Diagnosed today told Type 2 now might be Type 1 (very confused)

noodledoodle

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi all

I was diagnosed today as 98mmol because of my weight told Type 2 - not too shocked, then Dr did a urine test found Ketones now says might be Type 1? Rang the hospital sent me for more blood tests and will be told next week - now very confused

I start metformin tomorrow but told could have nasty side effects great...

I would like to follow a diet plan to start helping me sort my feeling permanently rubbish, any advice?

thanks
 

Andy12345

Expert
Messages
6,342
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Doctors
hi, welcome

firstly try not to panic! its a terrible shock at first, we all feel it, youve done well to find this forum, i had keytones at diagnosis too and a year or so on im still type2 far as i know lol

theres is a huge amount of knowledge on this forum, id advise having a look around and coming up with some questions which we will be happy to try and answer, which ever type you are, its not as bad as it will first seem, all types are manageable with a little effort

most people get on fine with metformin, some get tummy trouble and go onto the slow release version and if that dosent work out either then there are always other options

diet plans are a favourite topic here and you will have plenty to consider, its a good idea to start reducing your carbohydrate ie. bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and sugar to begin with, but as i say have a read of the forum you will pick up some useful advice
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. I agree with Andy's points. Being overweight is a pointer towards being T2 and when neglected there can be some ketones. It is possible to be overweight and be T1 when ketones are more likely due to lack of insulin. Yes, Metformin SR (Slow Release) for most people is without side effects. If you have problems with the standard type do ask the GP for the SR version. So, reduce the carbs, take the Metformin and get hold of a glucose meter; this is essential. If the blood sugar doesn't reduce then T1 becomes more likely and will need more serious medication. If you feel ill and the ketones get worse then have plenty of water and if necessary go to A&E. If worried you can always buy some Ketostix to check ketones. Hopefully with reduced carbs and meds your blood sugar will move towards normal. Keep in touch with the GP. There are two tests for T1.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
Hi noodledoodle and welcome to the forum:)

Whether you turn out to be T1 or T2, this information which we give to new members should be useful to you. Ask all the questions you need to and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find well over 70,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.