Hello All

Hughie 2

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I am newly diagnosed with T2, just 2 weeks ago. No family history, not overweight (BMI = 30), a reasonably healthy diet (so I thought) - so surprised with the news. Discovered on routine health-check. But at least I am aware and ready to tackle this head-on.
I am sure I will be asking for help and advice along the journey, as well as reading others' experiences.
Good luck to everyone in a similar position - Keep smiling!
 
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bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Hughie and welcome.. not wishing to pee on your parade but a BMI of 30 is just in the obese category ...25-29.9 is overweight. Now I don't put much store in BMI but I think you could lose a few pounds (my BMI is now 29.3 from 43 a couple of years ago).
I'll tag in @daisy1 in case you haven't already seen her useful intro to low carb.
Great to be aware that you have a problem ...do you happen to know what your HbA1c level was on diagnosis? This was probably what your doctor used and it will show how high you blood sugar levels have been.
Sorry if the above sounds a little blunt but this is something you can get on top of so I would suggest you start asap.
 

Hughie 2

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Hughie and welcome.. not wishing to pee on your parade but a BMI of 30 is just in the obese category ...25-29.9 is overweight. Now I don't put much store in BMI but I think you could lose a few pounds (my BMI is now 29.3 from 43 a couple of years ago).
I'll tag in @daisy1 in case you haven't already seen her useful intro to low carb.
Great to be aware that you have a problem ...do you happen to know what your HbA1c level was on diagnosis? This was probably what your doctor used and it will show how high you blood sugar levels have been.
Sorry if the above sounds a little blunt but this is something you can get on top of so I would suggest you start asap.

Hi bulkbiker,
Thanks for the reply, and certainly no problem - I have broad shoulders.
But not a good start by me. That should be BMI of 23! I would like to loose just a few pounds though as any excess weight goes on my waist.

I am not sure, it was all a lot to take in. But I think my HbA1c was around 90 - could that be right? BG has been around 5 to 8 since I started testing 10 days ago, one spike of 12.2 in the first couple of days. 4.2 before lunch today, So pleased with that. But not complacent.

Initially following a LCHF type diet to get BG down, but not yet entirely happy to follow this long-term. Jury still out on that IMHO, due to contradictory information. But I am open-minded.

Hughie
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi bulkbiker,
Thanks for the reply, and certainly no problem - I have broad shoulders.
But not a good start by me. That should be BMI of 23! I would like to loose just a few pounds though as any excess weight goes on my waist.

I am not sure, it was all a lot to take in. But I think my HbA1c was around 90 - could that be right? BG has been around 5 to 8 since I started testing 10 days ago, one spike of 12.2 in the first couple of days. 4.2 before lunch today, So pleased with that. But not complacent.

Initially following a LCHF type diet to get BG down, but not yet entirely happy to follow this long-term. Jury still out on that IMHO, due to contradictory information. But I am open-minded.

Hughie
Ah ok that explains your opening statement..
As for the long term effects of a low carb diet... as you know I'm an ultra low carber/ketogenic have been since diagnosis in October 2015... hasn't done me any harm so far. Or should I say nothing that I would consider to be harmful. As always though each to their own. The main thing is you have a diagnosis and are doing something about it.
Yes your HbA1c could well have been around 90 mine was about 87 when I was diagnosed.
Good luck with your experiments in low carbing and very glad to hear you are testing blood glucose levels. Keep on with the updates and as always any questions don't hesitate to ask.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
My Hba1c was 91 at diagnosis - 41 6 months later.
I have done low carb since the early 1970s, when I could get away with it - have always felt great on it, and dreadful when on a doctor prescribed high carb low fat low calorie diet - for my own good, of course.
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,810
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Hughie2! Welcome to the best corner of the internet for us Type 2s! I was diagnosed with an HbA1c of 70, with low carb eating, self monitoring and Metformin I got it down to non diabetic levels in 4 months. I have continued the same for eleven months and I feel healthier than I have done in years.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. Yes,a BMI of 30 is too high. You need to think of a low-carb diet as an approach for life. Once you dispense with a carb-loaded diet your need for carbs will reduce and you will find a diet with more protein, veg, fruit and fat and some carbs will be fine.
 

Liam1955

Master
Messages
10,964
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Anti-Gay People, Self Centre People, Two Faced People and Bad Language.

daisy1

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

Hello Hughie 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 like and someone will be able to help.


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 235,000 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 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. Most of these are 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.
 

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Messages
228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
hello @Hughie2 and welcome to the forum :) you will find lots of helpful advice on here. My Hubby was diagnosed last summer as T2 with an HbA1c of around 93 again picked up in routine tests. He had got that down to 50 something (can't quite remember off the top of my head) at his next test in November/December and is due another where it will hopefully be in the 40s.

He has been low carbing since around July last year and we are both totally convinced on the benefits.Not just for blood sugar control but also weight loss. Low carbing takes the weight from your middle and around internal organs where you don't want it.
He has lost 2 stone since last July and because I ate the same way I also lost 2.5 stone. He's now moaning because I've been shopping for a new wardrobe :happy: The positives for me have been no need to use any asthma meds and my IBS has vanished. It's a very healthy way to eat and I have tons more energy.

I recommend that you read The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung as it will give you a good understanding of carbs/sugar/insulin and how our bodies deal with it all. He also speaks a lot about the usefulness of fasting (not as drastic as it sounds)

Good luck-sounds like you have already made a very positive start to tackling the problem. x