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Recently diagnosed T2 and confused :( do not know where to start

kazisedso

Member
Messages
13
Location
Nottinghamshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
i'm sure i will think of something soon........
dislike having T2 diabetes :-(
Hello All,

I am a newbie to this forum, apologies now if this post is long.

I was diagnosed T2 in June 2016 but was not put on the register till September 2016 as i was told to do my best with diet and see if i could 'get my blood sugars' down... they were HbA1c 49.
I was told that i was 'only just ' diabetic! and to really try and watch what i was eating... given a few booklets in a nice folder, a blood monitor, told not to test too regular or i would scare myself.

I left the nurses office, feeling numb, scared, not actually believing what i had just been told.
I have other health conditions that affect my mobility greatly, so most of the time i struggle to walk so i knew that trying to get more exercise would be very difficult for me but i knew i could at least try and adjust my diet.

Not as easy as i thought...
Do i choose slimming world... weight watchers etc etc
Tried to do 'healthy eating' although if i'm honest that really never did end up as healthy eating.
Blood sugars were not controlled at all, on waking i was getting 8 / 8.5... 2 hours after eating and sometimes 3 hours after eating i am getting readings going up as high as 14.3, but they do vary from 8 to 10.7.
had another appointment with the same nurse, told her i couldn't carry on like this and perhaps it was time to go down the medication route.

Metformin SR 500mg given as i already have stomach problems and ibs.
told to take it in the morning at first then after a week increase to one in a morning and one in the evening.
tried this for four weeks, was fine at first then OMG! the pain in my right side just under my breast was unbearable, this was after increasing to twice a day.

I tried to reduce to once a day again but unfortunately the same thing happened, really bad pain.
stopped taking the metformin and the pains went away.
Blood sugars began to rise again so was put on gliclazide 40mg in the morning.. 40mg in the evening.
This proved to be too much for me as i was getting regular hypos.

I cut the meds right down to 10mg in the morning and 20mg in the evening ( told diabetic nurse she said this was fine), but unfortunately even though i was on a tiny dose i was having hypos going down to 3.2mmol so i came off of gliclazide as unfortunately it was causing more trouble than what it was worth.
I have tried to go back onto metformin SR but immediately the pains in my right upper quadrant came back and so i cannot take that either.

Basically i feel like a complete failure... i tried the LCHF and i have to say for two days i felt absolutely fab, best i have felt in months,.( i can hear you screaming... WELL GO BACK ON IT THEN!! but it's not that easy, i have two teenagers at home and i was having to cook separate meals for everyone... not easy as i am disabled and struggle with cooking) also i struggled to keep it up and slowly went back to including carbs in my diet again.
Result = raised blood sugars... feeling like rubbish... all the diabetic symptoms returned... constantly going to the toilet, unbearable genital itching (sorry TMI) dry mouth, itchy skin.

It has been suggested to me that i ask to be referred to the diabetic clinic... but i feel that this would be met with... 'why do you want to go there you are only just diabetic we deal with it here at the surgery.'
Where do i go from here? i am only 46 i am overweight and need to lose a good few stone... hopefully this will help with the blood glucose readings.
I take a lot of medications for different conditions that i have and because of this maybe i would be better asking to go to the diabetic clinic?
I do not know what other medications are available to me. Anything that tends to upset your stomach has an adverse affect on me... although i must say that apart from the regular hypos on gliclazide i didnt have any other problems.
I know i have to stop making excuses and decide what is best for me... and also try and put my health first for a change but i am really struggling with this, and i do not think i am being taken that seriously by my diabetic nurse at my gp surgery as my HbA1c level has stayed at 49 since June and she says this is 'only just' diabetic
Really sorry for the length of this post... any advice would be gratefully received.
Thank you for reading.
Karen
 

Hi Karen and welcome to the forum.
You will find a lot of information on this site and everyone is really friendly and helpful, ask as many questions you like.
I'm sure someone will ask Daisy1 to send you the information she gives to all newbees which is a good place to start.
Most people on here follow the low carbohydrate high fat diet, as carbohydrates turn into sugar, increasing blood sugars and increases weight. I'm not following exactly that but have reduced carbs at each meal and stopped all sugar where possible and I have lost a stone in 6 weeks, so I suggest you give it another try. Don't worry about cooking separate meals, either just cook low carb and give everyone else a bigger portion of carbohydrate than you or cook what you would normally eat and just have a much smaller amount of the carbohydrate than you would usually. Its working for me.
You were lucky to be given a meter most GP surgeries refuse for type 2. Try testing before meals and 2 hours after eating then your be able to gauge what foods to avoid because they raise your blood sugar levels and what dosen't. Also test before you go to bed, so if a bit on the low side you can eat something small to stop you going hypo overnight.
How you felt leaving the surgery is perfectly normal, most experience the same thing.
As for exercise don't worry too much at this stage, you may find it easier as you loose some weight so concentrate on diet first.
There are a lot of other medication you can try as a type 2, so if one dosen't suit they should be able to offer you another, but to be honest a lot manage to control their diabetes through diet alone,and if your only just a diabetic and have IBS this may be a better option for you. it's just getting it right to suit you.
Good luck with it all.
Maggie
 
Hi and welcome @kazisedso
I will tag @daisy1 for her helpful info for newcomers.
I feel reducing carbs probably is the best way forward. Might be just having a tiny new potato when the family are around. Trying things like cauliflower rice. I know that would be an extra but might fit in when the family are having rice. As you are testing try recording what you are eating and readings before the meal and 2 hours after. This should help you work out what you can eat and what is better avoided.
 
Hi and welcome. I live with 7 other people who are not low carb and I do half the cooking. I will do a basic meal with meat, lots of veggies that are low carb, and a starch and will just not put the starch on my plate. It does not have to be a separate meal. Sometimes I will just fry a couple eggs to go with my meat and veggies. I will also often do stir fry's and just take my portion out before adding noodles. Another thought is getting those two teenagers to do some of their own cooking while you supervise. You really do need to put yourself first for a while. A bit of self love never goes wrong.
 
Just a thought, have a look in your area for an arm chair exercise group.
 
Hi im a new T2 aswell. My second time round with LCHF and 2 weeks on I've lost 5lbs. As a family we have the same meals but I will just have a spoon of rice or pasta ect and add more veg or salad.
Having ibs I was anxious about trying metformin so I asked for the slow release. After researching it seems best to take after your biggest meal. I take mebeverine and fybogel( for diarrhoea ) when I have ibs flare ups so I took these 20 mins b4 food aswell. First two days i was ill nausea and diarrhoea but settled after that. I've not tried it without the fybogel and mebeverine yet tho.
I was prediabetic lost weight got healthy and piled it all back on. I've felt unwell with loads of ßymptoms and thought it was about time I sorted myself out so bit the bullet 3 weeks ago and haven't looked back.
I come here most days to learn and ask for advice.
Goodluck and I hope you'll feel better soon.
 
Hi. Yes, keep going with the low carb diet. Giving you Gliclazide was probably not the most sensible decision as it stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin (as you found!) and if you are overweight you probably already have too much insulin. Metformin is usually well tolerated when it's the SR version so your problems with it were unusual.
 
My husband does all the evening meal cooking and he is anything but low carb. I have the same as he does minus the starchy carbs. I have extras of the low carb stuff and no puddings. I don't have a sweet tooth anyway. If I feel I need a pudding I will have a few strawberries and cream or a coffee with cream. It is very easy, and no need to cook 2 different meals.
 
@kazisedso

Hello Karen and welcome to the forum 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 220,000 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.
 
Hi, thanks for the reply,
i too take mebeverine and fybogel and omeprazole... ibs is bad enough to deal with, but then add diabetes into the mix and it's just grand!! NOT!
if i was only getting nausea i would persevere with the metformin, but i'm not, unfortunately after taking it, i then get a gall bladder pain and it makes me really ill and lasts all day and into the next day, and that is the slow release type. I spoke to my gp about it and he advised leaving it alone, but i thought i would give it another try as gliclazide wasn't really suiting me either, but it's not to be, the body says no .
i am re starting the LCHF today and like you i think i will cut down the carbs and add more veg/ salad and see how i go. Got to do something, cannot carry on like this and ultimately it really is my responsibility to take control back and not let the diabetes control me.
I just really feel like i have been left to get on with it and with all the other problems i have, it's been an absolute minefield to wade through, but after reading through this forum and site i am beginning to make sense of it all... bit by bit.. here's hoping that the LCHF eating is a success.
 
Thank you to everyone who has posted a reply so far, you really have helped lift my mood.
I see now that low carb high fat doesn't necessarily mean completely different meals to my family, just adjusting slightly.
I think also, having been a yo-yo dieter ( probably contributed to the diabetes) for most of my 46 years on earth, you have it drummed into you that fat is bad, carbs are good, and LCHF turns all this advice on its head and takes some getting used to, i still find it hard to believe that i can eat LC pancakes, fried in butter if i wish and not have any nasty after effects, and that includes the gallbladder like pain that i sometimes get.. ( been investigated, don't have any stones).
When i am well enough i do like baking and so i will have to look on the LCHF as a challenge and a positive change not a negative one.
Looking forward to visiting here most days and absorbing as much advice as possible.
Cheers everyone x
 
Fantastic you are giving it another go.
I have many barriers to my LCHF diet - I work away from home during the week and throughout my working life I have always eaten out for lunch most days, I can't do that anymore and need to be super organised to bring lunch in. At home I do as everyone else and just leave the carbs for everyone else
I have also found that I need to eat combinations of food on my plate that I would not have touched before
Like pork chop, vegetables and nuts
 
You sound better already. All the best
 
Lisajohann2014 said:
You sound better already. All the best
Click to expand...
LOL thanks i am trying, i was very despondent yesterday... i'm hoping this new found positivity lasts a while because i know that i may hit the low carb wall.... but we shall see.
Just eaten delicious cream cheese pancakes, low carb and gluten free, had a drizzle of maple syrup ( doesn't have an effect on my BS) shall see how i have reacted about half 11. fingers crossed x
 
How did you make them? I'd like to try those.
 
Lisajohann2014 said:
How did you make them? I'd like to try those.
Click to expand...
this is the recipe that i used:
2oz cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp granulated sweetener
1/2 tsp cinnamon
vanilla extract to taste.
Blitz it all together in a blender till smooth, leave for 2 mins so as bubbles settle.
Heat up a frying pan/ skillet until hot then turn the heat down to just below medium,
i used butter and a drizzle of olive oil to stop it burning, coated the pan, then ladle in some of the batter, it bubbles on the top like a scotch pancake would, just cook it gently until it is set enough to flip over. not easy as the batter is quite delicate, but you will gauge when to do it. cook on other side and serve with sugar free syrup, berries etc. i was pretty impressed with them.
Got recipe from ibreatheimhungry.com ( hope this is ok to post :-/)
hope you like them.
 
I am please to report that the LC pancakes i had this morning, have not caused a spike.
finished eating them by 9.30 am. took bloods at 10.30am just to see how i was doing.... 7.0
11.30 am... 5.5
going to have some bacon and eggs later
 
Hi @kazisedo Welcome to the forum. Just reading your thread and notice someone mentioned looking for an armchair exercise group. Here is a link to an online exercise session which I think is ok.
 
I've got that in. I will try them. Thanks.
 
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