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hello all - newbie signing in

T

timbla

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hello to all,
i am new to this forum, and relatively new to diabetes too - was diagnosed type 2 a month ago.
but before i say any more, id just like to apologise to anyone who saw my earlier post and felt it was bad form to barge in and ask questions without so much as a hello. i was just over-eager for information i guess. thanks to those of you who responded.
anyway, i feel slightly better now about this new reality than i did a few weeks ago, but would not go so far as to say id processed it all, taken it in, and was over the initial shock. i still have some moments of darkness, but much less than in that first week to ten days, when it was all rather grim and overwhelming.
i should have known better though. my condition is totally of my own making - there is a history of it in my family, i was overweight, and my doctor had been warning me for years.
alas...
but hey, spilt milk and all that.
doc wanted to put me straight on metformin, but i managed to negotiate a three month respite, with a view to controlling BGs through diet and exercise alone.
it is going quite well so far. i have lost about 5kg in the month since diagnoses, and with the massive reduction in carb intake, can already see and feel and benefits.
i am far from understanding the condition in any great depth though, either in general, or as it applies to me. but i am learning, and with all the reading i am doing, and the help and input from some of you that i might call upon from time to time, i am hoping to become master of my diabetic destiny before long!
i am particularly keen to hear from anyone else who is managing the condition by diet and exercise alone.
since i am looking into all sorts of holistic options too, if anyone has a view on this, i would like to hear it. is there anyone out there taking traditional chinese medicine for example, either as a supplement to their normal meds or otherwise? has anyone tried acupuncture?
are there any vegetarians here? how about vegans?
i would also like to know more about honey! is this ok, or as detrimental as normal sugar?
so many questions, but i do not expect replies to them right here and now, i am just putting them out there, in a way, to show where my head is at, and the kinds of things i am looking into.
but for now it is good evening to all and one, take care, and good luck with your postprandial readings!

t
 
Hi timbla and welcome to the forum :) First of all, let me tell you that it is NOT your fault you have diabetes just because you are overweight. Most overweight people don't have diabetes! It's just something that happens.

I have tried acupuncture and had over 30 sessions, not for diabetes though but for migraines. I'm afraid that in my case it didn't help but you won't know until you try it.

The Forum Monitors have written some basic information for new members - I think you will find this helpful. Then ask as many questions as you like as there will always be someone who can answer.

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2011 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Timbla,

Just joined a couple of days ago myself so I may well know less than you at this point. All the signs are that you'll get a very high level of information and support here.

I have a great sceptism about doctors putting me on "controlling" or "preventative" drugs for the rest of my life (I'm 57) so I am also trying to get my figures down so that I can prove to my doctor that I don't need medication. So I'll be very interested in what you find out in this area.

So far I've refused to take statins for my cholesterol as they have disagreed with me in the past and I'm trying both to lose weight (I'm down from 19 stones to about 17stone 6 pounds or so). I've just started really reducing my carbs and I already think this may be the secret (literally a secret as far as the NHS information is concerned). I've started taking a 1000mg omega three supplement and a daily Benecol drink as recommended by the dietician (the first because I don't eat enough fish, the second to help the cholesterol) and I'll see what this does to my figures over three months before deciding whether it really helps or is just a fad. I don't think either of these can do me any harm?

I'm not one for alternative or chinese medicines so I'm afraid I can't help you there.

Best of luck and I hope we can get there for a number of years at least on diet and fitness only. Let's see!
 
Hi Timbla and welcome aboard, sounds like you're doing really well on the weight loss front.

I'm a vegetarian type 2 hoping to be able to control my diabetes by diet. I've just had the three month HbA1c so we'll see how well the reduction in carbs has worked. It's certainly helped with the weight, my BMI has dropped from 26.3 to 23.5 since I've been keeping an eye on my carb intake.

Don't do Chinese medicine and haven't the money for a herbalist consultation so I couldn't give a view on how effective they are with diabetes. Unlike you I am on statins (Simvastatin 40mg a day) with no ill effect and a good contribution to lowering my Triglycerides and Cholesterol. I've been allowing myself a little more leeway with dairy fats than I was pre statin, again the bloods will tell me whether I can get away with that. I also take the Light Benecol drinks and think they played a big part in the 9 point drop in my Triglycerides between September nad December last year, I didn't start statins or reduced carbing until January.

Protein wise I eat a fair amount of eggs and Quorn, cheese and tofu. Small portions of beans (not baked - kidney, butter, haricot, flagolet etc) Not so many nuts as I've previously had mild reactions to some of them (dry mouth, slightly swollen tongue) and don't want to develop anything more serious. The occasional low carb almond cake is worth the risk though :lol:

I've found this a really good source of information and support since diagnosis, I hope you do too.
 
Hi timbla,
welcome to the forum and as every one would tell you its not your fault,
i learnt that on,
Rob... :)
 
Honey is sugar, flavoured to be sure but it's still sugar.

Yep, another Veggie here.

Soy milk, Quorn, Linda Mcartney, nuts, and lots of vegetables. Oh Yes! Marmite.

I haven't eaten meat for 38 years so can't blame T2 on meat.

I do eat eggs (free range) and veggie cheese and seem to manage OK.

Yesterday I ate 8 chips, with no abnormal BG rise, so it's not all about what you eat but about how much as well.

Try Granola "Pepperoni" nice to take with me when I am going out.

H
 
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