Are There Side Effects To Look Out For?

Pussyfoot

Member
Messages
10
Hi.
First post.
I was diagnosed either diabetes last week and started to sort my food out immediately. Its been just over a week now and the last few days have been some what difficult. Tiredness, dizziness, nausea, tummy cramps, constipation then sudden dihoria.
Is this normal? I literally cut out all the 'bad stuff after I left th3 doctors so I'm hoping this is my body objecting to the lack of sugars?
All advise is greatly received.
Paula
 

bamba

Well-Known Member
Messages
319
Type of diabetes
Type 2
As you're new I'll page @daisy1 for sstandard speil.

What "bad stuff" were you advised not to eat ?

(PS The time of the 3 doctors was quite a while back now)
 
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Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Were you prescribed Metformin? This can cause tummy upset. Any sudden change in diet can cause upsets. The dizzy spells may be due to sudden lowering of glucose levels sometimes referred to as false hypos, your body has been used to running at higher blood glucose levels and changes to this may take a little while to settle down.
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
264AF0C0-61DC-4010-B3FA-77068C0215A8.jpeg
My bad at not ch3ckinh my spelling.....should be the. Lol.
Thank you.
And i did it again..... blumming fat thumbs

Welcome to the Forum Pussyfoot. If your ‘fat thumbs’ keep causing a problem, feel free to use the edit function, circled in blue in this pic ;)
 
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Pussyfoot

Member
Messages
10
Were you prescribed Metformin? This can cause tummy upset. Any sudden change in diet can cause upsets. The dizzy spells may be due to sudden lowering of glucose levels sometimes referred to as false hypos, your body has been used to running at higher blood glucose levels and changes to this may take a little while to settle down.

Hello and thank you.

I was not put on any medication but told to change my diet. I had a fasting blood test which came back at 6.7?, I think. Whatever that is. I am new to this so don't know the jargon yet. Most of what ive read on the forums are confusing at the moment, but ill pick it all up quickly enough.

I am to seriously cut back on carbs - limiting my intake and cut out all sugar stuff.

What you says make sense, esp as i dont feel ill.
Have I done too much too soon. The doc didnt say how to reduce my intake , as in over time, just to do it.
 
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Guzzler

Master
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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Diet only
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Hello and thank you.

I was not put on any medication but told to change my diet. I had a fasting blood test which came back at 6.7?, I think. Whatever that is. I am new to this so don't know the jargon yet. Most of what ive read on the forums are confusing at the moment, but ill pick it all up quickly enough.

I am to seriously cut back on carbs - limiting my intake and cut out all sugar stuff.

What you says make sense, esp as i dont feel ill.
Have I done too much too soon. The doc didnt say how to reduce my intake , as in over time, just to do it.

Reducing carbohydrates too quickly can make you feel rotten as I found out to my cost. So you have made a good start cutting down/out on the obvious ones, now to learn about the pesky ones that hide away to fool us!
A slow and steady reduction is best in my opinion to allow your body time to adjust. Then it is all about finding a level of carbs that you are comfortable with and one that pleases your meter.
 

bamba

Well-Known Member
Messages
319
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Well some of the advice new patients are given seem to date from the 70's/80's (when the Medics were at school)
Mine just told me not to eat sugar - no mention of other carbs.

When you start out with a low carb diet, there are onset issues termed "low carb 'flu" whilst your body is adjusting.
(take it as a sign you are doing REALLY well)
 

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Well some of the advice new patients are given seem to date from the 70's/80's (when the Medics were at school)
Mine just told me not to eat sugar - no mention of other carbs.

When you start out with a low carb diet, there are onset issues termed "low carb 'flu" whilst your body is adjusting.
(take it as a sign you are doing REALLY well)
If you are starting a Low Carb diet, then there is advice on this forum in the Diet & Nutrition section. One thing to be aware of is that early days need increased salt and mucho hydration to compensate for sudden weight loss which ia actually mainly water so you may get temporary electrolyte imbalance, (aka keto flu) for a week or two. Increasing fat can give rise to increased bile output, but diahrrea is not usually a side effect of LC diet - constipation is a side effect due to dehydration and dropping fibre intake depending on what foods you use to replace the bad ones - increasing veg intake can help with this. seeds and nuts can help that problem too, and flax is a good additive for LC.
 
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daisy1

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

Hello Paula and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information which I hope will answer your questions. Ask more 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 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.
 

MonkstonDave

Member
Messages
16
Hey Pussyfoot...I was in the same boat 8 months ago. Diet controlled Type 2 (T2). If it helps, I got my HbA1C numbers down from 15 to 6.8 (non fasting) in 3 months by cutting out a lot of bread mainly and upping my gym activity from 3 days a week to 5 days a week. I cannot say that I enjoy being diabetic, but I would rather be where I am today that not knowing. Happy to spell out diet details if required. Oh...I lost 1.5 stones so far although bad habits creep back in a bit so plateaud since April
 
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Pussyfoot

Member
Messages
10
Well some of the advice new patients are given seem to date from the 70's/80's (when the Medics were at school)
Mine just told me not to eat sugar - no mention of other carbs.

When you start out with a low carb diet, there are onset issues termed "low carb 'flu" whilst your body is adjusting.
(take it as a sign you are doing REALLY well)
Thank you.
 

Pussyfoot

Member
Messages
10
Hey Pussyfoot...I was in the same boat 8 months ago. Diet controlled Type 2 (T2). If it helps, I got my HbA1C numbers down from 15 to 6.8 (non fasting) in 3 months by cutting out a lot of bread mainly and upping my gym activity from 3 days a week to 5 days a week. I cannot say that I enjoy being diabetic, but I would rather be where I am today that not knowing. Happy to spell out diet details if required. Oh...I lost 1.5 stones so far although bad habits creep back in a bit so plateaud since April
Well done Dave.
Thank you. This is all new to me and i really don't know what I'm doing....
 

Pussyfoot

Member
Messages
10
@Pussyfoot

Hello Paula and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information which I hope will answer your questions. Ask more 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 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.
Thank you. This is so informative.
I didn't get any real advise from my doctor at all.....
I didnt realise that this would be so complex and not as simple as just cutting down carbs and sugar