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New T2 but confused and quite fed up

JennyDarling

Member
Messages
6
Hello,
I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes on March 29 and sent on my way with just the advice to cut carbs, get the 800 diet book, have another blood test and make an appointment with the diabetic nurse. My HBA1C was 85.

The second blood test was 86 and I heard nothing more from the doctor. I also couldn't get to see the DN until April 27. So I've been lurking on these boards trying to educate myself. I am trying to do low carb but if I don't eat enough I am even more exhausted and have terrible brain fog (can't really string a sentence together or find the words).

I am limiting myself to 50g of carbs a day. Want to exercise but have no energy. I rang the surgery and asked what monitors they used so that I might buy the same one (I read that lots of you on here have your own). The receptionist said I might be able to have one of theirs and messaged the DN.

She rang today and is not letting me have one. She said everyone has high blood sugars after eating so there is no point. The best indicator of what my blood sugars are doing is to have the HBA1C every three months initially. I am obviously very ignorant about diabetes but I would have thought pinpointing my levels and finding out exactly what sends them high is preferable and more accurate than a three-month average.

I feel quite depressed about the diagnosis anyway, obviously worried, feel absolutely rubbish, and if feels like wading through treacle trying to sort anything out. The good thing I suppose is that now the DN is aware of my existence when she wasn't before.

Have you any advice? Any monitor recommendations? I think I will still buy one but it will have to be one with cheap strips because I am obviously not going to get any on prescription.

Thank you if you have read this far!
 
Hi @JennyDarling and welcome to the forums

@Rachox is the expert on UK monitors (assuming you are in the UK), and yes, the strip cost is critical.

The NHS doesn't like to pay for test strips which is why most GPs won't give them to you till you get put on meds that can cause low blood sugar. (Of course, if you reduce your carbs, you may never reach that point).

Here is my favourite link to low carb and T2
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/jokalsbeek.401801/

My recommendation would be to eat to your meter, some people attain normal blood sugars on 150g a day, others need less than 20g. The meter will tell you what you can cope with.

Good luck. Hopefully some T2s will be along soon to give you more advice.
 
hello, I am new here. Check some videos from Dr Robert Lustig, Dr. Pradip Jamnadas they might help you.

As for exercise walk a bit don't overdo it.

If you have a gallbladder going towards a clean keto diet is a good choice.

Those carbs you are eating need to go, try eating a couple eggs and some salads and veggies, cook them in butter or olive oil, the eggs might calm your body more gently as you remove carbs.

Breakfast if possible, dont eat. If u need to eat have salad with olives, olive oil, eggs, guacamole(homemade), coffee black no sugar, no milk, no fruits, no bread.

If u cannot drink coffee black drink something you can without sugar, swetner, milk, be it green tea, camomille tea, a tea you enjoy.

This brain fog, headache, tremor, etc is from sugar dependancy, after 3 days it improves, but don't give in, stick to it for a month or 2 because a cheat days sets you back 2 to 3 days.

coconut is good.

Aim to leave big gaps without eating, these foods with fats, coconut, avocado, olives, olive oil, butter will help calm your hunger.

use a bit of salt, helps with lots of issues.

the wider the range of salads you eat the more different fiber you feeding your gut.

a good way to use the glucose meter is to wake up in the morning and check sugar, if high that means u have energy no need to eat, unless u feel like you gonna pass out ofc.

a good eating habid would be 1200 and 1800, but if hard for you adjust it 1000, 1400, 1800 and slowly aim for that 1200 and 1800.

as you stop with sugars and carbs the cravings will go too, mistake I made was not knowing bread is sugar lol stuffed myself on croissants.

when hungry drink water wait 15min if still hungry eat the good foods.

at this moment in time bread, pasta, fruit, rice, potatoes are not a good option, when you improve your health you can welcome fruits back.

me personally I have bread once every 2 months, at the end of the day you want trace minerals, vitamins, healthy fats to give your body nutrients, and carbs dont do a very good job at that "especially refined carbs".

its a lot to talk about hope this helps a bit. if u are fit to walk, put headset on there are tons of videos about science carbs insulin etc, walk and listen and relax.
 
careful with almond milk they are putting organic maltodextrin in them, and they only have 2% almonds so whats the point.

store bought guacamole is filled with things that spike blood sugar and insulin as are lots of foods u buy.

fruit juices even home squeezed not worth at the moment. let your body heal.

vegetable "seed" oil are very bad, big nono.

whatever u see that attracts you be careful,

low fat means extra sugar

no sugar means sweetners or high fructose corn syrup

most foods have sugar or msg it's like the food industry is out to get us and politians are sleeping allowing this, shame.
 
JennyDarling said:
I am trying to do low carb but if I don't eat enough I am even more exhausted and have terrible brain fog
Click to expand...
Going low carb doesn't mean eating less, it just means eating different things!
So instead of a sandwich, eat what you would eat on that sandwich, and enough of it to feel full. Instead of potatoes with your meal, have some more veggies and protein and add a knob of butter or cream cheese. Instead of fruit as a snack, have some full fat Greek yoghurt, or cheese cubes and cucumber, a chicken thigh or bacon and eggs.
No need for carbs when you're hungry, calories will do.

It isn't all that complicated once you get your head to believe that fat is not the enemy.
If you need some inspiration plus a bit of small talk, you might like this thread: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/page-2476
 
Hi @JennyDarling , and thanks for the tag @EllieM

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews if you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free. So total cost for meter + 5 x 50 strips will be £31.76.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Links to the strips and the meter for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.


Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833



SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:


https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
 
Thanks all for your replies. You all seem to have such a handle on things! I am uncertain re getting a monitor - I feel like it would help but the DN said it won't and that 'everyone's BS go up after they have eaten'.

I cannot do absolutely no carbs but thank you zerocarbisbest for your advice. I just want to get to a stage where I have enough energy to exercise, my brain is working like it used to, the weight is coming off, and the HB1Ac numbers are heading in the right direction.

Thanks Antje77 and EllieM - I shall check out that board and the blog.
 

Thanks so much for the info, that is so helpful.
 
Your DN is right that everyone’s blood sugar goes up after eating, but it’s how high and for how long that matters! We type 2s use our meters to see how we respond to different foods and amounts of carbs therein. Everyone is different. If you do invest in a meter, which I highly recommend, you would learn by testing right at the start of a meal and then 2 hours later. You are looking for a rise of no more than 2 mmols/l, and to not exceed around 8 mmols/l on the second reading. You levels may be higher at the moment, but as well as learning what your body will tolerate, it is encouraging seeing your levels drop and eventually may achieve and settle at non diabetic numbers
 
I’m going to be kind to your nurse and say she is sort of technically correct in saying everyone’s bs goes up immediately after eating, the difference for us is that ours doesn’t come back down quickly enough or never comes down to safe levels. BUT no one tests their BS immediately after eating - it’s tested 2 hours after eating and none diabetics no matter what they have eaten would be back down into very acceptable levels usually in the 4s.

a meter used properly is the best tool in your armoury, ignore your nurse and get yourself a meter, you are correct in thinking it would be helpful,it’s your diabetes and not hers. It will provide you with so much info to work with. You are doing well, it’s a massive learning curve. Give yourself time to digest the info and remember, as we often say here it’s a marathon not a sprint and you’ll soon get your head round it, as long as you keep going in the right direction you’ll get there
 
Oops cross posted lol
 
1
 
Most DN seem unaware of how to use a meter in type 2 for testing meals and suitability and your personal response as described by posters above. They view them as a means of avoiding hypos in those using hypoglycaemic medications like insulin and to calculate insulin dosages. As such they think you don’t need it. That and the guidance based on costs in the short term means it’s not usually prescribed, forgetting g that in the longer term a well informed and well controlled diabetic costs the nhs less.
Yes everyone’s does go up but how much and for how long is incredibly important to know so you can make wiser foods choices. An hba1c might be good to show overall control but doesn’t tell you what specifically helped and what hindered.
 
@JennyDarling
Feeling rubbish is quite common in the early days/weeks. There's the shock of diagnosis (We've all been there), guilt that we've caused it (we haven't, it's the food/genetics) , disappointment where it seems we can never enjoy food freely again (we can) and then to cap it all there's what's known as keto flu, which is general set of symptoms as our body rids its self of the excess sugars. It reacts like toddler who's favourite toy is taken away, but it only takes a short while for it to forget and find somethimg else to replace it
You will get through it.
Keep reading, keep learning and stop being hard on yourself
 
Just a gentle reminder that @JennyDarling is new to T2 and these forums and we should bear in mind forum rules (full set in my signature) in our responses

A7. Be mindful of Members’ varying levels of experience and knowledge when imparting your own views.

B13. We do not give medical advice. If you give advice then it is through your own experience or a link to a reputable site external to the forums

Thanks everyone.
 
Hello and welcome @JennyDarling

I'm a very low carb person and for the first couple of weeks felt really not great. So it will pass. Having said that I agree with other people that you need to make sure you are eating enough and eat to your meter. Some people find they can thrive on 100 grams of carbs a day some do better on less. We are all different and we have to find the solution that works for us and our body.

You may find you use a lot of strips n the beginning but that will lessen after you have tested for a while and have some regular meals that you know are okay.

Welcome
 
Yes everyone's blood glucose goes up after eating - just as when anyone drives off in a car the speedometer shows their velocity - but some of us reach the speed limit and go no faster, others overdo the accelerator and are heading towards points and loss of licence.
Basically, getting a cheap to use glucose meter and checking just before starting to eat and then 2 hours later will indicate how well you are controlling your blood glucose, stopping or cutting back on carbohydrate foods and adding the essential protein and fat to help maintain our metabolism and body.
The overloaded stash where glucose is stored gradually depletes, systems unclog things run better all round and when a blood test is called for the nurse or doctor stares at it in disbelief - assuming, of course, that it is all due to ordinary type two diabetes and nothing more interesting and exciting in its working. Even then, low carb can help.
I was diagnosed almost 5 and 1/2 years ago now and am in remission. I eat twice a day, very simply. I eat at 12 hour intervals as in the mornings my blood glucose goes on rising until I eat. My meter showed me that was happening, and then that it wasn't if I ate a small amount of carbohydrate - I often have meat with mushrooms, and a little stir fry in the cold mornings, or some salad. I have coffee with cream. Twelve hours later I have another meal with a bit more carbs - 40 gm of carbs in a day is my usual maximum. I do have to keep rather low, as I have never been able to eat many carbs without gaining weight really quickly.
 
Thanks all for the welcome and your advice. I am going to get a monitor. It's such a shame that my DN is being what I kindly think of as shortsighted about this. I do not have the greatest confidence in the medics at my surgery - I only found out my results in passing while seeing the GP about something else unconnected. The other GP (a trainee) who had ordered the bloods only rang me to say my BS were 'a bit high' and to retake the HBA1C in a couple of months...

I have also been looking at the Low Carb Programme which is associated with this site. I will do much better following a plan. I am also going to invest in a Fitbit. I want to be upping my activity levels before I see the DN and I think a Fitbit will help. I have visions of it being a bit like seeing the headteacher and being found wanting!

Coming to terms with this all very slowly. I have been a bit shocked at my reaction TBH, had prided myself on being stoic and resourceful. Little did I know!
 

I am shocked at the lack of care you are being given. I would report the surgery, as this sort of attitude can cost lives and cause life-changing problems.

With regard to hunger and low carb, if you can do 20g carbs per day, the hunger will simply disappear after about 3 days. There is no need to not eat enough, so long as you chose carefully. you could eat a complete roast chicken with iceberg lettuce and caesar dressing (check the carbs as chap ones have sugar and flour, unlike the decent ones). egg and bacon for breakfast , steak and mushrooms with spinach. Roast dinner - meat served with cauliflower and brocolli mash with garlic and butter. the list is endless.. once you are at day 3 or 4 you will have no hunger. you can then gradually add a few more carbs (say 5 g extra every 2 days) until the hunger pangs restart, then cut it back until the hunger goes.
 
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