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DENIAL OF DIAGNOSIS UNTIL RECENTLY

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barnfluff1

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hi I was diagnosed typed 2... 6 years ago, diet controlled...and had been in denial until a month ago when i became symptomatic. Weeing +++ during the night, had a boil on my bottom needing double dose of antibiotics. I put it down to the menopause...hot flushes..constantly tired, narky and weepy. I went for my annual review and Hb1Ac was 9. What actually gave me a reality check was when the nurse dipped my urine and I could see the instant colour change on the dip stick! (I am a registered nurse who should know better!!!!). The doctor actually called asking to see me that day ...I went into her office knowing exactly why she wanted to see me...basically to read me the riot act...but I got in first and told her I would happily start metformin...she nearly fainted as I had been refusing any medication for the past few years. I explained that although I had been in denial of my diabetes status I have a phobia of swallowing tablets...she quickly informed me that metformin now comes in granules...and wrote a prescription for me. To start on one sachet a day for a few weeks...check my urine at intervals...if glucose still showing to up metformin to twice a day.
An hour after taking my first metformin sachet....I expected an upset tummy.....never happened...what I did find was that I felt...hard to describe...less sluggish/refreshed!!?? maybe it was in my mind...but I did feel a lot better. Since then (2 weeks on) I have more energy..I no longer nap when I get home from work. I am eating healthier...not dieting...more fruits and seeds such as linseed with porrage in mornings...mackrel, burgen bread, soya milk instead of dairy milk and walking 20-30 minutes each evening. My scales do not show that I am losing weight but my bra size has gone fromm DD cup to C cup...women will understand. Work colleagues have commented that I hardly have flushes and that I look more refreshed and less stressed.
I really wished I listened to my doctor 6 years ago...I have never felt better for a long time.
WACH THIS SPACE!!!!
 
Well done, no idea why urine sticks are being used though with blood sugar meters being readily available other than cost. If your PCT won't fund strips get an SD codefree off of the net. Urine sticks very imprecise. I believe they only register above 10 by which time you are doing damage to your body.

Ali
 
Welcome barnfluff

Have a read over Daisy's post given to new members. It's full of useful info.

I would forget the urine sticks and get yourself a blood glucose meter. Otherwise you wont know how foods are affecting you

Personally I can't touch porridge , it gave me my highest reading EVER. 15.4 i think.

If you can get your food sorted you may well not need to progress onto other meds. The exercise is great as well.

Diabetes is a fascinating condition, no two people react the same to carbs - some people can tollerate non at all (apart from what comes in veg's etc) others can manage certain ones, strangely the time of the day of eating them can differ from person to person too.

Just a note on fruit - many of us can't handle much, berries seem better than others with bananas and grapes being pretty bad.

Mary x
 
Hi barnfluff and welcome to the forum :)

This is the information that we give to new members, which was mentioned by Mary, and which I think will be useful to you. Ask all the questions you like and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 30,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html

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

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.
 
HI thank you for your replies. I am still feeling good since starting my metformin along with healthier diet and walking. I personally do not use dip sticks for urine testing. I previously worked within the diabetic unit so very lucky to be given a glucometer by the unit (Onetouch mini). So simple to use. Will spend time testing blood glucose pre and post breakfast......if it remains a bit high I will take my metformin twice a day in opposed to once a day at the moment as my doc suggested.
I don't weigh myself but I have noticed my clothes are a bit looser...Yeh!!.
Thankfully I have no digestive issues with the metformin...if anything it is keeping me well regular.
 
Hello Barnfluff ... I was chuffed to read your post ... and I can identify with a lot of what you say about the effect you've felt since taking Metformin. I was started on 500mg a day for a week then upped to 2 a day the next week and then 3 a day the third week. By week 3 I was already noticing that I was moving around a lot more than before. It had been an effort getting out of my chair, but by week three I was not only getting out of it but staying out of it for longer, walking around more, sleeping less, feeling more and more refreshed - and I can only put that down to the fact that my body's cells are now receiving more glucose than they were before. That includes my heart and lungs - because they're certainly working a lot better than they were.

I had no nasty side effects from Metformin either, only good ones in that I feel physically stronger, mentally more alert and emotionally more stable since getting the right treatment and the right diet for me. I feel like my old self more and more every day, and it's decades since I felt that way. My first diabetic review last week saw my HBA1C down to that of a person without diabetes. Whether it stays that way remains to be seen, but I certainly intend to stick with what I'm doing. Some of my additional health problems are much much improved and continue to improve, while others are taking a bit longer to improve. But I honestly feel that with diabetes under control, we begin to realise just how many signs and symptoms there are that are NOT included on any list. Breathlessness for one thing. I've been taking inhalers for asthma for several years and I also put it down to perhaps being overweight. Yet that breathlessness is now improving every day - it was a symptom of my high BS and lack of energy accessible to my organs. We think of muscles as just those things in our arms and legs, but every organ also needs to receive adequate energy to function properly. So it stands to reason that heart and lungs also suffer from undiagnosed diabetes.

The only thing I'm miffed about regarding Metformin is that it hasn't done for me what it's done for others where weight loss is concerned. I can breathe and move around better than before and I'm not starving hungry all the time - so I'm thankful for that. :D

So glad you're feeling lots better too and long may we continue to do so! :D :clap:
 
Hi Grace..it will take time for most of us to lose a bit of weight...I find I haven't lost weight according to the scales but I do not feel so bloated or tired as before...and the fact that I seemed to have lost cup sizes from my bra.is telling me something good is happening.The fact that you are feeling better and moving around better may indicate that good things are happening to you too, so don't be disheartened. every little helps. Keep up the good work xx :clap: :clap:
 
barnfluff1 said:
Hi Grace..it will take time for most of us to lose a bit of weight...I find I haven't lost weight according to the scales but I do not feel so bloated or tired as before...and the fact that I seemed to have lost cup sizes from my bra.is telling me something good is happening.The fact that you are feeling better and moving around better may indicate that good things are happening to you too, so don't be disheartened. every little helps. Keep up the good work xx :clap: :clap:
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Thanks for the support barnfluff ... you're right. And I'm still euphoric that so much has improved, and not quite ready yet to worry too much about weight loss. I'm now swimming 2 hours a week and hoping to add another hour soon. The fact that I can now breathe and walk at the same time is a big, big, big plus. :wink:
 
Hi Just a wee update from my last post (Nov 12)...
Doc happier with me...I'm happier with me too ..YEH!!!
Have now lost a stone in weight through healthy eating during the week (enjoy some treats at week end) and walking every other night...
My Hb1Ac was 60..(7.5 in old money)
I am now taking 500mg glucophage (sachets) 3 times a day....I want to get my blood sugars to a better level so will need to get my bike out soon. Other good news is that I can now get into a pile of jeans that I put away as I could not get their buttons to meet!!!!
Grace I hope you are feeling better and keeping up the good work xxx Please let me know xx :D
 
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