- Messages
- 1,383
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Not much
Hi @Hotlic .. and welcomeHi guys,
I am new to this but here we go. Nice to meet you all by the way!
I was told by my GP yesterday that i am technically a type 2 diabetic but will need to go for another blood test next week to confirm. My father is insulin dependent and has been for years. I am overweight and literally do no exercise. After yesterday, my life is changing. I've signed up to a body transformation centre to work out 5 days per week and will get nutritional advice and recipes from them.
The thing i really dont understand is WHAT do i do now? It is only a matter of weeks before i actually get officially diagnosed, so why not plan ahead?
Are there local groups or some ways to meet people in my area who are in a similar situation or is it mainly online support?
Thanks again guys!
Assuming that you are diagnosed T2, you have certainly made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, 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 can all seem uphill to start with but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
There is a lot of conflicting and sometimes confusing information around .. but the key point to take on board is that managing and controlling your diabetes (or pre-diabetes) through exercise, diet and testing your blood glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. 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 suggest that you read up on the valuable material that she will soon be sending you. I think that you might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. together with the following Diet Doctor websites, which will give you all the info that you need about carb levels and about what and what not to eat ...
Low Carb Intro and Information and Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
Unless you are prescribed a test meter and strips by your Doc (unlikely), it is a priority that you get yourself one and, for this, the following websites might help:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both which I alternate for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them.
The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. Make sure that you tick the appropriate box on the on-line order form and you won't pay VAT on your meter or strips.
For the SD Codefree, the strips are £7.69 for a pack of 50 and there are discount codes available for bulk purchases:
5 packs x 50 use code: 264086 .. cost is £29.49
10 packs x 50 use code: 975833 .. cost is £58.98
For the TEE 2, the strips are £7.75 for a pack of 50 .. but there are no discount codes currently available
I'm testing 3-5 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps
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