New and confused

TinaH71

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
hi, I am so newly diagnosed with type 2 that I had to ring my gp this morning for my initial hba1c results. I was told I needed to see a doc to get started on medication. So I plodded along only to be told I wasn’t going to be medicated straight away. All the advice was to change my lifestyle, lose weight (while looking down at my belly, and go back in 3 months for another blood test. I said I’d given up carbs and sugar. He said ok. He left me feeling very confused and upset. Anyone else had experience like this and how did you handle it?
 

xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Welcome, you have come to the right place. Do you know what your HbA1c number is?

Confusion is natural, try not to be upset. Others will be along to give you advice. Well done for choosing low carb. Get a meter so you can follow your progress.
 

TinaH71

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
He never told me my number. He was very dismissive like I was wasting his time.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
You need to know your number. It is imperative because you need to know where you are starting from. You are entitled to a print out of your test results, so my advice is ask for one. You can ask the receptionist. No need to speak to your doctor. These print outs are full of vital information. Not just blood glucose but also cholesterol, lipids, liver & kidney functions and full blood counts. All these are important for us so we can keep an eye on trends in the future.

Your experience with your doctor is fairly typical. They usually devolve all Type 2 diabetes care to a nurse, and I expect that is what will happen to you, but you do need to ask if you have been referred to one. Again, the receptionist may know this. You should be asked to see a nurse fairly soon. She will tell you what is what, and make arrangements for you to have an annual retinal eye screening test and an annual foot check. She should also arrange for you to go on an education course although there are long waiting lists for these in some areas. All these things come under the Diabetes Care Pathway, which all surgeries should follow. It sounds like you may have some chasing up to do. :arghh:

By the way, as your doctor says medication is not necessary right now, that most likely means your HbA1c wasn't too bad.
 

NewTD2

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,563
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
hi, I am so newly diagnosed with type 2 that I had to ring my gp this morning for my initial hba1c results. I was told I needed to see a doc to get started on medication. So I plodded along only to be told I wasn’t going to be medicated straight away. All the advice was to change my lifestyle, lose weight (while looking down at my belly, and go back in 3 months for another blood test. I said I’d given up carbs and sugar. He said ok. He left me feeling very confused and upset. Anyone else had experience like this and how did you handle it?

Hope this helps mate -
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
 
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Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
He never told me my number. He was very dismissive like I was wasting his time.

If you have online access to your medical records you can log in for your test results. If not, you can request a printout of all your test results from your Practice.

Tagging @daisy1 for the info pack offered to all newcomers.

We are often confounded by the medics when we are diagnosed. Confusion and worry reign. The more you learn about Diabetes then the better you will be able to manage it well. Well done on deciding to change your lifestyle with diet as this is key to gaining good improvements and the one tool that is invaluable to this is a glucometer.

Have a wander around the forum and keep asking questions, we all remember what it was like to be diagnosed and the dazed confusion it can bring.
 
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TinaH71

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Already seen the nurse. She said I’d more than likely be started on metformin and would ring me to discuss the results. I’ve got to have my blood pressure checked again as it was high so will have a chat with her. I also had conflicting opinions about my liver function test. One doc asked how often I drank excessively (tee total) and another said nothing to worry about.
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Already seen the nurse. She said I’d more than likely be started on metformin and would ring me to discuss the results. I’ve got to have my blood pressure checked again as it was high so will have a chat with her. I also had conflicting opinions about my liver function test. One doc asked how often I drank excessively (tee total) and another said nothing to worry about.

It is a little known fact that glucose (especially fructose) can have the same affect on the liver as excessive alcohol intake. The condition is known as NAFLD (Non Alcahol Fatty Liver Disease). Don't panic, the liver is a remarkable organ and has been shown to start recovering from NAFLD or fatty liver within a very short time once diet has been adjusted. I am not saying that NAFLD is what you have just pointing out why a doctor asked about alcohol intake.
 
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Sue192

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
hi, I am so newly diagnosed with type 2 that I had to ring my gp this morning for my initial hba1c results. I was told I needed to see a doc to get started on medication. So I plodded along only to be told I wasn’t going to be medicated straight away. All the advice was to change my lifestyle, lose weight (while looking down at my belly, and go back in 3 months for another blood test. I said I’d given up carbs and sugar. He said ok. He left me feeling very confused and upset. Anyone else had experience like this and how did you handle it?
Yup, almost exactly the same, including the surreptitious look in the direction of my stomach! I haven't seen him since diagnosis in September (our surgery doesn't have a DN). I ask for blood tests and these include the liver function test. I wasn't upset by his approach as it suited me but it won't suit others so I absolutely understand why you are confused and upset. But take heart - as @Bluetit1802 says, because you weren't given medication your hbA1c probably wasn't bad enough to warrant meds without giving diet and exercise a go. That's the message I gleaned from my GP. It's very early stages for you and you are definitely on the right track with giving up carbs and sugar. There is a lot of fantastic advice and positive support here :)
 

Pinkorchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,927
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I said I’d given up carbs and sugar.
Well doesn't sound like your levels were to high as your doctor does not want you on medication but you have done the right thing giving up the carbs so well done and keep that up
 
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Phoenix55

Well-Known Member
Messages
577
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Compared with some you have got off lightly! It is confusing, particularly when the diagnosis comes out of the blue.

1) Get yourself a meter and learn to use it first thing in the morning and 2 hours after a meal. You will soon go through any 'complimentary' test strips so try to take account of this on-going expense. Keep a record of the results, a spreadsheet is a good idea, and you will soon see which foods are raising your bg. You may find that grain flours also raise your bg beyond 2 following a meal but we are all different. Test each meal twice to be certain.
2) Try to take a short walk most days, it only needs to be 5- 10 minutes to start. It is cheap, is good overall exercise, and gives you time to get your mind round all sorts of problems. Make a weekly note of body measurements and weight so when your weight loss stalls you may see that your body is simply taking time to redistribute the remaining fat.

It seems a lot to start, but you have made the biggest change by reducing your carb intake and cutting out sugar. There is whole world of new meals, delicious foods and feeling good about yourself waiting for you. You can eat strawberries and cream, eggs, dairy and above ground vegetables, so it is not all salads. By the summer holidays you will feel like a new, healthier version of you, so be prepared to rake through your wardrobe for those clothes that 'shrank' and indulge in some new too.
 

TinaH71

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks so much guys. I have a meter and am going to attempt to start a spreadsheet tomorrow. I’ve started slimming world so a weight record is easy. All this advice has made me feel a lot better
 
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Freema

Expert
Messages
7,346
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
welcome here Tina, this is the right place to be .. stay here and you'll learn to cope with this condition and get normal levels of blood glucose again
 
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xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I used to use a spreadsheet but now use mySugr app on my phone. It also estimates your HbA1c after about 6 days worth of data.
 
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jayney27

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,643
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello and welcome,
All the previous posts include advice that I would have given. As already said you have made a good start, take heart from this, we were all where you are and we have all done what we are recommending, it works and for lots of us it works quite quickly.
The shock of diagnosis can be upsetting, I cried, then felt sorry for myself, was angry, upset, confused and scared. Finding this site was my saviour, I quickly discovered that I wasn’t alone and that my feelings were normal. The support we give each other is lovely, you will find answers to your questions from people who have first hand knowledge.
I was diagnosed in October and like you was told to try and loose a little bit of weight, do a little bit of exercise and eat a well balanced diet, no medication required and not advised to get a meter. Thankfully I found this wonderful forum and started following the low carb way of eating and bought a meter. In February I went for my first check up, my results were dramatically lower as was my weight. I can honestly say that despite having diabetes I have never felt better. Of course I would prefer not to be diabetic but without that diagnosis I would still be overweight and filling my body with food is doesn’t need. There are lots of alternatives to try food wise, your tastes seem to adapt quite quickly and the enjoyment I get from eating eggs and bacon on a regular basis without feeling guilty is pure joy.
Good luck and be strong you will see results and feel better in no time.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@TinaH71

Hello Tina 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 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 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.
 

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Messages
228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
It is a little known fact that glucose (especially fructose) can have the same affect on the liver as excessive alcohol intake. The condition is known as NAFLD (Non Alcahol Fatty Liver Disease). Don't panic, the liver is a remarkable organ and has been shown to start recovering from NAFLD or fatty liver within a very short time once diet has been adjusted. I am not saying that NAFLD is what you have just pointing out why a doctor asked about alcohol intake.
@Guzzler - I never knew that fructose could affect the liver in the same way as alcohol-that's really interesting. One of the doctors that Hubby saw always made a point about asking him about his alcohol consumption (and this was at a point when he had given up entirely) However before being diagnosed T2 he used to drink a lot of fruit juice (undiluted) eat bunches of grapes, bowls of satsumas, bananas etc. Thinking he was being 'healthy'!Thanks for posting that, going to have to research NAFLD and fructose now x
 
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