Evening. I was diagnosed today following blood tests for stomach problems last week. I saw an extremely unhelpful doctor who gave me a prescription for Metformin 500mg twice daily. I have to wait nearly 3 weeks for a diabetic nurse review. Shocked and confused. Any help and advice appreciated.
Diagnosed today
- Thread starter StevenRD
- Start Date
ziggy_w
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- 3,019
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Hi @StevenRD,
Welcome to the forum. The diagnosis is often quite a shock, but many of us T2s are able to achieve normal blood sugar levels by changing diets and, if possible, increasing exercise.
Many of us are following a low carb diet (no sugar, no carbohydrates such as cereals, bread, potatoes, bread, rice or tropical fruit) to bring blood sugar levels back into line.
How were you diagnosed? Do you know what your blood sugar levels were on diagnosis?
There are many knowledgeable and extremely helpful members on this forum if you have any questions. Have a read around and ask any questions you may have.
I am tagging @daisy1 and @AM1874 for some really helpful information for newbies.
Welcome to the forum. The diagnosis is often quite a shock, but many of us T2s are able to achieve normal blood sugar levels by changing diets and, if possible, increasing exercise.
Many of us are following a low carb diet (no sugar, no carbohydrates such as cereals, bread, potatoes, bread, rice or tropical fruit) to bring blood sugar levels back into line.
How were you diagnosed? Do you know what your blood sugar levels were on diagnosis?
There are many knowledgeable and extremely helpful members on this forum if you have any questions. Have a read around and ask any questions you may have.
I am tagging @daisy1 and @AM1874 for some really helpful information for newbies.
- Messages
- 15,876
- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Welcome Steven! I'm over four months from diagnosis. Once I was over the initial shock, I saw it as the proverbial kick up the bum to get healthier. I was started on Metformin too and tolerate it well now after a bit of stomach upset in the early days. I wasn't advised to eat low carb by my doctor, but stumbled on this forum by chance and took up a low carb life style with self monitoring. It's worked for me, to date I've lost over three and a half stone and got my HbA1c, blood test, down to a non diabetic level, all due to the advise I got here. They are so helpful and friendly, you’ll soon get on the path to a healthier life. I hope they have sorted your stomach problem too.
AM1874
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,383
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Not much
Hi @StevenRD .. and welcome
Sadly, the help (or lack of it) that you have received from your Doc 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 @ziggy_w 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
Sadly, the help (or lack of it) that you have received from your Doc 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 @ziggy_w 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
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- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
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@StevenRD
Hello Steven 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 you will get lots of advice in return.
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:
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 Steven 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 you will get lots of advice in return.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
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.
leslie10152
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,110
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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First of all....don't panic. The metformin will keep you out of trouble until you can get a proper review. Keep your carb intake under close control, maintain your fluid levels and keep active. This is a difficult period, so don't let it frighten you. In time this will be a piece of cake to manage. Remember we are here to assist. Make sure you have set times to take the metformin. You will have much better control if you stick to a plan. Welcome to the forum.
Guzzler
Master
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- Type of diabetes
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- Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Hello there and welcome to the community. Lots of advice given above so read around the forum and the experienced members will guide you through how to deal best with T2. One piece of advice that I would give is to invest in a glucose meter which will allow you to judge which foods cause your blood glucose to rise too sharply and which don't.
Bluetit1802
Legend
- Messages
- 25,216
- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
Hi @StevenRD and welcome,
Plenty of excellent advice above. I will only say 2 things.
1. You need to buy a blood glucose meter if you want to control this condition.
2. Please contact your surgery and ask for a print out of your test results. (If you are in England also ask if they put test results on-line as they are supposed to do, and ask how to register for this.) You will be having regular blood tests from now on and need to know where you stand and whether you are improving. It isn't just blood glucose levels that matter, it is all the other markers such as cholesterol and lipids, kidney and liver functions, and full blood counts. With a bit of luck all these will be on your print outs.
Read round, and ask as many questions as you like.
Plenty of excellent advice above. I will only say 2 things.
1. You need to buy a blood glucose meter if you want to control this condition.
2. Please contact your surgery and ask for a print out of your test results. (If you are in England also ask if they put test results on-line as they are supposed to do, and ask how to register for this.) You will be having regular blood tests from now on and need to know where you stand and whether you are improving. It isn't just blood glucose levels that matter, it is all the other markers such as cholesterol and lipids, kidney and liver functions, and full blood counts. With a bit of luck all these will be on your print outs.
Read round, and ask as many questions as you like.
leslie10152
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,110
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- Ignorance
Resurgam
Expert
- Messages
- 9,866
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
I could never get on with Metformin, and found it easy to get down to non diabetic numbers without it.
I am now moving towards one year since diagnosis and feel a lot happier, and much younger, eating low carb foods.
I had a weight problem all my adult life, as I put on pounds each week I tried to eat 'normally' and low carb was, and is, thought to be dangerous. Not for me - I will need to eat low carb for life if I want to be in good health.
I am now moving towards one year since diagnosis and feel a lot happier, and much younger, eating low carb foods.
I had a weight problem all my adult life, as I put on pounds each week I tried to eat 'normally' and low carb was, and is, thought to be dangerous. Not for me - I will need to eat low carb for life if I want to be in good health.
Zastro
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 53
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Getting Diabetes doesn't mean the end of your world, just the beginning of a slightly altered one. There's a wealth of information here and an incredible community that are more than willing to help you with as much real life experience as they can. I can say when I got diagnosed that this community helped me get a hold of the diagnosis and make the change in lifestyle work for me (changing to low carb for example and using metformin got my levels to stabilize at really healthy levels). You have nothing to worry about, just be open and honest and ask whatever questions you feel you need to ask and we will do our best to help you!
Lucy_Betts_
Member
- Messages
- 24
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Other
- Dislikes
- Not being allowed to have chocolate
You’re experience is more shocking than mine. The people in this forum are so helpful. Good luck.
