New to diabetes

Garyfx

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
Hi everyone was hoping for some advice, on Friday my doctor Informed me that I have diabetes my bloods were 14 . He told me that I needed to book an appointment with the diabetic nurse on the way out, unfortunately when I tried I was told the earliest appointment would be in four weeks, I argued with the receptionist and told her it was unexceptable but she just shrug her shoulder and replied that's the best I can do. So I am now worried as I have no medication and will I be OK to wait four weeks , any advice would be truly appreciated.
 

Clivethedrive

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,996
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Jogging
Hi Garyfx,welcome to the forum,i'll tag@daisy1 who will give the info for new posters,please have a good read,and come back with any q's,clive
 
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Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,796
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi everyone was hoping for some advice, on Friday my doctor Informed me that I have diabetes my bloods were 14 . He told me that I needed to book an appointment with the diabetic nurse on the way out, unfortunately when I tried I was told the earliest appointment would be in four weeks, I argued with the receptionist and told her it was unexceptable but she just shrug her shoulder and replied that's the best I can do. So I am now worried as I have no medication and will I be OK to wait four weeks , any advice would be truly appreciated.

Unfortunately, that's what's happening in most surgeries these days.
Even after seeing the diabetic nurse, you will hopefully get better advice, but there are so many that don't!
Do have a read of the great information that @daisy1 will give you.
Have a read around the low carb forum, see what other diabetics eat and how to get their blood glucose levels down.
You do need to educate yourself on the condition.
Don't be afraid of asking questions.
There are some knowledgeable people on the forum.
Low carb lifestyle works, it has had a lot of great success stories.
 
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Garyfx

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
Thanks for that, my main worrie is that I don't know what my levels are until I get a meter, and the other problem is I am feeling quite rough, but the trouble is I also suffer from cfs and fibromyalgia so I'm finding it hard to know if I'm feeling un well because of the diabetes or the other problems , I've tried to buy a glucose monitor to day and after visiting all the chemist not one stocked them so I feel a bit in limbo land.
 

catinahat

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,386
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Reality tv
Hello Garyfx, welcome.
Here's a link to the SD Codefree meter http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm
And here's some discount codes for the test strips 5 packs -- 264086 / 10 packs--975833
And here's a link that explains how to use it to get your blood glucose levels under control
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
This is a guide to a low carb diet that was invaluable to me when I was first diagnosed, hope you find it useful
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/a-new-low-carb-guide-for-beginners.68695/
 
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pleinster

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,631
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
ignorance
Hey, Gary. I'm not saying don't be concerned that things are around 14, but don't be freaking out, mate. Yeah it's high but you'll get that down soon as you have an approach. After a successful transplant my blood sugar shot up from 4 to 21. I reckon the only reason I got pills right away is coz I was in hospital at the time for a biopsy. Since coming out, my levels on the meds dropped a wee bit . 9.5 to about 16....lotsa 14s. I got next to no advice except take the meds and avoid sugary stuff. I've been waiting for an appointment with a diabetologist for two months now. I have, however, learned a great deal from a] this site and b] my own notes on my levels and my food intake.
Seriously, we all differ, but me..I'm Type 2..not sure about you (sounds like it), and I honestly don't think you should be alarmed about this 14...That's now..with no pills, no diet control etc. You'll see form my stats (below) that there's been real progress..and now 8.5 is high for me (no meds, pure diet control). Lots of us are sticking to (or trying to) a low carb diet...check it out on this site. My advice meantime would be get a meter/strips soon as...apply for freebies here. meantime, don't panic..you'll only get stressed with half the info you need. My suggestion to start with would be abandon bread...it's wild on the sugar level. it's not just sweet stuff that increases you level, its' high carbs (low carbs are generally those with less than 10g per 100g - see labels). Cut down on these where you can..perfectly healthy..eat low carb veggies (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower) with meat, fish, mushrooms etc), Avacados and asparagus seem to have a good effect. All of this is pretty general and not at al specific to you, but cutting down on **** can't hurt anyone, eh? Once you have a meter, note the level before eating and two hours after..you'll soon see what's what. This can put you in control - look at post son the site and you'll see lots of people are bringing levels right down with diet. One other thing..best info you can get..is from yourself. The main thing you need from a diabetic nurse is a meter. Above all...don't be too worried..yeah. it's a bit high...it's not mental. Take care.
 
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Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. Yes, not great to have to wait that long. As others have said, reduce all your carbs and you should find your blood sugar drops. I'm surprised you couldn't get a meter as most of my local chemists stock them, but the SD Codefree is used by many and has low-cost test strips. As a T2 the NHS would probably not have given you a meter anyway. Hopefully your blood sugar will come down. A figure of 14 is not good but it's not until you go into the 20s/30s that the concern becomes urgent
 
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daisy1

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

Hello Gary and welcome to the forum :) Love your avatar! Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful in addition to the information members have already given you. In particular it will help you on diet and low carbing. 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 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

LOW CARB PROGRAM:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/low carb program


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.
 

Pinkorchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,927
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Yes that is not good that you have to wait that long to see the nurse. As said 14 is not exceptionally high but you will be able to reduce it with diet. Many here do the low carb high fat diet but as you have other medical conditions and presumably take medication for it you will need to check with your doctor as we can't say if that will be suitable for you
 
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Prem51

Expert
Messages
7,393
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
*
Many thanks for the help, terrific web site .
Hi @Garyfx and welcome to the forum. What the others have said is good advice. I wouldn't worry about not being able to see the nurse for 4 weeks. The nurse can't prescribe medication, and if the GP thought you needed it immediately he/she would have prescribed it.
When I saw the nurse after being diagnosed all she did was test my feet for feeling response, recommend that I wear trainers outside and something on my feet indoors to avoid stubbing my toes. And weigh me. She did also refer me for eye testing at the local hospital. That was over 3 months ago and I still haven't heard from them. The only other thing she said was to eat 5 portions of vegetables a day, and that portions of anything should be no bigger than the size of your fist.
When you do see her you might also want to ask her for a referral to a diabetes management course, if your GP didn't offer you a referral when you were given the diagnosis.
Don't panic, I know it is a shock when you first get diagnosed, and it takes some time to come to terms with it. But it is a condition that can be managed. There is a lot of good advice and support on here.
 
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Cumberland

Master
Messages
14,650
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Foodwise Nuts & Mushrooms (Vomit)
Hi Gary

Welcome to this wonderful forum I hope you enjoy it here, it has become a part of my daily routine to pop on here for a browse,

Lots of good people on here. Enjoy the craic;)
 
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Garyfx

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
Thanks for all the advice, it has really helped reassure me and it's really nice to speak to people who understand, I thank you all for that and to everyone keep up the good work, you really make a difference .
 
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Enclave

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
2,602
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @Garyfx welcome the best place you could have possibly found, it going to help you understand your diabetes and help you find the best way to control it. Don't worry, with a few life style and diet changes you should be in control with good blood sugar numbers. When you have looked at Daisy1 welcome pack, do ask questions .. :)