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stunned

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amplify

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Today totally unexpected I received a letter from my Dr saying I maybe diabetic and need further tests, an appointment booked in 2 weeks. I'm really struggling as I'm not feeling well. I've no idea what I should be eating and the amount of information on the web is confusing as I don't know any of my levels or types.
 
Don't worry too much, now you know what may be wrong if you're not feeling 100%. You're obviously not in immediate danger.
For an easy start you can try reducing your carbohydrate intake - cut back on sugar and starch such as white bread, potatoes, pasta, rice etc, and add more leafy veg and protein.
You're most likely Type 2, which means you're producing insulin but your body has become resistant to it so can't use it the way non-diabetics can. My nurse described it as having a rusty lock - insulin is the key but if the lock (sugar metabolism) is rusty the key can't work properly.
Get reading, there is a sticky in this forum which is a great help.
 
Thank you AuntieJude, I'm just stunned. I've been feeling tired and dizzy for months. I went to the Dr originally because I have been aneamic before.... Blood tests last week. Phoned up for the results on Monday. All normal. Came home to a letter this afternoon and diabetes. I'm hot and shiverring at the same time, as well as being dizzy. Thanks for the tips.I had chicken salad for tea. Is muesli no added suger OK tomorrow for breakfast?
 
The first thing would be to lower your carbohydrate intake. If you have cereal and toast for breakfast cut that out and have something like an egg or two, some bacon, mushrooms and a tomato and do not be afraid to fry them but in butter or the bacon fat. Have a piece of meat or chicken for lunch with some salad, you can make it more substantial by adding some beans to the salad, a couple of small boiled potatoes in their skins would be OK and real mayonnaise dressing. Same for dinner, some meat or poultry with a choice of vegetables. The vegetables that grow above ground are better than those that grow below, although you can add onion, beetroot, celeriac type veg to your meals. It is mainly the grains you should be cutting out. Even the wholemeal ones, which are better, are still very starchy. The fat and fibre just makes them release slower to help avoid spikes. Do not go for products marked low fat as they are usually much higher in carbohydrates. Be more wary of carbohydrates than fats. Shopping is made much easier as you only need to buy from the outside aisles. Try to keep away from manufactured stuff. If it is the diabetes making you feel unwell, if you eat like this for a few days you will start to feel better. Food is not the only reason for blood glucose rising, but it is a big part of it. I think everyone, diabetic or not, should eat a diabetic way, because it is really just good healthy eating. At least for these two weeks when you have no medication keep away from all cakes, pies, confectionery, bought sauces, and also keep away from foods marked for diabetics (although I believe the manufacturers are no longer going to label their foods this way any more), You can have cheese as well. So basically it is meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, bacon, vegetables and salads. If you must have fruit make it raspberries, strawberries or other berries as they have less sugar in them, but keep them down to small portions. Look more to what you can eat rather than what you can't as a positive attitude goes a long way.

If you are given the opportunity of going on an EXPERT course TAKE IT. I cannot emphasise strongly enough how very helpful and useful this course is. After that YOU will be the expert on diabetes. If it is not mentioned, then ask about it. .Be wary of what the dietician tells you. Some are still in the old way of thinking (base meals on carbohydrates) which common sense will tell you must be wrong. After all type 2s are mainly highly insulin resistant. Even type 1's it is now thought should watch their carbohydrates as well.
 
No added sugar muesli is still extremely high in carbohydrates so no, muesli is definitely out of the question. It has dried fruits in it (which is basically pure sugar) and the cereal is also carbohydrate. The only cereal which is OK for a diabetic is porridge oats (not the instant) the whole type that you have to cook. The lactose in milk is carbohydrate too so you would need to cook your porridge with half milk half water and use sweeteners unless you do it the Scottish way with salt. .
 
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Thank you so very much Lilian for your guiding words. I will follow them wisely. Very interesting about low fat food. I had no idea. Tbh I had no idea about anything and will learn. Certainly I will do what I can and if I get a chance to take a course I will. I have no energy. Work is so difficult because I am tired, can't concentrate and I'm dizzy. I often come in from work and go straight to bed. Because I'm tired I don't cook and eat rubbish, you can see how I've been managing these last few months. I will restock the fridge tomorrow following your advice. Thankfully I found this forum, I feel so alone. Thank you
 
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.
 
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.
 
I promise you as your blood glucose goes down you will start to feel better, less tired and with more energy. You will then be in a much better state to take this all in better. It is very confusing at first but start one step at a time. Do not despair that you will never be able to have a treat again. You will but you will learn how to incorporate it in your diet, but you will also learn better substitutes. But first to get you feeling better it is to concentrate on getting your blood glucose down. So keep to the salads, try olive oil and lemon dressing or real mayonnaise. Keep to the poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, meat. Do not worry too much about the fat content. Breakfast is just another meal and does not have to be "breakfast" food. Last nights left over chicken is good if you do not want to cook. Hard boiled eggs. Keep in fridge if you get a bit peckish and need a snack. Oh by the way, if you keep to a low carb high fat diet you will not feel so hungry. Carbohydrates make you crave more carbohydrates, but fat keeps food in the stomach longer and therefore you are not so hungry for longer. Do not eat just because you think you should. If you are not hungry then do not eat it will not do you any harm. What you must avoid though is when you do eat you do not eat twice as much to make up for it. At one time it was thought a little and often was best but it is now thought that the longer we can go without eating is better. Exercise has a very important part to play in lowering blood glucose. So if you are able get some more exercise in. It does not have to be the gym type exercise. It is little things like instead of parking near the shop park the furthest way away. Instead of going up the lift take the stairs. Anything to keep your body moving as much as possible.
 
I have one more day at work and then holidays so I can concentrate on my diet then and eating the right foods.I am going to have a big clear out and restock. I jjust want to feel normal again. My symptoms are now making sense and I can put to diabetes. I recently bought a fitbit to spur me to walk more, I think it has a bit but not 10k steps per day. I am happy to exercise more if I have the energy, I just need to get a break in this cycle..... Thank you 🙂
 
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.
 
Hi Amplify welcome from me. I see you have already been given lots of good advice.
Mine is easy to say but ATM will be hard for you to do, try not to panic , If you are diabetic no matter what type (their are a few) you can lead a perfectly normal life and with a little care a good long one too
We have perfectly well people on here who've had diabetes for 50 years . People who run marathons , mad cyclists :D and lots more.
We have a large forum on carbs recipes etc that might give you some ideas on meals and substitutes for higher carb things like potatoes rice etc
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/forums/food-carb-queries-recipes.4/
If you are diabetic once your BGs(blood glucose ) levels come down you will start to feel better.
Ask as many question as you need to
And please let us know how you get on.
 
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By the way, do not do juicing. Juicing breaks down the fibres - which a diabetic needs because it helps stop BG (blood glucose) spikes. It concentrates the carbohydrates in the vegetables and therefore the carbs are higher than they would be if you ate them as vegetables. If you eat vegetables as they are then the carbohydrate in them does not need to be counted.
 
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.
 
Hi Amplify, and welcome to the forum. Lillian has given you great advice. Sadly, the medical profession have a lot of catching up to do. A low carb high fat (LCHF) diet can help you lose weight and lower cholesterol. I know it sounds mad, but it works. It's carbs that are the baddies, not the fat.
 
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
Welcome. Don't feel alone. everyone on here is very helpful and supportive. You've already had some great advice. I've done more cooking since I became diabetic than in the rest of my life! Most of those ready meals are packed with carbs, which are bad news. For instant food that doesn't affect me too badly I eat New Covent garden Goan spicy chicken and lentil soup. The lentils are slow release carbs so have a less catastrophic effect on my system.
 
Welcome to the forum, amplify. Things will become clearer, especially once you get a diagnosis and work out a plan of action - that's you adn your GP together. It's likely to include lowering carbohydrate content of your diet, perhaps lowering calories overall if you are overweight (I'm not assuming, but 80% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight at time of diagnosis), increasing physical activity levels (anythig you enjoy - walking, cycling, energetic gardening, dancing, running, swimming, gym, table tennis - anything really) and perhaps medication.
 
You've had some good ideas. This is also what I would have liked to know from day one. I would cut the Sugars including fruit/juice and Starches, including breads, pasta, rice, potato etc

This gives a simple overview to how it works for me. The more carbs I eat the more carbs I want. They don’t give up easy and it’s biochemical

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEayi6IBjZw&list=PLCD72F4109EDC4BD8&index=6

an introduction to low carb
https://www.verywell.com/low-carb-diets-4014695

what to expect the first week, besides being hungry for the first 2 days, then it stops
https://www.verywell.com/getting-through-the-first-week-2242037
 
amplify said:
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.
Click to expand...
Hi amplify ...welcome.
My breakfast was pretty similar to yours. I now don't have the fruit juice ...it may be classed as healthy but mebbe not the best for the likes of us. I still have cereal but I mix all bran (the lowest carb one I could find in the supermarket) with porridge oats and just add milk. I have a sandwich for lunch (Burgen bread - I like it and it's lower in carbs than white), an apple and a can of zero cal fizz. I've abandoned the crisps altogether (but will sneak a few Pringles once in a while). Evening meal is heavier on the protein than the veg - more meat, less potatoes. I've avoided the chocs, sweets and biscuits (I couldn't just eat the one - it had to be at least 6!) for ages now. I always knew Ice Cream sent my levels sky high so there's 3 tubs of it in my fridge looking for a good home.
I now snack on nuts that I buy from Lidl...

It's a long, slow road, frustrating as hell and most definitely not smooth but with the sort of help you'll find here you won't be doing it alone.
 
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