# I'm type 2



## Mike78 (Mar 24, 2018)

Hi there I found out Wednesday that I'm a type 2 diabetic same as both my parents


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## Ljc (Mar 24, 2018)

Hello @Mike78 : welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask any questions , we’ll do our best to help


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## Vince_UK (Mar 24, 2018)

Hi Mike
Welcome to this forum and a wealth of experience, information and support.


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## Mike78 (Mar 24, 2018)

Ljc said:


> Hello @Mike78 : welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask any questions , we’ll do our best to help


Sounds like I will rattle soon as well lol because I've also got to take folic acid am already taking an anti-depression tablet


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## Mike78 (Mar 24, 2018)

Vince_UK said:


> Hi Mike
> Welcome to this forum and a wealth of experience, information and support.


Hi Vince when you was told your diabetic was you put on folic acid


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## Carolg (Mar 24, 2018)

Hi mike. Welcome to forum


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## Ljc (Mar 24, 2018)

Hi Mike.  I’m thinking I’ll be able to open up a pharmacy soon lol. 



Mike78 said:


> Hi Vince when you was told your diabetic was you put on folic acid


It may be that the blood test you had showed you were low in Folic Acid, I’ve needed it once , Dad several times, we’re normally on it for a few months.


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## Graham Follett (Mar 24, 2018)

I feel lucky compared! Just Amlodipine for BP, Atorvastatin (of course - they give nearly everyone over 65 statins!). Then solifenacin - bladder relaxant, and an antihistamine because solifenacin causes little rashes occasionally. As I've said before, diagnosed type 2 a few months ago and trying to beat it with diet as I don't fancy side effects of Metformin. This morning's sugar was 6.1 which is lower than usual despite having honey on my porridge!


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## Mike78 (Mar 24, 2018)

Carolg said:


> Hi mike. Welcome to forum


I haven't got a clue what my blood sugar level should be all the Dr told me was a normal reading for a non diabetic is 45 my two were 54&53


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## Brando77 (Mar 24, 2018)

Hey Mike, I'm a new Type 2 as well and you're in the right place for questions. This forum is a Diabetepedia of answers and advice. Ask away.


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## Mike78 (Mar 24, 2018)

Brando77 said:


> Hey Mike, I'm a new Type 2 as well and you're in the right place for questions. This forum is a Diabetepedia of answers and advice. Ask away.


Was you also given folic acid


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## Vince_UK (Mar 24, 2018)

Mike78 said:


> Hi Vince when you was told your diabetic was you put on folic acid


No Mike
I was put on Metformin 500mg starting at 1 in the moring then supposed to increase to 2 per day, 1 additional tablet in the evening after 1 week.
BUT, Me being me, didn't listen and didn't read the instructions as usual and only ever to the morning 1. I was taken off that after 3 months and now don't take anything. Control by diet only


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## Mike78 (Mar 24, 2018)

Not looked at what gram my Metformin is yet but been told to take 1 a day for a month then take 2 a day


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## Vince_UK (Mar 24, 2018)

Mike78 said:


> Not looked at what gram my Metformin is yet but been told to take 1 a day for a month then take 2 a day


You need to check that Mike probably 500 mg


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## Brando77 (Mar 24, 2018)

Mike78 said:


> Was you also given folic acid


Nope, just Gliclazide, Metformin and blood pressure and cholesterol pills (just)


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## Drummer (Mar 24, 2018)

Lucky type twos can eat the best of diets and then not need any medication - My diabetes rolled over and died some time last year.
Today's breakfast - bacon eggs mushrooms and courgette. Today's dinner - oh - so many delicious options, I'll have to think about it. Maybe beef, and some cauliflower - sweet pepper and some salad maybe, and berries and cream to follow.


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 24, 2018)

Mike78 said:


> I haven't got a clue what my blood sugar level should be all the Dr told me was a normal reading for a non diabetic is 45 my two were 54&53


He is wrong then.  45 would be pre-diabetic.  Non diabetic is under 42.


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## Ralph-YK (Mar 24, 2018)

"Nornal" HbA1c is 30 (?) - 41.  Pre-diabetic is 42-47.  Once you've hit 48 and above you're diagnosed as diabetic.  Once that happens, even if you're BG goes lower than 48, you are still diabetic.


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## Grannylorraine (Mar 25, 2018)

Welcome


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## Graham Follett (Mar 27, 2018)

Now, as I said a few weeks ago, I'm newly diag type 2 and trying to sort it by diet - (5 and 2). On the whole, it's getting my weight down gradually but I'm testing blood sugar at home - using an SD BG monitoring system. 
Now, having been 'borderline' for 2 years, the practice nurse called me in after a routine 6 monthly test to say my reading had slipped over the threshold as it was showing 48. I suppose I should have asked 48 what? But I didn't. My home readings have always been around 6 - 9.5... latest (Sunday) was 6.1. The blurb with the monitoring system says that's in mmol/l. 
Now, that figures and ties in nicely with my history, and Diabetes UK says the averages should be - and I quote from their website - 

3.5–5.5mmol/l* before meals
less than 8mmol/l, two hours after meals.
So, what on earth is the nurse talking about 48 for? 
48 what?
Any ideas?

Graham


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## Mike78 (Mar 27, 2018)

Graham Follett said:


> Now, as I said a few weeks ago, I'm newly diag type 2 and trying to sort it by diet - (5 and 2). On the whole, it's getting my weight down gradually but I'm testing blood sugar at home - using an SD BG monitoring system.
> Now, having been 'borderline' for 2 years, the practice nurse called me in after a routine 6 monthly test to say my reading had slipped over the threshold as it was showing 48. I suppose I should have asked 48 what? But I didn't. My home readings have always been around 6 - 9.5... latest (Sunday) was 6.1. The blurb with the monitoring system says that's in mmol/l.
> Now, that figures and ties in nicely with my history, and Diabetes UK says the averages should be - and I quote from their website -
> 
> ...


I'm not 100% sure but I think it's the ha1bc test thing as mine came back 54&53


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## Graham Follett (Mar 27, 2018)

Another thing I meant to ask earlier - tomorrow I'm enrolled on a DESMOND course. Meaning Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed. Run by the local hospital Trust.

It's a whole day course - anyone been on one? Are they any use? Or do they put the frighteners on you?

Graham


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## Ralph-YK (Mar 27, 2018)

Could easily be HbA1c.  See my post above


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## Lanny (Mar 27, 2018)

Graham, the finger prick tests you do are what your blood sugar is at that precise moment. The HA1BC tests are the average blood sugar from the last few months, from all the other times when you were not testing: when asleep. This gives a better indication of where your diabetes is heading as, depending on when you test, some highs & lows are not seen in spot of time tests.


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## Graham Follett (Mar 27, 2018)

Thanks, everyone - I now see the 48 referred to ha1bc. But if that was just one test - taken by the hospital and looking at more than just blood sugar, how can it be an average? Or am I a dimwit....duh!


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## Lanny (Mar 27, 2018)

Graham here is a link that might help. No, you’re not a dim wit! We all started off in the same place & not knowing anything.

https://patient.info/health/diabetes-mellitus-leaflet/tests-for-blood-sugar-glucose-and-hba1c

The two tests, finger prick & HA1BC, measures different things. The second one measures the glucose in the cells & it takes longer & happens at a steady rate. The spot tests you do are the glucose floating around your bloodstream that hasn’t been taken up by the cells yet.


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 27, 2018)

HbA1c is measured in mmol/mol.  Finger pricks are mmol/l.  Old HbA1c measurements were a percentage which some GP surgeries still use, just to confuse things.


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## Lanny (Mar 27, 2018)

Oh, sorry Graham. I was rushing off to cook dinner & eat so, didn’t fully explain.

The HBA1C is an average because when you use a conversion table, there’s a link to one below, you get an average figure for the glucose in your bloodstream: the same thing you’re testing for. That number changes all the time depending on the time of day, your level of resistance, when & what you eat etc.

http://baspath.co.uk/Hba1c_table.pdf

Hope this helps.


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## Maz2 (Mar 28, 2018)

Welcome to the Forum. You will get lots of help and advice here.


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## Graham Follett (Mar 28, 2018)

Thanks Lanny. I suppose the important thing is that I'm about 48 which is only just in type 2. Hopefully, I can hold it down before it gets higher, through diet and exercise.  G


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## JMyrtle (Mar 28, 2018)

I think she is quoting a reading in mmol/mol which is the form used by GPs when they take a reading.
The difference is that when we take a test with our meters it reflects the b/ g level at that moment in time and is shown on mmol/l
The Gp's test records a reading taken over two to three months and is in mmol/mol.
If you Google you can find a chart which will convert one to the other although I think I am right in saying that 48 just slips into the bottom of the diabetic range.


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## CathyB (Mar 28, 2018)

Great question Graham, I am also confused with the different numbers!


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