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Newly Diagnosed

Y

you never know

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7
Hi Everyone, first post on any Forum, ever.

I got Type 2 Diabetes for Christmas 2018, pretty devastated with the news.

My Doctor gave me leaflets and booklets and a sympathetic chat and told me the Diabetes Clinic would be in touch in the next few weeks with an appointment and lots of advise.

I went home, straight onto the internet to discover what Diabetes was, unfortunately I focused on articles detailing the worst case scenarios, why ? because I thought, its a degenerative diagnosis, whatever life is like now, this is whats coming my way in the future ( deepened my devastation )

I tried very hard to pick up on advice posted by a diabetic, take control of diabetes, don't let it control you.
I immediately changed my diet to 600-800 calories a day, 20-40 Carbs and no alcohol, read up on Carbs (which it turned out I knew nothing about) and walked or exercised twice a day.

Hoping to get into remission !!!!!!!!!!!

The brings me to the point of me contacting really.

Six days after my diagnosis I was driving to work and realised my vision was blurry, I got to work and spent the day painting for which I wore reading glasses and so forgot about the blurred vision.
On my way home the blurred vision was much worse, I arrived home and googled, Diabetes, blurred vision.
The article I read explained what Diabetic Retinopathy was, a degenerative loss of sight resulting in blindness.

I was going blind ---already.

I freaked out, I had the Mother of all panic attacks (never had one before) I completely and utterly lost control.
This was a monumental point in my life, blindness was not something I could cope with.

Eventually, when sanity prevailed, I phoned the Diabetes Clinic and asked the receptionist if I could talk to someone.

I spoke to a Diabetic Nurse, who listened to me, and calmly told me that since my diagnosis I had drastically altered my diet which had affected my glucose levels, she said the drop in these glucose levels would have caused my blurred vision, something that would go away and would not permanently affect my eyesight.

I can't really explain how I felt, I wasn't going blind.
The Nurse made me an appointment for the following day (was a 4-6 week wait) at which she talked to me for over an hour, lots of information, lots of encouragement, lots of understanding.

I'm not sure if this happens to everyone, my vision was very blurred, very quickly.
Blurred vision hadn't been mentioned to me at this point.
I really did think it was the start of me loosing my sight, I was terrified.

Being newly diagnosed is a scary time and there's a tonne of information to take in, its like starting a new life.

I've read your forum for some weeks now, amazed at what a considerate community that you all are.
I wouldn't presume, after a few short weeks of trying to cope with this, to offer any advice to anyone on your forum, except.

My advise would be to read this forum, if you have a question, some one here will have an answer, and remember, if you have blurred vision, don't worry, disconcerting as it is, it will go away.

Regards
 
Hi @you never know , and welcome!
Not the best Christmas gift! Not one you get to return either, sadly. But oh my, have you turned things around! And you're right, no-one mentioned the eyesight thing to me either. You wouldn't believe how many people are in your exact shoes practically every day when their meds or diet changes kick in. We get rediculously little information at a point where we need so much of it. (And what we get is usually useless).

In any case, welcome. Make yourself at home eh.
Jo
 

Come on in, close the door behind you to keep out the chill, put your feet up whilst I make us a coffee and cream. 85% choccie on the side. This house is just full of lovely people, with the knowledge to give you the wherewithall to get yourself into non diabetic range. And quite quickly. I am.a year in front of you so I got the same presie the Christmas before. Hba1c 62. By Feb 47. By May 41 non diabetic. Nov 39. Current home a1c test 31. Symptoms disappeared within weeks. I've lost over 50lbs. Feel fantastic and realise it was a Christmas present. A blessing in disguise. You are going to be just fine.
 
Hi there @you never know, it's a common issue, shame they didn't tell you what might happen at diagnosis. My levels were extremely high on diagnosis (15% on A1c - don't know the new equivalent). My eyes were fine when I went into hospital, started on insulin and two days later I could hardly see a thing. My glucose levels (with insulin) had rapidly dropped from the high 20s down into the 4's and 5s and they said this was causing the blurriness. It lasted around 4 months for me before they went back to normal, hope you are ok now. x
 
Hello,

I can also agree with the eye sight thing. A week or two after diagnosis my eyes were blurry and so dry, tired and agitated. I went to the doctor who gave some eye drops to help with the dryness and within a couple of weeks my vision went back to normal.

Best of luck with everything.
 
Hey, family! OMG! I received the same gift from Santa for Christmas 2018! Here’s my story’s... I was working very hard Oct - Dec. and was trying to lose weight by taking Apple Cider vinegar. I noticed some weight loss and began drinking water by the gallon. I let things go for a few weeks then really began to lose weight; about 20 lbs over 2 months. My clothes were almost hanging off. When I went home for Christmas, my family noticed the weight loss. I became concerned, but had an idea of what was going on. My mother, sister and brother are diabetic. I asked my mom to check my glucose level and it was 384 that night, 12/21/18. She was shocked, as was I. I checked it the next morning - after fasting - and it was 280. Still waaaaayyyuu too high. I then noticed that is could see text messages, but could see things far away. All of this just ruined my Christmas, which is my favorite holiday of the year. I immediately scheduled an appt to see my doctor after returning home from the holidays. He confirmed that had Diabetes 2. He prescribed Metformin and Actos, exercise, diet and a reduction in work. He advised that mine is 100% reversible and that type 2 is reversible in most cases if we stick to plan. By sticking to plan, my glucose level went from 280 to 130 in 2 weeks. I bought a $400 pair of glasses and never had to wear them. My biggest issue is having to cope with a smaller body frame (from 265lbs to 240lbs). I am used to being the strapping muscular type, but still look ok...
 
Hi ynk, that must have been scary. The exact same thing happened to me yesterday, sitting reading a report at work and for about 20 minutes there were big blurry circles moving around the page. I had just recently read about that happening when bg levels are falling which mine have been, so didn't panic too much but it was still a strange experience. Couldn't agree with you more about this forum, I have felt so much more informed and positive since finding it and all the lovely people who visit here.
 

Hi Jo
Thank you for your warm welcome
I hope you don't mind me asking you a question, but, I noticed you are in remission.
Could you tell me how you get there, as in, what reading do I aim for, how long do I have to hold the reading for and if I get to hear the words "in remission" do I loose the Diabetic label ?
Sorry that was 3 questions, your right, finding relevant information is very hard and I'm fighting denial and full of questions.

Thank you again for your welcome.

John



Hi Debandez
Thank you for your reply and words of encouragement.
I think I've a way to go to gain such a positive view, I'm stuck on disbelief and denial at the moment.
I've started weight loss and have great determination, hopefully I'll hit 28 lbs by the end of Feb.
If I can hear the words "in remission" perhaps I'll embrace in the same way.
Thanks again.

John
 

Hi KK123

Thank you for your post, it was my Dr that gave me the news and nice as she was, she only had a brief overview to pass on, nothing beside diet and exercise, more information would have saved me a lot of angst.
Wow, I had a problem with 4-5 weeks, 4 months of blurriness must have been hell, glad yours are back to normal, mine are fine now.
John
 

Hi SB.25
Thanks for your post, I'm glad you only had a brief problem with your eyes, it seems theres enough to worry about with being diagnosed without peripheral problems cropping up like your eyesight.
Good luck back.
John
 

Hi J Dean Jr
Thanks for your post, I don't really understand all the different numbers for glucose measurement yet, but yours seem to have come down dramatically which is wonderful.
I think your very lucky to have a Dr that embraces 100% reversibility, fantastic.
Sorry you wasted $400 on glasses, put them in a draw, you'll find as you get older things tend to start falling off, I'm sure there will be a day you'll be happy to have them.
Wishing you remission.
John
 

Hi libbylondon

Thanks for your post, it was scary, I'm very glad that you had read about blurry eyes, information is everything.
Your right about the forum and the contributors, positive is what it makes you feel.
I'm not there yet, but will perceiver, maybe next week, or the week after.

John
 

Hey John,

Different practices hold different criteria, I've discovered... Some have been scratched off, and you really don't want that: If you're a T2, you'll remain a T2, and you'll want the check-ups that go with it. "In remission" only means you have had it under control for a prolongued period of time (also varying criteria, but for me, 2 years of a non-diabetic HbA1c of under 42. Medication free for 2 years as well. The idea though is to keep that up indefinitely!!!). If I eat like I used to, nothing special, just "normal" carby fare, I'm right back where I started, because though my insulin-resistance is a lot better than it used to be, I still can't process carbs right, and never will. That said, I do have control of my bloodsugars, and that means no more everlasting infections, fatigue and other diabetic complications. And that was what I was aiming for.

As for how, I learned about what I ate and how it affected my bloodglucose. I wrote a little guide about it, but the amount of carbs varies for everyone.... For me, 20 grams a day and under was pretty much ideal, meaning a ketogenic diet of very low carb and high fats (moderate protein). In part because my body responded well to it, in part because I couldn't for the life of me calculate carbs, so I just aim for as little as possible to keep it easy. And that works. For others, (moderate) LCHF of 50, 75, 100 grams of carbs a day are alright... Depends on where you're at, and only your meter can tell you.

Here's my little thingy, hope it helps! :

There’s a few things you should know.

1. Practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested, so not just straight sugars, but starches too. Food doesn’t have to taste sweet to make your blood sugars skyrocket.

2. A meter helps you know what foods agree with you, and which don’t. Test before and 2 hours after the first bite. If you go up more than 2.0 mmol/l, the meal was carbier than you could handle. (It’s easy to remember, as you’re a T2: all 2’s, all over the place!)

3. In case you didn’t know already, this isn’t your fault. It’s genetics, medication, decades of bad dietary advice, and basically all manner of things, but nothing you can actually blame yourself for.

4. Diabetes T2 is a progressive condition, unless you (also) change your diet. So you have options. Diet-only, diet with medication, or medication only. But that last option will most likely mean more medication over the years. (And there is more than just metformin, so if it doesn’t agree with you, there’s lots of others to try). So even if going really low carb isn’t for you, you might consider moderately low carb an option, with meds to assist.

5. Are you overweight? 90% of T2’s are. Yeah, that means 10% are slim and always were. If you did gain weight, it was the precursor of this metabolic condition. We make loads of insulin, but become insensitive to it. So carbs we eat turn to glucose, and normally, insulin helps us burn that glucose for fuel. When it doesn’t, that glucose is stored in fat cells instead. When those fat stores are full, the glucose remains in our bloodstream, overflowing, into our eyes, tears, urine, saliva… And then we’re T2’s. So weight gain is a symptom, not a cause. This also means that “regular” dietary advice doesn’t work for us. The problem lies in our inability to process carbs. And most diets focus on lowering fats and upping carb intake. Which is the direct opposite of what a T2, or prediabetic, for that matter, needs.

6. There are 3 macro-nutrients. Fats, protein and carbohydrates. Those macro’s mean we get the micro-nutrients we need: that would be vitamins and minerals. So… If you ditch the carbs, you should up another macro-nutrient to compensate, to make sure you don’t get malnourished or vitamin deficient. Carbs make our blood sugars rise. Protein too, but nowhere near as bad as carbs do, so they’re alright in moderation. Fats however… Fats are as good as a glucose-flatline. Better yet, they’ll mitigate the effects of any carbs we do ingest, slowing down their uptake and thus the sugar-spike. Contrary to what we’ve been told for decades; fats are our friends.

7. Worried about cholesterol? On a low carb diet, your cholesterol may rise a little as you start to lose weight. That’s a good thing though. (Believe it or not). What was already there, stored in your body, is starting to head for the exit, and for that it’ll go into your bloodstream first. So when you have lost weight and it stabilises, so will your cholesterol. And it’ll probably be lower than what it was before you started out.

8. You’ll lose weight on a low carb diet. Weight loss will help with your insulin-resistance, and not only that… Going low carb might help with other issues as well, like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and depression.

9. Always ask for your test results. You don’t know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you’ve been.

10. Last, but certainly not least: If you are on medication that has hypoglycemia listed as a side-effect, like Gliclazide for instance, do NOT attempt a LCHF diet without a meter nor your doctors’ knowledge/assistance. You can drop blood glucose levels too far, too fast, if your dosage isn’t adjusted accordingly. This could mean a lower dose in stages or even stopping medication completely. Never do this without discussing it with your doctor first!


So what raises blood sugars? Aside from the obvious (sugar), starches raise blood glucose too. So bread, and anything made with grain/oats flour, rice, pasta, corn, potatoes, cereals (including all the “healthy choices”, like Weetabix and muesli), most beans and most fruits. So you’ll want to limit your intake, or scratch them altogether.

Which food items remain on the shopping list? Well, meat, fish, poultry, above ground veggies/leafy greens, eggs, cheese, heavy cream, full fat Greek yoghurt, full fat milk, extra dark chocolate (85% Lindt’s is great!), avocado, (whole) tomatoes, berries, olives, nuts, that sort of thing… Meal ideas? Have a couple:

Scrambled eggs with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, tomato, maybe some high meat content sausages?
Eggs with ham, bacon and cheese
Omelet with spinach and/or smoked salmon
Omelet with cream, cinnamon, with some berries and coconut shavings
Full fat Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries
Leafy green salad with a can of tuna (oil, not brine!), mayonnaise, capers, olives and avocado
Leafy green salad with (warmed goat's) cheese and bacon, maybe a nice vinaigrette?
Meat, fish or poultry with veggies. I usually go for cauliflower rice or broccoli rice, with cheese and bacon to bulk it up. Never the same meal twice in a row because of various herbs/spices.

Snacks? Pork scratchings, cheese, olives, extra dark chocolate, nuts.

Of course, there’s loads more on the web, for people more adventurous than I. (Which is pretty much everyone). Just google whatever you want to make and add “keto” to it, and you’ll get a low carb version. There’s a lot of recipes on the diabetes.co.uk website, as well as on www.dietdoctor.com where you’ll also find visual (carb content) guides and videos. And I can wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Jason Fung’s book The Diabetes Code. It’ll help you understand what’s going on in your body and how to tackle it, whilst not being a dry read. Not only that, but you’ll know what to ask your doctor, and you’ll understand the answers, which is, I believe, quite convenient.
 
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Hi Jo

I have replied to you twice but I can't find anything coming up on the forum to show that my response has been received or posted.

Hopefully your not getting constant "thankyou's" from me, I'll make this my last attempt, I'm obviously doing something wrong.

Many thanks for you reply, you seem to have an exhaustive knowledge of useful, usable information.

I was surprised to find out how little information is out there, discovering this forum and people like you have been an immense help.

My last 2 readings were 4.3 and 4.4, only just got down to the 4's, I have to wait another 6 weeks for a new 3 month check where I hope I'll go into remission.

Regards and thanks again.

John
 
Hello, are you still on the prescribed meds, or did you stop taking them
 
Hey John,

No, this is the first I've seen far as I know. And I just happened to read this one by accident. If you want to be sure someone sees something you write, put an @ in front of their screenname, that'll tag them in. I'm glad I could be of some use, but it's really just stuff I picked up from people more knowledgable than I over the past 2 years or so. Basically, it's a "quick start guide" with everything I would've wanted to know when I first was diagnosed, and was absolutely clueless and made heaps of mistakes. Well done on the lower numbers, but I do hope those are med-free. (If they're naturally occuring that's fine, but if they're helped along with medication like gliclazide, they're a bit close to a hypo. Metformin's fine, that won't cause hypo's.).

You're doing great in any case... Congrats.
Jo
 
Hi,I'm new here,and very confused.i am not diabetic,but suffering with regular hypo attacks,which I'm told is due to the fact my stomach was removed,4 years ago,due to a rare tumour in my stomach I feel I'll,I'm waiting for a dexcome g6 sensor fitted,and for a dietician to contact me,I have been waiting 4 month ,and still nothing.
I'm so confused,and scared,I've had attacks where my body has been kind of fitting,can anyone offer me any advice please.
Michelle
 
Hey, family! Many people would love to lose weight quickly, but not the diabetic route... Have any of you had trouble maintaining a good weight after losing it due to diabetes? I am 240, down from 265, and don’t want to lose another pound, but it is difficult keeping it there. I am taking my meds, exercising and eating right, and look GREAT!
 
Hi,
My New Years gift was also type 2 diabetes, I have been suffering with blurry eyes for a few months now, although my vision is a lot worse in bright lights (eg White LED light bulbs).

I had not even thought about diabetes and put it down to stress and my anxiety etc and presumed it would go away.
When I eventually got an appointment to see a doctor he confirmed it was diabetes.

It’s now been 3 weeks since my diagnosis and I still have blurry eyes along with a new symptom of dry eyes which is driving me mad. I too had a HUGE panic attack when I googled it and had to go home from work because of the worry.

Anybody else’s blurry vision take time to get back to normal?
Thanks
 
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