Type 2 Newbie to diabetes

Hi and welcome to the forum. It can be very confusing when you are first diagnosed and it can take a long time to sort everything out. Good on you for getting a meter, it is essential. If you have any questions just ask, we are a helpful bunch

Hi @just_undiscovered_and welcome to the forum. You have done well in taking control of your condition yourself, getting a meter and finding this forum. It is all a bit overwhelming when you are first diagnosed and it takes a bit of time to get your head around it. But you will find a lot of good advice and support on here.
A lot of the people on here have found that the LCHF approach has lowered their HbA1c, including myself. And exercise will help too.
As for hypos, I don't think Type 2s get them, only Type 1s, but I'm not sure about that. I expect someone more knowledgable will be along to tell us.

@just_undiscovered_

Hello and welcome to the forum To help you on your way to good levels, here is the information we give to new members. This should help you with your low carb diet. Have a look at the Low Carb Program too. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 over 150,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

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

LOW CARB PROGRAM:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/low carb program


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 bloodglucose 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.

hello and welcome to the forum,

Hi Sorry you can not tolerate the Metformin. I have been on them 3 weeks now, since being diagnosed with Type 2 on the 5th Jan this year .I take 2 daily I take in between breakfast and in between dinner and the problems with the bloating and indigestion only lasted just over a week I am ok now. I am sure the slow release ones will suit you.

Hello just_undiscovered_ Welcome to the Forum. That was a very sensible thing to do, invest in buying a meter. Hope you had a fab holiday.

Hi just_undiscovered
I had a similar reaction to metformin (both the regular and the slow release) so stopped taking it after 3 weeks and tried to control my sugars with diet alone (LCHF). So far seems to be going ok have lost just over 2 stone in weight and now have bloods in the 5-7 mmol/l range.. still a bit high but much better than on diagnosis... the Diabetes Nurse measured 12.5 mmol/l on the morning of my diagnosis. Just about to get the results of my third HbA1c since diagnosis so will be interesting to see what has happened. I'm a bit OCD so have a spreadsheet with a food diary and blood sugar results so I can see what is going on. You'll soon see what causes your blood sugars to go up if you monitor regularly and record what you eat. Good luck and you'll find everyone here very helpful with advice. Read the Low Carb forum for food ideas and maybe you'll become an avid reader of food labels like me..

Hi @just_undiscovered_ - I test 3 times a day. EVERY morning (before Breakfast) and then before Lunch and then before bed, then alternate it the next day before Evening Meal and before bed. But, as a suggestion for you:- perhaps you may consider doing a food dairy, test before a meal, then eat and 2 hours later test again to see what effect that meal had on your blood sugar, and record what you ate and your result. You will soon get to see which foods give you a rise in blood sugars. If you have any questions? Just post a thread, someone will answer - everyone is helpful and some are very knowledgeable on this forum.

just_undiscovered_ said:

Hello
Am just curious, did you get the results of your HBA1C and if so were you happy with the result? I have restarted the SR metformin again and it's day 5 today and so far I haven't had any issues apart from a bit of naseau a couple of days. Am hoping that the first time around was just a one off! I've read that taking it in between the meal (and not at the end) helps so that's what I've been doing so we will see. I had my HBA1C and cholesterol bloods done today, my 1st one since diagnosis last November. Am seeing the nurse next Wednesday to discuss the results

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~Hi Yes I did HbA1c result was 5.4 / 36 nurse was quite shocked at how fast it had come down but not really interested in how. She just concentrated on the fact I have lost 20kg since diagnosis but not how i had done it. I have seen her before and don't like her but she did annoy me quite a lot. So no drugs for me at the moment (and I hope ever). One good point .. she didn't mention statins once but maybe the last DN I saw noted that I said I'd only take those when Hell freezes over.

@just_undiscovered_ - Hi. Take your Metformin half way through your meal, and when you have finished eating, have a glass full of Water. This is what I have always done and I have been taking Metformin for almost 14 years.

It means you are controlling your blood sugar very well.Are you taking any blood sugar lowering medications or injections?