4 days from Diagnoses

[Bluetit1802]

Well things have progressed here and not in a good way.. the original problem I went to the doctors for has been diagnosed and I definitely have to have a quick Hysterectomy further diagnosis after that will decide if I need more treatment options..
I am now testing at around 6.1 most mornings and have lost another kg the metabet is definitely making me more constipated which may be a problem with the surgery.. any tips for hospital stays gratefully received as I don't want to lose the progress I've made.. many thanks for all your help this forum has been very useful

Sorry to read this. I hope everything goes well for you.

I was in hospital a few days before Christmas, although I didn't have any surgery. My levels still went up, but not horrendously. The nurse checked my BS once or twice a day, but always randomly. There was nothing structured about it at all. She could come at any time of the day, just after a meal, just before a meal, middle of 2 meals. Totally random. She never asked when I had last eaten. Each test she took I was in the 6's and all she said was "that's fine". (Probably because I am not on any medication). My husband brought my own meter in for me. He also brought me my own food which I was able to keep in the nurses' fridge. He brought me boiled eggs, tomatoes, yogurts, strawberries, cream, buttered Lidl rolls and so on. The food on offer was appalling stodge, very carb heavy, low fat, low salt. Salads consisted of Cos lettuce, 1 tomato, 2 slices of cucumber, half an egg. No dressing.

 

[Red_river_]

Bit of an update I have purchased a meter and am testing (pre breakfast results vary between 6.0 and 7.5 ) and keeping a record of what I eat. I am now on 2x 500g tablets of Metabet a day and finding it has the opposite result to many people.. I have lost nearly 3kg (diet started 27th November) down to 79kg I am also walking at least 2/3 miles a day My exemption form has been sent and I await the card but I have no news at all about the Desmond I was told about...

Well done Vege you have done a lot and all the right things! I was diagnosed earlier in November and still have not have a courage to buy a meter yet. In my case, the nurse gave me a left let about Desmond course and I contacted them myself. So you might want to ask your nurse for that. Only with the eyes test that you need to be referred by your nurse. Were you offered one?

 

[vege]

Very encouraging visit to the Dr's this morning she was happy that I was self testing.. told her I was averaging between 5.8 to 6.2 (I test first thing every day) which she said was very good... and that I have lost 11lbs since diagnoses at the beginning of December
She mentioned statins again but said I have too many other things going on to start them... I said I would consider when I have recovered from surgery but indicated I am reluctant ... Have decided to become a hermit to avoid all the nasty colds and Flu that are around.. I cannot afford (medically) to have this operation delayed

 

[GeminiMum]

Welcome Vege, I'm the same age and was diagnosed type 2 in May. Once I was over the initial shock, I saw it as the proverbial kick up the bum to get healthier. I was started on Metformin tablets and tolerate them well now after a bit of stomach upset in the early days. I wasn't advised to eat low carb by my GP or Diabetes education course, but stumbled on this forum by chance and took up a low carb life style with self monitoring. I started by eating less than 100g carbs/day to begin with and then after 6 weeks reduced it to 50-70g/day, that’s what I continue on now. Caution needs to be taken on certain drugs going low carb but on just Metformin it’s ok, I believe your Metabet is Metformin too. The best way to see what foods suit you is to test right before a meal and then two hours after the first bite, you’re looking for a rise of no more than 2 mmol/l and to be within these recommended ranges http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html
This has worked for me, to date I've lost over 4 stone easily (still more to go) and got my HbA1c (blood test for 2-3 month average blood sugar, the test you’ve had) down to a non diabetic level, all due to the fantastic support and advise I got here. Read around the Forum and I'm sure you'll find a way to do it too!
I’ll tag @daisy1 who will post loads of useful info for you.

Is there info/website where I can learn about carbohydrates count that you would recommend. I think you've done brilliantly, I was only diagnosed 2 days before Christmas, but having had gestational diabetes with all three pregnancies I had a clue what I needed to do. No helpful advice from Diabetes Nurse, no leaflets, so I'm reading posts here and you've seemed to do amazingly well so pointers in right direction would be great.

I do have a meter, bought one as they aren't given out anymore, but I've been testing 2hrs after finishing a meal, and I see you say 2hrs after the first mouthful. Have I got my timings wrong? Thanks in advance for any help, Debbie

 

[ringi]

s there info/website where I can learn about carbohydrates count that you would recommend.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/ is a good option if you want to learn at your own speed, https://www.lowcarbprogram.com/ feeds the information to you "week by week" along with giving you weakly tasks to do, and has a small cost to join. Both have been proven to give people great results when they engage with them.

I do have a meter, bought one as they aren't given out anymore, but I've been testing 2hrs after finishing a meal, and I see you say 2hrs after the first mouthful.

Makes very little difference as you are trying to learn the effect meals have on you, provided you keep to a consistent testing time it will show up the worse meals. But just because meal only increased your BG by 2, does not mean it is a good option to eat often, ideally, you are looking for the smallest increase you can get at the 2hr point. (Some meals like pizza will give you a GP peak long after the 2 hours, so best just to avoid pizza if you like your thingers.)

 

[Rachox]

Is there info/website where I can learn about carbohydrates count that you would recommend. I think you've done brilliantly, I was only diagnosed 2 days before Christmas, but having had gestational diabetes with all three pregnancies I had a clue what I needed to do. No helpful advice from Diabetes Nurse, no leaflets, so I'm reading posts here and you've seemed to do amazingly well so pointers in right direction would be great.

I do have a meter, bought one as they aren't given out anymore, but I've been testing 2hrs after finishing a meal, and I see you say 2hrs after the first mouthful. Have I got my timings wrong? Thanks in advance for any help, Debbie

Thank you for your kind comments, yes I have succeeded in getting my HbA1c down to non diabetic levels in a relatively short time. When I started carb counting I really just started by calculating meals I already ate, then adapting them to lower the carbs. For example making lasagne with butternut squash sheets in place of pasta sheets, increasing veggies and just having one very small potato. I got the nutritional info from a variety of places Tesco.com have brilliant nutritional info on their website (as do most supermarkets), I also have an app called Calorie Counter Nutra Check or even just Googling “how many carbs in xxx?”
I test before and two hours after first bite as that’s what the lovely folk here suggested. I suppose it provides consistency as the duration of a meal will vary. I hope that helps x

 

[vege]

Ok so an Update... I had a hysterectomy 5 days ago in and out of Addenbrokes in 24 hours .. I tested at about 6.8 at 8am on the morning of the op and reminded the anaesthetist I was diabetic when I went into surgery at 4 pm she tested me at 4.2 and gave me dextrose during the op I was 7.8 when I got up to the ward and 3.4 at 6am the next day so was given sweet orange juice and toast.. came home that evening and have tested at first thing everyday since 6.4.. 6.8.. and 7.0 this morning.. No exercise allowed and am eating pretty low carb except for an additional slice of toast mid morning .... so far so good I think.