Newly Diagnosed - many questions!

swt1963 · Apr 21, 2011

Sorry, this is going to be quite a long post, but please bear with me!

I have been diagnosed as type 2 for about 4 weeks now. I am very overweight (BMI 42), and the FBG at diagnosis was 7.7 My doctor hasn't been very good at answering detailed questions but did say that he is expecting that if I lose weight (which I am very willing to do - already 10Kg down) with a diet and lifestyle change then I should be able to put my diabetes into "permanent remission"

Since then, I ahave managed to get my FBG down to between 4.9 and 5.3 on most days, and 2 hour post meals to about 6.5. I am testing constantly but having to buy the strips because doctor is unwilling to provide enough.

So, on to the questions:

1) Has anyone else else seen the "permanent remission" that my doctor is referring to, with a dramatic weight loss after diagnosis.

2) I'm still waking up in the night hot and sweaty and needing to pee. My doctor says that this is just my body adjusting to the lower glucose levels, and says it wil disappear in time. Any one else experienced this and does it disappear? It's not the menopause as I'm male

3) I'm experiencing anxiety attacks, which I've never had before, which send my BG shooting up. Doctor just dismisses these, though he has now tested for thyroid issues, which I am still waiting for the results (along with full blood count, H1BAC etc etc.) Anyone else experienced these after diagnosis?

4) I'm finding that as soon as I eat I get headaches (even with low carb meals), and sometimes a hot face. Is this normal? Doctor again just says they'll go away in time.

5) Final one! I get higher readings (~ 0.5) if I test say 15-30 minutes after getting up rather than immediately. Which is best one to use? Doctor was very non-commital!

Many thanks in advance for any help - feeling a bit alone and scared at present.

Cheers

Steve

daisy1 · Apr 21, 2011

Hi Steve and welcome to the forum You have done a fantastic job getting your levels down so well and an already substantial weight loss. You may be able to get your diabetes into a type of "remission" but it won't be permanent. It will depend how well you can keep your weight and levels down - Damocles sword over your head. It's a pity he won't help you to do this by giving you strips. See the link below which gives tips on how to persuade him to let you have them. As for the hot and sweaty and needing to pee at night - I need an answer to that myself :lol: so hope someone else can answer that. It's not the menopause in me either. I also get the headaches and the heat so I need the advice too but at least you know you are not alone. For your information I have very little weight to lose now but I still get this. For the fasting readings, they must be done immediately on waking. Even taking a shower can make your levels go up.

To help you, here is some basic information prepared by the Forum Monitors for new members which should help you. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will have an answer for you.

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.

As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2011 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091

Sue/Ken.

hallii · Apr 21, 2011

Sorry, this is going to be quite a long post, but please bear with me!

I have been diagnosed as type 2 for about 4 weeks now. I am very overweight (BMI 42), and the FBG at diagnosis was 7.7

Your FBG is not that important, it is best to keep it down, of course, and 7.7 is not so bad, but the important test is the HbA1c.

My doctor hasn't been very good at answering detailed questions but did say that he is expecting that if I lose weight (which I am very willing to do - already 10Kg down) with a diet and lifestyle change then I should be able to put my diabetes into "permanent remission"

He is right, but'' remission'' and ''permanent'' do not quite fit together, I was much the same as you on diagnosis and managed for 8 years to keep my Bgs down to good levels (Remisssion?) but not permanently, I had my BGs slowly creeping upwards regardless of my efforts to keep thme down with diet and excercise, now I take Metformin and everything is fine. I know that at some stage I will need more medications, but we all vary, you may indeed manage "permanence" I truly hope you do, but don't be surprised if you don't.

Since then, I ahave managed to get my FBG down to between 4.9 and 5.3 on most days, and 2 hour post meals to about 6.5. I am testing constantly but having to buy the strips because doctor is unwilling to provide enough.

4.9 and 5.3 is very good control, 6.5 post meals is again very good.

So, on to the questions:

1) Has anyone else else seen the "permanent remission" that my doctor is referring to, with a dramatic weight loss after diagnosis.

AS I said, yes and no!

2) I'm still waking up in the night hot and sweaty and needing to pee. My doctor says that this is just my body adjusting to the lower glucose levels, and says it wil disappear in time. Any one else experienced this and does it disappear? It's not the menopause as I'm male

The Doc is probably right, it does take some months for your body to adjust to the new chemical balance. Try drinking a glass of water before bed and eat a small snack of something a bit carby, maybe a wholemeal bread sandwich (1 slice). It sounds a bit like you might be "going low" in your sleep,don't worry, your brain will alays wake you up :-0

3) I'm experiencing anxiety attacks, which I've never had before, which send my BG shooting up. Doctor just dismisses these, though he has now tested for thyroid issues, which I am still waiting for the results (along with full blood count, H1BAC etc etc.) Anyone else experienced these after diagnosis?

I expect we were all anxious after diagnosis, and any sort of stress will send your BGs up. The Doc will tell you if you have any Thyroid issues, but try to relax a bit, your doing fine, just don't get to hung up on things, you now have good control and should last many more years yet!

4) I'm finding that as soon as I eat I get headaches (even with low carb meals), and sometimes a hot face. Is this normal? Doctor again just says they'll go away in time.

Hot face I still get, headaches only when my BGs go a bit low, try a test straight after you eat and see if you might be dropping to low (less than 4.0)

5) Final one! I get higher readings (~ 0.5) if I test say 15-30 minutes after getting up rather than immediately. Which is best one to use? Doctor was very non-commital!

Your body does some strange things, for instance your liver dumps glucose into your blood as you approach waking time, this is to set you up for the morning until you have time to eat, it (the liver )doesn't know you don't want this, it just does it! So, yes, it can happen. .5 is a very small change anyway, and the meters are not as accurate as that. Ignore it.

Many thanks in advance for any help - feeling a bit alone and scared at present.

Alone you are not, we are here, scared, maybe, I know I was at diagnosis, but as you learn more you will realize that you are one of the lucky ones, you have been diagnosed, many have not, you have good control, and good doctor from what you say.

Feel free to PM me.

Hallii

Newly Diagnosed - many questions!

swt1963

Newbie

daisy1

Legend

hallii

Well-Known Member

Newly Diagnosed - many questions!

swt1963

Newbie

daisy1

Legend

hallii

Well-Known Member

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