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New T2 Manchester

A

ALIBOBSUK

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Hi Everyone

Diagnosed yesterday after 3 fasting tests of 8.2, 7.9 & 7.9. Straight on to meds so now have Metformin Simvastain and already on Ramipril as another med I take affects my blood pressure.

Been told to start the Metformin gradually so took first one yesterday no problems so far will take one daily for a week until next appointment then build up to three a day, will start the Simvastain tonight.

I will now have 4 weekly education sessions and can also be referred to local hospital for additional education, so feel reassured that I will get a lot of help from my local GP team.

I feel I have a lot to learn, I am happy that this has been picked up by a routine health review and hopefully with the support of my GP and this group will be able to keep everything in check and limit any affects this will have on my health.

Hope everyone is having a great day.

Alison
:)
 
You sound a positive person, Alison. I hope some of the advice below will help you.

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

The main carbs to avoid or reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating then two hours after eating you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the affect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.

As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try !!

As a Type 2 the latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l.
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l.
If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

Sue/Ken.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Alison,

You're almost at the same point as me, I was diagnosed on Tuesday and took my first Metformin tablet this morning. So far so good! Going to see the Diabetic Nurse on Monday and my surgery have told me they run a support group which might be interesting to check out.

Anyway, good luck with your journey, this group is fantastic for getting info and support.

Griffy x
 
Hello Alison and welcome. :)

This is a good place to get all the info you need and your questions answered. 8)
 
Hello Alison and welcome. :D

I'm still a "newbie" myself really, having only been diagnosed T2 on Jan 1st this year. Thing is, my readings were 11.2 - much higher than yours and I was given the opportunity to try and get my bloods down to 7 or less by diet only. Thanks to this forum and the wonderful help and advice I've received here I've now achieved that. My official reading from the DN last week was 6.3. :D

I'm therefore concerned that your GP has put you striaght onto medication. I'm a typical old fashioned bloke; can't cook/wont cook, drinks too much ,etc, etc. Therefore, if I can get my bloods under control by diet only I'm convinced almost anyone can!!!
 
Interesting what you say Ardbeg, I was fasting bg of 10 and he's put me straight on medication (this was Tuesday). I may challenge this a little with diabetic nurse when I see her.

Griffy.
 
The docs do seem to like to opt for meds straight away. Over the past three years 5 out of 10 people where I work, (don't get a job in a charity shop, at least not ours ) :lol: have been diagnosed as diabetic, and I am the only one that has not been put on meds immediately. Odd bedause initially my fasting test was higher than three of them, though after following advice from the forum my levels are now so low that after an OGT I have now been told I have pre diabetes. Do the docs all have shares in the pharmacutcal companies I have to wonder, :twisted: or is it my practice that have a problem with diagnosis :lol:
 
Oops sorry about the spelling, my light just blew and as you can see I don't touch type.
 
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