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Type 2 diagnosed today

Spiritedgirl

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello everyone complete newbie to this so bear with me, had some symptoms over the last few months that led me to believe I may be diabetic which was confirmed today, I started the year at nearly 19 stone after the last few years of utter hell, I have now dropped to just under 16 my mmol reading is 90 should I be scared ? Over the last month I now walk a minimum of 6k everyday have dropped all but greek yoghurt carbs and said goodbye to my love affair with bread and chocolate and divorced pasta! so now on a lean meat and fish and vegetable diet working to to be still in a calorie deficit, is there anything else I can be doing? Have to go back in three months for another blood test aim to lose another stone by then. And get my blood sugar levels right down as much as I can, Any advice on what else i should be doing is gratefully received thank you
 
Hi @Spiritedgirl and welcome to the forum.

It sounds like you’re on this. Presumably the 90 is your HbA1c result. It’s high, but many on here have dropped from similar, or higher levels into the non-diabetic range.

Is there any reason why you’re avoiding natural fats and aiming for calorie deficit? That can be a difficult strategy to maintain. Eating natural fats attached to protein helps with satiety.

How are your blood sugar levels doing? Do you have your own meter to test?
 
No meter of my own as all very new to me should I get one ? I've been on a high protein low carb diet before and did very well on it, but read carbs are the enemy is that right pasta is no loss but will kiss crusty bit of French stick from time to time lol. Please forgive my ignorance but as insaid I only was diagnosed today is the blood sugar level what you get when you do the finger prick test ?
 
A meter will be your best friend. We can help you make a choice.

Welcome to the forum, loads of info and support here.
 
@Rachox has a good post, but she might be busy now. I use the Tee2, the strips are your running cost.

T2s can't process carbohydrates. The meter tells us how our food is affecting us. You test brfore you ear and then again 2 hours later. If the rise is more than 2, then we had too many carbs. It is essential to help up discover what foods we can tolerate and those we can't. We are all different. You may be able to tolerate poridge, maybe I can't. The meter gives us the proof.
 
Spiritedgirl said:
What one should I get ? Why should I do this regularly? again sorry for the ignorance
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Hiya

Here’s some info (mostly cribbed from @Rachox):

Testing is an important way to understand the impact of food on your blood sugar levels. Test immediately before and 2 hours after you’ve eaten. In that way you’ll understand the impact that meal has on your blood sugars. You’re looking for a ride of no more than 2mmols. Any more and there were too many carbs for you to handle and the meal needs adjusting.

In terms of blood glucose meters, there are a few popular ones used by type 2s on here. As we often have to self-fund, the cost of the strips is important as they’ll be what you spend most on.

The Tee2+ from Spirit Healthcare which has cheap strips (not the cheapest strips but very reasonable): http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/ I got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order the meter and 10 boxes of strips and they threw the meter in for free. Phone number 0800 8815423

The meter with the cheapest strips is the SD Codefree. Strips need to be bought in bulk using the codes below and the manufacturer is in the process of switching people over to a new model (see below). http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/ and here for the extra strips http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/Discount codes for bulk orders:

5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

Also from Spirit Healthcare, with more expensive strips than the Tee2+ is their Caresens Dual. This can be used for testing ketones too (strips for that very expensive). https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual

Home Health have recently brought out a new meter, the Navii, which will eventually replace the Codefree. https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/. https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/ The latest news from Home Health states:

"We have a special promotion for switching Codefree customers to the GlucoNavii, whereby if you buy a meter with 2 or more packs of strips from the below link and add the discount code "dcuk" at checkout, we will subtract the price of the meter.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips.

Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
 
Spiritedgirl said:
I've been on a high protein low carb diet before and did very well on it, but read carbs are the enemy is that right
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Basically, yes. Dietdoctor.com is an excellent website full of food, recipe and meal planning ideas. There’s a paid option but you can get what you need for free.
 
Thank you very much for the advice its appreciated x
 

Hi! Sounds like you have some good advice already.

I was diagnosed and of Feb this year with blood glucose levels of 91 mmol. Like you i had no idea what to do but in that time, thanks tk this forum, I feel I have made some positive steps to reduce my levels.

My biggest tips are to get a blood glucose testing kit at home. It shows you what effect the food you eat has on your blood sugar and that is both motivating and reassuring. I log these figures on an app called MySugr which then gives me an estimated hba1c score..... it’s telling me mine is 42!!!! That would
Be amazing but I have the actual test next week so fingers crossed it is accurate!

Giving up so much lovely food wasn’t hard at first but as time goes by I missed things more (still
Haven’t kissed any crusty bread tho!) My main sins are dark chocolate (85% Lindt of green and blacks are amazing)

I haven’t started with exercise yet as I’ve been a bit lazy but sounds like you’re on the right track with that. I need to do more as it is very important!

Anyway, welcome, good luck and let us know how you get on!!!!!
 
I was diagnosed T2 in March with similar level of 90 mmol . My doctor prescribed me a meter and testing strips on repeat prescription so it might be worth asking your surgery.
I went low carb on advice from this forum against the advice of my nurse, I eat as much dairy, meat ,and fish as I like .
For nibbles nuts, strawberries, and pork scratchings, and if I get a sweet tooth I made a big bowl of Hartleys sugar free jelly and keep it in fridge and just have some when I get the urge.
No or very little bread same with potatoes.
Tested every day and got my readings down from 13 to between 4.5 and 6 every day and just converted average of 5.9 of 35 tests and now my HbA1c would be 34.6 .
So i would see if you can get a test kit and cut out bread .
 
Spiritedgirl said:
What one should I get ? Why should I do this regularly? again sorry for the ignorance
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Never apologise for "ignorance" when you're actively trying to learn. We all started out newly diagnosed, clueless and scared, so you wouldn't be the first and you won't be the last coming in here with a ton of questions. I'm just glad you're asking them, because you'll improve your life!

As said, you don't want to go for lean meats and such, as you need the healthy fats and protein to keep up your energy, feel full, and get enough nutrients not to become deficient in anything. Plus, fats slow down a sugar spike, so they flatten that particular curve, which is good. Cutting carbs'll help enormously. Also, if you test often, you see the changes occur as they happen. It's highly motivational and you know whether something's working for you or not, so that's invaluable right there. Test before a meal and 2 hours after, if your reading goes up 2.0 mmol/l or less, that meal was something your body could cope with. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help a little, then dive into dr. Jason Fung's the Diabetes Code and dietdoctor.com... You'll find a lot of hope in these places, and on this forum.
Jo
 
Hi i told i had type 2 last year.when I asked if I could have a metal and test strips on a strip as I unemployed due to a disableted ,so cannot afford scrip costs,I was told not to worried about testing my blood sugar.
 
Mini24 said:
Hi i told i had type 2 last year.when I asked if I could have a metal and test strips on a strip as I unemployed due to a disableted ,so cannot afford scrip costs,I was told not to worried about testing my blood sugar.
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Majority T2 don't get meter and setup from surgery it seems? My first appointment the diabetic nurse said he would try and source me one but the week after on follow up it was a lady and she totally dismissed needing a meter and also said diet and excersise didn't matter and was all about the Metformin.Since then I have bought a tru metrix air from Boots and it's easy enough to use. The cost was an issue but I bit the bullet and shelled out. Ironically was offered the father in laws old meter after I'd bought mine but hadn't told anyone about my T2 and didn't know the Mother in law had kept his kit. It is a useful tool and I'm glad I got one looking back
 
Agree Craig, useful piece of kit and although it’s costly, I feel the benefit so I think it’s worth it. Once you understand what foods you can and can’t eat, you don’t need to test so often. It made a huge difference for me.
 
Buzzer81 said:
Agree Craig, useful piece of kit and although it’s costly, I feel the benefit so I think it’s worth it. Once you understand what foods you can and can’t eat, you don’t need to test so often. It made a huge difference for me.
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Yep. I was undecided mainly because of the cost then after few days mulling and reading so many in here in favour of a meter i looked at it as the cost of a night out which obviously we haven't had so that swung my decision.
Can appreciate the outlay and then the strips are an expense but really imo it is not a luxury but a necessity and should be available upon diagnosis alongside the prescription waver.
Suppose the counter argument is the health service already under financial pressure but still feel it would pay for itself in long run by helping keeping patients Diabetes in check?
 
Thank you for this I do feel scared I feel if I cut out all the carbs then I can get this gone I'm terrified of the machine idea being honest and my fingers and arms are so bruised and sore already from all the tests then the thought of doing more and let alone every day that I'd rather just cut them out completely then keep going through this
 
The carbs that is ! Not my fingers lol
 
Spiritedgirl said:
The carbs that is ! Not my fingers lol
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Like Buzzer said in his post after first getting the meter and testing before/after meals you soon learn which foods to avoid and the need to test so often drops. I have no experience of the Libre systems that get mentioned but that bypasses the Lancets etc it seems? I just set the pen thing at 4 and hardly notice it now although hated it at first.
The other option is low carb and wait 3 month for next H1 but not knowing which foods don't agree with you may slow down progress? Ultimately it's up to you
 
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