to have HbA1c confirmed when I visit the practice nurse next week. I currently am keeping a note of diet although the carb intake part and which foods are best are slightly confusing but I’ll get my head round that soon and monitor intake probably using a suitable app on my phone. I’ll keep people posted on the forum with type 2 figures and stats to help gather some more valuable support and helpful guidance
 
Greenman07 said:
Oops that should read embark
Click to expand...
Only been here a day and already making funny typos! You’ll fit in just fine!

Won’t repeat what others have said other than the following bits I’m repeating:
1. Get your HbA1C figures
2. Ask questions of your practice nurse
3. Anything you don’t understand or are scared about then post them in this forum
 
Thanks again for valued support and advice re typo I’ll try in future not posting on an empty head
ColinUK said:
Only been here a day and already making funny typos! You’ll fit in just fine!

Won’t repeat what others have said other than the following bits I’m repeating:
1. Get your HbA1C figures
2. Ask questions of your practice nurse
3. Anything you don’t understand or are scared about then post them in this forum
Click to expand...
 
And if you're based in England*, you can apply for a prescription charge exemption certificate if you need drugs to control your diabetes. The pharmacy near my house gave me the form, I filled it in and left it at the GP surgery for someone to authorise and post.
*I believe that they're free for everyone in other parts of the UK.
 
Greenman07 said:
Thanks again for valued support and advice re typo I’ll try in future not posting on an empty head
Click to expand...
Not what I meant! We’re all human and we need to be able to have a giggle at ourselves sometimes!
 
ColinUK said:
Not what I meant! We’re all human and we need to be able to have a giggle at ourselves sometimes!
Click to expand...
......Or with each other. 😉
Nothing beats a good giggle. Good for the soul and probably good for diabetes management too. Might have to go off and find my old copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. That was always good for a giggle.
 
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