# Hi guys - newbie type2



## Modingle (Feb 19, 2013)

I have just been diagnosed today as having type2 - from previous borderline blood tests I was not totally surprised by this as I also fall into the 'at risk' category of being almost 50 and overweight. I wasn't really given much info.  I have an appointment with nurse tomorrow and she is to take bloods for further tests and also to test my cholesterol level, and also have my blood pressure taken. I have to speak to her about my diet (I was doing this anyway as she is monitoring my weight) I then have to return in 2 weeks to find out if I need medication.

I was handed some printed sheets with an explanation of what type 2 is but I feel I haven't a clue what I am meant to be doing.

Should I buy a blood monitor and start taking readings or is this not necessary yet - I have read various threads on here and I am now confused. I want to manage my condition as best I can - what is the general advice ?


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## LeeLee (Feb 19, 2013)

Modingle said:


> I have just been diagnosed today as having type2 - from previous borderline blood tests I was not totally surprised by this as I also fall into the 'at risk' category of being almost 50 and overweight. I wasn't really given much info.  I have an appointment with nurse tomorrow and she is to take bloods for further tests and also to test my cholesterol level, and also have my blood pressure taken. I have to speak to her about my diet (I was doing this anyway as she is monitoring my weight) I then have to return in 2 weeks to find out if I need medication.
> 
> I was handed some printed sheets with an explanation of what type 2 is but I feel I haven't a clue what I am meant to be doing.
> 
> Should I buy a blood monitor and start taking readings or is this not necessary yet - I have read various threads on here and I am now confused. I want to manage my condition as best I can - what is the general advice ?


Hi Modingle, are we twins??  I'm also in the same age range and overweight, but have had the big D for about 10-ish years (unlike others, I really can't remember when I got the verdict).  For about 8 years, diet and exercise were enough to keep it under control.  The kick up the backside for me came last year when I had to go on Metformin.  That, plus weight loss (almost 5 st) has brought my blood glucose to non-diabetic levels.  I tell you this to give you hope!


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## Modingle (Feb 19, 2013)

Thanks for that - not really sure how I'm feeling - I think I'm relieved as I have not been feeling well for the last few months - very tired but none of the 'classic' symptoms like thirst or weeing a lot - I'm going through the menopause so I was putting the way I was feeling down to that.  As I said before I was expecting it but it's still something to 'get the head around'  Am sure things will become clearer.


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## Northerner (Feb 19, 2013)

Hi Modingle, welcome to the forum  There is a lot to take in at first, so much of it can be confusing. Diabetes is a complex condition that can affect people in many different ways, with many different treatment regimes in use, so it's not surprising that you feel a bit lost amongst it all to start with!

I would suggest reading  Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter and getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker - these should help to put you in the picture. 

It's quite likely that your doctor or nurse will tell you that you don't need to test, but really it is the best (and only good)  method of finding out what elements of your diet you tolerate well, and what things you should consider replacing, substituting or reducing in portion size. Diabetes is all about carbohydrates and how well your body copes with their consumption, so you will no doubt become very familiar with this food type in the months and years to come! Basically, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cakes, sweets, pastries will all have an impact on your blood sugar levels, so the aim is to minimise this impact by selecting the right types and quantities that suit you. 

Please ask any questions you may have - there are lots of friendly, knowledgeable people here who will do their best to help out, and no question is considered 'silly' 

Let us know how your appointment goes tomorrow, and try not to worry - many people find that their diagnosis is the spur to improving their diet and activity levels and they end up feeling much happier and healthier than they may have done for quite some time!


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## Mark T (Feb 19, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Modingle


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## Modingle (Feb 19, 2013)

Should I ask for a blood monitor tomorrow - am I entitled to one from my Dr or do I need to buy my own - I want to start right and get on top of this and would be happy to test and find out what does what to my body.  Maybe I am getting ahead of myself ?


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## Steff (Feb 20, 2013)

Hi modingle and a warm welcome to the forum


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2013)

Modingle said:


> Should I ask for a blood monitor tomorrow - am I entitled to one from my Dr or do I need to buy my own - I want to start right and get on top of this and would be happy to test and find out what does what to my body.  Maybe I am getting ahead of myself ?



You could ask, but be prepared for them to tell you that you don't need to test. The reason they may say this is primarily one of cost - the test strips are very expensive (around ?15 for 50 to the NHS, ?25 retail). Meters are actually quite cheap because the manufacturers want you to use their strips which is where they make their money. If they do say this then tell them that you want to be able to test whilst you are learning how different foods affect you, so that you can make modifications where necessary to improve your diet whilst retaining flexibility. They may argue that you will become concerned if you see high numbers when you test - tell them that you will feel more in control if you can test, and more anxious if you can't.

If they still refuse, and you can fund them yourself then the SD Codefree Meter has test strips that are around ?7 for 50. Alternatively, you can get a free meter from Abbott at http://www.abbottdiabetescare.co.uk/free-meter-signup and I believe you can buy strips directly from them for around ?12-13 for 50.


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## Modingle (Feb 20, 2013)

Just visited nurse for more blood tests and to get my flu jab - have phone appointment tomorrow with DN and have been advised I will probably be able to get monitor free from her and that test strips will be on prescription which means I will get them free as I live in Scotland.  I have proper appointment in 2 weeks with DN when today's tests will be back and they will then decide what course of action needs to be followed.  So all in all am quite happy with all that - am going to be interested in seeing which foods are going to cause me problems as I have been following Slimming World and eating lots of pasta, potatoes etc - am going to find restricting potatoes harder than giving up chocolate lol  Thanks for your help (so far) guys - no doubt I'll become a pain with my questions but I want to get in control of this and not let it control me !!!


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## LeeLee (Feb 20, 2013)

Hi Mo, there are quite a few of us SW devotees out here.  For those who really need to keep a lid on the carbs, Original is best - the portions in the Healthy Bs are really quite small.  If you want any tips/swaps/inspiration, post a question in the Weight Loss or Carbs thread and one of us will get right back to you.


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## Vicsetter (Feb 20, 2013)

As you live in the civilized part of the world   You might be interested in the Mydiabetes website run by Dundee hospital, which will give you on-line access to some of your medical records (hba, cholesterol, foot check, retinopathy etc), you can request an application form here: http://www.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/diabetes/default.asp


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2013)

Sounds like you have a good team behind you Modingle - good to hear that there was no opposition to your request for a meter and strips on prescription!


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## Modingle (Feb 20, 2013)

Vicsetter said:


> As you live in the civilized part of the world   You might be interested in the Mydiabetes website run by Dundee hospital, which will give you on-line access to some of your medical records (hba, cholesterol, foot check, retinopathy etc), you can request an application form here: http://www.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/diabetes/default.asp




Thank you - have registered but it doesn't seem to like my Chrome browser lol


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## Modingle (Feb 22, 2013)

Well nurse thinks I don't need to start testing and wouldn't give me monitor at the moment. I bought my own and used yesterday as I was curious to see what was going on - had lunch at 2pm and tested at 4pm & it was 5.0, I had dinner at 6pm and tested again at 8pm it was 8.6 I thought these seemed ok   This morning at 11am I had slice toast 2 slices bacon & egg & cup of tea - I tested at 1 and reading was 10.5 - I have done couple of miles on my exercise bike but as I have limited strips at the moment I am not going to test again till after dinner tonight - am I doing the right thing - should I rethink the breakfast or are levels usually higher in the morning (I was very late to bed that's why breakfast was at 11am)  Thank you


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## Northerner (Feb 22, 2013)

Modingle said:


> Well nurse thinks I don't need to start testing and wouldn't give me monitor at the moment. I bought my own and used yesterday as I was curious to see what was going on - had lunch at 2pm and tested at 4pm & it was 5.0, I had dinner at 6pm and tested again at 8pm it was 8.6 I thought these seemed ok   This morning at 11am I had slice toast 2 slices bacon & egg & cup of tea - I tested at 1 and reading was 10.5 - I have done couple of miles on my exercise bike but as I have limited strips at the moment I am not going to test again till after dinner tonight - am I doing the right thing - should I rethink the breakfast or are levels usually higher in the morning (I was very late to bed that's why breakfast was at 11am)  Thank you



Sounds like you are doing well from the numbers you give  A lot of people do have to watch what carbs they have for breakfast - some have to ditch the carbs altogether and go for something like scrambled eggs and mushrooms/bacon/tomatoes etc. (so try without the toast) This is because people are often more insulin-resistant in the mornings, so adding in the carbs can push your levels higher than they might later on in the day when you've been up and active for a while. It's also much better if you can test before you eat as well as afterwards so that you know what the exact rise is - if you started at 9.0 and rose to 10.5 then that means you tolerated your meal well, but if you started at 5.0 then it would represent quite a big 'spike' to be avoided 

If you have the strips then test before dinner and again a couple of hours after - this will be more useful than just the after test which doesn't really tell you anything about how the meal affected you.


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## Modingle (Feb 23, 2013)

Did as suggested last night took reading before dinner it was 6.1 - then had fish and chips - mostly fish but it was a biggie, cup of tea and a small cake for dessert - took reading 2 hours later at it was 5.2 - confused .com lol


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## Northerner (Feb 23, 2013)

Modingle said:


> Did as suggested last night took reading before dinner it was 6.1 - then had fish and chips - mostly fish but it was a biggie, cup of tea and a small cake for dessert - took reading 2 hours later at it was 5.2 - confused .com lol



There are a couple of possibilities - did the fish have a lot of batter on it? If so, then the fat in the batter (and the chips!) would have slowed the digestion, so slowed the impact on your blood sugar levels. Your pancreas would have started producing insulin in response to the food, but the food would not be digesting too quickly so you could more or less keep pace and stay at a good level. Alternatively, your pancreas coped very well with the meal and had brought your levels down to a good level, pretty close to your pre-meal level, by two hours later  Make a note of your findings for this particular meal and then check back the next time you eat it so you can compare. In time you will build up a good knowledge about how different meals are likely to affect you 

You might be interested in hearing how others got on eating fish and chips in Bev's Food Experiments:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=6081

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=8233


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## Modingle (Feb 23, 2013)

Thanks for your help - me and hubby are finding it all quite interesting lol


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## HOBIE (Feb 23, 2013)

Well done for being so possitive. I love the name. Modingle


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## eseddon (Mar 3, 2013)

*New to Diabiteslike you Modingle*

Hi I was diagnosed as diabetic Type 2 last week also over 50 and over weight  with a reading of 12.2. I have access to a meter and have been testing with readings as high as 17 and no lower than 13.9 . I see the nurse again on Tuesday but I am worried about the readings. Am I eating the wrong foods, cereals or toast for breakfast, salads for lunch and veg/potatoes and fish for dinner.


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## LeeLee (Mar 3, 2013)

Hello eseddon and welcome from another middle-aged T2.


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## eseddon (Mar 3, 2013)

Thanks LeeLee


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## LeeLee (Mar 3, 2013)

Have a browse around the Newbie, Carbs and Weight Loss threads and come back if you have any questions.  I'm living proof that diet, exercise and most of all weight loss (in my case with added metformin) can help to lower blood glucose levels.


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## Northerner (Mar 3, 2013)

eseddon said:


> Hi I was diagnosed as diabetic Type 2 last week also over 50 and over weight  with a reading of 12.2. I have access to a meter and have been testing with readings as high as 17 and no lower than 13.9 . I see the nurse again on Tuesday but I am worried about the readings. Am I eating the wrong foods, cereals or toast for breakfast, salads for lunch and veg/potatoes and fish for dinner.



Hi eseddon, welcome to the forum  Try not to worry too much about your readings currently as you are so recently diagnosed, but do write them down so you can use them for future reference. It would also be helpful to put the readings in context i.e. write down when the readings were taken in relation to food, and what food was eaten. By doing this you will build up a database of what meas you can tolerate well and things where you might need to consider substituting items or reducing portion sizes. In particular you should record the carbohydrate content of what you are eating, and it is most useful to take a reading just before eating and then another reading either an hour or two hours after eating (or both would be best to begin with, so you can find the 'peak' of your blood sugar levels as your food digests. Diabetes is all about carbohydrates and how much, and how quickly, they impact your blood sugar levels. A good method of selecting the best combinations of things is the GI/GL diet - The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction.

A good place to start is by reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and many of our members find the book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker invaluable in learning about their diabetes and how best to control it. 

And do ask questions here - nothing is considered 'silly' and there is a wealth of experience for you to draw on  Hope things go well with your appointment, let us know how things go


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## eseddon (Mar 3, 2013)

Thanks to the Northerner and LeeLee I shall go off and do more reading and hopefully learn the way to go. Before I read one more question does the GI give indications of carb levels in food , is their a table showing carbs in potatoes or carrots ? 
Thanks Northerner for the advice on the numbers it has settled my mind.


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## Northerner (Mar 3, 2013)

eseddon said:


> Thanks to the Northerner and LeeLee I shall go off and do more reading and hopefully learn the way to go. Before I read one more question does the GI give indications of carb levels in food , is their a table showing carbs in potatoes or carrots ?
> Thanks Northerner for the advice on the numbers it has settled my mind.



I would suggest getting a copy of the Collins Gem Calorie Counter as this contains all the numbers you will need  Tinned and packaged goods should have the values on the container.


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## Modingle (Mar 20, 2013)

Hello all - just an update to how things are going - following visit to DN I got my results back HbA1c 44/6.2 Cholesterol 5.8 blood pressure 132/80 - so not too bad. I was refused test strips on prescription so buying my own at the moment. I am to be reviewed in 3 months to see how things are going. I had visit to nurse today for weight management and I haven't lost anything over the last 3 weeks despite cutting out chocolate, crisps, cakes and biscuits. I thought I had lost something as a lot of my clothes feel looser so I don't understand what's going on. Nurse took me through understanding food labelling and how to work out carbs and advised me to go home and check my cupboards & fridge and read the labels. I amazed by some of the carb counts in some of the things I thought were 'healthy' e.g Shape delight crumble yogurts average 14.0g per pot and the Go Ahead Yogurt biscuits are 26.6g for 2. These are items I was including in my box for work as I work 10 hour (12-10) shifts broken into 2 breaks then dinner then 1 more break and I try to eat sensibly over the shift. I have sat today on my day off and worked out carb content of a lot of the foods I eat regularly so I know a bit better now what to eat. I'm going to try to stick to 130g day to see how it works.
Monitoring has been going well but I have calmed down from the initial test test test - I test in morning before breakfast and as I eat the same breakfast every morning I don't bother 2 hours after anymore as I know what reading will be. I test before dinner and sometimes 2 hours after. I always test 2 hours after if I try something new to see what effect it is having.
I try to have a walk every day and a session on the exercise bike but will need to up the exercise once the weather improves. 
So all in all things are going ok and I think it's finally sunk in what's going on - I did have a bit of a blip on Comic Relief night as the place I work was answering calls for donations and there was so much food and baking on offer I just couldn't resist. I have noticed the old joints don't seem to be aching so much but maybe that's just my imagination lol


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## Northerner (Mar 20, 2013)

Sounds like you are doing really well Modingle - well done for getting to grips with things!  Shame you are having to fund your own strips though, this really infuriates me as it is such a valuable tool, especially in the early days after diagnosis - it is an ignorant and short-sighted penny-pinching action and many people not able to self-fund will end up not knowing how their changes to diet and activity levels are working. Rant over!

As for things described as 'healthy' being high carb, this is unfortunately due to the obsession that all fat is unhealthy, so the marketing emphasises tha lack of fat content but ignores the carbs - which will just as easily pile on the pounds! It could be that, with your exercise, you are creating more muscle which is denser than fat, so your clothes may feel looser as you become more toned, but your weight may not immediately come down.

Keep up the good work, and let us know how you go!


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