New here and Scared

[Ishi]

Hello all – so happy that I found this forum. Thanks to everyone for all the sound advice and support.

Diagnosis Dec 2016
HbA1c 9.1 at diagnosis; BMI 32.9
HbA1c 6.2 on 14th March 2017; BMI 27.5
Now taking MF 500 mg thrice a day!

I stopped having sugar and started low carb as soon as I got diagnosed. Still don't know how much carb should I eat. I do test my BG as it makes me feel secure. I am too scared about the complications as there is so much information out there.
However, I do notice that after loosing the weight and trying to eat low carb...I feel quite cold and my fingers and feet get cool and slight pale if it's cold. Is it normal? Will this get better once my body get use to the weight loss.
Thank you so much and looking forward to hear your advice.

 

[DevonVee]

Hello all – so happy that I found this forum. Thanks to everyone for all the sound advice and support.

Diagnosis Dec 2016
HbA1c 9.1 at diagnosis; BMI 32.9
HbA1c 6.2 on 14th March; BMI 27.5
Now taking MF 500 mg thrice a day!

I stopped having sugar and started low carb as soon as I got diagnosed. Still don't know how much carb should I eat. I do test my BG as it makes me feel secure. I am too scared about the complications as there is so much information out there.
However, I do notice that after loosing the weight and trying to eat low carb...I feel quite cold and my fingers and feet get cool and slight pale if it's cold. Is it normal? Will this get better once my body get use to the weight loss.
Thank you so much and looking forward to hear your advice.

Hi
Are you eating enough? The other issue could be a lack of vitamins or iron. I have had to take some supplements because I am not good at taking up iron.
In terms of carbs eat and test. If you increase blood glucose too much after meals cut it back. It is a bit of trial and error. I am still learning too.

 

[Ishi]

Hi
Are you eating enough? The other issue could be a lack of vitamins or iron. I have had to take some supplements because I am not good at taking up iron.
In terms of carbs eat and test. If you increase blood glucose too much after meals cut it back. It is a bit of trial and error. I am still learning too.

Thank you! I don't know if I am eating enough. I am scared to eat much now. My iron was fine in December but Vit. D was too low. No idea about the iron or vitamins now. Should I ask the doctor to check it?

 

[Freema]

Hello all – so happy that I found this forum. Thanks to everyone for all the sound advice and support.

Diagnosis Dec 2016
HbA1c 9.1 at diagnosis; BMI 32.9
HbA1c 6.2 on 14th March; BMI 27.5
Now taking MF 500 mg thrice a day!

I stopped having sugar and started low carb as soon as I got diagnosed. Still don't know how much carb should I eat. I do test my BG as it makes me feel secure. I am too scared about the complications as there is so much information out there.
However, I do notice that after loosing the weight and trying to eat low carb...I feel quite cold and my fingers and feet get cool and slight pale if it's cold. Is it normal? Will this get better once my body get use to the weight loss.
Thank you so much and looking forward to hear your advice.

welcome here Ishi
you´ve found the right place here
what a fine change you already have done... so fine , be proud of your self not many do such a change in such a short time...now you only need to add some regulary exercise ... if you are not doing that already

 

[Jamesuk9]

Hi and welcome. That's a remarkable turn around in a short space of time.... As @DevonVee said, the only way you can find out your response to carbs is to test. Test before eating and at 1 hour and at 2 hours. Look for a rise of no more than 2.0mmol/L at 1 hours and back within 1.0mmol/L of your starting reading at 2 hours.

If you're high, modify the portion or eliminate what caused the spike.

Its a lot of work at first to monitor everything but worthwhile in the long run as you will find once you have your diet nailed you can test less frequently.

That said, you've done really well and are close to a normal hba1c level already.

 

[DevonVee]

Thank you! I don't know if I am eating enough. I am scared to eat much now. My iron was fine in December but Vit. D was too low. No idea about the iron or vitamins now. Should I ask the doctor to check it?

That sounds like it might be the problem. Are you following low carb high fat? You have done brilliantly so far but might be hungry. Upping your healthy fats gives you the calories you need .

 

[Ishi]

Thanks Freema, I try to walk or excercise everyday for a minimum of 30 minutes. Other than that all the household chores, I don't do any weight training though. Is that good for diabetes? I really get very scared thinking about the complications. I read diabetes is progressive...how fast does it progress? I am also scared as I don't know since when I had the hig BG level prior to the test as I never had the symptoms

 

[Ishi]

That sounds like it might be the problem. Are you following low carb high fat? You have done brilliantly so far but might be hungry. Upping your healthy fats gives you the calories you need .

Hmmm! I eat low carb but not much fat I don't feel much hungry now. I use to feel that initially. Is there a place where I can find out about the good fats?
Thank you so much for your advice

 

[Jamesuk9]

Thanks Freema, I try to walk or excercise everyday for a minimum of 30 minutes. Other than that all the household chores, I don't do any weight training though. Is that good for diabetes? I really get very scared thinking about the complications. I read diabetes is progressive...how fast does it progress? I am also scared as I don't know since when I had the hig BG level prior to the test as I never had the symptoms

Relax a bit. You are already at a hbA1C level that shouldn't cause any complications and it can only improve further once you get your diet worked out fully.

You've done incredibly well.

 

[ickihun]

Are you on any blood pressure meds @Ishi ? or meds for anything else?
Is it just your hands and feet or a feeling of coldness in general?

 

[DevonVee]

Thanks Freema, I try to walk or excercise everyday for a minimum of 30 minutes. Other than that all the household chores, I don't do any weight training though. Is that good for diabetes? I really get very scared thinking about the complications. I read diabetes is progressive...how fast does it progress? I am also scared as I don't know since when I had the hig BG level prior to the test as I never had the symptoms

Don't panic it is not a fast disease. Take time to make changes. People will give you lots of help about those changes but you need to make sure they are ones you can stick to.

 

[Ishi]

No other meds except Metformin. Actually its feeling cold in general but I notice it more in my hands when working in the kitchen.

 

[Ishi]

Don't panic it is not a fast disease. Take time to make changes. People will give you lots of help about those changes but you need to make sure they are ones you can stick to.

Thank you so much. I think I need to get rid of the scary feeling. Perhaps I am still in shock.

 

[DevonVee]

Hmmm! I eat low carb but not much fat I don't feel much hungry now. I use to feel that initially. Is there a place where I can find out about the good fats?
Thank you so much for your advice

Loads of people on this forum are going low carb high fat. There is lots of info on different threads. Good fats are butter, cream olive oil, avocado, eggs, cheeses etc. Avoid things like sunflower oil, corn oil or processed oils. I know it goes against everything we have been told for 40 yrs but fats do not make you fat and don't give you diseases. It helps to make you feel full.

 

[DevonVee]

Thank you so much. I think I need to get rid of the scary feeling. Perhaps I am still in shock.

I know it is horrid. I was only diagnosed before xmas but as I have PCOS it has been hanging over me for a long time. Still does not make it easier. But you have made great progress. Find some treats for yourself. Recommend strawberries and cream no sugar though.

 

[BrianTheElder]

No other meds except Metformin. Actually its feeling cold in general but I notice it more in my hands when working in the kitchen.

I had a spell like that with cold hands and feet when I was first diagnosed with T2D. The GP thought it was Reynaud's Disease, which is a type of neuropathy, but I now think it was diabetic neuropathy.
The good news is that it is one of the things that reduced considerably when I went LCHF last July. I no longer get cold hands or feet and the pins and needles in my feet has gone, but I still get numb feet in bed at night.

 

[Ishi]

I had a spell like that with cold hands and feet when I was first diagnosed with T2D. The GP thought it was Reynaud's Disease, which is a type of neuropathy, but I now think it was diabetic neuropathy.
The good news is that it is one of the things that reduced considerably when I went LCHF last July. I no longer get cold hands or feet and the pins and needles in my feet has gone, but I still get numb feet in bed at night.

Thank you. Did it go on its own? I started noticing it after I got diagnosed and went low carb and loSt some weight. Before that I never felt that.

 

[Ishi]

I know it is horrid. I was only diagnosed before xmas but as I have PCOS it has been hanging over me for a long time. Still does not make it easier. But you have made great progress. Find some treats for yourself. Recommend strawberries and cream no sugar though.

Thank you for the strawberry idea with cream. Sounds great

 

[Ishi]

Hi and welcome. That's a remarkable turn around in a short space of time.... As @DevonVee said, the only way you can find out your response to carbs is to test. Test before eating and at 1 hour and at 2 hours. Look for a rise of no more than 2.0mmol/L at 1 hours and back within 1.0mmol/L of your starting reading at 2 hours.

If you're high, modify the portion or eliminate what caused the spike.

Its a lot of work at first to monitor everything but worthwhile in the long run as you will find once you have your diet nailed you can test less frequently.

That said, you've done really well and are close to a normal hba1c level already.

Didn't know to check after 1 hour too. I will do it. Thanks

 

[BrianTheElder]

Thank you. Did it go on its own? I started noticing it after I got diagnosed and went low carb and loosing weight. Before that I never felt that.

Yes, it disappeared gradually over a few months, but not until I started LCHF. So I had it for 3 years from diagnosis when I was on 1000mg metformin.