Hi, it has taken numerous attempts for me even to get logged on! I am new here and was diagnosed type 2 in March. I am on metformin 1g twice daily. Due to have HbA1 checked again in the next couple of weeks.
Type 2. New to forum.
- Thread starter Teammidwife
- Start Date
Maggie/Magpie
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 279
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Butternut Squash, Cabbage and confrontation.
Tabbyjoolz
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 557
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Cruelty, bigotry
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
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- Cruelty towards animals.
@Teammidwife
Hello and welcome to the forum
Here is the basic information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. This contains info about carbs and levels and also a link to the Low Carb Program which you might like to try. Ask as many questions as you want 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 220,000 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 and welcome to the forum
Here is the basic information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. This contains info about carbs and levels and also a link to the Low Carb Program which you might like to try. Ask as many questions as you want 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 220,000 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.
Freema
Expert
- Messages
- 7,346
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
mo53
Expert
- Messages
- 7,869
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hello @Teammidwife and welcome to the forum. Have you changed what you eat or just taking the metformin?
Liam1955
Master
- Messages
- 10,964
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
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Hello. I can't seem to get the hang of the forum which is why you've not had a reply! I have changed my diet, though am not strictly following the LCHF programme. My last HbA1c had reduced and I have lost some weight. I am having my HbA1c checked again on Monday as the practice nurse (quite rightly) thinks I will have made poor choices over Christmas and that it will be higher again. My trouble is lack of will power and I know it! Am feeling a bit down at the moment and finding it difficult to accept that I am stuck with this for good. However, I don't want to bring anyone else down, so will persevere.
- Messages
- 10,635
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hi, @Teammidwife .
You have managed to log in and post now, so don't go away. Oh and don't give up or give in. Read some of the success stories as a way of boosting your confidence in your ability to succedd in being in control.
Poor choices at Christmas will be almost 3 months ago, and HbA1c measures around last three months. Never to late to start making the small changes that will make a difference.
Have you read the info provided by daisy1? You say you have poor willpower, and I guess in your profession there are lots of chocs and stuff from grateful patients? How about giving yourself an incentive by testing your blood glucose before and after eating to see what foodstuff does.
mo53
Expert
- Messages
- 7,869
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hello again @Teammidwife as @Pipp rightly says your here now so please stay with us. We all go through a down period but it Doesn't last and once you start to have successes it gets easier.
Liam1955
Master
- Messages
- 10,964
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- Anti-Gay People, Self Centre People, Two Faced People and Bad Language.
Hello @Teammidwife - Well Done on the weight loss . Just take take one day at a time and in your own stride, try not to overload your mind with too much information. You didn't say what your last HBA1C was?
. Just take take one day at a time and in your own stride, try not to overload your mind with too much information. You didn't say what your last HBA1C was?
Resurgam
Expert
- Messages
- 9,866
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
It is your choice, but my medical team have lost interest in me as I went onto LCHF from the moment I was diagnosed - my numbers after 80 days were no longer diabetic. I stopped taking the tablets - they made life unbearable, but don't seem to need them. The only downside is that all my clothes are too big and I'm having to find a complete new wardrobe - even my feet have shrunk in both width and length, but I have shoes put away from years ago - I just need to find them and sort them into pairs.
My GPs won't prescribe strips to type 2s, I use them sparingly due to cost (got the cheapest ones, which I found on Amazon, not sure how accurate they are, though they seem the genuine article) I am trying - I started to do park run a couple of years ago (slow, but never last!!) a knee operation then a fall in 2014 in which I broke my ankle and 3 metatarsals put paid to that and I put weight on - I have signed up to a beginners running club, first session on March 29th, so hoping to get some exercise, if I can manage to run. Thank you to all who replied to me with encouraging comments
Had got it down to 48, we'll see what Monday bringsHello @Teammidwife - Well Done on the weight loss
Hi, when were you diagnosed? You seem to have got your HbA1 down really quickly. Thank you for responding to my post
Thank you for your response. Unfortunately my husband still likes to have the dessert things and biscuits in the house and still wants chips with everything ( I haven't had a portion of chips for years - am not fussed). I have found a soya ice cream which isn't bad in terms of carbs and sugar. Sorry to everyone, I'm just in a mo any mood I think
