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Just been diagnosed with Type 2

L

lulu2554

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
hi all I've just been diagnosed with type 2,been prediabetic for a while,now my hba1c level is 51 and that is after losing 1 stone and healthy eating at slimming world. Have to see the diabetic nurse which isn't until October what do I do in the mean time am quite worried now, but knew something was amiss as I need to get up at least twice in the night for a wee and have no energy and when I exert myself I start to sweat so not good.all the rest of my blood results were fine kidneys, liver etc, my blood pressure is fine also and the Dr even took me off one of my blood pressure tabs and chloresterol is fine on a statin for that.
 
Hello and welcome. Please try not to worry. Your 51 HbA1c is quite low on the T2 scale and by taking control now you have every chance of bringing it down. I'll tag @daisy1 to give you some really good advice. It will take a while to read it all but persevere! Then ask more questions.
 
@lulu2554

Hello Lulu and welcome to the forum :) Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. The information on carbohydrates is particularly useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.


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 over 150,000 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 and welcome,

Yes, an HbA1c of 51 is low down on the scale, so with a bit of effort and diet tweaking you should be able to control it nicely.
Read round the forum, and try to learn about the role of carbs (not just sugar, but all carbs, especially the starchy ones like rice, potatoes, bread, pasta and cereals) They are the main culprits.

Ask any questions you like.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. Have a good read of daisy's post above as it contains everything you need to know and if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask, we are a helpful bunch.
 
I'm interested in the LCHF diet how many carbs should I start with a day? What can I eat for my meals daily to loose weight I currently have 5 stone to loose and should I continue with Slimming World or go alone?
 
lulu2554 said:
I'm interested in the LCHF diet how many carbs should I start with a day? What can I eat for my meals daily to loose weight I currently have 5 stone to loose and should I continue with Slimming World or go alone?
Click to expand...
The best way forward is to buy a blood glucose meter to test what foods affect you. You can get an idea of foods people eat on this thread http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/

As your bloods levels improve, you will be up less in the night and have more energy for exercise to help with your weight loss.

Personally, I would ditch SW and use your membership fees to buy some lovely, fresh vegetables. You will get lots of dietary advice here. This thread might interest you http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/vivs-modified-atkins-diet.18803/
 
daisy1 said:
@lulu2554

Hello Lulu and welcome to the forum :) Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. The information on carbohydrates is particularly useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.


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 over 150,000 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.
Click to expand...

This week coming will be my 3rd week as a diabetic, it was really scary not knowing what to do and what to eat, I had very little help from the doctor that I saw, I booked an appointment for the next day to see my own doctor who was a little better, the best advice anyone can give you is to join the family on here, their knowledge and understanding is fantastic, they understand what you are going through, they help and point you in the right way and give really good advice on meal times.

08.52 Sunday before Break fast when I woke up, 5.6
Breakfast cold chicken and bacon,
Snack, apple
15.04 reading, 5.5
evening meal, mince beef, swede, green beans, cauliflower cheese,
21.47, reading 4.3

05.10 Monday before breakfast, 4.6
Breakfast, cold chicken and bacon,
11.04 reading 4.4
lunch, chicken and bacon salad, mayo mixed with a few peanuts
19.25, reading 4.4
evening meal, parsnip chips, steak, squash roasters,
21.38, reading 5.8

07.24 Tuesday before breakfast, 5.1
Breakfast, bacon, tomatoes,
18.02 reading, 4.0
Lunch, Steak, Cauliflower n cheese, a few Parsnip chips
20.30, reading 5.3
snack apple
23.07, reading, 5.2

3 days of results, see what you think, doctor is pleased with my results and my weight loss, gone from 18 stone to 16 and 3 quarter stone.

I'm feeling much better, have a better understanding of the foods that are best to eat, very low carbs and healthy eating, I got a little upset yesterday because I miss fruit cake, custard and other puddings and wondering if I can ever eat fish and chips again, but its all about portion size, keep the carbs low, follow the advice of the family and you can't go wrong.

Welcome to the Family
 
Hi Lulu2554 I am waiting to go on the Desmond Course, my brother said it is good and you get some great advice and meet others too you must go too.
 
Hi alangarry can I ask you a question I am told no fat or sugar obviously, how do you didn't know I could have cauliflower cheese how do you cook it in the oven and what kind and how much cheese? I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago too with Type 2
 
amgrundy said:
Hi alangarry can I ask you a question I am told no fat or sugar obviously, how do you didn't know I could have cauliflower cheese how do you cook it in the oven and what kind and how much cheese? I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago too with Type 2
Click to expand...
Who told you no fat? What was the reason given?
 
The instruction would have been given by a "Medical Professional" so no explanation would have been thought necessary, I assume.
 
amgrundy said:
Hi alangarry can I ask you a question I am told no fat or sugar obviously, how do you didn't know I could have cauliflower cheese how do you cook it in the oven and what kind and how much cheese? I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago too with Type 2
Click to expand...
Hi amgrundy. Cauliflower cheese is quick and easy to make. I just buy frozen cauli and cook per instructions. I then make a really quick cheese sauce with cream heated on the hob and stir grated cheese in until it melts and a teaspoon of English mustard stirred in for a bit of a kick. It's delicious. :D Jan x
 
Hi Do you know I am not sure who told me this I was diagnosed with a fatty liver 18 months ago. Also was told by someone no meat , when I asked my doctor he said meats fine just cut off the fat and eat in moderation obviously. then the diabetic nurse told me eat normal meals cutting portion sizes down [ I know that ] then when I joined this site everyone seems to be cutting out potatoes rice paste and bread so confused help!!
 
Hi amgrundy. I see from your post that you were diagnosed with fatty liver. Can I ask what investigations you had? And what treatment you had? I've just been referred to a Liver Specialist a few days ago, and only found out a week or two ago from a different Dr at the Hospital - that I have Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Thanks.:)
 
Hi Liam 1955 yes sure I had a liver biopsy and told I had Non alcoholic fatty liver disease nothing to worry about just cut back on fatty foods. The consultant told me that a lot of people have fatty liver and don't even know they have it . :)
 
Thanks amgrundy. I am not a meat eater (am Vegetarian) but I do eat eggs occasionally, but eat butter and cheese. Did the biopsy hurt? And do/did you go back for follow up. Thanks.:)
 
Hi NoCrbs4Me. Could taking other medication contribute to fatty liver also? Thanks.
 
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