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My Bad ?

Daks

Well-Known Member
Messages
407
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hey guys,

New here and newly diagnosed, I did introduce myself on the greeting thread and got a welcoming response.

To cut a long story short I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and prescribed Metformins, I was given a booklet and was told to cut sugars watch carbs and get more exercise, then return in 1 month, I haven't been issued with a monitor yet, so have no idea what my blood is doing, should I purchase one ?

Well I have a week to go before returning to see the doctor, the past 2 weeks have been a roller coaster of emotion, first 2 days I was upbeat and motivated, had a real 'I'm going to beat this attitude" then I started craving carbs and sugars and pretty much spent the rest of the week upset as the reality sunk in.

Today is the first day of week 3 the cravings have subsided somewhat, but if I'm honest I feel worse than I did before diagnosis, spent most of last weekend in bed fatigued or depressed, probably both, despite spending 2 weeks eating wholemeal everything, chicken, salads, fish and not to much else. I'm finding the diet thing really tough, not so much going without the things I love, but more just knowing what to eat. I have read through many of the posts here and it seems like diabetes is a very personal thing, and there is some conflicting information which just helps confuse everything.

On a more positive note my drinking and peeing has returned to normal, so I guess that's a good sign ? Oh and the 'my bad' title, I just ate a pot of fresh fruit, strawberry, kiwi and melon from tesco, it had 9.3g sugar, didn't even realize until after id finished, not sure if that's bad.

Appreciate any help, advice or support you can give.

Daks
 
Sounds like you are going through the newly diagnosed mill.
We've all been there, so we really do all understand.

So firstly, don't beat yourself up about anything. No matter what you are feeling now, today, this minute, it will pass. And you will feel something different tomorrow - and that will pass too.

I think, regardless of what your doctor says, you need to get a meter.
The switching to wholemeal everything is standard NHS advice. But unfortunately it doesn't work for all of us. And you really don't want to spend months dutifully following docs orders, only to find that your blood glucose is just as high on wholemeal as it was on white...

(I'm one of the unlucky ones, by the way. ALL wheat and grains, including rice, send my BG through the roof)

Oh, and one more thing, the best way I have ever found to beat the carb cravings, is to eat a good, filling meal, containing some fat. Steak and salad with mayo, a cheese omelette, cooked breakfast, no carbs. Coffee with cream works too. Try it. Works like magic.
 
You are now, where most on here have been, the secret is that it's gonna take a while still till you actually see the beneficial effects of low carbing.
Yes you should get a meter if you're serious about control. Because the control of your blood sugar levels is where you will feel better and be fitter. Someone will be along soon with a link.
Yes, anything that is sugary or low fat is full of sugar, but don't forget that carbs also turn to sugar.

Keep asking, keep posting, keep asking g questions.
 
First, don't let little lapses bother you. Everyone occasionally, either accidentally or deliberately eats something unwise. Less than 10 g of carb is not a huge amount so let it go.

Almost everybody has major adjustment issues in the beginning. You are doing much better than I did about a year ago. I spent most of February sitting by my fire paralysed by anxiety and depression. I was obsessed by what I could or couldn't eat. I mourned the loss of foodstuffs I didn't even like. For example , I hadn't eaten a Poptart in 40 years, but found myself examining them in the grocery store and sadly realizing I could not eat them anymore. Now, I am mostly happy with what I can eat, and if I crave something a little higher in carbs I can decide rationally if the pleasure of consumption is worth the higher reading. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't and I can cope either way.

I found it helpful to find a few strong flavoured things that I liked. Especially at first I ate a lot of olives, blue cheese and small amounts of salsa or pepper jelly. Some people enjoy a small amount of dark chocolate.

It will get easier. In time it will be part of the background of your life rather than the constant focus.
 
Hi Daks,
I'm in a similar position to you. Several nice cakes and biscuits have wafted under my nose in the last few days, including some freshly baked cheese scones. I managed to be good.

I will set out my current regimen - it may not suit you
At the moment I am completely avoiding anything sugary cakes, chocolates, biscuits, fizzy drinks.
I am also trying to avoid products with too much added sugar e.g pasta sauces (this may be a problem when daughter comes home from college).
I am cutting back on carbs - small portions, not every meal. For me this causes more sorrow than the sweet stuff.
I have to lose significant weight, but this is in progress and I'm lighter than 20 years ago (just!)
I am reducing the meat order from the butcher, as buying less means eating less.
I have been mostly successful at cutting out little snacks.

I am eating more fish both fresh and tinned.
I am not cutting back on veg apart from parsnips. I like veg and they fill me up.
I am having more salad. I find a slaw of chopped red cabbage, celery with a bit of spring onion and carrot is good for filling me up. I dress it with a dessert spoon of olive oil, a splosh of vinegar, sometimes mustard, sometimes Worcester sauce - you could use plain yoghurt.
Exercise also helps, I am fortunate in being semi-retired, so I try to get several walks a day. 10-15 minutes before breakfast andabout 9pm, an hour in the middle of the day.
Cheese and nuts are not good for weight loss, but are good from a blood sugar point of view.

i now don't see the nurse for 3 months. I have ordered some urine sticks. I know these don't give timely warnings about blood sugar, but I'm hoping they'll be indicators of broad success (or failure). I amy have to buy the blood tester but am holding fire.

I am supposed to be enrolling on a DESMOND course, but noone answers the phone or replies to e-mails.

Best wishes
Adam
 
Moniker said:
I hadn't eaten a Poptart in 40 years, but found myself examining them in the grocery store and sadly realizing I could not eat them anymore. .
Click to expand...

It's sad, what things try to jump off the shelf now you can no longer have them - even though you didn't really want them in the first place.
 
Phlogiston said:
It's sad, what things try to jump off the shelf now you can no longer have them - even though you didn't really want them in the first place.
Click to expand...

Yeah, went shopping last week and told the Mrs "you shop for yourself and the boys, and I'll take my time grab the things I can eat and everyones a winner"

I left that store with a handful of nothing, was so upset, but I think half of it was just being so new to diabetes.
 

Well done, Adam. Sounds like you want to grab this thing by the throat and shake it until it submits.

My only comment would be on the urine sticks. Unfortunately, they only show anything over 10. Under 10, they show no glucose. Whilst that's a real broad brush stroke safety net (how many metaphors can I fir into one sentence?), it won't give you mush help. Even if you have to ration your testing, investing in a meter is such a great thing to do.
 
Hi welcome. In the beginning I sat with paper and pen and wrote down what I could eat and what I actually liked out of that. Followed low carb sites on here and looked at different menu advice, wrote down meals for a week, so I could relax a bit. there is so much to choose from, good steaks , chicken, fish you name it. I was quite repetitive with my meals at first, until I got confident. From my own experience its confusing at first then you decide what path to follow and its easier. Definitely get a monitor its so very important. It puts you back in control rather than guessing and feeling naff. Your allowed to be scared and confused and have a duvet day, but get up again and let us know how your doing
 
Really appreciate all your feedback and kind words, sincerely, very comforting.
 
You will get there, we all have eventually, and all the support you need is on this forum. Keep reading, keep asking questions, and please consider buying a meter so you can test out which foods you can or can't cope with.

Many of us buy the Codefree as it has the cheapest test strips, and you will need a lot to begin with. Have a look here http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm and if you buy in bulk there are promo codes that make them even cheaper.
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

Let us know if/when you get one and someone will explain when to test etc.
 
I enjoy shopping more now since a load of junk food is off limits so I miss out whole aisles and make for the stuff I really like. A whizz down the veg section looking for interesting green things, preferably on special offer, and then off to the dairy, meat and fish departments, stopping off for treats like peanut butter. Simples.
Checking out other people's trolleys at the checkout I'm amazed at what I used to think was good chow.
 
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