# Just been diagnosed - bit depressed



## carebear33 (Sep 14, 2010)

Diagnosed yesterday by my GP - to be honest I knew it would happen eventually (as had gestational diabetes, Polycystic Ovaries and am overweight and drink more than I should), but still a bit shocked and depressed to find out about it.  Bit tearful this morning, though logically, I'm not sure why...

I'm confused about food - I was heading toward low GI - but the diabetes booklet says that I should eat bread, potatoes, pasta or other carbs at every mealtime...

Any advice for a newbie? Any good books you can recommend?


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## Steff (Sep 14, 2010)

Hi carebear welcome to the forum sorry to hear about your diagnosois but pleased you have found this place so quick, have you been  put on medication? it all seems so daunting at first it did for me i was in deniel for a good while but with the help of others around me i got through it, take it all as it comes and try not to worry to much to soon, your head will be full of allsorts at the minute but any worries you have or if you just need some advice your in the right place to get the answers

Book wise id highly reccommend the first year type 2 diabetes by gretchen becker you can find the book here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Type-Diabet...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284465504&sr=8-1 its a great read for the newly diagnosed type 2 x


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## carebear33 (Sep 14, 2010)

Thanks Steffie - I'll take a look at the book!


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## Northerner (Sep 14, 2010)

carebear33 said:


> Diagnosed yesterday by my GP - to be honest I knew it would happen eventually (as had gestational diabetes, Polycystic Ovaries and am overweight and drink more than I should), but still a bit shocked and depressed to find out about it.  Bit tearful this morning, though logically, I'm not sure why...
> 
> I'm confused about food - I was heading toward low GI - but the diabetes booklet says that I should eat bread, potatoes, pasta or other carbs at every mealtime...
> 
> Any advice for a newbie? Any good books you can recommend?



Hi Carebear, welcome to the forum  It can be quite a shock, and there is a lot to take in - plus a lot of conflicting information. A lot of the standard information is to eat starchy carbs with every meal, but many people find this doesn't work as well for them. The best advice is to find out what works for you as an individual by testing your blood after trying different food. I'd recommend that you have a look at the 'Useful links' at the top of this section. The book Steffie recommends is very good, plus there are some other links there for Type 2s and also for some GL diet books I'd recommend.

Don't worry, there's always someone here to lend an ear and offer some words of support, or to answer any questions you may have - nothing is considered 'silly'!


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## traceycat (Sep 14, 2010)

welcome to the forum carebear. i cant say anymore than steffie an northener have already said as im quite new to it aswel, but you have come to the right place and you will always get plenty of advice and support from everyone.


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## Andy HB (Sep 14, 2010)

Hello there! A very warm welcome from me.

I was diagnosed last year and was very fortunate to be able to get on a course run by the NHS called Diabetes X-Pert. It runs over 6 weeks for one afternoon per week. It's well worth trying to get a place booked for yourself because it'll give you a good grounding in what diabetes is and what you can do to help yourself.

I'll just quote one bit from the Carbohydrate Awareness section (week 3) :-

*Introduction*
We would like to increase your awareness , skills and knowledge of carbohydrates i.e. starchy and sugary foods and their resulting effect on blood glucose levels.

*Main Message*
The quantity of carbohydrate i.e. the amount of carbohydrate eaten is the key to achieve good diabetes control.

Traditionally, the 'sugar-free' diet was the recommended diet for people with diabetes. It was thought that sugary carbohydrates had an immediate effect on blood glucose levels and that starchy foods had a slow and long lasting effect. However, research has shown that it isn't quite as simple as this.

We now know that different starchy and sugary carbohydrate foods have different effects on blood glucose levels.

-----------------------

I think that it provides a somewhat different message to that 'eat starchy carbs with every meal' approach that so many people are still told. I feel that it is much more balanced and closer to the real life that we have to live.

Anyway, probably too much information in this post already!

Andy


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## shirl (Sep 14, 2010)

Hi carebear,

just wanted to welcome you to the forum. I am T2 and have been for about 5 years now and am still learning! Try to take each day as it comes, good lucck,

Shirl


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## KayC (Sep 14, 2010)

Hi Carebear
Welcome to the forum.  The book Steffie recommended is real good, I got this book 4 months after the diagnosis.  Now I think I should've had it on the day when I was dx-ed.  You will get a lot of help and support on this forum, as I do.
Kay


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## carebear33 (Sep 15, 2010)

Thank you all for your kind words and great advise (Andy - I will have a look at that course!).

I'm feeling a little happier (or at least a little less morose) today.  Am waiting for my books to turn up - and I'll have a look at some of the books etc... listed here too (not sure that you can ever have too many books!). 

Thank you everyone!

Have you all changed your lifestyle and has it changed your glucose/meds?
My doctor didn't seem particularly positive about changing lifestyle having a huge effect on my readings and my meds in the future...  Being stubborn, I do expect to try my best though


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## lucy123 (Sep 15, 2010)

Hi Carebook and welcome to the forum.
I can't add much more to what folk have already said - except you mention you are overweight (like a lot of us!). If you are looking to lose weight you might want to look at the Weight Loss Group forum - where we are posting lots of support and ideas to get us to reduce ourselves a little! You are more than welcome to join us!
Take your time coming to terms with things first though.


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## carebear33 (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks Lucy!  I'll take a look.


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## Andy HB (Sep 16, 2010)

carebear33 said:


> Thank you all for your kind words and great advise (Andy - I will have a look at that course!).
> 
> I'm feeling a little happier (or at least a little less morose) today.  Am waiting for my books to turn up - and I'll have a look at some of the books etc... listed here too (not sure that you can ever have too many books!).
> 
> ...



Good to hear you're on the up mood-wise! Hopefully, we can help a little more on that front. 

I think my diabetes diagnosis was the kick up the bum I needed. I'd been thinking about sorting my weight out for years, but that was the way it stayed, 'thinking'!

After diagnosis, I made immediate changes to my lifestyle. Went for a walk every day (slowly and shorter distances at first) and bought myself a rower using it almost every day (that's slackened of a bit, but is still once a week). I also made sure that I ate three meals a day and modified my portions considerably.

Since diagnosis, I've lost over 40lbs. I was on medication (gliclazide and then metformin) but now don't need it to control my condition (that may not be the case for you though - but either way, you will feel better when you get the weight off regardless!).

Andy


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## carebear33 (Nov 23, 2010)

Sorry I haven't been back in touch - went off the rails a little bit back then and if I'm completley honest I'm still a little irresponsible with my (alcohol) drinking.  

But thank you for your wise words and support.  I've since had the results of my interim tests.  Everything is ok apart from weight and BP.  BP is not normally high - am hoping it was exception that day as I was not expecting needles.  And I've lost over a stone and a half.  I have been making healthier choices and I've been offered a place on a DESMOND course next year.
I bought my own BG monitor as my diabetic nurse didn't want me to become "neurotic" - whereas I see it as being responsible.
Thanks for all of your advice!  I still have lots to change (less alcohol, more exercise, less fat, more veg) but at least I'm heading in the right direction!


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## Northerner (Nov 23, 2010)

Perfectly understandable that you needed to get things out of your system, and it sounds as though you're now motivated to get things under control  Great news on the weight loss, and the DESMOND course will be a big help - hope you don't have to wait too long! I have problems with my BP, especially at the doctors, so I bought myself a meter to use at home and actually it's not that bad (showed the results to the GP). The one I got was Omron MX2 Digital Automatic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor - cheap, but a good investment!  Keep up the good work, you have a lot of things you can do already to help things along - let us know how things go!


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