Diagnosed today - type 2

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Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
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I do not have diabetes
So I was diagnosed with type 2 today. My GP phoned me and gave me the news and sent an electronic prescription straight to the chemist for Metformin. I've been put on cholesterol meds too (oh joy!) I take so many meds for various things that this is quite depressing. Over the past five years my normal healthy weight ballooned due to a particular medication and I'm now obese. But I had started to eat healthily and am losing weight anyway with the help of a change in diet, the GPs Practice Nurse and a prescription of Orlistat. So to be diagnosed after I've made positive changes was quite a blow. I've an appointment next week to see the specialist diabetes GP at the surgery along with an appointment with the Practice Nurse. I am assuming that they will explain everything to me then. I will be quite honest, I'm overwhelmed when I see all the discussion of blood levels and monitoring, etc. I know I'll get a handle on the whole thing and I'll be ok, but at the moment I just think I'm in shock.

I look forward to learning as much as I can from everyone here and I hope to get to know you all.

Thanks!
 
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zand

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Type 2
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Hi welcome to the forum :)

I'll tag @daisy1 so she can send you her information for newbies. Ask us as many questions as you want :)
 
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11
Type of diabetes
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I do not have diabetes
Just thought, I shall elaborate a bit. It's not been good news today because apparently I have fatty liver which I will need more tests for. Ugh! I have bipolar and it's these meds (particularly quetiapine) which have piled the weight on. What annoys me is when healthcare professionals assume I've always been obese. I never was until I was put on the bipolar meds approximately 5 years ago and then my appetite was increased terribly and the tendency to put weight on increased too. I still have my "thin" clothes, and I'm more determined than ever to get back into them.
 
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lizdeluz

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Hello! Sorry to hear about your news and upcoming tests, but you've come to the right place for ideas and support with different aspects of your diagnosis. Remember you don't have to solve everything all at once. Welcome to the forum! :)
 

mo53

Expert
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Hello @MorbidCaterpillar . I was interested to read your post. I too was taking orlistat when I was diagnosed. With orlistat you actively avoid all fat and as a result fill up on more carbohydrates than you would usually. I couldn't help feeling that this had contributed to my sugar levels being raised. You have come to the right website for support and information. :)
 
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Daibell

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LADA
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Hi. It must be really difficult having all those meds. I guess all you can do at the moment while you are on Orlistat is to try to keep the carbs down where you can and have adequate protein as protein helps you feel full for longer than carbs. Obviously as you have to watch fat intake with Orlistat you don't have too many choices. I guess if you can gradually get your weight down you may be able to stop Orlistat with the GPs agreement and then you might procede with a lower carb diet and a bit more fat, but that's for you and GP/DN to discuss in the future.
 
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sanguine

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Hi welcome :)

Was there a discussion with your GP about cholesterol meds (statins)? As I understand it they are supposed to get your agreement, not just impose it on you. What are your cholesterol numbers? With the right diet to manage blood sugars the components of cholesterol (lipid profile) should look after themselves. The same diet can also help to ameliorate and reverse fatty liver.
 
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ButtterflyLady

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3,291
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Type 2
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Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Welcome, I have been on Quetiapine (for anxiety) and it made me so hungry... I asked for a different drug in the same family and find that is much better now. One drug in the AAP family that is worse for hunger/cravings is Olanzapine... if they suggest that I would say no... we can't afford to be on drugs that increase our weight. However, as I am sure you understand, don't stop taking a medication, especially for bipolar, without your doctor's agreement. Hopefully they can put you on an alternative med.

I would discuss the Statin with the doctor too. Statins have some quite negative side effects and the benefits in lowering cholesterol may not be that great, for most people. Some people need to take them because their situation requires it, but in a lot of cases someone is put on Statins at diagnosis before they have had a chance to get their cholesterol down and show that they don't really need them. Metformin, on the other hand, might be appropriate for you, as it's benefits/risks profile is completely different. Metformin can help a bit with weight loss, and getting your blood glucose down.

Here is a thread on Statins that has some links to previous threads about them.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/statins.81163/

Changing what and how much you eat is the key, along with exercise, meds if appropriate for you, and regular monitoring by the doctor/nurse and their blood tests. Once you've had a chance to get used to the news and learn a bit more, you may want to get a home blood glucose test kit... most of do this testing and find it really helpful. Probably nothing you do or don't do over the next couple of weeks will make things worse so take your time learning about diabetes and your options, and please ask us any question you like. The support and advice here is really good.
 
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Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Not many,
So I was diagnosed with type 2 today. My GP phoned me and gave me the news and sent an electronic prescription straight to the chemist for Metformin. I've been put on cholesterol meds too (oh joy!) I take so many meds for various things that this is quite depressing. Over the past five years my normal healthy weight ballooned due to a particular medication and I'm now obese. But I had started to eat healthily and am losing weight anyway with the help of a change in diet, the GPs Practice Nurse and a prescription of Orlistat. So to be diagnosed after I've made positive changes was quite a blow. I've an appointment next week to see the specialist diabetes GP at the surgery along with an appointment with the Practice Nurse. I am assuming that they will explain everything to me then. I will be quite honest, I'm overwhelmed when I see all the discussion of blood levels and monitoring, etc. I know I'll get a handle on the whole thing and I'll be ok, but at the moment I just think I'm in shock.

I look forward to learning as much as I can from everyone here and I hope to get to know you all.

Thanks!
Hi MorbidCaterpillar, I know just how you feel. I was diagnosed at the beginning of May with Type 2, in the middle of blood tests for a mystical illness which turned out to be polymyalgia rheumatica. The news that I was a diabetic was a real blow but I felt so poorly that I was too lethargic to find out much about it. Once the polymyalgia was diagnosed, I could turn my attention to the diabetes but there is so much to read, learn and digest that it is a mammoth task, and quite daunting. It will become clearer, honestly, and once you start taking your bloods, you will learn what foods affect you. My problem is that the polymyalgia is being treated with steroids, which send the sugar spiralling! I was firstly concerned about reducing my sugar intake ( I am a real sugar baby) but since joining Diabetes UK, I have discovered that carbohydrates are just as bad. I am still learning how to manage mine, so don't be disheartened and keep plugging away. Good luck!
 
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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.
@MorbidCaterpillar

Hello and welcome to the forum :)

In addition to all the useful information above, here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. 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 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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Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
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I do not have diabetes
Re; Orlistat - I had to lose some weight to prove I was eating correctly before they gave me this. I had gone back to the way I used to eat (before Quetiapine made me into an eating machine) which was low fat/low carb lots of green veg and proteins (chicken/fish/eggs). So I was so annoyed (understatement) when the diagnosis of diabetes was given to me. I'd obviously just left it too late to stave off that particular nasty. So I have the Orlistat now but my diet is still quite low carb. The only carbs I'm really eating are my breakfast is usually some sort of wholegrain cereal (Fruit n Fibre, Weetabix Fruit & Nut, Shredded Wheat), and sometimes potatoes or a wholegrain roll with one of my meals. I find eating more protein keeps me feeling fuller.

Re Statins - nope, there was no discussion as to what my number are (I'm in the dark there), and I was just told I "needed" to go on them along with the Metformin. The prescription was at the Chemist within a few minutes due to the marvel of electronic prescriptions. No one either the GP nor the Pharmacist discussed side effects with me. I just trusted them. I think I'll do some research before my official "diabetes" appointments next week so I can ask informed questions. Thank you for mentioning this.

Re: Quetiapine - Ironically, I was originally on Olazapine but ate so much in a small period of time that I tried to commit suicide I got so desperate to NOT eat. I was told that Quetiapine wouldn't make me put weight on and so I stupidly believed them and blamed myself for not being able to control my hunger. But I've read up more about it now and realise that Quetiapine is a major culprit regarding overeating and weight gain. My plan is to request to be put on something else. But the problem is Quetiapine works well in every other way. :-(

Silvery - you sound like you have a lot to contend with. I just hope that in my journey to learn about my own diabetes I can be of some support to others too.

On a related note to all of this, I'm on so many meds now that I've ordered a medicalert bracelet. How many of you here have one? Are they as helpful as they seem?
 

sanguine

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,340
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Intolerance, career politicians, reality TV and so-called celebrity culture, mobile phones in the quiet carriage.
Re Statins - nope, there was no discussion as to what my number are (I'm in the dark there), and I was just told I "needed" to go on them along with the Metformin. The prescription was at the Chemist within a few minutes due to the marvel of electronic prescriptions. No one either the GP nor the Pharmacist discussed side effects with me. I just trusted them. I think I'll do some research before my official "diabetes" appointments next week so I can ask informed questions. Thank you for mentioning this.

Have a read of the story of my first year linked below, and the low-carb guide for beginners also.

You might also be interested in this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Chole...38167685&sr=1-1&keywords=kendrick+cholesterol
 
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Daphne917

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,320
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Re Statins - nope, there was no discussion as to what my number are (I'm in the dark there), and I was just told I "needed" to go on them along with the Metformin. The prescription was at the Chemist within a few minutes due to the marvel of electronic prescriptions. No one either the GP nor the Pharmacist discussed side effects with me. I just trusted them. I think I'll do some research before my official "diabetes" appointments next week so I can ask informed questions. Thank you for mentioning this.
Hi @MorbidCaterpillar unfortunately there seems to be a belief in the medical profession that all diabetics should be on statins. Like you I just accepted that I needed to take them but they made me feel dizzy the majority of the time and raised my BS levels so I stopped taking them. Read up about statins and cholesterol sonthst you are well informed because at your review next week you will probably be told to continue taking them regardless - ultimately it is your decision.
 
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ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Yes, Quetiapine is very useful for mental health but not for appetite. There is a long list of AAPs your doctor can choose from, the ones that don't seem to increase appetite much are also fairly expensive for the health system, so might be harder to get... but on the other hand, they save the health system more money than they cost, because of the effect on weight. I've been able to try a couple of these, based on my history of weight gain on the others. Amisulpride, Ziprasodone, Lurasidone, and Aripriprazole are probably the best for appetite. Clozapine, and Respiridone seem good for mood stabilisation but have negative side effects or risks that may put you off.

If your doctor wants to try a mood stabiliser, Sodium Valproate, and to a lesser extent, Lithium, increase appetite. I am not sure what Carbamazepine does to appetite but it has a bunch of negative side effects you would need to weigh up. Lamotrigine doesn't cause weight gain and seems for mood but 10% of people get a potentially dangerous rash when they take it. It must be started with a very low dose.

More than anything, I wish researchers could find new drugs for bipolar that cause few side effects and, even better, are available in a depot injection form, for those people who tend to go off their meds. It would be great if there were drugs for anxiety that aren't addictive and cause few side effects. In the meantime, we have to choose the "least worst" option.
 
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Yes, Quetiapine is very useful for mental health but not for appetite. There is a long list of AAPs your doctor can choose from, the ones that don't seem to increase appetite much are also fairly expensive for the health system, so might be harder to get... but on the other hand, they save the health system more money than they cost, because of the effect on weight. I've been able to try a couple of these, based on my history of weight gain on the others. Amisulpride, Ziprasodone, Lurasidone, and Aripriprazole are probably the best for appetite. Clozapine, and Respiridone seem good for mood stabilisation but have negative side effects or risks that may put you off.

If your doctor wants to try a mood stabiliser, Sodium Valproate, and to a lesser extent, Lithium, increase appetite. I am not sure what Carbamazepine does to appetite but it has a bunch of negative side effects you would need to weigh up. Lamotrigine doesn't cause weight gain and seems for mood but 10% of people get a potentially dangerous rash when they take it. It must be started with a very low dose.

More than anything, I wish researchers could find new drugs for bipolar that cause few side effects and, even better, are available in a depot injection form, for those people who tend to go off their meds. It would be great if there were drugs for anxiety that aren't addictive and cause few side effects. In the meantime, we have to choose the "least worst" option.

I mentioned it to my GP today about trying something other than Quetiapine. He thinks it would be a good idea but wants to wait for a couple of months until my diabetes and blood pressure are under control. I'm already on Valproate, and never found that was too bad with regards to my appetite, so I'm happy to stay on that and have them try another AAP other than Quetiapine. So I'll wait for a couple of months but I have it in my diary to chase up about it. The GP had to increase my blood pressure meds today, oh what fun. And I need more bloods done in ten days because my platelet count is off (I've never got my head around this, although I should as I had my spleen out 23 years ago - but no one explained anything to me back then). So basically, I'm a walking pharmacy at the moment. I've lost 9lbs in the past three weeks though through eating healthily three times a day with the odd snack, so I'm hoping some of these problems might correct themselves when I get down to a good weight.
 

ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
I mentioned it to my GP today about trying something other than Quetiapine. He thinks it would be a good idea but wants to wait for a couple of months until my diabetes and blood pressure are under control. I'm already on Valproate, and never found that was too bad with regards to my appetite, so I'm happy to stay on that and have them try another AAP other than Quetiapine. So I'll wait for a couple of months but I have it in my diary to chase up about it. The GP had to increase my blood pressure meds today, oh what fun. And I need more bloods done in ten days because my platelet count is off (I've never got my head around this, although I should as I had my spleen out 23 years ago - but no one explained anything to me back then). So basically, I'm a walking pharmacy at the moment. I've lost 9lbs in the past three weeks though through eating healthily three times a day with the odd snack, so I'm hoping some of these problems might correct themselves when I get down to a good weight.
Congrats, that's great weight loss! To lose weight while taking Quetiapine is an amazing effort.