Help for newly diagnosed Type 2, please

[smc4761]

Hi folks,

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.

I am a type 1 diabetic and have been for many years. However a friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with type 2. She is in her early 60's , a slight bit overweight., and has also been given statins for cholesterol. She is also taking Metformin but that is causing a few stomach issues with her at moment

I am fairly confident about type 1 but know little about type 2. Due to Covid she is getting little support and a training course she was supposed to attend has been postponed

Are there any online courses that she may be able to access, or just advice in general

Thanks.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi folks,

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.

I am a type 1 diabetic and have been for many years. However a friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with type 2. She is in her early 60's , a slight bit overweight., and has also been given statins for cholesterol. She is also taking Metformin but that is causing a few stomach issues with her at moment

I am fairly confident about type 1 but know little about type 2. Due to Covid she is getting little support and a training course she was supposed to attend has been postponed

Are there any online courses that she may be able to access, or just advice in general

Thanks.

Can you get her to join up here and get first hand help from us lot?
Its so much easier to advise people directly.

 

[smc4761]

I am trying to ease her in gradually some of the posters on here may put her off.

For type 1 there is an online course, BERTIE, not sure if type 2 have something similar.

 

[bulkbiker]

I am trying to ease her in gradually some of the posters on here may put her off.

For type 1 there is an online course, BERTIE, not sure if type 2 have something similar.

She could sign up to the low carb program.. or if she likes cooking then point her at

www.dietdoctor.com

lots of recipes all low carb or keto which will help enormously with blood glucose control and hopefully remission in the future.

 

[MrsA2]

Best advice is for her to get a meter so she can test and see what foods spike her bg. That then makes it easier to avoid those foods.
Most of those foods will be carb heavy leading to low carb diet.

Cutting down on carbs has worked for me, even though I found the idea strange at first. It has also been easier than i thought and the weight loss has been such a good side effect. I have not been hungry.
Those are all positive to stress to her. Good luck

 

[xfieldok]

There is always the ignore button so she can avoid individual posters.

There are more resources here than she will find on a course.

Have a look at the link in my signature

 

[Mbaker]

I am trying to ease her in gradually some of the posters on here may put her off.

For type 1 there is an online course, BERTIE, not sure if type 2 have something similar.

I browsed for months before joining and read comments. With Type 2, most can decide what status they wish to get to, i.e. continue as they are using drugs to control as best as possible, moderate control with lifestyle and maybe metformin or possible remission. If the latter is selected there will be things that literally may not be palatable to hear and to eat, so a gentle assisted research incognito might be the right prescription. I fear it might not be possible to have the cake and eat it if unpopular things are said; no one tries to offend, but it's how what is said reaches ones ears.

 

[smc4761]

I browsed for months before joining and read comments. With Type 2, most can decide what status they wish to get to, i.e. continue as they are using drugs to control as best as possible, moderate control with lifestyle and maybe metformin or possible remission. If the latter is selected there will be things that literally may not be palatable to hear and to eat, so a gentle assisted research incognito might be the right prescription. I fear it might not be possible to have the cake and eat it if unpopular things are said; no one tries to offend, but it's how what is said reaches ones ears.

Thanks Mbaker, There are a number of posters who are very passionate, shall we say, about the way way they deal with type 2. Some posters do try and thrust their views on others. She is already anxious and a bit overwhelmed ,so I thought initially an online course to assist with the basics, before delving a bit deeper to the world of type 2

 

[DCUKMod]

I am trying to ease her in gradually some of the posters on here may put her off.

For type 1 there is an online course, BERTIE, not sure if type 2 have something similar.

SMC4761 - The Low Carb Programme could be useful to your friend. It's a guided approach. It has had great success.

It is NHS approved, so can be prescribed by a GP, but it can also be accessed, on subscription, by individuals. The landing page is here: https://www.lowcarbprogram.com/

There is no minimum subscription period, so an individual can try it for a month, then walk away if it's not for them.

 

[kev-w]

I'm not sure but if iIrc there was the 'DESMOND' one that the NHS approved.

 

[DCUKMod]

I'm not sure but if iIrc there was the 'DESMOND' one that the NHS approved.

Kev, as I understand things, a GP/HCP has to provide the person with an access code for DESMOND - whether face-to-face, or online, due to the cost involved.

 

[VashtiB]

Can I suggest that the first thing she should do is to get a meter. you will be able to help her learn the best way of testing- side of the finger etc. She should test before a meal and 2 hours afterwords and just start to record what he ate and the readings she gets. That is probably a good place to start. If she comes on here- she could start reading the success stories as that may help.

For what it is worth I haven't gone on any course- not sure we have them in Australia. The advice given by my gp was the usual eat healthy carbs nonsense. The people on this site literally educated me, supported me and empathised with me.

If she starts with the greetings and introductions that hopefully will be a safe space for her to start.

However, If you are talking to her and she is testing regularly then suggesting that she lowers her carb intake and see the effect on her readings might be helpful advice.

Good luck and your friend is lucky to have someone like you to help. Be aware that there is often a lot of self blame for a type 2 and that can make us fragile. So let us know if there is anything else we can help your friend with.

 

[ianf0ster]

The problem with NHS courses for T2's is that they are hit & miss as to whether they give the best information or just terrible advice which could make the condition worse.
There are basically 3 or 4 ways of beating T2 (depends on how much evidence you require):
1. Low Carb High(er) traditional Fat - the one I used and in my view the easiest and most sustainable.
2. Ultra low Calorie Newcastle diet or Michael Moseley's 800Calorie real food version of it. Very tough needs lots of will power.
Also can't stay on it, need to transition to something sustainable.
3. Fasting - again needs lost of will power. Again need to transition to something sustainable.
4. Bariatric surgery. Will certaintly reduce Blood Glucose and weight for up to 1 or 2 years, but doesn't cure any underlying problems like carb addiction - so many start to find ways to cheat and go back to square 1.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I think DESMOND is the right T2 course BUT the diet advice can be dire and completely wrong so beware. We all need to take care not to have too many carbs as we are all card intolerant. You can have fats and proteins with the low-carb to keep you feeling full. The fats won't make you fat but the carbs may do. The Metformin boewl issues rae very common and normally fade after a week or two. If they don't ask the GP to change to the Slow Release (SR) version