• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

new member

G

genki

Newbie
Messages
1
Hi,
I've had diabetes for more than ten years and have maintained good blood glucose levels due to diet ( not a "diabetic" diet ) and metformin 250 mg. twice a day. I have decided recently to do better and have joined this forum to increase my knowledge.
 
Hi genki and welcome to the forum :) Here is some information which we give out to new members and I think you will find it interesting and useful. Please ask as many questions as you like as there is usually someone who will have an answer for you.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 30,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html

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

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.
Click to expand...
 
Welcome Genki! Look forward to hearing from you. Ask questions, and you will be answered! :thumbup:
 
Hi,

I just realised that this is here to say HELLO :D I have be posting on ther peoples post for a while now. I am T1 daignosed 6 yrs ago. Also have had thyroid problems too. I have a 6 1/2 yr old son. Have struggled a while now but have just discovered carb counting. A friend told me about DAFNE but it was not available in my area, noticed on theses forums it being mentioned them looked online and found a course via BDEC. My last hba1c was 7.9! previous 7.6 but the hosp increased t time insulin as I was having nocturnal hypos. I have also lost a nearly a stone and a half since the summer by reducing the sheer quantity. ( My diet was balanced and healthy before diabetes, and when saw dietician she just sold me even more on low GI. ) I have been having probs with hypos for the last couple of months but the BDEC course has given me the knowledge and confidence to address it by matching carbs with excercise and insulin ( ongoing.) No wonder I was struggling I was simply eating too much.

I am also not sure if I am starting the menopauase as been having probs there also too (appt at dctrs in 2 weeks)

I would love to hear from other T1's who also have thyroid disorders.
 
Hi shop and welcome to the forum :) If you haven't already read the information I posted above then I suggest you do so as you will find some useful things in there. Ask as many questions as you want as there is usually someone here to help.
 
Hello, I am new here too, have been a Type 1 for 34 years now, diagnosed when I was 21 years old. I have always been on insulin, and had good control until last year: I had a chest infection which led to admission to A&E with ketoacidosis. Haven't been right ever since, weight going up, eyebrows have disappeared, and feeling cold all the time. Tests for underactive thyroid have come back as normal, waiting for yet more blood results next week. I have tried low carbing for over 6 weeks, and managed to still put on weight. Joined Slimming World, followed the diet religiously, and managed to put on one pound during three weeks. Fed up to say the least. Sorry I have gatecrashed your thread, can't see how to create my own. Will hopefully be more upbeat next time I post. Happy Easter
 
Hi Mamalu and welcome to the forum :)
Have a look at the information I posted above which should be useful to you. Ask as many questions as you like as someone will be able to answer.

To create your own thread you go to Board Index, select the forum you want to post in, then click the box "New Topic".
 
Hi Mamalu sorry for the late reply. Been a bit busy. Don't worry about using this thread Ive done the same thing :lol: If your thyroid came back normal and you still feel unwell go back to the DRs. I was given a normal result and carried on with an underactive thyroid for a month or more ( after radio iodine treatment for overactive thyroid ) It was only when I went for my hosp check up they told me it have gone undercative. ( was feeling so unwell and just thought I had to get on with it. I was so bloated, sore eyes, so tired and had 2 mishaps in the car thought I was going mad. ( tracking was out on the car!!) but I looked like someone had pumped my face up! ha ha . What I am saying is an underactive thyroid can make you feel pretty rotten. If still poorly go back.......good luck :)
 
Back
Top