Totally Stressed

Chances are your main problem is anxiety, but how about making an appointment to see your doctor early in the new Year? Write down your worries and take the piece of paper with you so you don't forget to ask something.
As to weight
I find keeping to very low carbs works best for me. It's more difficult at times when there's expected to be loads of food around like Christmas, but I do my best and get back on track as quickly as possible. [Had green salad and cold turkey for lunch today.
We've got family coming for New Year and I've already got my menus planned.
Hana

Nikki1111 said:

I have type 2 diabetes which has only been diagnosed a few months. I take Metformin 2 times a day, as well as medication at night for high colestorol. I am over weight, ideally i would like to lose at least 2 stone, which at the moment feels like 20 stone. I am trying to stop smoking with patches and an electronic cigerette. I am starting my healthy eating and exercise but when i am down and sad i comfort eat, its a vicious circle.
I have been getting an achy feeling around my left breast and my left arm feels swollen compared to my right. I have been reading on the internet about heart attacks, strokes etc and the link between this and diabetes. I am totally stressed, worried, scared and very low at the moment will all this, aswell as the added stress of money worries. I am joining a diabetic group in the new year and hope this helps with all the questions i have. The nurse i see for my diabetes says that the symptoms never go but i seen a programmes (Weight Lose Ward) and someone with diabetes had lost alot of weight and their symptoms disappeared!
I just feel i have no one to speak to who understands what im feeling.

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Aw Nikki, you are being very hard on yourself, arent you?! You are panicking and trying to do too many things at once, no wonder you feel dejected and deprived. Relax a little, or a lot even, do one thing after another, deal with the smoking, dont worry about the weight just yet, giving up smoking will help you save pennies I would have thought?? Try to devise an eating plan, not a diet, but an eating plan that you feel that you will be able to stick to, keeping carbs at a sensible level, I am assuming that you are testing your bg?
Giving up smoking and eating lots of vegetables, good protein and good, healthy fats will help stop you feeling hungry, you will support your body in fighting the nicotine cravings and I am sure that you will begin to feel healthier and more confident as a result.
You dont have to spend a lot of money to eat healthily, buy the cheaper cuts of meat, mince, frozen fish, same with vegetables, frozen berries are cheaper than fresh. Also try to be prepared, keep low carb muffins or soups or slices of quiche in the freezer for when you feel a snack attack coming on or salami, cheese and Greek yoghurt are all good to have as a stand by.

Re your chest pains that radiate into your left arm, as Hana said, it could be stress related, but it wont do any harm to have yourself checked out by your doctor.

I dont know what your nurse was talking about when she said the symptoms will never go away, which symptoms does she refer to? Diabetes doesnt go away, thats true, but its still possible to be fit, active and healthy.

Dont despair Nikki, you are doing great, you have good plans, big pat on your back :thumbup: :thumbup:

Big hug x

Hi. As Whitbyjet has said, once your blood sugar is under control many if not all the diabetes symptoms but not the underlying diabetes should fade away unless any damage has started but this is unlikely as your diagnosis was recent. As I'm sure you realise you must control your eating. This means keeping carbs well under control, say 150 gm/day or less? Keep them high fibre and low-GI. As you reduce your carbs you should feel less inclined to snack; the Metformin also normally helps reduce appetite. Have a selection of nuts handy for snacking and I have Dark 85% chocolate handy as well. Protein, vegetables (and fruit and fatty foods in sensible quantity) won't affect your blood sugar too much. So many of us have diabetes that you needn't feel alone on that front.