Newbie mistakes

[VashtiB]

I thought it might be useful to start a thread about mistakes everyone has made when they were a newbie- I'm still a newbie so may post multiple times

My first mistake was over obsessing about my blood sugar levels- I really really wanted to be in the '4's rather than the '5's to '6's. This meant I avoided all exercise so that I didn't push up my levels. I've now calmed down a bit and happy to be in the '5's still hoping for lower but it has only been 5 weeks so figure that is okay.

Another mistake I made was feeling ashamed of having this disease. I am not completely over this but the shame has meant I stoped doing things like meeting up with friends and feeling more and more 'broken' this obviously made me stressed and that did not help my blood sugar levels. I wouldn't say I'm over being ashamed but now probably not over the fear of being judged. I've told a few people and they have been nice. I've spoken to a restaurant for an unavoidable function. They were helpful and gave me low/no carb options.

Another mistake I have made is not checking the carbs in everything- I made the stupid assumption that oysters would be fine- seafood right- no they do contain carbs. Much better to check everything.

On my first day after diagnosis I made the mistake that maybe the advice from the dr was okay and had a 'healthy' meal and spiked. That mistake really depressed me as I could only see insulin as the only way forward. Having followed the LCHF life means I don't see it that way now.

Another mistake is just discounting the effects of stress on my levels. I am now considering the need to spend time actively managing my stress. My job as a lawyer is very high stress often but I need to ensure I spend some time relaxing. My lovely husband gave me some sessions in a float tank for my birthday and I have had one- in one hour my levels dropped by 1 from 5.8 to 4.8- yay!!.

That's enough of my mistakes for now.

 

[Prem51]

Hi @VashtiB. If those are the only mistakes you have made you are doing well! I would be happy to be in the 5s regularly!
I think my main mistake was not getting a bg meter after I was first diagnosed - I didn't like the idea of pricking my fingers as I have a severe needle phobia.
I decided my best way to lower my bgs was to lose as much weight as I could as quickly as possible and went on a quite spartan eating regime eating just one small meal a day, in the evening.
It did work in reducing my HbA1c and my weight by my 3 month retest, but then I realised I would not know how I was doing until my next HbA1c test after another 12 months, so I got a bg meter.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I thought it might be useful to start a thread about mistakes everyone has made when they were a newbie- I'm still a newbie so may post multiple times

My first mistake was over obsessing about my blood sugar levels- I really really wanted to be in the '4's rather than the '5's to '6's. This meant I avoided all exercise so that I didn't push up my levels. I've now calmed down a bit and happy to be in the '5's still hoping for lower but it has only been 5 weeks so figure that is okay.

Another mistake I made was feeling ashamed of having this disease. I am not completely over this but the shame has meant I stoped doing things like meeting up with friends and feeling more and more 'broken' this obviously made me stressed and that did not help my blood sugar levels. I wouldn't say I'm over being ashamed but now probably not over the fear of being judged. I've told a few people and they have been nice. I've spoken to a restaurant for an unavoidable function. They were helpful and gave me low/no carb options.

Another mistake I have made is not checking the carbs in everything- I made the stupid assumption that oysters would be fine- seafood right- no they do contain carbs. Much better to check everything.

On my first day after diagnosis I made the mistake that maybe the advice from the dr was okay and had a 'healthy' meal and spiked. That mistake really depressed me as I could only see insulin as the only way forward. Having followed the LCHF life means I don't see it that way now.

Another mistake is just discounting the effects of stress on my levels. I am now considering the need to spend time actively managing my stress. My job as a lawyer is very high stress often but I need to ensure I spend some time relaxing. My lovely husband gave me some sessions in a float tank for my birthday and I have had one- in one hour my levels dropped by 1 from 5.8 to 4.8- yay!!.

That's enough of my mistakes for now.

I thought I had one foot in the grave, which was a mistake. Seriously though... My mistake was my mindset, though once it switched from sadness to anger (and thus a drive to take control), things went a whole lot better. Another mistake was joining the Dutch diabetes forum. They push healthy carbs there, and I asked whether it ever got better, mentally... (I was still depressed). I got crickets. Those people were as lost as I was, and because of that it took a long time before i dove in here, where people would've actually been helpful. I stumbled along while there was a fount of information right here. Another mistake was chinese tomato soup. I thought a tiny tapas-sized bowl would be alright. And it so wasn't.

 

[Route 66]

I thought it might be useful to start a thread about mistakes everyone has made when they were a newbie- I'm still a newbie so may post multiple times

You seem to be doing really well.

When I was diagnosed about 11 weeks ago, it was a double whammy as I was in hospital following a heart attack and angioplasty. Being diagnosed with diabetes just added the icing to the cake. To protect the heart, I was put on insulin for three months before being phased. over to tablets. One month still to go.

Like you, my first mistake was to become a little bit obsessed with finger pricks and levels. I guess that we all do. The spikes really freaked me out. However, I have started to see them level out more now which is a great relief. Mine were in the 10's, 11,s and 12,s and now more in the 8's & 7's. I took the advice of the good people on here and started to check just before starting a meal and two hours after. It has given me a great insight into what is good and bad for me. The obsession for finger pricking has now stopped. Each week my meter tells me that my averages are dropping slowly !!

Mt Hbac1 started off at 108 and my next mistake was to completely trust in my meter which gave me the idea that it would be around 60 after two months. One blood test later and it was in fact 70 after two months. Feel quite despondent over that as I thought I was doing really well and a drop of 38 dosn't really float my boat. But I have great plans to get it under 48 in the next two months.

To start with I made the mistake of not telling people about the diagnosis as I was embarrassed by it. I have now told my close friends and work colleagues and all I have found is understanding and support.

My other mistake was to try to be the big toughie and I underestimated the effect that it has on your emotions. Its a lot to take in and you flip from good to bad days emotionally. I have started to realise that your emotions seem to tie in a lot with your BG readings. Its a lot to take in and I am lucky to have the fantastic support of my partner, a great diabetic nurse and to have found this forum. I feel like you have to treat yourself gently one day at a time and understand that each day is different.

For all of the mistakes and so far their have been many, there are also many positives that I have gained from the experience, including a far better understanding of this condition, that it is nothing to be ashamed about and above all, that I am still here and starting to enjoy life again.

Good luck with your journey. You have achieved so much in such a little time.