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Feeling lost

L

Lulu0909

Member
Messages
7
Hi everyone. This is my first post as I am newly diagnosed with type 2. I received my diagnosis about a month ago and to say I’m feeling lost with it all is an understatement. I feel as though I’ve had information and instructions thrown at me from all angles, and am struggling to find what is right for me. I’m not on any meds as my HBA1C was 51, so I’ve to try diet management first. Can anyone suggest any good “starter” resources? I just want to understand what is wrong with me and simple first steps to start getting better. I’ve spent the last few weeks reeling from strict low carb to binging, I’m all over the place. I have a history of disordered eating so that isn’t helping. No one has asked me about that so far and I haven’t felt like I could get a word in with my GP/nurse so I haven’t mentioned it, Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
 
Hi there, I am only 5 months into my diabetes journey, (yes I'll pass you a bucket!), but I can guarantee you have stopped at the right place, I could not have got through those early weeks without all the useful advice here.

It seems that low carb, or some variant, and exercise is a good way to go - personally I am on <100g carbs a day, maybe 25-30g per meal and sometimes a snack of nuts or dark chocolate to keep me going, and upped my post-meal walking game. I need that happy medium of feeling I am eating 'better' but still able to have snack treats, otherwise I'd never stick to it, so Keto would never work for me.

BUT everyone is different, and hopefully you will find what works for you, expect a bit of trial and error.

There are loads more knowledgeable and experienced folk here than me who will point you in the right direction, but believe me, as it is fresh in my mind, we all feel totally overwhelmed at first, and I still do at times, but it does get easier. If you are in the UK, the NHS 'system', although it does vary place to place, never feels as informative and helpful as we need, and this forum does very well filling many of the gaps.
 
Welcome. You’ve found the right place. Most type 2 in here do low carb. But it varies how low and how quickly they launch into it. It’s totally normal to feel all over the place at first. It gets easier.
Here’s a couple of links that explain it all in plain English and give loads more links to reliable resources for information research (if that’s your thing) and recipes/ replacement ideas.
Have a read through at your own pace and then come back and ask loads more questions.

Intro to T2 and low carb. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/
All the things I wish I’d been told earlier https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...ish-i’d-been-told-at-type-2-diagnosis.173817/
 
Best resources is a BG meter with cheap test strips so you can monitor which meals your body can handle and adjust those that give too high a BG spike (anything over a 2.0 mmol increase from before a meal to 2hrs after 1st bite). Suggested BG meters are SD Gluco Navii or Spirit TEE2 .
Best resources for finding low carb food are www.DietDoctor.com and Google search .
Note that we are all different, so some can tolerate more or different carbs from others - which is why a BG meter is best because tells you how your body reacts.
 
Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. So low carb seems to be the way, but maybe not too hardcore to begin with. Can I ask, does it mean a life sentence of never having a cake or bowl of pasta?! I can’t get my head around that at all. What happens on holidays etc?
 
Hey Lulu

You are most definitely not alone. I can relate to everything you have said. I’m fairly new to all this rubbish too.

Firstly, you don’t have to start everything immediately and at full tilt. Take your time to research menus and recipes and foods you like to eat that are low carb.

The Carbs and Cals book was recommended to me, and I am finding it really really useful.

I also borrowed and read (some) of the Fast 800 diet by Michael Moseley, just to get an idea of what to include and leave out. It’s a short read so I wouldn’t recommend buying it. I can precis my findings if you like?! Let me know.

Whilst in the library I also checked out a couple of other ‘managing diabetes’ type books just to round off my research like a total pro

Anyway, deffo test your bloods daily as recommended by everyone, and don’t worry about your fasting (first thing in the morning) reading, because it’s the last one to lower apparently.

One meal at a time, one day at a time.

I’m trying to focus on getting those BG readings lower. And telling myself any weight loss is a bonus, rather than the goal.

Give yourself the time to explore this new situation you find yourself in… and let me know how you are getting on.

Oh, and to give you some hopefully useful perspective, my first HA1c wotsit score was 93.

I think you will be fine, you have deffo found your tribe here!
 
Hi Mavies, thank you so much for your post. To be honest I feel relieved just to find others who are going through, or have been through, the same thing! It feels very isolating at the moment. I ate a Star Bar earlier and then felt like I’d ruined my life it’s really reassuring to hear you say that it doesn’t all have to happen at once. After talking to my GP and diabetes nurse I felt so deflated and as though the changes I had made weren’t good enough. That derailed me, and I realise now that I had been making lots of positive changes and if I’d just kept on going as I was, I’d have been fine. The main thing I’m thinking now is to read up so I’m informed, but to shut out all the noise and just focus on what feels good and manageable to me. I know I’ll get there, I just need to take it step by step
 
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