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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Newly diagnosed
- Thread starter Vonnie
- Start date
- Status
D
Deleted member 27171
Guest
Hi @Vonnie
Welcome to the forum, though sorry you’ve had to find us.
The 89 is likely to have been an HbA1c reading which is a sort of average of blood glucose levels over the past few months - it is a very different measure to finger stick testing so doesn’t actually mean that would have been 89!
The diagnostic level for diabetes is 48, but plenty of people have been diagnosed with way higher than 89 and managed to reduce it right back down to the 30s, so don’t despair.
Increasing your exercise and modifying your diet are a great idea - what dietary changes have you been making? Many people find that lowering their carbohydrate intake works well for lowering bgl as well as supporting weight loss where required.
Testing at home can be useful for getting an understanding of how different foods/activities affect your bgl- but most GPs don’t prescribe test strips to those which Type 2 (worth asking though in case yours will) so would have to be self funded.
Some of the pinned threads in the newbies area might be a good starting point for getting an idea of things.
Diabetes is often quite a steep learning curve but try not to worry (easy to say I know!) most people start where you are now but manage to get to grips with it in no time.
Im sure someone with experience will be along to offer their support soon, but do ask any questions you have, however small you might think they are.
Welcome to the forum, though sorry you’ve had to find us.
The 89 is likely to have been an HbA1c reading which is a sort of average of blood glucose levels over the past few months - it is a very different measure to finger stick testing so doesn’t actually mean that would have been 89!
The diagnostic level for diabetes is 48, but plenty of people have been diagnosed with way higher than 89 and managed to reduce it right back down to the 30s, so don’t despair.
Increasing your exercise and modifying your diet are a great idea - what dietary changes have you been making? Many people find that lowering their carbohydrate intake works well for lowering bgl as well as supporting weight loss where required.
Testing at home can be useful for getting an understanding of how different foods/activities affect your bgl- but most GPs don’t prescribe test strips to those which Type 2 (worth asking though in case yours will) so would have to be self funded.
Some of the pinned threads in the newbies area might be a good starting point for getting an idea of things.
Diabetes is often quite a steep learning curve but try not to worry (easy to say I know!) most people start where you are now but manage to get to grips with it in no time.
Im sure someone with experience will be along to offer their support soon, but do ask any questions you have, however small you might think they are.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Watch out for recipes which should be low carb but aren't, or those with a serving size measured in teaspoons.
Plain old fashioned cooking seems to work best for me - I do whole chickens and joints of meat quite often these days as sometimes the price per weight is so much lower, though not always, it seems to just depend.
I avoid high carb foods, substituting lower carb choices - and I do like boiled swede mashed with cream on these cooler evenings.
Plain old fashioned cooking seems to work best for me - I do whole chickens and joints of meat quite often these days as sometimes the price per weight is so much lower, though not always, it seems to just depend.
I avoid high carb foods, substituting lower carb choices - and I do like boiled swede mashed with cream on these cooler evenings.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Vonnie
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.
It can be a bit overwhelming at the start, and you can have a million questions buzzing around in your head - so it’s great you have joined the forum where you can ask anything you like and compare experiences with others facing the same challenges every day
For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
Members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as good starting points.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.
It can be a bit overwhelming at the start, and you can have a million questions buzzing around in your head - so it’s great you have joined the forum where you can ask anything you like and compare experiences with others facing the same challenges every day
For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
Members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as good starting points.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
Th
that was supposed to say, thank you and I will take a look at those links! Lol
ank you will take a look at thos links
that was supposed to say, thank you and I will take a look at those links! Lol
Vonny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @Vonnie, from one to another! I am also type 2 and started out with an hba1c of 76. Thanks to the advice on this lovely forum, and by cutting out potatoes, bread, rice and pasta and monitoring my blood regularly, I've got it down to 37, although I still have over a stone to lose weight-wise. For monitoring, I use the SD gluco navii as the test strips don't cost an arm and a leg like some do. They are still fairly pricey if you get through as many as I do, but well worth the money to let me see what I can and can't eat.
You've already been pointed in the right direction by other posters so I'll let you get on and read those links, but if you have any questions, however silly they may seem, there will always be some knowledgeable person here who will help. I'm pretty much a newbie myself, but the support here has been tremendous and so helpful. It's a lovely place to visit 🙂
You've already been pointed in the right direction by other posters so I'll let you get on and read those links, but if you have any questions, however silly they may seem, there will always be some knowledgeable person here who will help. I'm pretty much a newbie myself, but the support here has been tremendous and so helpful. It's a lovely place to visit 🙂
Thank you, the doctors have not put me on any medication, they have just said to do something with regard to diet and lifestyle and then have bloods again in six weeks. I suppose after that they may decide what to do, as she said tHey wouldn’t normally do anything on the result of one blood test, so not sure if I should be doing test everyday or just concentrate on diet and exercise for the next six weeks and wait for further instruction! The support and advice on this site has been really helpful though and I am learning a lot every day.
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hey @Vonny - you know 'test, review, adjust' - there is a section on that site written specifically with UK Type 2s in mind, when Alan found out that many here have to self fund their test strips which they don't in Australia - called 'testing on a Budget'
So @Vonnie too - here you are
loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
So @Vonnie too - here you are
Test, Review, Adjust
Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.
loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
Testing on a Budget
Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.
loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
- Status