How long does it take?

Carlb

Member
Messages
13
Hi guys, just a quick question if i may. I was diagnosed (type 2) 3 weeks ago and since my 10 minutes with the Doctor i have heard absolutely nothing and not due to see him for another week. I read that i can expect to have a "team" that will help me and guide me through all of this so the question is, How long is it normal to wait for someone to contact you? Or, am i supposed to go and seek these people out? I still have no idea what I'm doing even after reading every bit of information i can get my hands on.

Carl :?
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
Hi Carib, and welcome to the forum. Daisy will probably be along shortly with all sorts of info for new members like yourself. If your practice is like mine, it could take ages for people to contact you. Don't worry, you'll get loads of info to get on with here. Main issue is diet, and again you'll see lots of stuff here about that. if you don't understand anything, just ask.
Good luck!
 

Loz1956

Newbie
Messages
4
Like you I was diagnosed about three weeks ago and finally had my appointment with the "team" yesterday (01/11/2011).

Whilst I was waiting I just tried to get a feel for the sort of things I was likely to be told, like you by reading the forums and articles on this and other web sites, and I camed up with a list of questions and concerns so I was as prepared as I could be once my appointment finally came through.

Hope you don't have to wait too much longer

LOZ
 

philfatkid

Member
Messages
15
Hi carlb,
When you finally get to see your diabetic nurse, ask her can she get you on a diabetic awarness course, i have been diabetic (t2) for 8 years, and my doctor recommended this course to me just last year, i found it very very good, especially for someone who has just been diagnosed.
 

Carlb

Member
Messages
13
Hi guys,

Just an update. I went to see the Nurse at the doctors last Thursday and she didn't know why i was there. Diabetes isn't her thing so she took my weight and booked me in for cholesterol blood tests as i have just started to take Simvastatin. She went for a chat with the Doctor then returned to tell me that the Doctor will explain everything on Monday (yesterday).

So, last night i go and see my Doctor and he informs me that he will enroll me on a "Desmond" course (i guess it's the same as what you told me Phil), great I'm sure it will help after all, knowledge is power right? Next up he makes out a prescription for a few months of meds, lancets, strips etc and says " OK great, I'll see you next year, end of January" :***:

I know i should have asked but i just felt i had used my five minute time slot and was required to leave? So, i still have no idea if i am ever going to see a diabetes specialist or team, no idea on getting my eyes/feet checked and basically, no idea what so ever what is going on! Will someone contact me do you think? :think: :thumbdown:

Love these smilies though :lol: :wave: :thumbup:
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
Well, at least you got a prescription for strips and lancets! More than lots get - many have to buy their own! You should get an eye test, although I had to wait 6 months. You should also get your feet checked. You should ask your doctor what arrangements he's made for that. As far as a specialist goes - unlikely, unless you have complications or don't respond to medication/diet control. That will be shown at your follow up in January.
If I was you, I'd concentrate on 2 things. Correct use of the testing strips, and adjustments to your diet accordingly.
The testing for type 2's like us is really to see what you can and can't eat without sugar levels going too high.
The key is to test BEFORE a meal, and then 2 hours after. That way, you will see how much difference a meal has made to you. You don't ned to do this every time - you'd soon run out of strips and your doctor may not be too keen on too many repeat prescriptions. Do it after various different types of meals at different times to see how a range of foods affect you. Ideally, your blood sugar should be less than ,say, 8.5, 2 hrs after eating any meal. Official figures may be a bit different, but that's something to aim at. It will take a while for your sugars to stabilise though, so don't be worried if they are much higher to start with. But if you get a big rise, say your figures go from 7 before a meal to 13 two hours after, then you need to change the food content of that meal. There are other checks you can do like fasting tests, but sort the food thing out first.
Diet wise, many of us find we have to cut down on carbohydrates to get sugar levels right. Look on the "nutrition info" on food packs, and don't look for amounts of sugar, but amounts of carbohydrates. Overall, I try to keep my carbohydrate level to about 150 grams a day, about half the normal level for a man. Some have much less. Testing will show you what amount you can eat and get your sugar levels below 8.5 after each meal. After a while, you'll aim to be less than 8. Remember that MANY foods have carbs; apples have about 15, oranges similar, so you need to take it all into account. Avoid starchy food like rice, pasta, white flour products like white bread, dumplings etc. I have a bit of wholewheat pasta now and then, a bit of basmati rice, and eat Burgen soya and linseed bread from sainsburys or tescos. Old potatos aren't good, boiled new ones are better. Avoid bananas, avoid parsnips. Lots to learn, but ask lots of questions and keep an eye on the low carb part of this forum for tips.
Finally, do exercise. Don't know if you need to lose much weight, if you do reducing the starchy carbs will help. Exercise also helps to control those sugar levels. I do 10 mins hard workout on a strider machine 45 mins after each main meal just as my sugar levels would be peaking. helps to bring them down quicker.
Good luck, hope it helps
 

Carlb

Member
Messages
13
Will you be my Diabetic specialist grazer? :D Thanks for the reply, great advice. I started eating Burgen soya and linseed bread after reading one of your posts on another subject and i like it. Now this will probably make you laugh or just bolster my opinion of my Doctors knowledge (read lack of), last night he told me if i needed a snack between meals to eat bananas. :crazy:

As for type 2's not getting the test strips on prescription is ludicrous! We need to know what is happening all the time too. At first i was getting 12,16, 18's throughout the day, now, after changing my diet slightly i have it down to between 6.1 and 6.7. Here is an example. I was with the nurse last Thursday and i asked her if i could still take my multi vitamins with the meds I'm on and she replied "yes, no problem at all". So, on Friday i took my multi vitamins in the morning and tested before lunch, the result was 12.9 almost double the results from the week previous. I didn't do anything different other than take the vitamins. Subsequently, i stopped taking them and my levels are back down again.
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
Well done Carlb, you seem to be on the right track. Don't understand about the multivits though - never heard of that effect. Has anyone else? Might be worth trying again sometime to see if the same happens - one spike won't hurt in the name of science! I take multivits and don't seem to have a problem. May depend on the manufacturer and what they put in them perhaps. Have a look on the ingredients for anything ending in "ose", that means a sugar of some sort.
 

Unbeliever

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,551
Just had to congraulate you on your post advising carlb , Grazer. Fantastic. Wish I had been given such good advice -would have saved me years of worry and hassle and maybe other things too!
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
Unbeliever said:
Just had to congraulate you on your post advising carlb , Grazer. Fantastic. Wish I had been given such good advice -would have saved me years of worry and hassle and maybe other things too!

Thanks! :oops: