# I should have known better....



## Kevinky (Dec 23, 2017)

Hello, I was diagnosed with type 2 a few years ago and opted for diet control... Its easy I thought just cut down on chocolate and cakes  and that's been my attitude because I'm not ill really and I've only got diabetes a bit,..... I feel great and everyone tells me how good I look, so it cannot be that serious, can it?... the extra cakes started sneaking in, and those extra few chocolates wont make any difference will they, oh and everyone likes a good takeaway, I've put a few pounds on I know but I'm older now so not as active as I was I keep telling myself .... then slam, my last 2 blood tests have had risen Hba1, kidneys and triglycerides ( I don't even know how to spell that!) are way up - I am seeing my GP again after Christmas and she wants me to increase my statins and go onto medication (tablets) and she also suggested I joined this group and looked hard at my diet so here I am - chocolate, red wine and cake lover, am I doomed?? I think I need some guidance,...


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## Ljc (Dec 23, 2017)

Hi Kevinky welcome to the forum.  No you’re not doomed , we actually can have good tasty food, with I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know the occasional treat.
If you do go onto diabetic medication, it may be possible to come off them later on, it all depends if the necessary change in diet and exersize works well for you.

You need to cut down/out on the fast acting carbohydrates, potatoes esp mashed, pasta, rice and bread esp white, and things made with flour.
Now I know that sounds horriblee, but it is doable ok.
We often use substitutes, ie, cauliflower or broccoli rice. Liddell protein rolls, high protein bread , I’m fine with wholemeal bread.
TBH you really need to test your own BG ( blood glucose) to see how thes carbohydrates affect you as we are all different in what our bodies can and can’t tolerate.

Jennifer’s advise
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.ph

Maggie Davies letter
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/maggie-daveys-letter-to-newly-diagnosed-type-2s.61307/

Test review adjust by Alan S
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

Unles we are on medications that can cause hypo’s (low BG) it’s unlikely we are provided with a glucose meter and or enough testing strips, so many here use the SD Codefree meter as it’s test strips are the cheapest that we have found, around £8 for 50 where high street brands are £15 to £30 available directly from Homehealth
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
We use the mmol/l measurement in the uk and you’re entitled to claim vat relief.
Or from
Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006ZUGLMK/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_2_w

You’ll need to buy more test strips and lancets as they only provide 10 in the starter pack

You’ll find the above and more
At the top of the newbies say hello here forum on the thread called
Useful links for people new to diabetes.

Ask as many questions as you need to, we’ll do our best to help.


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## trophywench (Dec 23, 2017)

Well the good news is, not much harm to be done by the red wine (with the usual caveats about all alcohol LOL)

However the bad news is the chocolate and cake .....

Our problem as a whole - is with carbohydrates generally whether sweet or savoury, brown or white, whether in 'natural' food like a banana or a highly processed shop bought chocolate cake. So - we need to find out how much carb each of our bodies can handle.  And the only way to do it is by self testing with a blood glucose monitor before and after we eat whatever and considering what that foodstuff did to our BG.  Do we need to cut down how much of it we put on the plate and just eat less of it - or cut it out completely?

We can all fool ourselves till the cows come home - but meters don't tell fibs!  So - if the NHS won't fund one for you - buy one yourself! - it's the only way.


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## Ljc (Dec 23, 2017)

That’s very true Jenny.


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## Grogg1 (Dec 23, 2017)

Great advice as above.  A year ago when diagnosed I was in a panic thinking I would just be relying on increasing amount of medications and could never eat anything sweet again.  A year on it's not true.  I haven't increased my meds at all, in fact I'm reducing to 1 500mg tablet a day.   I was fortunate that I was given a meter by my surgery when diagnosed and at my reviews because I have maintained good control I have a note on my records to say testing is helping me to maintain good control so that GP will keep supplying strips.

From advice on this site I limit all carbs be they in a bounty bar or a bowl of pasta!  From testing I have found that homemade cake has less impact on my blood sugar than shop bought cakes.  I enjoy a welsh cake with a generous spread of butter on it and it barely makes a difference providing I've had a low carb meal or it's all I've eaten in hours.  Ice-cream.  Soy based Swedish Glace which is dairy free if also ago if I just have one small scoop.  A local ice-cream parlour that makes it's own ice-cream on the premises (I know it does as I used to work there) if I choose to replace my lunch with a chocolate sunday that's also okay!!!

Wine is fine   I do like a Bacardi and coke but it has to be diet coke so if I'm in the pub and they don't provide cans/bottles so I know it's sugar free coke i.e. if it's on a pump, then I only drink at home.

So Christmas day - boiled egg for breakfast, Christmas lunch is home made nut roast with usual veg but my parsnips will have no honey on and I will limit my potatoes.  For dessert I have a home made vegan cake, Christmas pudding and if I have time I will make a homemade diary free chocolate log with the sugar substitute I have.  I also have a made for me vegan Xmas cake.  Far too much but my hubby will devour the xmas pudding and I will chose one dessert.  We don't usually eat in the evening after Xmas dinner so it will be nibbles of cheese, nuts and crackers.  All washed down with wine!!  Only difference to my non diabetic years is that I would have previously scoffed luxury chocolate truffles and a box of malteasers and had a generous helping of desserts and potatoes !!


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## HOBIE (Dec 23, 2017)

Kevinky said:


> Hello, I was diagnosed with type 2 a few years ago and opted for diet control... Its easy I thought just cut down on chocolate and cakes  and that's been my attitude because I'm not ill really and I've only got diabetes a bit,..... I feel great and everyone tells me how good I look, so it cannot be that serious, can it?... the extra cakes started sneaking in, and those extra few chocolates wont make any difference will they, oh and everyone likes a good takeaway, I've put a few pounds on I know but I'm older now so not as active as I was I keep telling myself .... then slam, my last 2 blood tests have had risen Hba1, kidneys and triglycerides ( I don't even know how to spell that!) are way up - I am seeing my GP again after Christmas and she wants me to increase my statins and go onto medication (tablets) and she also suggested I joined this group and looked hard at my diet so here I am - chocolate, red wine and cake lover, am I doomed?? I think I need some guidance,...


Welcome & I think you have been doing it right cutting the higher carbs. T2 works different to T1. A pancreas may work 70% or 30%. If someone is overweight the pancreas gets surrounded with fat & not work as well. Good luck


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## Kevinky (Dec 24, 2017)

Thank you all very much for you comments and advice, omg I love maggies letter liz some really good guidance in there... 
Thank you all you have made me feel much better... Merry Christmas xx


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## Drummer (Dec 26, 2017)

Chocolate is OK - but the sugar isn't - so high percentages of cocoa chocolate are the way to go - a glass of red wine is apparently a good thing - I don't drink because I drive - I saw what can happen if you get caught out by an emergency after having just one or two. Cakes - well they are problematic, but making a good start by cutting out the plain white boring carbs will probably solve a lot of problems.
After a few months from being diagnosed - and eating low carb foods, my Hba1c was almost halved, at 6 months I was normal - the last time I tested BG after dinner it was 5.6 mmol/l - at 13 moths from diagnosis - Christmas day. It can't get much better than that, really.


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