im new to this

[sam788]

I am very new to this i was tested last year and thought nothing of it as it was just a routin check for bloods to why i was always tired an thirsty had an inkling but nothing until my dr called me and said that my blood sugar level was a bit high when it was only done by bloods so she got me a appointment for the hospital to drink this horrible drink and for both these tests i had nothing to eat, After a few weeks my dr called me again and said that i failed that test too and was found that my body was not dealing with the insulin sugar level in the body i think she said was 9.6 so she gave me this information about diabetes mellitus sheet she also said that i will need to go and get tested again later this year. So that make me a prediabetic she has told me i have to control it through diet and earlier this year i was diagnosed with ibd and a few years ago fibromyalgia and i also have a cattaracc in my right eye now seeing black dots in my left eye now so back to the opticians for that one lol. I am very tired all the time im always thirsty very dry mouth along with white lips but when i have a drink of juice it helps so i guess it indicates my thirst maybe. Im not sure how many trips to the loo i go, and feeling very faint at times esp when standing up from sitting or bending lol. So i guess i am a prediabetic im not sure what the bg should be as i have got a meter at home and mine sometimes read from 6-8mmol/l sometimes more or less. I cant drink water but drink plenty of juice and i do crave for things sweet sometimes.
My dr i have she is lovely and very helpful and she does not hurry me away or anything she actually listens which is good if i had any other dr they would not of done the tests that she did or put me to consultants which im gratefull for. Can anyone give me any advice on what i can do as i am a prediabetic and how not to go as far as t2 and to make me understand it more and what other people go through being a pred thank you. I am on medication for ibd and fms which are asacol (3) aday for ibd dicloflenic (3) a day for fms and also put on amitriptyline to help sleep at night which i take 3
sam

 

[sugarless sue]

We post a basic information sheet here for new diabetics, it may help you as well to understand some of what is going on in your body. I have quoted it below.

I am very tired all the time im always thirsty very dry mouth im not sure how many trips to the loo i go and feeling very faint at times esp when standing up from sitting or bending lol.

These can be the symptoms of high blood sugar levels and also other things as well so it is always best to discuss everything with your doctor who knows all your medical history.

If you are drinking a lot of juice then go for the sugar free ones.

Here is the advice we 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.

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

The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......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 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. 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.

Sue/Ken.