• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Can you help me? Somebody please...

southamptonsteve1959

Active Member
Messages
35
Location
Lymington
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes. Cancer.
Hi I'm a newbie here and can't find any local groups to me in the area of Milford on sea, New Milton and Lymington.
I'm having a hard time with this and would like to meet up with somebody over a coffee and chat, if you are new to this or established with T2 then I'll buy the coffee, I have a car so getting about is not an issue.
I'm Steve, 61, working full time. No pets. Live alone.Worried. Feel lonely.
I've survived cancer of the throat and now have this to deal with, I live alone and have awful thoughts and feelings of how this is going to pan out. I've lost 10kgs in 4 weeks, not sure I'm eating the right / wrong stuff.
It all feels like a death sentence. Can you help? I'm free most weekends and evenings
 
Hi Southamptonsteve and welcome to the forum!
Here is a link to the info we like to provide for newbies:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
Have a read and come back with any questions you have, you have come to the right place for support and information and the making of virtual friends at least! Can you tell us a little about how you have changed your diet and what meds you’re on if you’re comfortable to do so.
Give my love to the south coast and the New Forest, I was brought up there
 
Thanks for your reply. Basically I've stopped all things sugar. No more take aways. No booze. No white bread. No pasta. I now walk 30mins everyday and swim every other day- I'm lucky here as I have a holiday home on a park with hot tub and pool etc.
I'm on metformin x 4 a day. Blood fasting is ave. 5.5. Post meals around 8.5 to 11.5 depending on food. Much better than initially around the 17.2 mark at fasting.
 
Hello and welcome,

I can totally sympathise- I too had a hard time with the diagnosis. However, it doesn't have to be a death sentence. I'm in Australia so too far to meet up- but to be honest most of my support has been from this site.

I suggest reading the link posted by @Rachox as it contains useful information and then read around d the site for a while. I suggest in particular reading the success stories and that will let you read about people who have successful turned their life around- it is very inspirational. Keep posting, asking questions, asking about food, seeking support- whatever you need. This place is awesome and the people here have lived experience and are very generous with their time.

you seriously are not alone- we are all here are different stages with different experiences but with one thing in common.

good luck and welcome.
 
Thank you Vashti, I will look at everything as I'm keen to learn. It really is a life changing process, I realise I'll need to adjust to it.
 
Hi. Don't panic as it can be managed. You've already started doing the right thing by reducing your carbs. BTW you can still have some alcohol in sensible quantity such as wine and spirits so it's not all bad news. Do you think the weight loss is due to the improved diet and exercise? If so that's good and will stabilise. There is a small possibility of being T1 and not T2 and one symptom is unplanned weight loss but if your blood sugar doesn't rapidly rise then T2 is probably correct. Basically just keep doing what you are doing, keep testing and see the GP/DN when your review is due or if your are worried.
 
There are support groups either side of you in Southampton and Weymouth. Are these places too far away for you to travel to?
 
Ah - I used to go sailing on a yacht based in Lymington.
Has your GP or nurse not explained that type two is an inability to deal with carbohydrates, which are the starches and the sugars? They seem to leave a lot of people in the same state and seeing high blood glucose levels whilst taking tablets.
I started off at 17.1 mmol/l but I was eating loads of 'healthy' carbs on a cholesterol lowering diet my GP insisted on to save my life.
Luckily for years I did Atkins and just went back to that, used the diet sheets to light the barbecue.
No more problems.
It was as simple as that.
I find it no hardship eating a low carb diet, in fact I much prefer it, and I get normal blood glucose levels.
 
@southamptonsteve1959. Relax. Lean into it. You are among kindred spirits, and what you can't learn about diabetes here probably isn't worth knowing. Chances are you'll look back in a year or two and wonder what the fuss was all about.

Speaking only for myself, I now regard being diagnosed type 2 as the best thing that ever happened to me. It's completely changed my life for the better. I now enjoy a bounty of delicious food that was previously [allegedly] off limits, and I've never been happier or healthier.

Welcome.
 
We’re all here and sending virtual hugs.
Sounds like you’re making great progress both with dietary changes plus testing your bloods and learning what food works best for you as an individual. Well done you on the steps you’re taking all in the right direction including swimming and walking all great stuff.
I’d strongly suggest - if you haven’t already - that you take a look at
Www.dietdoctor.com
It’s got so much information,ideas and recipes including what low carb drinks you can have for treats.
You will get there - it is possible, as you’ve seen, to improve things by the way you eat it is depressing when you are diagnosed and the message you’re given re it will get worse but you can turn this round - as you are already - and that will impact on the way you see things too. Keep going you’re going in the right direction
 
Thank you. I may have a beer once a month on payday!
 
urbanracer said:
There are support groups either side of you in Southampton and Weymouth. Are these places too far away for you to travel to?
Click to expand...
Thanks for this, yes I can get to those, just need to find where they are. Would be nice to find someone on here thats local. Cheers
 

Hi @southamptonsteve1959 ,

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like your making moves in the right direction. Your in good hands on here.

A little word about safety online. If you planning on meeting up with someone on the Internet? Always tell an adult where you are going, check in & give a time back..
 
That's interesting, thank you. I also take thyroxine, my thyroid was blasted with radiotherapy.
 
Thank you Jim. Yes I'm learning fast about 'alternative' foods, alternative that is to the junk food I've been living on for donkeys years. Just a real shame that most healthy and good foods can come with a higher price, I love nuts but they are so expensive for just a small packet
 
MeiChanski said:
Hello Steve!

Welcome! Sending you hugs but it seems you are making a comeback and we are rooting for you. Unfortunately I’m not from your area but I hope you find a local group to hang out with.
Click to expand...
Thank you. What an amazing site this is, everyone helpful.
 

Don't worry, you'll get your groove on soon enough. Everyone panics a little at first. It's to be expected when your're changing lifetime eating habits, but there's loads of options that won't break the bank, and more importantly, won't break your health
 
Thank you Jaylee, very good point about any meet up. I hope I can keep it going in the right direction, I feel like I'm on a mission now, I'll not let it beat me once I've got my head around it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…