I found out on Monday I have Type 2 First appointment with the diabetes nurse booked in September. Any tips on what to do til then. My reading was 94. Normal range 21-41. I have bought a meter to monitor but not sure when to test or how often.
New member Type 2
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Prem51
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Hi @jyn972 and welcome to the forum. It is a shock when you get that diagnosis and takes a bit of time to get your head around everything.
A lot of us on here have found that adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) approach to eating has reduced our blood sugar levels. Have a read round the threads to see how it works, and ask any questions you wamt to. the people on here are friendly and supportive and you will get a lot of good advice.
It's good that you have a bg meter, it is your best tool in reducing your bs levels. It is best to test before a meal, then at 90-120 minutes after eating. This will help you find out which foods affect you most so you can avoid them.
A lot of us on here have found that adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) approach to eating has reduced our blood sugar levels. Have a read round the threads to see how it works, and ask any questions you wamt to. the people on here are friendly and supportive and you will get a lot of good advice.
It's good that you have a bg meter, it is your best tool in reducing your bs levels. It is best to test before a meal, then at 90-120 minutes after eating. This will help you find out which foods affect you most so you can avoid them.
AM1874
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Hi @jyn972 .. and welcome
You have certainly made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need. It can all seem uphill to start with but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
You will come across a lot of confusing and (sometimes) conflicting information around but the key point to take on board is that managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..
I have tagged @daisy1 for you and I suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. together with the following Diet Doctor websites, which will give you all the info that you need on what and what not to eat ...
Low Carb Intro and Information and Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
I see that you already have a test meter and I reccomend that you test before meals and then again two hours after you started to eat .. some folk also take a fasting blood glucose reading first thing in the morning. This will enable you to monitor trends over time and to spot any foods that cause your blood sugar to "spike" or fall ouside the normal ranges. The ranges that you are looking for are ..
# Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
# 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Hope this helps
You have certainly made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need. It can all seem uphill to start with but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
You will come across a lot of confusing and (sometimes) conflicting information around but the key point to take on board is that managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..
I have tagged @daisy1 for you and I suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. together with the following Diet Doctor websites, which will give you all the info that you need on what and what not to eat ...
Low Carb Intro and Information and Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
I see that you already have a test meter and I reccomend that you test before meals and then again two hours after you started to eat .. some folk also take a fasting blood glucose reading first thing in the morning. This will enable you to monitor trends over time and to spot any foods that cause your blood sugar to "spike" or fall ouside the normal ranges. The ranges that you are looking for are ..
# Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
# 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Hope this helps
Thank you Prem51 and AM1874 both replies are very helpful and the forum is definitely making me feel welcome. 
- Messages
- 15,911
- Type of diabetes
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- Tablets (oral)
Welcome! I'm three and a half months from diagnosis. Once I was over the initial shock, I saw it as the proverbial kick up the bum to get healthier. I was started on Metformin and tolerate it well now after a bit of stomach upset in the early days. I wasn't advised to eat low carb, but stumbled on this forum by chance and took up low carb dieting and self monitoring. To date I've lost just over three stone and got my HbA1c down significantly, all due to the advise I got here. I'm sure you'll do it too!
EDIT Here's a couple of links about blood sugar and HbA1c levels which I found very useful at the start (and still do!)
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
EDIT Here's a couple of links about blood sugar and HbA1c levels which I found very useful at the start (and still do!)
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
Last edited:
charliebarker
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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- Diet only
Welcome to the forum. I was diagnosed T2 three months ago and was lucky enough to find this forum within a few weeks. For me the LCHF has been a godsend, weight dropped off and HBA1C down from 70 to 53. I was lucky that my doctor allowed me to try diet and exercise first, and three months on, she still doesn't think I need metformin. HOWEVER, The best thing I ever did was buy myself a meter and start testing....I test first thing, last thing and before and 90 mins after every meal, I stopped eating breakfast -which really jump started the lowering of the bs, which means I test at least 6 times a day, I also put everything I eat and its carb count into a diary, along with the amount my bs rose or fell. This has given me a really good understanding of what I can safely eat without spiking my blood sugar. It's different for everyone, so don't worry about what other people can eat or not eat... you need to know what works for you. I try and walk briskly for 20 mins twice every day and go to the gym approximately 3/4 times a week. Before the low carbs diet I was sluggish, fatter and a slave to the snacking, now I have so much energy I don't know what to do with it half the time, I feel thirty years younger ! Give it a go, you'll not regret it! Xxxxx
massive post over!!Thanks @Rachox I feel the same a big nudge to take care of myself better, @charliebarker definitely going to try to lower my bs before seeing the nurse to try to avoid medication and @Christina0308 thanks for the welcome
daisy1
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@jyn972
Hello Jyn and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. Have a look at the Low Carb Program which should be useful to you. Ask as many questions as you need to 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 250,000 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:
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 free 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
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
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. They're all free.
Hello Jyn and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. Have a look at the Low Carb Program which should be useful to you. Ask as many questions as you need to 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 250,000 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
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 free 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
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
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. They're all 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.
pleinster
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Hi. Good advice above. Personally, I tested at various times up to 8 or 9 times a day for the first few weeks just to see what kind of patterns I was getting. By keeping a record of what times I tested and what food I ate and what meds I had taken, I soon realised that the meds I took for my diabetes were only helping up to a point, that other meds I was taking were clearly increasing my blood sugars and that certain foods I was eating were best avoided. On a low carb diet with no meds, I got my levels under control and have pretty much kept them there for about 2 years now. I now test a maximum of three times a day (on waking, and before and 2.5 hours-3 hours after eating...as we don't all have a system which suits the 2 hour post meal point)...I often leave it for days without testing. If I eat something new, I will make a point of testing...but I pretty much know what not to eat these days. That said, I would never completely abandon testing as I would not want it sneaking up on me if I got a bit complacent or if thing changed due to demonic possession or unexpected complication.
