Newly Diagnosed

[Hammer1964]

Hi all, I was diagnosed yesterday as Type 2 and I am taking Gliclazide 80mg, also diagnosed with high blood pressure and possibly cholesterol so am feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment.

 

[lowedb]

Welcome, even though you didn't want to be here. I was like you, back in December. 40mg Gliclazide due to go up to 80mg, high BP, cholesterol to be talked about. Advice was pretty poor and I didn't know what to do.

Then a second GP pointed me here at the same time as someone who was a friend of a friend on Facebook suggested a low crb diet. What a difference.

So right now you will be worried. Have a good read around here and you will find some great help and encouragement. In my signature you will see my results in just a few months. Far from the 'its bad and going to get worse' that you may have been told, you can make a positive difference.

 

[Dairygrade]

Hi hammer1964 welcome this is the place for all the help you need so ask away good luck

 

[Hammer1964]

Thank you for your positivity

 

[Hammer1964]

Welcome, even though you didn't want to be here. I was like you, back in December. 40mg Gliclazide due to go up to 80mg, high BP, cholesterol to be talked about. Advice was pretty poor and I didn't know what to do.

Then a second GP pointed me here at the same time as someone who was a friend of a friend on Facebook suggested a low crb diet. What a difference.

So right now you will be worried. Have a good read around here and you will find some great help and encouragement. In my signature you will see my results in just a few months. Far from the 'its bad and going to get worse' that you may have been told, you can make a positive difference.

Thank you for your positivity

 

[AM1874]

Hi @Hammer1964 .. and welcome
I was in the same position as you and many others when I was diagnosed T2 in early Feb .. a bit shocked with no information and no idea what was happening to me. Since joining this forum, though, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I have tagged @daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
Low Carb 10-week Programme

If you are considering testing, try the website at: https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/ for the SD Codefree meter or: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I will be able to manage them
Hope this helps

 

[Enclave]

Welcome to the forums @Hammer1964. It takes a little while to get your head around things in the start of your T2 journey. When @daisy1 posts your welcome new members text things will become more clearer on how you can take control of your T2.

 

[Hammer1964]

Welcome to the forums @Hammer1964. It takes a little while to get your head around things in the start of your T2 journey. When @daisy1 posts your welcome new members text things will become more clearer on how you can take control of your T2.

Hi, I think I am in denial at the moment as I don't want to know anything and I want someone else to tell me what I can and can't eat. I know I can't carry on as normal or I will become ill but I don't want this either.

 

[Liam1955]

Hello @Hammer1964 and Welcome to the Forum .

 

[Rosiegough_]

Hi xx

 

[miahara]

Hi, I think I am in denial at the moment as I don't want to know anything and I want someone else to tell me what I can and can't eat. I know I can't carry on as normal or I will become ill but I don't want this either.

Yes Hammer, that initial diagnosis does come as a bit of a shock and leaves you wondering what lies ahead and what to do and the information and support from GPs and health care professionals can be rather sparse and not a lot of help.
You seem to have three main issues at present. 1 - diet, 2 blood pressure and 3 cholesterol.
As has already been said Daisy will post some very helpful advice about diet and it really isn't all that hard adapting to a diet that will help you with your diabetes. It just boils down to reducing carbohydrate intake and what to eat/avoid will soon become clear.
If your high blood pressure reading was a one-off then don't worry too much about that as the 'white coat' effect can result in BP readings being significantly higher than your normal average BP.
As far as cholesterol goes there's a large and growing body of evidence that suggests that high cholesterol levels are not harmful. You really need to know the ratios of HDL:LDL cholesterol before worrying about that.
It probably would help folk on here offer more meaningful advice if you could quote the figures you've been given for your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.
The bottom line is - DONT PANIC, THERE'S NO GREAT RUSH. It will take a week or so to get your head around things and you'll soon get find yourself managing your condition rather than letting it manage you.
Most folk here have been there, done it, got the tee shirts and seen the film/s and are happily managing D. And regarding the 'films' there's some very good videos on the www about diet/carbs and cholesterol but I'll not post links just now as you are probably overwhelmed already.

Dave

 

[Liam1955]

@Hammer1964 - If you were not given a Blood Sugar Meter by your GP or Diabetes Nurse - then you need to invest in one and get testing, it will be money well spent and a vital piece of any Diabetics equipment. Fellow member @AM1874 has provided you in his posting above with the link/site to look at for Meters.
Don't overload your mind with too much information, just take each day at your own pace. And if in doubt about anything? = Just post a question, there are plenty of knowledgeable people on this forum .

 

[Goonergal]

Hi, I think I am in denial at the moment as I don't want to know anything and I want someone else to tell me what I can and can't eat. I know I can't carry on as normal or I will become ill but I don't want this either.

Hi @Hammer1964 and welcome to the forum.

I think we all feel a bit like that on diagnosis but you have made a big step by finding this forum. You'll find a wealth of good information and a bunch of friendly people ready to provide support and advice.

So far as what to eat and drink, I'd take a look at the low carb program on this site and also websites such as diet doctor, which will give you some broad ideas about what to eat as well as recipes. As others have said, cutting back on carbohydrates such as sugar, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, most fruits is generally a good idea. However each person will have a different tolerance level so I'd suggest getting a blood glucose meter and testing immediately before you eat and then 2 hours after the first bite to see which foods you can safely eat. There are sections on the website about meters and testing. When buying a meter check the price of the strips- they vary widely. Many people on here use either the SD Codefree or the Tee2, both of which have affordable strips.

Good luck and do ask as many questions as you like.

 

[daisy1]

@Hammer1964

Hello 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

Reduce your 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

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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.

 

[Enclave]

Hi, I think I am in denial at the moment as I don't want to know anything and I want someone else to tell me what I can and can't eat. I know I can't carry on as normal or I will become ill but I don't want this either.

To be honest, I was the same .. but I have a very pro active wife that did everything .. researched, carb counted, and cooked.. did a full blood sugar reading matched to what I had eaten and how I was feeling .. so in a long list of info she had carefully written down in a small book for me I was able to see how my food was directly affecting my moods and blood sugars. The most scary thing was the normal fats .. she stopped all low fat and changed them to normal or high fat foods.. I do have heart failure and have always been told fats were very bad for me. So that change was a big leap of faith .. She got me the code free test meter from home health like others have talked about here, and I tested my blood just before eating and 2 hours after.
Low carb med fat worked for me .. I am now in remission .. lighter and fitter than I have been for years ..
You do need to get your head around change and see it as a challenge that is going to be exciting and fun, is there anyone that can help or join you in your new journey into controlling your T2

 

[Prem51]

Hi @Hammer1964 and welcome to the forum. When you first get that diagnosis you go through a whole range of emotions including denial, shock, fear, anger, shame, blame and guilt. It does take a bit of time to get your head around it all.
A lot of us have found that adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) approach to eating has lowered our blood sugar levels. Have a read round the threads to see how it works and ask any questions you want to.
Do you know what your HbA1c (blood sugar) level was when you were tested? If not you should find out from your surgery so you know where you are starting from.

 

[Hammer1964]

Yes Hammer, that initial diagnosis does come as a bit of a shock and leaves you wondering what lies ahead and what to do and the information and support from GPs and health care professionals can be rather sparse and not a lot of help.
You seem to have three main issues at present. 1 - diet, 2 blood pressure and 3 cholesterol.
As has already been said Daisy will post some very helpful advice about diet and it really isn't all that hard adapting to a diet that will help you with your diabetes. It just boils down to reducing carbohydrate intake and what to eat/avoid will soon become clear.
If your high blood pressure reading was a one-off then don't worry too much about that as the 'white coat' effect can result in BP readings being significantly higher than your normal average BP.
As far as cholesterol goes there's a large and growing body of evidence that suggests that high cholesterol levels are not harmful. You really need to know the ratios of HDL:LDL cholesterol before worrying about that.
It probably would help folk on here offer more meaningful advice if you could quote the figures you've been given for your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.
The bottom line is - DONT PANIC, THERE'S NO GREAT RUSH. It will take a week or so to get your head around things and you'll soon get find yourself managing your condition rather than letting it manage you.
Most folk here have been there, done it, got the tee shirts and seen the film/s and are happily managing D. And regarding the 'films' there's some very good videos on the www about diet/carbs and cholesterol but I'll not post links just now as you are probably overwhelmed already.

Dave

Thanks Dave, that has helped quell some fears.
Tracy

 

[Hammer1964]

Hi @Hammer1964 and welcome to the forum. When you first get that diagnosis you go through a whole range of emotions including denial, shock, fear, anger, shame, blame and guilt. It does take a bit of time to get your head around it all.
A lot of us have found that adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) approach to eating has lowered our blood sugar levels. Have a read round the threads to see how it works and ask any questions you want to.
Do you know what your HbA1c (blood sugar) level was when you were tested? If not you should find out from your surgery so you know where you are starting from.

Hi Prem51, my blood sugar levels were 22 (have not learnt all the lingo) my blood pressure was 150/104 do not know cholesterol the doctor just said it was high!
Thanks for all of your advice Tracy

 

[purplepenguin]

Welcome to the forums @Hammer1964 you have found the very best diabetes resource known to man!

I remember well the feelings you are having right now, I buried my head in the sand for years and got sicker and sicker, along with following the Eatwell plate that the NHS recommended. When I finally found this place and started on the Low carb diet, I have done a complete 360 turn around: weight is dropping off, sugars are stabilised for the majority of the time and I am off the gliclazide.
My advice to you is to ignore the dietary advice you get given by the doctor/nurse and start with low carb, research the low carb forum here, and test, test, test. Also, ask questions on the forums, there is no stupid question and you can bet your bottom dollar that if you have the question then there are thousands of others who also want to know the answer.

You may not have wanted to end up here and it is a terrifying prospect but it isn't as bad as you're thinking if you get it under control early, and you will make many new friends on this forum.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[Hammer1964]

Hi @Hammer1964 .. and welcome
I was in the same position as you and many others when I was diagnosed T2 in early Feb .. a bit shocked with no information and no idea what was happening to me. Since joining this forum, though, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I have tagged @daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
Low Carb 10-week Programme

If you are considering testing, try the website at: https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/ for the SD Codefree meter or: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I will be able to manage them
Hope this helps

Hi @Hammer1964 .. and welcome
I was in the same position as you and many others when I was diagnosed T2 in early Feb .. a bit shocked with no information and no idea what was happening to me. Since joining this forum, though, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I have tagged @daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
Low Carb 10-week Programme

If you are considering testing, try the website at: https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/ for the SD Codefree meter or: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I will be able to manage them
Hope this helps

Thank you for your help, I have ordered the Tee 2 meter and strips. Tracy