• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Terrified newbie

M

Maz7328

Newbie
Messages
4
Hello All,

I went to my doctor on friday for a routine checkup. Whilst I was there a BG test was carried out with a reading of 33.3!! The doctor nearly hit the floor and started to panick! For the next 5 mins all he seemed to bang on about was I was a type 2 diabetic - insulin required and it was bank holiday weekend :evil:

I ended up leaving the surgery very upset, confused and terrified. I was given a prescription for Metformin (1 x 500mg in the morning) told to test my sugars 3 x daily, not to eat any sugar,to call the eme doctor if my sugars go over 20 mmol and to come back first thing on Wednesday.

I have done everything the doctor has told me and cut down on my carbs, however my blood sugar level still sits around 17 mmol/s each test (before food).

I'm terrified that when I go back tomorrow they will tell me I need to go onto insulin (I am terrified of needles)!

Any advice much appreciated.
 
Hi Maz and welcome to the forum :)
I do hope all goes well tomorrow. To help you to look after yourself and get your levels down, here is the information we give to new members which I hope will help you. You have made a good start by reducing the carbohydrates you eat.

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 30,000 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 ... rains.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 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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please sign our e-petition for free testing for all type 2's; here's the link:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/petition/

Do get your friends and colleagues to sign as well.
Click to expand...
 
Really sorry to hear your new Maz :sick:. I sometimes think though a doctor who is a little OTT about things isn't all bad because it's easy to get the wrong end of the stick if they are a little too laid back
 
Hi Maz,

Firstly, DON'T PANIC!

Someone with much more knowledge than me will be along in a minute, but you have arrived at the best place on the internet by great good fortune :)

It's important that you cut out as much carbohydrate as possible with levels like that, so not JUST sweet stuff, but bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, oats and even things like carrots and apples. Everyone has different levels of tolerance for different foods, but at the moment I think you probably need to be very careful for a while. Something like steak and green salad would be a good place to start.

Good Luck!
 
Hi Maz, your Gp will be able to do a blood test to confirm what type of diabetic you are. And when you see a Diabetic nurse they will be able to give you a lot more helpful information than your GP as its a lot more than just avoiding sugar.

If it helps at all i hate needles have a very bad phobia so much so that i have to have the nurse at my GP's or the out of hours nurses inject my insulin. Could not even test my levels took a whole month for me to be able to start checking them. Try not to panic there are lots of other medications to try and theres once weekly injections as well. Before even worrying about insulin injections. The insulin injections are done via a tiny needle and it feels like a small sting thats all.
 
Try not to panic Maz; stress raises blood sugar levels so try and keep calm. It takes a while for our blood sugar levels to settle back down. There are a number of different medications that can be tried before insulin, but even if you ARE put on insulin, the needles aren't like those you have with normal injections. Very fine. I'm sure a type 1 will be along and could clarify things here.
if you DO go on insulin, it might not be for ever either. People on this forum have started on insulin because of very high blood sugar levels, but then come off as they adjust their diet.
So, try and keep cool. Cut out the starchy carbs for now. So no rice or pasta, boiled new potatos (a few only) instead of old potatos, hardly any bread, and if you do, certainly no white bread, no pastry or other flour type products, no sugar products which means most desserts. Keep to berry type fruit (certainly avoid bananas for now) Instead, eat fish, salads, dairy products, meat and lots of veg; preferabnly veg that grows above ground, Avoid parsnips.
It all sounds daunting, but it's really not as bad as you're probably thinking right now
Good luck
 
Firstly Calm down. It's not nearly as bad as you think it is.

You need to cut your carbs right down. That sounds daunting, but it's not really. Grazer has given you some excellent advice, I will add my own thoughts and advice.

Cut right down on; pasta, rice, potato's, bread and all wheat products as well as ready meals.

You can safely eat; meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy and veg. Try to eat veg that grows above ground, rather than under, as it's less carbs. Fruit is a bit more difficult, fruits ending in berry; strawberry, raspberry, blueberry etc are safest. Things like banana's, melons and grapes are usually no no's to T2's. Most of us use Burgen soya and linseed bread, as it is the lowest in carbs, but I with others, just don't tolerate it well, so I have one slice, once in a blue moon.

You have a meter use it. Invest in more strips as three a day is just not enough. Test before you have your meal, then +2 hours. This will give you an idea of what you can tolerate. If your BG is high, drink a couple of glasses of water, this can help to bring it down a little. If you can manage, a 30 minute gentle walk will also help.

Use your meter, calm down, ask loads of questions. That is how you will learn to deal with the shock you have just been given.

Good luck - Joanna.
 
Thanks everybody. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Hopefully the doctor will give me more information tomorrow.

Thanks again.
 
Maz7328 said:
Thanks everybody. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Hopefully the doctor will give me more information tomorrow.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

You're welcome, we were all newly diagnosed once, and know exactly how scared you feel. Let us know what your GP says.
 
I agree with all the good advice above! IF you are advised to take insulin then the needles are so fine these days that you don't even feel them going in and it's not like a traditional syringe,these days it resembles a writing pen,you remove the cap,screw on a very small disposable needle,twist the pen to the dose,remove the end caps of the end of the needle,inject where the nurse has advised and gently press down on the end of the pen until it stops and hold it there for 5 seconds and then gently withdraw the pen but as you do,keep your thumb over the end of the pen so you don't risk sucking anything into the pen and medication inside.
I hate needles but it really ISN'T as bad as I imagined going onto a injectable med and as others have said,there's LOT's of options to try before hand.
My best wishes
Paul :wink:
 
Hi ,
I have just joined the forum and its taken me ages to be able to figure out how to write a post, My son who is eight has recently been diagnosed with type 1, i'm still learning about diabetes and im always unsure if im doing it right , with the carb counting. He uses the pen and im so grateful for the small needle ,though it is still a struggle for him as he has now closed off to having diabetes and each injection takes a while, im worried he wont accept this . Is this normal? can anyone advise? michelle :problem:
 
Hello Maz and welcome to the forum.

First thing don't panic! I was diagnosed in December last year and using the advice I found on this site I got my blood sugar levels back to normal within around a couple of months or so and I have also normalised my cholesterol levels and blood pressure as well. I have now lost over 3 stone in weight too. My doctor is very pleased how I am getting on and has advised me to keep doing what I have been doing since it's obviously working really well. Not a cure as I still have to be very careful what I eat but I feel loads better than I did.

Diet wise its really easy. Just drastically cut down or better cut out all things with plain sugar, so biscuits, cakes, sugar in tea and coffee, pure fruit juices, non diet versions of soft drinks. Next and really importantly try halving starchy foods like rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, cereals and any other flour based products. Replace what's now missing with extra meat, fish, eggs, cheese and especially vegetables. Vegetables that grow above ground are best although most of us find carrots fine. Things like yoghurt are fine as is a small amount of fresh fruit. I find the ones that end in "berry" are the best. If you don't mind artificial sweeteners things like Diet Coke are fine to drink. On the starchy foods that are left swap try brown basmati rice instead of white and brown or tri-colour pasta. The bread that most recommend is actually Bergen soya bread but some do ok with wholemeal as well.

The above diet is close to one you would be one recommended to try by the Swedish Health service. It was introduced in that country last year and the American health service and several other countries health services recommend something very similar for Type 2 diabetics. In the UK the diet guidelines are now over 30 years old and are only gradually being updated. As the UK is lagging behind you may find what I and other forum members recommend will be different to what your are told is a good diet for you follow.

Did your doctor mention giving you a meter and strips to measure your own blood sugars?. Some do and some don't. It's a bit of a post code lottery and we find some progressive surgeries are pro testing and others anti. I'll warn you the anti ones can sometimes be very vocally anti!

The reason testing is important is you should try and keep your blood sugars below 8ish two hours after eating any meal. Above the 8 value is where the dangers of complications do begin to occur according to diabetic experts. So if you can't test how will you now if what you are eating is keeping you safe? The problem is every diabetic is different so my earlier advice to halve starchy foods is just a rough guide. You may find you need to eat less than half (like me) or that you can eat more than half like others.

As you get into it all and read around the forum you may see people talking about carb counting. If you want to understand what that is just ask. It is a powerful weapon that a diabetic can use to control their condition and one that many of us use to great effect.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

Regards

Steve

PS Here's two good links about what's good to eat.

First is the lady doctor who's low carb / low GI recommendations seem to form the basis of what's recommended in Sweden

http://blogg.passagen.se/dahlqvistannika/?anchor=my_lowcarb_dietary_programe_in

Second is a good beginners guide to low carb regimes that are excellent for reducing blood sugar levels and losing weight.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
 
shell38 said:
Hi ,
I have just joined the forum and its taken me ages to be able to figure out how to write a post, My son who is eight has recently been diagnosed with type 1, i'm still learning about diabetes and im always unsure if im doing it right , with the carb counting. He uses the pen and im so grateful for the small needle ,though it is still a struggle for him as he has now closed off to having diabetes and each injection takes a while, im worried he wont accept this . Is this normal? can anyone advise? michelle :problem:
Click to expand...



Hello Shell

Welcome to the board :)

I think your post has got lost. I can't give you any advise at all because I'm a Type 2. I'd advise you to repost in this forum:

viewforum.php?f=19

Which is specifically for Type 1 diabetes and one of the very helpful Type 1 diabetics will be very happy to advise you.
 
Hello Maz

Welcome to the forum :) You've already been given lots of great advice here. I hope you have a positive meeting with the doctor this morning.
 
Hi everyone,

Firstly, thanks again to everybody who responded to my post. Your comments are very much appreciated and have helped a lot.

My fasting level was 13.0 which is the lowest its been since I was diagnosed :D

Doctors visit this morning went very well. She was very pleased that my readings had lowered so much and put my mind at rest regarding insulin. She increased my Metformin to 2 x 500mg per day, but from all of your comments I was kinda expecting that.

I just need to take each day as it comes and learn to reduce my carb intake considerably.

Marie
 
Brilliant!! :thumbup: :D Sounds like your readings are INDEED going in the right direction and it can take a little while for them to get to where you want them to be so don't be too disheartened at first but I have a feeling you're going to get there so WELL DONE!! :D

All the best

Paul
 
Back
Top