Struggling

mummycaz

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed Type 2 last September and have had three three monthly blood tests since then, everytime they come back at 6.9 and am told that I am doing well. When I was first diagnosed I lost a stone in weight in about two months, but now Im struggling. As its just me looking after me, I can often tell myself its okay to eat certain foods, which I know im not supposed too. I struggle with the low carb thing and just dont really know what on earth im doing. Ive just brought myself an exercise bike to use morning and night and I go out with my three dogs for a walk once a day. If anyone out there can give me some advice/tips on diet etc. that would be brilliant.

Thanks Guys

I forgot to say that my diabetic nurse and doctor have said that I dont need a meter, so I am literally just being tested by a blood test every three months. I am unsure what a meter will tell me and if I should be thinking about getting one, or will this just make me even more confused?
 
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brianronald

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm the same as you. Look forward to seeing some advice. I was diagnosed only 2 weeks ago and struggling is an understatement. My first fasting result was 7.3 followed by the second a week later with definitely no fizzy juice and got 6.9. High cholesterol too though and I have Diverticulitis which also causes a few issues with dietary choices. I was looking at getting a meter. Like you, I'm looking for some advice.
 
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mummycaz

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I'm the same as you. Look forward to seeing some advice. I was diagnosed only 2 weeks ago and struggling is an understatement. My first fasting result was 7.3 followed by the second a week later with definitely no fizzy juice and got 6.9. High cholesterol too though and I have Diverticulitis which also causes a few issues with dietary choices. I was looking at getting a meter. Like you, I'm looking for some advice.
Sounds like we are about the same, I'm 6.9 and have always struggled with my cholesterol. My blood pressure which has been high in the past seems to be behaving its self now. I have just been on holiday for 10 days and I doubt anyone would have realised I was diabetic! but I am definetly feeling the results of the holiday since I got back. I feel quite poorly, very sluggish and just generally unwell. My fault completely! As my son said, Mum your diabetes doesnt take a holiday just because you do!
 
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chalup

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,745
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Hi there I will tag @daisy1 for both of you and she will post an information packet that will answer a lot of your questions. I highly recommend you read it thoroughly and follow the links. There are also a series of videos being posted by @Indy51 that are worth every minute you devote to watching them. As to a meter the answer is yes you need one. How do you know how your diet is affecting your blood sugar if you don't test? Another good resource is the atkins website which explains how to do a low carb diet and gives food lists and recipes, just don't buy any of their products which are junk and full of chemicals. Please ask any questions and someone will be happy to answer. Welcome to the forum both of you :)
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Welcome to you all.

For a starters I will tag @daisy1 to come along with her excellent advice for newcomers. I urge you to read her post carefully, taking note of the role of carbohydrates.

Meanwhile, have a good read round the forums and try to learn as much as you can about diabetes and how other members are controlling it. Most of us buy our own meters so we can test out what we are eating. Testing before and after meals (2 hours after first bite initially, then more frequently when you get the hang of it) will show you exactly what that food has done to your levels so you can tweak it next time by reducing the carbs or eliminating some of them.
 
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Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. Do get a meter as it will enable to you to feel more in control and to take control. If the reading 2 hours after a meal is more than 8.5mmol then you know you have to tweak the diet further and add medication if needed. The SD Codefree on the web is low-cost. Daisy will provide the usual good diet advice for newbies. The thing about carbs is they are addictive and you need to break free. As you continue to reduce the carbs AND have enough proteins and fats to keep you feeling full your appetite for carbs will reduce. It means ignoring most of the aisles in the supermarket and ignoring so many adverts and cooking recipes. After a while you will begin to see how unhealthy so much of our food is. An Hba1C of 6.9% is not too bad but you need to aim for below 6.5%. If you are not already on Metformin talk to the nurse about that.
 

lynn007

Well-Known Member
Messages
146
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
animal abuse
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed Type 2 last September and have had three three monthly blood tests since then, everytime they come back at 6.9 and am told that I am doing well. When I was first diagnosed I lost a stone in weight in about two months, but now Im struggling. As its just me looking after me, I can often tell myself its okay to eat certain foods, which I know im not supposed too. I struggle with the low carb thing and just dont really know what on earth im doing. Ive just brought myself an exercise bike to use morning and night and I go out with my three dogs for a walk once a day. If anyone out there can give me some advice/tips on diet etc. that would be brilliant.

Thanks Guys

I forgot to say that my diabetic nurse and doctor have said that I dont need a meter, so I am literally just being tested by a blood test every three months. I am unsure what a meter will tell me and if I should be thinking about getting one, or will this just make me even more confused?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-G...=UTF8&qid=1474199838&sr=8-3&keywords=codefree

I'm the same as you. Look forward to seeing some advice. I was diagnosed only 2 weeks ago and struggling is an understatement. My first fasting result was 7.3 followed by the second a week later with definitely no fizzy juice and got 6.9. High cholesterol too though and I have Diverticulitis which also causes a few issues with dietary choices. I was looking at getting a meter. Like you, I'm looking for some advice.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-G...=UTF8&qid=1474199838&sr=8-3&keywords=codefree
 
Last edited by a moderator:

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed Type 2 last September and have had three three monthly blood tests since then, everytime they come back at 6.9 and am told that I am doing well. When I was first diagnosed I lost a stone in weight in about two months, but now Im struggling. As its just me looking after me, I can often tell myself its okay to eat certain foods, which I know im not supposed too. I struggle with the low carb thing and just dont really know what on earth im doing. Ive just brought myself an exercise bike to use morning and night and I go out with my three dogs for a walk once a day. If anyone out there can give me some advice/tips on diet etc. that would be brilliant.

Thanks Guys

I forgot to say that my diabetic nurse and doctor have said that I dont need a meter, so I am literally just being tested by a blood test every three months. I am unsure what a meter will tell me and if I should be thinking about getting one, or will this just make me even more confused?

If you are struggling to understand low carb I would suggest reading here..
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
Lots of free info

What your diabetic nurse and doctor don't say is that the NHS can't afford to prescribe you test strips so that's why they won't give you a meter. You control the speed of your car by looking at the speedometer and your foot.. you control the level of your blood sugars by what you eat and using a meter. It's an essential bit of kit.
 
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daisy1

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

Hello and welcome to the forum :) Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you both will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 210,000 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

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
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 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.
 

mummycaz

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you to everyone that has responded to me. I feel kind of scared the more I find out about my type 2 diabetes, but will now take the time to read all the information I can from this forum & disbetes site. I think I will also get a meter, although my husband is scared that I may get 'addicted' to it.
 
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L

_lyn_lyn_1963

Guest
Thank you to everyone that has responded to me. I feel kind of scared the more I find out about my type 2 diabetes, but will now take the time to read all the information I can from this forum & disbetes site. I think I will also get a meter, although my husband is scared that I may get 'addicted' to it.
I was diagnosed with pre diabetis 7 months ago, in that time I have transformed my diet cutting out all sugars ,reading the labels at supermarket you would be surprised I quess how I was how much food has it in, curry sauces pasta sauces, just about everything. I cut it all out, and I have reversed my diabetis and no,longer have high numbers, I am keeping to my new way of eating and drinking only water, some folks on here have to cut out a lot of carbs too, I was not a big carb eater only hidden sugars which is the purest form of a carb, take your time each week you will learn more and achieve more. I lost 2 stone in 4 months and I eat throughout the day. You can be a success to if you put in the learning on this forum, good luck.
 
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mummycaz

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Sorry guys, I haven't read through it all yet, but could someone advise me what carb intact I'm looking for in each meal. I have a feeling my diabetic nurse said around 40? Each meal. Thank you
 
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mummycaz

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I was diagnosed with pre diabetis 7 months ago, in that time I have transformed my diet cutting out all sugars ,reading the labels at supermarket you would be surprised I quess how I was how much food has it in, curry sauces pasta sauces, just about everything. I cut it all out, and I have reversed my diabetis and no,longer have high numbers, I am keeping to my new way of eating and drinking only water, some folks on here have to cut out a lot of carbs too, I was not a big carb eater only hidden sugars which is the purest form of a carb, take your time each week you will learn more and achieve more. I lost 2 stone in 4 months and I eat throughout the day. You can be a success to if you put in the learning on this forum, good luck.
Thank you so much, I really feel that I can do this with everyone's help. Can I be a huge pain and ask you what a typical days eating would be for you. I have cut out buying any jarred sauces and make all myself now. I also prefer to drink just water but when I'm busy I forget to drink and can go a whole day without drinking anything. My biggest downfall is bread. I only eat dark rye bread and I have between 3 - 4 slices a day. My pasta and rice are always brown and I do have potatoes but not that bothered if I don't. Thank you
 

Freema

Expert
Messages
7,346
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Sorry guys, I haven't read through it all yet, but could someone advise me what carb intact I'm looking for in each meal. I have a feeling my diabetic nurse said around 40? Each meal. Thank you
I am new in here too... but I´ll tell you one thing is what the main ways of advice is in society another thing is how people in this forum diet... as you´ll find out the average advise does not do enough in getting peoples blood glucose down to normal levels, but if you learn about very low carb dieting, it takes a Little while to learn all those new ways and this new approach to foods/life but by the way you will feel much better about all this and maybe make it your positive interest instead of feeling it as a curse.... I have lost 3Stone allready and that was actually about time... look at it in a positive way and you´ll get much more positive energy to learn about your new and healthier lifestyle...
 
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_lyn_lyn_1963

Guest
Thank you so much, I really feel that I can do this with everyone's help. Can I be a huge pain and ask you what a typical days eating would be for you. I have cut out buying any jarred sauces and make all myself now. I also prefer to drink just water but when I'm busy I forget to drink and can go a whole day without drinking anything. My biggest downfall is bread. I only eat dark rye bread and I have between 3 - 4 slices a day. My pasta and rice are always brown and I do have potatoes but not that bothered if I don't. Thank you
I only drink water, I pack some up if I'm out. And I pack my lunch. I have a small poridge with frozen raspberries but some say that that is too carb for them, I have a sandwich for lunch with some protein and cucumber and Tom.rye bread is lower carb that you are choosing so good, for tea I have a basmati small very, with either, salmon or meat and lots of veg I love veg. No puddings no biscuits no ice cream. I do this same thing everyday so know what I'm doing.i don't eat lots of bread potatoes or rice or pasta very little. Avocados, a bit of fruit apples mainly. I did this for 7 months and I am well now and in 2 months my bloods had gone down afew points, download sugar smart app and scan foods, avoid everything with sugar, snack on nuts seeds.apples.thats all I did, I never ate a lot of carb foods like bread and pasta I had a bit of a problem eating them, but I eat some now,eat throughout the day don't skip meals, check out the diet doctor.com you don't have to be drastic just consistent over time.
 

Liam1955

Master
Messages
10,964
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Anti-Gay People, Self Centre People, Two Faced People and Bad Language.
Hello @_lyn_lyn_1963 and Hello @brianronald welcome to the Forum :).
Go to the top of the page and click on the word FORUMS, scroll down until you come to FOOD and NUTRITION - there you will see all kinds of diets, but the one most popular with forum members is: LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) it helps to lower blood sugar and weight loss. Take a look at:
http://dietdoctor-com/low-carb/60-seconds
And it is vital that you purchase a Meter to control your Diabetes. The SD Codefree Blood Glucose Meter is popular by forum members, the test strips are the cheapest to buy.:)
 

chalup

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,745
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
The thing is that members of the forum are at all different levels with respect to carbs. You have asked how many per meal and will get many different answers. I personally have about 20 grams PER DAY. Others are much higher. My suggestion is to go very low, cut out all bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, fruit other than berries, juices, root veggies, anything made with flour or added sugar. Once you have your blood glucose stable where you want it you start adding foods and using your meter to determine what you personally can safely eat. This is eating to your meter and is how you establish a way of eating that is right for you. No one else can tell you what your body needs and we are all different. Atkins induction level is a good place to start and then you can modify to suit yourself.
 

welshywendy

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi I'm new to all this as its only been two weeks since I was diagnosed was given medication and told to get on with it ,any help or information is greatly appreciate.do I get a meter?im type 2
 
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