Hello from me!

[thediabeticswife]

Hello everyone!

I've just found this forum - it looks like a treasure trove of information.

I don't have DB myself, but my husband was diagnosed with T2 earlier this month, and we have both started a wholescale change of our diet and lifestyle to help us both to become healthier. Tricky to cook whole-grain everything when your toddler isn't supposed to overload on fibre - but I am personally enjoying the cooking bit, so far. I think it's been caught early since there is no kidney damage yet, and his nerves seem okay. We are waiting for an eye-screening though.

My husband doesn't want to go onto medication if he can help it - but will if it means that future complications could be staved off. The DN refused him a monitor and strips, and so he is expected to try diet and exercise control without knowing how he's doing. He was told to go back if he became more symptomatic. We brought a monitor, lancets, and strips ourselves, and he tests regularly to try to find out how different foods affect him. Readings can start at between 7.5 and 11 mmol first thing, and vary throughout the day, but they never go higher than about 12.5 mmol, or lower than 7.4 mmol.

It's still sinking in, you know? Like they must have made a mistake, or maybe it's a blip. He is 34, just into the obese category and has a grandmother, and great-grandmother with T2. You know how things like diabetes only happen to other people? They don't do they.

 

[Grazer]

Hey, good luck! It's one of those things you get used to. I was diagnosed type 2 last year, and the more you can study the facts, the better you can control it. Good that you're testingf - test just before, and then 2 hours after, various meals to see the dgree of rise you get with different food types. The ones that affect you worse - leave out! I'm managing on diet only quite well at the moment. It's the starchy carbs that do you in if you're on diet only. You'll get lots of tips on this forum, but find out what works for you by testing.
Malc

 

[anna29]

Hi, A warm welcome to you both, It can and does take some time for it to sink in and then you gradually adapt and find your own way that works just for you, as it is very much an individual thing what works and dosen't work. It's only by time,trial and error,support, and effort that you work out what style and routine successfully works. The support and help is here for you both to learn and ask anything you feel/need to. It is a journey with some bumps along the way, your husbands symptoms or the BG levels will be your guide. Yes you do need to test as its the only way you will 'know' whats going on inside the body with his glucose levels. Your husband will be monitored by the HCP and there you can ask any questions you wish/need to. Eye screening and podiatry [feet] screening are aftercare, after diagnosis. It does change how you see and veiw things after diagnosis, so its natural to feel a bit shellshocked. Like you say its always other people you hear/see with it. When its yourself or your husband it does impact differently. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are both going on. Anna.x

 

[thediabeticswife]

Thank you very much for taking the time to write your replies - it's good to know that we're not alone, and that there is a place where we can come to ask questions.

Whenever I've spoken about this in real life with people who live with diabetes, I am astounded at how warm and supportive they all have been - even people I don't know very well. It seems like a bit of blitz-spirit!

 

[daisy1]

Hi thediabeticswife and welcome to the forum. You did the right thing getting testing equipment and you have had some good advice upthread on how to do it. Here is some more general information which the former monitors wrote for new members and I think it will be very helpful to you. Just bear in mind that this information is for your husband and is not necessarily appropriate for a toddler.

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2011 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.

 

[thediabeticswife]

Thanks Daisy Regarding the toddler, I can honestly say that he will grow up with a very varied diet incorporating LOTS of fruit and veg - and wholegrains when he is old enough for them!

My husband, T, does keep a record of what he's eaten - I think he needs to use his carb-counter book to work out how many carbs the food contained where it wasn't obvious on the packaging.

The DN herself seemed to give contradictory information re how much carb to eat - but I could have misunderstood her as it's hard to concentrate properly when things like blindness and amputation have been mentioned in passing as a risk.

 

[daisy1]

Hi again You probably did hear your DN correctly. This advice that we have given you doesn't follow the NHS/DUK dietary advice for the most part but we think it works better. Many have used it as a basis and found after a few weeks it has helped lower Bg levels and also in some cases triggered weight loss. It is entirely up to you what you do and as everyone is different you can only find out what suits your husband by testing as Malcysykes1 suggested. I too use a carb-counting book to help me. By controlling your husband's diet properly to ensure his levels are the best possible you can help reduce his risk of these complications. Hope this helps.

 

[thediabeticswife]

Thank you - one thing that I disliked about the information given to my husband by the NHS is how simplistic it is so far. I appreciate that it is hard to take in a lot of information when you are coming to terms with a diagnosis like this, but at the same time, there ought to be more information available for those who want it.

I understand that there is some heated debate surrounding carb counting, and I'm not ready to immerse myself in that just yet (still digesting the information I have found, if you'll pardon the pun). But there is a lot more to it than the 'try not to eat too much chocolate, and avoid fizzy drinks' that my husband was initially told, and the 'watch your portion sizes and avoid processed carbohydrates' that he was told by the DN.

The DN is very personable and sympathetic (to a point), but I think she is worried that people can get into a lot of trouble with a little information!

 

[Fencer]

Thank you - one thing that I disliked about the information given to my husband by the NHS is how simplistic it is so far. I appreciate that it is hard to take in a lot of information when you are coming to terms with a diagnosis like this, but at the same time, there ought to be more information available for those who want it.

I understand that there is some heated debate surrounding carb counting, and I'm not ready to immerse myself in that just yet (still digesting the information I have found, if you'll pardon the pun). But there is a lot more to it than the 'try not to eat too much chocolate, and avoid fizzy drinks' that my husband was initially told, and the 'watch your portion sizes and avoid processed carbohydrates' that he was told by the DN.

The DN is very personable and sympathetic (to a point), but I think she is worried that people can get into a lot of trouble with a little information!

I was diagnosed earlier this year and tackled the easy things first. By easy, I guess I mean obvious. I gradually took less and less sugar in my coffee, for example. Within three weeks I had it from three teaspoons to zero. I immediately swapped Irn Bru for Diet Coke, white bread for brown bread, bacon butties for weetabix, completely cut out all doughnuts; cakes and sweets...

Good luck to you both

 

[thediabeticswife]

Thank you Fencer, and wow, you've done wonders for your hba1c!

But 3 teaspoons in coffee?! I'd have thought that would stick your face to the cup!

 

[Energize]

Hi thediabeticswife

Pleased you found the forum. Yes, you will get a lot of support and help here.

I started posting only this week, although had been lurking for a while. I have had so much help and support already.

Yes, I was told by the diabetic nurse to 'increase carbs'. Being overweight already and knowing carbs turns to sugar, I have just never got my head around this. I really don't feel just telling all new diabetics to 'increase carbs' is very sensible, as you obviously felt. Appropriate testing will help you work out what's appropriate for your hubby.

Well done for what you have already achieved. Am looking forward to hearing of yours/hubby's progress, and of course, your little one!

 

[Fencer]

Thank you Fencer, and wow, you've done wonders for your hba1c!

But 3 teaspoons in coffee?! I'd have thought that would stick your face to the cup!

lol, I know... I was awful!!! lol

 

[Grazer]

Need to remember that the general info were given about diet is based on the recommnendations from NICE, and they don't differentiate between diabetics on medication and those on diet only - I think they should! On diet only, the ONLY way you'll lower blood sugar is by a reduction in carbs, particularly starchy ones. For people obn medication, the "safe option" for NICE to recommend is a diet high in carbs balanced by an appropriate amount of meds - safe, because there's less risk of Hypos that way. On diet only, we don't get hypos, so a carb reduction to reduce sugar levels seems eminently sensible to me. The AMOUNT you reduce by depends on how your body reacts to them, hence the testing. Some people (including a good friend of mine) prefer to stick on the carbs they love and take the meds, and that's fine. I prefer the no meds route, and on a reduced (not low) carb diet (i have 180 a day, but low GI), I have got my HbA1c down from 8.2 to 5.5, and it's sticking there. As a by-product, I've lost 25 pounds and 4 inches round the middle. BMI now 23.2 from a not-fat-anyway 25. So it does work, if it suits you.
Malc