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Knew and Know Nothing

O

Old Aussie

Active Member
Messages
32
Location
Australia
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello, I was diagnosed Type 2 almost a week ago. I'm still kind of in shock, reeling and feeling overwhelmed. My HBA1c was 9.4 I think that is high.

Since being diagnosed I have lost 3kg. I am walking approximately 2 hours a day and trying to eat low carb.

I got my test monitor yesterday. My first test was 10.4. I was heartbroken my reading was so high after I had tried so hard to do everything right over the last week. I've never been into diet or nutrition. I'm kind of struggling to read food labels at the moment.

Back to my 10.4 reading. I had eaten 4 Vita Wheat biscuits with avocado and tomato on them. So I worked out the Vita Wheat biscuits were the baddies.

This morning before breakfast my reading was 5.8, after lunch it was 5.7, after dinner it was 5.4. I think these readings are not to bad.

I just read that you shouldn't use the first drop of blood. My readings are all with the first drop of blood, so does that mean my readings could be wrong?

I want to try and put my diabetes into remission if I can. I am taking one Metformin at night after my meal.

Old Aussie
 
Hello @Old Aussie ,

Hat's off to you for using your meter absolutely correctly. That first drop's perfectly fine to test on, so that's all 100% a-okay, but more importantly, you used your meter to figure out what foods were spiking you. I don't know whether you're testing before a meal and 2 hours after the first bite, which would be excellent (you're aiming for a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol/l), but so far, so good.

What's the struggle with the food labels? You have a different kind of nutritional information than the Dutch do (and I happen to be Dutch), but I THINK down under you have them listed per 100 grams of a product? So if you have, say, 200 grams of vegetables with your dinner, and they're 2 grams of carbs per hundred, then the portion of veggies was 4 grams total. Mind you, in the US they list fibre with the carbs, so they subtract them, but I don't think that's what's done in Oz (certainly isn't in Europe)... Disregard the "of which sugars" bit, because that just says what went in as sugar as it was.... The rest of the carbs turn to glucose anyway, so you want to read the total carbs bit. That's the important line. The rest is just noise to confuse things.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html <-- might help a little, as might Dr. Jason Fung's the Diabetes Code, dietdoctor.com and this forum's website, diabetes.co.uk (Not .org!). All in all though, you're off to a flying start. And a reading of 10.4.... It's not good, but hey, mine was 22 at some point, so... You are improving. You don't have to get everything perfectly right in one go, just know that you are moving in the right direction. Your other numbers are fives, assuming you're testing at the right intervals, (and if not, I think you will from here on in), which makes one hopeful.

You'll be back into the normal range and off metformin in no time at all. You'll still be a diabetic, but a very well controlled one. Why can I say that with confidence? Because you got yourself a meter and know about low carb already. You're doing everything you should, being quite proactive. You'll be fine.
Good luck!
Jo
 
Sounds to me like you are doing ok. You identified the cause of the spike, treat it as part of your education.

Download the mysugr app and record your food and readings. After a few days it will give an estimated hba1c. Wont be properly accurate until you have entered 3 months data or so, but it shows trends and is highly motivating.

I always use one drop of blood, just make sure hands are clean.
 
Hi Jo, I'm not sure I am doing this right as I have never been on a forum before.

One thing that kind of bothers me is, my doctor gave me no hope when I was diagnosed. I asked him if there was anything I could do. His reply was "Nothing you will be on medication for life." He wants to see me in a month to tweak my medication. How will he know if my HBA1c is better when I don't have that tested for another 3 months. How can he tweak my medication without a blood test? I don't want to go on more tablets. My goal is to get off the one I am on.

This week I have to make appointments to see a diabetic dietician, an eye specialist and a foot doctor.

Everything is still feels like it's spinning out of control. I will calm down and I get used to the fact that I am a diabetic.


Thanks Jo for your encouragement. I didn't know about anything. This last week I have done more reading that I have in years. I have watched hours of youtube videos. I found Dr. Jason Fung on youtube and I really like him.
 
xfieldok said:
Sounds to me like you are doing ok. You identified the cause of the spike, treat it as part of your education.

Download the mysugr app and record your food and readings. After a few days it will give an estimated hba1c. Wont be properly accurate until you have entered 3 months data or so, but it shows trends and is highly motivating.

I always use one drop of blood, just make sure hands are clean.
Click to expand...

Oh thank you! Where do I download the app from.
 
Tell your dr you want to try diet before tweaking your meds and then reconsider. That would be less confrontational. Unfortunately most doctors don't have a clue.

Careful with the dietician, the old school ones give dire advice.
 
xfieldok said:
It should be available from wherever you get your phone apps.[/''

Oh that kind of app. I am old, so didn't realise you meant a phone app. Don't like mobile phones, never bothered to learn how to use it. I can ring someone and answer a call. That's it. I prefer my old landline. I believe I'm called a luddite.
Click to expand...
 
Old Aussie said:
Hi Jo, I'm not sure I am doing this right as I have never been on a forum before.

One thing that kind of bothers me is, my doctor gave me no hope when I was diagnosed. I asked him if there was anything I could do. His reply was "Nothing you will be on medication for life." He wants to see me in a month to tweak my medication. How will he know if my HBA1c is better when I don't have that tested for another 3 months. How can he tweak my medication without a blood test? I don't want to go on more tablets. My goal is to get off the one I am on.

This week I have to make appointments to see a diabetic dietician, an eye specialist and a foot doctor.

Everything is still feels like it's spinning out of control. I will calm down and I get used to the fact that I am a diabetic.


Thanks Jo for your encouragement. I didn't know about anything. This last week I have done more reading that I have in years. I have watched hours of youtube videos. I found Dr. Jason Fung on youtube and I really like him.
Click to expand...

Okay, first off.... You'll probably get the same message from every professional you speak to from here on in. Sorry. I know I did. From my endo, my dieticians (yes, plural), the nurse... The only one who said she'd support my low carb adventure was my GP. Mainly because she admitted she didn't know the first thing about diabetes, she knew I was testing my fingers raw (so would be able to tell if something went awry. The perk of having a diabetic cat: I knew a little about it before I got hit myself.), and she was curious to see what it'd get me. To date, I am the only one in the practice to go from thoroughly diabetic on metformin and later, gliclazide, to the normal range with nothing more than diet. I was told it couldn't be done, I was told I'd be on medication for life, I was told to cut out fats and eat carbs (No thanks! Not after I saw what carbs did to my blood sugars!), so.... Believe it or not, your current situation and the advice you've gotten so far, or rather, the lack thereof... Is quite common. And wrong. Proof being all the people here who came back from medication, some even from insulin, with just a change in their diet.

I don't know whether your doc'll order another hbA1c (three month average) when you see him again, or whether he'll do a finger prick on the spot, but you're right, there's no tweaking anything if he doesn't know what your blood sugars are doing. T2's aren't advised to test, because then their insurance'd have to cover it, and that's a bit too dear, with T2 running rampant globally. The bulk of us self-fund, and it helps greatly. Like you've discovered yourself, with the biscuits. You're on the right track. And yeah... Dr. Fung's a bit of a hero in these parts (not to say minor god), so I'm glad you went for his video's.

Also... With things spinning out of control and whatnot.... T2 is a life-changing diagnosis. That means it is traumatic, will leave people reeling, grieving, facing a slight memory loss for a bit... Because it is a curve ball that messes us up for a while. It just does. It's about the most natural reaction you could have. For right now though, all you need to know is that this is a condition you actually have a say in. You decide how this progresses. If you cut carbs, you'll stop it right in its tracks. That's the perk of knowing what's wrong. Now you know you can't process carbs, and you can do something about it. You already have been. (!!!) You'll find just how empowering that is as your numbers continue to improve. :)
 
Old Aussie said:
Everything is still feels like it's spinning out of control. I will calm down and I get used to the fact that I am a diabetic.
Click to expand...
I can really relate to this, I cried when I was diagnosed! First off congratulations on the weight loss, the walking, the blood testing, the joining a forum and posting (yes you're doing it right), the reading and education blitz........wow how much you've done despite the shock and the, frankly, not very helpful dr. Yay you!

You might find it odd but now I'm really pleased I was diagnosed with diabetes because I made some changes to my life (low carb and fasting mostly) and I feel better than I have in years. Really transformational. Also what I've learnt for diabetes has made me question the current healthy eating advice and how I've been taking care of myself. As a result of the changes it looks like my blood pressure is improving too. Some underlying issues also turned up when I stopped feeling so generally ghastly, for example identified a severe vitamin D deficiency which was exacerbating my anxiety.

Not only will you hopefully not be on pills for the rest of your life but you might also actually start feeling healthier. Not all dieticians are on board with low carb (yet) but some are, it's a bit pot luck really. The eye and foot testing is useful just to see where you are, hopefully it will come back all clear as mine did, but even if not diet can help with that too.
 
I was diagnosed back in 2016, burnt the diet sheets to light the barbecue next day - ate a low carb diet which I knew was the way to feel a lot better, and my GP hasn't spoken to me since - I think he's sulking.
I did try to take the medication prescribed, but it made me so ill I threw it in the bin. I could see that my BG numbers were a lot closer to normal - and thought good enough - but then they got even better and I was no longer diabetic at the 3 month check.
I have thought of getting a tee shirt with 'Dr Atkins was right' printed on it - because he was.
 
copilost said:
I can really relate to this, I cried when I was diagnosed! First off congratulations on the weight loss, the walking, the blood testing, the joining a forum and posting (yes you're doing it right), the reading and education blitz........wow how much you've done despite the shock and the, frankly, not very helpful dr. Yay you!

You might find it odd but now I'm really pleased I was diagnosed with diabetes because I made some changes to my life (low carb and fasting mostly) and I feel better than I have in years. Really transformational. Also what I've learnt for diabetes has made me question the current healthy eating advice and how I've been taking care of myself. As a result of the changes it looks like my blood pressure is improving too. Some underlying issues also turned up when I stopped feeling so generally ghastly, for example identified a severe vitamin D deficiency which was exacerbating my anxiety.

Not only will you hopefully not be on pills for the rest of your life but you might also actually start feeling healthier. Not all dieticians are on board with low carb (yet) but some are, it's a bit pot luck really. The eye and foot testing is useful just to see where you are, hopefully it will come back all clear as mine did, but even if not diet can help with that too.
Click to expand...

Hello, may I ask how you solved the vitamin d deficiency and to what extent that affected your anxiety levels? Thanks
 
Buzzer81 said:
may I ask how you solved the vitamin d deficiency and to what extent that affected your anxiety levels
Click to expand...
First I identified it, had a blood test, that said there is plenty of evidence that everyone in the north is deficient in the winter months so test not necessary at this time I imagine. The dr proscribed double dose of vit d supplement i.e. 2x 800IU per day for six months and then 800IU for ever :). I'm also taking a multi vitamin for the vitamin interaction boost plus most people are low in zinc and selenium even with a good diet. However, diet and supplements aren't equal to sunshine so I'm aiming to spend an hour a day in direct sunlight between 10am and 3pm. As I've only been taking the supplements for 2 months (and there hasn't been that much sun) I don't think it is solved yet (some doctors recommend very high dose front loading but mine didn't as evidence is inconclusive). Also the symptoms I have (in addition to anxiety) e.g. numb lips, tingling, itchy skin, are still around, though improving I think. It was a very severe deficiency!

All that said I did notice an improvement very quickly in two symptoms: the weird bruise feelings I had in odd places where there was no bruise and the anxiety. Both of these improved inside of a week. Anxiety is tricky though because I was worrying about all the strange symptoms I had and the diagnosis helped with that so cause-effect is hard to establish. Though I'd say the anxiety felt different, more out of control than usual and more pervasive. So much is changing in response to my low carb diet, not least the sense of finally having a handle on my health in a way I haven't felt for years, that it's almost impossible to untangle what's going on!

One last comment, it took me years to really acknowledge my anxiety was a thing (took someone at work being open about theirs before I accepted it). Maybe I've had vit d deficiency for years?! Whatever the origins finally talking about it to friends and being able to 'fess up has really helped me, plus I get to discuss it with fellow sufferers who I'm discovering every day. :)
 
copilost said:
First I identified it, had a blood test, that said there is plenty of evidence that everyone in the north is deficient in the winter months so test not necessary at this time I imagine. The dr proscribed double dose of vit d supplement i.e. 2x 800IU per day for six months and then 800IU for ever :). I'm also taking a multi vitamin for the vitamin interaction boost plus most people are low in zinc and selenium even with a good diet. However, diet and supplements aren't equal to sunshine so I'm aiming to spend an hour a day in direct sunlight between 10am and 3pm. As I've only been taking the supplements for 2 months (and there hasn't been that much sun) I don't think it is solved yet (some doctors recommend very high dose front loading but mine didn't as evidence is inconclusive). Also the symptoms I have (in addition to anxiety) e.g. numb lips, tingling, itchy skin, are still around, though improving I think. It was a very severe deficiency!

All that said I did notice an improvement very quickly in two symptoms: the weird bruise feelings I had in odd places where there was no bruise and the anxiety. Both of these improved inside of a week. Anxiety is tricky though because I was worrying about all the strange symptoms I had and the diagnosis helped with that so cause-effect is hard to establish. Though I'd say the anxiety felt different, more out of control than usual and more pervasive. So much is changing in response to my low carb diet, not least the sense of finally having a handle on my health in a way I haven't felt for years, that it's almost impossible to untangle what's going on!

One last comment, it took me years to really acknowledge my anxiety was a thing (took someone at work being open about theirs before I accepted it). Maybe I've had vit d deficiency for years?! Whatever the origins finally talking about it to friends and being able to 'fess up has really helped me, plus I get to discuss it with fellow sufferers who I'm discovering every day. :)
Click to expand...

Wow, thank you for that reply, really appreciate it. My doctor did highlight I was slightly low in vitamin d.... Also that I was anaemic.... but he didn’t offer me any advice or treatment to solve it.

Metformin and 45-60% carbs per meals was the suggestion which I’m have since found to be rather terrible advice thanks to this forum!

With regards anxiety I really hope that continues to help and improve your symptoms. I am going to look into trying to get more vit d in the hope it helps with my anxiety levels! I’ll let you know how it goes!
 
Buzzer81 said:
With regards anxiety I really hope that continues to help and improve your symptoms. I am going to look into trying to get more vit d in the hope it helps with my anxiety levels! I’ll let you know how it goes!
Click to expand...
or indeed anything that helps with anxiety please!
 
Old Aussie said:
Hello, I was diagnosed Type 2 almost a week ago. I'm still kind of in shock, reeling and feeling overwhelmed. My HBA1c was 9.4 I think that is high.

Since being diagnosed I have lost 3kg. I am walking approximately 2 hours a day and trying to eat low carb.

I got my test monitor yesterday. My first test was 10.4. I was heartbroken my reading was so high after I had tried so hard to do everything right over the last week. I've never been into diet or nutrition. I'm kind of struggling to read food labels at the moment.

Back to my 10.4 reading. I had eaten 4 Vita Wheat biscuits with avocado and tomato on them. So I worked out the Vita Wheat biscuits were the baddies.

This morning before breakfast my reading was 5.8, after lunch it was 5.7, after dinner it was 5.4. I think these readings are not to bad.

I just read that you shouldn't use the first drop of blood. My readings are all with the first drop of blood, so does that mean my readings could be wrong?

I want to try and put my diabetes into remission if I can. I am taking one Metformin at night after my meal.

Old Aussie
Click to expand...
Not so fast. Give your body from 8 to 12 weeks and you will be pleasantly surprised how you blood sugars are getting back to normal. The body needs to re-adjust and re-adapt to a low-carb diet.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Okay, first off.... You'll probably get the same message from every professional you speak to from here on in. Sorry. I know I did. From my endo, my dieticians (yes, plural), the nurse... The only one who said she'd support my low carb adventure was my GP. Mainly because she admitted she didn't know the first thing about diabetes, she knew I was testing my fingers raw (so would be able to tell if something went awry. The perk of having a diabetic cat: I knew a little about it before I got hit myself.), and she was curious to see what it'd get me. To date, I am the only one in the practice to go from thoroughly diabetic on metformin and later, gliclazide, to the normal range with nothing more than diet. I was told it couldn't be done, I was told I'd be on medication for life, I was told to cut out fats and eat carbs (No thanks! Not after I saw what carbs did to my blood sugars!), so.... Believe it or not, your current situation and the advice you've gotten so far, or rather, the lack thereof... Is quite common. And wrong. Proof being all the people here who came back from medication, some even from insulin, with just a change in their diet.

I don't know whether your doc'll order another hbA1c (three month average) when you see him again, or whether he'll do a finger prick on the spot, but you're right, there's no tweaking anything if he doesn't know what your blood sugars are doing. T2's aren't advised to test, because then their insurance'd have to cover it, and that's a bit too dear, with T2 running rampant globally. The bulk of us self-fund, and it helps greatly. Like you've discovered yourself, with the biscuits. You're on the right track. And yeah... Dr. Fung's a bit of a hero in these parts (not to say minor god), so I'm glad you went for his video's.

Also... With things spinning out of control and whatnot.... T2 is a life-changing diagnosis. That means it is traumatic, will leave people reeling, grieving, facing a slight memory loss for a bit... Because it is a curve ball that messes us up for a while. It just does. It's about the most natural reaction you could have. For right now though, all you need to know is that this is a condition you actually have a say in. You decide how this progresses. If you cut carbs, you'll stop it right in its tracks. That's the perk of knowing what's wrong. Now you know you can't process carbs, and you can do something about it. You already have been. (!!!) You'll find just how empowering that is as your numbers continue to improve. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you so much Jo! You speak so much sense and I agree with everything you say.

I had a 'oops' last night. I was working and forgot to take my metformin last night. I didn't remember until I woke up this morning. I thought my B/G would be as high as... but today I've been in the low to mid 5's.

After forgetting to take the tablet last night, I have now set a reminder on my fitbit. I hope I never forget again. I want to get off metformin but not until I am given the all clear.

Kerry
 
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