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Type 2 newbie

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Stewie

Stewie

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi there guys. Just been confirmed as type 2 diabetes. Ahhhhhh
Not just the diabetes but nearly 5 years ago was diagnosed of have a degenerative spinal condition, spinal stenosis, 2 root nerve entrapments, ankylosing spondylitis, deminished lumber and last month was told I also now have severe arthritis all these are around L4 n L5 (lumber area of the back) and it has been hard not just for me but my wonderful wife n 2 young kids. We came back from a family holiday in France for the last week of the school holidays and came home with sunburn and a rash (downstairs) I went to the docs and said it was bellenditus but wanted to do a blood test just to make sure and guess what............practice nurse rang me and asked me to come in and bang I had a reading of 70 and my diet isn't that bad (been on slimming world) but not been loosing much. Also ad all the other symptoms but put that down to my heavy Meds for my spinal c**p going on. I came here and was in tears thinking my body can't handle much more going wrong. Heads still a mess but I picked up my new Meds this evening so it's made it more real now. Wow sorry for the long rant lol thanks just felt good getting it off my chest. By the way am 41.
 
Keep ranting, cuss, scream, do whatever makes you feel better. A lot of people have multiple conditions, it is sometimes what triggers diabetes. 70 is high but not as high as a lot of people. I was 122.

Anyway Howdy Doody, fire away with any questions
 
Welcome Stewie, you have found a good place for support.

The good news is that with a few simple lifestyle changes (I suspect in your case more around diet) diabetes is controllable & moreover quality of life can improve..... To be honest I had been feeling like c**p for a couple of years before DX & now I'm pretty much the best shape I have been in since my mid 20's.

BTW I was 77 at DX
 
Hi Stewie
Welcome aboard 🙂 The best thing in the world you can do for yourself right now is to get it all, scream, cry, swear, whatever you need. As my lovely dad used to say it's better out than in. Diabetes is a body blow for anyone so take a few minutes to get used to it. The good news is diabetes is controllable and once you're over the first few hurdles you'll find you probably eat a healthier diet and feel better than you have for a while. High blood sugar makes you feel dreadful and as type 2 you may have had higher blood sugar for a while (type 2 tends to be a slow onset, type 1 is quicker) so it's probably been making you feel tired and a bit crappy for a while. Anyway I won't waffle on just wanted to say hang on in there, it will get better 🙂
 
Welcome, Stewie.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. We'll help you get on track with the diabetes side of things. Sorry to hear of the back problems. Feel free to rant away. And also feel free to ask as many questions as you need.
 
Hi Stewie. As everyone has said rant and scream as much as you want. I guess we all did when diagnosed and I for one still have days like that now along with teary days. It will get better one step at a time and most of us have ended up fitter and healthier as a result.
As a slight aside, I notice you are in Leeds. We're having a little soiree in Leeds on 19th Nov, if you wish to come along. Just to warn you that judging from the posts re the BIrmingham meet, Diabeticlibertycan get somewhat carried away........!
 
Stewie said:
Hi there guys. Just been confirmed as type 2 diabetes. Ahhhhhh
Not just the diabetes but nearly 5 years ago was diagnosed of have a degenerative spinal condition, spinal stenosis, 2 root nerve entrapments, ankylosing spondylitis, deminished lumber and last month was told I also now have severe arthritis all these are around L4 n L5 (lumber area of the back) and it has been hard not just for me but my wonderful wife n 2 young kids. We came back from a family holiday in France for the last week of the school holidays and came home with sunburn and a rash (downstairs) I went to the docs and said it was bellenditus but wanted to do a blood test just to make sure and guess what............practice nurse rang me and asked me to come in and bang I had a reading of 70 and my diet isn't that bad (been on slimming world) but not been loosing much. Also ad all the other symptoms but put that down to my heavy Meds for my spinal c**p going on. I came here and was in tears thinking my body can't handle much more going wrong. Heads still a mess but I picked up my new Meds this evening so it's made it more real now. Wow sorry for the long rant lol thanks just felt good getting it off my chest. By the way am 41.
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Hi Stewie, welcome to the forum 🙂 Really sorry to hear that you have this to deal with on top of everything else :( The good thing though is that diabetes is a manageable condition, with the right knowledge and application, so it doesn't have to add to your problems or stand in the way of you doing other things 🙂

I'd recommend having a read of the excellent Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter - plenty to take in, but take your time and hopefully you will have a better idea of what it involves and how you can tackle it 🙂 I'd also recommend getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, which many of our members have found to be immensely helpful during these first few months.

Your chief concern as far as diet is concerned is the carbohydrates and their effect on your blood sugar levels. So, things like bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, baked goods and (of course) sugary items will all have the effect of raising your blood sugar levels - how much can be a very individual thing, so it's important to know the general 'rules' and then discover how they apply to you. I'd suggest having a look into the GL (Glycaemic Load) diet - not a weight loss diet, but 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

In order to tailor your diet to suit your own particular tolerances, the best approach is to do blood sugar tests with a home blood glucose meter. If this hasn't been offered by your GP then it's worth investing in your own whilst you gain experience. If you do need to buy your own, the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50 (High Street brands can charge £25-£30 for a box of 50 strips). If you have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S this should explain how to use testing efficiently and effectively to learn how different foods affect you and thus improve your levels.

There's quite a learning curve, but putting the work in at the start will pay huge dividends in the future - diabetes can't currently be cured, but you can hopefully steer clear of the complications it can bring if not managed well. Please let us know if you have ANY questions and we will do our best to help out 🙂
 
Welcome Stewie. You have just increased your 'friends with benefits ' list. The benefits being hints tips and info from real experience from everyone here. Pop in often and you will learn a lot to help you deal with this thing. You will really get to know your own body and what it will tolerate food wise. Recognising this along with testing will be the best things you can do to help yourself. This is a DIY disease, as nobody can do it for you so be as proactive as possible regarding your own health. Somebody on here will have dealt with most problems that crop up so ask away
 
Hi and welcome.

Bet it felt good to get that off your chest. Very soon I hope you'll feel ready to get to grips with this condition.

I'm beginning to sound like a bit of a 'pusher', but my diet/lifestyle contributed massively to my T2 diagnosis and a low carb/full fat full frontal attack has knocked it right back. If you'd like further information just ask. Other members of the forum has sent me some excellent links that I think you'd find extremely useful.

Chin up mate...diagnosis is sometimes a wake-up call rather than a life sentence. 🙂
 
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