New Type 2 and a Tad Confused

[RinT76]

Hi I am Tarin, or Rin, if you prefer. I was diagnosed back in late September but it took them ages to decide whether I was Type 1 or 2. When I was originally diagnosed I was told I was off the charts and sent to hospital, which was all fun...not. I feel in some ways I was messed about a bit, one of the things that makes me feel that is the amount of conflicting and contradicting advice and info I have been given, a nurse says this, a doctor says that, and websites say the other. For example Doctors tell me you can't die from diabetes, a nurse said its unlikely but is possible and then there's the horror stories from other peeps about the meds both Met and Ins. Its annoying and I don't know who or what to believe now. I'll be honest I am more than a little worried. I recently started keeping a sort of Diabetes journal to write about little things like my issues and information that may be useful and also about appointments and what happens, that way I can remember whats been said and by whom. not sure if it's a good idea but is something to try. I am trying to figure out what I can and can't eat and what types of foods I need to have more or less of, I don't know whether to stick with the agamatrix meter the hospital nurse gave me or buy the Accu-chek meter someone suggested. It's all a confused mess in my head still and my head is confused and busy enough as it is without all this and the contradictions and conflictings don't help. so if anyone has any thoughts or advice then I am open to your thoughts and suggestions. Sorry this post is so long and thank you in advance for taking the time to read it.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi and welcome,

In order to help us to help you, it would be useful if you could tell us:
What sort of levels do you see when you self test, and when do you self test?
Which medications for diabetes are you taking, and what doses?
Have they decided on Type 1 or Type 2?
A list of a typical days food would also be helpful

It is a good plan to write everything down, so that's a good start.

You will always receive conflicting information, wherever you look. Diabetes is a complicated disease and very mysterious. You are only likely to get diabetes complications if you don't bring your blood sugars under control, so that needs to be your first goal, and you will receive plenty of excellent advice from the very knowledgeable forum members here - who are all diabetics of one sort or another

 

[Robbieswan]

I was originally diagnosed as type 1 but concluded that I have type 2. I totally relate to your post as the doctors and the consultant were unsure as to what triggered it. The diabetes journal is a fab idea, but I would urge you to duplicate it ( or some of it ) on here. I have said this before, but I think they have a preconceived idea of a diabetes journey and if someone comes along like us who challenges the preconceived notions, then confusion reigns. It's virtually impossible for us to feel sure about anything, when the people who have your best healthcare interests at heart are confused also. My advice is post on here as much as possible. The people on the forum have a wealth of experience and will help you.

 

[RinT76]

Hi and welcome,

In order to help us to help you, it would be useful if you could tell us:
What sort of levels do you see when you self test, and when do you self test?
Which medications for diabetes are you taking, and what doses?
Have they decided on Type 1 or Type 2?
A list of a typical days food would also be helpful

It is a good plan to write everything down, so that's a good start.

You will always receive conflicting information, wherever you look. Diabetes is a complicated disease and very mysterious. You are only likely to get diabetes complications if you don't bring your blood sugars under control, so that needs to be your first goal, and you will receive plenty of excellent advice from the very knowledgeable forum members here - who are all diabetics of one sort or another

Hi and thank you
they finally decided I was type 2, they said it was probably because of a combination of my weight and medications (Olanzapine) that I am diabetic.
right now I am on Insulin 30 in the morning before breakfast and 24 in the evening before dinner. but they are talking of putting me on a low dose of, is it Metforming? something like that, to see how I get on, along with the insulin, but I heard horror stories about Met but now I am hearing Insulin can be just as bad.
my bloods more recently have gotten so much better for example this mornings was 5.5, they are usually between 5.9 and 12.1, I test them before morning and evening meals and before bed.
as for my diet it is cereal in the morning, sandwich in the afternoon and a tesco helthy living /weight watchers microwave meal in the evening and I tend to snack on peperami, cheesestrings and mini cheddars during the day

 

[Bluetit1802]

OK. I assume your insulin is a background basal?

Your morning fasting level of 5.5 is excellent. 12.1 is not very good!

I am not going to attempt to advise you about your diet because I know very little about insulin. However, you do need to know that all carbohydrate converts to glucose once inside the system, so we do need to be careful how much of it we eat. I will say, though, that breakfast cereals and bread (sandwiches) are very high in carbs.

Metformin is a very safe drug, although it can cause tummy upsets. This is normally just temporary. Not everyone experiences this, but if you do, and if it continues, you can ask your doctor for the slow release version, which is kinder on the tummy. It should help you as you are wanting to lose weight. It isn't a miracle drug, and only helps with blood sugars to a limited extent, but it is an appetite suppressant so should help you lose weight. It is the first line treatment for T2 diabetics and nothing to be afraid of.

Please have a good read round the forums, and ask as many questions as you like.

 

[RinT76]

OK. I assume your insulin is a background basal?

Your morning fasting level of 5.5 is excellent. 12.1 is not very good!

I am not going to attempt to advise you about your diet because I know very little about insulin. However, you do need to know that all carbohydrate converts to glucose once inside the system, so we do need to be careful how much of it we eat. I will say, though, that breakfast cereals and bread (sandwiches) are very high in carbs.

Metformin is a very safe drug, although it can cause tummy upsets. This is normally just temporary. Not everyone experiences this, but if you do, and if it continues, you can ask your doctor for the slow release version, which is kinder on the tummy. It should help you as you are wanting to lose weight. It isn't a miracle drug, and only helps with blood sugars to a limited extent, but it is an appetite suppressant so should help you lose weight. It is the first line treatment for T2 diabetics and nothing to be afraid of.

Please have a good read round the forums, and ask as many questions as you like.

I don't understand the phrase "Background basal", yus I am a bit stupid, sorry. lol

Thank you for the info, muchly appreciated. I was told that if I go onto the Metformin and come off the insulin, I wouldn't have to test my blood sugars, is that the case? should I continue to test them anyway.? a part of me really thinks I should and that I would like to keep an eye on them because I am not sure I can really rely on the docs and nurses because they have contradicted each other so much already and some of the info has not been good.

 

[RinT76]

I was originally diagnosed as type 1 but concluded that I have type 2. I totally relate to your post as the doctors and the consultant were unsure as to what triggered it. The diabetes journal is a fab idea, but I would urge you to duplicate it ( or some of it ) on here. I have said this before, but I think they have a preconceived idea of a diabetes journey and if someone comes along like us who challenges the preconceived notions, then confusion reigns. It's virtually impossible for us to feel sure about anything, when the people who have your best healthcare interests at heart are confused also. My advice is post on here as much as possible. The people on the forum have a wealth of experience and will help you.

Thank you so much for your response, I will certainly consider posting some of my journal, but mostly it's just about what has happened at appointments right now and boring stuff like my med dosages and weight and blood pressure etc.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I don't understand the phrase "Background basal", yus I am a bit stupid, sorry. lol

Thank you for the info, muchly appreciated. I was told that if I go onto the Metformin and come off the insulin, I wouldn't have to test my blood sugars, is that the case? should I continue to test them anyway.? a part of me really thinks I should and that I would like to keep an eye on them because I am not sure I can really rely on the docs and nurses because they have contradicted each other so much already and some of the info has not been good.

If you come off the insulin (and I hope you can manage to do this) then testing is extremely important. Your nurse/doctor will tell you otherwise. You must ignore them. People on here will agree with me. There are two reasons for this. The first is to just keep an eye on your levels and make sure you are going in the right direction. The second reason is very important for Type 2s on diet/Metformin only because it will teach you which are your danger foods. We use it to test before and 2 hours after eating to see how our body has reacted to the food just eaten. This gives us the chance to tweak our diets accordingly. I won't go into details yet as you are not at that stage. (unless you want me to). For us on diet/Metformin only, diet is the key to the whole issue of control. If we don't eat correctly, our levels won't improve enough. If we don't test before and after eating, we have no idea what that meal choice has done to our glucose levels and are working blind.

You may find your prescription for the meter and strips will be withdrawn, or the strips cut to the basic minimum, which will be inadequate. (mostly for financial reasons) The vast majority of us have to self fund meters and strips, but we can advise you of that when it is needed.

As for insulin. Basal background insulin is a long lasting insulin that will see you through the night and the day. There is another sort, which is fast acting. This is injected before eating to control the glucose levels induced by the carbs you are about to eat. That is just a basic simple explanation. It would seem yours is just the background sort.

What was your HbA1c result when you were diagnosed?

 

[RinT76]

If you come off the insulin (and I hope you can manage to do this) then testing is extremely important. Your nurse/doctor will tell you otherwise. You must ignore them. People on here will agree with me. There are two reasons for this. The first is to just keep an eye on your levels and make sure you are going in the right direction. The second reason is very important for Type 2s on diet/Metformin only because it will teach you which are your danger foods. We use it to test before and 2 hours after eating to see how our body has reacted to the food just eaten. This gives us the chance to tweak our diets accordingly. I won't go into details yet as you are not at that stage. (unless you want me to). For us on diet/Metformin only, diet is the key to the whole issue of control. If we don't eat correctly, our levels won't improve enough. If we don't test before and after eating, we have no idea what that meal choice has done to our glucose levels and are working blind.

You may find your prescription for the meter and strips will be withdrawn, or the strips cut to the basic minimum, which will be inadequate. (mostly for financial reasons) The vast majority of us have to self fund meters and strips, but we can advise you of that when it is needed.

As for insulin. Basal background insulin is a long lasting insulin that will see you through the night and the day. There is another sort, which is fast acting. This is injected before eating to control the glucose levels induced by the carbs you are about to eat. That is just a basic simple explanation. It would seem yours is just the background sort.

What was your HbA1c result when you were diagnosed?

Ooh ok I will make note of that in my Journal, thank you. they didn't tell me what my HbA1c results was they just prodded me and poked me, took my pee a couple times and then attached me to this machine and stuck this big syringe looking thing in the machine which they said was full of insulin and kept prodding me and poking me and testing me. To be honest I was petrified with all of this and had no idea exactly what was going on, all I was told was I was very ill, but in all truth I felt just fine except for them scaring the **** out of me.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Ooh ok I will make note of that in my Journal, thank you. they didn't tell me what my HbA1c results was they just prodded me and poked me, took my pee a couple times and then attached me to this machine and stuck this big syringe looking thing in the machine which they said was full of insulin and kept prodding me and poking me and testing me. To be honest I was petrified with all of this and had no idea exactly what was going on, all I was told was I was very ill, but in all truth I felt just fine except for them scaring the **** out of me.

I can imagine just how scared you must have been. Best to try and forget about it and look to the future.

Your GP should know what your HbA1c is, if you ring and ask. Failing that, when is your next appointment, and who with? Is it a specialist diabetes clinic or is it with your GP? You can ask then. You really need to know what all your glucose related results were - the HbA1c, and the tests they did to determine which type you are (probably a GAD test and a C-peptide test) Please don't accept a vague answer - get the actual levels.

This must all be overwhelming for you. It was for us all when we were first diagnosed, but everything falls in place after a while, and the more you read up about Type 2 and learn what all the tests are and what they mean, the quicker it will become clearer.

 

[RinT76]

I can imagine just how scared you must have been. Best to try and forget about it and look to the future.

Your GP should know what your HbA1c is, if you ring and ask. Failing that, when is your next appointment, and who with? Is it a specialist diabetes clinic or is it with your GP? You can ask then. You really need to know what all your glucose related results were - the HbA1c, and the tests they did to determine which type you are (probably a GAD test and a C-peptide test) Please don't accept a vague answer - get the actual levels.

This must all be overwhelming for you. It was for us all when we were first diagnosed, but everything falls in place after a while, and the more you read up about Type 2 and learn what all the tests are and what they mean, the quicker it will become clearer.

I have an appointment with Specialist nurse at hospital on the 8th and later that day another appointment with nurse at my GP's surgery for the first review or something. so I will ask one of them and I will write in my diary so that I remember to get the levels, this is all a bit crazy huh lol.

 

[ringi]

As you mention that Olanzapine may be a factor, it is possible you have Type3 not Type2, has your fasting insliln levels been measured if so, do you know the results?

 

[Guzzler]

Hi there, I've not much to add to the advice and information you have been given up thread but just wanted to give you a wave. Read around the forum and ask any and all questions you may have. There's a lot to take in at first but you will learn quickly and in time you will be more comfortable with your diagnosis.

 

[RinT76]

As you mention that Olanzapine may be a factor, it is possible you have Type3 not Type2, has your fasting insliln levels been measured if so, do you know the results?

There's a type 3??? Bloomin heck don't tell me that! lol. they seemed to be sure after my last HbA1c that it was type 2 when I visited the doc at the hospital a couple of weeks back although they had been saying t1 one minute and t2 the next prior to that. I guess maybe I should ask them to be sure

 

[RinT76]

Hi there, I've not much to add to the advice and information you have been given up thread but just wanted to give you a wave. Read around the forum and ask any and all questions you may have. There's a lot to take in at first but you will learn quickly and in time you will be more comfortable with your diagnosis.

thank you for the wave and hi back

 

[Phoenix55]

I want to wade in with a welcome to the forum, Do ask for your HbA1c levels and keep on measuring your bg. Keep a note of your levels across a meal and note what you have eaten, this lets you know how your body has reacted to what you have just eaten. I used a spreadsheet to monitor exercise taken and mood too. You will be told to cut out sugars but you will also find that some of us react to grains and below ground vege are to be indulged in occasionally. We have all found our own way on here, what works for some does not work for all, which is probably what confuses the HCP and others who like to predict a particular result. It is an adventure into finding our more about yourself. Good luck.

 

[RinT76]

I want to wade in with a welcome to the forum, Do ask for your HbA1c levels and keep on measuring your bg. Keep a note of your levels across a meal and note what you have eaten, this lets you know how your body has reacted to what you have just eaten. I used a spreadsheet to monitor exercise taken and mood too. You will be told to cut out sugars but you will also find that some of us react to grains and below ground vege are to be indulged in occasionally. We have all found our own way on here, what works for some does not work for all, which is probably what confuses the HCP and others who like to predict a particular result. It is an adventure into finding our more about yourself. Good luck.

Thank you for your thoughts and advice a and thank you for the welcome, I think my journal is about to get more detailed lol.

 

[RinT76]

So I just got a letter through my door from the diabetes clinic and its got some of the numbers, I don't know whether it is from the first test they did or the last more recent one but it says "HbA1c: 118" not sure what that means but as you guys mentioned it I thought maybe you could tell me. So is this bad numbers?

 

[Bluetit1802]

So I just got a letter through my door from the diabetes clinic and its got some of the numbers, I don't know whether it is from the first test they did or the last more recent one but it says "HbA1c: 118" not sure what that means but as you guys mentioned it I thought maybe you could tell me. So is this bad numbers?

An HbA1c of 118 is very high. Anything over 47 is diabetic.
It is the same as having an average of 17.9mmol/l over the previous 2 to 3 months. (mmol/l is the measurement unit on our meters) So you were spending an awful lot of time above 17.9mmol/l. This will be why they have put you on insulin so your blood sugar levels can stabilise.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

How are you doing at the moment?

 

[RinT76]

An HbA1c of 118 is very high. Anything over 47 is diabetic.
It is the same as having an average of 17.9mmol/l over the previous 2 to 3 months. (mmol/l is the measurement unit on our meters) So you were spending an awful lot of time above 17.9mmol/l. This will be why they have put you on insulin so your blood sugar levels can stabilise.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

How are you doing at the moment?

Hello Blue
ooh that don't sound good .yesterday before dinner I was at 4.8 then 2 hours later 10.8 then before bed 4.9 and this morning it was 5.4 so am in lower numbers and have been for a few days so am guessing that's good. I know if am below 4 that's not good. I think they will be starting me on met soon cus it mentions that in the letter too.