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Hi all
- Thread starter Don01
- Start Date
Welcome Don01!
First let me tag in @daisy1 who’ll post loads of useful info for you. Here’s a link to this website’s page about the HbA1c test:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
I was diagnosed with an HbA1c of 70 but now seven months later it’s 33, all done with help and advice from this forum. Have a good read around and ask any questions you might have. There’ll always be someone around to answer you.
First let me tag in @daisy1 who’ll post loads of useful info for you. Here’s a link to this website’s page about the HbA1c test:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
I was diagnosed with an HbA1c of 70 but now seven months later it’s 33, all done with help and advice from this forum. Have a good read around and ask any questions you might have. There’ll always be someone around to answer you.
Guzzler
Master
- Messages
- 10,577
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
A level of 42 to 48 is what is called Pre Diabetes. Anything over 48 is a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. Two HbA1c tests are carried out, the second is to confirm the diagnosis.
Your level of 53 means that you can do a lot to lower those levels and maintain them through dietary and excercise changes. You may have been prescribed Metformin to help you with your Diabetes, this is widely regarded as a safe drug but for some people can cause stomach upset temporarily (for others it proves to be so uncomfortable that they are forced to stop taking it). Not everyone has this problem.
Have you seen a Diabetes Specialist Nurse yet? If not then when you do you will be checked over and a referral for eye screening will be made.
Welcome to the forum. Diagnosis is sometimes hard to get your head around but if you are proactive about your health you will get a handle on this quickly. Good luck.
Your level of 53 means that you can do a lot to lower those levels and maintain them through dietary and excercise changes. You may have been prescribed Metformin to help you with your Diabetes, this is widely regarded as a safe drug but for some people can cause stomach upset temporarily (for others it proves to be so uncomfortable that they are forced to stop taking it). Not everyone has this problem.
Have you seen a Diabetes Specialist Nurse yet? If not then when you do you will be checked over and a referral for eye screening will be made.
Welcome to the forum. Diagnosis is sometimes hard to get your head around but if you are proactive about your health you will get a handle on this quickly. Good luck.
Pinkorchid
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,927
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
The NHS guidelines for diagnosing T2 is over 48 I think and you are 53 that's not very high but does need to come down some which you can do with diet. The advice here on how to eat is not official NHS advice and not what you will probably be told by the diabetes nurse but something a lot do because it works for them. They can only tell you their experience which can be very different from person to person because we are all very different . The basic diet advice here is to cut out the starchy carbs like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and sugar stuff which does work for a lot of us with T2..It is not doing something because others do it but doing what suits us personally
What do people think of being prescribed 2 x 500mg of Metformin? I'm terrified of taking it due to reports of bad tummies on it AND although I make an effort to have breakfast it's not usually a lot and 2 x 500 mg tablets seems a lot when hba1c has only recently gone up to 53 from 46/47/48.
I've tried LCHF but find it hard to adapt to family meals (on a budget) and am a srlf confessed spaghetti lover opinions and thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks ☺
I've tried LCHF but find it hard to adapt to family meals (on a budget) and am a srlf confessed spaghetti lover opinions and thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks ☺
purplepenguin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 319
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
I don’t have any problems with that dose of metformin, even on an empty stomach.
See diet doctor website for info on LCHF on a budget, lots of ideas there. I was also a huge pasta fan, I’d eat it every day in some form or another but to be honest, even if someone offered it to me now I’d not try it as I have gone completely off it without even thinking about what eating it would do to me long term! It’s a case of retraining your taste buds and sticking to LCHF even when it gets hard. Easier said than done though!
See diet doctor website for info on LCHF on a budget, lots of ideas there. I was also a huge pasta fan, I’d eat it every day in some form or another but to be honest, even if someone offered it to me now I’d not try it as I have gone completely off it without even thinking about what eating it would do to me long term! It’s a case of retraining your taste buds and sticking to LCHF even when it gets hard. Easier said than done though!
Thank you. I've seen the diet doctor thing and did LCHF which I find much easier in the summer months but will give a go again I think or certainly reduce carbs Massively in 2018. Pasta and jacket potatoes such a household staple! Thanks again
purplepenguin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 319
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Oooh I’d kill for a jacket potato.
I’m on 3 x 500mgs Metformin, I take two with breakfast and one with dinner. I did have tummy troubles, but only for the first week. I now tolerate it very well. How about trying these pasta alternatives:
https://www.explorecuisine.com/en/products/bean-pastas.html
Gabrielle_Tai
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 185
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
I do wonder, if i take Metformin will it lower the amount of basal i need because it make the liver stop producing glocuse.I sure it will not lower my require bolus since most type 1 are not insulin resistance.
Pasta alternatives look good
will get online and try out. Thank you
They are available in Tesco too. I just put the link direct to the makers site as it was easier to view them all at once!Pasta alternatives look good
I tend to have a mini one or sometimes a little precooked frozen ones for when in a real hurry
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Location
- Switzerland
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
@Don01
Hello Don and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find them both interesting and helpful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to answer.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
Hello Don and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find them both interesting and helpful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to answer.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
purplepenguin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 319
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
I cannot tolerate potatoes in any amounts. I wish I could because I love a jacket potato and cheese.
