I had hba1c blood tests done on 29/01/18 as I was having some medical problems. Was called on 31/01/18 by gp surgery to make an appointment which I had on 09/02/18. My Hba1c was high at 90 mmol/mol and was told I needed to make an appointment with practice nurse and I would need to go on metformin but given no prescription. My appointment is 14/03/18. This seems a long wait given the urgency I was told to contact surgery. Or is this normal. In the meantime I have got myself back on a LCHF diet lost half a stone and got my fasting b.s. readings down from 14/15 mmol/l to 11/12 level. Have monitor from having gestational prediabetes 17 years ago. Is my diagnosis experience typical as I'm feeling a little let down by it? Am reading as much as I can to find ways to bring b.s. down but any suggestions would be good. I think I may be too impatient though.
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Newly diagnosed Type 2 how long should I wait for appointments
- Thread starter kja
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Hello and welcome. You are doing all the right things especially taking readings. As to appointments, sadly you're times are not unusual. Use the time you have until your appt to get a handle on your blood glucose.
There was a month between my first and second appts and I lowered my blood glucose levels enough to convince my DN that she could lift the 'threat' of inulin off me (Yes, it felt like she was threatening me with it).
I lowered my carb intake and took the Metformin and I am doing a lot better now.
Tagging @daisy1 who will post her great info pack as a reminder for you. Come back with any questions you might have and Good Luck.
There was a month between my first and second appts and I lowered my blood glucose levels enough to convince my DN that she could lift the 'threat' of inulin off me (Yes, it felt like she was threatening me with it).
I lowered my carb intake and took the Metformin and I am doing a lot better now.
Tagging @daisy1 who will post her great info pack as a reminder for you. Come back with any questions you might have and Good Luck.
Bluetit1802
Legend
Hello and welcome,
You are doing all the right things. There is no urgency, so don't panic. Diet is the key to reducing BS levels, and testing will guide you in your food choices. Metformin is a mild drug and only helps a tiny bit, so being without it isn't causing a problem.
Have a good read round, and ask as many questions as you like.
Just to add - if your monitor is 17 years old I suggest you buy a new one. There have been advances since then, with new accuracy standards.
You are doing all the right things. There is no urgency, so don't panic. Diet is the key to reducing BS levels, and testing will guide you in your food choices. Metformin is a mild drug and only helps a tiny bit, so being without it isn't causing a problem.
Have a good read round, and ask as many questions as you like.
Just to add - if your monitor is 17 years old I suggest you buy a new one. There have been advances since then, with new accuracy standards.
paulus1
Well-Known Member
its amazing its still working. there are often offers of free monitors. you can get a new one very cheap. so was this just one hba1c test if so you need a gap for the second test. assuming your type 2 there is no guarantee that you are. then low carbing is your main tool. try not to worry your typical type2 is slow onset and can be handle well with diet and metformin. your completely in charge of how this condition effects you.
I did test 17 years ago but lost that monitor years ago. I bought a new one a few years ago after reading all the Michael Mosely 8 wk blood sugar diet stuff. I only half heartedly used it (and dieted) then, but am being more diligent on both scores now.
Hi I had to wait for my first appt between phone call telling me I needed to see diabetic nurse, like you are doing and lots of people advise here I started to make changes to diet and upped my exercise, by the time I saw the nurse I had already started to reduce blood glucose levels, lost a little bit of weight and was feeling a little less alone.
Thanks, I am an impatient person and want everything done yesterday. It is good to know I am not alone in waiting times. I think I am going to have to get over my hatred of all exercise. I guess being in my 40s is the time to grow up and get over exercisephobia.Hi I had to wait for my first appt between phone call telling me I needed to see diabetic nurse, like you are doing and lots of people advise here I started to make changes to diet and upped my exercise, by the time I saw the nurse I had already started to reduce blood glucose levels, lost a little bit of weight and was feeling a little less alone.
Me too, I think it’s something to do with being born under the sign of Taurus exercise wise find something you do like, I started with a 20 minute swim a couple of times a week, I rewarded my effort by going in the sauna afterwards. It’s surprising how addictive having better control of your blood glucose levels can be, that then becomes a huge motivator. Recently I started going for a brisk walk at lunchtime for 15 to 20 minutes, I have done it everyday even when it’s been really cold and windy. I swim now for 30 minutes. Even 5 minutes of HiiT every other day will have an impact on your fitness and will help your levels.
Resurgam
Master
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- Type of diabetes
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The main thing though is diet - if you stop ingesting high intensity carbs things should - with any luck start to sway back into line as your metabolism get into balance again.
When that happens the increased energy levels tend to increase activity automatically - these days, rather than waiting for a bus I walk along to the shops, folk club etc, and often saunter part of the way back as well.
When that happens the increased energy levels tend to increase activity automatically - these days, rather than waiting for a bus I walk along to the shops, folk club etc, and often saunter part of the way back as well.
daisy1
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@kja
Hello kja and welcome back Here, in case you haven't seen this already, is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
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 235,000 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
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.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
Hello kja and welcome back
Here, in case you haven't seen this already, is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
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 235,000 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
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.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
