Hi everyone, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes yesterday and have got to wait 2 weeks to see the dietician. I'm on metformin, had my first one today. I am trying to be positive about it all bug just a little bit confused what I can and can't eat and drink. I'm a really sociable person and in the next few weeks I am out at parties weddings etc. I have promised myself that I am going to be good and not drink any alcohol. I have made myself the designated driver. So what do I drink when I go these parties weddings etc. I cannot stand diet drinks. I'm thinking water or tomatoe juice??? What about bitter lemon??? Would that be ok? Any advice anyone can give me on the food and drink is much appreciated thank uou
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Newly diagnosed and confused
- Thread starter bex75
- Start Date
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Location
- Switzerland
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
Hi Bex and welcome to the forum 
The party-goers amongst us will soon be up and will be able to share their experience with you. In the meantime, here is the information that we give to new members and I hope you will find this useful. Ask all the questions you need to and someone will 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 70,000 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:
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
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
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.
The party-goers amongst us will soon be up and will be able to share their experience with you. In the meantime, here is the information that we give to new members and I hope you will find this useful. Ask all the questions you need to and someone will 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 70,000 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
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
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
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.
Daibell
Master
Hi. Daisy has provided some useful information and links. Don't worry too much about alcohol as the odd drink or two will not be a problem. You will need to control your carb intake and it is important to get hold of a meter so you can find out what food affects you most and what level of carbs you can tolerate. So, go for low-GI carbs where you can. Be advised that many NHS dieticians haven't a clue with regard to right diet for diabetics. If the one you see talks about having a 'normal healthy diet' or having carbs with every meal then you will know the advice is not good as diabetics have a condition where the body cannot metabolise the glucose properly that the carbs are converted to. There are good ones around but not too many if this forum is anything to go by. Do ask any further questions you may have.
zolabud
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,285
- Location
- Lewes. Near B right on. East Sussex.
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Whelks,winkles... All crustaceous seafood except prawns. Can't do crab.lobster or scallops.
Don't like the way they are killed and cooked. Save our Scallops. SOS !!!
Also HATE evaporated milk.
The advice I was given at my first meeting was to eat brown pasta,brown bread,and fruit and veg.
The only bread which doesn't cause my blood sugars to rise is Burgen bread (soya and linseed) which can be bought from Tescos for £1.25 per loadfor if you are lucky enough to live near an Iceland it is available from there for £1.
All root veg makes me spike.Potatoes,parsnips,carrots and anything that grows underground. Any veg that grows above ground are all fine.
Pasta is out too. So how the NHS can give anyone a diet sheet and expect us all to eat what they deem 'diabetic friendly' is totally beyond me.
Every diabetic is different what makes me spike may not make you spike.
So it is adviseable you get a meter.
I use a Glucomen LX which I have been very happy with. I like the lancer and am lucky to get strips on prescription.
Glucomen,Bayer and Abbot are the ones I remember who provide meters free of charge. They are happy to provide machines free in the hope you will organise a prescription for the strips.
When my Glucomen LX arrived I used up the 10 strips you get with it in the first day near enough and as my first metting with the diabetic nurse was a fortnight away I went onto E Bay and bought a tub of strips for £17. And a box of lancets for £10.
I was pleasantly surprised when my DN asked if I had a meter and I said yes and she asked me for the prescription details ( which you get in the monitor box) and a script was organised. I know I am lucky as it depends where you live to whether you get them or not.
My DN said they give out meters for free aswell but as I already had one I didn't need one.
So really you should ring your surgery and ask if they provide free meters or if they provide presciptions for strips if you got a free meter yourself.
Go onto any of the 3 firms which I quoted above and go onto their websites and either request a meter or use the contact facility and give them a ring.
The Glucomen LX+ has extra facilities for folk on insulin. I am using the LX as I am ( at the moment...) diet controlled.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
The only bread which doesn't cause my blood sugars to rise is Burgen bread (soya and linseed) which can be bought from Tescos for £1.25 per loadfor if you are lucky enough to live near an Iceland it is available from there for £1.
All root veg makes me spike.Potatoes,parsnips,carrots and anything that grows underground. Any veg that grows above ground are all fine.
Pasta is out too. So how the NHS can give anyone a diet sheet and expect us all to eat what they deem 'diabetic friendly' is totally beyond me.
Every diabetic is different what makes me spike may not make you spike.
So it is adviseable you get a meter.
I use a Glucomen LX which I have been very happy with. I like the lancer and am lucky to get strips on prescription.
Glucomen,Bayer and Abbot are the ones I remember who provide meters free of charge. They are happy to provide machines free in the hope you will organise a prescription for the strips.
When my Glucomen LX arrived I used up the 10 strips you get with it in the first day near enough and as my first metting with the diabetic nurse was a fortnight away I went onto E Bay and bought a tub of strips for £17. And a box of lancets for £10.
I was pleasantly surprised when my DN asked if I had a meter and I said yes and she asked me for the prescription details ( which you get in the monitor box) and a script was organised. I know I am lucky as it depends where you live to whether you get them or not.
My DN said they give out meters for free aswell but as I already had one I didn't need one.
So really you should ring your surgery and ask if they provide free meters or if they provide presciptions for strips if you got a free meter yourself.
Go onto any of the 3 firms which I quoted above and go onto their websites and either request a meter or use the contact facility and give them a ring.
The Glucomen LX+ has extra facilities for folk on insulin. I am using the LX as I am ( at the moment...) diet controlled.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Pompeygirl
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 121
Hi bex. I wad diagnosed 3/4 months ago. I promise you things will become clearer i read ad much as i could on this forum and asked the odd question and always had friendly helpful replies. I bought a meter and test often which has really helped me understand more how my body reacts and had given me control. I started exercising which helps my levels noticably. When i go out i found it easier to stick to protein foods and leave the carbs and this had made eating out easy. And i stick to the odd glass of wine
Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
i read ad much as i could on this forum and asked the odd question and always had friendly helpful replies. I bought a meter and test often which has really helped me understand more how my body reacts and had given me control. I started exercising which helps my levels noticably. When i go out i found it easier to stick to protein foods and leave the carbs and this had made eating out easy. And i stick to the odd glass of wine Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Etty
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 367
- Type of diabetes
- Prediabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
What to eat:
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
lastplace
Member
- Messages
- 10
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- I do not have diabetes
Hello Bex,
I was like you three months ago (August ).Just been diagnosed with type 2 reading 22,ketones in my blood.I was overweight (54 inch waist.I still have the receipt to prove it)
Went to hospital given metformin and sent home.I sat down,I was confused and scared.What do I do? what do I eat? etc.
I took a long hard look at myself.I need to change my life style.I read loads about diabetes (with the help from diabetes.co.uk.They sent me leaflets and books etc}.
I set my plan in place and started it.
Step 1: I needed to exercise
Step 2 : Learn what foods I can eat and can't (yes everyone is different)
Step 3: Medication free (I never took any medication what so ever.)
I started walking half and hour twice a day and build it up slowly.I cut down my food intake (smaller portions).
I eat salad,root veg,chicken (skinless),fish,fruit (not grapes) I love plums and pears.Nuts (almonds great protein boost)
brown seeded bread,skimmed milk,cereal (only weetabix).Curry (yes even the odd curry is o.k.I like the hot one madras.Just drain the fat off it) Basmati rice.
Now it is three months later.I now speed walk for an hour at a time.I weight train using light weights.My waist line is 40 inch.
My readings are between 4.8-5.5.My cholesterol level is 3.1,my blood pressure is great and my liver function is perfect (had tests for all ).
Yes it was hard work ( walking in the cold and rain etc) but I have never felt healthier in years.So Bex don't despair you can recover and live a normal life.
I hope my story can inspire someone.Please look after yourself folks.Stay healthy.
I was like you three months ago (August ).Just been diagnosed with type 2 reading 22,ketones in my blood.I was overweight (54 inch waist.I still have the receipt to prove it)
Went to hospital given metformin and sent home.I sat down,I was confused and scared.What do I do? what do I eat? etc.
I took a long hard look at myself.I need to change my life style.I read loads about diabetes (with the help from diabetes.co.uk.They sent me leaflets and books etc}.
I set my plan in place and started it.
Step 1: I needed to exercise
Step 2 : Learn what foods I can eat and can't (yes everyone is different)
Step 3: Medication free (I never took any medication what so ever.)
I started walking half and hour twice a day and build it up slowly.I cut down my food intake (smaller portions).
I eat salad,root veg,chicken (skinless),fish,fruit (not grapes) I love plums and pears.Nuts (almonds great protein boost)
brown seeded bread,skimmed milk,cereal (only weetabix).Curry (yes even the odd curry is o.k.I like the hot one madras.Just drain the fat off it) Basmati rice.
Now it is three months later.I now speed walk for an hour at a time.I weight train using light weights.My waist line is 40 inch.
My readings are between 4.8-5.5.My cholesterol level is 3.1,my blood pressure is great and my liver function is perfect (had tests for all ).
Yes it was hard work ( walking in the cold and rain etc) but I have never felt healthier in years.So Bex don't despair you can recover and live a normal life.
I hope my story can inspire someone.Please look after yourself folks.Stay healthy.
