hello

Tracieann

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
hello there everybody im Tracie im 55 and have just been told my Hb1ac is 51 i have been borderling for about a year so im expecting a proper diagnosis on the 14th feb after my blood test next week it has scared me and im trying to lose weight by lowering carbs and cutting sugar by as much as i can i dont feel too great with this diet sometimes jittery but i want to see if i can lower my numbers in the next week or two any advice from you peeps will be welcome thanks
 

Muddikins

Well-Known Member
Messages
113
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Tracieann,
I have found low carb eating to be a great way of managing my T2. It can take a while for your body to adjust to it but in the end the benefits are immense.
This place is full of people better able to advise than I am but do look up what the HbA1c test is because it provides a picture of blood glucose levels over the preceding two to three months making it quite hard to make big changes to it in just a week or so. That is not to say that you cant make some good changes to your daily levels just that it takes a while to filter through into the test result.
You can take control and that feels very liberating. I was so unwell before my diagnosis but didn't know why, as soon as i knew I could do something about it and it really does work.
Best of luck.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
controlling type two diabetes is all about lowering the amount of carbs in the diet to what you can cope with.
Although you might see reduction in weight, that is secondary to the blood glucose levels - and it is often after lower blood glucose have got the metabolism back into balance - it certainly was with me.
You might be feeling jittery due to loss of electrolytes. I take a multi vitamin and mineral tablet most days, when I remember, and that seems to be a good idea, though it could be what is referred to as a false hypo due to your body not being used to normal levels of glucose.
Most people seem able to cope with some carbs - 40 to 50 gm per day is quite an ordinary amount, though the time of day when they are most easily coped with varies between am and pm. It is essential to increase the amount of protein and fat you eat, particularly if you do not wish to do a crash diet.
 

Alison Campbell

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,443
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Tracieann

Welcome to the forum, I'll tage @daisy1 for a new member post for you.

Have a good read around the form and feel free to ask questions.
 
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Tracieann

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
thank you for the welcome so kind of you to take time to answer me i am very determined to do as well as i can i was a complete chocoholic 3 or 4 bars a day or one big one at night terrible really but im on a different path now started brisk walking now too building up slowly at 20 mins 4 times a week now building up to 5 times for 30 minutes thanks once again a brilliant website
 

Debandez

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome.

You're HbA1c is not that high, yes still diabetic as over 47 (42 to 47 is pre diabetic) but you should be able to get it down to non diabetic levels in a short period of time. I can see you have been reading the forum and learned that low carb is the best way to get your HbA1c down and control your blood sugars. You are off to a great start.

This is a great thread on the forum, food for learning about foods that will suit you and also for banter. Lots of choccie recipes on there.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/unread

I would advise you get a testing kit too. One of the best investments i have ever made.

Let us know how you get on.
 

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daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Tracieann
Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.

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 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
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 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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are 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.
 

johnrubinstein

Well-Known Member
Messages
74
Type of diabetes
Type 2
thank you for the welcome so kind of you to take time to answer me i am very determined to do as well as i can i was a complete chocoholic 3 or 4 bars a day or one big one at night terrible really but im on a different path now started brisk walking now too building up slowly at 20 mins 4 times a week now building up to 5 times for 30 minutes thanks once again a brilliant website

Hi Tracieann

Welcome. And you’re doing the very things that’ll put you in control of your health.

I myself was diagnosed T2 in Dec 2017 at the age of 66 with an HbA1c of 51. Since then I’ve lost 19kg and gotten my HbA1c to 38. And I’ve done it just like you: diet and exercise (no meds).

Exercise: 5k brisk walk every day (haven’t missed a day in the last 215 days). Also, 3-4 evening workouts per week with dumbbells and kettle bells

Diet: LCHF diet (I use an app called MyFitnessPal to keep a journal).

Knowledge: I read as much as I can to keep abreast.

I’m under no illusion. Maybe at some point I’ll need to supplement my regimen with medication. But I’ll continue to do whatever I can in as much as it is in my control to stay healthy.

Keep it up Tracieann! You’re spot on in what you’re doing.
 

dwrp

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 1
hello there everybody im Tracie im 55 and have just been told my Hb1ac is 51 i have been borderling for about a year so im expecting a proper diagnosis on the 14th feb after my blood test next week it has scared me and im trying to lose weight by lowering carbs and cutting sugar by as much as i can i dont feel too great with this diet sometimes jittery but i want to see if i can lower my numbers in the next week or two any advice from you peeps will be welcome thanks
 

Alun

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
hello there everybody im Tracie im 55 and have just been told my Hb1ac is 51 i have been borderling for about a year so im expecting a proper diagnosis on the 14th feb after my blood test next week it has scared me and im trying to lose weight by lowering carbs and cutting sugar by as much as i can i dont feel too great with this diet sometimes jittery but i want to see if i can lower my numbers in the next week or two any advice from you peeps will be welcome thanks

Hi
I can recommend an app for your phone or tablet called Carbs & Cals, it also is available in a book. It not only tell you what to avoid but keeps a tab on your daily Carbs so you can give a treat. I’ve been using it for about 4 years and even though I sort of know now what to avoid I still use it every day.

Alun