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New, Scared, Hopeful, Confused

rhubarb73

rhubarb73

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
Location
West Yorkshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
aubergine
Hello. I'm new here. I was diagnosed T2 about a month ago and am only this week starting to get my head around it. At first I was slightly relieved it wasn't something worse - but the diagnosis was still a shock. I'm mid 40's, a bit overweight but only 10kg or so, so I wasn't expecting this. On reflection my diet and lifestyle were not right so plenty I can address.
On diagnosis my HbA1c was 66% and fasting BGL was 9.7mmol. I also had hypertension and high cholesterol. The doc wanted to sort those two first, so the drug regime was staggered and I've only just started Metformin this week.
In the meantime, I've tried to address the lifestyle. So far, so good. Have been testing MMOL with a meter this week and always within 5-7.1 range.
No immediate side effects either (yet). Focussed on a healthy low carb diet. Have lost a few pounds, BP back under control.
Lots to be pleased about but it's early days.
It is going to be hard to sustain the discipline. It's hard to get my head around the 30-40 year challenge I've just been set.
I'm probably surrounded by people with T2 but no one talks about it. I'm a bit scared to. The stigma, admission of weakness etc.
So I found this site: not sure how much I'll post but I guess the community support will be helpful. Maybe I'll learn something.
Still scared though - I've a lot to understand yet. Of course I hope I can get this under control quickly and sustainably but I'm nervous.
 
Hi Chris and welcome, you’ve come to the right place. Let me first tag in @daisy1 for her welcome info post. It sounds like you have a handle on this already, good for you for getting a meter and starting to eat low carb. Hang around here, let us know how you’re getting on and ask any questions you may have. You’ll usually get replies fairly quickly.
 
Type two diabetes is an indication that you cannot cope with the amount of carbohydrates in the modern diet - it means giving up the stodgy high carb foods and eating salads and low carb veges, along with meat fish shellfish eggs and cheeses, drinking coffee with cream - it is not exactly a hard trail to walk.
Problems with hypertension and high cholesterol often reduce with low carbing, so why your doctor wants to put those to the front seems puzzling - but quite a few on this forum report some quite odd behaviour from doctors.
I don't quite see how being diagnosed with type two indicates weakness - it is not us who are wrong, it is the way carbs are considered a healthy choice by the powers that be - even when the healthy diet is close to that used to fatten animals.
 
Hi Chris, I was diagnosed three weeks ago so I’m a newbie too. I’m 51 and 10kg overweight so like you the diagnosis was a shock.

This forum seems great, and really supportive. I’m following the advice to do a low carb diet.

I’ve also been brave and told all my friends and work colleagues - it’s nothing to be embarrassed about and opens a lot of conversations.
 
@Chris / Yorkshire

Hello Chris 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 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 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.
 
Thanks to all for information and support. You are of course all correct about this not being a sign of weakness, it's good to speak out, be brave etc etc. That is the aspect of all of this that I am finding hardest.
On top of the worry of the health implications, and the will power and concentration of changing lifestyle and sticking to it, and hard work involved in losing weight, there is also a cloud of stigma that society/media etc carries over this condition. I'm sure I'm not the only one here that feels that hanging over them.
My diagnosis has forced me to confront a number of "why" questions and face up to some unpleasant truths:
Why did I ignore the warning signs? Why was I so lazy in my food choices? Why did I habitually skip breakfast and then snack? Why did I regularly have sugary late night treats? Why did I drink too much, too often? Why did I change my wardrobe before changing my lifestyle? A month in and it is still raw, and emotional - need more time. Have discussed with only a very small group of trusted family and friends. Coming here and reading/listening a lot will be helpful, as will sharing my own experience; as will more time, and hopefully having something to show for the effort - I'm halfway to my weight loss target after a month.

To reply to Resurgam, I don't have a problem with the plan the Dr put me on. The BP was 199/123 (alarms going off) so it was right to leap onto that first. After that it was a toss of the coin which of Statins and Metformin to start in week 3 and which in week 4. Either way they are long term drugs. It has also given me extra time to see how far I get by myself with diet and exercise - given the encouraging result, it's motivating. I'll always default to the view that the Dr is trying to help me and is doing their best - this forum is great to get alternative perspectives and help me ask the right questions. Well done on being in remission...I hope I can join you there before too long, but some work to do yet.

I have lots of questions still, will maybe post some in a couple of days when I've had more time to explore this site more.
 
Whenever you are ready, ask away.
 
If you get on well with the low carb eating, be prepared to find yourself overmedicated - watch out for low blood pressure as that can make you go wobbly.
The LCHF way of eating is not really all that difficult to stick to, as long as you stick to the right aisles in the supermarket - I find that there is about 50 percent of the food area which is no longer relevant - you can see where the profits are though. Low carb essentials get little or no flashy packaging, the high carb items are all prettied up.
 
Welcome @Chris / Yorkshire I agree there is a stigma attached to owning up to being type 2 but once the weight has been lost people can not believe that you are type 2. I wish I had a pound for everyone who told me I don't look like someone with diabetes! It is no good looking back at not heeding the warning signs, increase in weight changing wardrobe etc. Look forward. With a low carb diet you feel good, can eat lots of 'forbidden' foods (cream, cheese, eggs, bacon etc.) It is tasty and sustainable, and gradually more restaurants are waking up to this way of eating and will offer a salad as an alternative to rice or potato. I have sat at a table of work colleagues on a curry night out and they have envied me the colourful, appetising plate that I have where theirs look shades brown. I buy from local markets, supermarkets and pick out special offers with the occasional 'treat'.
You may find that your doctor will be surprised at the progress you make and start to reduce the medication that you are on once you can show that you have things back under control. I lost 10 kilos over a period of months and managed to stay drug free because the figures from the tests did not warrant it. Once you change your diet and get used to a new way of eating then it takes a few small tweaks to make it sustainable.
You have made an excellent start with a monitor. Keep a note of the numbers, it will be encouraging in a few months to look back and see how far you have come. If you link it with a food diary you will soon see a pattern of foods that raise your bg., it may not be just sugars and carb heavy food but also those that have grain products - corn flour, wheat flour etc. I used a spreadsheet and also noted exercise taken and was soon able to report to the doctor that I was having to revise my walks because they were not long enough!
Good luck
 
Welcome to the forum @Chris / Yorkshire. Most of us go through a range of emotions when we get that diagnosis and it does take a bit of time to get your head around it all. But you will get a lot of good advice and support on this forum.
Ask any questions you want to, the people on here are friendly and supportive.
 
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