diagnosis confirmed

[ramtops]

I have today finally had my suspicions confirmed - I am type 2 diabetic. Apparently my blood test came back with an HbA1c of 10.6, which sounds frighteningly high to me, given I'd been "good" for 4-5 weeks before the test, but ...

Doctor is letting me try diet and exercise for a while - I've lost 8lbs in 6 weeks, so that's proceeding well. However, although I got a Bayer Contour meter from a free offer on this site, she won't prescribe me any strips or needles for that or anything else right now - she says that if I'm not taking medication (which is what she wanted), then there's "no point in testing".

Is this right? How can I know how various foods affect me if I don't test? The cost of items for these things is ferocious if I have to fund it myself - I'm not sure I can afford it to be honest.

I have an appointment with the nurse next week - what do to next, I wonder. Any advice would be most welcome.

 

[kateincornwall]

Sadly, many Doctors, mine included , wont prescribe test strips unless you are on meds, which is madness as we need to test in able to stay off meds, its a no win situation . Lots of people find that cutting carbs helps to keep the BG lower , I follow this regime and walk lots too . Theres lots of info on this site re low carb regime if this is for you, its certainly keeping me in check and after 6 months of it , I really dont think about it anymore, its about changing lifestlye really, good luck x

 

[cugila]

No point in testing is rubbish !!!

Here is the advice we hand out to newly diagnosed T2's. Have a read and see what is useful for you.

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different .

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

The main carbs to avoid or reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such a bread, potatoes, pasta and rice also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating then two hours after eating you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.

As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try !!

As a Type 2 the latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l.
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l.
If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

 

[Synonym]

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis but given what you have said I guess it is no real surprise to you.

However you have lost weight which is always good. 8) So do you have much to lose and how are you getting the weight down? What diet are you following? The advice above is invaluable :!:

We cannot always rule out taking meds anyway but trying to avoid it as long as possible is probably the best route. As you say, you cannot know what your food is doing to your body without testing so this is obviously something that you are going to have to fund yourself. It is dreadful that those who want to control their condition are effectively being prevented from so doing - make note to write to your new MP!. :roll:

 

[ramtops]

Thanks all - at the moment I'm just eating less, really, and better - so no white carbs if possible, make my own wholemeal bread, lots of fruit, low fat. I walk miles - about 27 in the past four days alone (as I'm delivering leaflets for the election!), swim twice a week, with a 1.5 mile round trip to the baths, exercise bike upstairs. Actually, I feel better than I have in years - more energy, and sleeping better.

According to my scales I'm now 67.2kgs, at 5'4" - I'd like to drop to 63 at least, but I know it's going to get harder as I go.

I'll talk to the nurse next week, but I live in Hull, a very poor area, and I bet the PCT is very short of cash

 

[Mother Bear]

So sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but better you found out now that later. I only got diagnosed myself at Easter so I am also quite new to it all. I have found the people on this forum to be a great help. It is good to have people to talk to that understand.

 

[Synonym]

- at the moment I'm just eating less, really, and better - so no white carbs if possible, make my own wholemeal bread, lots of fruit, low fat.

Hello again.

When you see the Diabetic Nurse do ask her for a meter because she may well have one of the freebie ones they are given by the reps. If you make it clear that you want to be proactive in controlling your condition, take a food diary with you and ask for testing strips too you may just hit gold! Hope so anyway! :roll:

You may well find when you start testing that you have to watch the amount of fruit you eat and for many of us starchy carbs are completely out nowadays. We are all different so testing is the way that you will find out what your food does to your BG levels.

Glad that you are feeling so well, keep up the exercise! 8)