Stressed and worried

[Antje77]

@Gargoyletaz , this sounds like a nurse to ignore, what a horrible appointment!
Keep up the good work and blow them over with your next hba1c!

 

[aylalake]

@Gargoyletaz So glad to hear from you and that you are coping ok.

Wow! Why am I still shocked when I read stories like this about nurses / doctors?

I have set my goals to exactly the same as you because I too have no idea of what they should be.

As time goes on and you get your diabetes under control, you may be able to reintroduce certain foods back into your eating regime, depending on your meter.
For instance, 6 months ago I couldn’t eat even one strawberry. Now I can eat 3 huge ones or 6 small ones with cream.

Yes, you will always be diabetic, and I understand it is often genetic unless you have damaged your pancreas. (I know I will be corrected on this ). However, you will be able to live life without the fear of amputation or blindness, just by choosing the right food to eat.

It’s mindset thing, to a degree. If you were gluten or lactose intolerant, or allergic to nuts, you wouldn’t think twice about avoiding foods containing those things. So cutting carbs down and not eating a bag of crisps or a whole slab of chocolate ( my kryptonites) will become a way of life.

*picks up her soapbox and departs*

 

[Helen H]

@Gargoyletaz so glad you are doing ok. Your story about your nurse makes my blood boil - it just reinforces my belief that you have to do your own research and be your own advocate. Over the years I have gradually lost faith in a lot of doctors and nurses - being told my i was suffering from menopause symptoms for 3 years when in fact I had an undiagnosed underactive thyroid (only got tested because I asked). Told I had pulled a muscle in my leg when I had ruptured my cruciate ligament, I knew I had done this but they wouldn’t listen so I ended up going private to a specialist to get diagnosed. recently my GP saying I was at no risk of type 2 diabetes just because my brother had just been diagnosed - I pushed for a test and it came back as pre-diabetic.

in short, do what is right for you. I hope eventually you will get a better DN/GP.

Rant over!

 

[MrsA2]

Thank you @ianf0ster

Maybe my measurement wasn't sufficient to tell me I was fat

I took a good leather belt and marked which hole I started on at diagnosis/fattest.
Seeing the holes move through, irrespective of weight or anyone else's opinion was really satisfying.
Now I've had to buy another smaller one for everyday wear as the original now laps round my back.

 

[Ro9998]

I see it as long term I crash dieted but the word sustainable is important too. Do the best you can don’t beat yourself up. We all binge I think comfort food over losing loved ones etc. it’s between you and doc nurse.

just remember its Long term. When I got on here it was I know consequences of diabetes but do what you can. I do now but it was dark terrifying at start for me

 

[Michellenz]

Berries are the low carb choice - I buy frozen ones so there is no waste.
Herbs and spices are best added fairly late in cooking to preserve all the aromatic elements - some herbs can go a bit nasty if cooked too long.
I have a pressure cooker that is very handy for stews, casseroles and the like. Actually I have three, one in the fridge with stock for when I need it, one does the things I don't want to keep the liquid for the meal, one to construct the meal in.

I use my bg monitor check a couple of hours after eating from time to time. Recently I was struggling with getting back to normal HbA1c, and checked foods I thought were okay. Berries turn out to not be okay for me.
That’s the beauty of the monitors, you get to work out what is okay food for you.

The other little gem I finally worked out and paid attention to, is the size of my portions matters. If you eat a cup of berries, they have twice as much carbs as half a cup of berries! Can’t believe how long it took me to get to that!

 

[Michellenz]

Hi everyone,

I received my Tee2+ monitor today, so I'm armed and ready to get my levels down.

I fast from 6pm in the evening until 12pm the next day so 18 hour fast.
I never had breakfast so it seemed an easy migration to do this about 18 months ago.

When I tested at 12pm today I only had a coffee about 9am, but it read 8.2 mmol. From what I've been reading I need to be under 7 mmol before meals.

I tested again 2 hours after starting my my reading was 8.9 mmol, which I am delighted about.

I've just realised when I found out I was dairy intolerant in about Feb, the oat milk I've been drinking has sugars
I have the 'no sugars' one now.

Can I assume the slightly raised pre food reading was due to the milk?

It’s more likely you have dawn phenomenon. Low carb diets seem to amplify this for some people (me included). I find I often get high readings before I break my fast, but before my second and third meal I’m back to 5ish. Didnt’t seem to affect me improving my HbA1c, it’s back in normal range.

 

[Michellenz]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your kind words.

Although stressful (I have a fractious relationship with my brother & we rarely speak), last Thursday went ok.

My 9 year old daughter enjoyed her sleepover with the neighbours but was so excited to see us. Boy, did we miss her!

I had a few John Smiths on Fri for my dad, too

So, I had my 45 minute appointment with my Diabetic Nurse (DN) last Wednesday.
I thoroughly enjoyed her script & and checklists, and she asked me absolutely nothing. I offered to show her my readings & libre trial graphs, but she wasn't interested. I actually have no idea if the settings for high & low on my glucose monitor are correct

When I mentioned my drive in getting my 1c levels to at least pre-diabetic levels, she informed me I would ALWAYS be type 2 diabetic. My medical records will not change even if I get my 1c into non-diabetic levels.

She also informed me that my diabetes is genetic, so I am to get into the mindset that I probably need medication as diet & exercise may not help. I've already decided if I my body needs help with getting rid of my blood glucose, then so be it, but I'll be controlling what I eat whatever the outcome.


I've read so many newly diagnosed people with the same response, and it's so frustrating.

I am getting so much more out of this site than I will get from a DN or GP.

I realise that never eating bread or potatoes in any form or rice and pasta isn't sustainable. I am focused on testing before and after eating to gain a good knowledge of what my body can & can't tolerate.
Apparently, 3 squares of chocolate are fine, but 6 isn't

I am much less stressed and no longer worried.....although my DN stories of flesh falling off feet and ulcers that have killed people concerning
Luckily, my friend is a nurse on a vascular ward, so I've heard worse and, of course, amputation of limbs on poorly managed diabetes.

On a happier note, if my settings of 4-8.5 being in the OK range & not going more than 2 mmol higher than my pre eating levels, I am 90% in the green range.

I am not due for a HBA1c test until June, so I have downloaded Mysugr app so I can see appropriately where this figure is as I go along.

My DN did measure my waist for insulin resistance but didn't explain what my measurement showed?
Do I need to be concerned about this, or is it something I can't control. So uneducated about insulin resistance

Did either of your parents try low carb - I’m guessing not. IMO, Having a tendency to insulin resistance may be genetic, but whether that means you are in the diabetic range, prediabetic, or normal is usually up to what you do.

Can you pay for your own HbA1c? (I’m in NZ and we can). That would give you some encouragement in the meantime?

I’ve found that once i had a few good HbA1c they changed my diagnosis to insulin resistant.

There’s a doctor in NZ who won doctor of the year in 2021, he has hundreds of patients in remission by promoting low carb, so maybe your nurse is just one of those who can’t change her mind. You only need to convince yourself, who knows, if you keep it up you may convince her.

And it is possible to not have the things you listed forever, though once you are settled in to low carb, you may be able to do unimaginable things like have 3 fries and realise that was enough and not eat them again for months!

You’re doing so well!

And well done for taking an important step in preparing your child for adulthood and coping while lots of other hard things happening.

 

[Gargoyletaz]

Hi everyone,

Sorry it's been a while.

I realised by the end of January that my tolerance to carbs was greatly lower than previous years when I slipped into prediabetic levels.

I started Merformin the beginning of February and I am now on 4 x 500mg a day. My doctor arranged for another HBA1C test mid April.

My pre meal levels are still 'high' in the late 7s or 8s, but my post meal levels hardly move. At worse, the rise is well within 2 mmol.

I am on a keto diet because I'm all or nothing when it comes to bread, potatoes, rice etc

I am absolutely over the moon to say my HBA1C came back today as 41! Non diabetic range

I honestly couldn't have done it without this forum and everyone who posts on here.

My advice to anyone newly diagnosed is:

1) get a glucose monitor
2) cut down on carbs (potatoes & bread in any form, rice and pasta in any colour)
3) check the carb content of foods you regularly eat & make any changes that you can
3) cut out anything sugary
4) understand sugar free does not mean carb free ‍
5) don't let diabetes control you, take control of your diabetes
6) ask questions on here. There is always someone on here that will know the answer

There is life after diagnosis

 

[Gargoyletaz]

Did either of your parents try low carb - I’m guessing not. IMO, Having a tendency to insulin resistance may be genetic, but whether that means you are in the diabetic range, prediabetic, or normal is usually up to what you do.

Can you pay for your own HbA1c? (I’m in NZ and we can). That would give you some encouragement in the meantime?

I’ve found that once i had a few good HbA1c they changed my diagnosis to insulin resistant.

There’s a doctor in NZ who won doctor of the year in 2021, he has hundreds of patients in remission by promoting low carb, so maybe your nurse is just one of those who can’t change her mind. You only need to convince yourself, who knows, if you keep it up you may convince her.

And it is possible to not have the things you listed forever, though once you are settled in to low carb, you may be able to do unimaginable things like have 3 fries and realise that was enough and not eat them again for months!

You’re doing so well!

And well done for taking an important step in preparing your child for adulthood and coping while lots of other hard things happening.

Thank you, @Michellenz

Both my parents were in their 60's when they were diagnosed and were never advised to cut carbs. I wasn't advised either, but thankfully, I've been a member of here for a few years, so I was well educated on how carbs affect our glucose levels.

It has been interesting seeing what advice people from different countries have been given and also what support they have been given.

I am ever so grateful for this site and the vast amount of knowledge it holds

 

[littlebrownbird]

Thank you, @Michellenz

Both my parents were in their 60's when they were diagnosed and were never advised to cut carbs. I wasn't advised either, but thankfully, I've been a member of here for a few years, so I was well educated on how carbs affect our glucose levels.

It has been interesting seeing what advice people from different countries have been given and also what support they have been given.

I am ever so grateful for this site and the vast amount of knowledge it holds

@Gargoyletaz There are lots of great resources on this site but others I find useful are:

Resources – Public Health Collaboration

phcuk.org

https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

A Low Carb Diet Guide for Beginners – Diet Doctor

In this top low-carb guide, we show you what to eat, what to avoid and how to avoid side effects. Get delicious low-carb recipes and meal plans.

www.dietdoctor.com

 

[Gargoyletaz]

@littlebrownbird

Thank you so much for the links!

I will have a look through them