Recently diagnosed type 2 and need help

[Emmylou234]

Hi...I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with type 2 and put on medication the medication is going OK but I was told that I don't need to check my bloods at all which I find confusing. I also need to lose weight....and lots if it.....but don't know where to start!! I have stopped my chocolate and sweet intake but need some clarity about carbohydrates and what they mean and what I can actually eat and not eat!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated or pointers in the right direction please!

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Emmylou234 The purpose of a T2 diabetic testing Blood Glucose is primarily to discover which food suit them - that means foods which don't spike their BG too much. All digestible carbs turn into glucose when you eat them. Some even have a GI higher than table sugar - so the advice about eating lots of whole grains is OK for healthy people, but not a good idea for T2 Diabetics.
The problem is that we are all different (different genes, different biome, different culture, different tastes) - so our bodies all handle carbs slightly differently.
Which medications are you on? Because some need to eat a certain amount of carbs just to prevent their medication taking their Blood Glucose down too low.

 

[Emmylou234]

I have prescribed metformin 500mg...I have had to increase it so have just started 3 times a day. I have been referred to the diabetic clinic but this could take 3-4 months to come through!

 

[ianf0ster]

OK, Metformin doesn't actually require carbs to be eaten, but it is best taken during a meal to reduce the potential digestive tract upsets it often causes.

 

[Leadinglights]

It is not just sweets and chocolates that you need to cut out but cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks but also cut out or substantially reduce portion size of all high carbohydrate foods. Those are things like potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, cereals, pastry and tropical fruits as they are the big hitters but other things are also included in the things to watch, starchy veg, pulses and fruits other than berries, hidden carbs in pre-prepared sauces and ready meals. It may sound as if there is nothing you can eat but basing meals on meat. fish. eggs, cheese, dairy, veg and salads will still give plenty of tasty meals.
This link may help you with finding a low carb approach with some ideas for modifying your diet.
Low carb is less than 130g per day but some people need to go lower than that. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[trophywench]

BUT!!!! you are far better off reducing the carbs slowly, in a plod plod way, rather than cut them drastically very quickly. If you do it too quickly, you risk damge to your eyes and to nerve endings, everywhere in your body. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was the human body - that took generations, so yes you need it to be quicker than that - but please do take your time!

 

[goodybags]

Hi @Emmylou234
did they tell you what was your Hba1c on diagnosis?

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome. 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Emmylou234

You aren’t alone in coming across a healthcare professional who considers BG monitoring is only meant for checking for hypoglycaemia when on glucose-lowering meds.

But yes! As you say, many members here find a BG monitor hugely helpful to see how they are reacting to different foods.

One of the biggest questions when trying to get to grips with your diabetes is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.

The really tricky thing is that blood glucose responses to various foods are highly individual, and it can be impossible to say which types and amounts of carbohydrate will ‘spike’ your BG without checking for yourself.

With a BG meter, taking a reading before and again 2hrs after eating, you can see what the differences are. This can help identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG (initially in a way the numbers themselves matter less than the differences between them). Ideally you would want to see a rise of no more than 2-3mmol/L at the 2hr mark. Once you can see how you respond to different meals you can begin experimenting with reducing portion sizes of the carbs where you see bigger rises. You might find that you are particularly sensitive to carbohydrate from one source (eg bread), but have more liberty with others (eg oats or basmati rice) - It’s all very individual! You might even find that just having things at a different time of day makes a difference - with breakfast time being the trickiest.

Over weeks and months of experimentation you can gradually tweak and tailor your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline, your budget and your BG levels - and a way of eating that is flexible enough to be sustainable long-term. 🙂

If you are interested in this approach you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S a helpful framework.

If you need to self fund your BG meter, the most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2 - which both have test strips at around £8 for 50

Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂