Newly diagnosed type 2 saying hello

Hi all, I've posted a couple of times but didn't introduce myself yet because I was waiting for my diabetic nurse appointment today so I would know what's what.

I'm 52, female, very overweight and trying to get control of binge eating disorder as well as (now) diabetes. I have lost 2 stones in 2015 and hope to lose 4 in 2016. It's very, very hard but with my health issues I can't afford to lose the war, even if the odd battle doesn't go well.

I was a little disappointed with the diabetic nurse, as far as nutrition advice goes... I was skeptical over some of the recommended "low fat" items on her list, for example "low fat yoghurt" which I said I thought would undoubtedly contain a lot of sugar to replace the fat. She seemed uninterested in that, and eventually said it was just what they'd been told to say.

She did a quick check of my feet, and found I have some numbness, which I put down to tight shoes in the past, but now think might be neuropathy. I've been referred for podiatry due to that and an ingrowing toenail, which is good. I've also been referred to a diabetes education course which I am very keen to get on.

I've been prescribed 500mg metformin starting with one dose at breakfast for a week, then breakfast and lunch for a week, then breakfast, lunch and dinner from then on. The nurse says this may help with my eating problems too. I've also been given a blood sugar monitor and prescribed strips, but not without a bit of persuading on my part... the nurse was very up front about it being about costs, but agreed it should help me to get control.

My average blood sugar for the past three months is 7.3, and I was horrified to hear that last year's had been 10 and the previous year 8! I wasn't told it was high, and didn't think to ask as I'd not been told I was prediabetic... as far as I knew, I was having annual blood tests as routine because of a range of risk factors such as high blood pressure, and assumed my blood sugar must be normal as it wasn't mentioned in review. I feel very let down, because things may have gone differently if I'd been given the news my blood sugar was so high at the time.

No point in fretting over that now, though... at least I have a chance to get it under control now. I am very grateful to this site, because I would not have known what to ask about and for, without your advice.

Thanks Clive, Prem and Daibell - yes I do think I have been let down by not being told those figures. I suppose they could say I didn't ask, but the nurse seemed to think they were in the "normal" range - but if so why decide I'm diabetic at just over 7, when the previous two years were higher? At my retinopathy screening later today the optometrist said she thinks they have been moving the range to encompass more in the "normal" bracket - and I suppose if you don't actually present with clearly diabetic complications (which I didn't know they were at the time) they assume you're ok.

Done a bit a walking today as I couldn't drive after the retinopathy screening, and have had my lowest reading since I started testing, 4.8. It looks like exercise is the magic bullet for me, at least at the moment. I start metformin tomorrow morning, and hope that will help with those high morning figures.

I will need to change my term time routine a bit and get more exercise in. I'd been scared to use the gym at work because I didn't want to go in if anyone else was there, but I always get there really early and there's usually just one or two other people, so I think I will get a half hour walking on a treadmill or elliptical trainer and see if that helps. I can do a 20 minute walk at lunchtime too, but I'm not keen on busy pavements... still it will be worth it.

Metfartin! I'm sure that'll amuse the kids at school! I'm starting on one tablet for a week, then two for a week then three, so hope not to have terrible side effects. The nurse said she'd ring me at the end of week 1 to see how I'm doing as well.

Juicyjan53 said:

Hello and welcome jpscloud, you've certainly come to the right place for friendly advice and support. I've was only diagnosed in November and I've found this site invaluable. A little tip from me about your metformin - I take mine in the middle of each meal and I have had no side effects at all. I'm sorry you've had a stuttering start but now you know you can take control. Take care, Jan x

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Thank you muchly for the tip Jan, I tried asking the practice nurse about timing of taking the tablet but she seemed a bit vague and just repeated "with breakfast".

I haven't noticed any side effects yet, but it's only day 2. Hoping I might get away with it though!

So far so good!

Daibell said:

Hi and welcome. As you have found many DNs feel understandably that they have to tell you (rubbish) diet advice that they heard on the training course. You are right that going for 'low-fat' foods is generally not sensible. You need to go for a low-carb diet with enough proteins and fats to keep you feeling full and to provide the right nutrients. Veg of course is always good but don't have too many root vegetables. Those blood sugar readings you give in the post if they are HBa1C in % are definitely in the diabetic range and not good. If the surgery didn't tell you the figures and confirm the diabetes (not pre-diabetes) they have failed you badly.

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I am not sure what those figures are, but I've checked the booklet I was given and the nurse has written 53 under the mmol/mol column (HbA1c reading) - with a target of 42, so I think those other readings discussed are like what you get with a blood glucose monitor, if that makes sense... I'm still getting my head around figures! I got a a bit confused because the nurse talked about "7.3" as my 3 month average, but has recorded the 53 HbA1c test figure in my book.