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Sue from Leeds, need help.

susie10137

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Other
Hi all

I am newly diagnosed and new here.



I have been burying my head in the sand for a long time now. I did however get checked at my local tesco but that said both were fine.

When I went to the gps he did a blood test as he thought by my body shape I would be diabetic.

I am and they started me on Metformin immediately.

All they have done is tell me to take the tablets and they will see me in 3 months.




My name is Sue and I am newly diagnosed.

I am from leeds.

I'm gonna be a grandma.

Please can anyone help?

I am on Metformin 3x a day. I just had a sandwich from the healthy section in m&s.

I began to feel really ill about an hour after I ate it.

I firstly felt yucky.. and then my eyes feel like I have blinkers on my ears I can only describe as feeling pressure inside.

I lose my balance anyway due to other health issues.

The sandwich was 440 kcal 19 percent fat and 5 percent sugar.

I don't know what to do I am sat in my car and I feel awful.

I don't have anything to test my blood sugar the doctors gave me pills and said the diabetic clinic would make me an appointment for 3 months time.

I am scared right now and I need some advice please.


Sue
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sue,
Welcome to the club!
you said you had a sandwich from "The Healthy Section" in M&S!
Unfortunately for a T2 sandwiches are no longer in "The Healthy Section".
T2 is a disease of failure to deal with carbohydrates so we need to control the carbs.
Unfortunately the "traffic light" nutritional labels quote the sugar content which is mostly irrelevant for T2s it is the carb content that is important!
My advice to you would be to start a food diary and test yourself at +2hrs after food and try to cut down/control carb intake.
I find that substituting lettuce for bread in sandwiches cuts the carb intake.
 
Hi @susie10137 and welcome to the forum.

It is as the previous poster said, said, carbohydrates that will affect your blood sugars.
@daisy1 will be along soon with some basic information for you that will help you understand the role of carbohydrates in your management.
Tell us a bit about yourself, including other health issues and medications and we will try to help.
Read around the forum and see how others are getting to grips with it. It will not happen overnight but you will get there, a marathon as opposed to a sprint..
Ask as many questions as you need to, nothing considered silly.
 
Hi Sue,
One thing that I have found really effective in managing my type 1 diabetes for more than 44 years is to minimize almost all carbohydrates, especially high glycemic carbs. This has been the most effective step I have taken to be honest.

While you will still need to manage your medications well, try cutting out any excessive, high glycemic carbs which means breads, potatoes, pasta or sweets.

Try not to be scared Sue - it will take a little time, but try to eat vegetables and things that are low in carbs. I really find that helps immensely.

Take care,
Sheryl
 
@susie10137

Hello Sue and welcome to the forum

Already some good advice above! Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful, especially the information concerning diet and carbohydrates. Ask all the questions 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 over 140,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

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

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 bloodglucose 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, you will be fine, it takes a while to find what works for you
you may find you need to cut the major carbs
rice - grain product, bread, pasta cereal - starch veg, potato - sugary stuff, including fruit juice

From the Southport gp who posts here
http://www.practicaldiabetes.com/Sp.../March 2014/PP Unwin final proofs revised.pdf

it’s a long page and a few good video’s
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
For me, the more carbs we eat the more carbs we want. they don’t give up easy
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm
 
Hi and welcome. Usually Metformin doesn't cause any real problems but the standard version (as opposed to the Slow Release SR version) may cause bowel upset for a week or two. Normally GPs start Metformin at minimum 500mg dose and increase it over 2-3 weeks. If you continue to feel unwell you might want to consider going to a minimum dose and then increasing every week. You may want to discuss this with the GP and/or ask for the SR version if the upset continues. I think you will find it settles very quickly. As others have said, keep the carbs down and don't worry about protein or fat, contrary to traditional diet advice.
 
Hi Sue, good advice above, please don't panic.

Have a read of the first item in my sig below. I'd also get yourself a test meter (such as SD Codefree, Amazon and elsewhere) and blow your DN away with your good progress in 3 months time. Do you know what your HbA1c (diagnostic blood sugar value) is? If not you can ask your surgery reception to print out your results.
 
Thank you so much. Life is crazy at the moment and I have some physical disabilities which have a huge impact on my life.
I am trying to keep working and really struggling. Most nights I come home and go to bed. My hubby is being amazing as usual though and he does his best to help me.

All the info and advice is really welcomed. It has been so nice to check my emails today and have such lovely messages and support.

Thank you all. I was in meltdown as I blame myself for my diet and burying my head in the sand.

I look forward to getting to know the people on here better and learning to manage my diabetes.

Bed time now lol.

Thanks again

Sue x
 
Hi Sue & a big welcome.
You've landed in the right place for info, as you have already found out above.
Browse around & ask if your unsure of anything.
You'll be bouncing around in no time when you decide which life change to make for controlling things, most opt for low carb higher fat which helps with other health problems aswell.
I've never felt so well with my life style change even to the point of turning my vascular disease around without having to have a stent fitted which is what they wanted to do, till I told them the pain when walking had gone & the pulse in left side of my groin was back the same as the right side.★
 


Thanks guys.

Amazing advice and totally different to what I thought I needed to do.

This forum has helped so much more than my gp and 1st diabetic clinic appt.

I am so grateful I have found this forum and I intend to be a regular on here.

Time seems to be my enemy at the moment but I am trying to reduce all the things I do. Such as looking after everybody but myself.

xx
 
@susie10137
You say you're going to be a grandma so we need to get you fit for the job long tem to enjoy the grand-kids (and them to enjoy you)
so keep asking questions and we'll try to help!
 
Yes most important to put yourself first. If you unwell then then others have yo wait your do it for themselves instead of putting on you. (I no that one for sure. Having the kids living in in eye view with them always after something, when they could do it themselves. Hell if we lived miles away they have to.)
 
CollieBoy said:
@susie10137
You say you're going to be a grandma so we need to get you fit for the job long tem to enjoy the grand-kids (and them to enjoy you)
so keep asking questions and we'll try to help!
Click to expand...

Aw thanks for your reply. Between work and home I don't often get chance to get on here but I will when I can.

We found out Sunday at their scan that it is a boy.

I just keep getting questions in my head but I don't want to appear silly or ignorant.

I feel as if they said yep you are Diabetic now go find out for yourself what you need to know.

It has really messed with my head.

Thanks again.

Sue

x
 
CollieBoy said:
@susie10137
You say you're going to be a grandma so we need to get you fit for the job long tem to enjoy the grand-kids (and them to enjoy you)
so keep asking questions and we'll try to help!
Click to expand...
PS collieboy look what I have x
 

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No need to feel silly, we all were in the same place as yourself & yhe only way to learn is ask the people that live & control it.
Ask away.
 
susie10137 said:
PS collieboy look what I have x
Click to expand...
Yep I defiantly need to be fit. I have lost some weight already and all I have done is cut cap out.

Sugar is between 7 and 19 at the moment and I seem to be recognising some surprising things that raise it.

Thank you all for your help. I love this forum and the genuine people on here xxx
 
Hi. I think they said in the 50s. I am seeing my gp soon as I have another chest infection so I can confirm.
Thanks for your reply and advice xx
 
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