Hi

emma90

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
MODY
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi! I'm Emma, 22 and from Lancashire.

Someone suggested I use the forum as I'm feeling a little lost and frustrated with it all, so hopefully it'll help to speak to people in the same situation

Nice to meet you all :)
 

BioHaZarD

Well-Known Member
Messages
771
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi, welcome

This is the best place you could be, ask lots of questions :D

Scot
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
Hi Emma and welcome to the forum :)

Don't feel lost - you are among friends here and we are all in the same boat ! Ask all the questions you want and someone will reply to you. I hope they get sorted out what type diabetes you have soon.

Here is the information we give to new members and I think it will be helpful to you, whatever type you turn out to be.


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 30,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html

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

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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please sign our e-petition for free testing for all type 2's; here's the link:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/petition/

Do get your friends and colleagues to sign as well.
 

emma90

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
MODY
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thank you both!

Unfortunately doesn't look like I'll be finding out anytime soon! Had an appointment with a consultant yesterday and feel like I've been set back another 6 months, just useless. Beyond fed up now, ha.

Thank you for all the info, far more helpful than anything else I've recieved so far :)
 

dawnmc

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,431
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Hi Emma, why whats been happening to you?
 

emma90

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
MODY
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
dawnmc said:
Hi Emma, why whats been happening to you?

Hi Dawn

I don't even know where to start! Lol. They're basically baffled as to what type I am, some are saying type 2, others MODY. Been sent back and forth to different consultants, for different tests, and with the c-peptide one they'd forgotton to put it on ice and messed the results up, but no one told me until 3 months later after I'd chased it up for weeks.

Once the results for that were sorted a few weeks ago after having it done again, the consultant I'd previously seen stated in the letter said she was 99% certain it was MODY, and to go back and see her in a few weeks time (yesterday.)

Got there and it was a completely different consultant. Didn't seem to have a clue what he was doing, or know anything about my last visit. Said it 'was probably just type 2 and will stay minor diabetes forever'. I mentioned what the the last consultant said about MODY, and his reply was 'Ah yes, could well be.'

So he's said he's booking me in for another appointment in 4/5 MONTHS time, and in the meantime go for bloods next week, if they are negative, he will 'begrudgingly, due to cost of particular' test' arrange for a MODY test a week or so before this appointment in 4/5 months..

Confused and just want to get it sorted so I can just get on with it! :S

(Sorry it's such a long post!)
 

Fraddycat

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
Welcome Emma, sounds like you are getting the run around, sorry to hear that. As Daisy said whatever they diagnose you with, her top tips will really help you. If you have any questions ask us, we are only too glad to help!
 

emma90

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
MODY
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thank you! Yeah sounds that way. Have hundreds buzzing around my head! Don't where to start with them though lol. Daisy's tips have definately helped in the meantime! Thanks again.
 

GraceK

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,835
Dislikes
Marzipan
Insincere people
Big cities
Vulgarity
emma90 said:
dawnmc said:
Hi Emma, why whats been happening to you?

Hi Dawn

I don't even know where to start! Lol. They're basically baffled as to what type I am, some are saying type 2, others MODY. Been sent back and forth to different consultants, for different tests, and with the c-peptide one they'd forgotton to put it on ice and messed the results up, but no one told me until 3 months later after I'd chased it up for weeks.

Once the results for that were sorted a few weeks ago after having it done again, the consultant I'd previously seen stated in the letter said she was 99% certain it was MODY, and to go back and see her in a few weeks time (yesterday.)

Got there and it was a completely different consultant. Didn't seem to have a clue what he was doing, or know anything about my last visit. Said it 'was probably just type 2 and will stay minor diabetes forever'. I mentioned what the the last consultant said about MODY, and his reply was 'Ah yes, could well be.'

So he's said he's booking me in for another appointment in 4/5 MONTHS time, and in the meantime go for bloods next week, if they are negative, he will 'begrudgingly, due to cost of particular' test' arrange for a MODY test a week or so before this appointment in 4/5 months..

Confused and just want to get it sorted so I can just get on with it! :S

(Sorry it's such a long post!)


Hello Emma ... and that was not a long post. You should see some of my rants! :roll:

The information that Daisy has given you is excellent ... I constantly refer to it for reassurance. Also, do you have a blood glucose meter and are you testing your levels yourself, because while you're waiting for your Consultant to get his finger out, at least you could discover your levels and work on the assumption that you're T2 and get on with low carbing. Are you not on any medication at all yet? If not, then I would go back to your GP, don't wait for the appointment with the Consultant and tell the GP you're dissatisfied with how your hospital appointments have gone and that you want a proper diagnosis NOW not in 5 months time. Stamp your feet a bit and tell em I sent you!!! :wink:
 

emma90

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
MODY
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
GraceK said:
Hello Emma ... and that was not a long post. You should see some of my rants! :roll:

The information that Daisy has given you is excellent ... I constantly refer to it for reassurance. Also, do you have a blood glucose meter and are you testing your levels yourself, because while you're waiting for your Consultant to get his finger out, at least you could discover your levels and work on the assumption that you're T2 and get on with low carbing. Are you not on any medication at all yet? If not, then I would go back to your GP, don't wait for the appointment with the Consultant and tell the GP you're dissatisfied with how your hospital appointments have gone and that you want a proper diagnosis NOW not in 5 months time. Stamp your feet a bit and tell em I sent you!!! :wink:

Haha looked a lot longer in the reply box! :p

It is, already finding it helpful! Yes was given a glucose meter within the first week of being diagnosed, and was put on Zicron Gliclazide tabs within a few weeks. That's it GP was fab, then as soon as I was referred to the Hosp it just kind of stalled really. Haha! Think I'll have to go back to GP, think I'll go insane waiting another 5 months after this last 6 lol.
 

dawnmc

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,431
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Good luck Emma, you are getting the run around already. Read up as much as you can on low carbing, Gary Taubes, Bernstein et al.
Amazon have good books, I always buy the cheaper books from the 2nd hand sellers.
 

emma90

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
MODY
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Ooh thanks for that, didn't even think re books! Will have a nosey on my lunch. Are there any in particular you'd suggest? Sorry for being a pain!