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Newbie type 2

Andyneored5

Andyneored5

Well-Known Member
Messages
61
Hey guys

After tests over a few months I was diagnosed last Friday of having type 2 diabetes. I have so many questions but right now can't think of one. Lol. I have been told to watch my sugar intake but very rarely have sugar on or in anything. If I drink pop ( not often ) I drink Pepsi max. Is this okay? Hey that's a question. Woop woop. Don't think it has sunk in yet, should I be worried. Hey that's a 2nd question. That's it for now. Just wanted to say hi.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi, and welcome to the forum. I am sure one of the more experienced ones such as Daisy or Sid will be along shortly to welcome you.

It is more the carbohydrate content to watch out for which is a more refined kind of sugar. Which Daisy will be able to explain more of.

Sassy.
 
Welcome Andy. As Sassywriter said, don't be fooled by the sugar so much. It's the carbs you need to watch. Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta etc. Main thing is, don't panic, ask questions ( more than 2 lol ), read as much as you can and exercise. You can ask for a blood glucose monitor but they'll probably say no ! Are you on any meds or anything ?


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi. Welcome to the forum. Yes, it's overall carbohydrates that matter not just sugar. If Pepsi Max just has Sweeteners added then that's fine. As Sassywriter says, Daisy will be along shortly to provide more info and links. Do come back with more questions
 
Thx for being welcoming & thanks for all the comments, I'm sure the questions will come mainly I think about what to & not what to eat. The Doctor put me on Metformin, 1 tablet for first week then up to two daily. I did ask if there was anyway I could monitor my own sugars but they said no I have to got to the hospital to have bloods taken. Thx


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Sugary foods as you can imagine need to be avoided, sweets, biscuits, chocolate bars, but many simple carbohydrates are just as bad, white flour, white rice, some pastas and so on. Then there are some foods which have a lot carbohydrates, but they are not as bad, brown rice, wholegrains flours and so on. And then there are fruits, which contain sugar but also contain good things too, so they are a bit of a balancing act. Also, fruits vary. One poster once sumarised it as, the more tropical it is, the better it is avoided. If you cut out the obvious sugary foods, sweet and sour chicken with white rice and stick to foods that have a low glycemic index to start with, chicken with ginger and spring onion and brown rice and also be careful with portion sizes, you'll start well. As you then test the effects these foods have on you, you can eat more of the ones which agree with you and less of those that disagree. The GI of foods is easy to google up. Typically you will find lists:

http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods
 
Hi Andy and welcome to the forum :)

Here is the information which other members have mentioned which we give to new members. Ask all the questions you like 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 well over 30,000 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 ... rains.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

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 blood glucose 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.
 
Hi Andy, I only joined this site today after being diagnosed a few days ago, everything seems pretty daunting doesn't it. What to do and what not to do. I agree with you that there are so many questions but none appear when given the chance to ask!!!! odd lol

Anyhow, just wanted to say hi as we're at a similar stage. I've seen my nurse once to be told i'm diabetic, next time is in a week and god knows what she'll tell me !!!
 
Hi sheryl

There's A lot going through my mind right now, food being at the forefront. I've tried brown rice before (didn't like it) I don't mind eating brown or wholemeal bread, I don't have sugar in tea and coffee or cereals, I eat quite a lot of vegetables and some fruit. So I already think I eat quite well. I love pasta and homemade currys. So my intake of sugars I think is quite low, apart from all the hidden sugars to which I am now looking at every tin in my cupboards saying " there's a lot of sugar in that" " I can't eat that" the two things I am lacking in is exercise and exercise. I think it will all become clear for us newbies as time goes on. I love this forum app already, it's a good lifeline, I only got it today. Everyone seems very nice and willing to help and give advice. Thanks for taking the time to write to me.
 
Hi Andy and Sheryl, welcome to the forum. I doubt that you wanted to join us but you have actually stumbled upon a great recourse for diabetics.

You are no doubt feeling somewhat scared and bewildered by your diagnosis but its quite normal for doctors to give you the news and very little other real help. I would urge you both to buy a Blood Glucose (bg) meter so that you can start to test your bg levels before eating and 2 hours after eating, this will show you what different foods do to your bg levels and is the only way that you can realistically adjust your diet to help gain better control. The reason most GP's have stopped prescribing bg meters and test strips is one of cost! And I think we all know that the NHS is trying to make as many cuts as is possible and unfortunately they see our test strips as unnecessary as most are totally unaware of how to use them effectively.

I wont try to confuse you further (now) by adding to what has already been posted apart to mention "Basmati rice" which even in its white variety which I eat is much kinder to BG levels than most other rice. I was told by a dietician that it has a particular molecular structure that makes it hard or near impossible for the human stomach to break it down so less carbohydrate is processed into glucose from this rice than from others. Smaller portions are of course still advised but I can eat a couple of spoonfuls with little effect on my bg levels, others may be able to eat a little more or a little less as we are all slightly different in how efficiently we process glucose from carbs.
 
Andyneored5 said:
I don't mind eating brown or wholemeal bread,
Click to expand...

OK just one more thing then :wink:

Bread is one of the things that is going to be responsible for some huge rises in your bg levels as flour products are turned to glucose fast...

Wholemeal bread is generally just as bad as white bread as it is all made from processed flours, as a general rule those of us who do eat bread tend to buy either Burgen Linseed and Soya Bread, available from most supermarkets or at a push once you have gained decent control try some of the Wholegrain breads but do test them as they are not all as slow to digest as others. One I have found to be reasonable is Tesco Wholegrain Farmhouse or Rustic Wholegrain loaf which I buy from time to time usually in the small sized loaf :thumbup: Tasty loaf too :thumbup:

Again I would emphasise that all breads need to be tested by the individual as they cam cause some horrible "highs" usually followed by a snoose :yawn:

I'm sure you have experienced the tiredness feelings after eating being newly diagnosed, this is often a sign of high blood glucose levels.
 
Many 'real breads' seem to be OK but many supermarket breads make claims which are simply not true, ie a wholemeal bread which contains only 6% wholemeal. There is a utility here to find real bread bakers, you just type in your postcode:

http://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/

I found one of these so called artisan bakers and about half of their loaves are OK for me. In particular I like the Sisu and Hearth Loaves and, when they bake them, the New York Rye and Nordic Loaves. I've never had a problem with these, but you have to test to see what works for you. It's probably the high rye content which make these OK for me.

http://www.thehandmadebakery.coop/our-bread

As has been mentioned in relation to basmati rice, different types of carbohydrate have different properties. Some are not digestible at all whilst others are only partially digestible. It depends on the individual however. An example would be lactose, the type of sugar found in milk. Most northern europeans, 85%, produce an enzyme called lactase which allows them to digest lactose. Most southern europeans however don't and in some places as few as 5% of adults can drink milk and in quantity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactase
 
Again thanks for the info, I used to put my sleeping patterns down to my shifts but it was More than likely my bs levels. I do like a snooze. Interesting about the basmati rice again I do like my rice and pasta dishes but I also understand i need to get myself a monitor which my docs won't supply me so I can be in complete control. So here's a question, supper time if you guys have one and feel abit nibble ish, what do u guys have. I used to have a slice of toast, doh. Or if you go on holiday what do u do for a fortnight. Don't drink or eat?
 
Ssshhh. I don't have a monitor. I've been diagnosed since October 2012. I just don't have wheat based products or rice, pasta, dairy products. I am a very difficult diabetic - plus I have M.E. and also a recovering 'anorexic' whom I let doctors take over my life when I was a teen and in my early twenties. I basically let them rule my life and let them put me on steroids to let the horrid medication they put me on take effect. So thanks to them I ballooned to nearly 19 stone and developed diabetes. I am now 11 stone 1 pound (well I was last week) BMI 25.1 for my height!!! So I might have reached it now who knows. I have also completed my degree. :D and have obtained some letters after my name :o

I am off that horrid medication and yes I still have M.E. I am on Oramorph though for the pain the M.E leaves and anti - emetics. I have been plagued with migraines since puberty (only relief I have ever had was when I was pregnant), but I am now on topiramate to help prevent them. On a minimal dose. I can low carb - but can not do high fat.

I am slowly, getting better with eating, some days I can manage very tiny meals, some days I cannot eat at all - as all I do is sleep.

It has been agreed though I do not test as I do not want to develop another obsessive behaviour. And experience more pain. I cannot even type anymore. :crazy: I use Dictation software all the time now.
 
Hi sas

Geeze you've been put through it, thanks for sharing. Was it your intention to make me feel lucky and good about myself. Yeah some people get all the bad luck. I hope you are okay



Andy
 
Hi Andy and Sheryl and welcome to the forum.

I was diagnosed type 2 just about a year ago and in October started a low carb diet after reading this forum and also the book my Gary Taubes - Why we get fat. (Search for "Viv's Modified Atkins" for some ground rules)

I figured I would give this low carb idea a test for 3 months and see how it affected my HbA1c. After 3 months I had lost weight, all my blood results were fantastic and my diabetes nurse was impressed... what I would say to each of you, is search this site and find something that works for you, make some changes and be amazed by how much better you feel.

I would never say I am glad I am diabetic, but my health is so much better now than it has been for years (and this is after just 6 months) that I do wish I had found out about LCHF earlier... maybe I would never have become diabetic!

Lesley
 
Thanks Lesley, I went out for dinner tonight with friends and sat looking at the menu and trying to work out what was good and not so good on the diabetic front, i opted for a jacket potato with tuna and side salad. Usually after the meal, drinks would have flowed quite nicely but stuck to a bacardi and diet coke, a friend got us all crisps, mini cheddars and salted peanuts.... I'm so proud of myself that I managed not to touch one thing (I'm an all or nothing girl!!)

I'm definitely NOT glad to be diabetic but it has certainly made me sit up and think. I know I haven't been diagnosed for long but I look back and think about all the junk I put into my body, I believe every cloud has a silver lining

Sheryl
 
Yeah thanks Lesley, way to go sheryl. If you can abstain around friends while there tucking in that's good News. It's like being a social smoker. This morning I had two weetabix and semi skinned milk, there is more sugar is the milk then there is in the weetabix. But this is where I get confused. These are sugars in carbs are these natural or added. We won't be able to cut all sugars out will we? Just lose weight cut back the sugars if we can and that should make our BS be in a normal range, oh yeah maybe a splash of dare I say it. Exercise


Andy
 
Andyneored5 said:
These are sugars in carbs are these natural or added.
Click to expand...

In milk it's natural. It's called lactose and comprises about 6% of whole milk. All humans digest milk in infancy because they produce an enzyme called lactase which helps it to be digested. Lactase production is normally switched off in the teenage years and most of the world's adult human population cannot digest much milk. Drinking milk gives them the sort of problems that one gets if one eats too many diabetic sweets or chocolate.

Around 5000 years ago however, a genetic mutation developed which allowed lactase to continue to be produced and this took off in northern europe because it was beneficial. That's why we have so much of a dairy industry. In southern europe however, cattle were used as beasts of burden and for meat, not dairy produce, hence they use more goats' and sheep milk for cheeses and not so as much cows' milk as we do in the north. When making cheese, milk is separated into curds and whey. The liquid whey contains the lactose but the cheese itself is made out of the curds, so cheese is more or less carbohydrate free whereas milk has carbohydrates.

1471-2148-10-36-1.jpg


Tha map above shows frequency of the lactase producing populations. Northern europeans, sub saharan africans and arabian pastoralists have all exploited the ability to drink milk, camel's milk in the case of the Bedouin, but different genes are involved. The northern european gene is termed 13910 C/T. This allows the enzyme to continue to be produced and therefore adults can continue to drink milk. Similar processes involving many different types of carbohydrates and many different genes are probably behind the observation that some foods work for some people but not others.
 
Andyneored5 said:
Hi sas

Geeze you've been put through it, thanks for sharing. Was it your intention to make me feel lucky and good about myself. Yeah some people get all the bad luck. I hope you are okay



Andy
Click to expand...

I should be. M.E is stuck with me for life, anything else can go take a running jump out of the window. Today I decided to write a book, why waste my degree?

My life as an anorexic with M.E and diabetes? Good enough title!
 
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