# Newly diagnosed Type 2



## lynne.s (May 11, 2013)

Hello,

Just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 2 weeks ago.  I've managed to lose 9lb since being diagnosed and I'm very pleased with myself.  Just wish I'd managed to lose the weight sooner, although I do have a history of diabetes in my family (my father was a type 1, and my brother is a type 1).  At the moment, I've been told that I need to diet and exercise to keep it under control, but may need to take tablets. I'm so glad I've found this forum as I have found so many useful tips and information on here. 

Can anyone recommend any good books/websites for more info?  Thanks


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## Taz (May 11, 2013)

Hi Lynne 
Welcome I got told I have type 2 1 week ago im glad to I found this forum because its put my mind at rest a little with allbthe good advice I have received on here.
I just cant sleep at the moment not sure if its the tablets im on or just all the worry .


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## Mark T (May 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum lynne.s  and well done on that weight loss.

In the newbie help thread there are some links to helpful websites and an excellent book by gretchen becker.


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## Northerner (May 11, 2013)

Hi Lynne, welcome to the forum  Have you had a look through our Useful links thread? I would particularly recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter and getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker - these should give you a good introduction to understanding diabetes, what to expect, and how to manage it well 

Well done on your weight loss - that's terrific! We have a good weight loos section here if you are looking for tips, motivation and support. Please ask any questions you may have - nothing is considered 'silly', so if it is worrying or confusing you, ask away!


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## lynne.s (May 12, 2013)

Thanks for your replies Taz, Mark T and Northerner, I haven't been sleeping that well either Taz so you are not on your own! Hopefully things will settle down.

I've just ordered that Gretchen Becker book , so am looking forward to receiving it and learning more.

I've been using my Glucose monitor for the first time this weekend, have had good steady results so hopefully it will stay that way.  Just so glad my Doctors surgery are on the ball and getting me all the help I need, I feel very lucky that way.

Thanks for all the helpful tips and advice - much appreciated


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## Northerner (May 12, 2013)

lynne.s said:


> Thanks for your replies Taz, Mark T and Northerner, I haven't been sleeping that well either Taz so you are not on your own! Hopefully things will settle down.
> 
> I've just ordered that Gretchen Becker book , so am looking forward to receiving it and learning more.
> 
> ...



Good news Lynne, sounds like you have got off to a good start which is so important  Good to hear you have a supportive srgery


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## DebbyC (May 17, 2013)

*Hi Lynne*

Hello Lynne, I was diagnosed a couple of months ago with type 2, but my surgery don't believe in meters and monitoring blood, except for the 3 monthly blood test. So i'm still trying to get a meter. I have lost only 2lb so far, but have stepped up my exercise to help with that. I have been feeling so much better since I reduced my carb intake, and started eating more veg, but was also told that new advice is to only eat two portions of fruit a day, so I'm trying to stick to that also. It's quiet hard to take in at first, but once you start to understand it all you get there in the end. But this forum is great it has really helped me to understand lots of things, the people are so helpful and friendly on here.


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## SimplesL (May 17, 2013)

Hi Lynne

Welcome to the forum from another Lynne. 

I'm glad you found it so quickly as it took me 2 years!!!

Good you have a supportive health team behind you. The book you ordered is 1 I did and it is really informative, I took most info in the 2nd time of reading it. Mind you I was diagnosed in 2010 & i still learn from this site with the great and supportive advice on offer.

Like you I have diabetes (T2) in the family with my dad, older brother & uncle all with T2. None of us are particularly overweight and have always been active. If you have it in the family sometimes you just can't help it as your family members with T1 certainly couldn't. 

Well done on the weight loss, it will help your blood sugar no end. Have you thought about increasing your exercise. That really helped me get my blood sugar down (with the help of metformin) to almost non-diabetic amounts. Even though I did exercise I found what I did didn't "work me out" sufficiently & found a great gym which worked with me, in fact although not overweight by more than 1/2 stone I did tone down 2 dress sizes to size 8/10, & now in healthy BMI range for my height.

Best wishes in a continued weight loss, and improved blood sugar count.

Take care
Lynne


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## yorksman (May 17, 2013)

I started on a sort of diet when I was diagnosed but quickly decided that a 'diet' was no good because this had to be a permanent life style change. I had to completely change what I ate, not substitute things on a meal by meal basis.

I have spent a lot of time learning about food and what works for me, how to source it and how to cook it and I now eat well and am still losing weight, 27Kg now since christmas. My rate of weight loss has slowed now and it is harder but it is still reducing and even if it takes me another year to lose the next 10kg, that's OK by me. I am not going anywhere. I am not in a race.

Best advice I can give is devote your efforts into making time for yourself, so you can experiment and learn. Don't try to just fit things in, make it your business, your mission to change things.

Exercise too is important. In my case, I had to exercise to get fit enough to do some exercise. That was fun working out how to crack that chicken and egg situation. Again, if it is part of your life, rather than something you'd better squeeze in between more important things, it's easier.

The benefits of permanent changes are worth it. More energy, more active, more out of life, lower BG levels, healthier all round. Keep positive and keep motivated, expect little setbacks and redouble your efforts when they occur.

Well, there's not much on TV is there?


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## am64 (May 17, 2013)

yorksman said:


> I started on a sort of diet when I was diagnosed but quickly decided that a 'diet' was no good because this had to be a permanent life style change. I had to completely change what I ate, not substitute things on a meal by meal basis.
> 
> I have spent a lot of time learning about food and what works for me, how to source it and how to cook it and I now eat well and am still losing weight, 27Kg now since christmas. My rate of weight loss has slowed now and it is harder but it is still reducing and even if it takes me another year to lose the next 10kg, that's OK by me. I am not going anywhere. I am not in a race.
> 
> ...



LIKE welcome to the forum Lynne x


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## lynne.s (May 18, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies and great advice - I am so glad I have found this forum, its fantastic and so supportive and informative.

I completely agree with you about the exercise, I need to start some regular exercise, which I am dreading, as I am overweight - but I am determined to make time for myself now.  I admit I don't really fit anything in my life for myself as my world revolves around my children and my job - I know I have to make changes now. 

I am loving the Gretchen Becker book - its brilliant and I can't put it down at the moment.


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## Northerner (May 18, 2013)

Do you have a garden Lynne? I find (as do many others!) that gardening is the one activity almost guaranteed to bring my blood sugar levels under control - as long as it's not just arranging the sun lounger of course! (unlikely in this weather!) You can do as much or as little as you like and hopefully you will get something nice to show for it afterwards  You could even grow your own veg!

Good luck whatever you try


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## yorksman (May 19, 2013)

Northerner said:


> I find (as do many others!) that gardening is the one activity almost guaranteed to bring my blood sugar levels under control -



If you ever need help with your blood sugars, you can borrow my garden.


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## Andy HB (May 19, 2013)

yorksman said:


> If you ever need help with your blood sugars, you can borrow my garden.



Nice one!


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## yorksman (May 19, 2013)

lynne.s said:


> I completely agree with you about the exercise, I need to start some regular exercise,



There's not enough discussion about the benefits of exercise and consequently not enough about why we exercise. Most people think exercise is about improving their heart and lungs and others think it's about getting physically fitter. Some think of it as a means to burning calories and thereby losing weight and others think of it as increasing the metabolic rate. Few people think of it as improving digestion although everyone has heard little sayings about taking the _daily constitutional_ or _walking off a meal_.

Exercise releases several hormones which trigger the production of various enzymes, some of which help the insulin function. These peak at 12 hours after exercise and decline rapidly after 24 hours but the excess is cumulative. They are added to the next days and the day after that and so on. Within a few weeks, you can build this to a maximum. Something like 3 ten minute sessions a day, about the level of walking up a small hill would do it. I use a rower and a stationary bike, not going mad, just a pace that I am comfortable with. I had to build upto that by the way, I wasn't fit enough to start on that. It took me a few weeks.

When I started I was one of those who couldn't eat porridge because it would add significantly to my BG levels after 2 hours. Once I got to the level where I could do 2 x 5 mins per day, eating porridge would only raise my BG 1.5 - 2 points and now at 3 x 10 mins per day it raises me between 0.5 and 1. I always exercise 1 hour after a meal for ten mins. If I eat a good quality wholemeal loaf, say 75% wholemeal wheat and 25% wholemeal rye, my insulin response is good enough now so that my BG goes down, for those meals. It won't for white bread of course, it would still go up but, that simple regime allows me to extend my meal options considerably wholegrain pastas, brown rices and an extended range of fruits for example.

There is a limit to this though, 1500 calories worth of resistance exercise in a week. Doing more than that won't cause more hormones to be released or enzymes to be produced but it means that you have better control over your diet and with that, you can start to lose weight, and with that, you again improve your insulin function, this time because of different hormones and enzymes and so on.

Having said that, 3 x 10 mins per day will make you fitter and feel more active and that has other health benefits. It took me 3 or 4 weeks of leg and calf stretching exercises followed by some squats before I could manage one session of 3 mins on a rower. Don't think you have to _'work out'_ for a week, step on the scales only to discover that you have lost 1lb, get disheartened and then give up. Slowly slowly does it. Some good things start to happen even if you can't measure them yet.


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## yorksman (May 19, 2013)

Andy HB said:


> Nice one!



He he. I thought I might clear a small patch and have a go at gowing giant onions and huge leeks, that sort of thing. Never done anything like that before but I find that by setting small targets with a fun element to them, I can keep motivated.

If I ever become obsessed to the point where I am guarding them against sabotage overnight though, feel free to call the nice young men in the white coats.

MInd you, if they were from the north east, they'd probably start swapping growing tips.


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## lynne.s (May 20, 2013)

Thank you Northener and Yorksman - I do have a garden and must admit, I don't spend as much time on it as I should - but I will give it more attention. I agree with you too Yorksman, start the exercise in small steps and build it up.  

I've just had some blood test results back today, looks like I'm anaemic! - what next!!


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## yorksman (May 21, 2013)

lynne.s said:


> I've just had some blood test results back today, looks like I'm anaemic! - what next!!



There are many many possible reasons but by far the most common is due to an iron deficiency. Are you eating your greens? Eat spinach, like Popeye did 

Since you have been dieting, you may have omitted some foods. You can easily google iron rich foods.


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## lynne.s (May 25, 2013)

Had an appointment with the Diabetic Nurse this week, I've lost another 5lb which I am really pleased with.  I've lost 1 stone 1lb in just over 3 weeks, so hopefully I doing all the right things.  Also my readings from my blood glucose meter are all good too.

Also found out that I am not anaemic, but my stores of iron are low - I think you are right Yorksman - I will have to start eating some spinach!!


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## cherrypie (May 25, 2013)

Hi Lynne,

If your iron readings are low then read this article which lists foods high in iron and explains why some foods and meds make it more difficult to absorb iron.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-iron-deficiency-/Pages/Treatment.aspx

As for the spinach, some believe it is high in iron and some say that it is an urban myth.


http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/infosph...-created-a-myth-and-a-cartoon-character-10166


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