stunned

[Carolg]

I can see I have so much to learn. I have obviously been eating totally all the wrong foods. I have a mega sugar craving. Obviously since opening the letter my views have changed. I have also ordered some diabetes tests from amazon as I'm having to wait 2 weeks for a drs appointment. Thank you again Lilian.

Hi there and welcome to forum. I was drinking gallons of high juice before diagnosed in November. It was a change for me, but body must have been screaming for glucose. The Expert course is brilliant and breaks everything down to simple. Don't beat yourself up about your past diet, and ask lots of questions here. Good luck Carol

 

[Carolg]

Is the test you ordered a meter, finger pricking gadget, lancets and strips? If so, remember only to prick your finger at the side and not the pad, and use more the outside three fingers. I have found that here (Essex) they will not give you a meter or prescribe testing strips unless you are on insulin. Saves them money. But it is very useful to have, especially when newly diagnosed because you are then able to see for yourself the correlation between certain foods and/or quantities of them that affect you. Certain foods affect people in different ways. Keep well away from fruit juice as they are very high in sugar. Get your vitamins from your vegetables. By the way cauliflower mash is a very good substitute for potato mash, especially with a bit of butter on it. I love a pizza omelette, which is an omelette with pizza filling on it.

Pizza omelette sounds great. Will try that

 

[Carolg]

My typical day is cereal & fruit juice for breakfast. Sandwich, white bread, crisps and yoghurt. Maybe choc biscuit. Apple or melon to snack on. Then tea which could be anything and I mean anything because I'm shattered, its anything nor necessarily a meal. I have a sweet tooth so have sweet things on top.

Now I will change! Too right!

I ordered a strip tester.

Thanks to you all, I definitely will be back with more questions and updates.

Could you make enough for 2 meals to save energy?

 

[Carolg]

Thanks all, quick update.
Feeling terrible today. I've taken so many days off as holidays. Today is my last day for a week. I brought my blood tests forward to tomorrow so at least I will get some information soon.
I had yoghurt and apple for breakfast and will have salad for lunch. Still extremely wobbly and can't concentrate at all. I have trouble sitting at my desk.

Hi amplify. When I was diagnosed, had 7 weeks off sick, and realised how tired and unwell I was. It got better. I just had to accept that I couldn't do my work, and had to be kind to myself for a change

 

[amplify]

Thanks I really feel like going to the Drs right now. But I will see the nurse tomorrow so hold on.

 

[Jonsi]

Hi amplify. When I was diagnosed, had 7 weeks off sick, and realised how tired and unwell I was. It got better. I just had to accept that I couldn't do my work, and had to be kind to myself for a change

Before I was prescribed Humulin and just on oral meds, I saw the practice nurse for a routine check up. She asked how I was and I replied that I was incredibly tired, falling asleep at the drop of a hat, no energy to do anything and would win Olympic Gold if peeing several times a day was a competitive sport. She did the usual checks and sent me for blood tests the next day. A few days later the practice called and said they'd made an appointment with the DSN for me the next day so "be there". I turned up and saw the practice nurse as I was waiting. She said "I'm not surprised you're tired..." she said "...you have syrup running through your veins, not blood!"

 

[amplify]

Oh crikey, were they able to help you that day? I'm thinking about going this afternoon and waiting

 

[Northerner]

Oh crikey, were they able to help you that day? I'm thinking about going this afternoon and waiting

Hi amplify, welcome to the forum 🙂 Try not to panic - you have already made progress and learned a lot from our helpful members! 🙂 If diabetes is confirmed, and it is Type 2, then you should think of it more of a marathon than a sprint - moving at a sensible pace where you can take things in and adapt to the 'new you'. It has to be sustainable, and the benefits will come, but you don't have to feel that you need to completely change everything overnight. Let us know how you get on at your appointment 🙂

 

[Lilian]

There is a book called carbs and calories, and also an app with the same name. The app has pictures of the foods as well to get some idea of the portion sizes, e.g. a very small portion of cereal has much less carbs than a large portion, but without weighing it is hard to judge. You will be surprised that some things you thought would have low carbs actually have high and ones you thought high are much lower. Also if you familiarise yourself with the carbs of what you are eating you will see what needs to be changed or tweaked. You can also put in your own foods. For example I like a glass of Kefir but it was not in there. I added it in, put the nutritional values in (from the carton) for the size glass I usually have, and took a photograph of it. I can now see the size of the portion in the glass which corresponds with the calories and carbs.

 

[Marsbartoastie]

Carbohydrates need insulin, protein needs a very little (unless you eat masses of it), but fat does not need any insulin.

Your body can work on two kinds of fuel. One is carbohydrate and the other is fat. So if carbs need insulin and fat does not it stands to reason using fat as fuel is better for someone whose insulin is compromised in some way or another. The way to changing over from carbohydrate burning to fat burning is to change the diet to low carb high fat way of eating.

Hi Amplify and welcome to the forum. I was in the same state when I was diagnosed, but the help I've found on this site has helped me to get everything under control. Lilian's summary (above) is excellent. She's a brick. Hope you manage to enjoy your holiday as well as putting it to good use restocking your fridge and reorganising your diet/exercise routine. 🙂

 

[amplify]

Thank you!!!!! I felt a lot better after another apple and just before lunch. Still not brilliant (wobbly) but not falling over. Lunch involves turkey salad with egg. I feel a bit on a high now. Still dizzy.

I have only told my mum and a friend so I really do appreciate your help

 

[Marsbartoastie]

I'm a glass half full sort of person...so I take the view that being diagnosed T2 was a wakeup call and the kick in the pants I needed to improve my health. It seems to be having the same effect on you...so keep at it my lovely.

 

[Jonsi]

Oh crikey, were they able to help you that day? I'm thinking about going this afternoon and waiting

I must admit that my GP practice is very, very good to me and I've rarely had to wait long for anything. Might be something to do with me being in Wales or it might just be because they're very, very good. The Hospital otoh...hmmm 😱

 

[amplify]

I just checked the results Hpa1c 60 from the blood test. More tests tomorrow

 

[Jonsi]

Hi amplify ...60's not the bestest of numbers but it sure as heck isn't the worstest either (4,206.6 is apparently).

This isn't a time to panic about numbers, wait and see what the other tests reveal because the Drs need to see a bigger picture. I know (and understand) how stressful this time can be for you - you may be about to have a major change to your lifestyle that you aren't in control of ...yet - but it's certainly not the end of the world. A HbA1c of 60 equates to 7.6 in the 'old' measurements which is only a little bit elevated from where it should be. I know that HbA1c isn't quite the same as daily BG tests but my BG this morning was 7.5, and just three months ago my HbA1c was 128 😱!!

Important thing now is to stay calm, remember to breathe, don't feel pressured to say you understand if you don't when the Dr tells you what's what and what's next. If you have any questions ask them, either ask the Dr, the Diabetic Specialist Nurse (DSN) or ask them here. Loads of good people here with lots of experience (some of it earned the painful way) who are happy to help. Nobody in their right mind wants Diabetes but, hey ho, we have it so now we do the best we can with it. It doesn't mean that your life suddenly stops, it'll just change a bit that's all.🙂

you'll be alright 🙂

 

[Marsbartoastie]

Hi amplify ...60's not the bestest of numbers but it sure as heck isn't the worstest either (4,206.6 is apparently).

This isn't a time to panic about numbers, wait and see what the other tests reveal because the Drs need to see a bigger picture. I know (and understand) how stressful this time can be for you - you may be about to have a major change to your lifestyle that you aren't in control of ...yet - but it's certainly not the end of the world. A HbA1c of 60 equates to 7.6 in the 'old' measurements which is only a little bit elevated from where it should be. I know that HbA1c isn't quite the same as daily BG tests but my BG this morning was 7.5, and just three months ago my HbA1c was 128 😱!!

Important thing now is to stay calm, remember to breathe, don't feel pressured to say you understand if you don't when the Dr tells you what's what and what's next. If you have any questions ask them, either ask the Dr, the Diabetic Specialist Nurse (DSN) or ask them here. Loads of good people here with lots of experience (some of it earned the painful way) who are happy to help. Nobody in their right mind wants Diabetes but, hey ho, we have it so now we do the best we can with it. It doesn't mean that your life suddenly stops, it'll just change a bit that's all.🙂

you'll be alright 🙂

What a lovely reassuring post Jonsi. If ever I have a problem...I'm coming to you.

 

[amplify]

Thank you Marsbartoastie and Johnsi. It sounds like your counts are in the right direction and you both seem so calm. I hope to get there soon, still light headed and the world is wobbly. I feel absolutely terrible. Salmon salad for tea 🙂

 

[Ljc]

Hey your HB1ac isn't too bad at all really. Mine was a lot higher when I was first diagnosed think it was 15 in old money.
When your glucose meter arrives ,it will help you gain better control of your BG levels as you will be able to see how high some foods make you go enabling you to make informed changes.

 

[SB2015]

Your Hba1c is definitely not way out and it makes me think that they have the correct diagnosis (ie T2 rather T1). Also at that level it seems that they have caught it early so as others have said a wake up call and now you will get regular MOTs and on here loads of support to help you manage your condition. Just keep asking.

 

[nomore_Col_Blimp]

Hiya,
I'm realatively new to 'it' and very new to the forum!
There is some really good advice here. I had no symptoms at all so it's not as though I hoped to feel better as I know you will. For me my journey is 3 elements so far, eat healthily - and yes I do still eat the carbs, but much less than I did (and no really c**p ones - currently), and doing loads more exercise, and both of these have helped me loose all the weight I needed to!
I too'invested' in a Fitbit - best thing I did! Shows my activity levels and stops me being lazy! Smashing 10,000 steps most days and burning between 3 to 4,000 calories a day! - I really can't believe just how many calories something as easy and enjoyable as cycling burns!
Good luck and sure you feel better soon.