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I'm a newbie!

J

Jojo1964

Newbie
Messages
2
Location
Glasgow
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi, I've just came across this site and in the short time I've had a look at the forum, I just know this is exactly what I've been looking for and needing. I was diagnosed T2 about 3 months ago, and was basically handed a prescription (for Metformin) and that's been about it really. Well I'm fed up hiding my head in the sand!!!! I really need the kick in the bum that's I've read about on here (wish that could be on prescription also)! This is something I know nothing about, and also something I've not shared with my family members yet. I am overweight and continue to eat junk then get so angry with myself!!!!! Anyway, today is a new day and I need to start afresh, I can't keep on the way I am. I'd appreciate any help or advice, thanks x
 
Welcome Jojo. I'm newly diagnosed too and have found this site really helpful. The people on here are so supportive and have given me lots of advise. It's very hard I know, and I've been through the wringer with this but slowly things get better.
Ask lots of questions.
Remember it's your body, your life. So you are entitled to the best you can get.

Take care

Lin x
 
:) Hi Jojo, Welcome to the forum, you have come to the right place for advice and a kick up the bum. Lol, At least you are taking it seriously, I was in denial for 6 years until they wanted to put me on Metformin which I refused and decided to take charge of my diet and my life. Loads of useful info here. If you can't find it in search then just ask a question.
 
Hi Jojo and welcome to the forum:)

Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will help - as you will have already seen.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 70,000 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

Reduce your 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

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

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
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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 bloodglucose 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.
 
Jojo1964 said:
Hi, I've just came across this site and in the short time I've had a look at the forum, I just know this is exactly what I've been looking for and needing. I was diagnosed T2 about 3 months ago, and was basically handed a prescription (for Metformin) and that's been about it really. Well I'm fed up hiding my head in the sand!!!! I really need the kick in the bum that's I've read about on here (wish that could be on prescription also)! This is something I know nothing about, and also something I've not shared with my family members yet. I am overweight and continue to eat junk then get so angry with myself!!!!! Anyway, today is a new day and I need to start afresh, I can't keep on the way I am. I'd appreciate any help or advice, thanks x
Click to expand...
Welcome Jojo1964. I am sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with type 2. It's perfectly fine to eat what you want on occasion so long as you do so in moderation and get some regular exercise. There is no need to develop a guilt complex over what you eat and neither should you go to the extreme of dieting and fretting over what you eat. My only advice is that you don't get blinded by the pseudo science buffs that encourage you to follow a 'low carb' diet. This can be potentially dangerous and is not an approach advocated by most GPs.
 
ne0h said:
Welcome Jojo1964. I am sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with type 2. It's perfectly fine to eat what you want on occasion so long as you do so in moderation and get some regular exercise. There is no need to develop a guilt complex over what you eat and neither should you go to the extreme of dieting and fretting over what you eat. My only advice is that you don't get blinded by the pseudo science buffs that encourage you to follow a 'low carb' diet. This can be potentially dangerous and is not an approach advocated by most GPs.
Click to expand...
In what way is a low carb diet potentially dangerous? This is news to me
 
ne0h said:
Welcome Jojo1964. I am sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with type 2. It's perfectly fine to eat what you want on occasion so long as you do so in moderation and get some regular exercise. There is no need to develop a guilt complex over what you eat and neither should you go to the extreme of dieting and fretting over what you eat. My only advice is that you don't get blinded by the pseudo science buffs that encourage you to follow a 'low carb' diet. This can be potentially dangerous and is not an approach advocated by most GPs.
Click to expand...

It's good advice to avoid fretting and developing a guilt complex about food. However, traditional advice from GPs promoting a high-carb diet for people with diabetes hasn't always been good for our health and well-being either. Could you explain why you think low carb is potentially dangerous for us?

See Daisy1's post above, 'Choosing Better Carbohydrates' .
 
Thanks for the lovely welcome and the even more welcome replies. I think I need to work my way through the site and read what interests/applies to me. No doubt I'll have more questions and hope you all don't mind me asking, thanks again for all your replies x
 
Hi Jojo, welcome to the forum. I was diagnosd in February this year so still fairly new to T2 myself. There is a lot of information on here that will help you, ask as many questions as you like, there is always someone that can give you advice, it is a great place to be for a good kick up the bum if you need it;)

I too found that the NHS is lacking in giving advice as have many other people, and usually the advice you do get, if you are lucky, is very outdated. Have a good look at the other forums and post and you will find that you will pick up all sorts of little tips to help.

Marilyn x
 
ne0h said:
Welcome Jojo1964. I am sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with type 2. It's perfectly fine to eat what you want on occasion so long as you do so in moderation and get some regular exercise. There is no need to develop a guilt complex over what you eat and neither should you go to the extreme of dieting and fretting over what you eat. My only advice is that you don't get blinded by the pseudo science buffs that encourage you to follow a 'low carb' diet. This can be potentially dangerous and is not an approach advocated by most GPs.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's OK to have what you like very occasionally but many T2s find they do have to be very careful with the carbs most of the time. Going low-carb is certainly not pseudo-science. It is based on the medical fact that the body converts carbs to glucose and it's glucose that increases blood sugar. As a reminder diabetes is a condition where the body cannot handle carbohydrates properly. The proof of the pudding is in meter readings. I think you may be confused by the similarity between Ketosis and Ketoacidosis. The former is where the body uses fat for energy when you very low-carb and produces some ketones but with normal blood sugar it is not dangerous. Ketoacidosis is where you have very high blood sugar and ketones as a result of the body having no insulin to handle the glucose and burning fat instead for energy. The blood becomes acidic which can be very dangerous.
 
Where's my manners? Welcome to the forum Jojo! This is a great site where you will learn lots and meet lots of fab, supportive members.
 
I understand how you feel jojo. I went to the doctor told him I thought I was diabetic took a blood sample said come back . told me I was diabetic lose weight and that was it. two
months later nothing.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jack412 said:
why get angry? carbs are addictive, more carbs you eat, the more carbs you eat
as you read you will come across LCHF which is a way a lot of us T2 eat

food craving
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm
Click to expand...

This is very true, don't be angry with yourself Jojo for having these cravings. Carbs are addictive and cause the cravings, so find lower-carb foods that appeal to you, ditch the high-carbs and the out of control eating will lessen painlessly.

After following the advice on the low carb thread on this forum, I found that this works.
 
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