Newly diagnosed

katie505

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Hi, I was officially diagnosed today. I had a hba1c of 60 mmol/mol. I also have a fatty liver. I feel that I have been undiagnosed for many years. I was just given medication, no diet advice or test strips. I am not taking the meds as I am super sensitive to medication. I suffer chronic fatigue/ fibromyalgia and other health issues and 2 paracetamol knock me sideways for 3 or 4 days. I eat what I consider a great diet and I excercise at least one to two hours per day. I'm really lucky that I hate anything sweet. I used to race on my bike but my balance is not so good now. I can't lose weight no matter what I do and the nurse says I'm starving as I don't eat enough??? Im 13stone and 5 ft 8 in. I have eaten more in the past, for a few years and my weight was about 17 stone. Even with cycling 18 miles to work each way and 12 hours heavy work on my feet and 100 miles on a Sunday I was overweight. Somewhere under all that belly fat there's a six pack! Lol! I'm skinny on my legs and arms, hands, face and bum. Just fat on my belly! Hips 38 but waist 46. I can encircle my arms with my fingers and my legs are only 17in on top of thighs. I have to get clothes specially made. The nurse says this is normal for diabetes? Can anyone give me advice on how to lower blood sugar without medication. Medicine has a paradoxical reaction on me. My blood pressure and lipids are fine. Thanks in advance
 

pleinster

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,631
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
ignorance
Hi, I was officially diagnosed today. I had a hba1c of 60 mmol/mol. I also have a fatty liver. I feel that I have been undiagnosed for many years. I was just given medication, no diet advice or test strips. I am not taking the meds as I am super sensitive to medication. I suffer chronic fatigue/ fibromyalgia and other health issues and 2 paracetamol knock me sideways for 3 or 4 days. I eat what I consider a great diet and I excercise at least one to two hours per day. I'm really lucky that I hate anything sweet. I used to race on my bike but my balance is not so good now. I can't lose weight no matter what I do and the nurse says I'm starving as I don't eat enough??? Im 13stone and 5 ft 8 in. I have eaten more in the past, for a few years and my weight was about 17 stone. Even with cycling 18 miles to work each way and 12 hours heavy work on my feet and 100 miles on a Sunday I was overweight. Somewhere under all that belly fat there's a six pack! Lol! I'm skinny on my legs and arms, hands, face and bum. Just fat on my belly! Hips 38 but waist 46. I can encircle my arms with my fingers and my legs are only 17in on top of thighs. I have to get clothes specially made. The nurse says this is normal for diabetes? Can anyone give me advice on how to lower blood sugar without medication. Medicine has a paradoxical reaction on me. My blood pressure and lipids are fine. Thanks in advance

Hi. Yup - buy a meter and strips (whatever rubbish you are told)...test before and 2-2.5 hours after eating...keep a record of times, readings and what you eat...then start reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your diet (realising that carbohydrates effectively turn to sugar in the blood)...adapt your diet accordingly in response to identifying the grub that increases your blood sugar most. I stopped my meds and focused purely on a low carb high fat (ie. the right fats) diet with the approval of my doctors and my levels have been pretty much under control fro about 2 years now (still no meds). We all differ, of course, but lots of us here have reduced blood sugar levels by reducing carbs. I have tagged @daisy1 who will be along with some great info. Research LCHF diets. GET A METER. Good luck.

ps. I am also very sensitive to meds and have never been overweight. Small changes have big effects. I got diabetes from drugs taken as treatment following a transplant - so I have my bloods tested all the time.
 

pleinster

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,631
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
ignorance
Thank you. Appreciate the info.,

You can't really see any difference without a meter. You can still eat loads of nice grub without food that's high in carbohydrates...and its really the carbs that add weight. I started by cuttign out toast, then all bread, cereal and spuds - remarkable immediate difference. Low carb is generally classed as anything with 10g or less carbohydrate per 100g of product (on the labels). Check out the low carb threads n see.
 

Jo_the_boat

Well-Known Member
Messages
784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I watched this video yesterday. It's one of many that Dr Jung has produced. Within it explains something about fatty livers and their role in our disease - which he (and others increasingly) reckon is reversible.
The message from many on here is don't be scared, be informed.
Good luck
 

leslie10152

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,110
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Ignorance
Hi, I was officially diagnosed today. I had a hba1c of 60 mmol/mol. I also have a fatty liver. I feel that I have been undiagnosed for many years. I was just given medication, no diet advice or test strips. I am not taking the meds as I am super sensitive to medication. I suffer chronic fatigue/ fibromyalgia and other health issues and 2 paracetamol knock me sideways for 3 or 4 days. I eat what I consider a great diet and I excercise at least one to two hours per day. I'm really lucky that I hate anything sweet. I used to race on my bike but my balance is not so good now. I can't lose weight no matter what I do and the nurse says I'm starving as I don't eat enough??? Im 13stone and 5 ft 8 in. I have eaten more in the past, for a few years and my weight was about 17 stone. Even with cycling 18 miles to work each way and 12 hours heavy work on my feet and 100 miles on a Sunday I was overweight. Somewhere under all that belly fat there's a six pack! Lol! I'm skinny on my legs and arms, hands, face and bum. Just fat on my belly! Hips 38 but waist 46. I can encircle my arms with my fingers and my legs are only 17in on top of thighs. I have to get clothes specially made. The nurse says this is normal for diabetes? Can anyone give me advice on how to lower blood sugar without medication. Medicine has a paradoxical reaction on me. My blood pressure and lipids are fine. Thanks in advance
Don't give up just yet. I have no problem with weight, but suffer with frightful hypertension and spectacular bgl's. Two kinds of insulin and four medications is enough to drive anyone nuts. But don't fear, you have a good team behind you. Welcome to the forum @katie505.
 
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AM1874

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,383
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Not much
Hi @katie505 .. and welcome
Sadly, the nonsense that you have received from your Nursie is typical of what many people here have experienced. That said, you have certainly made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need. It can all seem uphill to start with but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.

The key point to take on board now is that managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your blood glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that @pleinster has already tagged @ daisy1 for you and I suggest that you read up on the valuable information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. together with the following Diet Doctor websites, which will give you all the info that you need on what and what not to eat ...
Low Carb Intro and Information and Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

Unless you are prescribed one by your Doc or Nursie (unlikely), it is a top priority that you get yourself a test meter and, for this, the following websites might help:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both which I alternate for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them.

The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. Make sure that you tick the appropriate box on the on-line order form and you won't pay VAT on your meter or strips.
For the SD Codefree, the strips are £7.69 for a pack of 50 and there are discount codes available for bulk purchases:
5 packs x 50 use code: 264086 .. cost is £29.49
10 packs x 50 use code: 975833 .. cost is £58.98
For the TEE 2, the strips are £7.75 for a pack of 50 .. but there are no discount codes currently available

I'm testing 3-5 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them

Hope this helps
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@katie505

Hello Katie and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help, in addition to all the replies you have received from other members.


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 well over 250,000 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 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
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. 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.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I too had an equator rather than a waistline, but after sticking to low carb foods for a while I lost weight - which I needed to do, but then my waist shrank and my clothes started falling off - literally. I have had to remake skirts and buy new trousers. My waist is at least 6 inches smaller than a year ago. It is also a lot easier to bend over - my middle was rock hard and incompressible, now I can use the bottom shelf in the fridge.
 

katie505

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Thanks to everyone for the great advice. My new docs took one look at the striations on my stomach and tested for cushings. ( still don't know what it is ) I'll know in the next two weeks the results. I'm waiting for an appointment for an education class and asked for test strips to help me manage my condition as suggested but will buy them if not. Thanks again and I will post my results as I get them. It's very scary as I keep thinking about losing 13 years off my life and I'm an old bat now! Lol! x thanks again, lots of reading and learning to do!
 
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pleinster

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,631
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
ignorance
Thanks to everyone for the great advice. My new docs took one look at the striations on my stomach and tested for cushings. ( still don't know what it is ) I'll know in the next two weeks the results. I'm waiting for an appointment for an education class and asked for test strips to help me manage my condition as suggested but will buy them if not. Thanks again and I will post my results as I get them. It's very scary as I keep thinking about losing 13 years off my life and I'm an old bat now! Lol! x thanks again, lots of reading and learning to do!

Stop thinking about some random number of years off your life and start adding some. Information and application = control; control = health in the present day...I plan on staying in control, avoiding complications, living for a while yet and then getting knocked down stepping off a kerb while not worrying about my diabetes. I would settle for a piano falling on my head in my old age (some apt musical notes in the air and very sudden painless death) on my way to buy some strips...but I have no plan on dying young because of my diabetes. Besides, I am too old now to die young. ;)Join one of the chat threads and keep posting how your are doing - it helps you and us and others...
 
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Buttons11

Well-Known Member
Messages
162
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I keep thinking about losing 13 years off my life and I'm an old bat now! Lol! x thanks again, lots of reading and learning to do!

My mum was diagnosed T2 at age 48. She died at 84. She was never insulin dependent and was only treated with metformin and gliclazide. By your calculations, she could have lived to 97 if she hadn't been diabetic! It was nothing diabetes related which killed her.
 
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