Hello, from newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes

Liam1955

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Hi @jal16 - You should be able to buy meters in Chemists, and you will need to know if the Lancets and test strips are available and at a reasonable cost. Also you need to get it in mmol format. You could also look on Amazon.co.uk for meters, Lancets and test strips.:)
 

jal16

Well-Known Member
Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi @jal16 - You should be able to buy meters in Chemists, and you will need to know if the Lancets and test strips are available and at a reasonable cost. Also you need to get it in mmol format. You could also look on Amazon.co.uk for meters, Lancets and test strips.:)
Thanks Liam, Im going to have a look this week then. Thanks for your help, :)
 
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Liam1955

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Hi again @jal16 - I use the Lancet once and then dispose of it - (some may use it again) But, you need to dispose of Lancets and test strips sensibly. I use a sharps bin and get it collected when full by my local city council. Let us know how you get on when you get your meter. Thanks Liam.:)
 

jal16

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Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi again @jal16 - I use the Lancet once and then dispose of it - (some may use it again) But, you need to dispose of Lancets and test strips sensibly. I use a sharps bin and get it collected when full by my local city council. Let us know how you get on when you get your meter. Thanks Liam.:)
Hi Liam, thanks for the info. Im not sure what my local council does but will try to find out soon. Ill probably only use the lancets once too. How often is the sharps bin collected? Sorry Liam, Im asking you and I probably should be asking the council, Im so sorry. Thanks again, :)
 
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Liam1955

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Hi @jal16. If I can help and know the answer it's no problem. Would you believe that I have got 6 sharps boxes to be collected on 28th of this month - I rang the local council last year in November 2015 and they gave me a date to collect.:)
 
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Bluetit1802

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Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Liam, thanks for the info. Im not sure what my local council does but will try to find out soon. Ill probably only use the lancets once too. How often is the sharps bin collected? Sorry Liam, Im asking you and I probably should be asking the council, Im so sorry. Thanks again, :)

You don't need a sharps bin for meter lancets.
It is up to you how many times you use a single lancet. Some people use them once. Others use them a few times, others use them a lot of times. Personally I use them until they start to hurt because they have blunted. You can put them in a small container and dispose of them sensibly in the household rubbish. Test strips can only be used once. My strips come in a small plastic tub, about the size of a medicine bottle. I take the label off the empty tubs and use those for disposal.

The meter with the cheapest strips is the Codefree. Have a look here. Many of us use this.
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/
http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

If you buy in bulk there is a generous discount. The codes are
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833
 
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Bammo

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello everyone, I've been glued to this website since I was told just over 2 weeks ago that I am type 2 diabetic. I had a blood test in August 15 but didn't get the results until recently. I had been left a message from the dr telling me that my blood test results were fine and nothing to worry about, just slightly anaemic. I have been thirsty a lot and panic if I don't have a water bottle with me, especially at work if we have any meetings. It does get embarrassing. I have also been feeling like I am falling forward a lot, even when sitting down. I am due to see the nurse this Friday after work to discuss things. She has written me a prescription for metformin, but I havent taken it yet as I work full time and apparently it gives you a very bad stomach? I would also like to buy a testing machine and see if I can lower my blood glucose with a low carb diet? I have seen many ideas on here for this and am keen to get a machine as soon as I am paid next week. I want to find one with the cheapest replacement strips though. I must admit I am very confused and am finding myself looking at a cupboard full of food that I daren't eat now. I used to eat low fat (when I could stick to it) but have yo yo dieted for years now, losing 3 stone and putting it back on. Now my ryvitas at approx 7 carbs per slice seem bad :( I also love bananas and went around Sainsburys today checking the carbs of various fruit and veg and was mortified to see that a banana has about 20 carbs in it :bag: I also love crisps and used to buy the baked wheat or grain kind and now see that a bag of these has about 17g in it:arghh:. I walk from the city centre to where I work every day which is approximately a 25 minute walk, but I am going to try to walk from home to work which is about 1.5 hours. The only problem is, my feet have always been very dry and have quite a deep crack in one at the moment which gets worse when I walk much on it. I had my 50th birthday this year, and wanted to be fit and fifty and feel very depressed now. Does anyone else know if metformin always upsets their stomach? Also, I like to go for a drink at the weekend and apparently this makes you very sick with Metformin. Sorry to go on and moan but am feeling very down at the moment. :shy: I think the nurse said my blood was 17 and should have been about 5-7. Im not sure which test this was taken from though and will check this Friday.


First of all its not the end of the world take the advice from this forum and not the diabetic nurse has the nhs need to drastically need to update thier diet advice i was told i had type 2 almost two agos i am now med free and keep too a low carb diet which has worked for me my last four hb1c figs have been 42 and i now have too see my gp yearly but i take my bg four times a day i work twelve hour shifts and have worked around these i cycle when im off and when im nightshifts i also do weight training im also 50 and feel great ive also stopped smoking two months next week i stick to 50 grams of carbs a meal and eat three times a day just start by cutting out all sugar which is refined and white bread ,crisps, biscuits, white rice and pasta eat home made food and get a bg monitor we all react to different foods i can eat bananas no problem but oranges give me a slight spike my bg is around 5.6 before and 6.4 after food i also lost 30 kilos in weight and have maintained this for two years even after gving up smoking there is life after type 2 once the anger and shock where off if you can get your bg down and let it become a habit in eating clean you will find its easy and healthy all the best in your recovery
 
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Liam1955

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Hi @Bluetit1802 - Now that's a good idea what you do with your test strips and Lancets. But, I use Insulin and other injectable medication. So yet again, different health professionals tell you differently.:)
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @Bluetit1802 - Now that's a good idea what you do with your test strips and Lancets. But, I use Insulin and other injectable medication. So yet again, different health professionals tell you differently.:)

For meter strips and lancets for use with meters, disposal is not a problem. I know insulin users have more difficulty, but the OP isn't insulin dependent.
 
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jal16

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Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi, thanks for all of your help. Ive ordered a codefree monitor starter kit via the links you've provided, thanks so much. I did check a few local chemists on line, but they had lots of different makes and I decided to go with what I had been told most people on here use and I wanted to get one pretty quickly as had been feeling really weird at work this afternoon. Not sure why, have bought the Liv-life bread from Waitrose and have 3 slices at lunch over a few hours. I didn't have any breakfast at home as no time, but bought the cheese marmite portions on the way to work from the pound shop and had one of those ;) Although they're a pound in Sainsburys too at the moment!! Never had them before but they´re lovely!! Also had a natural peanut bar by Eat Good which I found in our local shop, they're 11 g carbs. I am drinking some coffee at work in the afternoons now, just with milk as it seems to help, didn't used to drink it, normally only tea. I still can't log on to reply on this site on my mobile so apologies for the late replies and if I don't acknowledge everyone, I am very grateful for any responses & read them on the bus on my mobile on the way to work! I will have more time at weekends to catch up. Thanks everyone for your help and support on this forum. I'm looking forward to trying to make some of the recipes and low carb options. I've bought a cauliflour to try to make the rice stuff and a butternut squash but not sure if this is just for mash, I want to buy celeriac which I've never bought before too to make fries. Thanks again, :happy:, hope to feel better tomorrow at work. :p
 
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Liam1955

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Hi jal16. I have problems trying to access the Forum with my phone. But, have no problems using my Kindle - which is what I am using now and watch t.v. at the same time. That's good news about you ordering a meter, then you can see what effects foods have on your blood sugars. :)
 
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jal16

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Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi jal16. I have problems trying to access the Forum with my phone. But, have no problems using my Kindle - which is what I am using now and watch t.v. at the same time. That's good news about you ordering a meter, then you can see what effects foods have on your blood sugars. :)
Hi Liam, I have a Samsung phone but must admit its quite full so maybe that´'s not helping!! Thanks for your advice though. Cant wait to start measuring and monitoring what is/isnt helping!! :)
 
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Redsnapper

Well-Known Member
Messages
257
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hey welcome to the forum. It is a lot to take in ,we have all been there.It will get better.I went through your comments and can relate to pretty much all of it.You especially reminded me of my own supermarket melt down incident.
A couple of pointers.
Regarding lancets Accucheck do a "pricker" with lancets in a drum.There are six in each and when you are finished you can just ditch the drum as all the lancets are inside. It's called Fastclix and the drums are relatively cheap.However I change over to a new lancet when it gets blunt.Some change every time due to worries about infection,others less frequently.However you must wash your hands before taking a reading anyway to avoid contamination of the result, so I don't worry about this myself.The only problem is you have to buy the whole meter to get one in the box.A wise buy in conjunction with the SD Codefree meter and strips.
Regarding milk in tea and coffee, I avoid it as it has quite a bit of lactose and other sugars in it.But.... single cream is very low carb, I soon got used to it in coffee,unsweetened soya milk is fine in tea.
Regarding Almond flour, this is essentially ground almonds and Lidl do it for pennies as well as bags of grated mozzarella and their own cream cheese (Philadelphia style) all for buttons.All you need for a fat face pizza base.
Whilst you are in Lidl pick up their High Protein Rolls from the fresh bakery section.Dark brown triangular rolls, only 11.5 g carb per roll an absolute godsend.Cut em up for sandwiches or slice em thin and bake in the oven for low carb crackers!!!
People are inventive and will find a way.Keep yer chin up.
I hope this helps
 
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jal16

Well-Known Member
Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hey welcome to the forum. It is a lot to take in ,we have all been there.It will get better.I went through your comments and can relate to pretty much all of it.You especially reminded me of my own supermarket melt down incident.
A couple of pointers.
Regarding lancets Accucheck do a "pricker" with lancets in a drum.There are six in each and when you are finished you can just ditch the drum as all the lancets are inside. It's called Fastclix and the drums are relatively cheap.However I change over to a new lancet when it gets blunt.Some change every time due to worries about infection,others less frequently.However you must wash your hands before taking a reading anyway to avoid contamination of the result, so I don't worry about this myself.The only problem is you have to buy the whole meter to get one in the box.A wise buy in conjunction with the SD Codefree meter and strips.
Regarding milk in tea and coffee, I avoid it as it has quite a bit of lactose and other sugars in it.But.... single cream is very low carb, I soon got used to it in coffee,unsweetened soya milk is fine in tea.
Regarding Almond flour, this is essentially ground almonds and Lidl do it for pennies as well as bags of grated mozzarella and their own cream cheese (Philadelphia style) all for buttons.All you need for a fat face pizza base.
Whilst you are in Lidl pick up their High Protein Rolls from the fresh bakery section.Dark brown triangular rolls, only 11.5 g carb per roll an absolute godsend.Cut em up for sandwiches or slice em thin and bake in the oven for low carb crackers!!!
People are inventive and will find a way.Keep yer chin up.
I hope this helps
Hi, thanks for these helpful tips, Ill look out for the Accucheck lancets when I need to get some. Im not sure how many are in the into pack with the code it one. I like the sound of cream in coffee ;) Also, I do have a Lidl down the road but havnt been able to check the rolls out yet. Ill go there this weekend. Its a shame that Aldi dont do anything similar as we pass one on the way home from work. I also have a Morrisons down the road which has a great bakery but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any nutrition info on their rolls/loaves. I am looking forward to trying to make a pizza base. I dont think Id have managed without all the help and inspiration on this site. Thanks again. :) Got to go and get ready for work now :(
 
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Redsnapper

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Messages
257
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You are most welcome.Keep reading around here, it always helps me to realise I am not tackling this alone,and that is more than half the battle.
I have a Morrissons a few miles away,so I don't visit that often.But I have found a couple of low carb treats.
They do a prawn Marie Rose sauce in a sachet think it's 100ml or mebbe 200ml.Pretty low carb,some frozen prawns ( defrosted ;-) ) paprika and lettuce based salad and it's smiles all round, a real treat and my meter likes it.
Morrisons also do a sugar free hot chocolate drink.It is in a lime green and purple resealable bag and is branded NU ME. It is about 6g carbs for a mugs worth.I make it with warm almond milk and sometimes melt in a square of Lidl's fantastic 80% dark chocolate.Although you don't really need the last bit !! But hey lets go mental !!!

Just keep reading the food labels is my motto.
 
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jal16

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Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
You are most welcome.Keep reading around here, it always helps me to realise I am not tackling this alone,and that is more than half the battle.
I have a Morrissons a few miles away,so I don't visit that often.But I have found a couple of low carb treats.
They do a prawn Marie Rose sauce in a sachet think it's 100ml or mebbe 200ml.Pretty low carb,some frozen prawns ( defrosted ;-) ) paprika and lettuce based salad and it's smiles all round, a real treat and my meter likes it.
Morrisons also do a sugar free hot chocolate drink.It is in a lime green and purple resealable bag and is branded NU ME. It is about 6g carbs for a mugs worth.I make it with warm almond milk and sometimes melt in a square of Lidl's fantastic 80% dark chocolate.Although you don't really need the last bit !! But hey lets go mental !!!

Just keep reading the food labels is my motto.
Aw thanks for this and the chocolate info ;) Im going to Morrisons on Sunday and will look out for this as sometimes fancy something on a cold evening like hot chocolate. I also want to try the almond milk, a colleague has this on her breakfast cereal. :)
 
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amgrundy

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1,333
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Tablets (oral)
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Being bored
Hi I have just started on almond milk, put it in tea and coffee, and also unsweetened Alpro almond plain yogurt just love almonds. :happy:
 

Sutherlandlass

Well-Known Member
Messages
77
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello and welcome, like you I am newly diagnosed and spent a good couple of weeks gleaning as much information on this forum, before joining. Everyone's so helpful and kind on here, I hope that your foot gets better soon, it sounds so sore!
 
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jal16

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Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi I have just started on almond milk, put it in tea and coffee, and also unsweetened Alpro almond plain yogurt just love almonds. :happy:
Hello, I nearly bought this when it was on offer the other week in Sainsburys. My colleague puts this on her cereal but of course, cereal is too high in carbs & sugar for me but I never thought to put it in coffee, sounds lovely :)
 
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jal16

Well-Known Member
Messages
133
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hello and welcome, like you I am newly diagnosed and spent a good couple of weeks gleaning as much information on this forum, before joining. Everyone's so helpful and kind on here, I hope that your foot gets better soon, it sounds so sore!
Hello, thanks and to you too :D Youre right, everyone is great on here. There's been so much useful information and help and support. I have been prescribed flexibalm for my feet, but at present am just using scholl. I did religiously apply it every day as I need my feet to be able to get to work (its a 30 minute walk out of town). :eek: Hope youre getting on okay too :)
 
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