T2 and disilutioned

[EllaRose71]

Hi, I have been here before as pre diabetic. Now I am actually T2 diabetic and so in need of help.
I am 68, but 2 months ago I was told I had T2 diabetes , given a booklet and no dietary advice, no group for support, just told to make an appointment to have blood teat again in 3 months! My Hba wotsits(?) were 6.7 and then 6.5, I wasn't given any meds or testing stuff. I feel I am just left to my own devices.

So for 2 months I have wrongly believed that fruit is good for me, so I have eaten quite a lot since. I cut out most potatoes, biscuits, cakes and chocolate and have lost over 1 stone but it doesn't show apart from my thighs being thinner. I eat salads every day except for sunday dinner.
I have now read that fruit isn't that good as it is full of sugar? But the booklet said it was good? I am confused.
I usually start the day with a banana, then mid morning a slice of wholemeal toast. For dinner I typically have 2 rye crisp breads with cottage cheese/tomato and thin ham. For tea I have salad with fruit and maybe chicken or tuna. I use lemon juice dressing instead of mayonnaise, I drink lots of tea. But will switch to water, probably flavoured with lemon juice.
I am worried I maybe making things worse for my condition, should I cut fruit out? especially the banana?
What is a healthy diet?
How can I find out if there is a support group near to me?

 

[Kaylz]

Hi there 🙂

Yes unfortunately if you aren't on hypo causing medication then they don't have to (and very very rarely) provide you with a BG meter and test strips, if you can afford to you can chose to self fund and get a better idea on what kind of impact the food you are eating has on you, to do this we test before eating and then again 2 hours after, ideally you would want to see no more than a 2-3mmol rise in your post meal reading

Some people can manage more than others so while some will say you shouldn't be eating that it doesn't mean that's the case for you, hence why testing is a good way to find what works for you as the individual you are, carbohydrates are what affects the BG as it all turns to glucose in the system so always look at the carbohydrates and not just the sugar part, regarding fruit things lower carb like strawberries, raspberries etc are generally better tolerated than banana but again as I've said that doesn't mean it's the same for you

Here's a link from here to see if there are any groups local to you but if there isn't anything there please do try a google search as well - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/how_we_help/local_support_groups

xx

 

[Felinia]

If it helps, I'm Type 2 and was told to only have 1 or 2 servings of fruit a day, a serving being 80gms. I was also advised no more than half a banana a day (you need to share!) and to be careful with melon. I buy frozen berries and that way can control the weight part. I also bought my own testing kit so I could work out what I could and could not safely eat.

 

[Neens]

Hi - I was told by my DN to have just 1 fruit and make the other 4 of 5 a day from vegetables. I also miss fruit - was a fruit beast before diagnosis, used to have 2-3 pieces a day! Now I have a very small banana about once a month and stick to mixed berries (weighed an 80g is considered 1 of 5 a day) or funsize kids fruit - mandarin (4.3g carbs - tiny but gives the taste) have had to abandon apples and pears as they raise my BG, sometimes have a funsize apple (9g carb as opposed to 14) but tend to have blueberries, strawberries and will in the summer once it has grown have rhubarb too.

As far as wholemeal bread - initially gave it up - but DN (Diabetic Nurse) suggested I have 1 slice a week for fibre so I look forward to half a sandwich. I like you, thought mayonnaise was bad - but actually measured and full fat stuff it is fairly low in carbs. I sometimes use Natural Greek Yoghurt (full fat version - lower in carbs than low fat) and mix flavourings to make dressing for salads.

Good luck.

 

[Ljc]

Hi. I am sorry to hear you are not being given proper support by your practice , sadly this happens a lot .
We are all so very different in what carbohydrates our bodies can tolerate sugar is just a simple carbohydrate and is already included in the carbohydrate content in the nutritional label usually on the back of packs .
A glucose meter is a great way of finding out what carbs we can and can’t handle. Sadly most t2s unless they are on meds that can cause hypo’s ( low blood glucose) are denied them
If you are able to self fund the ongoing cost if the testing strips , this meter
GlucoseNavii is the one that many here use ast it’s testing strips are £8 to for a pot of 50 , where meters bought in chemists use test strips costing in excess of £15 , it’s an updated version of the SD Codefree meter that you will often see mentioned on here

Here’s how we check ourselves so that we can make informed food choices .
Test review adjust by Alan S .

As for fruit , like all other carbohydrates it depends on what we can cope with , till your able to test, stick to fruit that has berry in its name as it’s often tolerated better. You I’ve always got some frozen ones in.

As for tea why give it up , sure cut down if you really want to but if your only cutting down to reduce the carbs in sugar and milk, then sweeteners are ok, I use a sweetener in my coffee I also have cream in my morning mug of coffee.

You will find a lot of good info in this ,
Maggie Davies letter
though it was written in a time when fats were believed to be our enemy, it’s now thought that this may have been wrong .
Many here follow LCHF ( low carbohydrate high fat) regime )
The above and more are in a thread called , Useful links for people new to diabetes, which you will find at the top of the newbies forum .

I hope you find this helpful.

 

[Drummer]

I had a meter so i could test my blood glucose - I do not eat starchy or sugary foods if over 10 percent carbohydrate because I could see how that pushed up the numbers. I eat salads and stir fries, I have low carb bread in the freezer, which is 4 gm of carbs per slice, but do not eat it very often - only to go with kippers. I used to have frozen berries with cream a couple of times a week, but have not bothered since the mixture I used to get has not been available.
I burnt all the diet sheets I'd been given the day after diagnosis - used them to start a barbecue - as it is my opinion that most dietary advice is totally wrong for me - I was almost spherical when diagnosed, eating 'healthy' carbs, low fat low calorie - I felt alright, just very old.
I really would advise that you revise your menus - have coleslaw or mayonnaise with your salads as the lemon juice is in fact - sugary. Avoid ordinary bread, crispbread - any grain really - have thick ham, any meat or fish is good because it is low carb, as are eggs, many cheeses, and if you replace the carbs with the natural fats and oils which come with the foods you should feel energized.
These days I use the Tee 2 meter and strips from Spirit Healthcare as they aren't too expensive to use - though I don't need to test very often now I have things sorted out.
I can't eat carbs to any extent - but if you test once your blood glucose levels are good, you should see at once just what you can and can't eat.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome back to the forum @EllaRose71

Sorry to hear about you’ve had to join the club no one asked to be part of, but glad you’ve connected with is again. And sorry you’ve had some confusing and conflicting advice too. All to common I’m afraid

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

The really tricky thing is that blood glucose responses to food are highly individual, and it can be impossible to say which forms and amounts of carbohydrate will ‘spike’ your BG without checking for yourself. But the good news is that it is possible to check this for yourself and tailor your own ideal way of eating that suits you and your BG levels.

The suggestions about getting a BG meter and using ‘test review adjust’ to see how the foods you are eating are suiting your diabetes is a good one. Other meters like the Spirit TEE2 and Caresens also have fairly affordable strips.

You can use a BG meter, checking before and after meals, and checking what the differences are. Then identify any foods that seem to be causing you difficulties and try varying or reducing them (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference)

Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can often be managed well with a few changes and adaptations. And it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Try not to be disheartened, many people later reflect that their diagnosis was a sort of catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life.

When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels can actually cause problems with some parts of the body including eyes and nerves.

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 very helpful starting points.

Good luck, and keep asking questions!