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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Type 2 newly diagnosed
- Thread starter Stevei999
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HBa1C of 122 is very high, so it is understandable (though unfortunate) that you are taking Gliclazide.
I say unfortunate because this is one of a class of medicines which can (but only rarely) induce a 'Hypo' i.e. too low a Blood Glucose level. That fact means that you need to be extra careful with what you eat. It is still fairly rare for Type 2 patients to get good advice from the NHS - so forget everything you think you know about healthy eating - that advice like eating whole grains, brown rice, oats, even fruit (except for berries) can actually harm us and make us more reliant on increased medicines.
All Type 2 diabetics have a bad reaction to carbohydrates. This is because we are 'insulin resistant' due to our bodies having over produced it for years in a vain attempt to keep our Blood Glucose down in a reasonable range.
Carbohydrates turn into sugar (glucose) very quickly - the more highly processed and the simpler the carbohydrate the faster it turns to glucose. Many start doing so when first in contact with saliva in the mouth.
If you have not already been given a Blood Glucose meter, you need to think about getting one so that you can test what various meals and snacks do to your Blood Glucose at around 2hrs after first bite. For a non diabetic, by that time no matter what they ate their Blood Glucose would have returned to about the same level as just before eating. But not for us!
Ideally we want the 2hrs after 1st bite reading to be no more than 2.0 mmol higher than that before starting to eat. This is called 'eating to your meter'.
I advise to not diet, just cut back on carbs - don't worry about calories at first. Eat plenty of unprocessed protein like eggs, meat, fish even hard cheese and don't cut off the fat that those things come naturally packaged with. Dietary Fat has no effect on Blood Glucose, Protein has only a small effect - so the only thing you need to avoid is Carbs.
I say count carbs not calories - because this needs to be sustainable and for that you need to enjoy your food and not feel hungry.
I say unfortunate because this is one of a class of medicines which can (but only rarely) induce a 'Hypo' i.e. too low a Blood Glucose level. That fact means that you need to be extra careful with what you eat. It is still fairly rare for Type 2 patients to get good advice from the NHS - so forget everything you think you know about healthy eating - that advice like eating whole grains, brown rice, oats, even fruit (except for berries) can actually harm us and make us more reliant on increased medicines.
All Type 2 diabetics have a bad reaction to carbohydrates. This is because we are 'insulin resistant' due to our bodies having over produced it for years in a vain attempt to keep our Blood Glucose down in a reasonable range.
Carbohydrates turn into sugar (glucose) very quickly - the more highly processed and the simpler the carbohydrate the faster it turns to glucose. Many start doing so when first in contact with saliva in the mouth.
If you have not already been given a Blood Glucose meter, you need to think about getting one so that you can test what various meals and snacks do to your Blood Glucose at around 2hrs after first bite. For a non diabetic, by that time no matter what they ate their Blood Glucose would have returned to about the same level as just before eating. But not for us!
Ideally we want the 2hrs after 1st bite reading to be no more than 2.0 mmol higher than that before starting to eat. This is called 'eating to your meter'.
I advise to not diet, just cut back on carbs - don't worry about calories at first. Eat plenty of unprocessed protein like eggs, meat, fish even hard cheese and don't cut off the fat that those things come naturally packaged with. Dietary Fat has no effect on Blood Glucose, Protein has only a small effect - so the only thing you need to avoid is Carbs.
I say count carbs not calories - because this needs to be sustainable and for that you need to enjoy your food and not feel hungry.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Welcome to the forum @Stevei999
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
How did your diagnosis come about? Did it come on suddenly out of the blue? Or is this something that has been building up for some time? Does anyone have diabetes in your family or are you the first? Were you losing any weight without trying in the months before your diagnosis?
It probably all feels a bit overwhelming at the moment, and at 122mmol/mol you are certainly well into diabetes territory. But take heart, we have several members who were diagnosed at similar levels, but who have managed to successfully manage their diabetes by substantially changing what they eat, alongside taking medication if needed, and who are now back down into a much healthier range for both blood glucose and HbA1c.
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Often you don’t realise how weary, worn down and lethargic you have been feeling. Erratic and elevated blood glucose levels can be exhausting and are linked with low mood, but this may have come on quite gradually. Making a few positive changes can give you more energy, a clearer mind, and a brighter outlook. Plus the regular checks you get after a diagnosis with diabetes mean that any potential problems may be spotted earlier, and can be sorted out sooner.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.
You might like to explore the Learning Zone (the highlighted item in the main menu), whuch has loads of informative content that you can work through.
Keep asking questions, and let us know how you are getting on 🙂
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
How did your diagnosis come about? Did it come on suddenly out of the blue? Or is this something that has been building up for some time? Does anyone have diabetes in your family or are you the first? Were you losing any weight without trying in the months before your diagnosis?
It probably all feels a bit overwhelming at the moment, and at 122mmol/mol you are certainly well into diabetes territory. But take heart, we have several members who were diagnosed at similar levels, but who have managed to successfully manage their diabetes by substantially changing what they eat, alongside taking medication if needed, and who are now back down into a much healthier range for both blood glucose and HbA1c.
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Often you don’t realise how weary, worn down and lethargic you have been feeling. Erratic and elevated blood glucose levels can be exhausting and are linked with low mood, but this may have come on quite gradually. Making a few positive changes can give you more energy, a clearer mind, and a brighter outlook. Plus the regular checks you get after a diagnosis with diabetes mean that any potential problems may be spotted earlier, and can be sorted out sooner.
Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.
You might like to explore the Learning Zone (the highlighted item in the main menu), whuch has loads of informative content that you can work through.
Keep asking questions, and let us know how you are getting on 🙂
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
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- She/Her
As you have been given Gliclazide you should be given a glucose monitor and test strips as with that medication you could get Hypos and must test before driving. Your GP should have given you advice about that.
You may even have to inform the DVLA so I should check that.
You have been given some good advise in the other posts.
Thanks for the informative replies, in response to the few questions :
My symptoms were coming on for a while, tiredness, lethargy, irritability, frequent toilet visits, endlessly thirsty.
I've changed my diet completely to a low carb diet, cut out the non-complex carbs, cut out sweets/cakes/crisps etc
Have managed to get my blood sugar levels to between average of 5.5 to 8.5 over 2 weeks, even having a complete day in the normal range 4-8 which was awesome. I feel a lot more alert, normal levels of thirst, I've lost 2kg and feel soooo much healthier. I know it's a long term thing but I feel in control.
I've got a foot check, pneumonia vaccine, another HCA1c test and weight check on Thursday so we'll see how it goes.
The best thing is that I was feeling pretty depressed for a long time without really knowing why but since I've changed my diet even that has improved massively.
I have no family history of Diabetes and suspect it was wholly due to my weight and appalling diet. I am currently 22 stone at 6 foot so I'm a good 8-10 stone overweigh! - seems like a massive mountain to climb but I think I can do this after failing so many times before. It's do this or risk insulin dependency, potential loss of sight, limbs and even death. I now have no choice so I'm going all out. Exercise is next on my hitlist, starting with long walks and considering joining a gym.
My symptoms were coming on for a while, tiredness, lethargy, irritability, frequent toilet visits, endlessly thirsty.
I've changed my diet completely to a low carb diet, cut out the non-complex carbs, cut out sweets/cakes/crisps etc
Have managed to get my blood sugar levels to between average of 5.5 to 8.5 over 2 weeks, even having a complete day in the normal range 4-8 which was awesome. I feel a lot more alert, normal levels of thirst, I've lost 2kg and feel soooo much healthier. I know it's a long term thing but I feel in control.
I've got a foot check, pneumonia vaccine, another HCA1c test and weight check on Thursday so we'll see how it goes.
The best thing is that I was feeling pretty depressed for a long time without really knowing why but since I've changed my diet even that has improved massively.
I have no family history of Diabetes and suspect it was wholly due to my weight and appalling diet. I am currently 22 stone at 6 foot so I'm a good 8-10 stone overweigh! - seems like a massive mountain to climb but I think I can do this after failing so many times before. It's do this or risk insulin dependency, potential loss of sight, limbs and even death. I now have no choice so I'm going all out. Exercise is next on my hitlist, starting with long walks and considering joining a gym.
Yes, the potential horrific outcomes really focuses the mind, don't they? No need to go mad with the exercise. Normal walks will do and they'll get longer in length and faster as you get fitter. I opted to have smaller weight targets to help motivate me. I found the Carbs and Cals book/app really useful. You can do this!! Good luck 🙂
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