Type 2 Another Newly Diagnosed Confused

[bobbyf_72]

Dear All
Since visiting the doctor on Friday and being told I probably have diabetes I have done a lot of reading and research which has been very helpful. However I do have a number of questions I would appreciate advice about as I am a little confused.

I have high normal bp av 24 hr period 139/84 so dr suggested a blood test as well. Have had results and blood sugar % was 7.1. This I understand is in the diabetes category for Type 2. Was rather shocked to say the least and the dr was quite direct. She has suggested another blood test in 4 weeks. I am keen to get this reading down and understand the need to reduce sugar (previously had 2 in tea and coffee and ate desserts although slim) and carb intake. If I could have some advice on the questions below I would be grateful.

1. Does this reading definitively mean I have Type 2? Can it be reversed if I give up alcohol, greatly reduce sugar and amend diet?

2. As of Friday I have stopped all sugar in drinks and will just drink water, tea and coffee with no sugar. Will this have an impact?

3. I exercise quite a lot, running and cycling regularly, and am also slim but BS level still high. Is this unusual?

4. Understand the need to cut down carbs such as white bread, potatoes, rice and pasta but can these be safely replaced with wholewheat? Am planning to try to reduce carb intake and replace with veg but to what level should I try to do this? What should be cut out?

6. If exercising surely you need carbs as fuel? How can this be balanced? Already have porridge with berries for breakfast?

7. Are there diabetic friendly snacks members would recommend when exercising, such as a 50 mile bike ride?

8. I have read that doing weights increases blood sugar, can members confirm if it is still safe to do weights at the gym alongside cardio?

9. Will not take until after the next blood test but is it worthwhile taking herbal remedies such as chromium which can reduce blood sugar level?

Many thanks in advance for the help of more knowledgeable members. All seems rather worrying and confusing at the moment.

Bobby

 

[Resurgam]

I'm sorry to tell you that the colour of the carbohydrate has little impact on blood glucose. If it is sugar or starch then it will become glucose in your blood after digestion.
The good news is that you can probably get normal readings by cutting out things which spike you - that is raise blood glucose more than you'd like.
When you exercise you do not need carbs as fuel - your liver will supply glucose but that is not dependant upon you eating anything. I find that my cycling for pleasure just requires water. I can go out on a ride and not need to eat, and find that it is a good way to remove excess glucose. If my muscles start to feel weary I stop and take a drink of water and wait for things to recover. Food is not a T2 diabetic's friend.
Chromium is not a herbal remedy - but taking a multi mineral and vitamin tablet each day might help if you are short of something vital.
I found that using a blood glucose meter, and checking just before and then two hours after a meal enabled me to find the foods I could and could not eat, and it also encouraged me to stick to low carb foods as when I did the numbers gradually drifted downwards, even eating the same meals or sticking to 'safe' foods became easier when I had the evidence on the meter to show the consequences of poor choices.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hello and welcome,

We all know how confusing this is. We have all been there when first diagnosed, but everything will fall in place, and the more research you do, the better. I'll try to answer some of your questions.

1. Does this reading definitively mean I have Type 2? Can it be reversed if I give up alcohol, greatly reduce sugar and amend diet?

Yes, this looks like you had an HbA1c test that came out at 7.1% which puts you firmly in the diabetic range. Under 6% is non-diabetic, 6% to 6.5% is pre-diabetic. Over that is diabetic. There is great debate about reversal possibilities. Some have managed to reverse matters, many control it and have non-diabetic numbers, many don't. Certainly cutting out sugar, amending your diet, and cutting out certain types of alcohol will help enormously. (red wine and most spirits are fine. Beer is not wise)

2. As of Friday I have stopped all sugar in drinks and will just drink water, tea and coffee with no sugar. Will this have an impact?

Yes, it will have a big impact.

3. I exercise quite a lot, running and cycling regularly, and am also slim but BS level still high. Is this unusual?

It isn't "normal" but isn't unusual. There are plenty of slim type 2 diabetics. Genetics can play a big part as well as a stressful life, or certain medications such as steroids, statins, and some anti-biotics. For slim fit people there is always the possibility it could be late onset Type 1. There are tests to determine this. Many GPs know very little about this. It is generally referred to as LADA.

4. Understand the need to cut down carbs such as white bread, potatoes, rice and pasta but can these be safely replaced with wholewheat? Am planning to try to reduce carb intake and replace with veg but to what level should I try to do this? What should be cut out?

It isn't just "white" carbs. It is all carbs. All carbs, wholemeal or otherwise, convert to glucose once inside the system. Wholemeal ones take a little longer, but nonetheless, still end up as glucose in your blood stream. The worst culprits are bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, breakfast cereals (including porridge) and flour. We also need to be careful with milk and fruit. What level you decide to drop to is entirely up to you. What you need is your own blood glucose meter. This will tell you what your own carb tolerance is. We all have different tolerances and different reactions to certain types of carbs. A meter is essential. Without one you are working blind.

6. If exercising surely you need carbs as fuel? How can this be balanced? Already have porridge with berries for breakfast?

Carbs are not essential for energy. By cutting carbs and increasing fats our bodies will start to burn fats as fuel. I am no expert on exercising. I only walk. There are plenty of people on the forum that can help you with this aspect. Porridge is not going to help you, although berries are excellent - try them with full fat yogurt or double cream.

I will tag @daisy1 to come along with some excellent information for newcomers. Meanwhile, read round the forum and also the main website http://www.diabetes.co.uk/ Ask as many questions as you like.

 

[bobbyf_72]

I'm sorry to tell you that the colour of the carbohydrate has little impact on blood glucose. If it is sugar or starch then it will become glucose in your blood after digestion.
The good news is that you can probably get normal readings by cutting out things which spike you - that is raise blood glucose more than you'd like.
When you exercise you do not need carbs as fuel - your liver will supply glucose but that is not dependant upon you eating anything. I find that my cycling for pleasure just requires water. I can go out on a ride and not need to eat, and find that it is a good way to remove excess glucose. If my muscles start to feel weary I stop and take a drink of water and wait for things to recover. Food is not a T2 diabetic's friend.
Chromium is not a herbal remedy - but taking a multi mineral and vitamin tablet each day might help if you are short of something vital.
I found that using a blood glucose meter, and checking just before and then two hours after a meal enabled me to find the foods I could and could not eat, and it also encouraged me to stick to low carb foods as when I did the numbers gradually drifted downwards, even eating the same meals or sticking to 'safe' foods became easier when I had the evidence on the meter to show the consequences of poor choices.

Thank you for taking the time to provide this information. Much appreciated.

 

[bobbyf_72]

Hello and welcome,

We all know how confusing this is. We have all been there when first diagnosed, but everything will fall in place, and the more research you do, the better. I'll try to answer some of your questions.



Yes, this looks like you had an HbA1c test that came out at 7.1% which puts you firmly in the diabetic range. Under 6% is non-diabetic, 6% to 6.5% is pre-diabetic. Over that is diabetic. There is great debate about reversal possibilities. Some have managed to reverse matters, many control it and have non-diabetic numbers, many don't. Certainly cutting out sugar, amending your diet, and cutting out certain types of alcohol will help enormously. (red wine and most spirits are fine. Beer is not wise)



Yes, it will have a big impact.



It isn't "normal" but isn't unusual. There are plenty of slim type 2 diabetics. Genetics can play a big part as well as a stressful life, or certain medications such as steroids, statins, and some anti-biotics. For slim fit people there is always the possibility it could be late onset Type 1. There are tests to determine this. Many GPs know very little about this. It is generally referred to as LADA.



It isn't just "white" carbs. It is all carbs. All carbs, wholemeal or otherwise, convert to glucose once inside the system. Wholemeal ones take a little longer, but nonetheless, still end up as glucose in your blood stream. The worst culprits are bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, breakfast cereals (including porridge) and flour. We also need to be careful with milk and fruit. What level you decide to drop to is entirely up to you. What you need is your own blood glucose meter. This will tell you what your own carb tolerance is. We all have different tolerances and different reactions to certain types of carbs. A meter is essential. Without one you are working blind.



Carbs are not essential for energy. By cutting carbs and increasing fats our bodies will start to burn fats as fuel. I am no expert on exercising. I only walk. There are plenty of people on the forum that can help you with this aspect. Porridge is not going to help you, although berries are excellent - try them with full fat yogurt or double cream.

I will tag @daisy1 to come along with some excellent information for newcomers. Meanwhile, read round the forum and also the main website http://www.diabetes.co.uk/ Ask as many questions as you like.

T

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Best wishes
Rob

 

[daisy1]

@bobbyf_72

Hello Rob and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information, as mentioned above, which we give to new Members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask questions when you need to and someone will be able to 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 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 free 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. They're all 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.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. You've had some good advice in the posts so far. Bear in mind that your blood sugar level indicates you have diabetes but not which type. Most will be T2 but there is a small possibility of it being T1. Reducing the carbs in your diet should help a lot but if you find it difficult to get the blood sugar down and you say you are slim, then do discuss the T1 possibility with the GP.

 

[Jamesuk9]

Given that HbA1C is no longer measured in % in UK I would question whether that 7.1% was a fasting test?

If so, it would require 2 tests to confirm diagnosis and would indicate borderline diabetes.

Do you know if it was a fasting test or a full HbA1C?

 

[Wilki.356]

Hi Bobby

Welcome to the discussion rooms.

This is your chance to take control of your lifestyle a little more. Small changes will help you get the levels you need to stay where you need to be.

I have a physically demanding job, and cycle a fair bit, but not as much as far as you. I am of slim build and quite active.

So I maybe able to relate to your dilemma.

The main thing to remember is, that you are different to everyone else on here, what works for one person, may not work for you. It is a suck it and see approach.

Changing your diet and swapping your carbs, to brown carbs will help, like sweet potatoes, brown rice, wheat pastas etc
Cutting out sweet sugary items chocolate, cakes and ice cream etc. You probably don't smoke, so stopping that isn't a problem.

Basically cutting out the regular food shop and replacing it with a more fibre based and healthier diet. Just read the labels on the food packaging, and try to cut down on the sugar content.

For me, a low carb high protein food supplement intake works for me (edited to politically correct), but I am also on medication to curb my levels. My approach is to eat a little of everything, but all the necessary healthy things. I could probably go further with what I eat, but again, my struggle with diabetes is different to anyone else's. That's my journey.

For me, on a 1-2 hour cycle ride, I find it better to carb up before, as my levels drop on the ride, then manage it with a satsuma or a piece of dark chocolate (this is good as it is more natural than milk chocolate. Do not buy the diabetic chocolate, you will get the sh@ts). I just find natural food works better for me with hydro tablets in my water, as little gel packets just didn't do anything for energy.

But you are different and that is your challenge to discover, to find out what works for you.

Reducing your alcohol intake will help, but we all fall off the wagon sometimes. Again try to balance it out with exercise.

Weights shouldn't affect your levels, I've never monitored mine after working out, but they should be lower as you have burned calories. Remember calorie intake, calories burned must be more.

If your BS is high, it will take time to slowly bring them down by changing what you eat. Mine were in the 25-30's when first diagnosed. Changing my food supplement intake, stopped smoking, cooking and eating properly, plus medication got my levels down.

It has been a trial and error process to get my levels turned around to almost acceptable levels. I hope I have turned the corner now and will decrease the medication in the near future, to just a balanced lifestyle to keep my levels under control.

With a bit of luck, a few tweaks to the way you eat and your lifestyle, you will succeed your goal in reducing your BS levels and maintain them without the use of medication.

Good luck.

 

[VioletViolet]

I'm sorry to tell you that the colour of the carbohydrate has little impact on blood glucose. If it is sugar or starch then it will become glucose in your blood after digestion.
The good news is that you can probably get normal readings by cutting out things which spike you - that is raise blood glucose more than you'd like.
When you exercise you do not need carbs as fuel - your liver will supply glucose but that is not dependant upon you eating anything. I find that my cycling for pleasure just requires water. I can go out on a ride and not need to eat, and find that it is a good way to remove excess glucose. If my muscles start to feel weary I stop and take a drink of water and wait for things to recover. Food is not a T2 diabetic's friend.
Chromium is not a herbal remedy - but taking a multi mineral and vitamin tablet each day might help if you are short of something vital.
I found that using a blood glucose meter, and checking just before and then two hours after a meal enabled me to find the foods I could and could not eat, and it also encouraged me to stick to low carb foods as when I did the numbers gradually drifted downwards, even eating the same meals or sticking to 'safe' foods became easier when I had the evidence on the meter to show the consequences of poor choices.

"Food is not a T2 diabetic's friend"

Probably the simplest yet wisest thing I have read on this forum. It should be printed on a t-shirt!


Best of luck Bobby, the people on here know their stuff and are very supportive. You're in the right place.

 

[Bluetit1802]

"Food is not a T2 diabetic's friend"

Probably the simplest yet wisest thing I have read on this forum. It should be printed on a t-shirt!

I'm sorry you feel that way. Some foods aren't , but the ones I eat are my friends. I am just about to have my lunch - 2 egg mayo, cherry toms, sprinkling of salt, pepper and flaxseed, and half a Lidl roll toasted with butter. Yummy scrumptious.

 

[Lamont D]

I would have thought that something like,

'A healthy diet is not healthy'

That's more appropriate for those like me, who have intolerance to many foods!

 

[Resurgam]

I was thingking more on the lines of the friends you might well have had as teenagers who arrive when parents are away for the weekend , run riot and leave you with the whole house trashed, the neighbours up in arms and when taking out the hastilly collected bags of rubbish you find out what they did in the dustbin.
Ah.
Yes, those sort of friends.
Now
There are things you can eat which are more like houseguests, they turn up bringing you presents and are on their best behaviour, they treat you like royalty, praise all your efforts and you even get a letter of appreciation at a later date.

 

[VioletViolet]

Yikes I meant it as a compliment not an insult! Sorry @Resurgam . It just resonated with me because left to my own devices I want to eat what my carb loving body has been gorging on for years. Yes the meals I have now are delicious blah blah, but I now have to think about what I chose to eat not just think mmm toast, chocolate etc etc... The buzz is gone, so I stand by why I like the comment. Unrestricted food is not my friend!

 

[Resurgam]

Oh I was not trying to read anything into what you said, just make it obvious what I meant.

 

[VioletViolet]

Oh I was not trying to read anything into what you said, just make it obvious what I meant.

No, no, no I am sorrier than you

PS I want some chocolate and am cranky