Type 2 new diagnosis

[Mike P]

Hi. Spent a few days in hospital recently with an "angry gallbladder" and currently waiting for surgery to remove it. During blood tests they found my blood glucose levels to be "quite high" and gave me a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. I was discharged before the results of the HbA1c test was through. Went for pre op assessment appointment when was told that HbA1c was 94, apparently their cutoff level for operations is normally 77 so anaesthatist will decide whether or not to delay the op.
They have put me on 500mg Metformin twice a day which I am hoping will help. I have cut out sugar in my drinks and am trying to reduce my carbohydrate intake (I have yet to hear from my GP so assume I will have to contact them). I am finding it very difficult to get my head round what I can and cannot eat and not knowing if they are going to operate is doing my head in. I am reading a lot and there seems to be a lot of conflicting information so am getting quite confused.
I hope that I will be able to understand and get things straight in my mind, this forum seems a good place to start that process.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome to the forum Mike from a fellow T2. Yes it is big when you've got several things on.
The usual advice here is the self test before and after eating. And keeping a food diary. That way you can see what affect food has on your levels, along with any changes you make. Hopefully after a couple of weeks you'll start to see a pattern.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Hi Mike P & welcome to the forum.🙂 Watch out for carbs. They raise our BG (blood glucose). So that means bread, rice, pasta, cereals, potatoes (& other starchy veg) & anything made with flour. Things like meat, fish, dairy & green leafy veg are fine. I replace regular bread with Burgen Soya & Linseed which is lower carb & higher fibre, have cauli rice or Bulgar Wheat to replace rice, soya bean spaghetti instead of the regular one & replace potatoes with turnip, butternut squash, celeriac or swede. I also make cakes & desserts using almond flour, coconut flour or soya flour & replace the sugar with sweetener (Xylitol). Alcohol in moderation is fine, but watch out for beers & lagers that are higher carb & alcohol also lowers BG so be careful if you are on BG lowering meds (Metformin is fine).

 

[Lyn68]

Hello Mike and welcome I was only diagnosed a few weeks ago so fairly new at this myself. The food part is a bit of a mine field but just take it one step at a time. I became a bit obsessive about yogurt of all things. Apart from the obvious sugars it’s all about the carbs reduce your intake. You will get loads of advice on here from those that know far more than me but find what works for you.

 

[Mike P]

Thanks for your replies, all helping greatly. Checked the bread bin as my wife had bought a "seedy loaf" this week to find it's a Burgen soya and linseed loaf so heading in the right direction without realising it. Already stopped sugar in tea and coffee and reducing potatoes with dinner, will be cutting them out completely as soon as I find a palatable alternative. Not panicking as I have now read several posts on this forum and can see that the condition is manageable. I think that with a couple more weeks to get used to the idea life will be slightly more enjoyable than it is at the moment. It's good to know that I am not alone with this and that everyone is shocked when they receive the diagnosis.

 

[Martin9]

Hi @Mike P ..welcome to the club no one wants to be in, basically as Type 2 diabetics we have trouble with carbohydrates that's both the simple sugars found in sweets, cakes, syrups, jams etc and the more complex starches found in rice, pastas, potatoes wheat products etc ..
Counter intuitively we are allowed proteins and healthy fats so lean meat, leafy vegetables, eggs nuts, cheese are all good.
Beware of breakfast cereals even the considered healthy varieties like weetabix are full of carbs, so better to have a small bacon & egg.and also fruit can be full of sugar so limit that too..
It's also a good time to lose any excess weight you may be carrying now try to get your BMI within the normal range...but the low carb healthy fat diet will take care of that itself ..
Good luck with the op if it goes ahead..!

 

[CathyB]

Hi Mike, welcome As the others have said, carbs are the enemy 😡 you will pick it up if you keep reading, I’ve managed to get my bg down to normal levels in 3 months by cutting carbs and walking regularly, the weight is also coming down without much effort....bonus Some ideas from me...replace mashed spuds with mashed swede or butternut squash, experiment with stir fry veg & meat, chilli with grated cheese, home made curry with cauliflower rice, cauliflower cheese (watch what flour you use as that has carbs), high meat content sausages, home made burgers with cheese but no bun!......Rule of thumb for veg, if it grows below the ground leave it alone, above the ground is probably ok. Good desert, full fat Greek yoghurt with a few almonds or sugar free caramel sauce 🙄
It’s doable Mike, I thought it would be awful but I’m eating healthier, not eating as much and feeling SO much better 😉

 

[Mark Parrott]

Thanks for your replies, all helping greatly. Checked the bread bin as my wife had bought a "seedy loaf" this week to find it's a Burgen soya and linseed loaf so heading in the right direction without realising it. Already stopped sugar in tea and coffee and reducing potatoes with dinner, will be cutting them out completely as soon as I find a palatable alternative. Not panicking as I have now read several posts on this forum and can see that the condition is manageable. I think that with a couple more weeks to get used to the idea life will be slightly more enjoyable than it is at the moment. It's good to know that I am not alone with this and that everyone is shocked when they receive the diagnosis.

It's funny what we get used to, such as having potatoes or rice or pasta with every meal, when really when you think about it, these don't really taste of anything much. I find potatoes very bland these days since changing to much tastier veg. It's amazing what you can do with a cauliflower! Not only rice, but makes good mash too. Sweet potato is a bit of a hit & miss thing. Some can tolerate it, some can't. I'm having a roast tomorrow & will be having roasted turnip & radishes instead of potatoes. Roasting radishes is a recent discovery. They are just like new potatoes. Amazing, really.🙂

 

[JMyrtle]

You can make a cheese sauce using cream cheese or Philadelphia and milk instead of flour, sounds odd but you warm the milk in a small bowl in the microwave, whisk or stir in the cream cheese, season, reheat and add grated cheese if you so wish.
You can also make a pepper sauce for steak using the same method while the steak is resting by using the cooking juices in the frying pan with cream instead of the milk and adding black pepper to taste but no port or brandy!

 

[SB2015]

Welcome Mike
There is a lot to take in at the beginning and it sounds like you are already making a good start. As you have said the condition is manageable, and there are plenty of people on here who have improved their levels just by adjusting their diet and levels of exercise.

I know that many people with T2 diagnosis have found the book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, taking you through things step by step, and offering many useful tips.

A lot of people also find it useful to start to test their own BG levels, in order to get information about how different foods and activity impact on their levels. Very often people with T 2 cannot get test strips on prescription so they use a SD Codfree meter, for which the strips are a lot cheaper than for others.

If you have any questions do ask, and remember nothing is considered a silly questions. People are here tohelp.

 

[CathyB]

You can make a cheese sauce using cream cheese or Philadelphia and milk instead of flour, sounds odd but you warm the milk in a small bowl in the microwave, whisk or stir in the cream cheese, season, reheat and add grated cheese if you so wish.
You can also make a pepper sauce for steak using the same method while the steak is resting by using the cooking juices in the frying pan with cream instead of the milk and adding black pepper to taste but no port or brandy!

Oh wow! Just made your cheese sauce and have to say, even if I wasn’t diabetic I would prefer this method......yummy! Can’t wait to try the pepper sauce now, thank you 😛

 

[Mike P]

Really fed up today. Had a phone call from the local hospital offering me a gallbladder operation on Friday. They called back 10 mins later to let me know that they were going to have to cancel that offer as my BG levels are to high. I am also being taken off the waiting list until my GP informs them that blood sugar levels are under control and I am fit for the operation (apparantly my diagnosis "is in the early stages so it could take quite a while to sort out"). I have been out of hospital now for over 3 weeks and have yet to hear from my GP. They have added Metformin to my regular prescription so I guess they are on top of things but totally frustrated as I don't know where I am with regard to the diabetes. I am being very careful with carbs and have lost some weight so hope all is headed in the right direction but with the fear of another gallbladder flareup in the back of my mind not feeling to cheerful.

 

[Bubbsie]

Really fed up today. Had a phone call from the local hospital offering me a gallbladder operation on Friday. They called back 10 mins later to let me know that they were going to have to cancel that offer as my BG levels are to high. I am also being taken off the waiting list until my GP informs them that blood sugar levels are under control and I am fit for the operation (apparantly my diagnosis "is in the early stages so it could take quite a while to sort out"). I have been out of hospital now for over 3 weeks and have yet to hear from my GP. They have added Metformin to my regular prescription so I guess they are on top of things but totally frustrated as I don't know where I am with regard to the diabetes. I am being very careful with carbs and have lost some weight so hope all is headed in the right direction but with the fear of another gallbladder flareup in the back of my mind not feeling to cheerful.

Mike are you testing your own blood sugars...that would be one way for you to see how you are coping with your diabetes...I have looked at the thread and I cannot see any mention of self monitoring your blood glucose...if you want information on how to do this...or are wanting to know what the benefits are I would echo the advice of @SB2015 and try to get a copy of Type 2 Diabetes The First Year...it's so informative and will take you through all the explanations you need...give you advice on cutting carbs & explain how beneficial that is...there is no doubt your HbA1c result is on the high side however we have had many here who were diagnosed with higher levels (myself included) and have managed to reduce those considerably...obtain good control of our diabetes...yes it is disappointing your operation has been cancelled...however...I think you'd be surprised how well you can control your diabetes once you find a suitable diet...think about testing your BG's it will show you what effect different foods have on your diabetes & it can prove a real incentive once you understand how this condition can be controlled...it will & does get better honestly...good luck...if you have specific questions post them here...I'm sure one of us could help you...please try to read the book.

 

[Bubbsie]

You can make a cheese sauce using cream cheese or Philadelphia and milk instead of flour, sounds odd but you warm the milk in a small bowl in the microwave, whisk or stir in the cream cheese, season, reheat and add grated cheese if you so wish.
You can also make a pepper sauce for steak using the same method while the steak is resting by using the cooking juices in the frying pan with cream instead of the milk and adding black pepper to taste but no port or brandy!

I'm going to try that sauce JM...particularly after @CathyB 's recommendation

 

[Mike P]

Had my confirmation letter from the hospital saying they have returned me to the care of my GP until I am considered "Well enough" for the gallbladder ooperation. Two days later I hear from the day surgery unit to let me know that the anesthetist has confirmed that my blood sugar levels are to high and they have passed me back to my GP. They will reasses my condition in two months. So all I need now is the GP to take some interest and hopefully things will eventually work themselves out. At least I wont be called for an op in the middle of our family holiday. I asked "what happens if my gallbladder flares up again", reply was "you come back in and we do the operation as an emergency". Interesting to note that in an emergency situation blood glucose levels are relatively unimportant, for elective surgery they won't take any risks.

 

[Drummer]

I suspect that you might get some twinges from your gall bladder if you are lowering your carbs and eating more natural levels of fat - as it is fats which stimulate the gall bladder to empty itself - the bile is made from cholesterol amongst other things so that can be a good thing.
A fellow I persuaded to try low carb some years ago was waiting for a date for removal of his gall bladder, and was told to go in as an emergency if he got various symptoms. As he didn't he waited, and waited - then was called in to be assessed and when an ultrasound was done was told to go away as he did not have gall stones.

 

[Mike P]

Good news, I think, Had a phone call from my GP practice calling me in for a blood test next Friday. I would seem that the GP is interested in me after all.

 

[Mike P]

Ok so I went in for my blood test and gave the nurse both barrels as I feel that I had been launched out of hospital with no support. She said they have me down for Diabetes Education and had I had an appointment through yet. This led to an introduction to the Diabetes Nurse who tried to get me an appointment there and then but they were fully booked. My holiday and hers follow on from each other so earliest I can have a Diabetes Review appointment is August 20th. Long wait but it is progress of a sort, although they will insist on saying that it's early days, doesn't feel like that from where I'm sitting.
I can't wait that long without knowing if things are improving so I took your advice. After loads of thought I purchased a Codefree meter. It arrived yesterday and I have plucked up the courage to use it. It is easy to use but even though it doesn't hurt I still get very nervous waiting for the lancet to trigger.
Bearing in mind that at the end of May in hospital my finger prick tests were coming out at between 13 - 15, my first attempt had a reading of 11.2 (about 2 hours after a breakfast of muesli containing dried fruit!). I was fairly happy that I have been doing the right thing and whilst still high it is heading in the right direction. Later, 2 hrs after dinner with my daughter & son in law (Chicken, vegetables with sweet potato chips) I tried again... 9.1!
So today I thought I should do it properly, before breakfast 9.1 (no change overnight) 2hrs aftter breakfast (scrambled egg on Burgen Linseed & Soya toast & my morning Metformin tablet) 8.6! Obviously a good breakfast for me.
I am beginning to feel that perhaps I will be able to get on top of this. Just have to survive a holiday while keeping blood glucose under control and not upsetting the gall bladder and look forward to seeing the nurse in August.

 

[CathyB]

You can do this Mike, it’s not as bad as you think it might be, honestly! The only thing I miss now is ice cream, I don’t think I could go back to rice, pasta and potatoes now, I love that i don’t get that awful bloating any more you already have the evidence in what you have done so far. Get creative with stir fry food, different vegetables, cauliflower rice and mash.....honestly. It’s worth it 😛 keep sharing here so you get the encouragement and advice

 

[Mike P]

Ok finally I spoke to doctor last week who gave me my HbA1c results from 14th July (couldn't get them earlier as have been away on holiday. Current A1c level 68 a good improvement from 94 in May. He asked if I was coping with my diet and I was able to tell him that I have had no support (apart from you kind people) since leaving hospital in June. He has booked me in for "Diabetes Education" whatever that means and has increased my Metformin to 2 x 500mg tablets twice daily, reduce to 3 if I suffer from the dreaded stomach upsets, all ok so far (fingers crossed). Doctor is hopefull for a good HbA1c result in October when he would consider informing the hospital that I was ok for the gall bladder op. Been checking BG levels whilst away on holiday and it would appear that I am averaging 8.6 which is a lot better than the 13 - 15 in hospital. The only possible proplem on the horizon is coping with a 5 day break in France in September without spiking my BG to much bearing in mind next A1c test will be early October. So thanks to all the support from my online friends I am feeling more positive about it all.