Officially diagnosed this morning and a little grumpy

[Clanger]

Hi everyone, I'll get the venting out the way first.
I had my first visit with the diabetes nurse this morning and she confirmed I have type 2 diabetes. I'm a wee bit narked as I've had a fair few blood tests over the last year due to some scares with a couple of (now confirmed fatty) lumps I'd found. My HbA1c results didn't flag as in the prediabetes range and I'm suddenly into type 2 territory. After reading the NHS My Diabetes pamphlet, it looks like age & a fatty liver have ambushed me 3 weeks shy of the 50th birthday.
I don't have to take any medication for the diabetes but I have been put on a low dose statin due a slightly high cholesterol (apparently it wouldn't be a concern if I weren't diabetic).

Such is life, just have to deal with it now.

Fortunately, I have a very good support network. Just had a long chat with my wife about sorting our diet out; it's more portion control of carbs as I eat very little sugary stuff or chocolate and rarely drink. Also, a friend who I told about the blood test results when it was first flagged three weeks ago has said he'll join me in the exercise and diet thing. I've seen a couple of posts about people who think their family and friends might be judgemental or less than supportive so I'm thanking my lucky stars.

So, here we are, waiting on a place on the local diabetes lifestyle & diet course and checking the local sport centres' pool times; I'm taking this as a kick up the backside to get rid of the bad habits which crept in with lockdown and working from home.

Looking forward to chewing the proverbial with you all.

Going to miss jelly babies though.

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum. you are probably not too far into the diabetic zone if you have not been given medication and it is very possible to turn this round by some lifestyle changes mainly dietary are going to have the most impact. have a read of this link which is a low carb approach which many have found successful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
The thing to note is that it is not just 'sugary things' but all carbohydrates convert to glucose so foods like potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, pastry, breakfast cereals are all food which need portion control or cutting out as well as the obvious cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks. Chocolate the dark high cocoa sort in moderation as a treat is not too bad.
Yes jelly babies not good as they are used as a quick sugar hit for treating hypos by people on insulin so fine for them but not for those not.

 

[ianf0ster]

I wonder why it is that so many newly diagnosed Type2's seem to think that they need to stop drinking alcohol?
Strong alcohol like Whisky, vodka, gin contain no carbs - and it's carbohydrates that us Type2's have an intolerance of.
In fact apart from the undesirable high calories, alcohol can actually have a beneficial effect in flattening out blood glucose spikes!
The same can't be said for beer or sweet alcoholic drinks such as most white wines. But it's surely better to give up bread than to give up the occasional glass of dry white wine , or spirit with a low calorie mixer.

 

[Clanger]

Welcome to the forum. you are probably not too far into the diabetic zone if you have not been given medication and it is very possible to turn this round by some lifestyle changes mainly dietary are going to have the most impact. have a read of this link which is a low carb approach which many have found successful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
The thing to note is that it is not just 'sugary things' but all carbohydrates convert to glucose so foods like potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, pastry, breakfast cereals are all food which need portion control or cutting out as well as the obvious cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks. Chocolate the dark high cocoa sort in moderation as a treat is not too bad.
Yes jelly babies not good as they are used as a quick sugar hit for treating hypos by people on insulin so fine for them but not for those not.

Thanks for that, I'll have a read of that in a mo.
I gave up chocolate around New Year and we eat potatoes probably once a week, otherwise it's white rice as we prefer curries and Chinese or Thai food. I was already looking into brown rice and bulgar wheat as alternatives. My wife's also suggested cauliflower rice.
As you say, I think it's portion control that'll be key and also the dogs will be getting walked a wee bit faster to up the exercise value (three labradors are about to have a shock as we aim for 15 minute miles)

 

[Clanger]

I wonder why it is that so many newly diagnosed Type2's seem to think that they need to stop drinking alcohol?
Strong alcohol like Whisky, vodka, gin contain no carbs - and it's carbohydrates that us Type2's have an intolerance of.
In fact apart from the undesirable high calories, alcohol can actually have a beneficial effect in flattening out blood glucose spikes!
The same can't be said for beer or sweet alcoholic drinks such as most white wines. But it's surely better to give up bread than to give up the occasional glass of dry white wine , or spirit with a low calorie mixer.

For me, it's the carb side of it; several friends who were regular beer drinkers lost a lot of weight after either cutting down or giving it up entirely. As I'm not yet on the tablets and weight management is my main option, I'm looking at things I can reduce or give up without completely sacrificing quality of life. I don't like wine but do enjoy an occasional single malt, that won't be changing 🙂

 

[ianf0ster]

For me, it's the carb side of it; several friends who were regular beer drinkers lost a lot of weight after either cutting down or giving it up entirely. As I'm not yet on the tablets and weight management is my main option, I'm looking at things I can reduce or give up without completely sacrificing quality of life. I don't like wine but do enjoy an occasional single malt, that won't be changing 🙂

My advice is that Type2's should count carbs rather than calories. When I went low carb I thought I didn't need to lose (much) weight since people were always telling me how slim I was ( at a BMI of 26 LOL). So I ignored calories and made sure I didn't go hungry by adding in more protein and fat to my diet to make up for the calories in the carbs (mainly grains and fruit) that I was no longer eating.
Strangely enough, by controlling my Blood glucose (no readings 2hrs after a meal of higher than 8.0 mmol and no meal spike of more than 2.0 mmol), the weight came away slowly and steadily just like magic since i was eating more cheese and fatty cuts of meat!

 

[Dave_Z1a]

I wonder why it is that so many newly diagnosed Type2's seem to think that they need to stop drinking alcohol?
Strong alcohol like Whisky, vodka, gin contain no carbs - and it's carbohydrates that us Type2's have an intolerance of.
In fact apart from the undesirable high calories, alcohol can actually have a beneficial effect in flattening out blood glucose spikes!
The same can't be said for beer or sweet alcoholic drinks such as most white wines. But it's surely better to give up bread than to give up the occasional glass of dry white wine , or spirit with a low calorie mixer.

Agree! But strangely it works for me with beer (lager) also, but not too much!

 

[harbottle]

I wonder why it is that so many newly diagnosed Type2's seem to think that they need to stop drinking alcohol?
Strong alcohol like Whisky, vodka, gin contain no carbs - and it's carbohydrates that us Type2's have an intolerance of.
In fact apart from the undesirable high calories, alcohol can actually have a beneficial effect in flattening out blood glucose spikes!
The same can't be said for beer or sweet alcoholic drinks such as most white wines. But it's surely better to give up bread than to give up the occasional glass of dry white wine , or spirit with a low calorie mixer.

Yup.

I switched to shorts and mixers (Diet or slimline tonic) but recently discovered that a pint or two of beer has very little effect on blood sugar levels. In fact, two pints of Moretti and a walk home sees levels drop into the 2s.

 

[Clanger]

My advice is that Type2's should count carbs rather than calories. When I went low carb I thought I didn't need to lose (much) weight since people were always telling me how slim I was ( at a BMI of 26 LOL). So I ignored calories and made sure I didn't go hungry by adding in more protein and fat to my diet to make up for the calories in the carbs (mainly grains and fruit) that I was no longer eating.
Strangely enough, by controlling my Blood glucose (no readings 2hrs after a meal of higher than 8.0 mmol and no meal spike of more than 2.0 mmol), the weight came away slowly and steadily just like magic since i was eating more cheese and fatty cuts of meat!

Interesting about the blood glucose readings, the nurse told me not to bother with that as I'm not on tablets and shouldn't be having hypos.
I've been getting the old weightwatchers recipes out this afternoon, and working out some meal plans to knock the carbs down and avoid random crap cooking.

 

[harbottle]

Interesting about the blood glucose readings, the nurse told me not to bother with that as I'm not tablets and shouldn't be having hypos.
I've been getting the old weightwatchers recipes out this afternoon, and working out some meal plans to knock the carbs down and avoid random crap cooking.

No, you won't be having hypos, but the wrong food can cause a HYPER which is chronically elevated blood sugar levels. By testing before and after meals you can tailor your diet to stop blood sugar from going up and staying elevated for long periods of time.

 

[Tdm]

Cauliflower rice is a great idea. Cougettes can also substituate for pasta. Also, if you want bread with lower carbs then sainsburys big store sell brown high low bread which has about half the carbs but tastes good

 

[ianf0ster]

......
I gave up chocolate around New Year and we eat potatoes probably once a week, otherwise it's white rice as we prefer curries and Chinese or Thai food. I was already looking into brown rice and bulgar wheat as alternatives. My wife's also suggested cauliflower rice.
As you say, I think it's portion control that'll be key and also the dogs will be getting walked a wee bit faster to up the exercise value (three labradors are about to have a shock as we aim for 15 minute miles)

Unfortunately, the colour of the carbohydrate has very little effect, as a BG meter will show. Whole grains or brown rice may make a very tiny difference, but really it's almost exactly the same carbs but with a little fibre and a minute amount of vitamin added.
I haven't given up chocolate, but my taste has changed and so now I just have a few squares of Lindt dark chocolate (90%).

Although exercise is good, don't expect it to hekp much with your diabetes(or weight). As Dr Xand van Tulleken pointed out in his BBC1 morning show a few weeks ago, studies have consistently shown that people who did more exercise for 30 days when trying to lose weight found they ate more due to being more hungry. So had no weight loss overall. Confirming the saying that 'you can't out-run a bad diet'.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Fortunately, I have a very good support network. Just had a long chat with my wife about sorting our diet out; it's more portion control of carbs as I eat very little sugary stuff or chocolate and rarely drink. Also, a friend who I told about the blood test results when it was first flagged three weeks ago has said he'll join me in the exercise and diet thing. I've seen a couple of posts about people who think their family and friends might be judgemental or less than supportive so I'm thanking my lucky stars.

Welcome to the forum @Clanger (now we have a Clanger and @soupdragon on the forum )

Great to hear you have a good support system around you. You don’t mention your starting HbA1c - this will be the measure above 47 that reflects your glucose levels over the past 3-4 months, but that can give you an indication of how far into ’diabetes territory’ you have ventured.

As you say, you may find that a little portion control and looking for some swaps and changes may be all that you need at this stage.

Some have found it helpful to start with a food diary. Keep a record of meals and snacks over the next week or two along woth a total carb count. It will involve a bit of weighing and measuring, and some packet squinting, but it can be really helpful in getting a feel for which are your ‘big hitter’ meals in terms of carb load - and which things are surprisingly light on carbs.

It may sound like a bit of a faff, but some of the learning would stand you in good stead as you look for swaps and changes you can make to your menu. 🙂

 

[Clanger]

Welcome to the forum @Clanger (now we have a Clanger and @soupdragon on the forum )

Great to hear you have a good support system around you. You don’t mention your starting HbA1c - this will be the measure above 47 that reflects your glucose levels over the past 3-4 months, but that can give you an indication of how far into ’diabetes territory’ you have ventured.

As you say, you may find that a little portion control and looking for some swaps and changes may be all that you need at this stage.

Some have found it helpful to start with a food diary. Keep a record of meals and snacks over the next week or two along woth a total carb count. It will involve a bit of weighing and measuring, and some packet squinting, but it can be really helpful in getting a feel for which are your ‘big hitter’ meals in terms of carb load - and which things are surprisingly light on carbs.

It may sound like a bit of a faff, but some of the learning would stand you in good stead as you look for swaps and changes you can make to your menu. 🙂

My HbA1c score was 51 on both tests, which the nurse said wasn't far in.
I had signed back up on Weight Watchers just before the first blood test was taken so I'm keeping track of what I eat.
Just found the carb value tracker is on the phone app and altered the settings to take the type 2 into account.

 

[Leadinglights]

My HbA1c score was 51 on both tests, which the nurse said wasn't far in.
I had signed back up on Weight Watchers just before the first blood test was taken so I'm keeping track of what I eat.
Just found the carb value tracker is on the phone app and altered the settings to take the type 2 into account.

By picking and choosing the more suitable WW meals with an eye on the carbs should give you a good start.

 

[Burylancs]

Hi everyone, I'll get the venting out the way first.
I had my first visit with the diabetes nurse this morning and she confirmed I have type 2 diabetes. I'm a wee bit narked as I've had a fair few blood tests over the last year due to some scares with a couple of (now confirmed fatty) lumps I'd found. My HbA1c results didn't flag as in the prediabetes range and I'm suddenly into type 2 territory. After reading the NHS My Diabetes pamphlet, it looks like age & a fatty liver have ambushed me 3 weeks shy of the 50th birthday.
I don't have to take any medication for the diabetes but I have been put on a low dose statin due a slightly high cholesterol (apparently it wouldn't be a concern if I weren't diabetic).

Such is life, just have to deal with it now.

Fortunately, I have a very good support network. Just had a long chat with my wife about sorting our diet out; it's more portion control of carbs as I eat very little sugary stuff or chocolate and rarely drink. Also, a friend who I told about the blood test results when it was first flagged three weeks ago has said he'll join me in the exercise and diet thing. I've seen a couple of posts about people who think their family and friends might be judgemental or less than supportive so I'm thanking my lucky stars.

So, here we are, waiting on a place on the local diabetes lifestyle & diet course and checking the local sport centres' pool times; I'm taking this as a kick up the backside to get rid of the bad habits which crept in with lockdown and working from home.

Looking forward to chewing the proverbial with you all.

Going to miss jelly babies though.

Woah there. Jelly Babies are important in the management of diabetes. Four of the little fellas will raise bg by 1 point on average. So are kept as standby to help correct lows. And as a newbie you maybe subject to low bgs as a result of Reactive Hypoglycemia. Have a packet in the fridge and a tube of Dextrosol.

Otherwise well done, you seem to have your head screwed on. As for self testing, the two sayings for newbies are 'Test, test, Test' and 'Eat to your meter'. You can control portion sizes of carbs through testing. And also find when the peak bgs occur after a meal in order to be active at that point.

 

[Clanger]

Woah there. Jelly Babies are important in the management of diabetes. Four of the little fellas will raise bg by 1 point on average. So are kept as standby to help correct lows. And as a newbie you maybe subject to low bgs as a result of Reactive Hypoglycemia. Have a packet in the fridge and a tube of Dextrosol.

Otherwise well done, you seem to have your head screwed on. As for self testing, the two sayings for newbies are 'Test, test, Test' and 'Eat to your meter'. You can control portion sizes of carbs through testing. And also find when the peak bgs occur after a meal in order to be active at that point.

I'm a bit confused now, the nurse said I didn't need to test as I'm not on any tablets but several people on here have said to do so. I'm going to have a chat with her on Monday if I can sneak an appointment in.
A local NHS service recommends 200-230g of carbs per day for type 2, instead of the average person's 300g, so I'm aiming at that to start with. I've also got the Hairy Bikers' book of diabetes friendly recipes coming tomorrow to give me some new ideas.

Also, 1 jelly baby portion = the bag. I'm infamous for going through them faster than my puppy eats his dinner, so temptation is being removed. We have some other things in which my wife likes which would help in that situation.

 

[Burylancs]

I'm a bit confused now, the nurse said I didn't need to test as I'm not on any tablets but several people on here have said to do so. I'm going to have a chat with her on Monday if I can sneak an appointment in.
A local NHS service recommends 200-230g of carbs per day for type 2, instead of the average person's 300g, so I'm aiming at that to start with. I've also got the Hairy Bikers' book of diabetes friendly recipes coming tomorrow to give me some new ideas.

Also, 1 jelly baby portion = the bag. I'm infamous for going through them faster than my puppy eats his dinner, so temptation is being removed. We have some other things in which my wife likes which would help in that situation.

There are various carb recommendations for T2s.
1. The X-Pert Type 2 Diabetes course ( a good but rare educational course) defines a 'Carb Portion' for T2s as 15 grams. And then suggests between 8 and 15 portions per day dependant on level of activity and work done.
2. The traditional Diabetes UK recommendation used to be a Low GI, Mediterranean style diet of 45 to 60% calories for food from carbs depending on work done, 10-20% from Protein and upto 35% from Fats with at least 25% from 'good fats'. The Mediterranean Diet is still highly recommended to help with incipient heart disease which is the main complication T2s are locked in a foot race with. We don't hear much about the Low GI and Low GL diets nowadays.
3. The T2 agenda at Diabetes Uk has been seized by low carb zealots at the moment and the recommendation is a very wooden one size fits all recommendation of 130 grams of carbs. This is irrespective of age,stage, duration etc of T2. ( the factors which determine an individual T2's targets). The Brain is said to need the amount of glucose provided by 130 grams of carbs so that's a simple way of getting the minimum high octane fuel the brain needs per day.
4. The ludicrous DiRECT study in 2017 of Roy Taylor claimed to have operated on 50% of calories from carbs, 10-20% from Protein and 20-30% from fats. Which means Taylor's guinea pigs were getting upto 20% of their calories from Fresh Air. His figures have 100 recommended combinations of carbs, protein and fats of which 99, Ninety-nine ! of them are mathematically impossible e.g. 50 +15+25 adds up to 90% not 100%. It's amazing that this stuff is taken so seriously especially by Diabetes UK, although they've ploughed £millions into it so feel that they have to keep plugging it.

So take your pick.

 

[Leadinglights]

I'm a bit confused now, the nurse said I didn't need to test as I'm not on any tablets but several people on here have said to do so. I'm going to have a chat with her on Monday if I can sneak an appointment in.
A local NHS service recommends 200-230g of carbs per day for type 2, instead of the average person's 300g, so I'm aiming at that to start with. I've also got the Hairy Bikers' book of diabetes friendly recipes coming tomorrow to give me some new ideas.

Also, 1 jelly baby portion = the bag. I'm infamous for going through them faster than my puppy eats his dinner, so temptation is being removed. We have some other things in which my wife likes which would help in that situation.

Testing is a very valuable tool for managing to reduce your blood glucose as everybody reacts differently in how their body copes with carbohydrates so testing your blood glucose before and 2 hours after you eat can indicate how you have tolerated that amount of those carbs if the increase is no more than 2-3mmol/l or when levels come down no more than 8-8.5mmol/l. It not only informs you about what is not a good amount of carbs but which foods you can eat.
It is a bit like trying to keep to the speed limit in your car without a working speedometer, I suspect you would be way over at least 50% of the time.
I think you will find that most low carb approaches suggest no more than 130g per day and many do find they need to go lower that that but they will determine that by doing their before and after meal testing. I have not seen as much as 200g being suggested.
As Type 2 most do need to self fund but it is a worthwhile investment in your health.
Many do find a food diary helps then know where their starting point is with the carbs they currently have and then reduce by a third each week or so until they get to the place they need to be.
Obviously low carb is not for everyone and very low calorie, low calorie or shakes-based regimes suit them better and one can only speak from personal experience but I found a low carb of 70g per day very doable and successful and has become just my normal way of eating.
I think you will find in the link I posted earlier in the tread that 130g per day is suggested. Have a look there also for meal ideas.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Four of the little fellas will raise bg by 1 point on average. So are kept as standby to help correct lows.

I’m not sure which JBs you are using for that estimate @Burylancs, but the Bassets ones I use for hypo treatments are approx 5-6g of carbs each, so 4 jelly babies would be 20-24g of carbs for me which would raise my BG by approx 6-10mmol/L depending on the time of year.

I guess different people have different reactions to things, but 1mmol/L for 20g seems unusual to me.