Can you help me? Somebody please...

southamptonsteve1959

Active Member
Messages
35
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes. Cancer.
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
What a great job you've done there, amazing turn around. I'm going to do this... well done and thank you.
 
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SaskiaKC

Expert
Messages
6,308
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
@southamptonsteve1959 Welcome to the forums. This is a great place to virtually meet other T2s and T1s, and to discuss all aspects of diabetes. I invite you to check out the Chat threads here, as well as the recipes and other food-related threads.

t1103.gif
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
My food bills don't seem particularly high
I don't buy expensive cuts of meat, and I only need to eat twice a day.
 
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gennepher

Master
Messages
13,241
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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
I absolutely love nuts too.
I get mine from Aldi and Lidl (and Home Bargains but don't know if they are that far South). I love cashews. Lidl do a salted one in the Simply range.

I lived by Southampton Common as a small child! I had a small blue bike then. I need a walker and crutches now in my old age!!!
 
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Barb McD

Well-Known Member
Messages
239
@southamptonsteve1959

Hi Steve

Heck of a time you’ve had, glad you’re here, I’m newly back myself (both to the Forum & from major surgery).

So much here to read through and so much good advice. If you have anything to ask here is the place for advice tried & tested by all of us, and support while you find out how to own this. Fantastic attitude, keep reading, good luck with a support group.

If you need a chat message someone here, in the mean time.

Thinking about you, it is terrifying

x B
 

JoKalsbeek

Expert
Messages
5,937
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
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.
Hi and welcome!

I felt much the same way you did at the start, so yeah... Does feel like you should get your coffin picked out, right at the start. Turns out, getting diagnosed quite saved my life, and most likely will change yours for the better too. From the sound of it you've already made some great changes. Keep at it, it is worth it and you're going to feel so much more like yourself again. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help a little, but all in all... You're going to be fine. ;)
Hugs,
Jo
 
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coby

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,083
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Social mixing most sport, Soaps!
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
When I was 'well into my healthy eating' nuts were my sweeties and I always, even now, have a tub full of Brazils, Pecans, Macadamia and Almonds on the kitchen worksurface. I'm trying to return to healthy eating after major upsets during the past 20 months, and do still rely on those nuts!
 
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Paulines7

Active Member
Messages
29
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Stuck up people. People who do not care about others. Racists. Intolerant people. Tories.
Welcome to the forum, Steve. It sounds as though you are doing all the right things and congratulations on your weight loss. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 6 years ago and am still on diet only. On diagnosis I was given some wrong advice by my GP about what to eat, being told to have brown rice and pasta. However, I got a meter and found out that even brown versions of those two staples sent my blood sugar levels soaring. I haven't eaten them since. I have cauliflower rice with my curries, stir fries or chilli con carne now. Two weeks ago I came across the website below which has some very interesting low carb recipes. I have made the cauliflower rice with mushrooms and spinach and it is delicious.
https://kalynskitchen.com/special-diets/low-carb/

I don't know of any support groups but I joined a diabetic forum shortly after being diagnosed and found it very helpful. When you are taking your blood sugar readings you need to test just before you eat and one and two hours afterwards to know what foodstuffs to avoid in future. Details here: https://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=136 For the first few years I found it useful to keep a spreadsheet of what I am eating and my test results.

This past year though I started to eat some cakes, chocolate and ice cream and my HbA1c has gone up to 59, surprise, surprise! I took myself in hand a few weeks ago and went on the Newcastle diet. A friend on a forum had told me that the Daily Mail had published details of it. I found it online here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7861735/Beating-type-2-diabetes-easy-1-2-3.html I decided to try it and I am losing weight. I have also found that my meter readings when I wake up have dropped from 10 or 11 to between 6 and 7. I am still on Stage 1 but am over one third of the way through it.

Good luck Steve; keep up the good work!
 
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Debandez

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Steve

You've had some great advice already.

All I can add is for me my type 2 diagnosis was a blessing in disguise. I was offered metformin and statins but declined as I heard you could reverse it. Googled reversing diabetes and found the answer for majority was going low carb. Carbs turn to sugar so it makes sense. Low fat products are not as healthy as you think either as when they take the fat out (the taste and goodness) they shove sugar in so beware. The support I got from forum members on here....PHENOMENAL. All questions answered. Lots of info. Friendly. And on my favourite thread 'full on chat' search will take you there we have a laugh every single day.

Diet doctor has great visuals. Ditch the carbs excellent too. You tube has their informative videos.

I read The Diabetes Code by Jason fung. Brilliant.

I watched videos from Dr Fung, Dr David Cavan. And many others. You tube is a wonderful resource. Just put reversing diabetes in your search engine. Many patients sharing their journeys.

I was told by my diabetic nurse not to bother testing. It can become obsessive. The 6 monthly/annual hba1c test is apparently sufficient. Then I came on various diabetes forums where I was advised to test. It helped me reduce my hba1c from 62 to 36. My DN in shock. Lost 4 stone in 7 months too. Blood pressure gone from borderline meds to optimal. Testing told me the foods to avoid. So I put together a list of swaps that work for me, attached for info.

Dr David unwin is an amazing southport Gp who has just seen his 73rd pt into remission.

This video is really good. It's an hour so give yourself a good bit of time to watch.


He has had his infographs endorsed by NICE. Sugar equivalents of foods.

https://phcuk.org/sugar/

Any questions just fire away. Always someone listening out.

The public health collaboration have reps around the country. You could check on their website re your area maybe.
 

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urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
I sailed out of the port of Southampton fifty years go on the 17.02.70 Australia bound on the Fairstar.

Fairstar-Maiden-Voyage-MLB.jpg

About time you gave it back. Somebody must have missed it
 
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Deleted member 308541

Guest
That is sad. It was a lovely ship, from the photo.
It was a great ship, I had my first taste of real pasta on board her, I had only eaten the tinned stuff before. I was even shown how to twiddle it on a fork properly.
 
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Bildad

Well-Known Member
Messages
371
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @southamptonsteve1959 and welcome to the community. You are in the right place to reclaim your life from this allegedly progressive disease. In the 12 months since I cut carbs I have halved my Hba1c from 78 to 35. And come off all my meds. All this was done by eating real food. I find that I eat more meat now and I appreciate that can be nore expensive but over all I eat far less food and no processed food or takeaways. I only eat when I am hungry so I actually eat far less food in total. I haven't noticed my food bills going up.
I am not sure if you have weight to loose but I have also managed to drop 5 stone in 12 months without any effort (I really hate exercise)
As the others have said read around on here and learn all you can. I know virtual friends aren't really a substitute for face to face meetings but when you take control of your Type 2 you can get your life back to normal and then focus on living it to the full rather than have it dominated by an inability to process carbohydrate.
I wish you success. I am sorry I have no suggestions for groups in your area as I live in NW England.
 

SaskiaKC

Expert
Messages
6,308
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Welcome to the forum, Steve. It sounds as though you are doing all the right things and congratulations on your weight loss. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 6 years ago and am still on diet only. On diagnosis I was given some wrong advice by my GP about what to eat, being told to have brown rice and pasta. However, I got a meter and found out that even brown versions of those two staples sent my blood sugar levels soaring. I haven't eaten them since. I have cauliflower rice with my curries, stir fries or chilli con carne now. Two weeks ago I came across the website below which has some very interesting low carb recipes. I have made the cauliflower rice with mushrooms and spinach and it is delicious.
https://kalynskitchen.com/special-diets/low-carb/

I don't know of any support groups but I joined a diabetic forum shortly after being diagnosed and found it very helpful. When you are taking your blood sugar readings you need to test just before you eat and one and two hours afterwards to know what foodstuffs to avoid in future. Details here: https://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=136 For the first few years I found it useful to keep a spreadsheet of what I am eating and my test results.

This past year though I started to eat some cakes, chocolate and ice cream and my HbA1c has gone up to 59, surprise, surprise! I took myself in hand a few weeks ago and went on the Newcastle diet. A friend on a forum had told me that the Daily Mail had published details of it. I found it online here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7861735/Beating-type-2-diabetes-easy-1-2-3.html I decided to try it and I am losing weight. I have also found that my meter readings when I wake up have dropped from 10 or 11 to between 6 and 7. I am still on Stage 1 but am over one third of the way through it.

Good luck Steve; keep up the good work!

Your post encouraged me. I started eating the same sort of foods this past year and my weight and other numbers went back up too. It is good to hear that I'm not the only one struggling, and not the only one trying to get back on the wagon and stay there! :)