Confused! Newly Diagnosed Type 2

Ladystarbar said:

Hello, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 17/12/21 with a hba1c of 108. Doctor called and diagnosed over the phone and had an appointment day. Given Metformin to take 3 a day after 3 weeks with a photo copy of Diabetes type 2 blurb to read. Non the wiser in all honesty and have been told I've been referred to my local diabetes clinic. Does anyone know what will happen at the clinic, will I need to test my blood glucose levels, what diet changes should I be making before clinic appointment? I know nothing about diabetes as there's none in the family at all, even the GP was surprised there's no diabetes in the family.So confused.

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Aww you sound just like I was on diagnosis six years ago, and no diabetes in my family either! Take a deep breath and read as much on the forum as you are able to take in for now. Your appt will be with diabetic nurse who will weigh you, take your blood pressure and ask about your health, lifestyle. Nothing sinister and hopefully she will be one who knows that a low carb diet works !!!

Oh, I feel for you @Ladystarbar !

It is bewildering to start off with.

Don't worry about the appointment - it'll probably be routine tests and a chat as @coby has said.

As for changes to diet, it is carbohydrates in all their forms that need to be addressed. Read as much as you can on here and ask as many questions as you need to. There is always a friendly ear available and no question is silly - many of us have started off exactly where you are. The only thing I would caution when changing your diet is to start slowly and gradually, so you can try to find something that will work for you long term.

When I was diagnosed I was given a blood test meter by the hospital, and taught how to use it (as close as possible to the first bite of a meal and 2 hours after, aiming for a rise of no more than 2). However I understand that certainly isn't the case for all T2's. Personally, I have found it absolutely invaluable to understand what food works for me and what doesn't.

And most importantly of all, be kind to yourself! There's a lot to learn, there'll be ups and downs and you'll make mistakes - we all do! - but there's a whole bunch of people here to support you along the way.

Just to add to @EllieM ’s comment, you don’t have to inform the DVLA at all in the UK that you have type 2 on Metformin only, but you do have to inform your car insurer, they just ask what meds you’re on and put it on your file, it won’t affect your premium.

Ladystarbar said:

Thank you @EllieM and @Rachox. I'd lost over a stone without trying before I was diagnosed but have probably another 4 to lose. I've not put any on over Christmas either so that's a bonus. I had all the symptoms but put them down to other things or dismissed them. I'm over the to hear about the driving side of it. I'm already on a 3 year renewal because of other medications and because I have recurring psychotic depression with psychosis. Great fun eh?! It's the meds for those that make me crave sweet food.

I'll take a look at the intro you've suggested @EllieM.

Thank you both of you for taking time to help this dazed and confused newbie xx

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Hi there

mid you’ve been running high bloods for a while then it’s not uncommon to lose weight without trying, it’s one of the side effects. It is known in type 2, I had the same symptoms. It is more common in type 1 but isn’t so unusual

As I understand it, human body doesn’t like too much sugars in the blood and wants to get rid of it, so makes you want to urinate it out but it’s not good for you. With hba1c at your levels, it could easily be that I could imagine.

lower carbs often helps people lose weight as well as lowering sugars so that’s a good option. It’s not an option perhaps all in the NHS have followed so they might not be onboard. Come speak to us on the forums, we can help!

driving wise, as @Rachox and @EllieM said, you aren’t on drugs that are a major concern here and getting your control is a good way to keep you away from that

stress won’t help, easier said than done but try to be as calm as you can. Many of us have decades of T2. It’s something to control but we can with knowledge, it doesn’t have to control us

testing for us T2s outside of certain meds isn’t recommended by the NHS and so they don’t usually provide the way to. however it is a good way to help us understand how foods impact us. We usually have to self fund but there are cheaper ways. Lowering carbs and losing weight can help and if it’s only possible to use hba1c from the doctor then that’s a way also but that might only be every 6 months.

if you want to share your diet, we can maybe offer suggestions or there are forums on here with good suggestions for food. It does change what we can eat but hopefully there are solutions that improve.

Good luck

Ladystarbar said:

Anyway, I am overweight so that will definitely need to be addressed. My worry is I'll be looked at in disgust by the staff at the clinic or anyone else within the NHS.

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@Ladystarbar ,

Please, please do try not to worry about this.

Although this is MUCH easier said than done, I really do know. As someone who spent years and years hating my weight and body, avoiding some situations because of my own image of myself, I have to say that when I was diagnosed and suddenly came into contact with dozens of medical professionals, I have only been met with help, advice and support, and NO judgement.

What is working for me is following a low carb diet and upping my excercise (still not enough, but I'll get there!) I have managed to lose weight and feel better about myself than I can ever remember feeling.

Of course this approach won't work for everyone but I'm sure you will find your way.

Ladystarbar said:

Hello @KateS14 and @Andydragon, thank you for your advice and apologies again for my late reply. I'm getting stressed out trying to sign in and find the this thread. I've found out today that I'm on the Diabetic clinic waiting list but they can't say when appointment will be. I was told last week that it'll be this week. I'm pretty annoyed but not surprised.

My diet has been all over the place in recent months, actually since the first lockdown but I love pasta and I'm going to find that hard to not have. I love fruit but unsure which are best or the ones to avoid. I have a treadmill that I bought on impulse last new year so I have made a new years resolution to use it! I don't want everyone in my village seeing me. I will invest in a blood testing thingamajig. I've been on Metformin for nearly 2 weeks but I'm still incredibly thirsty and urinating more but they both go together. Any idea when that will subside? I can't even tell you how many litres I'm drinking a day but it's a lot! I'll try not to worry and I'll join in and read the forums for sure. Just need to work out how to easily sign in on here

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Hi there,

you have high blood levels and as @EllieM says, it’s hardly surprising you are still having the side effects of that. When those improve ideally the side effects will diminish. Hopefully you get the clinic soon

Its a lot to take in, we know that, many of us have gone through the same thing, trying to understand how and why. My family has a history of T2 but I still am learning, but there is a path through

blood testing will help but I’m afraid you mention one of the foods that is not so good and and that’s pasta. Fruit also tends not to be good, but there are some lower carb berries, so strawberries, raspberries are generally much better. Personally I have scales and try to keep track of the portion sizes but I have found from my own experience that carbs tend to be more moreish, I need more to feel satisfied so as others will mention, fats and protein will help even though it can seem against a lot of mainstream advice

dietdoctor is a site I have seen recommended (https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb) and if you search for any keto foods that because they are low to no carbs should fit in too. It is a change, but you can have a highly varied and nutritious diet still.

Lower carbs have helped a lot of us, and can take some adapting to as we are so used to being pushed towards “healthier carbs” which unfortunately aren’t much better. Everybody is different so one diet doesn’t fit all perfectly. I aim for below 150g of carbs a day, you will see some of the forums who are lower

at the moment it might be that they advise more drugs and that’s your choice, getting those bloods down is important. There are options, and these forums can help

Thanks for the tag @EllieM and welcome to the forum @Ladystarbar

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews, links to the strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.


Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833



SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:


https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

Ladystarbar said:

I'm getting stressed out trying to sign in and find the this thread.

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Aside from your other questions, you can use the Watch Thread button so you'll get alerts when someone replies to that thread

Ladystarbar said:

but I love pasta and I'm going to find that hard to not have

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Got to admit I struggled with the thought that I could no longer have pasta, then someone asked if it was the pasta I was missing or the meals that I had pasta with. So I cooked some pasta drained it and ate some, no sauce, olive oil or cheese, It was tasteless and quite slimy. So now I still enjoy the meals, Bolognese, carbonara, lasagne etc,etc but now I leave out the tasteless high carb pasta.

A wise choice you could try wholemeal pasta, just a thought

Chrisjr72 said:

A wise choice you could try wholemeal pasta, just a thought

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Which doesn't make much of a difference for most of us. The initial rise may be a bit slower, but numbers tend to stay higher a bit longer. In the end, it's about the same amount of carbs.

catinahat said:

Got to admit I struggled with the thought that I could no longer have pasta, then someone asked if it was the pasta I was missing or the meals that I had pasta with. So I cooked some pasta drained it and ate some, no sauce, olive oil or cheese, It was tasteless and quite slimy. So now I still enjoy the meals, Bolognese, carbonara, lasagne etc,etc but now I leave out the tasteless high carb pasta.

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Nice idea.
Like it.

I think we found similar

That it was the meal combo that needed changing to be more acceptable.

To enjoy spaghetti bol I thought I needed some spaghetti substitute....so courghetti. (spiral of courgettes, for op )
Which allowed me to annoy a pasta like spaghetti bol.

And slightly differently with a curry the initial thoughts were replace rice, with cauliflower rice.

A lot of faff,. Once I was advised to roast cauliflower, I stopped the rice simulation and just have the cauliflower as is, with curry piling alongside on plate .

The same.?....no

But like your experiment,
a little mental juggling to accommodate a meal I enjoyed,

that sadly T2D dictated I should avoid, that through the magic of an inventive mind is now firmly back on the menu list here.

Many ways to eat better, if we look around

Good luck @Ladystarbar

Loads of advice on this forum.

All ya gotta do is ask, if a search doesn't answer your question.

Remember each of us has been somewhat in your shoes and we all progressed with a little help from forum members.

Be surprised how many want to pass that "help" forward to someone else.