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Struggling - Newbie

R

Robbo_89

Newbie
Hi
So newly diagnosed around a month ago with 74 mmol/mol.
Done well on low carb diet and lost around a stone.
My bloods are showing when self testing like 4.5mmol/l to 5.4mmol/l before eating/waking up and say 5.7 to 7mmol/l after meals which i think is in range.

My main concerns are a mental one. I completely fell off the wagon attending a stag doo this weekend consuming way too much lager and fast food.
I have a very active social life which involves alochol. Wine and spirits dont seem to effect blood sugar as much as lager but surely can't be good for you to drink in large quantities.
I'm just feeling a bit depressed of the thought of living with this going forward without ever having a treat.

Yes I know i have to reign it in considerably but the thought of not eating nice food/having a good drink once a month or while on holiday is making me think whats the point.

Anyway how did you cope when first diagnosed?
 
There's no one rule for all. Each of us has to find way that is suitable for our lives and lifestyles and bg.

I follow a couple of Australian doctors who refute the idea of a "wagon" which we aren't in control of. Instead they say each of us has an all terrain 4x4 that is our health journey that we can drive wherever we want when we want, so it's up to the driver if after a deviation they stay on that route for a while or whether to do a minor correction straight away. You are the driver.
Your bg will be your informative data. Yes you can have carbs (best not to think of them s treats) but it they take you too high for you, then you can find replacement treats.

I've successfully holidayed in the US and Italy , among others, and stayed low carb. Maybe not as low as at home but low enough. I wear a libre on holiday so I can't ignore it. I drink wine and neat spirits (can no longer stand the taste of mixers). I have ice cream and quite a few tastes of whatever dessert my husband is having. I eat lovely local cheeses, meats and fish


Some do go fully all out drinking beer and cocktails and eating chips but each time after it takes longer to lose the weight (again) and lower the hba1c (again) and it becomes tiring.

No one (except you) is going to berate you if you choose to indulge. It's up to you how much and how often
.
And it does get easier and easier over time. New habits form and your tastes will change. And there's masses of support on here, always.
 
Thank you. To be honest the foods the easy part just the lager when out. Think i'll just have to drink more slowly with wine and maybe some water in between.
I tried the Libre and when i had two pints of lager it went up to 8.9 but then had a wine and it went down to 4.5 really quick so never really got the real effect of the lager level.
I guess like food it would be interesting to see what my level was after a couple of hours after lager/beer. I understand everyones different.
I really like wine but i guess eating low carb also with it may get you drunk quicker!!
 
There's lots of threads on beer and alcohol, search for them.
I think it causes very delayed bg as the liver deals with the alcohol first so you might be missing spikes etc. I don't really understand it but the threads will help you.
And yes much cheaper to get drunk low carb. Goes straight to blood stream. 2 wines max for me now, and even those are watered down!
 
As far as wine is concerned, what works for me is drink less, drink better. Chugalug doesn't let us taste the complexities of a good wine - you don't need deep knowledge (I haven't) and the taste is contained in sipping with lips and tip of tongue. Have a glass of fizzy water beside your wine and chug that. I can make a small glass of red wine last 2 hours with ease. If anyone wants to comment, it's their problem not yours. It's your business not theirs. Smile enigmatically and move the conversation on. Proper friends have your welfare in mind not their insecurities, because those who press anyone to drink (once upon a time that happened with smoking too) are thinking about themselves even if subliminally.

BTW I find a bottle of wine at home stays good for several days if tightly corked with one of those thingummies you can buy to plug the bottle, so it isn't just us who can save the rest of the bottle for another day - there's clearly quite a market of like-mindedness.

By the way - well done for tackling this!
 

It looks as though you are doing very well.

Don't beat yourself up over falling off the wagon.
Most people do now and then.
Just be aware that it gradually gets to take longer to climb back on.

I was diagnosed in 2008 so memory is a bit hazy, but I do remember being very enthusiastic about fixing it and doing various over the top and silly things in the first 6 months.

It is depressing to think of all the things you really like but now have to limit, but that goes with the territory.
It can help to find new and different things that can be treats.
I try to drink spritzers - that is white wine and fizzy water, instead of beer.
There is also a decent low carbohydrate beer from Westbrook Breweries (there is a thread on here somewhere about this).

Fast food is an issue, but you can do things like having a burger with no bun or fries.
I enjoy this, and you sometimes get some extra salad instead.
Ham and egg without the chips.
That sort of thing.

Bottom line, you will get fed up and depressed from time to time but you have already shown very good control by improving your BG and reducing your weight.
Chin up - you are doing very well!!
 
Robbo_89 said:
Thanks all. At a wedding Saturday so another test. Maybe mixing wine with diet lemonade is the way forward.
Click to expand...
I mix wine with soda water (or sparkling). I find it too sweet if use lemonade, plus the sweetners in the lemon are give it a funny taste, imho
 
Lager is a difficult one as they all have carbs in them.. I like a lager but I’ve cut it right back now and am close to deciding enough now just stop drinking lager someone I read recently called it liquid toast which for me it is.
Holidays cause me no issues when drinking I switch from diet drink to vodka which suits me fine.
You do have to change things but not overly drastic I’m normally in range 85% of the time for a type 1 which for me is good after 34 years but the odd day kicks my backside I don’t worry about it I accept it and move on good luck you’ll be fine your doing a great job
 
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