Hello everyone...

Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Rude unfriendly Inconsiderate people
Celery
My name is Brian and I was diagnosed as type 2 in 2000, however I was showing symptons for a few years before then. I stumbled across this site while searching for information, I have had poor control for a couple of years but after a wake up call, retinopathy, I am determined to get my control back and sort out my diet etc.
 
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googlegoss

Well-Known Member
Messages
195
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Brian, welcome to the forums. You have come to the right place - you will get loads of advice and help on here.
 
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Rude unfriendly Inconsiderate people
Celery
Thanks Sue, everyone seems nice around here.
 

noblehead

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
23,618
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Disrespectful people
Hi Brian and welcome to the forum.

I'll tag @daisy1 as she has some basic information that you should find very useful.
 
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Reactions: 2 people
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Rude unfriendly Inconsiderate people
Celery
Thanks noblehead, muchly appreciated
 

kateincornwall

Well-Known Member
Messages
645
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
People who lie , animal cruelty , boredom and pineapple !
Hi and welcome from me too , so good to read that you are now on the right path, good for you :)
 

Frances_ann

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Onions , Garlic , Curry
My name is Brian and I was diagnosed as type 2 in 2000, however I was showing symptons for a few years before then. I stumbled across this site while searching for information, I have had poor control for a couple of years but after a wake up call, retinopathy, I am determined to get my control back and sort out my diet etc.
Well done Brian, I sort of ignored my condition for the first year then had a massive scary wake up call - since then- with a lot of work and self control I have got my BS levels right down and feel so much better for it. It isn't going to be easy , but life isn't easy is it !! You have come to the right place. Good Luck Frances x
 
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Reactions: 3 people
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Rude unfriendly Inconsiderate people
Celery
Thank you I feel really welcome. It is lovely to know there are people who both understand and face the problems I am facing, without any kind of judgment.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@PricklyPorcupine

Hi Brian and welcome to the forum :)

Here is the information we give to new members and I hope it will help you to control your levels better. Any questions, just ask, and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 150,000 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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SueB743

Well-Known Member
Messages
376
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Welcome to the forum Brian. There is some really useful information and helpful advice from members which should help you decide the best way for you to take control. Good luck and best wishes
 

Deskdoll

Well-Known Member
Messages
66
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Hello there and welcome. The people on this site are great, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful if you have questions.