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Newly diagnosed and want to feel "normal"

MsButtercup

MsButtercup

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Hi all! As the title suggests, i'm a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic. I'm struggling a little with it at the moment, and don't really have anyone to talk to about it, anyone who understands any ways.

So I don't really know where to start?! I guess I should tell you i'm 25, and pretty overweight, and that I was diagnosed on New Years Day -great start to the year hey? And that i'm on Metformin twice a day and also a Byetta injection twice a day. Nothing seems to be working to control my levels, and the Byetta is the last medication I am trying before the doctor puts me on insulin.

I'm feeling totally overwhelmed by it all to be honest, I feel guilty, and ashamed that I have it, and can't even begin to contemplate spending the rest of my life counting carbs and blood sugar numbers. I feel like this has all happened so fast, a year ago, when I had my yearly check up for diabetes, cholesterol etc I was fine, now a year later my cholesterol is 6.9 and I have type 2. I read that "most" newly diagnosed type 2's start out managing their diabetes with diet and exercise only, and then the average time for a type 2 to need insulin is around 6 years. I know there's always an exception to every rule, but I can't help but ask myself why; why I am on insulin so soon? Why didn't I get to try diet and exercise first? Why did I do this to myself? The guilt just eats away at me. Every time in the last 2 months my blood sugar has been so high i've had to go to the doctors, or to the hospital and stay in over night; I see the worry and stress on my husbands face, and it literally breaks my heart every time. I feel awful for being the cause of his stress.

I have never had to take medication before. Apart from being overweight, I really am, or was, pretty healthy, the last time I took medication was antibiotics over 10 years ago! I am still getting used to having something, if that makes sense? I feel like i'm not really taking my diabetes too seriously, there have been days where I have totally forgotten to take my medication, and one particularly bad day, when I ended up in hospital for the first time, where I didn't take my Metformin because it was giving me diarrhoea, and I wanted a "break" from it. Wow, how silly I was, the doctors at the hospital really handed my ass to me that day. Rightly so too.

I remember being quite relieved when I was diagnosed with diabetes, like somehow, I knew I had it, and I welcomed the answer to why I had been feeling so ill for the last few months. I still don't know what is "normal" for someone with diabetes, I still don't know what to put down to just the diabetes or what is something else.

I get a lot of headaches, particularly around my eyes, like pretty much every day I have a headache. I have one right now; are you wearing your glasses? I can hear my husbands voice in my head. YES dear, I am wearing my glasses. I also struggle to sleep a lot, and when I do manage to fall asleep, I sleep for like 12 hours, last night, I went to bed with my husband at 11pm, and didn't wake up until 1pm the next afternoon, why? I feel pretty groggy most days, like I just don't feel right, I feel like I have zero energy. I still go to the gym or swim every day, but I really struggle to go for as long as I used to; UI used to swim for 2 hours, I loved it, now I struggle with 30 minutes. I have changed my diet too, and nothing seems to be bringing those levels down either. I just don't understand why, my doctor says it's because my body just isn't responding to my current medication, but, why not? I'm constantly living with the fear that I'll end up going blind, or having a limb amputated, or something else, due to the diabetes. My husband is constantly telling me but the doctor said it's reversible, so you'll reverse it. But what if I don't reverse it? What if I can't? What if I have diabetes for the rest of my life? I feel like he'll feel that i'm a failure - even more of a failure - if I can't reverse it.........


As you can tell, I have quite a lot that I just needed to get off my chest! I really don't like to bog my husband or friends down with too much of my stress, so don't really say much. Any advice/comments/telling me to suck it up/just reading and hearing what I have to say is much appreciated. Pleased to meet each and every one of you, and I hope to get to know you all better whilst on this crazy roller-coaster that is my blood sugar levels! Heh.
 
Hi, I'm a type 1 diagnosed 6 years ago but went through the mill for over 3 years being on the wrong insulins and wrong info for my body. It's possible that YOUR body requires insulin...type 1 style. Metformin can cause problems in some people but there is metformin SR tablets which should be better. I use Apidra for my quick acting insulin but I also take 6 X 500mg metformin SR tablets as I'm insulin resistant.. I was wrongly diagnosed as type 2 because I was 60 and ended up in hospital and put immediately on insulin. Please watch the amount of CARBs you eat.
 
Hi Nigelho, thanks for you reply! I am currently on metformin ST tabs. My doctor has just increased it to twice a day and we are hoping to see some good results, nothing yet though.
I am indeed carb watching, it isn't easy, but I would give anything to see some improvement in my levels at the moment!
 
What are those levels at the moment and do you test?

Take a DEEP breath ...... relax and breathe.

What is your weight and exercise regime. What do you eat.

Rule 1 in this game is do NOT punish yourself. You CAN control this. Most of us do. Easily.

@daisy1 will be along with some GREAT advice soon, so read around and ask anything you wish

Mike
 
@MsButtercup

Hello and welcome to the forum :)

Here is the information we give to new members which I hope will be helpful to you. You will get lots of answers on here which should make you feel like part of a large family. Ask as many questions as you need to.



BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 over 140,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

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

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 bloodglucose 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.
 
Hello MsButtercup welcome
I think everyone when first diagnosed feels the same, I know I certainly went through a whole range of emotions, anger, guilt, confusion and denial. You have taken the first step towards a healthier future by joining this forum. By using a meter to discover which food's caused my high blood sugar, following a low carb diet and taking the advice of the people on this forum. I have managed to lower my bs levels considerably and my weight has dropped from 17st 7lb to 15st in just over 3 months. If I can do it so can you, use your diagnosis as a launch pad to a fitter, healthier and hopefully happier life.
All the best
Clive.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.

The section of your post where you are talking about how tired you feel reminded me a lot of myself at diagnosis, so I'd advise you to have your Vitamin D levels tested. Being diagnosed as D3 deficient and being given supplementation made a huge difference to how I felt, even before I managed to get my BG levels under control.

If you search the forum for Newcastle Diet, you'll find quite a few stories of people who've managed to reverse their diabetes, so it's definitely possible.
 
Mike D said:
What are those levels at the moment and do you test?

Take a DEEP breath ...... relax and breathe.

What is your weight and exercise regime. What do you eat.

Rule 1 in this game is do NOT punish yourself. You CAN control this. Most of us do. Easily.

@daisy1 will be along with some GREAT advice soon, so read around and ask anything you wish

Mike
Click to expand...

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your message :)

I do test regularly, probably about 6 times a day. Levels are all over the place, ranging from 12-24, though I have seen the odd 8 after exercise. I eat mostly white meat, fish & veggies, though am really struggling with a side dish, I have swapped white potatoes for sweet potatoes, and white rice for brown, but aside from that, don't really know much else! I eat Weetabix for breakfast, with low fat milk, though even this has my levels in the high teens. So i'm stumped. Weight wise, I have lost 15kgs since being diagnosed, still have a lot more to go though!
 
catinahat said:
Hello MsButtercup welcome
I think everyone when first diagnosed feels the same, I know I certainly went through a whole range of emotions, anger, guilt, confusion and denial. You have taken the first step towards a healthier future by joining this forum. By using a meter to discover which food's caused my high blood sugar, following a low carb diet and taking the advice of the people on this forum. I have managed to lower my bs levels considerably and my weight has dropped from 17st 7lb to 15st in just over 3 months. If I can do it so can you, use your diagnosis as a launch pad to a fitter, healthier and hopefully happier life.
All the best
Clive.
Click to expand...

Congrats on the weight loss! Have you found it helps with your blood sugar?
 
Indy51 said:
Hi and welcome to the forum.

The section of your post where you are talking about how tired you feel reminded me a lot of myself at diagnosis, so I'd advise you to have your Vitamin D levels tested. Being diagnosed as D3 deficient and being given supplementation made a huge difference to how I felt, even before I managed to get my BG levels under control.

If you search the forum for Newcastle Diet, you'll find quite a few stories of people who've managed to reverse their diabetes, so it's definitely possible.
Click to expand...

I will have a look in to Vit D levels & also the newcastle diet. Thank you for the advice :)
 
Dump all the rice as well and then test @MsButtercup Spuds are not not good for many either.

Welcome to a new diet and good control :)
 
MsButtercup said:
Congrats on the weight loss! Have you found it helps with your blood sugar?
Click to expand...
Thanks MsButtercup, yes I think that losing some weight has definitely helped get my bs levels down. But the biggest factor in getting your diabetes under control is reducing the carbohydrates in your diet, in your answer to Mike you mention wheetabix, low fat milk,Sweet potato and rice, all full of carbs that will cause you bs to rise. I'm afraid that all the "healthy" foods that the Dr's & dieticians have been advising us to eat are not good for diabetics, bread of any colour is full of carbs, the same for rice & pasta, low fat milk, yoghurt and spreads are full of sugar. I know it is confusing at first, and you are probably wondering what you can eat. But as someone on here told me a few weeks ago, this is a marathon not a sprint, so take your time don't try to change everything overnight.
 
Sweet potatoes are not much better than regular pots, weetabix and rice arnt great either.

I know how much it sux giving up all the foods we love, but it really doesn't take long to move past carb cravings, eating the right foods for you will have a profound effect on your energy levels and wellbeing. It takes a little time and patience.

You'll get there.
 
@MsButtercup , we are "normal". It's the others who are strange - they actually eat sugar for Pete's sake! It's unfortunate that most don't discover that this is wrong until late in life and it appears that some never do!

Welcome to normality. Good to see you.
 
Hi. First don't panic. Set yourself a daily carb limit starting with 150gm and see how you go. Many aim for a 100gm and even less. Read all food labels and trust nothing e.g. most soup is sugar loaded. If you can get you weight into the right region, and with serious low-carbing you will, then you may be able to stop the Byetta and even avoid insulin. At your young age it is always possible you have both T2 thru insulin resistance from the excess weight and Late onset T1. Once your weight is down to the right BMI area then if your blood suagr is still high then there are other tablets that can be added before insulin. There are two tests for Late onset T1 if that is considered possible.
 
Hi Msbuttercup,

Yes me too. I felt ashamed and guilt. I was depressed for a few months and lying in bed crying the whole day for that few months. Before I had diabetes I was healthy and seldom fall sick. I was Just diagnosed last year and not on medication yet. I am abit better now but still in denial.
 
urbanracer said:
@MsButtercup , we are "normal". It's the others who are strange - they actually eat sugar for Pete's sake! It's unfortunate that most don't discover that this is wrong until late in life and it appears that some never do!

Welcome to normality. Good to see you.
Click to expand...

Haha I like your thinking! Definitely a better way to look at it :)
 
Wow, so I really am clueless! I definitely have a LOT to learn.

Thanks I everyone for your advice and words of wisdom, I am feeling much better about everything now.

I'm at work right now, so will come in later and individually reply to everyone then, so I don't miss anything out.

Have a great day all!
 
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