# True to Type 2



## Lindale Lad (Sep 9, 2011)

Hello Folks

My first post on this forum to introduce myself.

I'm fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the UK, on the southern edge of the Lake District National Park.  A family man with two daughters and three grand children, fairly independent, "stubborn", "why don't you see the doctor" type!

I was diagnose Type 2 in March of this year and have treated it matter of factly thus far.

Rather than blather on about it on my opening post, I'll address my queries via the correct channels and look forward to learning more about this condition and the members on this site.

Being a perpetually cheerful, whistling ecologist, I'll wave goodbye for now on a grey damp day and spend some time exploring this useful looking site.

Toodlepip


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## Northerner (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi Lindale Lad, welcome to the forum  You are indeed fortunate to live where you do, I'm a little jealous! 

I would suggest having a look through our Useful links thread as a good source of information and some book recommendations. Please ask anything you are unsure of or that may be worrying you - nothing is considered 'silly'!

Are you on any medication?


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 9, 2011)

Ay up, Northerner

Thanks for your welcome, so quickly too!

I've been trawling since signing up and have seen some useful info like the Type 2 - The First Year book etc., etc.  I'll keep looking at all the rest of the links.

Type 2 runs in the male line of my family and I'm currently on Metformin. I have a review next week with a blood test.  The reason I signed up was to find out about cramps.  Metformin cured my nightly calf muscle cramps but they are coming back.

I'll do some research.

Thanks again for the welcome.


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## Northerner (Sep 9, 2011)

I think a lot of people suffer from cramps in the early days after diagnosis - I certainly did. It may be to do with your blood sugar levels coming down now that you are diagnosed and receiving treatment. Hopefully, as with me, it will become less and less of a problem over the coming weeks


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## Mark T (Sep 9, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Lindale Lad


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## Steff (Sep 9, 2011)

Lindale Lad hi and a warm welcome to the forum


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## Andy HB (Sep 9, 2011)

Lindale Lad said:


> Ay up, Northerner
> 
> Thanks for your welcome, so quickly too!
> 
> ...



You may find it a bit of a black art trying to sort leg cramps out. I went through several months of some pretty severe night ones in my calf muscles and also after exercise on my rowing machine.

Possible causes being :-

1) Exercising too much (I've reduced the amount of rowing, but keep my daily walks going).
2) Too many bananas (excess potassium). I've since returned to having one a day and it doesn't seem to be a problem.
3) Too little salt or loss of salt through exercise.
4) Too much salt!
5) Reduced blood circulation in the lower leg (I think this is a partial cause of my issues).
6) Too much caffeine. I've switched to decaff coffee as a result.
7) Vitamins and mineral deficiency (or excess, I suppose). I've started taking a multivitamin/multi-mineral supplement.
8) High blood glucose levels (I think)

etc etc etc!

Anyway, for the moment my cramps are no longer present (for the most part - I did have a minor one last night, funnily enough).

Oh! And welcome to the forum!!

Andy


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## novorapidboi26 (Sep 9, 2011)

Welcome to the forum from me........


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 9, 2011)

Thank you all for your comments and welcomes.

Andy HB, I note your list and can identify with the fist six points.  Since registering this morning on the laptop over breakfast and then logging onto this work machine, I was drawn to the fruitbowl and took.....a banana - followed by a strong coffee (my Achilles heel)!

Up to the day of diagnosis I was drinking up to two litres of fruit juice from those Tetrapacks - I really did enjoy it.  The sudden stoppage caused some serious constipation but that's another story.

Thank you for your suggestions, I really will look into them all and any further requests will be dealt with via a new thread in the appropriate place rather than the Newbies "Hello" board. 

Cheers m'dears.


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## Steff (Sep 9, 2011)

Good luck at next weeks review Lindale


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## Andy HB (Sep 9, 2011)

Lindale Lad said:


> Up to the day of diagnosis I was drinking up to two litres of fruit juice from those Tetrapacks - I really did enjoy it.



I was getting through one or two 2L bottles of Cherry Coke a day prior to diagnosis! It was a mixture of being thirsty and also my body thinking it needed the sugar because my cells were being starved of energy due to insulin resistance.

Despite all that sugar, I had still lost over a stone in weight during that time. Strangely, I found that gave me some impetous when I started losing weight properly!

Andy


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 9, 2011)

Thanks Steff, I'll share the results.  I must admit, it is pleasantly comfortable (if that's the right expression) to be able to share this stuff with others in similar predicaments and gain from their knowledge and experience.

Back later, I have to go and earn some filthy lucre now.

*Andy HB - it must be boring and obvious to some but I feel there's a commonality here.  I've lost weight too.  Gave up the red wine, have an occassional beer - is that OK? My nice Doc said that whiskey was much better than beer which was very nice of him.

I just need to get my head around the chemistry involved.


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## Robster65 (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi Lindale Lad. Welcome 

I would imagine the whisky has far fewer calories than beer and the higher alcohol content will occupy your liver so it takes a break from trickling glucose into your bloodstream (which it does 24/7) while it processes the 'poison'. Thus reducing your BG for a while. QED 

Probably.

Rob


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 9, 2011)

This is what I need, Robster65, some down to earth comment!  It'll take a while to view the label as "Glen Poison" but I take your point and I will action it. 

This new distraction is eating up time this morning but it's due to being so useful.

Does anyone get a dryish type of mouth too - hard to describe?  It's not from singing to the dogs at my feet either.  You see, the site has hooked me.

Why does the Devil have all the good food and drink?


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## Mark T (Sep 9, 2011)

Lindale Lad said:


> ...Gave up the red wine, have an occassional beer - is that OK? My nice Doc said that whiskey was much better than beer which was very nice of him...


I went the other way, mostly dropped the beer - took up Red wine instead


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## slipper (Sep 9, 2011)

Welcome from another newbie, hope you enjoy the forum as much as I, so many questions at first but given time it is becoming clearer for me.


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## Robster65 (Sep 9, 2011)

I think all things in moderation are never going to be a problem. As long as you understand what it's going to do to you and can compensate, then all will be well.

Occasional alcohol is meant to be good for you. according to some sources. 

Rob


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## lucy123 (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi Lindale Lad and welcome.
I get the dry mouth when bs are high - and am also very thirsty.
I drink gallons then.
Are you able to test your bs?


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## GodivaGirl (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi Lindale Lad, welcome to the forum


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## am64 (Sep 9, 2011)

hi and welcome ..like you i thought i was being healthy by swooping the fizzy for pure fruit juices and museili for breakfast ...LOADS of fruit ...not understanding the sugar implications ... good luck x


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## teapot8910 (Sep 9, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Lindale Lad


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 10, 2011)

Thanks to you all, again and Hi to am64, GodivaGirl, Lucy 123, mark T and slipper!

My good wife is trying to help by getting low/west/no sugar food and drink.  I am currently finishing the last of the muesli (which I started eating before the diagnosis), the brand was chosen for its low sugar and will be starting on porridge very soon.  I don't have a sweet tooth fortunately but could never resist buying a large bag of wine gums when paying for fuel and scoffing the lot before I got home!  That was once in a blue moon though.

No cramp for the first time for a while last night.  Put two of those very small paper packets of the stuff on my meal as I was eating out.  Maybe I need more salt.

This is a whole new ballgame to me!

@Lucy 123 - no, I'm not testing bs yet. Not sure when this might be required.


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## shirl (Sep 10, 2011)

Just want to say hi and welome to the forum  

Love the area round south lake district, Morecambe Bay, etc go to stay at Grange over Sands as often as money allows (and o.h. too!!!)  may pick your brains for other places to stay, hehe, if you don't mind.

Take care,

Shirl


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 11, 2011)

Hi Shirl

There's so much to see and do in this easily accessed area of the country, if you ever need a guiding hand, so to speak, just give me a shout.  I live two miles from Grange over Grass.

My sister has a **** B&B in the village, too.  That looks like there's a swear word hidden - "four star B&B)

Thanks for the welcome.


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 22, 2011)

*Results*

A week after my first 6 month blood test, I got the results this morning.  Started in March at 14, today 11 and I'm to aim for 7.

Metformin increased to 850gm twice daily from 500gm x2.  A referral to DESMOND, too.  I'll have to look the implications of that up.


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## Copepod (Sep 22, 2011)

This page takes you to the details of DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed) in North West England, with links to other information about the programme http://www.desmond-project.org.uk/locationmap.html#northwest

Great progress with blood results - I'm assuming you mean HbA1c in %? If you want to convert to the new units, mmol/mol, is page can do it for you Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed


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## Northerner (Sep 22, 2011)

Lindale Lad said:


> A week after my first 6 month blood test, I got the results this morning.  Started in March at 14, today 11 and I'm to aim for 7.
> 
> Metformin increased to 850gm twice daily from 500gm x2.  A referral to DESMOND, too.  I'll have to look the implications of that up.



Moving in the right direction!  Many people here have benefitted greatly from attending a DESMOND course, or similar, so I hope it is equally good for you  One of the really good things is getting to meet others with diabetes and comparing notes.


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## vince13 (Sep 22, 2011)

A belated welcome from me too, Lindale Lad.  Keep up the good work - it seems that you are like me - have to know the reason WHY things happen as well as what to do about them.        Ask away on here - they are a very friendly and knowledgeable lot, with a good sense of humour (well, most of them !) too.

Looking forward to getting to know you and watching your progress with getting this blasted condition under control.


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks Copepod, Northerner and Vince 13 for your comments and links.  I'm going to look at the DESMOND link right now.

Fortunately I don't have a sweet tooth and I'm determined to alter my diet for the better.  Having rarely read the nutritional info on the packets, I'm becoming an anorak.  It's amazing how much sugar is in stuff, something that the majority of you know.

It's the simple, possibly somewhat embarrassing-to-ask because-I-should know-the-answer questions like, 

"Will a couple of apples a day cause problems?  and 

"Having just boosted my Metformin in the last 24 hrs, I do feel a little heady/queasy today - is that due the medication?

that take a bit more searching for the answers.

Thank you all, again, for your kindness and time to answer not just mine, but all the other members posts.

*p.s. I've been trying to think why I'm still feeling "heady" and am wondering if my eating regime today has made things worse.  I was told to regularise my meal times and amounts - no problem there.  This morning an out of routine job saw me leave home at 0515 and return to eat breakfast at 1000ish instead of 0800.  No lunch at midday due to not feeling hungry and am now awaiting my tea.  Tonight I don't have tea at the regular time as I'm at a meeting where supper is provided, at 2045.

Would this contribute to the swimming head?  I suspect I already know the answer.


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## AnnW (Sep 23, 2011)

Hi L.L  I find I need to eat regularly or I also feel a bit odd. My dietician also says I should do this, so that may be one reason why you feel 'heady'

She also says I can drink a glass of red wine but always with food because of the metformin apparently .. She suggests a day off ( which I am able to do easily as I drive one evening a week  ) 

Fun isn't it ?


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## Andy HB (Sep 23, 2011)

Yep, it really isn't good to skip meals. The gap between breakfast and tea is also a huge one (even if it was unusual).

But even if you do regularise your meal times, it's still possible to feel a bit funny some times. Personally, I found I felt a little 'zonked' during my walks. It was as if I was looking at the world through a glass bowl ... very odd. Anyway, that feeling is very rare for me now. But it has taken 18 months or so for that to be the case.

Andy


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 24, 2011)

Hi AnnW and AndyHB

I have to say I feel tons better this morning and am looking forward to getting back on track with my meals, especially the Saturday morning breakfast.  

Thanks for your comments, it's reassuring to find others with similar symptoms.  The more I read, the louder the "wake up call" becomes!  I think I was treating the diagnosis matter-of-factly but am now realising that I have to take regard of advice more stringently, not that I dis-regarded it - hard to explain but putting it down in words helps.

Another downside - since being diagnosed, I keep a few Metformin tabs in various jackets as I eat out late at least one night a week.  I took the old 500gr out as I had these new 850gr jaspers and forgot to replace them last night.  Hence no dose last night.  

During my temporary absence last night, Lindale Lass printed a doc from Diabetes UK "Eating well with T2 diabetes" and thrust into my hands this morning!  Just the thing to read over a bacon, egg and mushroom butty!

p.s. the egg was missing - I didn't have the courage to complain!!


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## AnnW (Sep 24, 2011)

Interesting about not having your tablets last night, I was wondering only this morning what would happen if I didn't take mine.. Some people are just diet and exercise controlled and I wasn't given this option. I wonder why quite often. So, if I didn't take my tabs ... What then? 
How did you feel today after doing that? Interested to know !!


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 25, 2011)

Fiddlesticks - I've just lost a long post due to getting distracted!

I can't detect any difference, AnnW, after missing one 850gm dose. 

Having forgotten to take the original 500gm evening dose on several occasions, I can say that I've never had adverse indications.  

I was told that taking Metformin up to 30 mins after the meal is OK, I must admit to taking them much longer than that in an attempt to salvage the situation.

When folks forget to take a tablet, is it generally the evening one?  I don't think I've ever missed a morning dose.


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## Shopaholic (Sep 25, 2011)

Lindale Lad said:


> When folks forget to take a tablet, is it generally the evening one?  I don't think I've ever missed a morning dose.



Hi Lindale Lad

I'm a relative newbie now and can empathise with you greatly on this. I really struggled to remember my evening tablet. 
My Diabetic Nurse told me not to panic but to have it with supper. So when you remember that you've forgotten to take it (hopefully later in the evening) take it with some food as soon as you remember. That's helped me, but I have to say the best thing that's helped me remember is that I've left a Metformin box (even if it's an empty one) where I sit down to eat as a visual reminder - looks a bit odd to visitors but it helps me a lot!
I'm afraid I still often need my hubby or daughter to remind me if we're out! It's become a family joke 
Anyway - welcome and hope this helps!


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 26, 2011)

Hi Shopaholic

I hoped I would remember as I have a curved blue see-through plastic pill box, day of the week type.  I still forget when it's right alongside me!

It must be the distractions!


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## am64 (Sep 26, 2011)

im on two a day too ...but its the morning one i generally forget ...evening is fine as ive got it into a routine and always take them after i eat but thats cos i take 4 differnt ones at night...the morning is just the one ...


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## Lindale Lad (Sep 28, 2011)

Hi am64 - that "handle" sounds somewhat impersonal but I'm sure it isn't as you live in the woods! 

Do we work at different ends of the day or is there another reason why we forget morn or eve?

I'm getting paranoid about missing doses although I don't think that's the right word to use.

Left home at 1700 before normal tea time and ate a chicken leg, radishes and tomatoes on the hoof whilst driving (please don't tell anyone) and took the tablet when pulled up at 1830.  Due to time restrictions due to workload, I had a plate of bread, cheese, toms and peppers for supper when I came home at 2100 - a treat indeed.  It remains to be seen how this departure from the normalised diet affects this mortal frame!


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