Hi all newly diagnosed started metformin today not yet seen diabetic nurse got my appointment Tuesday any advice In the meantime I haven't a clue
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- Thread starter Juju13
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Hiitsme
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Hi @Juju13 and welcome
I will tag @daisy1 who will post some very helpful info for newcomers.
I was given a blood sugar monitor when diagnosed and told to use it. Looking back it was the most helpful thing in helping me to understand what foods my body could manage and what was better avoided. If you do want to use one I would suggest either the sdcodefree or Tee2 as they both have reasonably priced strips. The Tee2 is free and we can give you details if you are interested.
I will tag @daisy1 who will post some very helpful info for newcomers.
I was given a blood sugar monitor when diagnosed and told to use it. Looking back it was the most helpful thing in helping me to understand what foods my body could manage and what was better avoided. If you do want to use one I would suggest either the sdcodefree or Tee2 as they both have reasonably priced strips. The Tee2 is free and we can give you details if you are interested.
Yes I am interested and would be grateful for the info I have read some benefits of self monitoring and I think it could be helpful
Hi juju13 just a quick reply there's no reason why you shouldn't get yourself a blood meter I know a lot of doctors who say there's no need to test but if it puts your mind at ease and you want to keep track of how you're sugars are then go ahead it's your body at the end of the day and no one can stop you good luck with everything hope all goes well.
Thank you I have no clue at minute was just told to eat low fat and cut out sugar felt like a quick response hoping diabetic nurse is a bit more thorough
Hiitsme
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Tee2
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
Meter is free but you will need extra strips and probably lancets. You will need to state you are diabetic as then you don't pay VAT. I would also suggest you get the usb cable and software that they offer for free. It's the strips that you will be using and these are one of the cheapest ones available that we have found.
The other is the sdcodefree but you have to pay for the meter.
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
Meter is free but you will need extra strips and probably lancets. You will need to state you are diabetic as then you don't pay VAT. I would also suggest you get the usb cable and software that they offer for free. It's the strips that you will be using and these are one of the cheapest ones available that we have found.
The other is the sdcodefree but you have to pay for the meter.
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Hi @Juju13 ,
A warm welcome to the forum!
@daisy1 is already tagged,
but I'll also tag @Bluetit1802 @AndBreathe @Brunneria
I also second getting a meter... You are less in the dark with a "torch."
A warm welcome to the forum!
@daisy1 is already tagged,
but I'll also tag @Bluetit1802 @AndBreathe @Brunneria I also second getting a meter... You are less in the dark with a "torch."
Rosiegough_
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Resurgam
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Low fat eh?
Fat is the least of your worries - honestly. You can probably metabolise fat just fine - with any luck. It is carbohydrate which casues high blood glucose levels, and many people find that they can get normal readings eating low carb foods.
It is not just sugar but starches too which cause problems.
Fat is the least of your worries - honestly. You can probably metabolise fat just fine - with any luck. It is carbohydrate which casues high blood glucose levels, and many people find that they can get normal readings eating low carb foods.
It is not just sugar but starches too which cause problems.
AM1874
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Hi @Juju13 .. and welcome
You have made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..
I see that @Hiitsme has already tagged @daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
I can also recommend the TEE2 meter which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can manage them
Hope this helps
You have made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..
I see that @Hiitsme has already tagged @daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
I can also recommend the TEE2 meter which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can manage them
Hope this helps
pleinster
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Hi. You will learn a lot here that is going to help you get in control of your blood sugar levels. I think it's fair to say that you will learn more here than you will from whoever you see at your appointments. I am a big supporter of the NHS, but it is hardly state of the art when it comes to diabetes and its management. Bottom line is - get a meter and use it; record what you eat and what your levels are before and 2-3 hours after eating. If your level after eating is more than couple of mmols (ie. units your meter measures the level in) higher than the level before eating, you are very probably eating too many carbohydrates. Cut down on the carbs....right down if you can. Only by using a meter and recording your food and your levels will you see exactly what to avoid. Remember that carbohydrates essentially turn to glucose in your system; so it's not just sugar that increases it. You wiull get there pretty quickly if you are focused. Good luck.
leslie10152
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You should get one, it makes control easier by keeping you informed of your glucose levels.
grante
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Hi juju13 ,
I'm 3 weeks in from being diagnosed.
I was told pretty much the same as you.
My advice that has helped me is.
1. Get a book called " reverse your diabetes" it makes good reading and also makes a lot of sense.
2 . Get "My fitness pal" app and start logging your food. This will show how much carbs etc you are eating.
3. Get a monitor, without it you are relying on the hba1c every 3 months.
Test before meals and then 2 hours after. You don't need to do this for every meal, just until you see how your body 're acts.
Oh 1 last thing don't let the nhs push you away from eating low carbs. This forum is great and very supportive too.
I've seen my blood sugars drop and also my weight too.
Good luck
Bluetit1802
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Hello and welcome aboard,
As the others said, a meter is an essential tool, and if used properly will be your best friend. By testing before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite you will be able to see exactly what that meal has done to your blood sugar levels and be able to change things. Without a meter you will never know. If and when you get one we can help you to use it to your best advantage.
I hope your meeting with the nurse goes well, but unless she is enlightened (some are, most are not) you will be told to cut out sugar, eat low fat, switch to wholemeal, and make sure you have carbs at every meal. Sadly, this is not the best advice in the world. You need to know about the role of carbohydrate in controlling diabetes because all carbs, not just the sugary ones, turn to glucose once inside the system. As the aim is to reduce the amount of glucose in our system it makes sense not to eat too many carbs. We all have different tolerance levels to carbs, and a meter will help you find what yours is. The worst culprits are bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals and flour. We also need to be careful with fruit and milk.
Have a good read round the forums and see how others are managing, and ask as many questions as you like.
daisy1
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@Juju13
Helo Juju and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic 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 happy 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 well over 235,000 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:
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
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.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
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
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
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 blood glucose 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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
Helo Juju and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic 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 happy 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 well over 235,000 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
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
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.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
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
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
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 blood glucose 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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
