# Newbie - Newly diagnosised



## AileenCJ (Apr 19, 2011)

Hi 

Just joined after being told I have type 2 diabetes, but its borderline with type 1 so i need to moniter it carefully. Got told to buy a glucose monitor, keep a food & sympton diary, also write down my levels in my diary so if anything were to happen with the monitor I wouldn't lose everything.

Unfortunately my head is spinning with all the information I was given.


----------



## Mark T (Apr 19, 2011)

Welcome to the forums   This is a friendly place  to come ask questions.

Sounds like you are in a similar position to where I was where they could quite decide if I was Type 1 or 2 initially.

I would expect your Nurse/Doctor to provide you with a meter, but you can also get one from Abbott's here - http://www.abbottdiabetescare.co.uk/your-products

That will come with 10 strips, but you should also be able to get strips from your GP on prescription.  If you go on pills/insulin you can apply for a medical exemption card.

Are they treating you with anything?  or just been told to adjust your diet?


----------



## Old Holborn (Apr 19, 2011)

Hi Aileen and welcome.


----------



## Steff (Apr 19, 2011)

Aileen hi and a warm welcome to the forum


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 19, 2011)

As I have a healthy(ish) diet and exercise regularly, they want to see what happens for the time being. 

I only went to the nurse as I have a shallow cut that hasn't healed up. I've got an appointment to see my surgery diabetes nurse for next week, so will see what happens, as to whether I need to buy one or not, but the doctor was a stand-in,


----------



## Northerner (Apr 19, 2011)

Hi AileenCJ, welcome to the forum  As mentioned, your nurse/doctor should be able to provide you with a meter as they generally have a good stock given free by reps who make money from the (expensive!) test strips. Information is the key to good diabetes management, so it's very good advice to record everything you can think of! It can be overwhelming at frst though as diabetes can be a complex thing to get to grips with. The main things to bear in mind are that it is mainly to do with carbohydrate content in your food, and the speed at which your food is digested - refined products like sugary food and white flour products are quicker than fibre-rich grains and pulses. When you get your meter you may be surprised to learn that some things normally considered 'healthy' can raise your blood sugar levels quickly, such as fresh orange juice, but you will learn over time what you can tolerate well and there's no reason you shouldn't be able to follow a rich and varied diet.

Have a read of the Useful Links thread and let us know if you have any questions 

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=10406


----------



## Copepod (Apr 19, 2011)

Welcome Aileen.
Just a couple more things to record in your diary, in addition to food (type, quantity & time eaten), symptoms and blood glucose meter readings (if you get a meter) - 
exercise / physical activity: not just sport / gym etc, but walking, cycling (suggest you write down ditances and time taken), moderate / heavy housework, gardening etc; 
weather can also make a difference: sunshine tends to raise mood / reduce blood sugars, cold / windy weather tends to reduce blood sugars as you use more energy to keep warm; 
moods - happy moods tend to reduce blood sugar levels, while stress / low moods tend to raise blood sugar levels


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 19, 2011)

Copepod said:


> Welcome Aileen.
> Just a couple more things to record in your diary, in addition to food (type, quantity & time eaten), symptoms and blood glucose meter readings (if you get a meter) -
> exercise / physical activity: not just sport / gym etc, but walking, cycling (suggest you write down ditances and time taken), moderate / heavy housework, gardening etc;
> weather can also make a difference: sunshine tends to raise mood / reduce blood sugars, cold / windy weather tends to reduce blood sugars as you use more energy to keep warm;
> moods - happy moods tend to reduce blood sugar levels, while stress / low moods tend to raise blood sugar levels



Thanks for that, only got the diagnosises this morning. The doctor I saw seemed to want me out of the office quick as possible


----------



## margie (Apr 19, 2011)

Hi Aileen and welcome to the forum -

a lot of meters have software that the manufacturers will allow you to have for free. They will also provide you with a usb cable to attach to your PC.

Many manufacturers will also provide a lifetime guarantee on your meter - so once you have one register it. Abbotts who were mentioned above will also supply you with batteries for the meter. 

Why do they say type 2 /borderline type 1. Often Drs seem to use age but this is not really an accurate way to diagnose.

Have they given you any meds ?


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 19, 2011)

Copepod said:


> Welcome Aileen.
> Just a couple more things to record in your diary, in addition to food (type, quantity & time eaten), symptoms and blood glucose meter readings (if you get a meter) -
> exercise / physical activity: not just sport / gym etc, but walking, cycling (suggest you write down ditances and time taken), moderate / heavy housework, gardening etc;
> weather can also make a difference: sunshine tends to raise mood / reduce blood sugars, cold / windy weather tends to reduce blood sugars as you use more energy to keep warm;
> moods - happy moods tend to reduce blood sugar levels, while stress / low moods tend to raise blood sugar levels





margie said:


> Hi Aileen and welcome to the forum -
> 
> a lot of meters have software that the manufacturers will allow you to have for free. They will also provide you with a usb cable to attach to your PC.
> 
> ...



Not entirely sure why borderline, I'm guessing its the bg level, I have not been given any meds, just use diet and continue exercise, and record everything until I see the diabetes nurse next week. It may have something to do with the fact I wasn't showing any signs, not excessive thirst, tiredness. Only a cut that hasn't healed, the doctor I saw was more interested in getting me out of the office, than anything


----------



## Mark T (Apr 19, 2011)

AileenCJ said:


> Not entirely sure why borderline, I'm guessing its the bg level, I have not been given any meds...


They expect a Type 2 to be Obese and Older, a Type 1 should be Skinny and Youthful and get confused when you are neither of these things  (these are of course wholly inaccurate stereotypes).

Although the potentially positive side effect to that is that when they don't know what type you are you tend to get referred to a consultant.  A confirmed Type 2 is probably only ever going get care from their GP.


----------



## teapot8910 (Apr 19, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Aileen  x


----------



## Sheilagh1958 (Apr 19, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Aileen


----------



## Andy HB (Apr 20, 2011)

Welcome to the forum from me too.

It sounds like you're doing all that you can re: diet and exercise. Making sure you eat three regular meals a day and balancing out the carbohydrates across those meals should help you keep your levels in check (and the meter, if you get one, should pin-point those carbs to avoid!).

Anyway, start asking any questions that you may have. There is a large community of people with all sorts of different experiences here.

Andy


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 20, 2011)

Mark T said:


> They expect a Type 2 to be Obese and Older, a Type 1 should be Skinny and Youthful and get confused when you are neither of these things  (these are of course wholly inaccurate stereotypes).
> 
> Although the potentially positive side effect to that is that when they don't know what type you are you tend to get referred to a consultant.  A confirmed Type 2 is probably only ever going get care from their GP.



Well I'm 28yrs and skinny  I just assumed it was down to the reading that they got at the time.


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 20, 2011)

Andy HB said:


> Welcome to the forum from me too.
> 
> It sounds like you're doing all that you can re: diet and exercise. Making sure you eat three regular meals a day and balancing out the carbohydrates across those meals should help you keep your levels in check (and the meter, if you get one, should pin-point those carbs to avoid!).
> 
> ...



I'm gonna wait till I see the diabetic nurse, regarding the monitor, to see if I qualify for one, though I may get one, just to be on the safe side. You guys may get fed up answering my questions


----------



## Northerner (Apr 20, 2011)

AileenCJ said:


> ...You guys may get fed up answering my questions



Not a chance!


----------



## Mark T (Apr 20, 2011)

AileenCJ said:


> I'm gonna wait till I see the diabetic nurse, regarding the monitor, to see if I qualify for one, though I may get one, just to be on the safe side. You guys may get fed up answering my questions


You might get fed up with ours 

Do you happen to have any diabetic relatives?  Type 2 and MODY generally show some family links.  Type 1 can occur with no other family members.

When you see the nurse you might want to see if you can get her to do a Ketone test (urine dipstick test, assuming she has any).  I got called up to Broomfield to have that done because when I saw the nurse at my clinic she didn't do it.

Chances are that they will suspect you might be either MODY or LADA.


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 20, 2011)

Mark T said:


> You might get fed up with ours
> 
> Do you happen to have any diabetic relatives?  Type 2 and MODY generally show some family links.  Type 1 can occur with no other family members.
> 
> ...



As far as I know I have no relatives on my mother's side, however speaking to both my grandmother & great aunt last night, they both went quiet and quickly changed the subject, so whether I'm reading anything into that I'm not sure. 

Had to go to the doctor's surgery to pick up two blood test forms this morning, 1 more fasting (to see the result) and the 2nd a non-fasting, but have been told to go and have the fasting one taken early morning, then have breakie, then hang around the hospital have lunch then have the non-fasting, but I could phone the surgery again and enquire about the ketone test.


----------



## Mark T (Apr 20, 2011)

Not sure why they would want a fasting and a non-fasting on the same day.  The second one is going to be potentially influenced by whatever you eat for lunch.  Although I guess they could get some information.

Don't worry too much about the ketone test, it's just if you are a Type 1 in theory you should have raised ketones even if you do have some limited insulin production left.  If you are not currently getting any diabetes symptoms it's unlikely you are in DKA. (Northener/Alan will correct me I think)


----------



## macast (Apr 20, 2011)

hi Aileen.... welcome to the forum


----------



## Northerner (Apr 20, 2011)

Mark T said:


> Not sure why they would want a fasting and a non-fasting on the same day.  The second one is going to be potentially influenced by whatever you eat for lunch.  Although I guess they could get some information.
> 
> Don't worry too much about the ketone test, it's just if you are a Type 1 in theory you should have raised ketones even if you do have some limited insulin production left.  If you are not currently getting any diabetes symptoms it's unlikely you are in DKA. (Northener/Alan will correct me I think)



Yes, highly unlikely as it has such a rapid and profound onset you'd know by now. I guess that the post-meal test might show a high reading, potentially higher than a non-diabetic would get whatever they ate, but you might get a reasonable 'normal range' reading if you don't eat much carbohydrate!


----------



## AileenCJ (Apr 20, 2011)

I guess the best thing to do is wait till I finally get to see the diabetic nurse at my surgery, and go in with a list of questions. But there's no point in speculating anything atm, till I can get some answers, though I do feel like a bit of a pin cushion atm

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone.


----------

