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Introducing myself

leowhite

Member
Messages
10
Location
Stockport
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi to all you fellow diabetics out there. I'm Leo from Stockport Manchester. I'm a self employed builder but trying to get out of the building game due to this diabetes thing. I have noticed there are a lot of threads on here supporting people like myself, so will take plenty of time out to search through them.
Anyone else in the Stockport area?
 
Hello and welcome Leo! You will find a lot of great advice and information here, so have a good read around! I'm not in stockport- but saying hello anyhow!
 
Hi Leo, welcome to the forums.

Not near you geographically as I'm on the south coast.

Hope you don't mind me asking, what is it about diabetes and working in the building trade that isn't working out for you?
 
Hey Leo, welcome buddy.

Electrical engineer myself with quite a tough hard working job, don't let diabetes get in the way of hard work, the fitness will help you control it.
 
Hi @leowhite and welcome to the forum.

I have the same question as @urbanracer about your employment.

Do you need some help in managing your diabetes?
@daisy1 has some useful information and as I have tagged her she will post it for you.
 
@leowhite

Hello Leo and welcome to the forum

I am also not in your area - not even in the UK - sorry. Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask all the questions you need to and someone will be able to help.


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 over 140,000 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.
 
Hi Leo .I'm also diabetic n I'm a self employed contractors I put in windows n glass doors n patios for housing n company's I'm also looking to change my line of work due to this diabetes because I've had a couple close calls on a scaffold n a latter. ( sugar dropped) I'm also live in Denver colorado .well good luck n lose the sweets.allways drink diet soda I'm a water n ice tea person Myself.
 

Hi Tricia,

Introduce yourself on a fresh thread so we call say hi
 
Hi Leo, I live in the Heatons.... welcome to the forum it's a good place to be, loads of information here, which area are you from?
 
I am Faye from Durham UK would love to meet up with others nearby
 
wow guys, so many welcomes and questions thanks. The reason I am looking to change my job has already been brought up earlier by Tricia Wilson. Using scaffolds and ladders is a big part of my daily routine and I have already had one fall from a ladder due to low sugar level. My problem is I get carried away with what I'm doing and totally lose track of time sometimes missing out meals and tablets. I have just recently started to use an alarm to warn me of times but I still think I'm due a career change.
Poohtiggy, I live nr the golf club in Heaton Moor. Been there just over 3 weeks but originally from Bridlington.
 
Wow we are neighbours I live off Mauldeth Road nr Thornfield park, nice neighbourhood and lots of facilities and nice walks along the river
 
Hello and welcome I had a fall last year, but not hypo, I also get so carried away with gardening or decorating, that I do this little and another little bit and I'm still there hours later, which I shouldn't do, but I just don't realise how quickly the time goes.

Best wishes RRB
 
Hi Robinredbreast sorry to hear about your fall was it serious? I broke my arm and grazed my legs in my fall but luckily it was my left arm and not the one I use for handling tools so was able to continue work a couple of days after. Glad to say arm is now completely back together but I still worry that it could happen again and maybe this time a lot more serious. I now use an alarm function on my watch to alert me to eating times and tablet times and I've also been told to get a blood glucose meter. Seems like I'm the only one on here without one. Oh where are the smileys? doesnt matter I've found them
 
Welcome to the site ..... couldn't meet a nice bunch of people

Mike
 
Hi there Trisha here and from the Notts are....Welcome
 

Falls are not nice are they? I fell last year whilst decorating, smashed my wrist up and severe complications set in. I am still having therapy treatment. I had such wonderful support from members on here, it really helped me when things were so bleak.
Take good care RRB
 
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