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Greetings from Helsinki

Livewire27

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi All

Joined this forum because i am really scared. I am 68 (live between London and Helsinki) and my doctor says I have type 2 diabetes and should take it seriously. This was 6 months ago and i have been a bit 'casual' since i am not very overweight - maybe 4 kilos - and dont smoke and only drink wine in moderation. But lately I have been getting strange feelings in both my feet at night and Dr Google tells me this is typical for diabetes. I am now listening! I am scared. Looking for advice, help. I assumed things like nerve damage was very longterm - grossly overweight etc. I am taking diet very seriously now. Will this foot stuff go away? Thanks for advice, reassurance, experiences etc. Excuse my bizarre avatar - I logged in thru my twitter account and I run a website for disabled dating and the forum picked up our twitter logo.
 
Hi Livewire and welcome to the forum

Type 2 can effect any size of person as you have now discovered. The key to reducing the risk of complications such as the sensation in your feet is good blood glucose control. If you don't already have one, get a meter to test your blood after eating. What is your new diet like?
 
Well I am being careful - low fat greek yoghourt/fruit for brekkies or scrambled eggs slice dark toast. Main meal fish or lean meat with salad/brocolli etc no dessert/cake/ice cream no alcohol. Plenty of walking.
 
Hello, welcome to the forum. I agree with Avocado Sevenfold, the only way to be sure you are eating the right things for you is to get a meter and test your blood glucose levels. For instance I have seen that some people on this forum can tolerate pears well. I cannot, pears spike my BG's more than bananas.
 
Hi, how often should I test?
 
Often while you get used to which foods suit you and which ones don't. After that you can relax a bit. Before you eat and then 1 hour after and again 2 hours after should tell you which foods spike your BG's and which don't. There's also the fasting one mornings which I do as soon as I get up. I have seen others on the forum who test at different times as well.

I am holding back from giving you dietary advice because I am very overweight and my advice may not be right for you. Just keep asking the questions.
 
Thanks so much. I just got very scared with the feet stuff - It freaked me out.
 
HI and welcome. Yes, do get a meter. To keep strip costs down focus on the 2 hour after a meal reading. Fasting tests aren't that useful. Don't worry too much about alcohol as it only has a very small effect on blood sugar; both up and down. Keep the carbs down and have proteins and fats in preference
 

Hello and welcome to the forum. Your avatar isn't bizarre at all, but I am intrigued with the mentioned disabled dating organisation, is it because of your diabetes or some other medical conditions? ( hope you don't mind me asking) With best wishes
 
Hi RobinRedbreast

I have run my disabled dating site www.disabilitymatch.co.uk for nearly 4 years and is part of a group of dating sites I run.including sites for HIV etc It is however very close to my heart. My type 2 diabetes is a recent occurrence so it didn't really have a say in setting up the site but it will certainly deepen my insight into the illness. Type 2 diabetes runs thru the male line of my family so I was bound to get it eventually;-). Thanks for your kind welcome. DavidM
 
Many thanks for the information David and I hope you enjoy the forum
 
Robinredbreast said:
Many thanks for the information David and I hope you enjoy the forum
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Since i have been eating very carefully and no wine the problems with my feet seems to have vanished totally which is very heartening. When I get back to UK in a few weeks I will get a meter and chat with GP about some testing strips on NHS as they seem to be quite expensive longterm. do other members get NHS consumables on prescription?
 
Whilst i was posting my previous message a carefully targeted banner popped up offering what seems like a good deal on testing strips and meter from www.type2testing.com with a quarterly charge of £28 for 100 test strips and free meter. Have other members tried these suppliers - is the deal any good?. is there a catch?
 
Looks a bit spammy to me Mr Fifacoins :-(
 
Just a quick question. Started testing with meter and I had a result before midday meal of 6.0 and a reading of 7.2 before breakfast this morning. Is this looking OK? I have a test with GP on Tues.
 
Livewire27 said:
Just a quick question. Started testing with meter and I had a result before midday meal of 6.0 and a reading of 7.2 before breakfast this morning. Is this looking OK? I have a test with GP on Tues.
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Hi there! Try www.dietdoctor.com - I think the diet may suit you.
The blogg is run by a Swedish doc who specialises in obesity and diabetes. I notice you travel a lot to Finland. Do you speak Finnish and/or Swedish? I ask because there is a link into his Swedish site Kostdoktorn.se
I have been following this diet since the 28th of Jan this year and have lost a substantial amount of weight. My hubbie (non diabetic) has also lost a couple of stone and now maintains. I know you don't really need to lose any weight but the effect on your bs and cholesterol is fairly spectacular! You don't weigh anything and it's easy to eat out following this diet.
Ref the meter, try and get one from your doc but if that fails I would recommend an sd code free from
http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm
The strips are £26 for 5x 50 strips and pp. usually arrive next day. Promo code 264086
When first diagnosed, I tested before food and 2 hours after. Now I test a couple of times a day or if I introduce something new. Or if I feel funny or unwell. Good luck!
 
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