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T2 Diagnosed in May 2016 my daughter directed me to this forum

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
J

Jacq

New Member
My daughter was fed up of me moaning about my struggles with socialising, going on holiday and keeping healthy blood sugars, with some sort of happiness, so directed me to this forum.
Background information: I went to the doctors with what I thought was menopause, night sweating, moods swings, lack of concentration, the male doctor kindly handed me HRT. I returned to the doctors as I had a water infection, this time it was a female doctor, she took the time to talk to me and extracted more information from me, feeling tired falling asleep fussy headed and slight blurred vision, I had put these symptoms down to the sudden loss of my younger daughter. The doctor s took a bloods for tests but didn't say what for. When I returned what a shock!! She casually said your results have come back all okay.. except you have T2 diabetes level was 62. I decided to not take medication and try diet and exercise. I went on holiday abroad 4wks after diagnosis. I struggled with drinks,some ice tea had little sugar in others were sky high, don't like coke and diet lemonade was not available in bars and restaurant, so water it was, not a pleasure at all. I dreaded ordering food, but I love salads so this seemed best, rotating between tuna and chicken salad for lunch, this was fine. On an evening we searched for eating places that did vegetables and no chips.. my husband supported me saying he was proud. My levels were 49 in August and I had lost 6lbs, levels in Dec was the same 49, I was please with this. But with the anniversary of my daughter death I struggled and started comfort eating crisps, chocolate, pressure to have a drink (alcohol) for me to feel better.... never mind.. I thought I would be able to adjust back. I went away again in February with my sister and her husband. I struggling with menus and what to drink, my sister got fed up of me mulling over the menu and although I threw the towel in and shared a bottle of wine with her I suffered with tiredness and was going to bed early, this didn't go down too well. I have avoided going out with work colleagues as i don't seem to enjoy going out anymore. Any suggestions on how to cope with this and what alcoholic drinks are ok. I have tried ordering diet lemonade and peach snaps but even in England pubs don't seem to do diet lemonade, don't like soda water. Feeling very down about the diabetes at the moment and reaching again for the comfort food ..any help appreciated. I don't have a machine to do my levels and have been told that my blood levels will be done yearly.
 
Hi Jacq
Warm welcome to the forum.
 
Jacq said:
My daughter was fed up of me moaning about my struggles with socialising, going on holiday and keeping healthy blood sugars, with some sort of happiness, so directed me to this forum.
Background information: I went to the doctors with what I thought was menopause, night sweating, moods swings, lack of concentration, the male doctor kindly handed me HRT. I returned to the doctors as I had a water infection, this time it was a female doctor, she took the time to talk to me and extracted more information from me, feeling tired falling asleep fussy headed and slight blurred vision, I had put these symptoms down to the sudden loss of my younger daughter. The doctor s took a bloods for tests but didn't say what for. When I returned what a shock!! She casually said your results have come back all okay.. except you have T2 diabetes level was 62. I decided to not take medication and try diet and exercise. I went on holiday abroad 4wks after diagnosis. I struggled with drinks,some ice tea had little sugar in others were sky high, don't like coke and diet lemonade was not available in bars and restaurant, so water it was, not a pleasure at all. I dreaded ordering food, but I love salads so this seemed best, rotating between tuna and chicken salad for lunch, this was fine. On an evening we searched for eating places that did vegetables and no chips.. my husband supported me saying he was proud. My levels were 49 in August and I had lost 6lbs, levels in Dec was the same 49, I was please with this. But with the anniversary of my daughter death I struggled and started comfort eating crisps, chocolate, pressure to have a drink (alcohol) for me to feel better.... never mind.. I thought I would be able to adjust back. I went away again in February with my sister and her husband. I struggling with menus and what to drink, my sister got fed up of me mulling over the menu and although I threw the towel in and shared a bottle of wine with her I suffered with tiredness and was going to bed early, this didn't go down too well. I have avoided going out with work colleagues as i don't seem to enjoy going out anymore. Any suggestions on how to cope with this and what alcoholic drinks are ok. I have tried ordering diet lemonade and peach snaps but even in England pubs don't seem to do diet lemonade, don't like soda water. Feeling very down about the diabetes at the moment and reaching again for the comfort food ..any help appreciated. I don't have a machine to do my levels and have been told that my blood levels will be done yearly.
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Hi Jackie...I think you have to give yourself some leeway here...firstly let me say how sorry I am to hear of your loss...unimaginable for most of us here to have to cope with the sudden loss of anyone...much less a child...I hope you were/are being given the right support to help you through such a difficult time..then 'real life' kicks in ... we still have to attend to the everyday necessities of living...your diagnosis...often difficult to accept...comes as a complete shock to many of us...no idea how we got it...exactly what it is...how do we manage it...on a positive note you have made progress...reduced you BG from the initial 62 to 49...and maintained that...do you have any idea what your levels are now?...diabetes is all about managing the carbohydrates...less carbs=lower blood glucose...you've only been diagnosed for a few months...since diabetes is a life long condition.. no need to rush...take your time...find a routine that is suitable for you...that way you are more likely to be able to sustain it...one of the best ways to assess how particular foods affect our BG s is to test before eating...and two hours after...type 2 diabetics are routinely told no need to test...rely on a three/six monthly blood test...mainly for economic reasons...I test and have since my diagnosis... essential for managing my diabetes....despite advice from my GP & DSN not to...many of us here self fund our meters/testing strips...I use the SD codefree meter...the testing strips cost roughly £8 for fifty...other brands can cost two to three times the price...a simple process...so worthwhile...as for food...plenty of advice here...several threads you can read...no doubt other members will be along shortly with advice...suggestions...ask whatever questions you need to...advice & support will be given without judgement or disapproval...good luck...be interested to hear your progress.
 
Hi Jacq, welcome to the forum. I am so sorry for your loss and with it being so recent be kind to yourself as stress causes BG to rise.

As Bubbsie says testing is key to control.

I am only 4 months in and I drink wine regularly - not like every day with lunch but a couple of times a week. Wine actually lowers BG. Normally I stick to 1/2 bottle as any more can upset my stomach but if I'm out socialising I have polished off a bottle.

You can eat anything but if you want to control your diabetes through diet you need to choose what you eat and how much. I like chocolate so I allow myself one small Kinder bar a day (less than 6g carbs). I eat protein heavy meals with creamy sauces. From testing I know I can eat a slice of High Protein bread, Lidl protein bread roll or slice of Burgen bread. So I may make an open sandwich with a slice of bread. You can buy carb free pasta and rice from Holland and Barrett. I can also eat 6 chunky sweet potato wedges - I cover liberally with olive oil, black pepper and a little garlic and cook in oven. My carbs are accompanied with good fats to help my body process.

Eating out - I never used to order starters as I prefer dessert but now I have a starter. I just look for the lowest carb starter, I'm not interested in calories. Main course - sometimes I just say veg only no potatoes so I get extra veg - then I pinch a chip from someone else! I find Indian restaurants very easy to eat out at as the sauces are fine I just limit my rice to one spoon full. Onion bhajis - I can eat one large one without spiking my BG. If everyone orders popadoms with chutney tray I order a chicken tikka starter so I'm not tempted. I went to some trendy Burger place - you know the overpriced, square plate type of restaurant. All dishes were burger and chips (sweet or normal potato) but I asked for them to be replaced with salad. I only ate one 1/2 of the bun. My family and friends are supportive so don't question me leaving or giving away my excess carbs. Cooked breakfasts are okay too. Just limit baked beans and fried bread but bacon, eggs, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes are fine. Pizza - I eat the topping from all pizza but just one small slice of the base.

Drinks - I'm a tea drinker so I will have a cup of tea when out. I'm not really a diet pop drinker. Else I'm happy with water but know I can drink Bacardi and diet coke or Gin and slimline tonic etc. as most alcohol - except beers and dessert wine are carb free.

Don't look at sugar content of food, look at carbs. All carbs turn to sugar.

This week for first time since being diagnosed I went with family to ice-cream parlour. I had one scoop of vanilla ice-cream with generous portion of whipped cream and hot chocolate fudge sauce. I tested 2 hours later and was only 6.8. I will need to test again to see if this was a one off but it's good to know a treat like this is allowed, though I would only do so occasionally.

So testing is your key to finding out what affects you plus it cheers you up when you eat something you love - like my ice-cream, and your meter reading is good.
 
Morning jacq
Good daughter you have there to have directed you here. So sorry for your loss stress can cause horrible fluctuations in our BS .I wish you luck and keep asking questions knowledge is power when it comes to diabetes
Regarding alcoholic drinks I can't advise I've been on soda water with a slice of fresh lime in for ages now
 
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Welcome.
You have done well to get you bloods down in the first place. I too struggle at times with comfort eating and stress does not help levels. i aim to have more more good days than bad.
 
Hi jacq and welcome. Glad your daughter found us for you! 🙂
You'll get lots of help here -already had some brilliant ideas above. Good luck.
 
Grogg1 said:
Don't look at sugar content of food, look at carbs. All carbs turn to sugar.
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Also, don't believe the food-industry nonsense of "natural" vs. "added" sugar; your body can't tell the difference (because there isn't one really). It's all carbs.
 
Hi Jacq, welcome to the forum 🙂 As has been suggested, testing is really the only practical tool available that will tell you whether the food and drink choices you are making are good ones for you as an individual. People have widely varying tolerances for the same things - it's now thought that our own unique gut bacteria play a significant role in this, which would explain why it varies so much. As such, whilst there are some very obvious candidates like high sugar food and drinks, you may be surprised to learn that some ostensibly 'healthy' items have a bad effect on your levels, yet some items you thought you might need to exclude you, in fact, have a good degree of tolerance for, and can enjoy guilt-free. A six-monthly or annual HbA1c test can't possibly reveal this level of detail. Whilst your choices have clearly helped bring down your overall levels since diagnosis, you may be unnecessarily placing restrictions on your diet which is contributing to your frustrations and general misery about the condition.

I'd suggest having a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how to test efficiently and effectively - it's perfectly logical and will help inform your decisions. Also, it doesn't mean that things are off the menu permanently - the key is moderation and you shouldn't deny yourself the occasional treat - just be better informed about them! 🙂 Many of our members are in the position of not getting a meter and strips provided, so if you do need to fund the testing yourself, then the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50. You don't need to test forever, just whilst you are learning about items that you include regularly in your diet - once established, you would only need to test when trying new or unfamiliar things. I'd recommend starting a food diary so that you know exactly what you are eating and drinking, carb-wise (write down the amount of carbs, in grams, in everything you eat and drink) - you can then use this as a basis for looking for areas where adjustments might be made to improve things. I'd recommend looking at the GL (Glycaemic Load) diet, which offers an approach to selecting and combining foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels - The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction 🙂

Without testing, it's pretty much guesswork, based on preconceptions of what is 'healthy' and what is not, and very generalised advice about what people with diabetes should be eating. You are a unique and special individual, and you need to get to know that person - from a food-tolerance/diabetes-friendly point of view, so you can overcome with confidence the difficulties you have been experiencing 🙂

What about exercise - are you able to do much? Regular exercise is extremely beneficial in improving your insulin sensitivity, and thus allowing you to manage on a much more flexible approach to eating and drinking.

Finally, it's worth getting to understand Type diabetes more. I'd recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and, even though it's not your 'first year', getting a copy of the superb Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker 🙂

Please let us know if you have any questions, we will be more than happy to help 🙂
 
Hi Jacq, welcome to the group

As has been mentioned, testing is important, with a small amount of knowledge you will be able to make great decisions about what to eat without stressing about it (and don't beat yourself up for occasional mistakes)

As for drinks, I generally go for Red Wine (merlot being my usual), I stay well away from cocktails & sodas as these tend to be sugar laden
 
Bubbsie said:
Hi Jackie...I think you have to give yourself some leeway here...firstly let me say how sorry I am to hear of your loss...unimaginable for most of us here to have to cope with the sudden loss of anyone...much less a child...I hope you were/are being given the right support to help you through such a difficult time..then 'real life' kicks in ... we still have to attend to the everyday necessities of living...your diagnosis...often difficult to accept...comes as a complete shock to many of us...no idea how we got it...exactly what it is...how do we manage it...on a positive note you have made progress...reduced you BG from the initial 62 to 49...and maintained that...do you have any idea what your levels are now?...diabetes is all about managing the carbohydrates...less carbs=lower blood glucose...you've only been diagnosed for a few months...since diabetes is a life long condition.. no need to rush...take your time...find a routine that is suitable for you...that way you are more likely to be able to sustain it...one of the best ways to assess how particular foods affect our BG s is to test before eating...and two hours after...type 2 diabetics are routinely told no need to test...rely on a three/six monthly blood test...mainly for economic reasons...I test and have since my diagnosis... essential for managing my diabetes....despite advice from my GP & DSN not to...many of us here self fund our meters/testing strips...I use the SD codefree meter...the testing strips cost roughly £8 for fifty...other brands can cost two to three times the price...a simple process...so worthwhile...as for food...plenty of advice here...several threads you can read...no doubt other members will be along shortly with advice...suggestions...ask whatever questions you need to...advice & support will be given without judgement or disapproval...good luck...be interested to hear your progress.
Click to expand...
 
Thank u for your suggestions and advice where do I buy SD codefree meter and testing strips? This looks like a good move forward
 
Welcome aboard as above, testing as helped me to start learning and can motivate you when you can see actualy data that your bloods coming down over weeks rather then waiting 3 to 6 mths for doctors blood test. Take care and as others said stress and anxiety can mess with sugar levels.
 
Jacq said:
Thank u for your suggestions and advice where do I buy SD codefree meter and testing strips? This looks like a good move forward
Click to expand...
Jacq...like Grogg1 I order mine from Amazon...it is best to order testing strips & lancets at the same time...since you only get a starter sample of both (about 10) with the meter...good luck.
 
Make sure your meter is mmol/L as it uk, amazon also sell mg/dl which is us version
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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