Newly Diagnosed - Confused

Pingman77 said:

Hello all - Diagnosed on Thursday as Type II by accident. Had blood test done for a pain in my leg which turned out to be a DVT and my A1C was around 10.0. Over the past few years I had added some weight but I didn't realize I had spiked 25 lbs to 260.

Diet before this was terrible. Fast food, 5 diet cokes a day and snacking. I work a desk job so I am sedentary. AT age 42. I am mad at myself for letting myself get in this shape.

So on top of starting 2X500mg Metformin a day I am also on blood thinner until my clot resolves. Dr. thinks when i drop weight I can probably go off Metformin if I keep my weight down and exercise.

My biggest complaint so far is the side effects of Met. Started it on Friday, later on Saturday I noticed the from on my stomach gurgling. Later that evening the pain in my lower belly started. Had diarrhea all night. Woke up on Sunday and the pain shift to my lower left abdomen. Its not excruciating but i feel it when I breath in and out. Sunday was a terrible diarrhea day and my side hurt a little. Seemed to get better as I passed gas. Today was even better but the soreness is still there if i make myself breath in and out deep.

My nurse called today to see about moving me to the XR version and stated that the lower left abdomen pain is very bad sign. As a hypochondriac now with all that's happened its is scaring me a little. She has a terrible bed side manner. Seems coincidence this all started after taking this med that seems to cause problems for so many. Also see on the side effects lower back and side pain are a common side effect.

Just wonder if anyone else had these side effects. My liver and kidneys checked out in my blood work. I know that is a sign of Diverticulitis but could it also just be gas and pain from meds?

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We can't diagnose on here, so if you think of appendicitis, get help, but... The bit where the large and small intestine meet, and the appendix is located, is quite sensitive. I know it got irritated when metformin did the same to me as it is doing to you. (And oooh, are you ever not alone!). Irritation isn't deadly, but it sure hurts. I can't advise you to stop taking metformin , but ah... You could forget a few doses? Ahem... See whether that helps your gut. Metformin can make a small dent in your blood sugars, but if you change your diet, odds are you won't actually need the stuff. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ have a read, I think you may find some hope there.

You'll be okay. You can ask the nurse for 3 months' grace as you try doing this through diet instead. The results could well make her jaw drop. And yours.

Pingman77 said:

Thank you so much for your reply. I need some positivity about this. Just reading your tag line has helped.

The pain has subsided 80%, I do feel bloated still and can hear gurgles like mad. It has move into my hip more so now. I was slightly panicking as all of this hit me so sudden. I had a brush with blood sugar 2 years ago when I had a routine check and the Dr. said my A1c was 5.8 and told me to lose weight. I did exercise and drop weight and my A1c went down to 4.9. No one made it seem like it was a big deal so as the last few year have gone by I got busy with work, kids, church, family etc and packed on the weight. I probably have gained 30 lbs in 2 years.

I have just been so bad to my body. I use to be an athlete and after I got married and progressed at work (Software Programmer) it isn't uncommon for me to sit at a desk from 8am - 8pm. Eating Pizza and chips, cookies and bags of Reeses Pieces.

I have cut out all Soda and am eating better and smaller portions. My goal is to go from 269 back to my married weight of 205. What is sad is it took this to motivate me but probably a lifesaver in the long run. My goal is to become medicine free like others.

Do you guys ever splurge? Once your numbers are down does anyone ever enjoy a couple of pieces of Pizza or a Fries?

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Hi @Pingman77 ,

Where to start? Well, first off... You got bigger because you were developing diabetes. You didn't get diabetic because you ate, not quite anyway. There's masses of people out there who ate the exact same way you were at that point, and none of them became diabetic. So the genes were there, but the carb-heavy diet just rushed things along a little. Odds are you would've been diabetic anyway even if you did everything "right", eventually. Okay? That does mean that as you change your diet to low carb, you'll also lose weight. Quite a bit of it, most likely. The water weight'll be the first to come off (carbs retain water, so no carbs, little to no water retention. And water's heavy!), after that it's the visceral fat that goes. That's usually a bit slower to come off, but it will. So aside from getting your blood sugars under control, and allow you to skip the metformin, it'll also lower your weight.

It took my guts a few days to calm down after I stopped metformin, so give yourself a moment eh. Also, get yourself a meter a.s.a.p., so you know what your blood sugars are doing. T2's don't usually get one funded, we pay for them ourselves more often than not, but it's an excellent tool and a really good motivator. Changes can impact your blood sugars really fast, you could notice a difference within days, so if you go the diet route, well... It's an empowering feeling, seeing the numbers drop without the aid of medication. (Especially if the meds put you through hell.). Test before a meal and 2 hours after the first bite. You're looking for a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol/l, or 37 mg/dl (and preferably less), depending on what your meter's measuring unit is.


So what are you eating and drinking right now? How often do you eat? I know they seem like kind of inane questions, but there's a lot of ground to be gained with relatively small adjustments. One thing, as you mention portion size: don't go hungry. There's no need to. Okay? A low carb diet is a diet for life, basically, because the moment you start eating carbs again you're right back where you started. That means the diet HAS to be sustainable for you. Making sure you eat things you actually like, and aren't starving all day. You need to have meals you enjoy and look forward to, or you're not going to keep it up. There's people who "fail" the diet simply because they read online that they have to eat things they absolutely detest.... While there's lots of foods out there that might've been better suited to their life, lifestyle and whatnot. So throw as much information as possible out there and we'll see how we can help. If diet, of course, is the route you wish to take.

Cheat days... Ah. Yeah.... That's a very personal one. It wholly depends on you. Some people relax their diet for a few days around Christmas (or any relevant holiday for their religion), a birthday or a bit of wedding cake. Some don't. The thing is, once you've lowered your blood sugars and kept them consistently low, a few things happen. For one thing, your palette changes. What used to be kinda/sorta sweet, becomes sickly sweet to you (Perk being, food is way more flavourful over all!). So things might not taste the way you remember them. If you eat a lot of carbs in one go, your blood sugars can spike hard and fast.... And for quite a few people, yours truly included, that means becoming ill. Unsteady, wobbly legs, confusion, tingling skin, nausea. (When that happens I take one heck of a quick paced walk around the block a few times to get them lower again..). Also, once you've cut carbs, having them again can re-start the carb cravings. Carbs are literally addictive in nature, so same as with a smoke... I quit in august 2004, but I know if I have one now, I'll be right back to lighting one with the other. And with carbs retaining water, keep in mind that you can very quickly add something like a kilo and a half in a day... It's not relative to the food you ate, it's the carbs sucking up everything you drank and holding on to it. So those are things to remember.... If you do have a cheat meal or cheat day, there is usually a price tag. If you feel it is worth it, and sometimes it just is, go for it. If not, or if you think you might have trouble getting back on the wagon... Don't. Some people need cheat meals to be able to keep the diet up. Some need to go cold turkey. Another one of those things that depends on your personality. I have an addictive one, so I can get hooked on something pretty quick. At the same time, I'm an introverted borderliner, which in my case means I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person. If I go for a diet, I'll go for it like a fanatic. And I know which part of my personality if the stronger one, so I'm all good. Knowing thyself really helps. And if you don't know, you'll find out soon enough as you embark on all this.

One more thing: Reese's Pieces? They're half a carb a piece. If you can stick with one or two, maaaybe three, say as a treat after dinner rather than pud, you're all good. Don't go for bulk though, just the couple.
Jo

Pingman77 said:

My plan is to eat my meat with no bun or half a bun and stick as much as possible to fruit

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I'd avoid the fruit unless its a few berries.

Meat is fine as are green beans and broccoli (although not essential) carrots maybe not (still quite a carby veg) the asparagus will be fine.
Bread and oatmeal would send my sugars through the roof.

All I see in your menu is carbs and more carbs.
So eggs and bacon in almost unlimited quantities
Turkey and cheese great but maybe triple portions
pork chop , chicken thighs a decent steak would be great for dinner.
Use fattier cuts to replace the carbs, fat keeps you fuller for longer.

Pingman77 said:

So eating a king size box of Reese's pieces in one sitting and then chips for lunch and 4-5 pieces of pizza in a day were bad for me? I am shocked i was not more like 300 + pounds.

Such a drastic change in diet will be hard for me. I don't like many vegetables aside from green beans and broccoli. Right now I am focused on reducing my carbs and cutting out sugar and fast food.

I was probably eating 3500 calories a day and most was junk.

Example of my eating since diagnosis:

Breakfast:
- 35 Calorie 3g net carb bread, light butter and reduced sugar strawberry spread + 3 strips of microwave bacon
- pack of Steel Cut oatmeal, 20g carbs and 11g sugar
- 2 eggs w/ light cheese and piece of same toast

Lunch:

- Turkey with 1 piece of thin colby cheese on same bread, 2 pieces or 6g net carbs, piece of fruit

Dinner:
- Grilled chicken w/ sugar free bbq sauce and baked potato
- Chicken tacos
- Pork chop and broccoli

My plan is to eat my meat with no bun or half a bun and stick as much as possible to fruit and learn to like veggies. We are going to try some asparagus and carrots this week. I dislike salad dressing so gonna do baby spinach with olive oil and cracked pepper.

To be honest, now that i have no choice in eating I am actually enjoying some of the food. I use to never eat fruit and am loving it. Being healthy and enjoying life for me mentally over shadows the urge to eat bad.

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I hate to be such a downer, but Bulk is right. Sorry. Right now you're putting away more carbs in a day than I eat in a month. Or two. Ironically enough, with some meals you'd be better off downing a whole package of Reese's, they'd be lower in carbs. Print the Nutritional Thingy, and go over the do's and don't's, comparing them to your meals. Or, just check the nutritional information on things like taco shells and the jam you used. (All carbs, not just the "of which sugars", as all carbs turn to glucose once ingested). Also, please get yourself a meter. You're flying blind without one. If you had been testing around meals, (before the meal and 2 hours after the first bite, aiming for a rise of 2.0 mmol/l or less), I think you would've been shocked at what the "healthy" meals were doing to your blood sugars. Bacon and eggs, meats, poultry, fish, cheeses, olives, salads (no croutons, no dressing other tha oil, mayo or vinegar!) would be much better. More suggestions in the Thingy.

I know it is a big adjustment, and those take time. And it's not for everybody. Think it over.
Jo

Hi. Metform Slow Release SR/XR should be much better for you than the standard version.

Pingman77 said:

Thank you so much for your reply. I need some positivity about this. Just reading your tag line has helped.

The pain has subsided 80%, I do feel bloated still and can hear gurgles like mad. It has move into my hip more so now. I was slightly panicking as all of this hit me so sudden. I had a brush with blood sugar 2 years ago when I had a routine check and the Dr. said my A1c was 5.8 and told me to lose weight. I did exercise and drop weight and my A1c went down to 4.9. No one made it seem like it was a big deal so as the last few year have gone by I got busy with work, kids, church, family etc and packed on the weight. I probably have gained 30 lbs in 2 years.

I have just been so bad to my body. I use to be an athlete and after I got married and progressed at work (Software Programmer) it isn't uncommon for me to sit at a desk from 8am - 8pm. Eating Pizza and chips, cookies and bags of Reeses Pieces.

I have cut out all Soda and am eating better and smaller portions. My goal is to go from 269 back to my married weight of 205. What is sad is it took this to motivate me but probably a lifesaver in the long run. My goal is to become medicine free like others.

Do you guys ever splurge? Once your numbers are down does anyone ever enjoy a couple of pieces of Pizza or a Fries?

Click to expand...

Heh, I’m a software developer too, I know about snacking to get in the groove. Now I use small bags of sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, or dried seaweed to get my fingers burning lol. Cut the carbs, it did wonders for me.

Pingman77 said:

Thank you so much for your reply. I need some positivity about this. Just reading your tag line has helped.

The pain has subsided 80%, I do feel bloated still and can hear gurgles like mad. It has move into my hip more so now. I was slightly panicking as all of this hit me so sudden. I had a brush with blood sugar 2 years ago when I had a routine check and the Dr. said my A1c was 5.8 and told me to lose weight. I did exercise and drop weight and my A1c went down to 4.9. No one made it seem like it was a big deal so as the last few year have gone by I got busy with work, kids, church, family etc and packed on the weight. I probably have gained 30 lbs in 2 years.

I have just been so bad to my body. I use to be an athlete and after I got married and progressed at work (Software Programmer) it isn't uncommon for me to sit at a desk from 8am - 8pm. Eating Pizza and chips, cookies and bags of Reeses Pieces.

I have cut out all Soda and am eating better and smaller portions. My goal is to go from 269 back to my married weight of 205. What is sad is it took this to motivate me but probably a lifesaver in the long run. My goal is to become medicine free like others.

Do you guys ever splurge? Once your numbers are down does anyone ever enjoy a couple of pieces of Pizza or a Fries?

Click to expand...

I do have occasional splurge days. Like fish and chips or pizza. Normally not really bad and monitoring implies carbs of 250 - 300g which is still likely less than my old normal when I ate bread, pasta etc... I also tend to still eat less calories than 2500 a day even when cheating and don’t know if that makes any difference

I know it’s not ideal but I have also correspondingly increased my exercise in general and for the most part do manage to keep < 75g in carbs, I started < 130g a few months ago

however, they are addictive. You think a few won’t hurt and next thing you have eaten a whole pack of cakes. Then you have to wean yourself back off again

I want to move away from cheat days but I am only human.

LaoDan said:

Heh, I’m a software developer too, I know about snacking to get in the groove. Now I use small bags of sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, or dried seaweed to get my fingers burning lol. Cut the carbs, it did wonders for me.

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Another software developer here too. Moved more into line management though but yeah unfortunately tended towards the sedentary day at PC all day work style

Hello and welcome,

You haven't mentioned a meter- if you haven't already got one I highly recommend it- the meter will give you the information that you will need to be able to lower your overall blood sugar levels.

If you do get a meter start off with testing regularly- that will tell you how many carbs your body can tolerate. I have lost weight going low carb but my primary aim is lowering my blood sugar levels not my weight. My weight has just come off.

Read around and ask questions- there are lots of amazing g knowledgable people here who are always willing to help.

good luck and welcome.