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Hi All, I am Steve, looking forward to get to know a few of you on here

Hi toon army , as we said this is the place to get info and get well! Your experience at the docs is about average though some of us have good dn's and are looked after . You have a good attitude and I'm sure you will be a very welcome member of this forum
 
Hi Steve and Toonarmy. Welcome!

Toon - that was an abysmal appointment! To be honest though, so many of us have learned so much more here than we ever did from our doctor or DN. Just read as much as you can of the forum and ask all your questions here. There are a lot of helpful and knowledgeable folks here. :)
 
Fallgal said:
Hi Steve and Toonarmy. Welcome!

Toon - that was an abysmal appointment! To be honest though, so many of us have learned so much more here than we ever did from our doctor or DN. Just read as much as you can of the forum and ask all your questions here. There are a lot of helpful and knowledgeable folks here. :)
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One thing I will ask if I may. if my HbA1c is is 92 is that figure mmol/mol that I see quoted and is getting tested in 3 months time standard to allow things to settle down with gradually upping my metformin week by week please? thanks for you reply. Im now surprisingly calm since I came back home and logged on here and there is no comparison to the information and help on here compared to the GP's illegible photocopy info to be honest so at least i have some extra toilet paper for emergencies! lol
 
Yes, it is measured in mmol/mol. When I was diagnosed (April), my HbA1C was 106. I went to the DN today and it is 57 now. My doctor wants me to get below 53. I *think* anything above 47/48 is considered diabetic. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong.)

I don't know if it is standard to get tested again in 3 months, but that is what they had me do.

Always good to have some extra TP on hand. :D
 
Thanks for that one more quick one before i stop being a nuisance whats TP? o_O lol
 
Fallgal said:
Yes, it is measured in mmol/mol. When I was diagnosed (April), my HbA1C was 106. I went to the DN today and it is 57 now. My doctor wants me to get below 53. I *think* anything above 47/48 is considered diabetic. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong.)

I don't know if it is standard to get tested again in 3 months, but that is what they had me do.

Always good to have some extra TP on hand. :D
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TOILET PAPER ! I got it lol
 
@toonarmy1000
Just checking...
according to http://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-to-blood-sugar-level-converter.html I think your value of 92 for HbA1c is equivalent to 10.6 in old money.
This is quite high.
So in your place I would look very closely at your diet (please post what you eat on an average day) because it would be good to get your BG under control.
Metformin is good, but it isn't going to get those figures down to normal on its own.
Please post as much as you like - newly diagnosed is when you need the most help and know the least.
We've all been there and know how confusing it all is.

On the Diabetes UK diet sheets; as far as I can work out this is based on a healthy diet for non-diabetics.
I think this is recommended because it is probably healthier than the diet of many newly diagnosed, it can assist in weight loss, and it is hard enough to get the overweight (allegedly 80% of T2s on diagnosis) patients to cut down on their food intake without trying to get them to give up completely on all the things that they like.
So it is a pragmatic decision - basically it isn't the best diet for diabetics but it is more likely to get wide spread acceptance.
Now you are here you can get loads of information about carbohydrates and the claimed benefits of reducing them.

Cheers

LGC
 
toonarmy1000 said:
Well I have had a bit of a nightmare start to my life as a type 2 diabetic! I attended my first nurse appointment at 3.50pm to be told my appointment was 2.50pm even after showing them my appointment cars given to me when booking it. when i booked it straight after being diagnosed i handed the receptionist a note from the doc detailing what appointment I required but apparently she booked me for a 10min blood test appointment not a diabetic assessment appoint. Eventually seen at 4.30pm and at least the nurse apologised but said all she could do was give me a photocopied info booklet because she wasnt aware of why i was there. I said I had a list of questions but again was told I only had 10 mins and then I said can I have a copy of my results at least and the answer was "92" now is that my highest score the last time I played darts or what is it ! HBA1C levels was the answer. She said to follow the instructions for the metformin and I will get bloods again in 3 months time? I explained my worries about my hands and feet etc. and she said the best I can do is nook you the correct appoinmtent for two weeks time, so all in all a rather stuttering start to my journey. And the answer to my question about what to do in the meantime was "read the information" I understand the nurse was put on the spot a bit by the receptionists mistake but felt a bit let down to be honest and no further forward. One last thing the photocopied leaflet had "diabetes UK" and "diabetes first" on the bottom of each sheet and the diet guidelines seem to be completely different to what I have been reading on here. Aplogise for the long post but just letting off a bit steam ! lol :mad:
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Hi @toonarmy1000 Welcome to the forum. Your post is relatively short, no apology necessary. you will be pleasantly surprised at how committed and supportive some of the members are on here. They are truly remarkable. We are all on a journey and you are definitely in the right place.to be supported on that journey. I was diagnosed type 2 just 43 days ago with Hba1c of 86 so not far off your level. I too was also given a 10 minute appointment for my first one and insisted I have my half an hour because I wanted the full time for discussion because I was concerned juat like you. Everyone has different symptoms and different levels within a general range. Your s will be UNIQUE to you. Ask for a print out of your previous blood results and compare them with what they are now. It may be they missed it. I have been complaining of my left leg having a burning sensation for 5 years and they kept checking it and said blood tests ok. Since I have been diagnosed I have completely changed my diet, go for a two mile walk each morning and at 58 still play 5 a side footy with 16 to 30 year olds. I can feel the change now in the burning in my leg when I go above a level of say 8.00 on my meter. Overall my leg was losing strength too but since my diet change its strength and responsiveness has massively improved. Get a meter, watch your diet and see how that improves things.

I am Southerner but always had a soft spot for Newcastle since Malcom Macdonald days, Shearer ,Andy Cole, Nobby Solano and their attractive flair style of play. You guys deserve a lot more success for the great support you have . Have a good season and good luck with your health.Keep asking the questions.!!
 
thanks @Fallgal and @LittleGreyCat I am eating loads lately and for years I have always been around 12 to 12 1/2 stone but between July and September I put on 2 1/2 stone without doing anything different. Ive always had loads of sugar in tea and coffee and stuff but already changed to sweetners and going to take on board all the diet info and try to start changing staright away .Ive also quite a bit muscle so going to start getting fit again just press ups sit up running etc so will have to investigate what effect that will have on my diet because i want my 12 pack back! lol . I usually rush into new things that come my way but im going to take it day by day and see how i feel with the changes. Id be interested in advice on what to buy to test my bloods on a daily basis to familiarise myself and monitor the changes to try to understand what helps. But thankyou one and all for the welcome and advice :)
 
Steve uk said:
Hi

I am Steve .. Age 56, diagnosed type 2, 15 months ago, still trying to control it with diet. I am not a bad cook , so I have high hopes on continuing to do this, but count is moving in the wrong direction, so I am at the last chance saloon on this as far as my nurse says. I realise there will be people far worse off than me, but I hope we can share experience, knowledge, ideas to help each other
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Hi Steve welcome. I am 58 diagnosed in October. Ask all the questions they love it on here. Get the support and get your numbers going in the right direction. Def reduce your carb intake and get rid of the obvious stuff. If you can cook you are laughing you can discover a whole new world of food like I have done, although I have to say my lovely wife does it all for me as I am hopeless. Good luck.
 
beatdise said:
Hi @toonarmy1000 Welcome to the forum. Your post is relatively short, no apology necessary. you will be pleasantly surprised at how committed and supportive some of the members are on here. They are truly remarkable. We are all on a journey and you are definitely in the right place.to be supported on that journey. I was diagnosed type 2 just 43 days ago with Hba1c of 86 so not far off your level. I too was also given a 10 minute appointment for my first one and insisted I have my half an hour because I wanted the full time for discussion because I was concerned juat like you. Everyone has different symptoms and different levels within a general range. Your s will be UNIQUE to you. Ask for a print out of your previous blood results and compare them with what they are now. It may be they missed it. I have been complaining of my left leg having a burning sensation for 5 years and they kept checking it and said blood tests ok. Since I have been diagnosed I have completely changed my diet, go for a two mile walk each morning and at 58 still play 5 a side footy with 16 to 30 year olds. I can feel the change now in the burning in my leg when I go above a level of say 8.00 on my meter. Overall my leg was losing strength too but since my diet change its strength and responsiveness has massively improved. Get a meter, watch your diet and see how that improves things.

I am Southerner but always had a soft spot for Newcastle since Malcom Macdonald days, Shearer ,Andy Cole, Nobby Solano and their attractive flair style of play. You guys deserve a lot more success for the great support you have . Have a good season and good luck with your health.Keep asking the questions.!!
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thanks , funny enough ive just posted about advice for checking my blood everyday ! at my brief appointment today the nurse said theres no point? but I explained to her i wanted to find out how my levels fluctuate . thanks :)
 
Fallgal said:
Yes, it is measured in mmol/mol. When I was diagnosed (April), my HbA1C was 106. I went to the DN today and it is 57 now. My doctor wants me to get below 53. I *think* anything above 47/48 is considered diabetic. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong.)

I don't know if it is standard to get tested again in 3 months, but that is what they had me do.

Always good to have some extra TP on hand. :D
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You are RIGHT. SPOT ON
 
Hello and welcome to our two new members ...look forward to chatting to you both ...kat
 
toonarmy1000 said:
thanks , funny enough ive just posted about advice for checking my blood everyday ! at my brief appointment today the nurse said theres no point? but I explained to her i wanted to find out how my levels fluctuate . thanks :)
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Thast what my nurse said. My view is they don't want patients contacting them every 5 minutes because there numbers are going up and down and why. Secondly it is because they cant afford the test strips, if they allowed it for everyone. Just my opinion.. I said I would buy my own, but I wanted CONTROL over my body and wanted to know every day what was going on. Not find out in 3 months that it still ain't good enough.You will see from all the comments here that people ave it under control because they have seen what certain foods do to the BS levels.
 
beatdise said:
Thast what my nurse said. My view is they don't want patients contacting them every 5 minutes because there numbers are going up and down and why. Secondly it is because they cant afford the test strips, if they allowed it for everyone. Just my opinion.. I said I would buy my own, but I wanted CONTROL over my body and wanted to know every day what was going on. Not find out in 3 months that it still ain't good enough.You will see from all the comments here that people ave it under control because they have seen what certain foods do to the BS levels.
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yeah im going to sort something soon but might wait a couple of weeks till im on the metformin 3 times a day. I go on to 2 on thursday then 3 thursday 11th . If I follow the info they gave me today I could have a large kebab with garlic sauce and as many pitta breads as i could manage watching the Newcastle match tonight! lol
 
toonarmy1000 said:
thanks , funny enough ive just posted about advice for checking my blood everyday ! at my brief appointment today the nurse said theres no point? but I explained to her i wanted to find out how my levels fluctuate . thanks :)
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Also typical I'm afraid. If you can't get one on prescription (most don't) a popular choice is the SD Codefree from Amazon, Ebay etc because the strips are the cheapest.
 
toonarmy1000 said:
yeah im going to sort something soon but might wait a couple of weeks till im on the metformin 3 times a day. I go on to 2 on thursday then 3 thursday 11th . If I follow the info they gave me today I could have a large kebab with garlic sauce and as many pitta breads as i could manage watching the Newcastle match tonight! lol
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Have the kebabs and Garlic Sauce.. Give the pitta bread a miss, its all carbs.. Trust me I wasted a whole week. See thread below.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/pitta-bread.49735/

Enjoy the footy!!
 
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