# Hello! (Newly diagnosed T2)



## fifteenkeats (Jun 18, 2019)

Hi there,

I have recently received my formal T2 diagnosis with a hba1c of 52. I've been instructed to begin metformin and also high blood pressure medication. I'm 37 years old, have been vegan for 11 years, but my weight has always yo-yoed and I struggle a lot with emotional eating and difficulty in using healthy coping mechanisms (relating to a long term mental health diagnosis).

I was sent away from my nurse appointment feeling extremely ashamed of myself, with no advice or guidance other than leaflets about retinopathy and foot health.

I'm feeling pretty lost and without support at the moment. My long term partner left me recently, I've just returned to work after 4 months break after someone harassed me and had to be investigated, and my Mum passed away prematurely (with some complications of T2) about 18 months ago. Nevertheless I am doing everything I can to seek support and make good choices and so I hope this forum will help me with that!

The nurse wouldn't issue a prescription for test strips or lancets so I feel like I am working a little blind, but I will have another hba1c in three months. I'm worried about jumping on metformin immediately and not giving diet/exercise a chance, but the nurse was pretty clear about starting on them.

Anyway! What I'm most interested in at the moment is meal planning - dinners and packed lunches. I have a desk job and am keen to get into a packed-lunch routine ASAP. I'll start with the recipes on this site, but if anyone has any tips for vegans/veggies I would really appreciate it 

Nice to meet you all!

Jenny.


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## Ljc (Jun 18, 2019)

Hello @fifteenkeats , welcome to the forum.
I am sorry to hear that your nurse made you feel so ashamed and sounds like she gave you no helpful advise either, she is the one that should be ashamed of herself not you !  However you have found us , you will lots of useful advice and cyber support from people who live with this condition.  We will tell you what has worked for us. 

The media and some medics would have us believe that T2 is all about being lazy and being overweight ,it is not their is a genetic link too.

You sure have a lot going on right now that must be making everything so much harder for you.

With diabetes as you probably already know it is carbohydrates our bodies can no longer handle too well, especially the starchy ones , they turn to syrup in our blood because we with T2 are not producing enough insulin or are unable to utilise it properly.
We usually have no problems with protein and good fats. Though fruit is very healthy many of us have to be careful with fruit, berries are often tolerated better, grapes are little sugar bombs.

Not being provided a glucose monitor and test strips is sadly normal for those of us who are not on meds that can cause hypo’s , it didn’t used to be that way
Many here who self fund their own meter and test strips use this meter and test strips as it’s strips are £8 for a pot of 50 , brands you can buy in the chemist are over £15 .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-Glucose-Monitor-Monitoring-Testing/dp/B0068JAJFS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1506485682&sr=1-1&keywords=sd+codefree+meter+mmol/l&linkCode=sl1&tag=xfm-21&linkId=f39210144fdc26c27738e45b6d957003&th=1

Ask all the questions you need to about diabetes, we’ll do our best to help

When you have a little time head over to this very thread, for future reference you will find it at the top of the newbies forum.
useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.
I suggest you start with Maggie Davies letter, Test review adjust by Alan S.


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## fifteenkeats (Jun 18, 2019)

Thank you Lin! I really appreciate that.

I've already started looking through the pinned post and may order myself the Codefree meter and strips today


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## Eddy Edson (Jun 18, 2019)

Hi Jenny - Sorry to hear all you've been going through! Whatever, you'll find this a good place to get support from people who understand things pretty well.

I'm not totally vegan yet, but drifting that way. I like convenience, but I also tend to like simple and raw, so these ideas may or may not have appeal:

- A staple for me is a big soy flat white coffee with 30g of chia seeds added. Really simple, convenient, yummy (I think) and very nutritious. About 300 calories, 16g protein, 17g unsaturated fat, 30g total carbs, whopping 15g fibre (so 15g "net carbs" if you look at things that way). 

To a large extent, I use this for fibre instead of bread or any other grain-y foods. On the other hand, so far I've completely failed to get any friends, family, colleagues or associates to get on board - so maybe it's just an Eddy-being-eccentric thing.

- More recently I've started to add some grains back into the diet, mainly for fibre variety - on the theory that the more different types of fibre you eat, the better. I'm also pretty carb-tolerant these days, so my BG can handle it.  I've settled on an occasional slice of pumpernickel with perhaps avocado and lime juice. Again, lots of fibre and nutrition, yummy (I think) and pretty convenient. 

You'll see lots of people recommending Burgen "bread", which is a manufactured quasi-food product made out of various seeds and industrial additives. I think it's loathsome and I'd much rather eat seeds in some more pleasant form, but again that's just me.

- Nuts! Always convenient, nutritious and yummy. I graze on them through the day.

Anyway, good luck! You're not "very diabetic" and I'd guess that it won't take a huge effort to get things under control. Obviously, fee free to ask any questions.


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## Northerner (Jun 18, 2019)

Hi @fifteenkeats, welcome to the forum  Lin has pretty much covered everything I was going to say (thank you Lin!)  It's definitely worth getting your opwn meter and strips so that you can build up a picture of your tolerances for your different meal choices  Your HbA1c isn't particularly high, so it will hopefully only take a few tweaks for you to get things under control. Please feel free to let us know of any concerns or questions you may have and we will be happy to help out  

Shame on that nurse for making you feel like that!  Diabetes is a complex condition with no one known cause, so it's very wrong to 'blame' people or make them feel ashamed or guilty  Unfortunately the nurse also sounds like someone who can't understand the benefits of testing, or even a period of 'grace' before you begin the medication


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## Pine Marten (Jun 18, 2019)

fifteenkeats said:


> Thank you Lin! I really appreciate that.
> 
> I've already started looking through the pinned post and may order myself the Codefree meter and strips today


Hi @fifteenkeats, you can also get the meter from Home Health, who remove the VAT if you click the 'am diabetic' box. The link is: https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Good advice already given by others so I'll just say welcome to the forum


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## SueEK (Jun 18, 2019)

Hi @fifteenkeats and welcome to the forum. Food I think is what most of us struggle with, I’m not vegan or vegetarian but am a fussy eater so food is my biggest problem. Lots of great advice given already so just wanted to say hello and this is somewhere you can come at any time, feel free to post about anything as we are all hear to listen, help and support wherever we can. Don’t feel alone as we all come with not just diabetes but our problems as well. All the best to you x


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## Sharron1 (Jun 18, 2019)

fifteenkeats said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I have recently received my formal T2 diagnosis with a hba1c of 52. I've been instructed to begin metformin and also high blood pressure medication. I'm 37 years old, have been vegan for 11 years, but my weight has always yo-yoed and I struggle a lot with emotional eating and difficulty in using healthy coping mechanisms (relating to a long term mental health diagnosis).
> 
> ...


As the others have said you have come to the right place for advice etc.  I was diagnosed in July 2018 with a HbA1c of 74 by Feb 2019 it was 39.9. I eat salads, green veg, veggie sausages, fish, eggs, cheese.I also have almonds and avocado. Most importantly I am not hungry. I received hopeless advice from my GP, she advised me to eat pork and shellfish and that was that. I ignored it and picked up all the info I needed from people here. I asked loads of questions again and again. The response was wonderfulAsk away.


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## Sharron1 (Jun 18, 2019)

Anitram said:


> Hi
> 
> 52 is only just over the border. I was 104 when diagnosed in March and was happy to see it down at 56 in May. I'll be pleased to be where you are when I see my DN next month.
> 
> ...


You are lucky, my GP was adamant that I shouldn't test. Needless to sayou I ignored her


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## Jodee (Jun 18, 2019)

Welcome newly diagnosed, the main things to always have at the ready for snacks and with lunch I would say are, avocado, salads, eggs, cheese and wallnuts, you can get low carb bread too if you need to Burgen 11g per slice livlife 3.5g per slice, there is a nice vegan butter spread I have just started using by Naturli.  Yoghurt is another good one, a few berries, apple, pear, half a medium banana at a time.  Seeds etc.  The main thing is to reduce the carbs.  be guided by the diabetic plate, half veg or salad, qtr protein, qtr carbs .


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## Stitch147 (Jun 18, 2019)

Hi and welcome to the forum.


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## belugalad (Jun 18, 2019)

fifteenkeats said:


> Thank you Lin! I really appreciate that.
> 
> I've already started looking through the pinned post and may order myself the Codefree meter and strips today


Hi Jenny,I was diagnosed 6 weeks ago and have found this friendly site of great help,its been good getting so much information and support,keep your chin up,by the way,I have that same meter


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## fifteenkeats (Jun 19, 2019)

I'm overwhelmed by all the friendly and positive responses here, thank you! It's a lonely diagnosis without a supportive/informative GP/nurse so I am glad to be here ^_^


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## PamJHS (Jun 20, 2019)

Hi Jenny, 

I'm newly-diagnosed and haven't yet seen the diabetic team, I'm not getting my hopes up too far after your experience! I've been gradually putting on weight for a few years because of a run of bad health which has made me much less mobile, and I've got used to being told off by anyone medical for being overweight, and any health problem I experience being explained by me being overweight. In fact, I told my GP I felt as if I was suffering from FOLS or Fat Old Lady Syndrome, since my weight was all anyone talked about! I did lose about a stone and a half when I was told to follow a very low fat diet while waiting for my gall bladder to come out, but I felt very lacking in energy and quite depressed. It did show that I don't lack willpower, though.


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## fifteenkeats (Jun 20, 2019)

Hi Pam,

Hopefully your team/nurse will be better! There are some good ones here and there 

I actually think it's a lot more complex than pure willpower; if it were so simple, we'd all be doing it! Personally I have a troubled relationship with food and always have. To make a lifestyle change we need education and support, neither of which the NHS has really offered me so far   Luckily the online communities and resources are really informative and helpful! If diets make us tired and depressed they're really not sustainable.

There is definitely a syndrome in the medical industry where overweight/fat patients are dismissed and everything is blamed on weight. Sure, sometimes it really has a bearing, and I know I'm carrying a lot of weight I shouldn't, but all avenues should still be explored!

I hope you get on okay with your diabetic team anyway


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## Docb (Jun 20, 2019)

Anitram said:


> I think it's a bit rich of medical staff tut tutting people because of their weight when so many of them look like they could do with losing a few pounds themselves.
> 
> Martin



Had a bit of a chuckle at that one Anitram. Too right.


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## Ljc (Jun 20, 2019)

Docb said:


> Had a bit of a chuckle at that one Anitram. Too right.


Me too


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## PamJHS (Jun 20, 2019)

I think, at best, medicine is very fact-based and scientific, and it's those aspects I've been grateful for when I was struggling with a gall-bladder abscess and acute cellulitis. With obesity, obviously all the evidence points to it being implicated in conditions it would be better to avoid, so I get where they're coming from. All I know is that when I was walking everywhere my weight was healthy and stable, but since my mobility has been affected by post-operative fatigue ands hip arthritis, I've gained weight. It's not a mystery, and it's not a 'lifestyle choice' either - there's very little choice involved!


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## Docb (Jun 20, 2019)

Was chatting to a big bloke yesterday about this sort stuff.  He is not diabetic but has some wierdo cancer and has decided that getting his weight down might help with his cancer treatment but if it did not, then in any case it would be an all round good idea.  He knows he has got to change what he eats but refused to think about going "on a diet".  That's because it has that negative connotation of stopping doing something and he knows that it might last a while but the old habits would soon return.  What he is looking to do is to change his diet. Same thing really but starting with positive connotations.  He's eating different things, looking for new ideas of what to eat, the only thing he looks at is whether they fit into a keto regime.  The neat thing is that in his mind there are no negatives, he is starting something different rather than cutting back on what he used to do. 

It's one way of getting the mind set right.


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## charlo87 (Jul 11, 2019)

Hi Jenny, 
I've been vegetarian about 7 years (leaning more towards vegan most of the time) and perhaps we can share recipes / ideas? I'm also recently diagnosed T2 around the same time as you from the sounds of it and reluctant to take metformin even though I am doing so as advised. I did wonder if my veggie and probably higer carb/lower protein diet may have contributed to this too. How are you getting on since your original post?


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## Drummer (Jul 15, 2019)

I have often been asked why - if my records are accurate - do I weigh so much. 
Sometimes that last bit is a lot more insulting.
I think at first I weighed more than expected because I was so muscular - but all the low fat low calorie diets sorted that out.
I think that for many people swapping to a large bowl of salad for lunch might make a big difference if they are used to eating sandwiches or something with chips at that time. Adding in a brisk walk - even if it is only ten minutes might also help just to get the heartrate up - but not too much. For someone with a Hba1c in the 50s or even 60s, a consistent reduction in carbs could well turn things around - It would mean having some fat - but an olive oil dressing on the salad would provide that - or walnuts - or both - as an alternative source of fuel. Even as an omnivore, I eat a lot of salads, particularly in the warm weather and I make olive oil and wine vinegar dressings with a pinch of herbs for that extra zing.


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