# Hello and I'm pooping myself!



## Darren Bennett (Oct 24, 2016)

hi all,
I'm 40 and just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Needless to say that I am frieghtened.  I have A1c of 7.7 and I am pretty sure I'm going to cut carbs to try and manage this. Does anyone have any advice in how I should think about this new explosion in my life? 

Many Thanks,
Darren


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## grovesy (Oct 24, 2016)

Welcome. Yes carbs are the baddies!


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## Martin Canty (Oct 24, 2016)

Hi Darren, welcome to the group... You are in good company.

Firstly there is nothing to fear, by achieving good control there is no reason why you can't live a long & fruitful life.....

You have mentioned it (and it is good to recognize that all carbs are not good for us). In terms of modifying your diet try to cut or reduce major carb sources like bread, pasta, rice, cereals & starchy vegetables like potatoes; instead replacing them with green leafy vegetables.


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## Jonsi (Oct 24, 2016)

Hi Darren. Welcome to the forum.  Don't get too frightened, Diabetes is serious but it can he controlled. Getting that control isn't (ironically) a piece of cake but it can be done. Watch your diet, avoid Carbs as much as you can, increase your exercise to what you can manage, ask questions and act on the answers.
This forum is a great place to ask those questions, no matter how stupid you might think they are.


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## Andy HB (Oct 24, 2016)

Hello Darren, welcome to the forum.

I was diagnosed in October 2009 (45 years old). I too had a brief period of fear and panic (it lasted 24hrs!). The day after I returned home after being released from hospital, I immediately got down to sorting myself out. No excuses or reasons why I couldn't do this, that or the other.

Things I did included:

1) Getting myself on a diabetes xpert course. Luckily for me that was available within a month of diagnosis. It gave me the information I needed to understand what I had to do.
2) I was given a meter to test my levels (this seems to be frowned on these days, but believe me, it is very useful).
3) I modified my diet to cut down on carbohydrates. My meter gave me huge hints as to what foods I needed to avoid (granola sent my levels soaring!).
4) I started to walk every day. Initially, fairly slowly and for not so long, but this built up to 1hr per day at a pretty brisk pace.
5) I lost weight. Before diagnosis I probably exceeded 20st at some point. At diagnosis I was just over 18st (I'd lost weight because my insulin resistance was so extreme that I was effectively starving!). Over a couple of years or so, I got down to 14st sustainably (I did hit 13.5st, but that didn't last long!).

The result of all this is that I was healthier and happier than I'd been for a long time. I was medication free as well, which I was quite pleased about (but to get there I did have a period on gliclazide ... which stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin and then metformin ... which helps the body use the insulin it produces more effectively).

More recently, I put some weight back on and my levels started to deteriorate again. However, I am back on the road to my 14st ideal and things are improving for me again. So, it is a lesson that I have to continually relearn!

Anyway, good luck with everything. It need not be all doom and gloom!

Andy


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## Owen (Oct 25, 2016)

Nothing to fear but fear itself.
FDR
Diabetes is as said serious, but can be managed. You will get days, weeks possibly longer where things seem like herding cats. But, with small changes, frequent improvements that are achievable, then you will get better at managing your situation.

There is no one size fits all solution. You will have to carve your own path, but once you have a basic understanding of your own condition through testing and monitoring, the you will be as good at this as anyone else.


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## PinkGrapefruit (Oct 25, 2016)

Hi! There is loads on the net covering Low Carb diets/ lifestyles both to lose weight and lower blood sugar. Once you see your numbers coming down, you will start to feel better; physically and mentally.


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## Ljc (Oct 25, 2016)

Hi Darren Welcome. You'll find us quite a helpful supportive bunch of people.
It is a shock when you first find out but with knowledge and a bit of effort , it is a condition that can be managed. 
How did you come to be diagnosed. 
Many here are now healthier/fitter because they have taken there D by the throat and given it a hell of a shake up, honest ! We have a few  Marathon runners, mad cyclists  and lots of walkers. We've also got some great cooks too. 
Have a read of  Maggie Davies letter
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/maggie-daveys-letter-to-newly-diagnosed-type-2s.61307/

Test review adjust 
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html
You'll find these and more under useful links over  in the newbies section .

Have you been provided with a meter to test your glucose levels.


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## Darren Bennett (Oct 25, 2016)

Thank you everyone, very encouraging!
I've seen the nurse this morning and have been put on metformin so as to protect myself because (hopefully) I have many years left as I'm only 41.
I am clearing all the carbs out and swapping them for allowed foods which I'm quite looking forward to. 
I've never been a sweet toothed person so I wont miss anything there, but crisps, oh crisps, I shall miss badly 

I train quite a lot in both weights and cardio so that's already sorted.
What's the general bodily reaction to metformin in your experiences?
I should mention that I was offered statins but refused them.

thanks all so much,
Darren


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## Ljc (Oct 25, 2016)

I had no problems with Metformin , some do have Metformin tum . If you do and it doesn't clear up in a week or so their is a slow release version.


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## Andy HB (Oct 25, 2016)

Yep, I was OK with metformin too.

But if you have tummy problems with it, then if they continue and don't abate, get back to your GP. There is a slow release version which may help.

Andy 

P.s. Didn't see that Ljc mentioned about the slow release version already. But it was good to confirm it, I suppose


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## PinkGrapefruit (Oct 25, 2016)

Darren Bennett said:


> Thank you everyone, very encouraging!
> I've seen the nurse this morning and have been put on metformin so as to protect myself because (hopefully) I have many years left as I'm only 41.
> I am clearing all the carbs out and swapping them for allowed foods which I'm quite looking forward to.
> I've never been a sweet toothed person so I wont miss anything there, but crisps, oh crisps, I shall miss badly
> ...



Best to take metformin with food - especially a bit of fibre. I like to keep myself hydrated, so after a litre of water following breakfast a few min later I'm ready for the flush out.

Crisps. You can still have them, but as a rare treat, you will need to build them in to your day. I've had 1 bag in three months. Trouble with crisps is they are high carb, I haven't found anything low carb that is even remotely crisp like. I can recommend peperami - 0.6g of carbs per stick - and they keep out of the fridge.


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## Cate1 (Oct 25, 2016)

Darren, I so understand your trepidation at this diagnosis.  I was diagnosed about 8 weeks ago and was very upset and scared at first.  I take metformin, monitor my blood and have radically changed my eating habits to elimnate sugar as much as I can and cut right down on carbs, although I do allow myself some pasta etc... once a week or so.  I feel so much better than I have for the last few years, the tiredness and sluggish feeling, aches and pains, headaches etc... have all but disappeared and I've lost weight too.  I have stepped up my exercise, cycling 5 miles most mornings (on my static bike) and doing long walks on weekends (we did 13 miles on Dartmoor the other weekend for Marie Curie).  I have booked myself onto a Diabetes XPERT course I am still quite confused about spikes etc... I get quite varied fasting blood readings e.g. 4.8 one morning and 6.9 the next so not sure exactly where I'm going wrong.   I wish you all the best.


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## Martin Canty (Oct 25, 2016)

Darren Bennett said:


> allowed foods


I think you will find that what we consider allowed foods is not quite what the health profession consider allowed.... But you will find that out by hanging around on the board a bit....


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## Jonsi (Oct 25, 2016)

Hi Darren... One of the obvious effects of Metformin is that you will... _Ahem.. _fart a lot. Who cares, it's only wind


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## Martin Canty (Oct 25, 2016)

Jonsi said:


> Who cares, it's only wind


Ahem..... Not always....


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## Darren Bennett (Oct 25, 2016)

You guys and gals are fantastic!
I have had bad tummy cramps and diarrhoea since this afternoon. Not good but I will give them 3 weeks.
What do you eat for breakfast?
Darren


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## Martin Canty (Oct 25, 2016)

Darren Bennett said:


> What do you eat for breakfast?


Personally I don't but many D's find that they are quite insulin resistant first thing so go for just protein & fat, like eggs & perhaps bacon


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## Andy HB (Oct 25, 2016)

PinkGrapefruit said:


> Best to take metformin with food - especially a bit of fibre. I like to keep myself hydrated, so after a litre of water following breakfast a few min later I'm ready for the flush out.
> 
> Crisps. You can still have them, but as a rare treat, you will need to build them in to your day. I've had 1 bag in three months. Trouble with crisps is they are high carb, I haven't found anything low carb that is even remotely crisp like. I can recommend peperami - 0.6g of carbs per stick - and they keep out of the fridge.



What about those vegetable crisps? Anyone tried those and tested the results?

Andy


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## Jonsi (Oct 25, 2016)

Andy HB said:


> What about those vegetable crisps? Anyone tried those and tested the results?
> 
> Andy


Last time I looked potatoes were vegetables


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## Martin Canty (Oct 25, 2016)

Jonsi said:


> Last time I looked potatoes were vegetables


But they are evil vegetables.....


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## Maz2 (Oct 25, 2016)

Welcome to the Forum DArren. You will certainly get lots of help and advice here. Best place I ever found. I am at present at high risk and that was bad enough so cannot imagine how you must feel. I have taken advice and cut carbs too like pasta, rice, Potatoes. My downfall was dried fruit and 6/7 pieces of fruit per day, sandwiches every day, cereals every day. GP said my fruit intake far too high


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## Owen (Oct 25, 2016)

Jonsi said:


> Last time I looked potatoes were vegetables


Splitting chips?


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