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Disappointed it could have been avoided????

mrsg80

mrsg80

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Good evening,

I'm sure you get a million messages but thought id try to see if I could get a response.

I had gestational diabetes in 2007/2008, I didn't feel I was very looked after and was just left to it by the doctors until last year when I went to the doctors as I just couldn't get through the day.

Had a fasting test to see if it was anything underlying and levels came back at 6.1-7.1 each time. It was also a concern as my kidneys weren't working well either. Kidneys not a problem it seems but knew the diabetes hadn't gone any.

My father has diabetes and got this when he was around 40 - 70 now.

Had another fasting and it was 6.7 so was asked to do GTT which was 8.2 fasting and then 8.7 after 2 hours.

Now been referred to diabetic clinic and DSN. Will have another HBA11c and know a bit more then. Last year the result was just .5 over so they said to come back in a year.

I'm a little frustrated that if they had given me a diet plan, care plan or closer monitoring I could have put it off a while??

So what's in store?

My symptoms are:-

Fatigue / exhaustion at least a few times a day!
Loo a lot!!!!!
Itchy skin all over (not sure if related)
Headaches
Nausea - never fancy food. Try to eat to rid of sicky feeling but end up eating chips! Then feel awful.

Thank you xxx
 
mrsg80 said:
Good evening,

I'm sure you get a million messages but thought id try to see if I could get a response.

I had gestational diabetes in 2007/2008, I didn't feel I was very looked after and was just left to it by the doctors until last year when I went to the doctors as I just couldn't get through the day.

Had a fasting test to see if it was anything underlying and levels came back at 6.1-7.1 each time. It was also a concern as my kidneys weren't working well either. Kidneys not a problem it seems but knew the diabetes hadn't gone any.

My father has diabetes and got this when he was around 40 - 70 now.

Had another fasting and it was 6.7 so was asked to do GTT which was 8.2 fasting and then 8.7 after 2 hours.

Now been referred to diabetic clinic and DSN. Will have another HBA11c and know a bit more then. Last year the result was just .5 over so they said to come back in a year.

I'm a little frustrated that if they had given me a diet plan, care plan or closer monitoring I could have put it off a while??

So what's in store?

My symptoms are:-

Fatigue / exhaustion at least a few times a day!
Loo a lot!!!!!
Itchy skin all over (not sure if related)
Headaches
Nausea - never fancy food. Try to eat to rid of sicky feeling but end up eating chips! Then feel awful.

Thank you xxx
Click to expand...
Hi mrsg80 and welcome. Sorry to read about your problems and I can fully understand how frustrated you must be. Unfortunately I can't help you with any info but stick around because I'm sure someone will be along soon with some answers.
 
adrian207 said:
Hi mrsg80 and welcome. Sorry to read about your problems and I can fully understand how frustrated you must be. Unfortunately I can't help you with any info but stick around because I'm sure someone will be along soon with some answers.
Click to expand...
Thank you Adrian! X
 
There are many reasons why people get type 2 diabetes. Genetics are a huge factor. Also environment, physical and emotional trauma, medication, other medical conditions... Diet, exercise and lifestyle can also be contributing factors, but not for everyone.

I don't know how old you are, your diet or lifestyle, but I would advise you not to focus too hard on how things might have been... That could get very stressful and frustrating, and it won't change anything.

Also, the diet advice handed out by the NHS is considered, by MANY experienced type 2s on this forum to be BAD advice. Very few of us follow it. Many of us arrive on this forum after months or years of eating what the NHS considers to be a healthy balanced diet (low fat, whole grain, plenty of veg and fruit) having watched their health deteriorate on that diet. To be fair, there are others who turn up here after decades of takeaways with a four-pack, so it really does take all sorts. :)

I seem to read success stories on here every day, with people changing their diet to fewer grains and starchy veg. My own story is similar.

You may well come to celebrate the fact that you avoided the NHS dietary advice!

As to what is in store?
Well that is very much up to you. :)
Read widely. Post here. Find out how your body reacts to the foods you are eating, adjust your activity and carb intake, and you should live a long, healthy, symptom-free existence.
Basically, if you keep your blood glucose as close to non-diabetic levels as possible, then you minimise the chance of developing diabetic complications.
:happy:
 
Hi mrsg, you will certainly get a response on here, we are a real friendly bunch and you should get @daisy1 along soon with a long list of very good information. You need to ask as many questions as you can, but one thing I will say you have to cut the carbs.I notice you mention chips they would be an absolute No No for us, they could be giving you a big sugar spike which is making you feel not too good. I see a few people have already been in contact and Im sure more will come along.
Neil
 
Thank you Brunneria,

I am 34 and thank you for your response.

I way rather well, exercise daily with dog walks and don't drink too much!

Have diabetic clinic next week and am sure I will learn more then.

Not going to be too disheartened! It's well known, it's treatable and popular!
 
The first steps are the most important. You've already made the right move by coming here. The second step is to start asking questions, regardless of how dumb they might seem. There's ALWAYS someone who'll respond.

The third step is to ban starches (potatoes as Neil kindly pointed out), rice, bread and bread products, processed foods and fruits high in fructose (pineapples, ripe bananas, peaches etc etc are on my blacklist).

Eat fish (not battered by the way) lean meats, plenty of leafy vegetables .... and ask anything you want about that topic as well given there's a ton of ideas on the board.

Good luck Mike :)
 
Welcome to the forum and the club. On the positive side, the diabetic diet plan they would have given you of a low fat high carb diet would not have helped much, if it didn't make it worse! Now that you're on this forum you can find out about diets that actually work for type 2 diabetes.
 
you may have been told you are pre-diabetic, the good news is if you look after yourself, the odds of NOT becoming a full diabetic is 60-70% of pre diabetic people.don't
what;s is in store as you ask, is a diet change and I found it's a hard week as you change....as said you need to greatly reduce carb intake, you will find that your blood glucose will drop to normal
get your weight to normal and light/medium exercise,

t’s a long page and a video http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchfi
For me, the more carbs we eat the more carbs we want. they don’t give up easy.http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm

after a fortnight to a month..see what symptoms are left
 
Hello mrsg and welcome to the forum :)

As you will have seen, diet is all important and it's important to really cut down on carbs, compensating with higher fats so you don't feel too hungry. You will find plenty of information about carbs in this information which we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 over 100,000 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-and-whole-grains.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 bloodglucose 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.
 
daisy1 said:
Hello mrsg and welcome to the forum :)

As you will have seen, diet is all important and it's important to really cut down on carbs, compensating with higher fats so you don't feel too hungry. You will find plenty of information about carbs in this information which we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 over 100,000 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-and-whole-grains.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 bloodglucose 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.
Click to expand...
Wow!!!!!

Thank you so much for a hugely helpful post!

I have my appointment to go back on Tuesday for HBA11c and then the clinic in 2 weeks.

Will go and buy a glucose machine to test and start to try and manage this before it gets worse!

All I eat is carbs at the moment, so I have no doubt that it will help almost instantly!

Thank you. I really appreciate it xxx
 
Hi there and welcome to the forum.

I still consider myself to be quite a newbie as I was diagnosed in September, but I have found lots of support here.

I fully understand the fatigue, (falling asleep half way through that programme you've been waiting to watch!) going to the loo (yawn!) and I going in to a café and buying a pot of tea, a glass of water and a bottle of juice and still being thirsty!!!

I hope you manage to cut those carbs, it really is amazing how it can help!

Take care and keep in touch!

Bee Gee
 
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