Hi everyone.

Tirianne

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Everyone,

I'm another T2 Newbie and was diagnosed on June 8th this year. I originally contacted my GP with a urinary tract infection and the T2 was discovered as the urine test also showed a high level of sugar. I had no other symptoms, low blood pressure and cholesterol and apart from being overweight - I really didn't think I was at risk of T2. But the blood tests showed otherwise and fasting blood was 10 and the first HbA1c was 81 and 3 weeks later was 74 (not sure about percentages) I was prescribed a low dose of Metformin, but like so many others have said, I found it upset my tummy. But I had no advice as to what time of day to take it - or that I should persevere, so I just stopped. I read Dr David Cavan's book - reverse your diabetes -and thought that a 'no sugar / very low carb' diet would make be sufficient and make a difference, but when I went to the first Diabetic clinic in mid July, the GP said that if my Blood sugar levels didn't come down quickly and the T2 was left untreated then my life could be cut short by 10 years and I could expect complications if I didn't start some medication. He prescribed Sitagliptin 50mg once a day (has anyone else tried these?) I got the occasional headache to start with and do feel dizzy sometimes - but otherwise no other side effects.

I know that I'm 4 stone overweight and have always struggled with weight loss. It was encouraging that I lost weight quite quickly in the first 5 weeks, (around 11 pounds) but since mid-July I've stuck - and have started to feel very low and lethargic. I cry easily and have cravings for something sweet. I think I've gone through the denial phase and the reality of it all is hitting me now. I was given a monitor by the DN on 17th July - and have started to test before breakfast (7.2 - 7.9 ) and after lunch and supper (6.2 - 7.9). I'm trying to build a picture of the results and link these to food intake - but as I'm not eating anything with sugar in and the only carbs I have are a 2 small boilded potatoes or 3 rice cakes or 3 flat breads each day - I'm not sure what else to do.

Does anyone have advice that can help me cope with this 'diabetic lifestyle' - I do feel quite lonely and overwhelmed at times with everything to 'take in' - and any encouragement would be gratefully received. Thanks
 

DeejayR

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,375
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome. You've come to the right place and help is at hand. I will ask @daisy1 to give you her excellent guide to managing your diabetes which can move you on from feeling helpless and alone to taking control. I'm too thin meself but weight loss is a popular topic here so others will advise.
I'm very grateful to this forum and I'm sure you'll find the same warmth and understanding.
 
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Tirianne

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for the welcome - and for arranging to get this guide to me. I look forward to reading it and to moving on from this low place that I find myself in :(
I'm so pleased to have found this forum and It would be really good to hear from anyone who has some top tips about weight loss to share.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. The right low-carb diet will help reduce both weight and insulin resistance and hence, blood sugar. Dio ask the GO for Metformin SR (Slow Release) version. It won't give you bowel problems and does help reduce insulin resistance. I was on Sitagliptin for 2 years and also had a headache for week. It works by extending the time the pancreas produces insulin after meals, but being overweight can mean insulin reistance and this can mean that you have plenty of insulin already but can't use it. Losing weight is the top priority.
 
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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.
Hi @Tirianne , welcome - have a read around, including my links below, and ask any questions.
 

WeeFergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
579
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Cruelty to humans and animals.
Hi @Tirianne and a very warm welcome to you. Keep posting, accept the advice you'll be given and asking questions. You'll soon be feeling better, your weight will drop and your BGs will lower.
 

daisy1

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

Hi Tirianne and welcome to the forum :)

Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask all the questions 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 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.
 

Tirianne

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi and welcome. The right low-carb diet will help reduce both weight and insulin resistance and hence, blood sugar. Dio ask the GO for Metformin SR (Slow Release) version. It won't give you bowel problems and does help reduce insulin resistance. I was on Sitagliptin for 2 years and also had a headache for week. It works by extending the time the pancreas produces insulin after meals, but being overweight can mean insulin reistance and this can mean that you have plenty of insulin already but can't use it. Losing weight is the top priority.
Thanks so much for the welcome and for this helpful reply. I was on the Metformin SR and still had problems -so gave up after 2 weeks - I wonder now if I should have persevered as I'm getting some side effects with Sitagliptin - headaches (not quite so many now) , odd muscle pains and constipation. I'm on a very very low carb diet (my choice -as the first dietician appointment isn't until October!) So much to take in.....!!
 

Tirianne

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks so much to everyone who's replied to my first post. I do feel welcomed and am so grateful for all the links to information. I'm looking forward to exploring the forum and realise that it will take time to absorb it all. I'm trying really hard to change my lifestyle - diet and more exercise. I've been given a meter and am keeping track of before and after meals twice each day. Is there somewhere I can find out what the range of 'normal' BG should be - what am I aiming for? After a 3 mile walk on Wednesday afternooon my BG was 6.00 - the lowest reading so far - but usually it varies from 7.2 - 8.5. Then today, after a long walk this morning and 2 hours after a chicken salad it was 7.4. I've also noticed that the first reading in the morning can be higher than the one the night before - not sure why. Any thoughts?
 

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.
The liver does what it thinks it needs to in order to make sure you've got enough glucose to do all those everyday things. One of these tasks is to produce glucose around the time you wake up to prepare you for a day of hunting and gathering. This 'liver dump' in the morning is commonly referred to as 'Dawn Phenomenon' - there are many threads about it on here.
 

Johnbarr65

Member
Messages
14
Hi Tirianne. I'm in a similar situation, my health issues started with a UTI but I'm still waiting for final tests to confirm suspicions of pre diabetes. Currently taking more exercise and watching my diet, but today have felt very down. I think this forum will be a great help though. Good luck!
 
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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.
Please take the following with a grain of salt as I can't advise you on meds as I am not a doctor, and your doctor is the person best placed to advise you.

Metformin and statins do different things, so the decision about whether to take one or both of them can be made for each one on its own merits. I am not a fan of statins at all - I have never been advised to take them but I have heard nothing good about them so I won't be taking them if I am ever advised to. Some people might be in a position where they need to take them though.

You can probably get by without Metformin but it does have some advantages for your liver and maybe helping a little bit with weight loss and BG control. If you take the SR version with meals that is the best way to reduce side effects. And start with one pill a day then gradually increase after a week or so. But if you find the side effects intolerable then don't pressure yourself to take it, because it's not strictly necessary IMO.

Keep up the good work with low carbing and BG testing. I would find rice cakes and flat breads would spike my BGs. You might want to try for a few days without them and see what your BGs are like.
 
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4ratbags

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,334
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If you eat to your meter you will be able to eliminate which foods spike your BS and those that don't. It can be hard to get the balance right but please do persevere as it is important for your health. There are some great links in sanguine's signature so definitely click on those for a read. Generally for T2's it is under 5.5 fasting, before meals should be between 4-7mmol and 2 hrs after meals under 8.5mmol. This is just a general guide though and some members aim for lower numbers and some are happy at higher numbers. It is really up to you to decide what numbers you are happy with. It might be a good idea to try and find something to replace the rice cakes, potatoes and flat breads as they are most probably causing some of your BS woes. There is generally a low carb alternative for almost everything. I get most of my recipes on Pinterest, I've found recipes for bread, slices, muffins, fudge slice and many more so you don't have to feel like you are missing out. Just remember that it will take time for your body to adjust so don't despair, you will get there :)
 
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Tirianne

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thank you to everyone who's taken time to reply. I've been exploring the forum and links and am beginning to understand things a little better. Good idea about rice cakes and flat breads - I will try without them for a few days. I'm still slightly confused as to whether to follow a very low carboydrate diet and whether to go for the higher fat content - but as I'm really trying to get my weight down - I'm reluctant to eat high calorie fats as some people are doing (eg cream) I suppose it's a case of 'eating to the meter' - and finding what's helpful - or not!!
Over the past few days, I've noticed that I now have the same BG readings in the morning before breakfast as the BG testing 14 hours the night before. Then today, when doing a monthy urine test (I have some test sticks left over from when I had UTI for some weeks) the ketone level was very high. So I called the doctor and a helpful guy called back and said 'nothing to worry about' - and presumably this is because I'm 'burnnig up fat' - especially after a week of long walks (quite a new experience for me!!)
One other quick question - is coffee good or bad.... (I have 2 cups a day) I remember hearing something about it, but would appreciate any links or advice.
 

4ratbags

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,334
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Some say coffee spikes their BS but personally I am fine with it. As with everything else use your meter to gauge the effect.