# Just diagnosed



## Judith5 (Oct 10, 2018)

Hi. I have had two blood tests. Hb1ac results 54 and then 53. Waiting to see the diabetes nurse at the end of the month. GP not able to answer my questions on what I should do! Help!!


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## Loulou23 (Oct 10, 2018)

Hi Judith5 
Everyone on here is really helpful and someone will no doubt post you some links to some really helpful books and articles. I found the T2 ‘the first year’ book an excellent place to start. 

Try not to worry about your results, it’s a lot to take in and will take a while to take on board all the information. 

Many people reduce carbs in their diet (I have and it’s really helping) but again, someone will be along and give you better advice than I can. 
This forum has been fantastic for me (only diagnosed this year) and even just reading other people’s posts has given me a lot of reassurance. 

I went for my first retina screening appointment this week and I was nervous but having read posts on here was soon relieved to know there was nothing to worry about. Now I just have to wait for the results. 

Take it one step at a time and you’ll be fine. I know I have a long way to go yet but things are improving and lots of people on here have very inspiring stories. 

Good luck with your appointment and don’t be afraid ask questions on here


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## Ljc (Oct 10, 2018)

Hi @Judith5 , welcome to the forum.  First of all don’t panic, Diabetes is a condition that with the right info and some input by yourself can be well managed and you have come to the right place for the info.
I am sorry but not supprised to hear that your GP wasn’t able to answer your questions, they often don’t have much training in diabetes, that’s no help to you though is it.

Ask as many questions here as you need to about diabetes we’ll do our best to help, remember everyone of us has been there before you so we do understand.

Their is a lot of misconceptions and even wrong info about diabetes out there, even con men.

Your probably worrying now what on Earth can you eat, well,  we’re going to give you a huge supprise.
We usually have no problems with protein and good fats, yes you’ve read that right good fats.

This list is not exhaustive
So if you eat meat , meat is fine as are high meat content sausages and burgers, veg that grows above ground, eggs cooked anyway you like, milk, cheese, mushrooms. Some nuts are low in carbohydrates, we often tolerate berries better than other fruit , yogurt . Mushrooms See you already have the makings of a good meal .

What we have problems with is carbohydrates, so we need to cut down on and or find substitutes for
Potatoes esp mashed, rice, pasta, bread esp white , fruit juice is packed full of sugar as are grapes , breakfast cereals, things made with flour, we often need to be careful with fruit. 
Now I know that sounds horrible but their are substitutes that you may well enjoy better .

Have a read of
maggie-daveys-letter-to-newly-diagnosed-type-2s

test-review-adjust by Alan S

If you decide you want to test , do see if you Gp practice for one but if they say no, which is most likely the SD Codefree glucose meter is one of the cheapest meters we know of to self fund the ongoing cost of the test strips,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-G...fm-21&linkId=f39210144fdc26c27738e45b6d957003

I hope you find the above helpful.


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## Bronco Billy (Oct 10, 2018)

Hi Judith5. Easy to say, I know, but try not to worry too much. Yes, it’s a serious condition, but it is manageable, as lots of people here will testify. The link below may answer some of your questions. For the questions it leaves unanswered, there’s always someone here who knows.

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/what-is-type-2-diabetes


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## CathyB (Oct 11, 2018)

Welcome Judith5, exactly as the others have said


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## Sharron1 (Oct 13, 2018)

Dear Judith,

I can only agree with everyone else and don't worry about asking questions. There are always questions and someone will be able to answer.


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## Drummer (Oct 13, 2018)

I am almost two years from diagnosis, and I have eaten low carb foods since then. 
Diabetes is not a problem at all - as long as you take it seriously and cut down on the carbohydrate foods. It is eating entirely contrary to all the advice we've been given for decades - decades in which people have got fatter and sicker and now are not living as long.
If you get a meter to test your blood glucose it will show you fairly quickly what you can and can't eat.
I do not expect diabetes to have any impact on my health as long as I am in charge of my eating - if I get stuck in somewhere feeding inmates according to the rules, then I'll be in real trouble.


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## Judith5 (Oct 26, 2018)

Thanks for all the comments! I have been in a state of denial for the last few weeks. 

However saw the diabetic nurse yesterday and it’s all very real now. 

In 2014 my blood results came back as pre-diabetic, unfortunately no one told me. So now I’m diabetic type 2 and will be working up to 2000 mg/day of Metformin. 

The nurse has sent referrals for DESMOND and diabetic eye check up.

Told me that I do not need to test my glucose levels. Only need another blood test in three months.

Is this normal?


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## Ljc (Oct 26, 2018)

Sadly the bit about being told not to test is normal, we believe it’s due to cost cutting,  however diabetes is very individual in how the carbohydrates in different foods affect us , some can eat something’s with hardly a blip on their glucose meter where others have a huge spike and without testing you might be cutting out something you really like unnecessarily or even worse , eating something considered healthy ie porridge and it causes a huge spike, so that’s why we recommend testing .

Hopefully you will find the course helpful. The eye screening is good

Their are actually 15 checks you should havdone at least annually
Some are every few months 

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2018-07/15-Healtcare-essentials.pdf


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## Judith5 (Oct 26, 2018)

Ljc said:


> Sadly the bit about being told not to test is normal, however



So do most people test?


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## Ljc (Oct 27, 2018)

Judith5 said:


> So do most people test?


Most T2s who are not in medications that can cause low blood glucose (hypo’s)   on here test regularly , then often cut down on testing once they know haw the various carbs affect them.

When done properly you hardly feel it

Ps , I’ve edited my previous post to you.


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## Judith5 (Oct 27, 2018)

I’ve checked out the code free monitor on amazon. Will have another look tomorrow...
Thanks!


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## Sharron1 (Nov 1, 2018)

Hi,

I can only agree with all the advice that you have been given from the others. Like yourself, I was told by the GP not to bother self testing. I thought that wasn't very helpful and I self tested for a few weeks. Once I had the foods and portions sorted out and my BGLs were ok (usually between 5-6s), I stopped the testing and now only do it if I eat something different or am simply interested in what is going on! I also had my first eye screening today which was ok .I also am on Metformin (2000gm). As for the DESMOND course thingy I have still to go on it... I do the low carb foods and as others have said it is all trial and error at this stage.But I have found the forum a mine of helpful information and it helps that others are in the same boat. Good luck


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## Judith5 (Nov 2, 2018)

Well I’ve got a date for DESMOND! So will have my eye check up and DESMOND both this month.

Hopefully I will get a better understanding of what I need to do.

Third day on Metformin @500mg with breakfast, stepping up to 2x500mg on day 8!

Trying to eat low carb....tricky when you’re vegetarian. Any tips??


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 3, 2018)

Welcome to the forum Judith5 from a fellow T2.


Judith5 said:


> So do most people test?


I have a SD Codefree.  I don't have the money for strips though, so only did a weeks worth of testing a couple of years ago.  In my area HCP  are very dismissive of us having any information, including our levels, and unreliable in providing info.
Make sure they tell you things.  Unfortuneatly we don't what we don't know.
I'd suggest testing before and after (1 -2hours) eating.  This will show you what affect your food has on your levels, along with any changes.
If you keep a food diary, along with a record of your leves, hopefully after a couple of weeks you'll see a pattern.


Judith5 said:


> Well I’ve got a date for DESMOND! So will have my eye check up and DESMOND both this month.
> 
> Hopefully I will get a better understanding of what I need to do.


The DESMOND I went to doesn't cover what we've to do.  It provided info about diabetes, what it is ect. (Keys and rusty locks).  There was a lot of time spent on arteries and fats.


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## Judith5 (Nov 3, 2018)

Thanks for the information Ralph-YK. I guess each health authority does things differently.

I’m still deciding on what to do about testing, feels like a huge step!


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## Ljc (Nov 3, 2018)

Judith5 said:


> I’m still deciding on what to do about testing, feels like a huge step!


Is their anything in particular that bothers/ worries you about testing .


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## Judith5 (Nov 4, 2018)

Ljc said:


> Is their anything in particular that bothers/ worries you about testing .


Not sure why I’m reticent about testing,


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## KARNAK (Nov 4, 2018)

Hi @Judith5, there is no real option to control your Diabetes, test and gain knowledge when you are sure you have control you can reduce the amount of testing. Please keep us informed of your progress.


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## TheClockworkDodo (Nov 4, 2018)

Welcome to the forum, @Judith5 



Judith5 said:


> Trying to eat low carb....tricky when you’re vegetarian. Any tips??



What is it you think is tricky about low carbing when you're vegetarian?  There are quite a few vegetarians on here, a couple of vegans, and a few people like me who don't eat meat but do eat fish, and there's a lot of food you can eat as a veggetarian with diabetes.

All sorts of salads and all the veg which grow above ground are good, you only need to cut down on root veg like potatoes and parsnips (carrots aren't too bad in small quantities).  Nuts and seeds are mostly good (some nuts are a bit higher in carbs than others, but just check the packets for total carbs and eat the higher carb ones in moderation).  Eggs, cheese, and butter are good, yogurt is fine so long as the total carbs aren't too high (avoid the low fat ones which tend to have added sugar so they're higher in carbs).  Lentils are good, and some beans are fine too (just check the packets for total carbs to be sure which).  Tofu is good, that's low carb.  Some fruit are better than others, but most diabetics are OK with berries, and some can eat apples and pears - though the only way of knowing which fruit - or anything else - you can eat is to test before and after eating them to see how much they raise your blood sugar.

It really is worth testing because we are all different - some diabetics can eat porridge with no problems, for instance, others find it spikes their blood sugar far too much to be worth it, others can eat it in the afternoon but not in the morning!  It's pointless cutting out things from your diet which you could eat with no problems, but on the other hand, you don't want to eat something every day which is spiking your blood sugar up to the teens, and you'll never know unless you test.  As a type 2 you wouldn't have to keep doing it every day once you've worked out which foods you can eat.

Have a look at the food board for recipes though, I'm sure you'll find some vegetarian ones there - or you could start a thread asking for some.


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## Judith5 (Nov 5, 2018)

TheClockworkDodo said:


> Welcome to the forum, @Judith5
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hi Juliet

Thanks for all the tips. I guess I should have been a little more specific. At home I’m ok doing low carb veggie food. But I have to eat out a bit for work. Like today where the veggie choice at lunch was ravioli (not whole meal) and the dinner choice was ravioli again! Although luckily I managed to get them to do me a cheese omelette for lunch and for dinner they managed to prepare a bean chilli. I guess the only way I can be sure of getting a low carb meal is to take my own!

I’ve ordered a BG meter from amazon. So will start testing soon....

Judith


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## TheClockworkDodo (Nov 5, 2018)

Oh, I see - yes, I know what you mean about veggie options out being so limited, I imagine that could be a problem.  I tend to take a packed lunch everywhere I go, but that's more because I have so many food intolerances than because of the carbs!

Glad to hear you've ordered the BG meter, it really does make a difference when you know what's going on and which things to avoid.  Some things are peculiar and they vary so much from person to person - eg I hardly need any insulin for a chocolate brownie ... but I can't eat eggs without spiking up into the stratosphere, no matter how much insulin I have with them (eggs are carb-free, but apparently I'm slightly intolerant to them, and food intolerances cause spikes - who knew?!).


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## Judith5 (Nov 9, 2018)

I took the plunge and started testing....

Yesterday 
6pm 7.3
9pm 7.7

Today
7am 5.8
10am 6.7
11am 6.0
3pm 6.2
6pm 7.1
9pm 7.6

Assuming that these figures are ok!


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 9, 2018)

Judith5 said:


> Assuming that these figures are ok!


Yes they are.  I wonder what people think of the 7's.  If they're like that every day that's good.  If you look at before and after eating, you can see what happens with different food.


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## Judith5 (Nov 11, 2018)

Help! I started testing on Thursday. Have had a horrid cold, cough and sore throat the last couple of days. So taking lemsip and difflam spray and sugar free strepsils. But my readings seem to be all over the place. What am I doing wrong?

8/11/18
6pm 7.3
9pm 7.7

9/11/18
7am 5.8
10am 6.7
11am 6.0
3pm 6.2
6pm 7.1
9pm 7.6

10/11/18
8am 7.5
10am 8.7
11am 7.3
3pm 8.5
6pm 7.5
9pm 8.0
11pm 7.6

11/11/18
9am 8.8
12pm 10.4


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## Brando77 (Nov 11, 2018)

Judith5 said:


> Help! I started testing on Thursday. Have had a horrid cold, cough and sore throat the last couple of days. So taking lemsip and difflam spray and sugar free strepsils. But my readings seem to be all over the place. What am I doing wrong?
> 
> 8/11/18
> 6pm 7.3
> ...


You're ill....readings will be different, it happens.


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## Judith5 (Nov 11, 2018)

Brando77 said:


> You're ill....readings will be different, it happens.



Thanks! So no need to worry then?


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## Brando77 (Nov 11, 2018)

Judith5 said:


> Thanks! So no need to worry then?


I wouldn't cos I had a cold coupla weeks back and my readings were high 7s instead of 5s and 6s, now they're back in line.  The body is strange.


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## Judith5 (Nov 11, 2018)

Brando77 said:


> I wouldn't cos I had a cold coupla weeks back and my readings were high 7s instead of 5s and 6s, now they're back in line.  The body is strange.



Ok will try and stay calm!


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## silentsquirrel (Nov 11, 2018)

I wouldn't call those readings "all over the place" at all!  They are in a very narrow range, and bearing in mind you are unwell they look pretty good,


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## Ljc (Nov 11, 2018)

silentsquirrel said:


> I wouldn't call those readings "all over the place" at all!  They are in a very narrow range, and bearing in mind you are unwell they look pretty good,


@Judith5 . I agree with @silentsquirrel and tbh considering you are ill those numbers are grand, normally you would expect much higher numbers during times of illness or stress. 

I am glad you have decided to test, it will really help you in finding out foods your body copes well with and which you need to substitute or cut down on.


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 11, 2018)

When I was diagnosed, it was because of an infection in my leg (celulitus).  I was told that would affect my levels.  It's quite possible your cold has.  A couple of people have posted that they first new they were ill  because of their levels changing.
It's a normal reaction of the body.


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 11, 2018)

Oh, by the way, there's not that much difference in your levels throughout the day, particularly the 10th. Pretty level, which can be good.
The slightly higher (for that day) later on the 9th might be down to the cold setting in.
I take it you've been eating.  A change from 6 to 7 isn't that much.


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## SB2015 (Nov 11, 2018)

Judith5 said:


> Ok will try and stay calm!


Easier said than done, but those figures are really not bad especiall6 if you are nursing a cold.

As others have said keeping a record of the amount of carbs you eat and what you eat alongside your test results will show you what different foods do to your ur BG.  That knowledge then helps you to make informed decisions about your food choices and portion size.  

A simple tip I used which definitely helps me, is that I do not sit down for 15 minutes after I have eaten.  We might go for a walk, do the ironing, ... anything to keep active after a meal, and burn up some of that glucose.

For your ur fingerprick tests, if your fingers need a bit of a rest you can use the puffy bit at the base of your thumb.  On your fingers I hope that you have been advised to use the sides, but not too near the nails, avoiding the central pads as they are a lot more sensitive.

Keep us posted with how you get on.


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