Type 2 Diabetes Procrastination is OVER

Hi @dolce2018,

Welcome to the forum and well done on your resolve to take on diabetes. I am tagging @daisy1 for some helpful info for new forum members.

My HbA1c was even higher than yours at diagnosis and it's now in the non-diabetic range (without medication for two years now). So, don't despair. It can be done. Have a read around and when you are ready, just asked away. There are bunches of knowledgeable, helpful and friendly members on this forum who will be eager to help.

Edited for spelling and grammar.

@dolce2018

Hello Dolce2018 and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members which should help you. Ask as many questions as you want 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 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 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. Most of these are 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.
  

Welcome to the forum. Tagging @daisy1 for newbie information.

I'm type 2 no meds. You'll find most of us here eat low carb. Here's a link which you may find helpful.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Carbohydrate-diets.html

Have a look around. I'm sure you'll have more questions. We're here to help.

Hi and welcome,

If you are going to beat this you will absolutely have to change the way you eat. Do you know that all carbs turn to sugar once eaten? This means the more carbs you eat, the higher your glucose levels will be. Diet is the key to control, and a reduction in the amount and type of carbs you eat is the only way to do it, with the help of your medication.

You have a meter, so try to use it to your advantage.
Test immediately before you eat
Test again 2 hours after first bite
Look at the difference between the before and after readings and keep this under 2mmol/l, preferably less.
Keep a food diary including everything you eat and drink, and the portion sizes.
Record your levels alongside the food and look for patterns, discover your personal danger foods.
You will have to eliminate some, and reduce portion sizes on others.
The worst culprits are rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, pastry and fruit.

As you are on a large dose of Gliclazide, you need to reduce carbs gradually. This is because Gliclazide forces the pancreas to produce extra insulin. The fewer carbs we eat, the less insulin we need. Too much insulin and we can end up in hypo territory. You need to test regularly and often, and when your levels get low enough, you will have to speak to your nurse about reducing the dosage.

Please have a good read round the forums, especially the success stories. Getting back to normal levels and reducing medication can be done.

Hi,

I’m relatively new to all of this but have been on the blood sugar diet for 8 weeks, lost just over a stone and my bloods are much much better.

I can sympathise with the “what you don’t know ignorance”. I was in denial for some time - but it’s never too late and well done on taking steps.

Wish you all the best, if your on Facebook there’s a group for the BSD. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can regain control.

All the best

dolce2018 said:

Hi everyone,

I have just joined today... I am finally taking my Diabetes seriously as Im scared about what will happen to my future and my health.

I am 31, I was diagnosed 7/8 years ago and I have to say, it was a disaster from the start.

I finished Univeristy, my uncle had just been diagnosed and checked my sugar levels which were 17!

I went to the doctors who diagnosed me with type2 and sent me on my way with 1000 mg metaformin a day. Then a year or so later 2000mg and then also 40mg of gliclazide twice a day.

They also told me to take losarton to protect my kidneys and for my blood pressure.

I have been back to lots of different doctors for different things, blood tests, foot checks. However there has been a long period of time where I simply did not take my medication. My longterm HBac1 is 10.6 at the moment which I am aware is really bad. Ive never check my blood sugar, mostly because if i am honest i was avoiding it as I was scared. What i didnr see i didnt need to worry abour. Same with my diabetes.

I feel fine generally and i couldnt reallt understans why people keep saying its really bad. Its hit me now and I need help.

My doctor is amazing, never had anyone actually sit and tell me the realisation of how it is. My blood pressure has also been raised

She Has put me on
The same - 2000 mg metaformin a day
Increased my glicazide to 80mg a day
Increased my losartan to 50mg a day

I also have 20,000 iu or vitamin d tablets for 7 days...
(Vit D is 24 as opposed to what it should be over 50)

I checked my blood sugars for the first time this morning, pre food. It was 17.9

After food ans AM tablets it was 29!! This has really frightened me and I will Be greatful for any advice to help bring this down.

I am going to change my lifestyle for food from now. I have the rest of my life to live and I dnt know a single person my age or in my situation (pre children) so im feeling really alone..

Please help, anyone!

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I was getting 16s regularly last year. Highest measured last year was 19.5 when I started to take it seriously. As you're hearing, people have been even higher then managed to turn it around amazingly well.

Based on what you say about diet and joining a gym, my own experience is that diet is the main thing to focus on by a long, long way. Especially if you don't normally want to go to a gym and are only joining because you feel you need to. If you can find a form of exercise that you genuinely enjoy then great, but there's no actual desperate need for it. I've found, since hugely upping my exercise (hill walking) at the weekends in the last month or so, the effect on my blood sugars and weight has been negative, as I eat more in the days afterwards. Apparently this is quite common without strict diet control.

So diet comes first, and apart from all the technical stuff, obviously involving reduction of carbs, there's the psychological stuff: work hard on experimenting to find a new set of foodstuffs / recipes that you genuinely like and will want to stick to permanently.

Hi and welcome dolce! You’ve arrived at the best little corner of the internet for us Type 2s. This forum has helped me no end. I second what AdamJames said about exercise, I was diagnosed 11 months ago, at the time I was waiting for an operation on my foot so struggled to exercise. I finally had the operation just before Xmas but prior to that I’d already got my bloods into non diabetic levels with diet and Metformin, with next to no exercise. It’s only in the last month or two that I’ve started doing a brisk 20 minute walk every day.

dolce2018 said:

Wow! Thats amazing! Thankyou for reply! Did you do it through diet, exercise and lifestyle change? I appreciate the help and advice.

I currently eat like im a non diabetic. I have a bad diet and dnt exercise.

I have now joined the gym but need to get myself there more often! I need to completely overhaul my diet.

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Hi @dolce2018,

Thanks for your reply. I basically have to echo what @Bluetit1802, @AdamJames and @Rachox adviced. I am on a low carb diet with about 20g to 30g of carbs per day. Initially, I couldn't exercise either. So, exercise is really secondary, but does generally help a bit once you feel up to it.

As you are on a type of medication that increases insulin production -- I suggest you lower carbs gradually and use a meter to measure the impact of your diet changes. Eating low carb for most has a much stronger impact on blood sugars than medication and usually works quite quickly (usually a matter of a few weeks). You don't want to get into hypo territory. Once, your blood sugars are closer to normal -- here I agree with @Bluetit1802 -- it would be a good idea to talk to your GP or nurse to see if they can reduce medication.

If you like leaning from books, get this book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diabetes-Code-Prevent-Reverse-Naturally/dp/1771642653