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Just been diagnosed Type 2 :(

P

Paula100

Newbie
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3
Hi everyone,

I've just been diagnosed incidentally as I didn't have any known diabetic symptoms, but am overweight and have a family history of diabetes.

My HBA1C is 55.

I'd be keen to hear your views as to how bad this is?

I'm hoping to reverse by going on a low carb diet...will see what happens.

In the meantime, my GP will not issue me with testing strips and a monitor - their policy is only to provide for Insulin dependent patients. But I really need this, as I want to learn what foods will work for me and which will not...

So, I want to buy my own monitor/strips. I have some experience of blood sugar testing as had gestational diabetes years ago with both my children.

I'd like your advice please on the finest needles that could be used to get adequate blood for a test monitor - I am very sensitive to the constant needle pricks and my fingers become sore over time.

If any of you can recommend a great meter, please also let me know. I need to consider the ongoing cost of testing strips, but I need to do everything I can to try to help myself.

Much appreciated for your help!

Best
Paula.
 
55 is not that high and I would say if like you say you're overweight losing weight and low carbing could put you into remission ! You wouldn't have to test that often so I wouldn't worry to much about the cost of a meter and strips .
 
Hello Paula, and welcome,

I'll start with the good news: a HbA1c of 55 isn't extremely bad or anything. With your plan of going low carb, you should get back to the normal range soon. I'm not surprised the GP won't issue a meter as the NHS can't afford to fund all of us T2's, and I'm sure someone'll be along soon with strip/meter advice, as i seem to be a little out-dated in my knowledge. Far as lancets go, I prefer Microlet ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bayer-Vita...ild=1&keywords=microlet&qid=1624615310&sr=8-1 ) as they really barely register. Make sure you prick on the SIDE of your finger, in case you weren't doing that already. Too many nerve-endings on the center of your pad. (All those stock photographs always feature people who haven't pricked in their life and had to type or do anything at all, afterwards!).

Should the ongoing cost of strips be an issue though, you could just play it safe and go quite low carb. Not moderately, but more like keto, for instance. (https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help. With keto you're aiming for 20 grams of carbs a day, or thereabouts.) Odds are that'll bring your blood sugars right back into the normal range in no time flat. The only thing'd be if there's something in your meals that might trip you up, you'll not know it because of a lack of a meter. What are your plans, diet-wise? Any idea what you want your meals to consist of from here on in? Maybe there's something we can flag before it spikes you.

In any case, good luck. And rest assured, you're going to be absolutely fine.
Jo
 
Hi @Paula100

Welcome to the best little club no one wants to join

I weighed in at DX with a 57. So we're almost T2D twins..


Low carbing I lost 3 stone plus over 4 months, a lot of it the first 3.

As for testing

I rather think it's a lot early days

You're piecing together the evidence against the food you currently eat, to find the hidden assassin's, smiling as they hinder your recovery.and progress back to better health

@Rachox does a great post related to meters
Personally I did use codefree.
Strip among the cheapest.

Currently using the home health Navii.

Works for me, strip cheap, AND I find I need far less blood to get a reading

So rarely get any strips fail with "insufficient blood on strip"

Means fewer repeat jabs

Hugs for the finger soreness.
Must admit I barely notice the jab now.

Good luck finding your way
 
Hi @Paula100 and welcome to the forums.

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


Home Health have recently bought out the Gluco Navii, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet, links to strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.


Disclaimer, I haven’t used the discount codes that I have quoted recently so I don’t know if they are still current.





Spirit Healthcare have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:



https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:



https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual





Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
 
Hi Paula,
Your Hba1c isn't that high really. I got diagnosed at the end of Feb this year and my hba1c was 126, doctor said he hadn't seen it that high for quite some time. As of last week I had my follow up blood test and I am on 30. Completely in remission and I also stopped all my meds about 1 month ago. Because I controlled it with my diet and exercise. At Xmas I weighed in at a whooping 165kg and now I have dropped to 123kg and still have about another 40kg I want to lose. I started exercising by doing 2 15minutes of exercise a day. But the most important thing I did was a radical diet called the Blood Sugar Diet, it is 800 cals a day, I had a main meal at around 1.30pm and a huel black shake at 8pm and that was it, plenty of water. I looked into the different diets and found this one to be life changing. Please check it out. By Dr. Mosley. Good luck and you just need to have a positive attitude that you can put it into remission if YOU want to.
 
Hi. All meters have their associated Lancets so you can't choose their size but can vary the depth of lansing on the finger-pricker itself. A reading of 55 is not a big problem and I'm sure low-carb diet will get you back into a good area.
 
Paula100 said:
- I am very sensitive to the constant needle pricks and my fingers become sore over time
Click to expand...
First see my signature for what I've done.
Secondly, always prick the side of your finger. The pads get very sore but the sides up near the nail are a lot less sensitive. Rotate the sites, I get about 3 sites up each side of each finger.
After a few months you will know what foods you can eat nd can start testing only new foods, so a lot less pricks and strips.
I currently only test once day
 
Hello everyone,

Thank you all for your words of support and I'm so impressed to hear how so many of you have been able to make those radical changes to diet etc to help put your diabetes into remission.

I'm naturally overweight - lost nearly 3 stone around 10 years ago, based on low carb and lots of exercise....but that has crept back up over the years, and lockdown certainly did not help my situation!

Some of you asked questions on my new diet -

Well, it's not that precise, but I've just tried to cut out all starchy carbs as much as possible (but still have porridge for breakfast). So, I'm eating lots of salads, green vegetables, chicken, hardly any red meat, and plant based foods as much as possible. However, I had some wholewheat pasta yesterday (have changed to whole grains for the whole family - I have 2 young children, so sometimes dieting is hard when having to make food for them too).

Having said that, I've been feeling exhausted, 5 days into the diet...am hoping I can find the energy to continue...

Snacks - I'm trying a small handful of nuts, or a taste of sugar free peanut butter...

I have also been considering the 800 kcal a day diet, although just don't know how I will survive

If any of you have tips for boosting energy whilst on a diet, please do let me know...

I've been trying to get hold of the Freestyle Freedom Lite Monitor as I believe this one uses the least amt of blood for testing (yes, I'm a baby and only want to use extra fine gauge needles, but am aware that not much blood may be released!) - however, in reviews they say that this monitor only uses the American units and not the mmol units that we use in the UK.

Does anyone use this monitor with UK units, and can suggest where to buy from?

Otherwise I will just buy a meter so that I can at least learn what works for me, diet wise.

Thank you again for all your lovely words. It's great to know there is a forum for us!

Best
Paula.
 
Porridge might well be starting the day off on the wrong foot entirely. Most get quite a spike from it. Your meter will tell you if you do too. Nothing wrong at all with red meat and no need to avoid it. Plant based is only an advantage if you want to be a vegetarian/vegan for moral reasons, no benefit for diabetes and in face can make low carb a bit more challenging. Much of the quick stuff is full of carbs so read any packets carefully. Wholewheat has just about the same amount of carbs as white. I’d ditch it all. Are you increasing proteins and natural fats to make up for the lack of carbs? You still need energy. And you are going through a sort of withdrawal. It should improve soon if you’re eating well.

When you drop carbs you also reduce the amount of water your body holds. So dehydration in tiring. And cutting water and processed foods also reduces the electrolytes in your body. So you might well need more sodium, potassium and magnesium rich foods (or supplements). A lack of these can make you feel totally pants but is rapidly solved.

As far as the family is concerned add their carbs on the side and simply don’t put them on your plate and add more of the proteins and fats instead. They kids don’t need sugary rubbish either and much easier to train their tastebuds now than later.

This isn’t a diet. It’s a new way of eating.
 
Porridge is great, isn't it? One of my favourite things. But it spikes me unacceptably and therefore I don't eat it anymore. Same goes for grains, wholewheat or not makes no difference to me. If you're feeling tired, it's maybe because you're still feeding yourself enough carbs to keep the dependence going, but not enough to satisfy your energy needs - I needed to switch quickly to getting all my nourishment from fats and proteins. The problem is that we have been schooled for years about what's "healthy" and what isn't, and so much of that doesn't work for me and many others. This attached might be of some use to you.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/kennya.517579/
 
Hey and Hello
I put my T2D into remission within 6 months mainly with LCHF.
I agree with other posters in that some of what you are still eating is maybe not ideal.You probably need to completely change your thinking about what is healthy for you as it has just been turned on it’s head.
Have a look on here at LCHF or low carbing and especially ‘What have you eaten today’ You will soon spot the trends.And don’t worry about too much fat.
For example I can’t have porridge or wholewheat anything and fruit is a no no. It’s a learning curve.
So browse on here and stay with us

Oh and get plenty bacon and eggs!!! And pork chops.Fatty foods are good for keeping us full and avoiding anything carby which is bad for us.
Take a minute to get your head round that…. It took me a while
 
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