# Newby



## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 14, 2016)

hi I'm Lesley from chelmsford.


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## Martin Canty (Oct 14, 2016)

Hi Lesley, welcome to the forum....

Tell us a little about yourself?


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 14, 2016)

Hi Martin
I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2, two days ago,my sugar levels are sky high,not on any medication as yet as I'm trying to get my sugar down,I'm finding it very hard to know what to eat,so I'm feeling sorry for myself at the mo lol,I'm 58 yrs old.


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## Ljc (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi Lesley. Sorry you've joined our select club but you've come to the right place for info and cyber support.
Its carbohydrates our bodies can't handle so well, sugar is just another type of carb. It's good idea to start a food diary first then When you're ready  Try cutting down *a little *on things like potatoes, rice, pasta and white bread, increase veg that grows above ground to help fill you up. Don't go mad with the changes at first as you're in this for the long haul so it must be enjoyable as well as sustainable,  exersize helps too .
We don't have to live on rabbits food either, Eggs, meat and cheese is fine as is the occasional treat.
If you are up to some light reading 
Have a read of Jennifer's letter http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
Maggie Davies letter
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/maggie-daveys-letter-to-newly-diagnosed-type-2s.61307/

Ps, Do ask them about giving you a glucose meter, so you can check how foods affect your BG (blood ), sadly if your not on certain meds that can cause hypos's (low BG) then they are unlikely to prescribe one , many strange reasons are often given such as it might upset you , IMO it's cost cutting.
If they won't give you a meter and test strips do let us know, before you consider buying your own.


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## Ralph-YK (Oct 15, 2016)

Hello and welcome from a fellow T2


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## grovesy (Oct 15, 2016)

Welcome!


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## Owen (Oct 15, 2016)

Howdy


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 15, 2016)

Welcome to the forum.


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## PinkGrapefruit (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> Hi Martin
> I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2, two days ago,my sugar levels are sky high,not on any medication as yet as I'm trying to get my sugar down,I'm finding it very hard to know what to eat,so I'm feeling sorry for myself at the mo lol,I'm 58 yrs old.


I know how you feel. the day after diagnosis I went to the supermarket to get some new food. Stood in the cereal isle crying, thinking to myself WTF can I eat!?!

Omlettes mate. They are great. You can have them for any meal and you can chuck in all sorts. Spicy ones, Asian ones, veggie ones. You can even pour the mix in muffin trays for portable lunch time options.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 15, 2016)

I've literally just finished my breakfast omelette. Had cheese, ham & spicy sausage.


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## Carolg (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi Lesley and welcome to forum. Like  pinkgrapefruit I stood in the isle in Sainsbury's and hardly bought anything cause I spent so much time looking at food labels, but didn't cry at that time. Ask lots of questions here and lots of answers and support will come back to you


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## Ljc (Oct 15, 2016)

If you eat meat, all meat including bacon and good quality sausages are fine as are good quality burgers, I do eat chips but no more than 6.  I've switched from white to wholemeal bread as it releases its carbs a bit more slowly than white bread, some here have  other types of bread such as protein rolls from Aldi or Burgan (sp?) bread available in lots of supermarkets.


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## Andy HB (Oct 15, 2016)

Welcome to the forum! I hope we can help you get to grips with things. One thing to hold on to, though, is slow and steady will win the race!! Don't feel that you have to understand everything from day one.

Anyway, my suggestion for meal options is home made spicy vegetable soups (but try not to include potatoes too much!). Easy to make, fills you up and is great on cold days (especially the thick soups that I end up making more often than not).

Also, don't underestimate what exercise can do for you (a 30 minute brisk(ish) walk each day is good enough. You don't have to join a gym). It helps 'mop up' glucose in the blood and also improves insulin sensitivity (i.e. how well the body uses the insulin to make use of the glucose in the blood) which then has a knock on effect of helping you 'mop up' the excess glucose etc etc!!

Andy


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## Carolg (Oct 15, 2016)

PinkGrapefruit said:


> I know how you feel. the day after diagnosis I went to the supermarket to get some new food. Stood in the cereal isle crying, thinking to myself WTF can I eat!?!
> 
> Omlettes mate. They are great. You can have them for any meal and you can chuck in all sorts. Spicy ones, Asian ones, veggie ones. You can even pour the mix in muffin trays for portable lunch time options.


Can you do muffins in microwave? Or have to be in oven. I use a halogen oven a lot and would that work?


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## Owen (Oct 15, 2016)

PinkGrapefruit said:


> I know how you feel. the day after diagnosis I went to the supermarket to get some new food. Stood in the cereal isle crying, thinking to myself WTF can I eat!?!
> 
> Omlettes mate. They are great. You can have them for any meal and you can chuck in all sorts. Spicy ones, Asian ones, veggie ones. You can even pour the mix in muffin trays for portable lunch time options.


Ooh yes the magical omelette.


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## PinkGrapefruit (Oct 15, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> I've literally just finished my breakfast omelette. Had cheese, ham & spicy sausage.


Back on the horse after the fish


Carolg said:


> Can you do muffins in microwave? Or have to be in oven. I use a halogen oven a lot and would that work?



Don't see why not. You can do scrambled egg in the microwave.

Try it matey.

I do low carb microwave muffins and then slice and toast them for breakfast with whole earth peanut butter and a few blueberries.


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Thank you All for your comments you have all helped me a lot... I will be bombarding you all with questions through out the week.thank you again


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## Martin Canty (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> I'm feeling sorry for myself


We have all been there & go there still..... Glad you found this forum, we are very supportive of each other.


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Thank you,I'm just struggling at the moment to get my sugars down in my urine seems to be dark green on the strip everytime


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## Martin Canty (Oct 15, 2016)

Recommend you purchase a test meter rather than pee sticks.... The SD Codefree from Amazon is a popular choice at the test strips are quite affordable.

As for getting the BG down, I'd suggest cutting or reducing things like bread, pasta, rice, cereals & starchy vegetables, replacing them with green leafy vegetables.... Avoid 'low fat' products as they tend to have hidden carbs (besides, if you read more than a few posts you will find that most of us are of the opinion that fat is not the enemy, carbs are)


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## Stitch147 (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi Lesley and welcome to the forum. It will take time to get your levels down. I'm from Essex too, I live in Rayleigh. This forum is great for help, advice and support.


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## grovesy (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> Thank you,I'm just struggling at the moment to get my sugars down in my urine seems to be dark green on the strip everytime


If you are testing with urine strips it is not the best way to test, glucose spills out into urine at about 10, which is higher  then recommend for blood! It is not necessarily going to come down over night. It is a marathon not a sprint!
The recommendation is 4-7 mmol/l before meals and less than 8.5 mmol/l two hours after meals!


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> Recommend you purchase a test meter rather than pee sticks.... The SD Codefree from Amazon is a popular choice at the test strips are quite affordable.
> 
> As for getting the BG down, I'd suggest cutting or reducing things like bread, pasta, rice, cereals & starchy vegetables, replacing them with green leafy vegetables.... Avoid 'low fat' products as they tend to have hidden carbs (besides, if you read more than a few posts you will find that most of us are of the opinion that fat is not the enemy, carbs are)


Yes I've been looking at that machine I will invest in one I've cut down on sugar and fizzy drinks in fact I've cut them out all together so hopefully when I go back to drs on Tuesday I will see a change.


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

grovesy said:


> If you are testing with urine strips it is not the best way to test, glucose spills out into urine at about 10, which is higher  then recommend for blood! It is not necessarily going to come down over night. It is a marathon not a sprint!
> The recommendation is 4-7 mmol/l before meals and less than 8.5 mmol/l two hours after meals!


The Dr told me to do the urine tests until I see her again on Tuesday so hopefully get something sorted.


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## grovesy (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> The Dr told me to do the urine tests until I see her again on Tuesday so hopefully get something sorted.


Good luck!


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Thank you


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Stitch147 said:


> Hi Lesley and welcome to the forum. It will take time to get your levels down. I'm from Essex too, I live in Rayleigh. This forum is great for help, advice and support.


Hi stitch nice to know there's someone from Essex on here my son has a shop in Rayleigh,scales and fangs. I am learning bit by bit and do find this forum very helpful and all so friendly too


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## Andy HB (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> The Dr told me to do the urine tests until I see her again on Tuesday so hopefully get something sorted.



Better keep on with them for now then! 

Oh, and be aware that the Dr may well tell you not to test using a meter (but that is more to save money on the test strips than anything else, no matter what they say!).

But, when I was diagnosed in October 2009, the DSN (Diabetes Specialist Nurse) gave me a meter and told me how to use it. Combined with a bit of education (a course called Diabetes Xpert was available within a couple of weeks) the meter was extremely useful in helping me understand how my diet was affecting me. So much so that I have been diet and exercise only pretty much ever since and I don't test so much now.

Andy


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Andy HB said:


> Better keep on with them for now then!
> 
> Oh, and be aware that the Dr may well tell you not to test using a meter (but that is more to save money on the test strips than anything else, no matter what they say!).
> 
> ...


Well done keep it up..I will probably buy my own meter so I can keep up with it all and piece of mind


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## Martin Canty (Oct 15, 2016)

Despite what the medical profession say, a test meter is our best friend..... It keeps us honest, accountable & educated; all without judgement.... But from the sound of it looks like you have already been sold on the idea


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> Despite what the medical profession say, a test meter is our best friend..... It keeps us honest, accountable & educated; all without judgement.... But from the sound of it looks like you have already been sold on the idea


Yes definitely totally agree with you I am looking on Amazon as we speak thank you for your advice as really helped me


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## Martin Canty (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> Hi stitch nice to know there's someone from Essex


It's a small world, I grew up in Bishop's Stortford..... Admittedly on the other side of the boarder but not too far..... I guess that with such a D epidemic there will be many fellow D's in your area.


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## Owen (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> Yes definitely totally agree with you I am looking on Amazon as we speak thank you for your advice as really helped me


Ask for a meter, use the rhetoric that it will be good for you learning what to eat. They can only say no.


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## Mini-Vicki (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi Lesley, and welcome to the forum! Loads of awesome people around here. 
I'm from Chelmsford too, although I no longer live there, however, my mum does and her name is Lesley too, so I was confused for a second!


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Mini-Vicki said:


> Hi Lesley, and welcome to the forum! Loads of awesome people around here.
> I'm from Chelmsford too, although I no longer live there, however, my mum does and her name is Lesley too, so I was confused for a second!


Hi mini vicki thank you,and how weird is that,I live in highwood village Chelmsford where abouts does your mum live.


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Owen said:


> Ask for a meter, use the rhetoric that it will be good for you learning what to eat. They can only say no.


Thank you owen


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> It's a small world, I grew up in Bishop's Stortford..... Admittedly on the other side of the boarder but not too far..... I guess that with such a D epidemic there will be many fellow D's in your area.


It's a very small world


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## Mini-Vicki (Oct 15, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> It's a small world, I grew up in Bishop's Stortford..... Admittedly on the other side of the boarder but not too far..... I guess that with such a D epidemic there will be many fellow D's in your area.



Martin - I spent half my child good in Bishops Stortford with my grandma  I still go there often, it's one of my very favourite places  
Small world!


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## Mini-Vicki (Oct 15, 2016)

lesley from Chelmsford said:


> Hi mini vicki thank you,and how weird is that,I live in highwood village Chelmsford where abouts does your mum live.


Mum lives over in Great Baddow  I grew up in Springfield - I love Chelmsford, I still go back frequently


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## grovesy (Oct 15, 2016)

Mini-Vicki said:


> Mum lives over in Great Baddow  I grew up in Springfield - I love Chelmsford, I still go back frequently


I live in Springfield!


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## lesley from Chelmsford (Oct 15, 2016)

Mini-Vicki said:


> Mum lives over in Great Baddow  I grew up in Springfield - I love Chelmsford, I still go back frequently


That's right near me small world isn't it


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## Martin Canty (Oct 15, 2016)

Mini-Vicki said:


> Martin - I spent half my child good in Bishops Stortford with my grandma


That's funny, I think the same way about Harrogate where my grandparents lived...... Would love to take my wife to see Harrogate, I'm sure she would love it..... Perhaps next time we are in Europe


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## Mark T (Oct 15, 2016)

And I'm one of the other Chelmsfordites


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## Andy HB (Oct 15, 2016)

I've been to Chelmsford once.


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## Mini-Vicki (Oct 15, 2016)

Ahhhh I feel like we're all having a little Chelmsford get together


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## jocat (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi Lesley, I was born in Chelmsford and now live in Clacton on sea, take things a step at a time, they do slot into place although diabetes is an unpredictable beast!! Take care, jo x


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## Mark T (Oct 15, 2016)

Andy HB said:


> I've been to Chelmsford once.


Was that what the helicopters was about?


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## Andy HB (Oct 15, 2016)

Mark T said:


> Was that what the helicopters was about?


Yep, they keep looking for me everywhere (that's actually a running joke between my wife and I!)


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## Northerner (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi Lesley, welcome to the forum  Another couple of things you might like to add to your reading list - Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, highly recommended by many of our members, and also The GL Diet for Dummies should help you find out the best kinds of food to buy (in addition to the advice about watching the carbs). It's a very good introduction to the 'Glycaemic Load' approach to selecting and combining foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels. 

Also, Diabetes UK have an excellent free book '100 things I wish I'd known about living with diabetes'

I'm sure you'll have lots of questions in the weeks and months to come, but it sounds like you've made a great start by joining up here and the steps you've already taken  Diabetes is a serious condition, but the good news is that it can be controlled well so it doesn't have to impact your life negatively. And don't think that you're going to end up on some sort of restricted, boring diet - a diet that is good and healthy for people with diabetes is healthy for anyone!  If you can get a meter and work out what things you tolerate well in your diet, you will be able to ensure that you can continue to enjoy things that don't have a big impact on your levels - have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how this works


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## Lindarose (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi Lesley and welcome 
You've been given loads of great advice already. Good luck with your journey.


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## KookyCat (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi lesley 

Welcome aboard, it's all really overwhelming at first but I promise it gets easier, it can take a while for it all to sink in and the focus on food is odd when you're used to just picking something up and eating it, but it becomes second nature and not nearly as annoying 

Best of luck with the appointment, hope it's useful.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi Lesley.  Please feel free to fire away your questions.


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