Diagnosed Type 2 a week ago today

MrsMoose

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi all,
Ive been diagnosed exactly a week now and still feeling a bit shell shocked and well, impatient really.
The nurse was lovely and very positive about controlling it and it not ruining my life etc. I have been referred to a nutritionist, a diabetes education course and go back to the nurse on 22nd to discuss my habc1? result and check my feet. She wants to avoid putting me on medication unless absolutely necessary and I 100% agree with her.

I just want to know what to do - what changes to make etc so I can start now instead of waiting for appointments.
I bought a couple of books - Diabetes for Dummies was one so Ive been leafing through those when i get chance.

I know I have to lower sugar but I dont have much - sweetner in drinks and diet or no added sugar drinks.
Ive reduced my carbs and have been checking the labels on food so i can go for the lowest carb option (especially the lowest 'of which sugars')

Im just at a bit of a loss really so any help for a newbie would be much appreciated.

Mrs M
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello and welcome.

The first few weeks are always a shock and total confusion. It takes a while to get your head round it all, but if you persevere it will all come together.

I was told to lower sugar, and thought to myself that this is going to be easy because I never really had any anyway! However, I was not told to reduce carbs, and that was a big lesson for me. Reducing carbs is essential as all carbs turn to sugar once in the system. You also have to be careful with fruit and milk, as they also contain a lot of sugar. It may be natural sugar, but it is still sugar.

Watch out if you eat low fat or "lite" products. They mostly make up the fat deficit with added sugar. Be careful what you buy.

Yes, always read the labels but take more note of the total carbs. The "of which sugars" is irrelevant because those amounts are included in the carb amounts.

The major carbs to avoid or cut down on are potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and anything made with flour such as pastry and batter.

Do you not know what your HbA1c test was? If not, I suggest you phone up and ask. You will also need a home glucose meter. You may be lucky and be given one, but most of us Type 2's aren't. We buy our own as they are essential in the learning process.
 
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mo53

Expert
Messages
7,869
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello Mrs M and welcome. This is a brilliant website with many knowledgeable and helpful people. :)
 
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MrsMoose

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and thanks both :)

my hbac1 test was only on Tuesday so I'll get the result when i see the nurse next Mon.

I did look at getting my own meter but wasnt sure between the blood test and the urine test one - i know which i prefer but is one type more accurate?

I did Atkins some years ago so will get those books out again for ideas. what is a rough carbs figure to aim below when reading a food label?
Glad you told me about the of which sugars!

I did used to buy low fat yoghurt but have been making my own with semi skimmed milk! No idea how to work out the carbs in it though

Mrs M
x
 
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mo53

Expert
Messages
7,869
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello. I use myfitnesspal.com to help me to total up my carbs and calories. I think my daiy carb target is 60g. I have a 1200 target for calories. It might help:)
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello. I use myfitnesspal.com to help me to total up my carbs and calories. I think my daiy carb target is 60g. I have a 1200 target for calories. It might help:)

Snap! 60g carbs and 1200 calories daily worked for me. My carbs have crept up a tad as have my calories as I have now lost all my weight and my insulin resistance has improved a bit.

You need a blood glucose testing meter. Have a look at this, which seems to be the most popular amongst our type 2 members
http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm
It isn't the cost of the meter you need to look at (some are free), it is the cost of the strips because you will need a lot.

Semi skimmed and skimmed milk have more sugar than full milk.
Personally, I eat plain Greek yogurt (full fat) and throw in a few strawberries.
As far as blood sugars are concerned, there is no need to be afraid of fat. It doesn't raise BS and helps to keep the post meal spikes down as it slows down digestion. If you drop your carbs by a significant amount you do need to replace some of the lost calories or it won't work. One way to do this is by increasing good fats such as dairy (except milk). The other way is to increase protein. or a mixture of both.

If you ring your surgery receptionist she may give you your HbA1c result over the phone. Most do.
 
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daisy1

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

Here is the information we give to newbies which I hope you will find useful. Ask all the questions you like 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 over 100,000 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.
 
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AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,320
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Well, it's in the diabetic range, but better than mine was on diagnosis. My scores are in my signature.

I see there's already been some discussion about diet. How's that going?

I manage my condition by diet and exercise, and have never taken any medication, so it can be done. Make the effort and you are likely to be rewarded with improved scores. Bearing in mind under 48 takes levels to pre-diabetic, or under 42 are non-diabetic ranges, you have some decent scores to aim for; which don't represent massive, massive shifts.

Good luck..
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
56 isn't drastic. With a suitable diet and some weight loss (if you need to lose some, that is), you should be able to get this under control without meds, and a meter will help you do this.

Good luck!
 
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MrsMoose

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Glad to hear 56 isnt too bad, in the grand scheme of things - I have a better idea of where Im at and have something to work from.
Im going to order one of the meters that bluetit1802 recommended but do i want mmol/L or mg/dL?
Oooh, and how do i work out my %?

Ive made a start on the diet - Im really researching what i can and cant have and trying to get my head round it all. I got a brill cookbook - The complete diabetic cookbook, by bvridget Jones (honest!) £4 from The Works. My mum was so impressed she's bought it too so she can cook healthily for me when we visit.
I had quorn bolognese with corn pasta for my dinner last night - and no garlic bread!
I do need to lose a couple of stone so getting back into some of my size 10/12's is an added incentive!

thanks for all for your help - Im so glad i chose this forum!
:happy:
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi,

You need the mmol/l monitor and plenty of spare strips. The other type is for Americans and some other countries that use different measurement units. Have a look at this conversion chart to convert your HbA1c to mmol/l. (Type your HbA1c in the middle box. The mmol/l units are in the box on the right) http://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.html You will see your HbA1c converts to 9mmol/l
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. You are already doing all the right things with regard to diet, getting a meter etc. I suspect over the coming weeks your blood sugar will come under reasonable control and hopefully you can avoid meds.
 
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MrsMoose

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I ordered my meter yesterday. I decided to get the one people on here seem to prefer/recommend and got some extra strips.
 
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Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome Mrs M!

Were a friendly bunch here, and we've all been through the feelings (shock, grief, anger, confusion) that follow diagnosis, so we DO all understand!

I'm sure you e had a good rootle through the forum by now, and discovered all sorts of things, but feel free to ask any question you like. Someone will know the answer!
 
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MrsMoose

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi,

So, I saw the nurse again today to go over my hba1c result. She said she's not concerned about my 56 reading but ideally wants me between 40-50. How does that sound?
She wants me to get my bloods repeated in 3 months but doesn't think I need to do anything much in between other than be sensible with my diet.
Whilst I'm glad its "mild", I'm not comfortable just hoping for the best (so to speak)

I plan to test myself anyway once I get my meter - how often do you guys recommend? I just want to know, for my own peace of mind, if my diet/exercise changes are working so I can tailor them to best effect.

I figure if I can get control of this now, it'll make the long run hopefully easier

MrsM
x
 
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Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi,

I think (but other people may disagree), that the best thing you can do once you get your meter, is to eat normally for a few days. Write down everything you eat. Use the meter to measure what your normal diet does to your blood glucose. Write down every reading.

You will soon notice that some foods send your reading high, and others don't.

The best way to test is to take a reading just before you start eating, and then 2 hours later.

The general rule is the lower the better.
And try not to go too high after meals.

There's a lot of debate about what ideal levels should be. I particularly like the guidelines you will find on the bloodglucose101.com website in my signature.

But NHS guidelines say that type 2 diabetics shouldn't be above, er... Here.
I think they are too high. But that is another story.

So once you know what your BG levels actually are. And you know what they should be, you just adjust your diet until you hit your target. :)
So if a portion of mashed potato takes you too high, then next time, try a smaller portion. Or a couple of new potatoes.
If your morning toast sends you too high, have scrambled egg, instead...

Sounds simple, doesn't it? And it really is, though you might go into mourning when you realise that cream cakes, pasta and bananas aren't a good idea...
 
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MrsMoose

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks for the great advice!

Thank goodness I don't like banana! :yuck:
Pasta is a whole other issue :bigtears:
 
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