newly diagnosed with type 2? @ 76yrs

col888

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
HI, I'm 11 weeks since diagnosed with diabetes, the ? is because no one has actually said 2
On 4 Metformin a day 2 + 2
Had the headaches, runs, tummyaches, and stomach cramps, bloats etc. Not too bad now.

Prediagnosis.. Eye sight worsened, 2 perscriptions in 9 months, cateracts appearing, no mention of diabetes.

Think 10-12 pints a week and slightly overweight + my age caused the diabetes
Have no appetite to speak of.
I'm having a big problem of what I should be eating, was already eating lots of berries fruits etc whole wheat bread, vegetables, chicken.
Have gout , take allopurinol daily for that, + not eating some beans and Sardines because they''re high in purines.
Stopped doing that cos I love fish and broad beans. Hopefully the Allopurinol will keep on working.
Lost weight , exercise through crown green bowling.
But what do I eat low carb, weight watchers, high protein , or a normal diet-- no added sugar, salt, white bread, smaller portions.
No beer at mo, about 6 Red wines instead.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

daisy1

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

Here is the information we give to new members which will give you a lot of information on low carb diets to maintain good levels. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will come along and 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 over 100,000 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-and-whole-grains.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 bloodglucose 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.
 

Mud Island Dweller

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,161
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
An awful lot.
With a medical history you have not sure l love as do so many low carb high fat. There is a low carb forum if you scroll down on this l started to follow vivs modified atkins diet originaly and now spread out from that with it as a base also you may find good advice on Dietdoctor

You will find that bread is on no-no list for many. Bread, rice, pasta, sugar anything that is carbohydrate or starch are all basically sugar. Berries are more or less ok and fruits can be a problem because of sugars. I have a small bowl of fruit once or twice a day with cream. Not sure if low carb high fat my be a help for you or not but Diet Doc also answers questions.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome. Yes, keep the carbs down and have low-GI ones were you can. Have a sensible amount of protein and fats together with veg and good fruit. If the stomach cramps don't go away then ask for Slow Release Metformin; the SR version.
 

col888

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks Daibell, did notice they are advertising GL bread in our local bakery. I'll try that instead of wholewheat
 

notned

Well-Known Member
Messages
163
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Diabetes, cirrhosis, lymphoma, acronyms, green celery (because it's lazy), those computer programs that nag you night after night to download them and then, when you do, present reams of conditions and threats for you to accept before they'll run. DVDs that start with 5 minutes of threats - if I'd pirated it, then I'd surely leave those out.
Hi Col,

I was diagnosed about 20 months ago, a couple of months before my 70th. I had collapsed at home with pneumonia, which became double pneumonia and was out (induced coma) for 5 weeks, 3 weeks of which was in intensive care. I'd collapsed on the upstairs WC and smashed it :). They diagnosed me while I was out and I woke up on insulin (and one Gliclazide a day). My hands wouldn't work! When they moved me back to more normal meals I couldn't control a fork!

I could do with loosing a stone - if I lost 2 stones I'd be lighter than I was in my early 20s and at that time I was hyper-active (not medically, just figuratively). I don't drink - unless you count a dry sherry before Christmas dinner and a couple of bottles of wine a year with special dinners. As I describe below I was taking more sugar in hospital than I'd used for years before. There is no family history of diabetes. That said, there is a family history of the male of the species kicking their clogs in their 50s, 60s or early 70s :-(

There seemed to be a lot of confusion as to whether I was type 1 or 2 - looking back I think that arose because they had put me straight onto insulin. When you mention insulin friends and neighbours shake their heads and mutter "Type 1". When I was in the main hospital, one nurse or another used to wake me up during the night to get me to eat bread and jam sandwiches and sweet tea. I kept asking what my readings were and where they should be but I got few answers. I think I eventually settled on readings between 8 and 11 being normal. Didn't help much though, they still didn't tell me what my readings were. My wife (who had gone through a couple of weeks of "If he makes it through the night.." while I was out) met a lady Doctor, apparently an expert in diabetes who had told her that my blood sugar on admission was 150 (pardon?) and that I had acidosis...

When I got to the 'half way house' (half way home - literally, in miles), armed with a blood glucose meter, they pinned a note on my door "John is taking his own blood sugar readings. Last thing ask for his bedtime reading. If it is less than 10 make him a round of sandwiches and a sweet tea.". It only worked the day it was put there - perhaps as well really.

I was discharged after a little under 10 weeks altogether. About a week later I met my practice Diabetes Nurse (who believed I was type 2) and we started working towards levels of 5.5 or so. I was getting there, until a specialist nurse from the hospital came to visit and maintained that in view of my age we should be aiming for 8.5. That carried the risk of more damage, but that was long term and 8.5 would keep me farther away from hypos when I was driving. She also announced that it was not established whether I was type 1 or 2 - citing the acidosis.. John was not a happy bunny.
(A test was done early in 2013 which apparently confirmed I was type 2.).

I couldn't control 8.5. It kept running away with me. In the 18 months or so that I have been recording the readings I have a handful (or two) of less than 4s. I have had one 2.9 - the only time I really felt the dizziness etc that they warn about. I've had lots of 10s, 12s, 18s and even a 20. Left alone my blood sugar runs high, not low... The remedy? Take more insulin - no thanks.

I intend no criticism of any of the hospitals, GPs or nurses they are all angels and gods as far as I am concerned. The confusion was and remains mine.

PS. When you are taking insulin you have to advise Swansea and a copper can pull you over and ask you to prove you checked blood sugar lass than 2 hours prior. I think that is the main reason they give us meter (with memory) and supplies. You take your reading before you start driving and then at least every two hours while you are driving. Some recommend every hour.
 

col888

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi notned, you certainly had a traumatic intro to diabetes. My scenario was for weeks I'd suffered dry mouth, eyesight blurring(got new specs), generally feeling unwell. Went to the docs when dizziness after showering forced me to lay down on the bed soaking wet for a few minutes(high blood pressure).
Good luck in gaining control and an easier fitter lifestyle.
Col
 

notned

Well-Known Member
Messages
163
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Diabetes, cirrhosis, lymphoma, acronyms, green celery (because it's lazy), those computer programs that nag you night after night to download them and then, when you do, present reams of conditions and threats for you to accept before they'll run. DVDs that start with 5 minutes of threats - if I'd pirated it, then I'd surely leave those out.