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Type 2 Difficulty getting a balance

F

figgywiggy

Well-Known Member
Messages
127
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed with type 2 six weeks ago. I am not overweight and run daily. I am a vegan. I am on 2 metformin 500 mg a day SR. My only symptom when I was diagnosed was pins and needles in the feet. I have cut down on carbs but am having lows when I eat normally I still get pins and needles in my feet. I can't get a good balance. Help. I am a gardener and also need a harmless snack to keep me going during the day.
 
Hi figgy, what were your readings and what are you eating, welcome by the way.
 
Welcome figgy

I use hazelnuts as my snack. They are a great nutritional bundle full of HDL and protein with the tinyest amount of carbs but plenty of fibre. They also contain arginine which helps stimulate the pancreas. The one downside, they have a lot of calories (over 600 per 100g)
 
Soz. I was a bit shocked and can't remember everything. Blood sugar was 15. The long term thing was high as well. Cholesterol was 6. I had been vegan and moved to vegetarian about three years ago. Now back to vegan. Also have a bit of problem digesting fat so stick to low fat diet. Run five days a week. Work as gardener two days. Thanks for your replies. I am floundering a bit


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When you say you have lows, what is your blood score at that point? When we start off on this journey our body sometimes sends out confused signals, which is all very annoying.
 
Unfortunately when I asked for a machine the DN said it would be confusing for me at this stage. So I never know atm. I did manage to do a test after a run and it was 10.3 but I read in runners world that it can go up after vigorous exercise for a short while.


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I can see I am not being very helpful when asking for advice because I don't know any readings and don't know what is going on. Have until mid July till I see dr again and would have liked to understand things a bit better. Might ask to see dietician.


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You can buy a meter, get a code free one because the strips are cheaper. Its money saving for the NHS, but its nonsense not being able to control with food what it does to your bloods. It takes all control from you.
To be honest I was vegetarian for 7 years then got diabetes, ethics went out of the window I'm afraid. I now eat meat. I was starving eating only veg, I couldn't eat quorn or fake meat. As a vegan its even harder. Good luck.
 
Hi. You must get hold of a meter otherwise you are working in the dark. The DN's comments are bit stupid really; what's confusing about meter readings? Can I ask how old you are in the context of not being overweight. Have you always been slim or did you lose weight prior to diagnosis?
 
I not young but have always taken plenty of exercise including running. I am a gardener so do physical work. I also have a degree so am not particularly stupid. I did ask for a meter but as I said she refused atm.


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You will have to do what all we type 2's do. Buy your own meter. Meters aren't expensive but the testing strips can be. The cheapest one around seems to be Codefree, which you can buy from Amazon. Many people on here use those.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
You will have to do what all we type 2's do. Buy your own meter. Meters aren't expensive but the testing strips can be. The cheapest one around seems to be Codefree, which you can buy from Amazon. Many people on here use those.
Click to expand...
Bluetit1802 said:
You will have to do what all we type 2's do. Buy your own meter. Meters aren't expensive but the testing strips can be. The cheapest one around seems to be Codefree, which you can buy from Amazon. Many people on here use those.
Click to expand...
thank you for the advice. Will go in amazon.
 
Figgywiggy - many of us felt exactly as you do at the outset; that we are running low. In order to know what your blood scores are, you will need a meter. The SD Codefree meter from homehealth-UK.com, or Amazon, or eBay appears a most cost effective means of self-funding (as most of us are).

At the outset, when we cut down carbs, our bodies "object", and send out "low" signals to encourage us to carb up. In those circumstances, it is common to then test and find still higher than desired levels. The answer is to ignore those feelings, and like any form of craving they go away. In my early days, when ignoring wasn't so easy, I would just have a cup of tea with a little milk and I'd feel better. The phenomenon is routinely called a "false hypo".

Of course, you could actually be going low, but without a meter, it's all guess work.

These early days can be a bit bewildering, but with the correct tools, a meter and strips, and asking lots of questions, you will get there.
 
Thank y
ou. I am still stabbing in the dark. Just seen from my phone app the pineapple I ate at lunch time had 19 g carbs which is way too high. Need to really get to grips with this. As a vegan I am used to eating fresh fruit and it's no good.
 
Yes testing is critical. I buck the trends in that I can eat pineapple, papaya and mango without any issue. Pears are a different matter.......

Fruit, in quantity, I really do miss.
 
I am s
AndBreathe said:
Yes testing is critical. I buck the trends in that I can eat pineapple, papaya and mango without any issue. Pears are a different matter.......

Fruit, in quantity, I really do miss.
Click to expand...

I am doing three bean salad for my tea with green salad. I would like to eat three new potatoes with it is that wrong.
 
If you are going to have potatoes, then new pots are the best. I can manage 100g of new (2 medium or 3 small) . Have them tonight and enjoy them. When you get your meter you will find out for sure if you can have them, and how many. We are all different.
 
Th
Thank you.
 
Ok my helpmates. Got meter. I did a test before dinner and it read 5.9. Did another 1 hour after dinner and it read 10.3. I am not sure what that means. Is it good or bad.


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