Totally Lost

[dimmingdave]

Hi

Thanks for letting me join. Just been diagnosed as type 2 today. Quite a shock. Called into GP as blood tests came back with a level of 17 which was told is bad. Started on Metformin 2 tablets twice a day and told will eventually have to be on 3 types of tablet.

Really lost as what I can do to help myself and what foods can and cant eat. Can I use sweetener instead of sugar ( Stevia).

What foods can I eat is a real minefield as have read posts stating try to cut out Pasta Rice and Potatoes. Help!!!

 

[Docb]

Hi and welcome. Have a look at the posts in reply to fridgeraider to get you started and come back and ask questions. Looks like its diabetes diagnosis day!

PS.... Coffee and Tea taste far better without any sweetener, for a start you can actually taste them!!

 

[Ditto]

Hello dimmingdave and welcome to the forum. 🙂 You'll soon get the hang of it, don't panic.

 

[Martin Canty]

Really lost as what I can do to help myself and what foods can and cant eat. Can I use sweetener instead of sugar ( Stevia).

Personally I prefer tea & coffee with no sweetener, I gave up sugar in my drinks in my teens

What foods can I eat is a real minefield as have read posts stating try to cut out Pasta Rice and Potatoes. Help!!!

cut or reduce Bread, rice, pasta, potatoes & other starch vegetables/pulses, instead replace them with green leafy vegetables. Meat is not your enemy, contrary to standard advice.

 

[SueEK]

Hi Dave and welcome. It’s such a shock isnt it when first diagnosed, especially when it is unexpected. Try not to worry too much, your number is rather high but lots of us have started with high numbers and have successfully got them right down with some hard work and loads of questions to others in this forum. I also was diagnosed this year with a high level and was on 4 Metformin. Through medication, change of diet and small changes in exercise my levels are now pre-diabetic. You do need to reduce all carbs as basically these turn to glucose in the body so as you said, things like potatoes, rice, pasta and potatoes you really need to cut back on and if possible stop eating some of them. I can’t touch pasta for example but can have a small amount of rice and bread. I won’t overload you with facts but as Docb says have a look around the threads and just ask lots of questions.
On the coffee front, I do have sweetener in mine but am used to it as have had them for years, it’s your choice but definitely don’t use sugar.
Good luck and keep posting. Sue x

 

[Martin Canty]

eventually have to be on 3 types of tablet.

Not inevitable, I was on 2 types & have reduced it to zero & rely on control with Diet & Exercise.... Many people on this forum

 

[trophywench]

Way back when I was diagnosed they always admitted you to hospital where you were consigned for over a week and the tea trolley didn't offer sweeteners - I had a raging, constant thirst so I made myself drink tea without sugar and I was utterly gobsmacked because it was actually far more thirst-quenching than with sugar ever had been! I'd packed up having it in coffee years previously so that wasn't any problem but coffee first thing in the morning, or in the afternoon, was alien to me then. (Office tea trollies didn't offer coffee in the pm either!)

 

[Drummer]

Hi
Thanks for letting me join. Just been diagnosed as type 2 today. Quite a shock. Called into GP as blood tests came back with a level of 17 which was told is bad. Started on Metformin 2 tablets twice a day and told will eventually have to be on 3 types of tablet.
Really lost as what I can do to help myself and what foods can and cant eat. Can I use sweetener instead of sugar ( Stevia).
What foods can I eat is a real minefield as have read posts stating try to cut out Pasta Rice and Potatoes. Help!!!

Total tosh - how can whoever told you that you'd need three types of tablet know the future?
I was put on Metformin and Atorvastatin, was very ill, threw them away and found I never needed them in the first place.
Yes, I'm afraid that dense starchy or sugary foods are going to be problematic - the good news is that by sorting out a diet which allows you to control your blood glucose you can return to normal levels and even lose weight if that is what you need to do.
You can eat meat, fish, seafood, eggs and cheese, yoghurt and low carb veges and fruits - you can have cream in your coffee or on fruit - if I was told that I could go back to a 'normal' diet now, I don't think I'd be all that tempted.

 

[CathyB]

I agree with Drummer, how on earth can they say what you will or won’t need at this point! Changing you diet will make a difference and put you back in control. I started with a reading of 22, put on 4 x metformin a day, within 6 months I was back in normal range and have stayed there since, within a year I am off the metformin and just diet controlled. I was also told I could try normal food but I’m choosing to stick with my diet because I feel SO good on it and enjoy what I eat without worrying. I completely cut potatoes, rice, pasta and the only bread I eat is LivLife, a low carb option. I replaced the spuds with cauliflower, such a versatile veg, mash it with a little mustard, use that to top a cottage pie and add grated cheese, cauliflower rice works well although I now prefer my curry and chilli without anything but the cauliflower rice makes a good base for a stir fry. Eggs and bacon......mmmmmm 😛 guilt free! Chicken and avocado salad, juicy steak and stir fry veg, omelettes galore....so much you CAN eat! Testing is key to work out what foods work best for you as we are all different, some can manage a few berries but I can’t But I can now tolerate a couple of small apples a day
Nuts....walnuts, pecans, almonds...Aldi do a great value pack of mixed nuts for a snack attack, I always carry a small pot with me just in case. Sugar free jelly with a dollop of full fat Greek yoghurt, yummy!