New to this

[Hexchen]

Been diagnosed with type 2.so have seen the diabetic nurse got told my bloods came back at 77 and 75 (whatever that means) got given medication and a lot of leaflets.I have started making changes to my diet but how do I know it's working ? Dont just want to take the medication and hope for the best .thanks for any handy hints and tips

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Been diagnosed with type 2.so have seen the diabetic nurse got told my bloods came back at 77 and 75 (whatever that means) got given medication and a lot of leaflets.I have started making changes to my diet but how do I know it's working ? Dont just want to take the medication and hope for the best .thanks for any handy hints and tips

Welcome @Hexchen ,
Excellent question! You know how you're doing by getting a blood glucose meter (@Rachox has excellent info on those, so I'm tagging her into the conversation), and checking before a meal and 2 hours after the first bite. What you're aiming for is a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol/l. T2's aren't usually offered one on the NHS's dime, so you want one that has cheap strips, because you'll be testing a lot as you start out. As for the numbers mentioned, those would be your HbA1c: an average of your blood glucose over 3 months, weighing a little more on the most recent two weeks. You had two, because it usually takes two diabetic level HbA1c's to get an official diagnosis.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html <-- that's a quick-start guide with just about everything I wish someone'd told me when I was first diagnosed, and absolutely terrified. I can also wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code (Or his many free youtube video's), dietdoctor.com and this place's website, diabetes.co.uk (Not .org!).

You'll get this licked. And you won't have to do it alone.
Jo

 

[HSSS]

Welcome. As jo says changing the way out eat can sort this for you. And quite possibly bring more benefits like achieving a healthy weight, lowering blood pressure , easing inflammation and joint issues and lots more positives people commonly report.

keep asking questions. There’s always someone with something helpful.

Oh and just to make sure we don’t steer you wrong what medication? I’m guessing metformin. Hopefully not statins.....

 

[Hexchen]

It is a bit of a maze espec if you have the world's most helpful diabetic nurse (not).thanks for all the info .where is best to look for a glucose meter and what type ? X

 

[Hexchen]

Welcome. As jo says changing the way out eat can sort this for you. And quite possibly bring more benefits like achieving a healthy weight, lowering blood pressure , easing inflammation and joint issues and lots more positives people commonly report.

keep asking questions. There’s always someone with something helpful.

Oh and just to make sure we don’t steer you wrong what medication? I’m guessing metformin. Hopefully not statins.....[/QUOTE
No stations cholesterol all good and blood pressure on the low side anyway yeai just gave me no info as to checkmyself and said to wait till next blood test which is annually. Just seemed a bit strange to me that to wait that long be for knowing if meds and diet are working and yes meds are summer to 4 a day x

 

[Resurgam]

I got a meter from Spirit Healthcare - a Tee 2+ - signed up for an account, confirmed I was diabetic by email, then ordered and got things VAT free.
Knowing how meals affect your blood glucose is a great advantage.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

It is a bit of a maze espec if you have the world's most helpful diabetic nurse (not).thanks for all the info .where is best to look for a glucose meter and what type ? X

From what I understand, the Codefree and the Tee2 should have cheap strips, but I don't know VAT and bulk discount codes. (I'm Dutch, sorry)

 

[Rachox]

Hi Hexchen and welcome!

Here is a link to our useful info for newbies:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
Have a read and ask as many questions as you want.

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, 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


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free from Home Health which has the cheapest strips available. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go, just bear in mind it seems they are replacing it with the Navii, details below.

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Home Health have recently bought out this one too, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet, links to strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)