Newbie - Hi All

[Sulla]

Hi All,

I am pretty recently diagnosed type 2. I am on Janumet twice a day, seperate Metformin midday and injectable drug [ not insulin ] at night.

I have other health issues already which I have been coping with, heamachromatosis [too much iron ], heart problems [stenting ], Abt September last year had Pulmonary Embolism so am on blood thinners, I had a severe lung infection which left me with 13% lung function. I also have very bad Osteoarthritis. I have suffered DPD since I was 14.

I am 54 and my heart problem surfaced when I was 40, a 99% blockage, surgeon told me after I should be dead. It was a congenital defect, I was just unlucky.

I look at all my health issues in the light I have been lucky, the illness has been found and is being treated. I truly feel that way.

I have to say that my diabetes I am having issues coping with on top of everything else. I have changed diet and lifestyle, but has not helped. I was told this week that I will be injecting insulin within a cpl of weeks.

Do any of you have any tips? Help on coping with diabetes etc?

Cheers Shaun

 

[Resurgam]

Just checking - but how have you been eating?
There have been reports of some really poor advice given - about changing to brown carbs, I was told that baked potatoes and baked beans were an ideal lunch - Oh dear no.
Usually a lucky type two can reduce carbs and reduce blood glucose levels - but you write that you are only recently diagnosed - have your levels been really high?

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @Sulla and welcome

Here’s a link to some basic information for new members, which I hope you’ll find helpful. Have a good read and ask as many questions as you like.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.26870/

 

[Sulla]

Just checking - but how have you been eating?
There have been reports of some really poor advice given - about changing to brown carbs, I was told that baked potatoes and baked beans were an ideal lunch - Oh dear no.
Usually a lucky type two can reduce carbs and reduce blood glucose levels - but you write that you are only recently diagnosed - have your levels been really high?

Hi,

Well recently is abt 6 months. My 3 monthly was 29. I was eating beans, bread, cut out sugar. Have been vegetarian since age 15.

It seems that carbs turning into sugar is a big thing. My other health issues already reduce my food options. Egg noodles? Eggs in general? I was v surprised reading how bad most fruit is.

I am finding this very hard to get to grips with. Much more than other health issues. My BS has risen dramatically in 6 months. I am on so many meds, was talking to Dr abt meds. It maybe one of them driving it up. Its been very sudden and fast. It also doesn't run in either side of my family. So unlikely apart from at the most basic level to be genetic. Muesli?

Any help, ideas etc are more than very welcome.

Shaun

 

[Resurgam]

Ah - vegetarians are unfortunately high carb consumers - as an omnivore I have far more choices for low carb foods.
I do eat a lot of salad stuff, and low carb veges - bean sprouts are OK but most beans raise my glucose levels to high.
I have found that there are a few breads which have only 4 gm of carbs per - admittedly small slice, one is from Asda, a protein bread which looks like a brown brick and the other from Waitrose which is Livlife. Avocado seems OK, but pricey, lets think - broccoli, cauliflower, chicory, chard, courgette cucumber celery celeriac, dandelion, endive, radish, beetroot, mushrooms, cabbage, - I usually set a limit of 10 percent by weight of a food - except chocolate, as I just get the highest cocoa one possible or go without.
If you eat eggs, cheese or other diary then you have a lot more choices - I make a dessert with sugar free jelly and yoghurt - sometimes I use the zero carb soy yoghurt by Alpro, and frozen fruit so as to spread out the fruit for three days which I could easily eat in one.

 

[EllieM]

I have to say that my diabetes I am having issues coping with on top of everything else. I have changed diet and lifestyle, but has not helped. I was told this week that I will be injecting insulin within a cpl of weeks.

Are you confident that you are T2 and not T1/LADA? (There are tests which can be done, in particular cpeptide, but many doctors assume T2 for those of a certain age and/or weight without considering the alternative.) I'd be very suspicious of any so called T2 who moves so fast to insulin. And if you are T1 then you have more dietary freedom, as you can inject for your carbs, because you don't have a problem with processing carbs, just a problem with producing insulin.

Good luck.

 

[Sulla]

Are you confident that you are T2 and not T1/LADA? (There are tests which can be done, in particular cpeptide, but many doctors assume T2 for those of a certain age and/or weight without considering the alternative.) I'd be very suspicious of any so called T2 who moves so fast to insulin. And if you are T1 then you have more dietary freedom, as you can inject for your carbs, because you don't have a problem with processing carbs, just a problem with producing insulin.

Good luck.

I don't know.

Its all happened so fast and I am about to start injecting insulin. 6 months ago I was only slightly over the bottom line and over 6 months it's climbed to a 3 month average of 29.

I think I need chat with Dr abt tests. So my timeframe and rapid climb is not standard Type 2?

Cheers Shaun

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi,

Well recently is abt 6 months. My 3 monthly was 29. I was eating beans, bread, cut out sugar. Have been vegetarian since age 15.

It seems that carbs turning into sugar is a big thing. My other health issues already reduce my food options. Egg noodles? Eggs in general? I was v surprised reading how bad most fruit is.

I am finding this very hard to get to grips with. Much more than other health issues. My BS has risen dramatically in 6 months. I am on so many meds, was talking to Dr abt meds. It maybe one of them driving it up. Its been very sudden and fast. It also doesn't run in either side of my family. So unlikely apart from at the most basic level to be genetic. Muesli?

Any help, ideas etc are more than very welcome.

Shaun

Hi Sulla,

I'm going to assume, for the sake of arguement, that you're a T2 rather than any other type, though your progression is rather rapid... But a veg-only diet is often very, very carb-heavy and since you're asking about muesli, I have a feeling your carb intake is currently sky-high. From what I understand it is do-able, to some extent, to go vegan/vegetarian and low carb, (this forum has an entire vegan/vegetarian diet bit, you might want to check it out https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/vegetarian-diet-forum.71/ ), but it's not easy. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes/vegetarian might help too... But all in all, there's a whole lot to learn about nutrition for you. I wrote a quick-start guide which didn't have veg/vegan in mind, so just ignore the bits about foods with faces, okay? https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ Still... You might want to request a C-peptide test and a GAD test, to check whether you truly are a T2. In the meantime, what does a typical day's food look like? And which foods are an absolute firm "no" due to your other issues? Maybe we can figure out why you're going high and look for alternatives with you.

Good luck,
Jo