# New, grumpy and confused !



## clairemm (Sep 23, 2012)

Hi, I'm new to the type 2 club. I have a billion questions but I?m going to hold back on most of the them so you don?t all block me.
I?m feeling a little adrift since being diagnosed, I have been given barely any actual diet advice (I know cakes = bad, etc) but I had to ask if I should avoid certain fruits, (grapes v v bad apparently) and if carbs sugar was ?sugar sugar? etc. 
I was given a 1 sided idiot sheet, which basically said I shouldn?t eat butter, chocolate, etc and should eat potatoes, rice, wholemeal bread and pasta. but having read a lot on here and diabetes uk website it appears that?s possibly not the best advice especially as I have a lot of weight to lose. 

so already I?m questioning the knowledge/facts behind the little I have been told and the following doesn?t help.

?	would you lose weight with undiagnosed type 2 ?  (it would appear I have lost over 2 stone in the 6 months before diagnoses) I asked my nurse if you would lose weight with type 2 (there was questions as to whether I had type 1 or 2 at first) and she just said no and moved on to something else (ignoring to fact I have lost weight with no dieting)

?	I also asked if I would have to be on the metformin forever even if I lost weight and she said "yes, sorry but your pancreas will always be damaged you will need tablets for the rest of your life" but I?ve already read one case on here where someone has been taken off it after a few years and a large weight loss.

I don?t want to sound like I have an enormous sense of entitlement and I know even the doctors and nurses cant know everything and the best education in living with something and I?m grateful for the help and medication I have received, but now I know why I kept getting sick, bad headaches and slept all the time and what my blood glucose levels are (3 weeks plus and day and night my numbers range between 11 to 14) but I do think especially the first question is important, especially as first nurse seemed to think it was possible I was type 1 (she gave me ketostix and told me to seek help if read ++) they regularly read + and on 2 occasions so far read ++ but second nurse didn?t even seem interested when I told her. 

What one medical professional thinks is important another ignores and it?s just adding to my despondency/what?s-the-bloody-point thoughts.

Moan over (felt good to get it out though :S )


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## Northerner (Sep 23, 2012)

Hi clairemm, welcome to the forum  It looks to me like you have exhausted the 'knowledge' of your nurse so I'm afraid it doesn't look like you can depend on her for any future problems or questions you might have  it is perfectly possible to lose weight when you have undiagnosed diabetes of any type. This is because your body, being unable to utilise the energy from the glucose in your blood, has to burn body fat (and, to some extent, muscle fibre and other tissue) instead, resulting in weight loss - this process also produces ketones as by-products. Like you, I lost two stone in the 2 years leading up to my diagnosis for no apparent reason. Once you can improve your insulin sensitivity (exercise helps enormously with this) and modify your diet bu using your meter to inform you as to what food you can and cannot tolerate well, your body will be able to use your blood glucose more efficiently, keeping levels lower and reducing ketosis
.
Secondly, yes, it is perfectly possible to start on medication, but then be able to come off it once you have gained good control of your blood sugar levels with modifications to your diet and activity levels - many of our members have achieved this. It is not always possible, but it is a possibility.

As for diet, again, the type of advice you have been provided with is largely discredited. Far better advice is to try and follow a low GL or GI (Glycaemic Index/Load) diet and, as mentioned, use your meter to inform your food choices. The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction to the principles of GL.

So you can understand how to tackle your diabetes, a good place to start is by reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter. I would also highly recommend getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker, which will put you in the picture and give you a far greater understanding of your diabetes than you have been given so far.

Hopefully, this will set you on the right track and clarify much of the confusion you have been feeling! If you have any questions, then please do ask - nothing is considered 'silly', and there are hundreds of lovely people here who have been exactly where you are now, and who will be happy to help out where they can


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## Mark T (Sep 23, 2012)

Welcome to the forum clairemm


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## Andy HB (Sep 23, 2012)

Ok, and now some information from someone who knows how it is for real and not just what was 'learned from a day course'.

First things first though ... Welcome to the forum. 

1) I lost more than a stone before diagnosis and so it is possible that weight loss can occur.  In my case it was down to severe insulin resistance.

2) No, you don't need to be on metformin for life.  It may be advisable to be on metformin long term for various reasons but it isn't written in stone. In my case I was on metformin for around three months after diagnosis but was then able to stop taking it.  I have been off it for over two and a half years now.

3) Diet is a trickier issue.  For me I have reduced my carbohydrate intake quite a lot. I also cut out most of my saturated fat intake (in the form of butter etc). This helped me get down to my fighting weight of between 13.5 and 14st and since then I have slackened the restriction a little to maintain rather than lose weight.  I still strictly control my intake of potatoes, rice and pasta though .... they are the things which affect me the most.

That's about it for now.

Good luck,

Andy


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## clairemm (Sep 23, 2012)

wow lots of Hi's and information, thank you 

and now I?m confident I?m not wrongly diagnosed and/or crazy things might get a bit easier. I?ve ordered the ".. the first year book" yesterday so that should be here soon and I?m about to order the gi for dummies, so I should be a genius soon (I won?t be, I?m crap I forget everything as soon as I stop reading, but I can carry them around with me )

I was worried about all the carbs I was eating, my inner voice was telling me that much bread and rice, etc was gonna put the weight back on, I?m already worried that now I?m on metformin that the weight loss will stop or reverse. the only good thing about all this so far has been the weight loss and on my low days I?ve seriously considered not taking the tablets and letting the weight loss carry on that way. I?ve gone from apparently been able to eating what I like and lose weight to not able to eat so many things and putting on weight. 
I know that?s dangerous and lining me up for so many problems down the road as my type 2, copd, 2 x heart attacks, severe arthritis, 1 legged dad keeps pointing out.

lastly could it be not-yet-controlled diabetes that has turned me into a walking and very sensitive perfume, air freshener, bath foam, most materials barometer ? I?m so sensitive to everything now, even on other people sets my skin prickling and coming up in hives, in fact I only got diagnosed the day I did because I?d been sent home from work coz they thought I had shingles!


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## Northerner (Sep 23, 2012)

Metformin will not make you gain weight, so don't stop taking them  Losing weight from having too high blood glucose levels just isn't worth the trade-off - your father is right!  I can'r explain the hives etc. but we are complex beings that can respond in unusual ways when our bodies are not on an even keel - I imagine the problems will dissipate as you gain better control


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## happydog (Sep 23, 2012)

*Thank you for asking these questions*

I have also been diagnosed with diabetes although the letter did not say which type.  I got a lot of leaflets by post sent by my surgery and have been told to make an appointment with the practice nurse.  I find the diet advioce on the web really confusing and have come to the conclusion that I will need to test my blood sugar level several times a day and keep notes about what helps and what does not.  My understanding is that carbohydrates are converted to sugar. Should I concentrate on proteins and drastically reduce carbohydrate intake?  I need to loose a bit of weight.   Which is the most accurate meter to buy?  Do I need training to do the test or can I just do it? I also have an underactive thyroid and have a tablet to take for that.  I have been told that this makes weight loss very difficult. Is this true? I am feeling very confused and am so glad to have found somewhere that I can ask questions.  The nurse who originally said that my blood sugar was high 11.9 but did not give me any other information. She said that it was important to see my GP.  I have an appointment in three weeks time. I have had two fasting blood sugar tests through the practice nurses who said they do not know about diabetes but that it is serious.  Yesterday I got a letter saying that I have diabetes. Sorry to have gone on but I feel a bit "alone" on this amd it seems very little interest being shown by the GP etc.


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## Mark T (Sep 23, 2012)

Welcome to the forum happydog 

Sadly you are experiencing the fairly common lack of knowledge in a GP surgery.  If you are lucky you can ask to be referred to a hospital clinic.  I'd make a request for them to give your test results to you as well (in printed form).  It should come under the Data Protect Act, so they can't refuse.

Have a read around Alan S's advice on his website, this http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html is good for explaining how to test for different foods to find what is best for you.  But there is lots of useful advice in his blog.


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## happydog (Sep 23, 2012)

*Thank you*



Mark T said:


> Welcome to the forum happydog
> 
> Sadly you are experiencing the fairly common lack of knowledge in a GP surgery.  If you are lucky you can ask to be referred to a hospital clinic.  I'd make a request for them to give your test results to you as well (in printed form).  It should come under the Data Protect Act, so they can't refuse.
> 
> Have a read around Alan S's advice on his website, this http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html is good for explaining how to test for different foods to find what is best for you.  But there is lots of useful advice in his blog.



Thanks for the welcome.  I am on a very steep learning curve and really grateful fo all advice and experience.  I will certainly follow yours.


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## Pumper_Sue (Sep 23, 2012)

Hi Happydog,
I can answer the throid question for you  It's a myth re being hard to loose weight. This is due to taking the thyroxin medication to bring your levels back to normal. If your thyroid is underactive and not treated then you gain weight and find it hard to shift.
So taking the meds works wonders


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## happydog (Sep 23, 2012)

*Thank you*



Pumper_Sue said:


> Hi Happydog,
> I can answer the throid question for you  It's a myth re being hard to loose weight. This is due to taking the thyroxin medication to bring your levels back to normal. If your thyroid is underactive and not treated then you gain weight and find it hard to shift.
> So taking the meds works wonders



Thank you for your welcome.  The news about the thyroid tablet is brilliant. I feel better already!


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## trophywench (Sep 23, 2012)

Hi Happydog!  Good advice you've had there.  You don't need training to operate a Glucometer, words and pictures in the instruction book!

Claire - something in your first post made me laugh - hope it does you too (in retrospect)

So they tell you to eat shedloads of starchy carbs; then tell you that you'll never come off the meds.

Oh dear.

In actual fact that was true, cos if you follow that dietary advice - you most certainly never will !

So don't ......


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## clairemm (Sep 23, 2012)

Happydog I thought I?d been treated a bit shabby, but diagnosed by letter and appointment 3 weeks away! that?s rough.  I can understand why you feel abandoned. a new diagnoses is like a slap round the face anyway and you sit there, head reeling thinking "now what?" 

I thought I would be better off as my surgery is a big health centre, with a diabetes team, asthma team, weight management centre, etc, I thought I was lucky as there would be less people booking in to see "my" diabetes team than there would be booking the diabetes team at the local hospital, but after only 1 follow up visit I?m finding the knowledge lacking. 

I've still got a lot to learn, but I?m trying to take the following good points from all this
(1) at least I know what?s wrong with me now, because my general health was getting worse and worse
(2) I have the medication needed to help
(3) I?ve found somewhere to get more relevant and upto date advice (here and diabetes uk website)
(4) my blood glucose is depressingly high despite massive changes to my diet, but they must have been a lot higher before.

one thing I would recommend is pushing for a sooner appointment (even if it means time off work, etc) I found 2 weeks between diagnoses and first proper appointment a right merry go round. swinging from good intensions, to thinking "what?s the point" it?s hard to maintain good intensions when you have to wait weeks to talk to someone that?s got the advice you need.  I missed a blood test that would have diagnosed me a few weeks earlier because I couldn?t fit it in round work, then I got ill with about 4 different apparently common side effects of uncontrolled diabetes all at the same time and ended up having to have the whole week of work and fitting in blood tests and appointments while feeling pants lol


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## clairemm (Sep 23, 2012)

trophywench said:


> Hi Happydog!  Good advice you've had there.  You don't need training to operate a Glucometer, words and pictures in the instruction book!
> 
> Claire - something in your first post made me laugh - hope it does you too (in retrospect)
> 
> ...



LOL trophywench prehaps thats what its all about, its an evil ploy to keep me hooked on thier meds forever     i will defeat. i will overthrow the dark powers


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## clairemm (Sep 25, 2012)

so does a hba1c of 86 get me any prizes ?! as i'm new to this it didnt mean much to me, obvoiusly did to my nurse though, shes phoned me everyday since to ask how i am ! lol

i did look up a hba1c scale but the one i found only went up to 75 

all my life i've been getting low scores in all the tests i took, and people told me off. now i get high scores in tests, people are still telling me off !


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## Mark T (Sep 25, 2012)

It's 10% in old money - which since the target is 6.5% is a bit high.

But glad to hear the nurse is being a little more attentive now.


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## Northerner (Sep 25, 2012)

clairemm said:


> so does a hba1c of 86 get me any prizes ?! as i'm new to this it didnt mean much to me, obvoiusly did to my nurse though, shes phoned me everyday since to ask how i am ! lol
> 
> i did look up a hba1c scale but the one i found only went up to 75
> 
> all my life i've been getting low scores in all the tests i took, and people told me off. now i get high scores in tests, people are still telling me off !



It equates to 10% in the 'old money', which is on the high side. The ideal is to get it to 6.5% or below (48). Mine was 11.8% at diagnosis and I was feeling VERY bad. Hopefully, things wil begin to improve for you now that you are diagnosed and receiving treatment


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## clairemm (Sep 25, 2012)

6.5% huh, this is gonna take more chocolate and bread dodging then.

they have put me up to 4 x 500g metformin a day so prehaps the numbers will start coming down now.


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## trophywench (Sep 26, 2012)

Claire hun - the Metformin will help once you get it well into your system - that takes 2 to 3 weeks.  But it can't do it alone if you eat too much carb.

But with it, you certainly know when you've eaten too much carb because it tends to pass straight through ... it's aka Metfartin .... if windyoops were the only thing it might not be so bad but there's often quite a bit of err, 'follow through'  LOL


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## Mark T (Sep 26, 2012)

clairemm said:


> 6.5% huh, this is gonna take more chocolate and bread dodging then.
> 
> they have put me up to 4 x 500g metformin a day so prehaps the numbers will start coming down now.


Don't bank on that!  Metformin is reputed to be able to bring down your HbA1c by about 2% at best (someone else knows the actual figure, but I think I'm in the right magnitude).

The rest of the needed reduction you will need to achieve via exercise and diet adjustments.  That doesn't mean lettuce leaves and running 10K every day  If you have a meter then Alan Shanley's advice (posted previously) is excellent for identifying which foods you can eat without going really high.

If you are overweight then loosing some will help your numbers come down too.


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## clairemm (Sep 26, 2012)

lol thanks for the warning Trophywench !

I am trying to cut down on carbs, i've cut out all sweets, chocolate, juice, anything sweet actually and other snacks like crips, etc

but the carbs are proving difficult. by the time i get home in an evening i'm starving, i think also the long gap between lunch and dinner isnt helping anything, but i'm a carer as well as working full time so its 7-8pm when i get in and i just want food. i know all about the subsitutues, zuccinni pasta, califlower rice, etc (i did atkins on and off for years) but noting beat stew and dumpings 

i am still losing weight but only now about a pound a week but seeing as my bloods can only be better than they were i'm not worrying about that, but at that rate its gonna take me 36 weeks to get to rubenesque


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## clairemm (Sep 26, 2012)

anybody use any of these apps for tracking your glucose levels? 
i downloaded one to my ipad and have been filling it on there, with the thought that i could take my ipad and show the nurse at my next appointment, in a much easier format, all my readings. 

but i just realised its syncing with a main website, so i dont even need to have my ipad on me, i can log onto the website on a pc and see all my readings and graphs, etc. 

but the main thing i realised is i could give nurse the log in and she could view them when ever she wanted, rather than her ringing me every other day while i'm at work and cant remember my last few readings.


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## Northerner (Sep 26, 2012)

clairemm said:


> anybody use any of these apps for tracking your glucose levels?
> i downloaded one to my ipad and have been filling it on there, with the thought that i could take my ipad and show the nurse at my next appointment, in a much easier format, all my readings.
> 
> but i just realised its syncing with a main website, so i dont even need to have my ipad on me, i can log onto the website on a pc and see all my readings and graphs, etc.
> ...



Not all HCPs (healthcare professionals) are happy looking at output from the myriad applications available as they need to know how to interpret the information. If it is well-written then things should be obvious, but I would be prepared to have to explain stuff however obvious it may appear!


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## robofski (Sep 26, 2012)

clairemm said:


> anybody use any of these apps for tracking your glucose levels?
> i downloaded one to my ipad and have been filling it on there, with the thought that i could take my ipad and show the nurse at my next appointment, in a much easier format, all my readings.
> 
> but i just realised its syncing with a main website, so i dont even need to have my ipad on me, i can log onto the website on a pc and see all my readings and graphs, etc.
> ...



Hi Claire,

I use an App called OnTrack which is only available for Android, I find it easier to record on my phone rather than my iPad as I always have my phone with me and not always the iPad.  I love it and my DSN has been fine about seeing my data on it, but as Northener says it will depend a lot on the HCP (my DSN is great!)

Which apple app are you using, I've tried a couple but didn't really like any of them as much as OnTrack.


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## clairemm (Sep 27, 2012)

i'm using glucose buddy and the thing about having it on my phone only occured to me yesterday, so i downloaded it to that but the phone app doesnt sync to pc/ipads yet ! so its no good to me, as ive got less than 2 weeks of data i might have a look at OnTrack and start again. Thanks


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## happydog (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks Clairemm for your support.  I have realised that it is up to me to do the running on my diagnosis.  I can't have an appointment until the week after next, they apologised and said there just aren't any to be had and I can't be classed as an emergency.  I have decided on a low carb diet as I need to loose weight.  I have lost 1.5 kg in three weeks.  I have one apple each day and a handful (about 6 nuts) when I need a snack. Maybe you could try one of them when you get home and can't have your dinner right away? I have bought the kit to do blood monitoring which arrived today and will start tomorrow.  I bought a Bayer Next as trawling on internet said it was most accurate and I can download the data to my computer and take a report with me.  I am hoping that I can get the strips on prescription. I have found out that there is a diabetes clinic at the local hospital so I am going to ask about that when I see the nurse. I need to take control because my practice are talking about 6 monthly visits which won't give me information very often.  Fortunately I don't feel ill, just get tired rather quickly.  I am luck because I work from home so I can do my hours when I like.  Hope things improve for you.


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## LINDAPILK (Sep 28, 2012)

i too am fairly newly diagnosed as Type 2 and I had lost 2 stone over approx 9 months without dieting - was told definity one of the signs.  By diet and medication  I am now registering 5's, 6's and the occasional 4.?  just got 2nd H1bac result - diagnosis was 14 now 6 weeks in is 9.2 - next test in 4 weeks time - looking for 7 or below!hopefully!.. have found fish puts levels back up high so will avaid in future.  spagetti bolognase is really good with wholmeal pasta too (and fry but not good for chloesterol!)

Hope you sort yourself out soon - testing is the only way to gauge progress.


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## clairemm (Sep 29, 2012)

thanks Lindapalk, nice to know what?s achievable, because I?m trying not to give up on testing my bg at the moment. I got a right telling off from my nurse yesterday because I?ve used the tub of test strips they gave me, even though I pointed out I have paid for another tub myself because I know they are very strict with prescriptions for strips. but she had a right go at me!

"why have you used so many!?" (because my readings are high and they aren?t coming down and i was worried)

"the metformin can take 2 to 3 months to get in your system so your reading will still be high" (you never told me that, I?ve been really worried as it?s been nearly a month now and thought it should be working)

"when have you been testing?" (before eating and 1 hour and 2 hours after eating)

"don?t waste strips testing after eating that info I no used to us" (you never told me that either, when YOU gave me the bg monitor you never gave me any information at all on when to test)

so I?m feeling pretty pi$$ed off now, feel like a week of conscientious testing and logging has been a waste of time and feel guilty that I?ve wasted nhs money, but I have actually found the after food reading very helpful, its helped me identify some apparently healthy foods that cause a massive spike in my bg.

I just can?t get my head round that massive difference in the advice given by the professionals and advice given by the people on here actually living with and successfully controlling the condition. I can see me having very different ideas on how to treat this than the nhs issued-abc?s of diabetes. I?ve just had to go and do a shop again, because they told me wholemeal bread, potatoes and pasta with everything, but g.i. for dummies arrived yesterday and said very different.

Basically, am grumpy again, which is how this threaded started off lol


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## trophywench (Sep 29, 2012)

You are right to be grumpy.

And that's one of the reasons forums like this are so successful - for us all to let of steam when we need too instead of kicking the cat.

However if we all did that, and had done so every time we felt grumpy with the NHS by now, I have to say, it would have had the same effect on them so far !  However, there would have been an absolute epidemic of cats with damaged kidneys.  Which is not to be recommended.

However thinking about it, perhaps the RSPCA would launch an investigation into the poor cats and when they found out why - maybe the NHS might sit up and take notice?  

OTOH, I'm given to understand that if you have a diabetic dog the vet's advice has long been to curb the carbs because Canine Diabetes is apparently more akin to T2, and some if not all of em are on insulin.

So probably not.  I mean what ridiculous advice.  Those dogs will be dying of heart attacks instead, won't they?  Cos that's what always happens to diabetics of any species when they don't eat enough carbs isn't it?  

Hope that's given you a laugh and cheered you up!

Take a BIG breath and have a go at cutting out the middle-man once you are calmer. ie go and see the Doctor, not the nurse.

They CAN prescribe strips notwithstanding edicts from the PCT that say they can't.  They may well have to justify it to the PCT; tough !  My PCT makes their GPs justify every single prescription for a diabetic that gets more than 100 strips a month as a matter of course.  This is always met by a Deep Sigh from the Diabetes GP, his boss takes it as I see it, as a challenge to his intelligence and clinical expertise - Which of their boxes shall I tick?  Let's tick this one ....  LOL

The makers of Metformin will be surprised to discover their drug takes 'months' to get working.  They have evidence to show that it's nearer a few weeks - 3 weeks is usually quoted!

You could have some Fun and ask the Pharmacist how long it takes to work?  Then when you see the doctor you can tell him what the nurse said and that you don't think she's very good because ........


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## clairemm (Oct 2, 2012)

well i found something all newbies should be warned about.
diabetic chocolate!!! 

oh my lord, i only had a few pieces. it shouldnt be legal to sell something that can do that to your stomach 

was thorntons brand to, so not cheap rubbish. wont be trying it again though, branded or otherwise lol


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## Northerner (Oct 2, 2012)

clairemm said:


> well i found something all newbies should be warned about.
> diabetic chocolate!!!
> 
> oh my lord, i only had a few pieces. it shouldnt be legal to sell something that can do that to your stomach
> ...



Sorry, we should have told you about that!  I agree that it should not be sold as suitable for diabetics - far better to have a little of the real thing in moderation. High cocoa content chocolate is the best. 

I wrote a poem about 'diabetic' food, specifically 'Diabetic Jam'


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## clairemm (Oct 2, 2012)

lol love the poem


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## clairemm (Oct 6, 2012)

hmmm few ups and downs in the last week or so, and am having trouble avoiding getting a bit down about how my bg still sometimes shoot up when I?m eating far better. And then i think it?s getting me down now so imagine in ten years ! which doesn?t help. keep reminding myself that today choices do make a difference and it?s not like breaking a 'diet diet' where I can start again tomorrow.

the office sugar police are annoying me a bit too, offering me sweets, buns and biscuits and AFTER I?ve said "no thank you" they say "oh yeah you can?t have that" I would never dream of saying that to anyone, diabetic or otherwise, everyone?s choice are their own.

in some way being at work helps, as it adds structure to my day, meaning I test very regularly  (i?ve programmed reminders into my computer calendar) but the fact I?m a buyer means I get sent goodies to butter me up ! (biscuits from the stationers, chocolates and alcohol from the steel yards and last week jelly beans !!! from a powder coating company !)

but on the up side I?ve started walking home from work, rather than waiting in the local shopping centre for a lift from my husband, so I?m saving a fortune avoiding boredom spending and get a 2-5 mile walk each day and still get home at the same time  my weight loss has slowed down to about 1 pound a week, but the walking seems to be really toning me up, I?ve had to send 2 lots of clothes back to the catalogue coz I order one size smaller and now need 2 sizes smaller. I?m currently wearing jeans for the first time in about 15 years (I bloody love pockets by the way, elasticised trouser and shapeless dresses don?t have them) and instead of having to take my wedding ring off as soon as I get in coz it?s too tight, I?m actually in danger of losing it, so it?s gonna have to go to jewellers to be made smaller.

oh and vanity aside I?ve just being playing with my glucose buddy app and it?s just told me that my average bg has gone down from 10.5 to 9.2. No gold stars just yet I know, but it?s the bg reading that really get me down coz in isolation it just seems like they are no better, but a statistic like that has just really cheered me up


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## Northerner (Oct 6, 2012)

Claire, it sounds like you are making some really good progress - well done!  The better levels will come, don't worry. There will always be times when you get unexpected highs and you just have to chalk them down to the Diabetes Fairy if no other explanation can be found


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## clairemm (Oct 6, 2012)

using this forum just proves to me that i use facebook too much, i really wanted to 'like' the diabetes fairy comment


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## robofski (Oct 6, 2012)

Claire, sounds like your making progress in the right direction, try not to be too tough on yourself.  I know when I started, I got quite down about my readings not being in the 4-8 range, and it took me several weeks before I got there.  Now >85% of my readings in the last month are in that range, and I've only been at it 6 months.  

The app is a great motivator, I really like checking my stats on the app and setting myself a little improvement!  I think I mentioned the app I use (OnTrack) one of the things I love is the estimated HbA1C, I've managed to get mine down to 6.0 from 12.0 six months ago, can't wait to find out if its accurate, have bloods taken next week (last time it predicted 9.1 and I actually got 9.2 so I'm hoping for near the 6.0 predicted)

Keep going the way your going, you'll get there 

PS I wanted to Like your comment about wanting to Like


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## clairemm (Oct 7, 2012)

Hi Robofski, thanks for the reply, six month huh? here was me thinking this balancing act was going to take years.
i hope you get your 6


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