Just been told I have Diabetes

firefox60

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 2
HI all,
I was told in November that I had diabetes dont know which type yet. My symptoms are weight lose around 22 pounds thirst urinating a lot pains in hands and feet and blurred vision.

When I had my blood test in September 2016 it was normal 5.4 i cant think why it would come on so fast.
Have not seen the DR yet so dont know what they will do with me.

looking forward to your answer's

ps sorry have real blurred vision making it difficult to type
 

Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
HI all,
I was told in November that I had diabetes dont know which type yet. My symptoms are weight lose around 22 pounds thirst urinating a lot pains in hands and feet and blurred vision.

When I had my blood test in September 2016 it was normal 5.4 i cant think why it would come on so fast.
Have not seen the DR yet so dont know what they will do with me.

looking forward to your answer's

ps sorry have real blurred vision making it difficult to type
Hi @firefox60 and welcome.
It is a club nobody really wants to join, but you have come to the right place.
I am tagging @daisy1 who posts info for new members. You should see that soon. In the meantime, have a look around and ask questions. We understand. We have all been newly diagnosed at some time.
 
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Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
@firefox60

What Pipp said. Book an appt with your Doctor. The sooner you know the sooner you can be in control.
It was a shock for me too.
Agree, in addition to support here, a doctor appointment is needed.
 

Macdonald1995

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
You need to go back to the doc ASAP, I had all those symptoms and was diagnosed with type 1, was put on insulin the same day.good luck :)
 

h4kr

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I had exactly the same symptoms, sent home from a&E with a bg reading of 38! I went for a second opinion at my gp and got a direct appointment with the diabetes team who put me on insulin and diagnosed type 1 same day.
You need to see a dr ASAP imo.

>> edit: Oh, I’ve been on insulin 3 weeks now and my eyesight has pretty much returned to normal.
 

TheBigNewt

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,167
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Diabetes is kind of a slow moving ship over there I think. "Yep. You got diabetes. Not sure what kind. Stay tuned. We might prescribe something. Eventually. In the meantime keep your nose outta the birthday cake OK?"
 

firefox60

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Here they dont seem to be that bothered about it had a phone call from the Dr on December 23 saying that I had Diabetes and pick the metformin up from the chemist and he will see me after his Holidays. Felt better at first then feeling rough again this week.Feet are in pain and hands and tired also vision is rough.
 

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,209
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
forum bugs
You need to go back to the doc ASAP, I had all those symptoms and was diagnosed with type 1, was put on insulin the same day.good luck
Yes, I'd be wondering about T1 as well. Some doctors still assume that every diabetic over 30 is T2, every diabetic under 30 is T1, (and I suspect that some now just assume that everyone's T2. They'd be right 90% of the time:)...)
Please go back to your doctor. Can you see a different one at the surgery/clinic if yours is still on holiday?
 

Tophat1900

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,407
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Uncooked bacon
The fact you are still waiting for further info and are clearly in some distress, just seems really wrong to me. And seems rather careless. I'd be asking to see anther doctor asap. You need care asap and shouldn't be having to wait for a doctor to get back from his holidays before that care is given, that seems ridiculous to me.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@firefox60

Hello Firefox60 and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic 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.


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 235,000 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

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.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

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 blood glucose 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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

Bertyboy

Well-Known Member
Messages
215
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I feel your pain. The NHS is pretty good once you are diagnosed, but that takes too long to happen in the first place.
Your case sounds identical to mine : previously OK bloods, lethargy, sudden thirst, urination, blurred vision, rapid onset of symptoms.
In my case, I suspected what this was and bought a cheap BG meter from Amazon which showed levels in the mid-high 20s. Upon telling my GP surgery this, they said that I indeed need an appointment but the earliest they could fit me in was 6 weeks time.
I paid for a private GP, who within 15 mins had me booked into the rapid access diabetes clinic, having said it was type 1 (based on high ketone levels).
That was November, and I'm still no wiser to what type it really is. GAD and c-peptide results came back negative. It would be good to ditch the insulin, so I'm trying to reduce it by keeping carb intake low, and hopefully the consultant (who I will see in two weeks) will try metformin instead.

But I agree with others, I would see another doctor if I were you. Did your GP check ketones?
 

TheBigNewt

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,167
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Glucose meters and strips are dirt cheap here. I can buy a meter at Walmart (you have those in the UK right?) for $12 (3 different sizes) and 100 strips for $17 right off the shelf in the diabetes section of the pharmacy. I've never used my heath insurance for strips. I buy them online cheap, 600 at a time.
 

Freema

Expert
Messages
7,346
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
HI all,
I was told in November that I had diabetes dont know which type yet. My symptoms are weight lose around 22 pounds thirst urinating a lot pains in hands and feet and blurred vision.

When I had my blood test in September 2016 it was normal 5.4 i cant think why it would come on so fast.
Have not seen the DR yet so dont know what they will do with me.

looking forward to your answer's

ps sorry have real blurred vision making it difficult to type

hope you get some good medical advice then, is it for sure that you are type 2 diabetic or havent that been decided yet ?

first of all you need to see your GP and ask them to help you cope..


if you are type 2 diabetic it will help you greatly to start counting the number of grams of carbs you eat in a day.. and try tostay under 150 grams of carbs daily

food with no carbs in are fish, meat and cheese and most nuts so maybe for some days try to eat mostly that kind of foods.

.LIDL has some protein rolls with only 9 grams of carbs in pro 100 grams and they are a good substitute for ordinary high carb bread..

tomatoes and cucumber also only contains very little carb so they are good to eat too......

cream and butter also contains hardly any carbs.. so coffee with cream is an okay drink..