Newly Diagnosed.

JordySloan

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I got Diagnosed with type 2 on Wednesday. Horrible experience in the hospital. Thank god I no longer have severe dehydration and urination. That’s a massive positive at least. I was just wondering if any of you had any tips? Or good apps etc I should use? Things you wish you had’ve known at the start of your journeys that you know now? Any feedback is appreciated. My doctor told me that if you lose 10-15KG very fast shortly after you’re diagnosed, there’s a chance it can go into remission. Is this a myth? I’ve literally been living off fresh green juices and smoothies for the past 3 days. It’s an absolute nightmare but hopefully it will pay off.
 

jjraak

Expert
Messages
7,441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi @JordySloan

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry about the experience, but your not alone.
Forums great, so you've made a great start already.

I did similar.
My simple start was egg n bacon.

You might be surprised how well I and many others eat, once you get the measure of what carbs is and how it affects us.

Good luck on the journey.
 

mouseee

Well-Known Member
Messages
644
Welcome. You'll pick things up very quickly.

I would avoid both smoothies and juices as you will be consuming more sugar and carbs than you realise. And it's not just actual sugar that is the problem. All carbs turn to glucose and that's what spikes your blood sugar. Fructose in fruit is also not so hidden in smoothies and most people can't consume much fruit.

Have a look around the forum for things that have worked for others.

For me it's been eating Low Carb. I leant all I know from here. It's taken me from dangerously high sugar double the number that you are diagnosed t2 to pre diabetic levels in 3 months. I have lost 2 stone in 4 months. There are lots of people who will put really useful links in for you soon enough!

Buy a glucose tester and strips. And use them! You can see how your smoothies affect your blood sugar as well as other foods.
 
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Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi @JordySloan and welcome to the forum, the best corner of the internet for Type 2s.
First let me give you a link to our useful info post:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
Many of us have put our type 2 into ‘remission’ by reducing our carb intake, but please understand that it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to go back to the amount of carbs you had been eating before diagnosis:
Here is a link to the Diet Dr website, there’s loads of low carb recipes and info available without having to subscribe:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
Lastly if you want to look at getting a meter, which I highly recommend, we can advise on the most economical ones and also on how to test to learn what foods suit you.
 

ziggy_w

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @JordySloan,

Welcome to the forum and hugs for the diagnosis.

How high were your blood sugar levels, do you know? Many of ask for a printout of lab results to keep track. (It's good to know were you're starting from.)

I also second @mouseee's and @Rachox's recommendation to get a blood glucose meter. This way you will know what various foods do to your blood sugar levels. (The idea is to measure right before a meal and two hours after your first bite, the rise should be no more than 2 mmol.)

Your doctor is correct, quickly losing about 15% of your weight can reverse diabetes for some. If interested, search for "Newcastle diet" on this forum.

Personally, I have decided to go low carb (like @jjraak and @mouseee). I have started with very, very high levels (HbA1c of 100) down and got down to normal blood sugar levels within three months (and have stayed there for about four and a half years).

Have a read around the forum, ask any questions you may have, loads of really knowledgeable, helpful and friendly members on here.
 
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JordySloan

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I have did research and found that water melon is the ‘best’ fruit to consume. I drink one cup per day along with two green juices (spinach, Kale, Celery, Apple, Ginger, Mint and Cucumber.) I take in 0 carbs. I’ve spoken to my doctor and they approved. I’m not doing your average diet nor sugary smoothies which you may have assumed. Thanks for the help and congrats on your success thus far :)
Welcome. You'll pick things up very quickly.

I would avoid both smoothies and juices as you will be consuming more sugar and carbs than you realise. And it's not just actual sugar that is the problem. All carbs turn to glucose and that's what spikes your blood sugar. Fructose in fruit is also not so hidden in smoothies and most people can't consume much fruit.

Have a look around the forum for things that have worked for others.

For me it's been eating Low Carb. I leant all I know from here. It's taken me from dangerously high sugar double the number that you are diagnosed t2 to pre diabetic levels in 3 months. I have lost 2 stone in 4 months. There are lots of people who will put really useful links in for you soon enough!

Buy a glucose tester and strips. And use them! You can see how your smoothies affect your blood sugar as well as other foods.
 

marathonmona

Well-Known Member
Messages
275
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have did research and found that water melon is the ‘best’ fruit to consume. I drink one cup per day along with two green juices (spinach, Kale, Celery, Apple, Ginger, Mint and Cucumber.) I take in 0 carbs. I’ve spoken to my doctor and they approved. I’m not doing your average diet nor sugary smoothies which you may have assumed. Thanks for the help and congrats on your success thus far :)

Evening,

Your response provides a bit of a paradox as watermelon and apple both contain carbs; in fact a wedge of a big melon will provide you with about 20 grams of carbs, in which case you’re definitely consuming carbohydrates...

For sustainable weight loss and reduction in blood sugars, reduce your carbs and focus on the foods listed above in the links.

Glad you’re feeling better. Good luck.
 

JordySloan

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi! Thanks for the welcome. It was around 32. Currently after 5 days, it’s around 7-11. I’ve been very strict during that time. I had Subway once which no sauce and chicken and vegetables in it. My aim is to reduce as much weight as I can in the next couple of months. Im currently doing my own diet which consists of strictly vegetables and low sugar fruits but in juice form. All bought freshly and using my juicer. I’ve experimented with this in the past and it’s the fastest way I’ve lost weight so I feel like this is the best option for me. Do you eat 50-100 grams of carbs per day?
Hi @JordySloan,

Welcome to the forum and hugs for the diagnosis.

How high were your blood sugar levels, do you know? Many of ask for a printout of lab results to keep track. (It's good to know were you're starting from.)

I also second @mouseee's and @Rachox's recommendation to get a blood glucose meter. This way you will know what various foods do to your blood sugar levels. (The idea is to measure right before a meal and two hours after your first bite, the rise should be no more than 2 mmol.)

Your doctor is correct, quickly losing about 15% of your weight can reverse diabetes for some. If interested, search for "Newcastle diet" on this forum.

Personally, I have decided to go low carb (like @jjraak and @mouseee). I have started with very, very high levels (HbA1c of 100) down and got down to normal blood sugar levels within three months (and have stayed there for about four and a half years).

Have a read around the forum, ask any questions you may have, loads of really knowledgeable, helpful and friendly members on here.
 

JordySloan

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You learn something new every day. I guess I could cut out the water melon. New to all this. Apologies :)
Evening,

Your response provides a bit of a paradox as watermelon and apple both contain carbs; in fact a wedge of a big melon will provide you with about 20 grams of carbs, in which case you’re definitely consuming carbohydrates...

For sustainable weight loss and reduction in blood sugars, reduce your carbs and focus on the foods listed above in the links.

Glad you’re feeling better. Good luck.
 

marathonmona

Well-Known Member
Messages
275
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Don’t apologise please!

Please read above posts though with links. People on here have achieved some pretty astonishing results with mostly a Low Carb High Fat way of eating.

Take your time reading through it and devise your plan. All the best!
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Please bear in mind that mushed up fruit and vegetables are absorbed very much quicker than the whole versions, which will spike your blood sugar levels quicker and higher. Are you taking a reading before your smoothies and 2 hours after starting to consume them. You need to do this and check your level does not rise by more than 2 mmol/L and up to a maximum of approx 8 mmol/L
 

ziggy_w

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi! Thanks for the welcome. It was around 32. Currently after 5 days, it’s around 7-11. I’ve been very strict during that time. I had Subway once which no sauce and chicken and vegetables in it. My aim is to reduce as much weight as I can in the next couple of months. Im currently doing my own diet which consists of strictly vegetables and low sugar fruits but in juice form. All bought freshly and using my juicer. I’ve experimented with this in the past and it’s the fastest way I’ve lost weight so I feel like this is the best option for me. Do you eat 50-100 grams of carbs per day?

Wow, this is quite a reduction. Really well done. It definitely seems to be working for you.

In terms of fruit, most of us seem to do best on berries, such as raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. The veggies also sound perfectly fine. Have you considered having the vegetables whole? Juicing gets rid of the fiber, and the fiber definitely helps with the impact on blood sugar levels.

After diagnosis, I read a lot of research on foods suitable for diabetes. For me, the low carb option seemed to be the most promising and I cut out all higher carb foods, such as bread, pastries, pasta, rice, potatoes, sugar and most fruit (especially tropical fruit). Was probably a bit higher carb then compared to today. Now, I am on less than 25g of carbs per day.

I definitely remember mourning having to change my way of eating and never having most of my old favorites ever again. Today, I really don't miss carbs anymore. After so many years, my palate has changed.

Keeping my fingers crossed that you've got this beat in no time. Good luck on your journey and keep us updated.
 
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mouseee

Well-Known Member
Messages
644
My only worry with speed losing weight is when you go back to eating real food again and if its sustainable or you wnd up putting weight on again. There are various diets which are suggested for T2 but those that the NHS suggest with meal replacements are closely monitored when they go back to eating real food again.

You're very lucky if the subway didn't spike you. There is no way that I could eat that amount of ordinary bread without suffering the bs consequences.

My 2 stone equates to 12kg (which I might use to tell people now as it's such a big number and sounds so impressive!) I haven't crash dieted and have eaten proper meals following suggestions on here. I haven't gone full on High Fat which others have but have enjoyed the treat of real butter on my occasional high protein toast as well as full fat Greek yogurt and not feeling guilty about salad dressings!

We can only use our own and others experience to give advice and if the smoothies and juices are working for you, great. There is absolutely no point in me dropping 12kg, dropping numbers and expecting to go back to eating as perhaps I have in the past when I relied on carbs for most meals. As T2 we are insulin resistant and can't process carbs so reintroduce carbs and our bs will in all likelihood rise again.
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
For a type two diabetic, the problem is the carbohydrate in the modern diet.
Many people, rather than chasing weightloss, concentrate on their blood glucose, bringing it down by eating the essential proteins and fats, and using perhaps 40 to 50 gm of carbohydrates to make their diet varied and interesting.
That is what I did - and went back to normal levels of blood glucose in days, normal Hba1c in 6 months. I have lost probably 50 to 60 lb - I stopped weighing myself some time before diagnosis, my last recorded weight was 264 lb when eating a high carb diet, so officially just under 50lb. I never tried to lose weight it just happened.
I'd not recommend consuming foods containing fructose in a regular basis, as the liver has to deal with fructose at once. It doesn't show up in blood tests, but it accumulates as fat in the liver. I have a small serving of frozen fruit maybe twice a week.
Otherwise I am eating meat, fish and other seafood, eggs, cheese and yoghurt, with salad stuff and low carb stirfries. I have been classed as in remission since my last test, but as soon as I got the effects of the stodgy foods out of my system I was just so much better.
Quite a few people seem to think that being overweight causes diabetes, and that - obviously - losing weight will cure it. Unfortunately type two diabetes often has weight gain as a symptom, not a cause, so for many, controlling blood sugar and carb consumption is the way to remain in the normal ranges
 
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ianf0ster

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
exercise, phone calls
Hi! Thanks for the welcome. It was around 32. Currently after 5 days, it’s around 7-11. I’ve been very strict during that time. I had Subway once which no sauce and chicken and vegetables in it. My aim is to reduce as much weight as I can in the next couple of months. Im currently doing my own diet which consists of strictly vegetables and low sugar fruits but in juice form. All bought freshly and using my juicer. I’ve experimented with this in the past and it’s the fastest way I’ve lost weight so I feel like this is the best option for me. Do you eat 50-100 grams of carbs per day?

Hi JordySloan,
Rather than deciding what I was going to do before asking what works for others, I asked what worked for others before deciding what might work best for me.

Are you morbidly Obese? - If not why do you want to lose weight fast, surely it is better to reduce your Blood Glucose back to normal levels (which will reduce your weight as a result) and to do so in manner which is sustainable over the long term!
Although I've heard of many hundreds of T2's getting into remission, I have never seen any convincing evidence that a single T2 was able to cure their condition i.e. being able to go back to how they ate before with no adverse consequences.

I have been criticized for not being precise enough on my posts, but there are only 3 general approaches (so far as I know) which have good success rates of remission for Type 2 Diabetes. I list them in order of how easy they are for the majority of people:

1. Low Carb way of life (counting Carbs not calories). This is an individual thing, some need to go very low carb or Keto, others just dip below 120gms of carbs per day, we are all different in how bad our reaction to carbs is. The success rate in am NHS GP's practice is between 40% and 50% at the 2yr mark. This is made even easier for those who are bold enough to go Low Carb and Higher (traditional) - because there is then no need to be hungry (since fat is very satisfying). Most of us who do this do so with the help of a Blood Glucose Meter, but at least one just followed what seemed to work for others.

2.Time Restricted Eating (or Intermittent Fasting, or 16:8, or OMAD). This approach has fewer studies supporting it, but the way it works is that it is almost impossible to burn body fat when you have recently digested a high Carb meal because it spike Insulin (which both stores fat and inhibits the burning of previously stored body fat). So maximising the time when both Blood Glucose and Insulin is low maximise the time your Blood Glucose is in normal levels and gives you a better chance of losing weight. Studies (both in peo9ple and in animals) have found that there is a natural unintentional Calorie reduction when eating in only a smaller time window.

3. Severe Calorie Restriction:
A). Longer term fasts care needed since supplements for electrolytes and vitamins will probably be required).
B). Crash Diets such as the Newcastle Diet (DIRECT study) or Dr Michaels Mosely's 'Blood Sugar Diet' or even Weigh Watchers etc. But these tend to result in yoyo results in weight, since the basal metabolic rate tends to slow making maintain weight harder and harder.
C). Bariatric Surgery. There are several forms of this and results are very good in the very short term, however after more than 1yr the results are only about the same as for Low Carb.

I suggest that you try using one which appears to suit you best.
 
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VashtiB

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,283
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome to the forum,

I think weight loss may help with the diabetes but I think the thing you need to concentrate on is you blood sugar levels. It is the blood sugar levels the contribute to the diabetic symptoms. If you are testing and what you are eating is working for you by keeping your blood sugar levels down then that is great!

I also agree with mousse- whatever you are doing has to be sustainable. Not necessarily enjoyable though many do enjoy the low carb for example but it needs to be sustainable- otherwise you will only end up back where you started.

If you haven't already got a meter I recommend that you get one.

Good luck.
 

Flora123

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,078
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I got Diagnosed with type 2 on Wednesday. Horrible experience in the hospital. Thank god I no longer have severe dehydration and urination. That’s a massive positive at least. I was just wondering if any of you had any tips? Or good apps etc I should use? Things you wish you had’ve known at the start of your journeys that you know now? Any feedback is appreciated. My doctor told me that if you lose 10-15KG very fast shortly after you’re diagnosed, there’s a chance it can go into remission. Is this a myth? I’ve literally been living off fresh green juices and smoothies for the past 3 days. It’s an absolute nightmare but hopefully it will pay off.

Hi. I went from an Hba1c if 112 to 36 within three months. Following a VLCHF way of eating. Fewer than 20g carbs a day if possible. No fruit, only a few above ground veggies and salad but lots of dairy and moderate meat. I didn’t have any weight to lose and have almost managed to maintain my weight.

We are all very different but by testing a lot we realise what works for US. I couldn’t have done it without testing.

I find I need to eat in the morning, but absolutely no carbs for me but have two eggs every morning and bacon at the weekends. Absolutely no snacking as that just keeps insulin levels and BG high. I now only eat two meals a day and only when I’m hungry.

It takes time but there is so much info on here and watch the videos to learn. Good luck.