First Post - Please Advise Me!

Hello everyone - as of last Thursday, I am a newly diagnose T2. I have been lurking and reading, and want to thank everyone for offering their experiences and advice - you have been my lifeline during this bewildering and stressful time.

I would really appreciate some advice - if I recount my tale, please feel free to offer any advice you deem appropriate.

A few weeks ago I started to notice that my vision was deteriorating. Checked them out at the optician and paid to have the behind the eye photo thing. Photo didn't show any damage typically associated with diabetes, but my prescription had changed significantly, which the optician said was unusual for someone of my age (nearly 50). Suggested I visit my GP as diabetes was still a possibility.

GP very reluctantly agreed a fasting blood test, even though I told her that I was loosing weight, and have a family history of diabetes. I had to wait over a week for an appointment for a test, by which time, I was urinating frequently, loosing more weight and was fairly positive that I had diabetes.

The results cam back last Tuesday - fasting test of 17.3, the surgery called me and gave me an appointment with the nurse last Thursday. Nurse checked blood again - 18.5. She checked urine - ketones were present. I was prescribed Metformin, 500mg once a day for week, then increase to 2 for a week and then 3. Another fasting test booked 2 weeks time, appointment with doctor in 1 month. I asked about self testing and was told 'not necessary'. I ignored that advice and bought kit and ketostix.

I know it's only 5 days, but bg still anything between 13.5 and 19.5 and the ketones are always between mild and moderate on the colour chart and I'm continuing to loose weight. I am feeling
pretty awful. I have put a call into my surgery and am waiting for the GP to call back. I hope I'm not being hysterical, but I am worried and wondered what advice you can offer?

Thanks Totsy

GP called and says it's OK for me to increase the Metformin today - she has written me a prescription for the long acting version and suggests that I collect that tomorrow and take a bigger dose.

I asked about the ketones and she said she isn't too worried, but that if my bg goes above 20 I am to go and see her immediately (funny advice when you consider that they wouldn't give me a test kit). Well, today it was 18.5 2 hours after lunch, so fingers crossed that it starts coming down.

Again, I can't begin to describe what a lifeline this forum is - I am so glad I found you all. Thanks

Hi, pre-diagnosis, my diet was pretty good in the conventional sense - whole grain cereal/fruit for breakfast, maybe a sandwich for lunch (guilty confession that I frequently missed lunch), main evening meal of plenty of veggies, meat - most of our food cooked from scratch. Semi-skimmed milk. No grazing between meals, but the really sinful part was eating too late at night (husband always late home - often not eating til 8.45pm), and then sitting down with a cup of tea and some sort of chocolate.

Post diagnosis, I am scared of putting anything in my mouth! Seriously, having read a lot of posts here, I've been trying to decrease carbs and make the bulk of my intake eggs, non-root vegetables etc. I am ravenously hungry 50% of the time - was wondering if it was the ketone thingy, as I am loosing weight quite rapidly. There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason to the bg levels though - I had exactly the same meal for lunch yesterday and today, with totally different bg readings 2 hrs later - 13.5 yesterday, 15.5 today - it consisted of 1 slice wholegrain, cottage cheese, 4 cherry tomatoes and 2 slices of ham. Tonight, I had a mound of broccoli, a shaving of parmesan, sauteed onion, red pepper, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes with a dollop of extra lean mince mixed in. I'm already hungry again. I've seen that fruit can be a no-no, so I'm reluctant to eat it, although I miss it already.

I'd love to hear any suggestions you have - I am determined to get these sugar levels down and out of my body, and they won't be welcome back!

Thanks Sue - looks like I need to visit Amazon. I know it's early days, and there will need to be a lot of trial and error, like so many of you, I do intend to get this inconvenience under control! Thanks for the advice.

Thanks Katharine

I have ordered Dr B's book and the calorie counter - hopefully I'll be able to work out a low carb diet soon. I'm really looking forward to getting my eyesight back to normal, but am less enthusiastic about the possible need for insulin!

Melanie

Thanks

The soup idea has cheered me up! I haven't eaten anything other than at meal times, so although the nuts are tempting, I dread to think what they would do to my numbers.

On a more positive note, I went for a reasonable walk today, and before dinner my bg was 8.5 - the lowest reading I've had so far. I start on the prolonged release Metformin tomorrow - fingers crossed it will begin to shift the numbers down.