I had blood tests weeks ago for other medical conditions, on calling my surgery for the results a receptionist told me every test said 'no action'. Then last week out of the blue a letter saying I am pretty diabetic. I was told this by an old GP 15 years ago, then he retired and I had to find a new one, who told me I was fine. Until now. In the last 3 years I have lost 6 stone and lowered my cholesterol from double figures to 3.9. I can't get to see my GP untill Thursday, but really can't think how things will go as I can't live any healthier so what will happen.
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Newly diagnosed
- Thread starter tintiah
- Start Date
Bluetit1802
Legend
Hi and welcome,
The first thing to do is ring the surgery receptionist and ask if you can have a print out of the test results. This ought not to be refused. You can then pop down and collect it. Failing that, ask her what the glucose test and HbA1c (if there was one) were. Then you can let us know the figures and we can help you. Please never accept a medic's word that you are "fine" or "OK". Always ask for the results. You may well be within the normal range, but very much teetering on the edge or increasing test by test. The labs highlight any results outside the normal standard range, and these are all the doctors look at. They don't notice anything else.This is taking control of your own health, which these days we do need to do.
We can all live healthier! Are you eating a lot of fruit, breakfast cereals, pasta and rice? If so, these are not healthy choices for diabetics. I will tag @daisy1 who has excellent information for newly diagnosed. Please take your time to read it and follow the links she gives, paying particular attention to the role of carbs.
Let us know how you go on.
The first thing to do is ring the surgery receptionist and ask if you can have a print out of the test results. This ought not to be refused. You can then pop down and collect it. Failing that, ask her what the glucose test and HbA1c (if there was one) were. Then you can let us know the figures and we can help you. Please never accept a medic's word that you are "fine" or "OK". Always ask for the results. You may well be within the normal range, but very much teetering on the edge or increasing test by test. The labs highlight any results outside the normal standard range, and these are all the doctors look at. They don't notice anything else.This is taking control of your own health, which these days we do need to do.
We can all live healthier! Are you eating a lot of fruit, breakfast cereals, pasta and rice? If so, these are not healthy choices for diabetics. I will tag @daisy1 who has excellent information for newly diagnosed. Please take your time to read it and follow the links she gives, paying particular attention to the role of carbs.
Let us know how you go on.
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Location
- Switzerland
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
@tintiah
Hello Tintiah and welcome to the forum
Here 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 NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
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 147,000 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 free 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. They're all free.
Hello Tintiah and welcome to the forum
Here 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 NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
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 147,000 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 free 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. They're all 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.
Alison Campbell
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,443
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Welcome, all the advice above still stands and test results will tell you how you are doing
Jamesuk9
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 504
- Type of diabetes
- Prediabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
A Prediabetes diagnosis would be indicated by a fasting glucose level of 6-7mmol/L and/or an hba1c result of 40-48.
I had a fasting level of 6.7 and an hba1c of 38 and was told by my doctor that all was well and I was not diabetic.
He failed to tell me that I am very much at risk of diabetes based on the fasting level if I don't make the necessary diet and lifestyle changes to keep it at bay.
I took it as a wakeup call and now eat low carb in the hope that it can be caught and dealt with and maintained at normal levels and progression halted.
It is clear my doctor would have happily let me carry on as normal and walked into an unexpected diagnosis somewhere down the line at a future health check.
The positive side is that I've lost 2 stone, am now at a BMI of 20.5 and am eating healthier and feeling better than I have in many years and will maintain this lifestyle choice for life now.
Please do the same, it can be controlled with effort and you'll feel so much better for it too.
Prem51
Expert
Hi @tintiah and welcome to the forum. You do need to get your blood sugar (HbA1c) figure from your surgery. If you are in thr pre-diabetic range it should be relatively easy to lower your bs levels. Many of us on here have done that by following a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) approach to eating, and exercise can help too.
Have a read round the threads to see how it works and ask any questions you want.
Have a read round the threads to see how it works and ask any questions you want.
