Newly diagnosed T2DM and I'm only 26. :(

[lovelifex]

I knew I had to go for a check up when I continued to experience several signs and symptoms such as tingling and numbness of fingers that could go on for a day, blurring of vision at random times, and even wounds that would take up a longer healing time as compared before.

And last Friday, it was confirmed when I underwent several tests which included hemoglobin A1c and random blood sugar test. My doctor said the results were abnormally high and she presented me with two treatment regimens.
1. Take metformin 1g twice a day and injecting insulin 40 units at wake time and 15 units at sleeping time.
2. Take metformin and other oral hypoglycemic.

She said the first option was best and we had to test it for 3 months. I agreed and I started my therapy. Of course, she included several health teachings, major in lifestyle changes.

I'm not shocked but at the same time sad because at this age, I find it too early for me to acquire it. I'm actually high risk of acquiring Type 2 DM because I have a huge body built and both my parents have a history of DM. I started my physical activity of running and hiking this year as part of my plans of losing weight. The problem is with my diet which I honestly cannot control.
Well, here I am, diagnosed and confirmed with DM.

Any advice with diet? Exercise? Medications? Anything related to my case? This would really mean a lot. Thank you!

 

[SunnyExpat]

What aspects of your diet can you not control?
That would alter any advice that was applicable.

 

[lovelifex]

What aspects of your diet can you not control?
That would alter any advice that was applicable.

Hello...
I am used to eating rice and I also love sweets. Honestly, I avoided sweets immediately the day I was diagnosed (including juices because my doctor told me to take water most of the time instead) but I couldn't avoid rice. I tried to limit it at least one cup a day as compared to 3-4 cups of rice/day before. I'm also not sure what diet to take or food/fruits that I can take that's why I also try to read about it online. My doctor and I weren't able to discuss how to address my diet plan.

 

[SunnyExpat]

On any diet you will reduce carbs, whether it's low calorie, like the Newcastle Diet, (800 calories a day, - 3 shakes, and some veg at night), or low carb. If you need to lose weight, you probably don't need to add fat to your existing diet.
However, you need to consult your doctor before any diet, as it will affect your insulin requirements, or medication.
Have a look around the forum, and see if there is any type of diet you feel you could try out.

 

[lovelifex]

On any diet you will reduce carbs, whether it's low calorie, like the Newcastle Diet, (800 calories a day, - 3 shakes, and some veg at night), or low carb. If you need to lose weight, you probably don't need to add fat to your existing diet.
However, you need to consult your doctor before any diet, as it will affect your insulin requirements, or medication.
Have a look around the forum, and see if there is any type of diet you feel you could try out.

Thank you for this Sunny. I'm going thru several threads and questions are building up such as how much carbs=insulin dose. This weren't discussed by my doctor and I'll be seeing her after two weeks because I work far from my hometown where I had my check up with her. I think I'll be noting my questions and I'll be reading more about the appropriate diet here in the forum. I am confused actually and frustrated with controlling my sugar levels.

 

[SunnyExpat]

I'm not on insulin, there is a sub forum area on here, in the type 2 for 'type 2 on insulin', who can give better advice hopefully.
If indeed you do initially go down the insulin regime.

However, it is certainly confusing to start with.

Do you test your BG, as that is really the only way to get a handle on what is happening, and what happens when you eat a particular food?

 

[lovelifex]

I'm not on insulin, there is a sub forum area on here, in the type 2 for 'type 2 on insulin', who can give better advice hopefully.
If indeed you do initially go down the insulin regime.

However, it is certainly confusing to start with.

Do you test your BG, as that is really the only way to get a handle on what is happening, and what happens when you eat a particular food?

Alright, I will go thru the threads. Some terms are confusing and I have to research about it hehe.
I am on the insulin regimen and I was also advised to take 1g Metformin twice a day along with it.
I was also advised to take my BG every 3 days.
And I don't really test my BG after eating certain foods but I will now because I read in one thread that I should do so to monitor what makes my BG high so I can avoid it as well.

 

[SunnyExpat]

Definitely need to test 2 hours after food, but you have to balance between an amount of carbs, and the insulin, but your meter will tell you that.

 

[lovelifex]

Definitely need to test 2 hours after food, but you have to balance between an amount of carbs, and the insulin, but your meter will tell you that.

Ok, I'll do that. I still have to read about the carbo balance with insulin though.
Thanks again Sunny..

 

[ickihun]

What is the name of your insulin? Many different ones!

 

[Keesha]

I love rice too and I go for basmati rice which is lower in glycemic index. Just so you know one cup of boiled rice equals 45 grams of carbs. So if you take two cups that would bump up your carb intake. I only have a quarter cup of rice per meal with loads of vegetables and some protein like fish or chicken. Try cutting down on rice and you will be okay.


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[SunnyExpat]

I love rice too and I go for basmati rice which is lower in glycemic index. Just so you know one cup of boiled rice equals 45 grams of carbs. So if you take two cups that would bump up your carb intake. I only have a quarter cup of rice per meal with loads of vegetables and some protein like fish or chicken. Try cutting down on rice and you will be okay.


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Not ok, if you don't adjust the insulin if it's needed to be.

 

[tim2000s]

Hi @lovelifex, have you had blood tests for GAD antibodies and a C-Peptide test. There's also the possibility that you are a form of t1 rather than t2 and these would confirm it.


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[seadragon]

I would recommend you to take a look at the www.dietdoctor.com website which gives you a lot of clearly presented information about diets for diabetics and weight loss. If you decide to follow a low carb - high fat diet (which many people find successfully helps them to reduce their need for medication and helps with weight loss too ) then do be sure to check with your doctor about possibly reducing the medication to suit the lower carb intake.
I am surprised that you were told to test BG only every 3 days if you are on insulin. i would have thought you needed to test more regularly. If you really want to be in control then you should test before and after meals to see how the food you eat affects your BG levels and keep a food diary along with the readings of several weeks. Then you can see if reducing portions or finding alternatives will help.

 

[Administrator]

I knew I had to go for a check up when I continued to experience several signs and symptoms such as tingling and numbness of fingers that could go on for a day, blurring of vision at random times, and even wounds that would take up a longer healing time as compared before.

And last Friday, it was confirmed when I underwent several tests which included hemoglobin A1c and random blood sugar test. My doctor said the results were abnormally high and she presented me with two treatment regimens.
1. Take metformin 1g twice a day and injecting insulin 40 units at wake time and 15 units at sleeping time.
2. Take metformin and other oral hypoglycemic.

She said the first option was best and we had to test it for 3 months. I agreed and I started my therapy. Of course, she included several health teachings, major in lifestyle changes.

I'm not shocked but at the same time sad because at this age, I find it too early for me to acquire it. I'm actually high risk of acquiring Type 2 DM because I have a huge body built and both my parents have a history of DM. I started my physical activity of running and hiking this year as part of my plans of losing weight. The problem is with my diet which I honestly cannot control.
Well, here I am, diagnosed and confirmed with DM.

Any advice with diet? Exercise? Medications? Anything related to my case? This would really mean a lot. Thank you!

Have you seen the Low Carb Program? www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb - It may be worth signing up, even just to see what others are doing? (it's free)

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Once you are on insulin it would not be a good idea to experiment with your diet too much unless you really know what you are doing since dietary changes will probably result in different insulin requirements. Check with your HCP's.

 

[AndBreathe]

I knew I had to go for a check up when I continued to experience several signs and symptoms such as tingling and numbness of fingers that could go on for a day, blurring of vision at random times, and even wounds that would take up a longer healing time as compared before.

And last Friday, it was confirmed when I underwent several tests which included hemoglobin A1c and random blood sugar test. My doctor said the results were abnormally high and she presented me with two treatment regimens.
1. Take metformin 1g twice a day and injecting insulin 40 units at wake time and 15 units at sleeping time.
2. Take metformin and other oral hypoglycemic.

She said the first option was best and we had to test it for 3 months. I agreed and I started my therapy. Of course, she included several health teachings, major in lifestyle changes.

I'm not shocked but at the same time sad because at this age, I find it too early for me to acquire it. I'm actually high risk of acquiring Type 2 DM because I have a huge body built and both my parents have a history of DM. I started my physical activity of running and hiking this year as part of my plans of losing weight. The problem is with my diet which I honestly cannot control.
Well, here I am, diagnosed and confirmed with DM.

Any advice with diet? Exercise? Medications? Anything related to my case? This would really mean a lot. Thank you!

Lovelifex - For most T2s they find the greatest impacts on their blood numbers come from adjusting what they eat and drink. This was certainly the case for me, and monitoring what I ate and drank, alongside finger prick testing my blood sugars gave me immediate and direct feedback on what foods I got along with or had to put aside - for some time at least.

As you arre taking insulin, I am assuming you have a monitor and test strips to test your bloods. If you do, that's fabulous information you can start to gather. Once you have data, then you will know what seems to make your blood sugars very high and what keeps them relatively level.

One warning I will make in your case is that you really do need to have a good discussion with your Diabetes Team (whether hospital of GP based) before making any significant changes to your diet as it is likely your insulin dosage has been calculated to manage your sugars on the diet you are currently consuming. If you were to make changes to your diet, still taking the same amount of insulin you could find yourself going a bit low. You need to understand what to do should a couple of scenarios occur.

Take it steady. I completely appreciate you want to make positive changes, and that is to be applauded, but your insulin use has to be taken into account.

Good luck with it all.

 

[catapillar]

Hi @lovelifex, have you had blood tests for GAD antibodies and a C-Peptide test. There's also the possibility that you are a form of t1 rather than t2 and these would confirm it.


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They don't tend to routinely offer cpeptide or gad tests on diagnosis unless there is a query over diabetic status - i.e if the story of diagnosis suggests that type 1 is more likely and to consider that the doctors would be looking at BMI, whether there was rapid, untried for dramatic weight loss, whether there was very high blood sugar (30+) ketones or DKA on diagnosis - @lovelifex if any of that sounds familiar it might be worth asking for the further tests.

 

[tim2000s]

They don't tend to routinely offer cpeptide or gad tests on diagnosis unless there is a query over diabetic status - i.e if the story of diagnosis suggests that type 1 is more likely and to consider that the doctors would be looking at BMI, whether there was rapid, untried for dramatic weight loss, whether there was very high blood sugar (30+) ketones or DKA on diagnosis - @lovelifex if any of that sounds familiar it might be worth asking for the further tests.

Which is a pity really. Anyone under 35 should be receiving these tests.

 

[catapillar]

Which is a pity really. Anyone under 35 should be receiving these tests.

That would be the ideal, but cost, I suppose. And I have a feeling that all GAD tests are sent to Exeter (not at all sure on that) & if that's the case the I don't think it would be resource-able.