Hi there diagnosed type 2 last Tuesday and already a bit concerned.

[supergirthuk]

Thanks so much to everyone for all of the great advice.

I am looking at glucose meters now and may just buy one. Any recommendations of which one or what features it should have to satisfy my needs? Do they all need strips or do some work without?

I will definitely start to self monitor as it seems the only way I can self treat my diabetes.

I will reduce my carbs and try alternatives to my current diet, which isn't/wasn't massively unhealthy except for the occasional binge eat of rubbish and stupid portion sizes, once I have my meter to take readings of how my body reacts to certain foods.

Thanks again and good luck to you all.

 

[supergirthuk]

I dare say it will be a struggle at the start but so long as I listen to my body and protect the more vulnerable parts of my body whilst exercising than I feel I can do this.

It's my sedatory lifestyle that has put me in this position and the fact that when I did go from 24 1/2 stone to 15 stone the doctor would not help me with the excess skin I was left with all over my body.

I felt well but looked horrific and was repulsed by how I looked due to this so it crept back on.

Realistically, I have no one to blame but myself but thems the breaks I suppose and I've got to accept that.

 

[seadragon]

Someone will have a link to the SD code free meter from home health which has the cheapest strips so is most cost effective to use. Well worth getting as it does allow you to tailor foods to suit you and everyone is different.

Before realising I had blood sugar problems i often used to feel tired in the day and would need a nap after lunch. Since giving up carbs (went pretty much cold turkey on carbs for a couple of weeks and now eat very low carb most of the time) I have so much energy - never need a nap and am planning on running a 10k event in the summer. I would not even have contemplated that before. Our bodies and brain can run perfectly well on fat. Carbs are actually not essential for any aspect of life.

I recommend the diet doctor web site for an introduction to low carb eating and a ton of great info on diabetes etc and much of it is available free. You can become a member but there is no need and nobody tries to sell you anything.

 

[Scimama]

Hi @supergirthuk

If you are buying your own meter and tsp strips as many T2 have to then many choose the SD code free as the test strips are the cheapest we can find (many companies will give you a free meter but their test strips are expensive)
http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

As for a low carb diet and energy levels if you increase your fat intake (healthy fats such as nuts, avocado, cheese, cream, full -fat yogurts with no added sugar etc) then you will be surprised at how much energy you do have and how full you feel.

You may take a few days or so to adjust - thats normal. It took me a long long time to get my head around the full fat bit - I have been told my entire life that fat was bad and carbs are good - or so the NHS, media etc would have us believe. Once you get your head around eating fat then your body quickly adjusts and many people find they lose weight.

Don't worry about making mistakes - we are all humans, best advice is to get a meter and test how your body reacts to different foods.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I don't know why I didn't think of this before but this site is running a course on low carb. You have to register and give a password but you might find it worth it.

www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb

 

[Dark Horse]

The guidance is that an eye-screening appointment should be offered within 3 months of diagnosis.

 

[supergirthuk]

Hi @supergirthuk

If you are buying your own meter and tsp strips as many T2 have to then many choose the SD code free as the test strips are the cheapest we can find (many companies will give you a free meter but their test strips are expensive)
http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

As for a low carb diet and energy levels if you increase your fat intake (healthy fats such as nuts, avocado, cheese, cream, full -fat yogurts with no added sugar etc) then you will be surprised at how much energy you do have and how full you feel.

You may take a few days or so to adjust - thats normal. It took me a long long time to get my head around the full fat bit - I have been told my entire life that fat was bad and carbs are good - or so the NHS, media etc would have us believe. Once you get your head around eating fat then your body quickly adjusts and many people find they lose weight.

Don't worry about making mistakes - we are all humans, best advice is to get a meter and test how your body reacts to different foods.

Hi Scimama, when testing my blood should I dispose of and replace the lancet each time I use the lancet device? Which begs the question should I consider a permanent lancet if I am the only person that will use it? Thanks

 

[fumanchu]

Hi... my hubby was diagnosed in 2009, has never gone onto meds but is diet controlled and doing great. His bloods are always in the 5-6 range and his eyes, feet, etc have shown no change. He doesn't tell the doc anything.

 

[supergirthuk]

Hi... my hubby was diagnosed in 2009, has never gone onto meds but is diet controlled and doing great. His bloods are always in the 5-6 range and his eyes, feet, etc have shown no change. He doesn't tell the doc anything.

Hiya fumancu,

It's a shame that your hubby has lost faith/trust in his doctor and that is obviously for a reason. If it is a possible option can he register with a different doctors? I know some doctors have no idea of offering flexibility in their communication with some patients.

It's quite sad really as your doctor should be one of the people in your life that you can trust, and often trust with your life.

Good luck and thanks to both you and your hubby.

 

[AndBreathe]

I dare say it will be a struggle at the start but so long as I listen to my body and protect the more vulnerable parts of my body whilst exercising than I feel I can do this.

It's my sedatory lifestyle that has put me in this position and the fact that when I did go from 24 1/2 stone to 15 stone the doctor would not help me with the excess skin I was left with all over my body.

I felt well but looked horrific and was repulsed by how I looked due to this so it crept back on.

Realistically, I have no one to blame but myself but thems the breaks I suppose and I've got to accept that.

Did your Doc tell you why they couldn't support and assistance with your excess skin? Was it because they wanted to ensure the poundage stayed off, before embarking upon surgical processes? I have heard of that. Do you have other health conditions making major surgery an increased risk?

My experience of excess skin, post weight loss is that it has improved over time. My tummy, arms and lady-bumps will never be as they were as a 25 yr old (and I lost nowhere close to your gargantuan efforts), but just saying things don't stay the same forever, necessarily.

 

[Brunneria]

I lost 5 stone (approx 75 pounds) in my early thirties, and kept it off.
Most areas (underarms face, bum, etc.) tightened up within 2 years. Tummy, not so much.
Now i am older, i think it would take longer, because the skin is far less elastic, and will presumably get even less so, post menopause.

It is different for men, but i am afraid i don't know how those differences manifest.

That experience is one (of several) reasons that i am absolutely committed to slow, gentle, sustainable weight loss, rather than rapid loss.

 

[Scimama]

Hi Scimama, when testing my blood should I dispose of and replace the lancet each time I use the lancet device? Which begs the question should I consider a permanent lancet if I am the only person that will use it? Thanks

Hi @supergirthuk you should use a fresh lancet each time, however many people on the forums report that they use the same lancet a few times before changing it. Obviously the more you use it the blunter it gets and the risk for infection is increased.
I change mine at least once a day. I don't know enough about permanent lancets to be able to comment on them.

 

[supergirthuk]

Did your Doc tell you why they couldn't support and assistance with your excess skin? Was it because they wanted to ensure the poundage stayed off, before embarking upon surgical processes? I have heard of that. Do you have other health conditions making major surgery an increased risk?


Hi AndBreathe and Brunneria,

The doctor said that I could not get what would be deemed as cosmetic surgery on the NHS. This was back in 2007/2008 and there was a lot less support/sympathy for people suffering with excess skin as there is these days.

I found it totally demoralizing to have done the hard work and lost the weight only to have been left in the predicament of I would have had to have had major surgery all over my body to rectify the problem. It didn't help at the time when I was reading of young women, who hadn't even finished fully developing, were getting breast surgery on the NHS.

Anyway, I suppose in someway having been in that situation previously I know what to expect when I lose all my weight again and hopefully I will have come to terms with having to live the excess skin as living with all the weight on is no longer an option I have.

 

[Brunneria]

I change my pricker lancet when I open a new pot of test strips - so once every 50 tests.
The wee pot makes a beautifully convenient sealed disposal container for both the strips and the pricker.

 

[supergirthuk]

Hi @supergirthuk you should use a fresh lancet each time, however many people on the forums report that they use the same lancet a few times before changing it. Obviously the more you use it the blunter it gets and the risk for infection is increased.
I change mine at least once a day. I don't know enough about permanent lancets to be able to comment on them.

Hi Scimama,

I read about permanent lancet devices that were using a laser to pierce the skin but I don't think they are readily available and the price quoted on the article I read was astronomical ($438, I think) so maybe the company has gone to the wall over the years.

Thanks

 

[AndBreathe]

I think there are also other approaches to consider when it comes to excess skin. I don't necessarily mean choosing the best undergarments, although that certainly helps, I'm thinking more - if you did try approaching the medics again for help with excess skin - of focusing on things like, some of the heat rashes you may experience in skin folds, and the like.

Of course, such things would have to exist in the first place, but sadly, they can happen. So, timing might be important; to approach in summer, rather than wintertime? To give yourself a bit of time at target weight, to be able to say with some confidence the weight isn't going back on (as unfortunately it did before).

Perhaps spend a bit of time researching what works, and how you are impacted before going to see your GP, as he is the gatekeeper to all other services.

 

[supergirthuk]

I change my pricker lancet when I open a new pot of test strips - so once every 50 tests.
The wee pot makes a beautifully convenient sealed disposal container for both the strips and the pricker.

Hi Brunneria,

I've had a bit of a nightmare year so far with my mystery virus and discovering I'm type 2 so I'm probably going to go with one a day to start as I don't need any infection in my blood and the way my luck has been this year I'd be the one to get one.

 

[supergirthuk]

I think there are also other approaches to consider when it comes to excess skin. I don't necessarily mean choosing the best undergarments, although that certainly helps, I'm thinking more - if you did try approaching the medics again for help with excess skin - of focusing on things like, some of the heat rashes you may experience in skin folds, and the like.

Of course, such things would have to exist in the first place, but sadly, they can happen. So, timing might be important; to approach in summer, rather than wintertime? To give yourself a bit of time at target weight, to be able to say with some confidence the weight isn't going back on (as unfortunately it did before).

Perhaps spend a bit of time researching what works, and how you are impacted before going to see your GP, as he is the gatekeeper to all other services.

Hi AndBreathe,

The weight gain was more of a conscience decision than an unfortunate thing that happened to me.

I realise that nowadays there is a lot more understanding of people with excess skin and there may even be help via my doctor too. I will see how I get on as I know it's coming off (one week in and my dome tummy is predominantly deflating each day).

I am hopeful that at least now I am more likely to be accepted and not ridiculed when undressed since I became a naturist. I have found naturists are simply non-judgmental when it comes to how you look.

Thanks again.

 

[jal16]

Hi supergirthuk,welcome to the forum,when i first joined the forum..i was 17st 8 lbs and my bs's were 26.8 mmols, blood pressure 190/110 had neropathy in both feet felt like walking on glass, but by following lchf and the advice from posters here, my bs is now regularly in the 4.5 mmols and my bp 120/55
This is over 17 months much hard work ...but it's been worth it now weigh 12st 9lbs
Neropathy totaly gone now
This forum is literally a life saver

Hi Clivethedrive, your results and weight loss are fantastic, I've just told my partner who is over 20 stone at the moment and had high blood pressure too. I hope I can get my blood glucose levels down too, this site is so inspiration with people like yourself on here. It just proves what can be done

 

[jal16]

I started Metformin (1x500mg daily) yesterday but every youtube vid I see saying a lot about low carb diet being the way to go instead of drugs.

Concerned that I may be going down the wrong path in prioritising blood glucose control instead of the actual cause of the diesase which insulin resistance.

I have not seen the dietician or had the Diabetic team contact me yet but have seen the nurse who seems to be taking her time about things.

Any help or advice is gratefully received.

Many thanks.

Hi Supergirthuk, welcome to the best forum ever. I was only diagnosed Type 2 last month and given the leaflet about your heart health and various prescriptions too. I came across this site after getting home and trying to find out a bit more about what I could and couldn't eat and I am so grateful I found it. The people are so helpful, they answer any questions even if you consider them stupid There is so much advice, food ideas and support. I bought the codefree meter as advised by the members on here. It is great to know what my readings are and the fact that the people on here had already researched the best monitor for quality and value etc made it an easy choice. I have been prescribed metformin but havn't taken them yet as I was waiting for an exemption certificate but my BG although very high, has come down a couple of notches already just with low carbing Good luck