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Please help I was just diagnosed with Type 2

Most People take at least 14 days to ajust to metformine But must People Can Then take Them without trouble
 
daisy1 said:
@john5220

Hello John and welcome to the forum :) To add to all the advice you have already received from members, here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to 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 210,000 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.
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Ow my goodness thank you for this post, I was feeling so sad and now I am happy again by reading this. I believe I can do this I suddenly have unexplained inspiration :)

I am from Trinidad and Tobago (West Indies) but we have free diabetes and hypertension medication in this country though the free ones seem to be generic drugs from India, free doctor visits aswell. (Admittedly most seem to be foreign doctors from India but they are alright I think)

I have some diabetic strips left in my kit I think 30 strips. Right now am just hoping my body adjusts to the metforming I suppose we will know in about a weeks time.

I will check up on these starchy carbs and seek to avoid them in future.
 
@Freema do you have any information about tinned food from some reliable sources that you can post please
CAROL
 
carty said:
@Freema do you have any information about tinned food from some reliable sources that you can post please
CAROL
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most of my knowledge of the topic is from danish sources where our national watchdog "forbrugerrådet" which Means "the consumer counsil" has been aware that the producers of tins use a coating inside the tins that is not really healthy in the long run as it is hormone disturbing and adds up in the blood... especially one should be aware that tin-foods should be taken out of the tin emidiately when opened and never stored in an opened tin... as it speed up the pollution of the foods in the tin, but even taken right out of the tin the foods have been slightly polluted and therefore this consumer organisation tells us not to eat more than one tin pro week and at the best avoid tinned foods that is even more important in women trying to become pregnant and pregnant women... the conserne is especially about the Bisphenol A.- compound in coatings which is legal to use
 
^ I never even knew that I usually bought tin sardines because well its cheaper I suppose. I guess I will have to look for sardines or salmon in the grocery frozen and cook them. This is the first I ever heard tin sardines or mackerel was bad.
 
There's lots about BPA in plastic and canned food. Even plastic water beakers now say "BPA free" etc.

Here's a link just regarding breast cancer and BPA's.

I just adopt "best buy fresh" for our foods nowadays.

The only food that I do have to eat out of a tin now is tuna as I can't find anywhere that will sell a 2" piece for me fresh. (No fishmongers privately). Although just thought (I am thick sometimes ) I could buy one piece of tuna fresh and slice pre freezing it. I even worry about freezer bags and their polythene too though....
 
Yes there was with cling film. I can't bring myself to use that either.
Are they all "scare stories"? I now put my food in beakers that say they are BPA free and can be multi used in freezers etc. Ie soup beakers. But at the end of the day.. Plastic is plastic.. All this we know doesn't breakdown in soil / landfills etc but we now expect to use all these convenient things.. Perhaps going back to salt pits, ice pits and caves would be healthier!!-lol:)
 
hey guys well I am happy to report my condition has significantly improved I have gone from contemplating suicide via Methomyl to celebrating my victory!! What Victory is this you may ask?

I am happy to report I have successfully cut out all rice and wheat from my diet, I have moved to eating barb b que chicken and black beans. I am happy to report after eating black beans, bar b que chicken and a glass of full cream milk while doing exercise earlier, tonight my blood sugar read 130 two hours after my meal.

Metformin is not working for me as it needs 3 weeks and I only started using it 3 days now. So by simply switching around my diet and getting some exercise I have cut my sugar 100 level by points it was usually 240 on average after eating. Now its a whopping 130 OMG!!! Imagine if I drank water instead of the milk right?

I am also losing weight and I feel great. This is a remarkable turn around for me I could only imagine if the met formin was actually working? WOW it would have been like 100 reading or 90? I guess I will know in a few weeks when it kicks in.

Who knew Diet and Exercise could do such magic? its like I don't even need medication just amazing!!!

I am also happy that the diarrhea has disappeared after 3 days so looks like my body is now ok with the metformin and has adapted. I have opted NOT to take Gliclazide because I read it can damage the pancreas so screw that doctor I ain't taking this ****. If diet and exercise is working for me why even take this Gliclazide to risk damaging my pancreas?

I am still shocked by how incredible these results have become by simply cutting out wheat and rice and doing exercise its extraordinary. And I also feel so much healthier. The Low Carb plan is really amazing so glad I joined this site!!
 
@john5220... When I was diagnosed with type 2 My Meter read 40 mmol... There was no waiting period... Metformin brought that reading down to between 5 & 7 within one week...
Glyburide & Trajenta also work for Type 2... That is what I am using since I became allergic to Metformin...
 
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