diagnosed 8 weeks approx.am on metformin once a day,i take this with my lunch but am wondering if i should have this with my evening meal as that is when i eat larger amount? i have been on desmond course and found it quite helpful regarding portion sizes etc but am still not clear on what i should be eating.i have cut down on sweets ,choc, cake etc and having no added sugar drinks,water,diet sodas but am not sure on my carbs.i have some weight to lose.i have inquired at my doctors about seeing a dietian but havent had any comeback.i was told not to blood test as it wasnt needed.so not sure if im doing things right?.just want to do all i can to managethis but not sure if im doing things right.
Type 2 ---hello all,newbie here!
- Thread starter twinkle_57
- Start Date
callyandy
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 3,394
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hello Twinkle. 
I think I may have always secretly wanted to say that!.. I'm a newbie too, diagnosed on 30 September. If I knew how to work this wonderful system I would "Tag Daisy" as everyone seems to do, who will send you the brilliant newly diagnosed info. I hope someone else does this for you, if not right at the beginning of the forums there's a section saying read first. Full of very good stuff.
The best advice I have been given is to check out the Low Carb Programme. A 10 week set of modules (I'm on week 3, Portion control - a particular weakness!) designed to help us new type 2s to get a handle on our diet. The modules are informative, but as with these forums, the help from the community really stands out.
The blood test position is a strongly debated topic. I'm of the belief that knowledge is power, and if I can see how foods affect my blood sugar I can better manage what I eat. However, I will let the experts fill you in..
I'm afraid I can't help you with advice on when to take your meds, I'm a sponge at the moment on the steep leaning curve, but I know people will help.
Good luck on this new adventure in life. You'll read some amazing stories and be inspired by peoples' generosity.
I think I may have always secretly wanted to say that!.. I'm a newbie too, diagnosed on 30 September. If I knew how to work this wonderful system I would "Tag Daisy" as everyone seems to do, who will send you the brilliant newly diagnosed info. I hope someone else does this for you, if not right at the beginning of the forums there's a section saying read first. Full of very good stuff.The best advice I have been given is to check out the Low Carb Programme. A 10 week set of modules (I'm on week 3, Portion control - a particular weakness!) designed to help us new type 2s to get a handle on our diet. The modules are informative, but as with these forums, the help from the community really stands out.
The blood test position is a strongly debated topic. I'm of the belief that knowledge is power, and if I can see how foods affect my blood sugar I can better manage what I eat. However, I will let the experts fill you in..
I'm afraid I can't help you with advice on when to take your meds, I'm a sponge at the moment on the steep leaning curve, but I know people will help.
Good luck on this new adventure in life. You'll read some amazing stories and be inspired by peoples' generosity.
chalup
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,745
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Other
@daisy1 There she is tagged. You just do the @ sign and the members name as one word to tag someone. Welcome to the forum and as @callyandy the link to the low carb program is right at the bottom of daisy's post. Low Carb Program - http://www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb/ I have also added it here.
daisy1
Legend
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- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
@twinkle_57
Hello Twinkle and welcome to the forum Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as 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 well over 210,000 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:
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
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.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
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
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
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.
Hello Twinkle and welcome to the forum
Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as 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 well over 210,000 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
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
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.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
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
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
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.
walnut_face
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,748
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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- Diet only
@twinkle_57 welcome to a place you never wanted to be. The best bit of advise by far is get yourself a meter. If it aint measured it aint managed. Your body used to regulate your Blood Sugars without you knowing, just like breathing you didnt have to think about it. You may not get a meter on the NHS, if you dont please try to make it a priority spend.
Then Eat to your meter, take a reading before you eat, and again 2 hours after the first mouthful. Then you will find out what food raises your bloods too high and adjust your diet accordingly. We are all different, so what works for one doesnt work for all
Then Eat to your meter, take a reading before you eat, and again 2 hours after the first mouthful. Then you will find out what food raises your bloods too high and adjust your diet accordingly. We are all different, so what works for one doesnt work for all
callyandy
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 3,394
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Thankyou chalupa, I suppose I should apologies in advance to the other daisys out there when, with my ineptitude I tag them by mistake!!
Chasida
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 76
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
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- Pubs/clubs
It should be added that ( as in my own case) some people's Spike in blood glucose levels occures BEFORE the two hours, so check this in your own case in case you end up missing it ... as I always did until being told to check the hour too. Just a thought!
callyandy
Well-Known Member
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- 3,394
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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Freema
Expert
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- 7,346
- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
Rustytypin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 392
- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
Hi twinkle-57, like you I'm new to the forum, but as others have said the best advice is eat to the meter. I did a lot of browsing on this site, picking up info from the savvy people here. There are also a lot of good web sites to be found on the nutrition threads. I have used them to change my diet over the past few months with good effect. Good luck.
Severe_Needle_phobia
Well-Known Member
- Messages
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- Type of diabetes
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- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
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- Been told lies , fake people
Hi Twinkle_57
Warm welcome to the group from one new member to another ,you will loads of great advice from the group members with the knowledge we all will gain in time
Regards James
