-
Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
newly diagnosed type 2
- Thread starter LpcSteve
- Start Date
C
catherinecherub
Guest
Hi Steve and welcome to the forum.
It is very confusing when first diagnosed and there is a lot to take in.
Hope we can be of some help to you.
Have you been given any advice about what sort of things you are allowed to eat and, most importantly, have you been given a meter and test strips to measure your blood sugars? Have you any other health problems.
Sorry if I appear nosey but these are important questions.
It is very confusing when first diagnosed and there is a lot to take in.
Hope we can be of some help to you.
Have you been given any advice about what sort of things you are allowed to eat and, most importantly, have you been given a meter and test strips to measure your blood sugars? Have you any other health problems.
Sorry if I appear nosey but these are important questions.
Hi and thx for the welcome and ive not been told much, just to stop using sugar and eating sweets, i was warned about carbohydrates but not in full detail, i take metformin tablets (3 a day now) for my diabetes, i have a few other heath issues, asthma, high bloodpressure and ezcema, ive been given an appointment with a dietitian but thats over a month away (1st oct), ive been given nothing else for my diabetes, no strips or meters.
cugila
Master
- Messages
- 10,272
- Location
- Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
- Dislikes
- People who are touchy.......feign indignation at the slightest thing. Hypocrites, bullies and cowards.
LpcSteve said:Hi, my names Steve and iam 50yrs old, and i got my results just last week, ive no idea what, where or how about this so iam hoping for some help, or advice on what i need to do.
Hi Steve.
Welcome to the Forum. Here is the information we regularly hand out to those newly diagnosed. This should help you get a head start on what you need to do.
Here is the advice we 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.
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!!
If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.
The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......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 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. 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.
Ken & Sue
cugila
Master
- Messages
- 10,272
- Location
- Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
- Dislikes
- People who are touchy.......feign indignation at the slightest thing. Hypocrites, bullies and cowards.
LpcSteve said:Hi and thx for the welcome and ive not been told much, just to stop using sugar and eating sweets, i was warned about carbohydrates but not in full detail, i take metformin tablets (3 a day now) for my diabetes, i have a few other heath issues, asthma, high bloodpressure and ezcema, ive been given an appointment with a dietitian but thats over a month away (1st oct), ive been given nothing else for my diabetes, no strips or meters.
When you see your GP or Nurse this is a useful crib sheet to help you get answers from your HCP's.
It's relevant to any Clinic or appointment you might have. It can all be a bit confusing.
Here are a few questions you can ask.
What can I do to control it, diet,medication ??
Appointments to see dietician, podiatrist, retinal screening.
Test meter /strips.
Test results and what do they mean ? a print out of the results for your own records.
Who will I be seeing the nurse or GP ? I f I have problem can I see either of you ?
Are there any courses I can attend, DESMOND for Type 2, DAFNE for Type 1's ? Any other Diabetes Education classes available.
How often do I get blood tests, Hba1c/Cholesterol/full lipid panel.. Should be every 3 months initially till in control.
Take a notebook with you and write down what you are told. If the doctor/nurse says things that you do not understand then ask them to explain it so that you can write it down.
This is your condition, your diabetes, you should be encouraged to take part in the treatment that you will be getting, not dictated to.
If you find that the doctor/nurse is unsympathetic then we suggest you find out which doctor in the practice is good with diabetes. Some doctors have a special interest in certain subjects, it’s worth finding this out.
Ken & Sue
