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Feeling lost

B

Babyangel

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was given the diagnosis of Type 2 yesterday with an Hb1c of 50.
GP has advised I start on metformin, but no need to monitor blood sugars daily.
Obviously, I need to get my head around the diagnosis but I'm almost scared to eat or know what to eat and have mixed feelings about taking medication without monitoring.
Can anyone help please?
 
Hi, welcome. This is a tough time, this will pass, not completely though, you will need to make a few changes to your eating maybe, be a little healthier, control the carbohydrates you eat, the good news is unlike most horrible thing that happen to our health, you are in control of your success. For now though, don’t panic! Have a read of the forum, ask questions when they come up, you have some stuff to learn.
Sounds kinda crazy right now but this can turn out to be positive, you may be healthier and live longer than you may have without diabetes, it focuses the mind, in some :)

Best of luck, I look forward to hearing your questions and reading your success stories.

If the doctor will not prescribe testing equipment, you can self fund, someone will know the best way to do this as I have no clue. But it’s very important you test, not because of the metformin, just so you know what’s going on.
 
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Hi I was diagnosed a1c 53 changed diet 9 weeks later a1c 36 a year later a1c 32 nor all doom and gloom just in diabetic range a tweak to the diet you will be surprised what other held benefits it can lead to as well
 
Hi I was exactly the same when first told but as @Fenn said it will pass. My hba1c was higher than yours but my doctor gave me 3 months to change my diet and would consider medications if my numbers didnt improve . I'm over 6 months in and my numbers are in non diabetic range . I achieved this by scouring this forum looking at many posts and choosing a LCHF way of eating . I wont advise on whether to take medications or not but one thing I'd say look through this site ask many questions , give yourself time and then make your mind up about the medication. One thing I would advise to do is buy a glucometer and test your BG before and after you eat to see what effects it has of your sugars
 
Welcome from me, too, @Babyangel .
As others have said, you can turn this around.
I see you have been precribed Metformin. Anything else?
If you are not already doing so, one of the best things you can do is to get yourself a blood glucose meter to test your blood glucose levels regularly.

Here is some info , provided by @Rachox, regarding blood glucose meters. Recommendation is that you test fasting levels on waking, then immediately before eating, and 2 hours after eating. Keep a record of what you numbers are, and what you have eaten, and you will see how various foods affect your blood glucose levels.

HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews if you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free. So total cost for meter + 5 x 50 strips will be £31.76.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Links to the strips and the meter for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.

Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833

If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.

Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

Lots of members with T2 also use the Low carb way of eating. There is info in my signature with details and information for new members. Scroll down at the end of the post to find this.
Read around the forums and ask questions. Folks are happy to help, and share advice and experience.
 
Babyangel said:
I was given the diagnosis of Type 2 yesterday with an Hb1c of 50.
GP has advised I start on metformin, but no need to monitor blood sugars daily.
Obviously, I need to get my head around the diagnosis but I'm almost scared to eat or know what to eat and have mixed feelings about taking medication without monitoring.
Can anyone help please?
Click to expand...
Hi .

Been there.:wideyed:

Done that ...:banghead:

Horrible feeling.:arghh:

Great answers above
Meter is a definite .get one....no, really GET ONE.

I got lucky Metformin didn't bother me.
Took it as prescribed.

As to being frightened...yep me too back then

So just to help you kick start your routine.

I ate properly ( all healthy, according to the powers that be :rolleyes:) for 8 years..then got diagnosed like You, and then got scared to eat anything .:woot:

Then I found here, and i slowly found my way :happy:.

So....my breakfast was Greek yoghurt, with blueberries to sweeten it.
Very often egg, bacon, fresh tomato fried. ryvita cracker to replace my toast.
Or just some boiled eggs
Scrambled eggs with avocado on ryvita.

At work it was subway chicken salads, kebabs, but I skipped the pita.
Grilled chicken & salad from chicken cottage
Any burger, no chips no bun.

Dinner was any REAL meat I liked (lamb chops, steak, chicken, fat left on.) all from the meat counters not processed in dishes.

Any above ground veg (no potatoes) so just more of them.
Leeks became a favourite.

Much more to learn & eat
A vast array of foods I'd never heard of let alone eaten await

Best visual I saw was diet doctors, carb count of various food/Drink types.

Basically, type 2's don't handle carbs very well almost an allergy, so we are best off cutting down on carbs and making better choices.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/visual-guides

The guide gave me a great overview of just what choices were available & what not to choose if possible.

It's a steep learning curve, but we are blessed with so many other type 2's offering advice and what worked for them.

Just bear in mind, it it took ages for most of us to get sick, so despite how it now seems, You have time to read & learn from others, to help construct your own path through this.

I think the secret is to take the time and learn what YOU like to eat & do, this isn't a diet..it literally is a way of life.

Hopefully the above gives you a little safety net to get You through the next few days and weeks.

If it helps, take comfort, I was, amongst many was right where you are now.

And many of us are doing very ok, despite being type 2.

Much to learn..yes.
But isn't every day a schoolday if we're willing to open our minds ?

And what greater reason then to improve our health :)

Best wishes on your journey
 
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Babyangel said:
I was given the diagnosis of Type 2 yesterday with an Hb1c of 50.
GP has advised I start on metformin, but no need to monitor blood sugars daily.
Obviously, I need to get my head around the diagnosis but I'm almost scared to eat or know what to eat and have mixed feelings about taking medication without monitoring.
Can anyone help please?
Click to expand...

A very worrying time for you

I was diagnosed in December 2017 with a hba1c of 62. By making dietary changes (I declined meds) I soon got into the 30s where I've been ever since.

Blood glucose monitoring will help enormously.

[Mod edit to align with forum rules.]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Fenn said:
Hi, welcome. This is a tough time, this will pass, not completely though, you will need to make a few changes to your eating maybe, be a little healthier, control the carbohydrates you eat, the good news is unlike most horrible thing that happen to our health, you are in control of your success. For now though, don’t panic! Have a read of the forum, ask questions when the come up, you have some stuff to learn.
Sounds kinda crazy right now but this can turn out to be positive, you may be healthier and live longer than you may have without diabetes, it focuses the mind, in some :)

Best of luck, I look forward to hearing your questions and reading your success stories.

If the doctor will not prescribe testing equipment, you can self fund, someone will know the best way to do this as I have no clue. But it’s very important you test, not because of the metformin, just so you know what’s going on.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I appreciate you taking time out to respond.
I know it will take some time for me to get my head around it but with the help of this group I'm starting to feel more positive already
 
Andygoat said:
Hi I was diagnosed a1c 53 changed diet 9 weeks later a1c 36 a year later a1c 32 nor all doom and gloom just in diabetic range a tweak to the diet you will be surprised what other held benefits it can lead to as well
Click to expand...
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time out to respond
 
Overwhelmed said:
Hi I was exactly the same when first told but as @Fenn said it will pass. My hba1c was higher than yours but my doctor gave me 3 months to change my diet and would consider medications if my numbers didnt improve . I'm over 6 months in and my numbers are in non diabetic range . I achieved this by scouring this forum looking at many posts and choosing a LCHF way of eating . I wont advise on whether to take medications or not but one thing I'd say look through this site ask many questions , give yourself time and then make your mind up about the medication. One thing I would advise to do is buy a glucometer and test your BG before and after you eat to see what effects it has of your sugars
Click to expand...
Thank you for taking the time out to respond. Much appreciated
 
Babyangel said:
I was given the diagnosis of Type 2 yesterday with an Hb1c of 50.
GP has advised I start on metformin, but no need to monitor blood sugars daily.
Obviously, I need to get my head around the diagnosis but I'm almost scared to eat or know what to eat and have mixed feelings about taking medication without monitoring.
Can anyone help please?
Click to expand...

hey, I remember feeling how you did initially. My hba1c was over 80 when I was diagnosed and my last result was 50 so your numbers are not too bad at the moment.

Don’t be scared to eat, Cary on as you were minus sugar where possible and take your metformin to start.

the doctors don’t recommend monitoring, but I find it useful to have the insight of how my body is reacting so I can react as needed.

you’ll likely have side effects (I have tummy upsets and headaches, the latter with a lot of fluctuations in my readings).

through monitoring you have better control and you’ll know if your medication is working.

you’ll find it’s not so bad. You’ll be fine when you find your feet
 
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