Type 2 Help
- Thread starter Jeff77
- Start Date
plutoniumcard
Active Member
- Messages
- 36
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
AM1874
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,383
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Not much
Hi @Jeff77 .. and welcome
Since joining this forum when I was diagnosed a few weeks ago, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. You have joined an extremely welcoming, informative and friendly forum .. so, ask your questions and you can be confident that you will get the answers that you need
.You will also be contacted shortly by @daisy1 with a wealth of useful information
For a start on navigation, if you click on the FORUMS tab (top left - next to HOME tab) you will see all the different forums listed. I would suggest you just browse around, find your feet and then ask your questions ...
Hope this helps
Alison Campbell
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,443
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
@Jeff77
Hello Jeff and welcome to the Forum To help you along, here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you 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 147,000 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:
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
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
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. They're all free.
Hello Jeff and welcome to the Forum
To help you along, here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you 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 147,000 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
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
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
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. They're all 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.
- Messages
- 11
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
Hi
I have no idea how you can help
Feel like I'm walking through a minefield at the moment
I joined slimming world and I've lost 1 and a half stone cut out adding suffer to everything cut down on my carbs go to the gym,
Just don't know if this is all done in panic
Jeff
Books1
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 153
- Type of diabetes
- LADA
- Treatment type
- Insulin
AM1874
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,383
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Not much
Hi @Jeff77
Your "struggling" is perfectly normal .. you'll find that most people go through this when they are first diagnosed. So, I would suggest that to calm things down a bit and give you a sense of control, you should read up on the info that you have received from @ daisy1, particularly the Low Carb Program
You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
Low Carb 10-week Programme
If you are considering testing your BS levels, try the website at: https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/ for the SD Codefree meter or: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for the two packages above. My surgery will not provide the strips etc on prescription .. but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I will be able to manage them
Hope this helps
Your "struggling" is perfectly normal .. you'll find that most people go through this when they are first diagnosed. So, I would suggest that to calm things down a bit and give you a sense of control, you should read up on the info that you have received from @ daisy1, particularly the Low Carb Program
You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
Low Carb 10-week Programme
If you are considering testing your BS levels, try the website at: https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/ for the SD Codefree meter or: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for the two packages above. My surgery will not provide the strips etc on prescription .. but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I will be able to manage them
Hope this helps
Ultramum
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 840
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
I started testing my bs levels in mid Feb. I had to buy a meter (see links above) as, like many, my surgery does not recommend testing for type 2s.
I test when I wake up and when I go to bed. In between I test just before I start eating a meal and then 2 hours afterwards. I keep a note of my levels and what I eat in an app called MySugr but you can easily use pen and paper or a notebook.
By doing this I realised that, in my case, my meals on the low carb high fat (LCHF) way of eating were keeping my bs rises after a meal to less than 2mmol. What was driving my raised levels overall was that I had a rise in my bs overnight and was starting the day with a high fasting blood glucose (FBG).
I'm hoping that the LCHF way of eating will help to bring the FBG down - I had my lowest level this morning - but by testing I have found out what foods make my bs rise and which do not - carbohydrate early in the day is a no-no for me (and for many others) but I can eat it at night with less effect on my bs levels.
Hope that gives you an idea of how it helps and what to do
I test when I wake up and when I go to bed. In between I test just before I start eating a meal and then 2 hours afterwards. I keep a note of my levels and what I eat in an app called MySugr but you can easily use pen and paper or a notebook.
By doing this I realised that, in my case, my meals on the low carb high fat (LCHF) way of eating were keeping my bs rises after a meal to less than 2mmol. What was driving my raised levels overall was that I had a rise in my bs overnight and was starting the day with a high fasting blood glucose (FBG).
I'm hoping that the LCHF way of eating will help to bring the FBG down - I had my lowest level this morning - but by testing I have found out what foods make my bs rise and which do not - carbohydrate early in the day is a no-no for me (and for many others) but I can eat it at night with less effect on my bs levels.
Hope that gives you an idea of how it helps and what to do
Alison Campbell
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,443
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
This is a link to the main website with an article on testing
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glu...?utm_source=top&utm_medium=dd&utm_campaign=dd
have a read and watch the video at the end.
@AM1874 has posted two links above where you can purchase a meter and test strips to get started.
- Messages
- 11
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
Thank you all, beginning to think there may be light at the end of the tunnel
