new to diabetes

[paulstephens48]

hi im paul, i have got type2 and started metforming tablts on the 7th oct. i am totally confused and getting no real advice so hoping to get some here

 

[zand]

Hi Paul welcome to the forum I'm sure @daisy1 will be along soon to give lots of useful information.

 

[daisy1]

Hi Paul welcome to the forum I'm sure @daisy1 will be along soon to give lots of useful information.

Hello Paul and welcome to the forum

Here is the information we give to new members which @zand mentioned and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to 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.

 

[sanguine]

Hi Paul, welcome.

First thing don't panic. This is manageable and we all started this way.

The main tool in controlling your blood glucose is a test meter, this is how you discover what foods spike your levels (this is what's referred to as 'eating to your meter'). As a T2 it's very unlikely you were offered one so we have to get our own. The main foods to avoid are not just sugars but carbohydrates like bread, potatoes, pasta and rice.

Do you know what your diagnosis results were?

It's all a bit overwhelming at first, but read around and ask questions.

 

[this is too difficult two]

Hi Paul. Welcome to the forum. I am sure you will get more good advice than you can take in to start with.. What sanguine said is pretty much my take on it.

 

[paulstephens48]

thank-you all. i am concerned as i keep a eye on my bloods and have made changes yet the readings are all over the place. after testing 2 hrs after food its at least 9-10 then a hr later it drops to 4.5 in the evening it goes up to 12.5 to 13.7. i went to doctors as at 4.5 i feel really ill so there droppe my metforming from 2 tablets twice a day to 1 tablet twice a day.

 

[this is too difficult two]

thank-you all. i am concerned as i keep a eye on my bloods and have made changes yet the readings are all over the place. after testing 2 hrs after food its at least 9-10 then a hr later it drops to 4.5 in the evening it goes up to 12.5 to 13.7. i went to doctors as at 4.5 i feel really ill so there droppe my metforming from 2 tablets twice a day to 1 tablet twice a day.

Hi Paul welcome to the forum. What would a typical days meals be for you?

 

[paulstephens48]

wheatabix or porridage, sandwich for dinner fish pots and garden peas tonight and reading after tea was 12.5. after breakfast was 9.0 then a hour later was 4.5 and i was feeling bad. testing 2hrs after meal

 

[this is too difficult two]

wheatabix or porridage, sandwich for dinner fish pots and garden peas tonight and reading after tea was 12.5. after breakfast was 9.0 then a hour later was 4.5 and i was feeling bad. testing 2hrs after meal

Stop eating so many carbohydrates.

 

[paulstephens48]

how is that too many carbs

 

[this is too difficult two]

count them mate.

 

[paulstephens48]

ok i will do. dont explain the sudden drops. i understood fresh white fish was good, wholegrain bread 4 babby pots and handful of garden peas dont seem alot to me

 

[zand]

Yes the fish is good

 

[paulstephens48]

what type of food do you eat

 

[this is too difficult two]

how is that too many carbs

count them.

 

[this is too difficult two]

carbohydrates are what turn into glucose in your blood

 

[sanguine]

Weetabix, porridge, sandwich, potatoes are all higher carb than can be tolerated by most T2s. See www.dietdoctor.com/LCHF for what many do eat to successfully manage their blood glucose levels.

 

[paulstephens48]

ok 3 hrs after weetbix or porriage my bllod sugar drops to 4.5

 

[Lamont D]

what type of food do you eat

I low carb. Never eat more than a few carbs a day and I get them from fresh fruit and veg. No grains of any kind, pasta, cereals etc. have a look around the site and learn how to control this condition.

 

[this is too difficult two]

ok 3 hrs after weetbix or porriage my bllod sugar drops to 4.5

What was it to start with and what was it at 1 AND 2 HOURS?