Recently diagnosed Type 2

britmark

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello
I was diagnosed with type 2 on Tuesday( 24-03-2015) i have no idea what to do or to eat. I bought a sugar machine and my reading yesterday where 18.6 but i took a reading when i got home and it was 12, maybe this is because the medication as started to work?.

Any advice would be really appreciated.
Thank You
 

jack412

Expert
Messages
5,618
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. The Metformin will help a bit but going for a low-carb diet will have the most effect. The meter you now have will help you find the best foods.
 
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daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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Cruelty towards animals.
@britmark

Hello and welcome to the forum :)

As mentioned above, here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to 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 140,000 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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Daks

Well-Known Member
Messages
407
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Welcome to the community and the best advice you'll get anywhere.

Low Carb + Monitoring = Win

Absorb Daisy's post above, go slow, ask heaps of questions and read plenty.
 
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Phlogiston

Well-Known Member
Messages
163
Type of diabetes
Gestational
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes, ofsted inspectors, uninvited phonecalls
Hi Britmark,
Welcome.
Your blood sugar probably went down between the two tests as a consequence of some of the glucose being metabolised.
You will need to use it systematically before and two hours after meals to find what spikes your sugars.
The advice from many on this site will be significantly to reduce the amount of carbs (including sugars) in your diet. For some reason the dieticians and diabetes nurses seem relaxed about sugar and carbs being more worried about weight loss and reducing saturated fats.

Carb reduction and increased exercise worked wonders with my weight. Fat was not really the problem with my prediagnosis diet, so cutting the fat I didn't eat wasn't the solution.

Best wishes
Adam
 
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britmark

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Britmark,
Welcome.
Your blood sugar probably went down between the two tests as a consequence of some of the glucose being metabolised.
You will need to use it systematically before and two hours after meals to find what spikes your sugars.
The advice from many on this site will be significantly to reduce the amount of carbs (including sugars) in your diet. For some reason the dieticians and diabetes nurses seem relaxed about sugar and carbs being more worried about weight loss and reducing saturated fats.

Carb reduction and increased exercise worked wonders with my weight. Fat was not really the problem with my prediagnosis diet, so cutting the fat I didn't eat wasn't the solution.

Best wishes
Adam
 

JTL

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,358
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Litterbugs war mongers hate mongers propagandists.
I'm sure there's more.
Hiya Brit.
I'm T2 too.
This place and these experienced people put me on the road to pretty good health.
The NHS advice was worse than useless.
Try eating two Weetabix and two hors later you'll more than likely see your blood sugars have spiked.
No breakfast cereal is best.
No bread no spuds no rice no pasta no noodles .... sounds daunting at first but it's easier than you think.
I've just started reintroducing these carby foods into my life now I have my bloods constantly under eight.
Heres where I started but we're all different.
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
 
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britmark

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for the replies

So i presume when i see the nurse i will get lectured about my weight. Yes i am over weight by about 3 stone, piled the weight on when i gave up the fags 8 year ago. I have an idea about losing weight as i did go to slimming world but that is totally different to the low carb diet.
I was actually drinking about 4 litres of diluted orange a day, which i have give up now only drink water and coffee but with no sugar, used to have 2 sugars in.

Yesterday for tea i had sausages, mashed potatoes with butter, peas and carrots and gravy. What would you leave off the plate next time i had it?

Shopping day tomorrow what essentials should i be buying? Also what would you recommend i take for breakfast and a packed lunch(truck driver)?

My mum tells me that any thing below 10g on the carbohydrates of which sugar i am allowed, as anyone else heard this?
Thats all for now
thank you
 

JTL

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,358
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Litterbugs war mongers hate mongers propagandists.
I'm sure there's more.
The spuds have to go if you do the low carb high fat .... I lost three stone in just over three months ... have put half a stone back on then lost it again.
Gone from eighteen stone to fifteen stone basically and I'm a Rizla under six foot three so not bad.


Oily fish cheese full fat youghurts fruit that ends in Berry.
Pork scratchings Polish sausages ready cooked in packets from most super markets make for a great fatty snack.
Full fry up breakfasts would you believe so you can park the truck up at your favoutirte greasy spoon every single morning .... good idea to replace the beans with toms and the toast with fried bread bread. Fried bread is full of fat which slows down the conversion of the bread into glucose so you get a steady flow of glucose as opposed to a mad rush of a spike which is damaging and then collapses and makes you hungry again.
Remember we are all different.
It will become clearer.
Bananas are a no no for most of us
 
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JTL

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,358
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Litterbugs war mongers hate mongers propagandists.
I'm sure there's more.
Aim for below eight on your meter.
If your meter before eating is around eight or higher best have no carbs.
If it's in the low fives I have some carbs.
Works for me but it's a bit trial and error.
 
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Amanda61

Well-Known Member
Messages
342
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for the replies

So i presume when i see the nurse i will get lectured about my weight. Yes i am over weight by about 3 stone, piled the weight on when i gave up the fags 8 year ago. I have an idea about losing weight as i did go to slimming world but that is totally different to the low carb diet.
I was actually drinking about 4 litres of diluted orange a day, which i have give up now only drink water and coffee but with no sugar, used to have 2 sugars in.

Yesterday for tea i had sausages, mashed potatoes with butter, peas and carrots and gravy. What would you leave off the plate next time i had it?

Shopping day tomorrow what essentials should i be buying? Also what would you recommend i take for breakfast and a packed lunch(truck driver)?

My mum tells me that any thing below 10g on the carbohydrates of which sugar i am allowed, as anyone else heard this?
Thats all for now
thank you
I was the same britmark, gave up fags and all the weight piled on, in quick time too.
Mashed potatoes are a no no ... There is a lot of food which is best to give up, as its high in carbs.
But there is a lot that we can eat. Stay away from ALL low fat products as they have hidden sugars
in them. Start eating a low carb/ high fat diet britmark, and you will be full for longer and the weight
Will start to come off. Even more so if you do exercise.
Welcome to this lovely forum by the way. Everyone is very friendly and will help you loads.:)
 
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Amanda61

Well-Known Member
Messages
342
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The spuds have to go if you do the low carb high fat .... I lost three stone in just over three months ... have put half a stone back on then lost it again.
Gone from eighteen stone to fifteen stone basically and I'm a Rizla under six foot three so not bad.


Oily fish cheese full fat youghurts fruit that ends in Berry.
Pork scratchings Polish sausages ready cooked in packets from most super markets make for a great fatty snack.
Full fry up breakfasts would you believe so you can park the truck up at your favoutirte greasy spoon every single morning .... good idea to replace the beans with toms and the toast with fried bread bread. Fried bread is full of fat which slows down the conversion of the bread into glucose so you get a steady flow of glucose as opposed to a mad rush of a spike which is damaging and then collapses and makes you hungry again.
Remember we are all different.
It will become clearer.
Bananas are a no no for most of us
Omg I didn't know you could have fried bread ...... Yummmmmm
 

JTL

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,358
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Litterbugs war mongers hate mongers propagandists.
I'm sure there's more.
Omg I didn't know you could have fried bread ...... Yummmmmm
You .... might not be able to. :wideyed:
Works for me.
I have porridge more or less every morning but can only do it if I bung a table spoon of coconut oil in it ... doesn't worki for everyone.
The fried bread I have at home is either olive oil or dripping fried.
 

Amanda61

Well-Known Member
Messages
342
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You .... might not be able to. :wideyed:
Works for me.
I have porridge more or less every morning but can only do it if I bung a table spoon of coconut oil in it ... doesn't worki for everyone.
The fried bread I have at home is either olive oil or dripping fried.
I'll try the fried bread tomorrow and fry it in olive oil.
Iv had porridge this morning for a change ... Thanks jack :)
We could do with a thumbs up smiley...
 

britmark

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The spuds have to go if you do the low carb high fat .... I lost three stone in just over three months ... have put half a stone back on then lost it again.
Gone from eighteen stone to fifteen stone basically and I'm a Rizla under six foot three so not bad.


Oily fish cheese full fat youghurts fruit that ends in Berry.
Pork scratchings Polish sausages ready cooked in packets from most super markets make for a great fatty snack.
Full fry up breakfasts would you believe so you can park the truck up at your favoutirte greasy spoon every single morning .... good idea to replace the beans with toms and the toast with fried bread bread. Fried bread is full of fat which slows down the conversion of the bread into glucose so you get a steady flow of glucose as opposed to a mad rush of a spike which is damaging and then collapses and makes you hungry again.
Remember we are all different.
It will become clearer.
Bananas are a no no for most of us

Now am liking this carnt stand bananas in fact really dont like fruit
 

JTL

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,358
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Litterbugs war mongers hate mongers propagandists.
I'm sure there's more.
I'll try the fried bread tomorrow and fry it in olive oil.
Iv had porridge this morning for a change ... Thanks jack :)
We could do with a thumbs up smiley...
thumbs up.gif
 
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Phlogiston

Well-Known Member
Messages
163
Type of diabetes
Gestational
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes, ofsted inspectors, uninvited phonecalls
Hi Britmark,
Mobile packed lunches are the thing I've found hardest - especially as I have to eat a packed lunch with a hyperactive autistic boy two or three times a week - just the sort of situation where a grab and put down sandwich would have been ideal.
Lunches for me often involve a coleslaw with chopped red cabbage, celery, (spring) onion in a simple vinaigrette dressing. If at home I have it With ham or tinned fish. when out I find the little tins of Prince's tuna with chilli, lemon or lime are good. I can eat with a spoon and put the lid back in the little chap needs more active supervision. Babybel cheeses are good and prerationed - they also pack a surprising amount of repleteness to the tum tum.
The key thing is to find out what works for you, and your routines. I haven't noticed wide availability of good diabetic snacks by the sides of Britains trunk roads and motorways.
 
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