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New Diagnosis

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pictureman36

Newbie
Messages
2
Hello, I am a 51 year old male, recently diagnosed with type 2.

I have been feeling unwell for the last 3 month and finally decided to visit the doctors. After having had blood tests I was informed I have vitamin D deficiency and type 2 diabetes. The triage nurse informed my first reading was 58. I had to go back for tests a week later and was informed it had dropped to 53. I have been told that I will need to go back in 3 months and if my reading is not below 48 they will consider prescribing Metformin.

I've sort of been left hanging thereafter... I am told that I will get an invite to attend a 'Desmond' course and that I will need to go for an eye test.

I asked for help with my diet and was told that I need to lose weight, reduce my portion sizes and avoid, carbs... Potatoes, Bread, Cereal, Fruit, Dairy.... obviously sugar and carbonated drinks.... I'm left wondering what I can eat.... (I'm self employed and work days nights weekends so I knew that I was eating convenience food and I need to lose at least 4 stone..)

I am struggling with the Vitamin D deficiency anyway... basically I can sleep 12-13-14 hrs per day no problem. I have little or no energy anyway. I've been suffering with severe cramps for at least 6 months, but thought this was muscular but now understand that diabetes can do this? my immune system seems to have been affected... I've had flu symptoms for nearly a month... I suffer from diarrhea most weeks... I am told that fructose will do this?

Does any of this sound symptomatic of Diabetes?

Is there anywhere that I can get recipes from which will help me reduce my type 2 without medication?

Thank you
 
Hi @pictureman36 and welcome to the forum

You’ve come to the right place for advice and support.

First a link to some useful information for newbies, including information on diet. Have a good read and ask as many questions as you like: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/

The website dietdoctor.com has loads of information about reducing carbohydrates, including recipes and meal plans.

As well as testing vitamin D did your doctor test for mineral deficiencies? Sometimes cramp can be a result of magnesium and/or potassium deficiencies.

All the best and do keep us updated with your progress.
 
Hello and welcome,

The good news is that yes if you change your diet that can have effect on your blood sugar levels.

I agree with @Goonergal that you have found the best place for advice and support I'm a relative newbie and the people here are awesome. I would not be coping as well as I am without them.

I follow a very low carb diet and that has brought my blood sugar levels back to a normal range.

Read around and ask questions- you will always find people that are happy to listen and give you help.

Welcome.
 
Hello @pictureman36,

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms and those of diabetes can overlap, so there's no way of knowing which is which until those are tackled. There are vitamin D supplements which should get you out of the deficient state though, and should those for some reason be problematic, just eat so much fatty fish it comes out of your ears. For me, the D meant osteomalachia and thus breaking my toes about three times a year besides a malformed spine, extreme fatigue, muscle pain, especially when cycling or walking up stairs in my upper thighs, and worsened depression. If those things let up some, you're doing alright with the D. Just make sure you get enough sun this summer too, -without burning to a crisp of course- and load up for the winter. It doesn't sound like much, but it is something you really, really want to get under control. Did your doc not prescribe cholecalciferol in some form or another? If not, get thee to the closest Holland & Barrett. You won't regret it.

As for diabetes, that too can make you experience extreme fatigue for instance, or illnesses that just won't get better... So yes, you do need to learn how to shop and eat all over again. Sorry. Going low carb/high fat will also help tremendously with weight loss too though, so... Between getting your vitamin D back up to par and lowering your bloodsugars and weight, it will all be worth the hassle, I promise. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html is as good a place to start as any, including some meal ideas, but you will probably also enjoy dietdoctor.com and this place's website, diabetes.co.uk. Also, convenience food... If you order a burger without the bread, it's usually a lot juicier without that tastless sponge it gets served with. Meat, fish, poultry, above-ground/non-starchy vegetables, cheeses, full fat greek yoghurt, eggs etc, are perfectly fine. Stay away from anything starchy or sugary, like indeed cereal, bread, spuds, rice, corn, and most fruits (Berries, starfruit, tomato and avocado are fine).

I hope you'll feel better soon!
Good luck,
Jo
 
Hello @pictureman36 , there is no need to give up dairy products just because you are diabetic. Most dairy is fine, as long as you steer clear of over processed rubbish, i.e. things like fruit yoghurt which contain lots of added sugar. If I want to add berries to yoghurt I add about 15 gms to about 80 gm yoghurt, a total of about 6 or 7 gm carbs.
Most cheeses are OK, but beware of pre-grated cheeses as they contain additives to keep the shredded bits from clogging up.
Re the cramps, I found that making sure I have enough salt in my diet has eliminated night-time leg cramping. When going from a diet of a lot of salt containing foods (like bread, cereal) to a more healthy way of eating, your salt consumption can drop too low. Just make sure you don't over do it!
 
Hi. As @Rustytypin has said there is no problem with dairy (the nurses just make it up!). Just keep all carbs down and have enough fats and proteins to keep you feeling full unless the Vit D deficiency requires something more specific.
 
Remember that bacon and eggs was the original fast food.
If you are concerned about the salts in the bacon boil it for a minute - I just pour in hot water from the kettle, make a drink and then sieve out the rashers and set the pan back on the heat, when it dries out I add a drizzle of oil and drop in the bacon, then a minute later shuffle it to one side and cook the eggs. Eaten with a bit of fresh salad stuff and coffee with cream it keeps me going all day.
 
You'll need vit K2 to make sure your calcium goes into the right place if you take vit D (or even if you don't)
Jarlsberg cheese is pretty helpful for K2.
 
Carbs and Calories by Chris Cheyette book or app. Im a newbee T2D i think if its green eat it if its red (fruit) 2 portions. Have a smaller plate. Beans on brown bread very little real butter, mature cheese and tomato sandwiches, mature grated makes u need less to taste. Salmon cooked or to cook. Put salmon in dish with water cover on foil cook for 15 minutes. Drain off the water eat with green stuff- veg salad beans pulses fake rice cauli rice. Carbs is confusing by the book above has a few pages explaining why and how things are calculated. Marks and Spencer do some ready to eat superfood salads too. Good luck
 
There’s quite a bit in your list that I’d not eat due to way too many carbs and you might want to reconsider or test to see what it’s doing to you.
2 portion of fruit (unless it’s berries) is 2 more than I’d eat as it’s not just the glucose but the fructose adding to fatty liver issues.
No need to reduce food overall, just the carbs.
Beans on toast is fairly high carb and the bread is totally off limits to me.
Slap on the butter nice and thick as fats slow down carbs giving you more chance to deal with it slowly. The fats also keep you full and not hungry and are essential to life.
Sandwiches = bread again.
Beans and pulses whilst not high carb are higher than many can handle.
 
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