# new to this



## numbnuts (Sep 27, 2009)

Hi all

This looks like a nice and friendly forum, and iam sure to find some support and advice here . Ive pretty much been diagnosed as diabetic as of last week - not sure which type as yet as i need to have more tests for this . But it looks like type 2 . (but it could be 1.5)
Prior to diagnoses I recently had been ill with a ear infection and felt nothing of it but it took a long while to get rid of and i noticed that i was losing weight rapidly and generally felt irritable and moody at work, so i went to the doctor and they took a few blood tests, everything was fine , except my blood sugar was very high at 11.00 mol . I took a repeat blood test (and cut out all my dietery supplements as i heard this can interfere with BG readings)and i got a reading of 4.7 mol . Great ! Iam all clear ! . The Doctor said it was probably a infection, and not diabetes, but to make sure she advised me to take a oral glucose test , and i had thought the worse was over by this point, but the results have come back positive for diaetes with a fasting level of 7.20 mol and 2 hour post of 16.60 mol.
Shit Sandwich take a bite

Its been a tough year for me allready . Iam in a good job but a stressful one with long hours . Ive been working in the computer games industry as a CGI animator for 9 years , a cool job to do, but its long hours and i have not done a great deal of exercise . My last project involved 12 hour working days for 3-4 months . We were all absolutely exhausted. Mentally and not physically, which is why iam in this situation now. I had done this countless times before and i think something had to give. I did have a feeling that this would really stretch me . And this is the result . Iam geared now to make a fresh start, get healthy and be more positive . I may have to change jobs .
I started self testing about a 9 days ago, and my BG levels are OK But iam slightly dazed at work and do feel low even though my BG is in the 5-6 mol range. I get readings in the 5-6 mol range pre-meals and 7-8 mol 2 hours after meals at the moment so its not great. I Changed to a low GI regime and iam getting about 1-2 hour walking/cycling a day .
I teat every morning before breakfast and i do seem to get the dawn phenomonan . i test first thing in the morning and get frequent readings of 7.0 - 7.4
Very frustrating!

Apart from my diet changes which have been not too difficult. i think i have been more upset because i have had to remove some supplements out of my diet . Prior to diabetes i used to take vitamin c and Cod liver Oil (usually 4 grammes of vitamin c throughout the day and 1 tablesoon of cod liver oil in the morning) But since bieng diagnosed as diabetic and self testing my BG everyday, i get huge BG spikes with Vitamin C. and Cod liver Oil tends to give me a fasting level of 6.00 mol on average . i used to take a gramme of vitamin c powder orally after i had eaten something in the morning, but i cannot take this anymore as i get very very high BG readings - massive spikes of 11 - 16 Mol within 20-30 mins of taking the powder in water (I just drink the powder form without sweetners or anything) half a teaspoon is about 1 gramme. So it looks like if i do get a infection in the future it probably will take ages to heal if at all . Any advice about this would be great, as it seems most people with diabetes who take vit c supplements get low blood sugar readings.
i heard about the wonderous properties of vitamin C years ago and have always been a keen advocate of vitamin c even prior to my diagnoses . (taken it for 15 years and now it looks like i cannot take this anymore)
Anyway i have many questions and i hope some of you can help .


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## Northerner (Sep 27, 2009)

Hi numbnuts, ans welcome to the forum Certainly your oral glucose test and fasting test produced levels considered high enough for a diagnosis, but your subsequent self-tests do not seem to be too far out of normal range. Possible this has something to do with the lifestyle and diet changes you have already adopted. I wasn't aware of the issue with supplements, but your testing does seem to show a correlation to the vit C and high spikes. I suppose it depends on what benefits you were gaining from the supplements as to how great a loss their exclusion may mean. It may be that your newly-motivated (!) attitude to maintaining a healthy diet and getting more exercise will help to offset this.

Lots of people here with a very broad range of experience, so I'm sure we can find someone to answer those questions - ask away!


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## Steff (Sep 27, 2009)

hi there numbnuts and welcome to the forum have yourself a browse around , they are many of us here of all ages and experiencesx


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## insulinaddict09 (Sep 27, 2009)

Hello and Welcome to the forum ,anything you want to know just ask and we will try to help and advise you


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## HelenP (Sep 27, 2009)

Hi Numbnuts (great name!!  ) welcome to the forum.  Loads of knowledgeable people here to help with your questions, no query remains unanswered for long!!

xx


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## numbnuts (Sep 27, 2009)

*hi again*

Thanks, Your replys have been generous, I do like the miss piggy/pulp fiction avatar - its ver cool.
I will no doubt be pestering fellow diabetics about diets and exercise and possible community meet ups . Iam 34 years old so iam probably pretty young to get type2  . Boo f_cking hoo with a cherry on top. I guess i better get on with it !


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## Steff (Sep 27, 2009)

theres a few of us type 2's younger then yourself me being one of them in 26, but we are all nice freindly people ask away any time always someone will get back to you .


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## insulinaddict09 (Sep 27, 2009)

numbnuts said:


> Thanks, Your replys have been generous, I do like the miss piggy/pulp fiction avatar - its ver cool.
> I will no doubt be pestering fellow diabetics about diets and exercise and possible community meet ups . Iam 34 years old so iam probably pretty young to get type2  . Boo f_cking hoo with a cherry on top. I guess i better get on with it !



Hi there are quite a few young Type 2's on the forum   .There are also quite a few of us Type 1's who have developed it later rather than as young children  We are all pretty much all in the same boat though honey , trying to keep afloat !! lol


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## numbnuts (Sep 28, 2009)

*Concentration at work - NIL*

Hi all

I have a total lack of concentration at work .
Iam eating every three hours (caveman diet) BG is in the 4-5 mol range fasting, post meal is 6-7 mol .  I experience a dazed/confused state when its in the 4-5 mol range and start mild deep breathing, but feel after ive eaten . Maybe ive been high for too long?? Ive been on the this diet for about a week only. Am i experiencing a mild Hypo even though iam in the 4-5 mol range ?
 i took another day off work today. tested myself on waking - BG was good at 5.0 mol  at 8am but felt like a wounded bear .
I phoned in at work and they asked why i was unable to come in, i just said , ' dont know, feel crap' . Iam very irritable in mid 4-5 mol range . Suggestions welcome please. Iam not on any meds, Its all diabetes controlled low GI diet . Would like to hear from any peeps out there who had similar experiences . Thankyou


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## insulinaddict09 (Sep 28, 2009)

numbnuts said:


> Hi all
> 
> I have a total lack of concentration at work .
> Iam eating every three hours (caveman diet) BG is in the 4-5 mol range fasting, post meal is 6-7 mol .  I experience a dazed/confused state when its in the 4-5 mol range and start mild deep breathing, but feel after ive eaten . Maybe ive been high for too long?? Ive been on the this diet for about a week only. Am i experiencing a mild Hypo even though iam in the 4-5 mol range ?
> ...



Heya , I'm a Low Carber so know all about the diet  I think you have probably been too high for a while and now you are getting normal readings your body isn't used to them yet so sending out distress signals (hypo feelings) As you are not on any meds you wont keep dropping like a type 1 would so don't worry about that. most of us have had false hypo feelings usually shortly after diagnosis . once your body adapts to lower levels you wont feel like this . its still early days so give it some time and things will get better. Aggression and irritability are symptoms of hypos so its quite normal to feel like that. How are you finding the diet ? i find it suits me very well , saying that i dislike most carbs anyway so find it easy.  good luck , and if you want to know anything just ask


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## Northerner (Sep 28, 2009)

numbnuts said:


> Hi all
> 
> I have a total lack of concentration at work .
> Iam eating every three hours (caveman diet) BG is in the 4-5 mol range fasting, post meal is 6-7 mol .  I experience a dazed/confused state when its in the 4-5 mol range and start mild deep breathing, but feel after ive eaten . Maybe ive been high for too long?? Ive been on the this diet for about a week only. Am i experiencing a mild Hypo even though iam in the 4-5 mol range ?
> ...



It does sound like 'false' hypos - you're not actually hypo (below 3.3 mmol/l), but you are getting some of the symptoms - as you say, probably because your body has been used to higher levels and now feels too low. It's also possible that your dietary changes have made you hungrier - I realised a while ago that hunger makes me feel hypo at times even when I'm not, so nibbling on something helps take the hunger pangs away.


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## insulinaddict09 (Sep 28, 2009)

*You stalking me Northerner ?? we posted at the exact same time !! *


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## vince13 (Sep 28, 2009)

Hello and welcome to the club no-one really wants to be in.  As has already been pointed out, it's a great site for getting information on our shared condition, whichever type you end up being known by.

I understand it is normal to get hypo symptons in the slightly higher range if you've only just been diagnosed and have perhaps been running at higher levels so, when your levels come down even slightly, it can feel like a hypo (I think a hypo is supposed to be less than 3.5 but I'm not too sure of that - someone else on here will be able to confirm).  

Being irritable is definately a sign of a hypo - and if you were rather ratty with your workmates when they asked why you weren't able to come in I'd say that was a classic sign - it is with me anyway.  Perhaps you should come clean with them and say you are in the throes of being diagnosed diabetic - or have you said so already ?  They can't be understanding of you if they don't know - although others on here have said they want to keep that side of their lives private, then OK that's up to you.

Anyway, all the best to you - good luck and keep us up to date with your progress please.


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## numbnuts (Sep 28, 2009)

*Work*

Thanks for the info everyone, That is very re-assuring to know . I thought i was imagining my hypos . Well iam, but i still feel them .
I now know my body has been high for too long. 
I have been a sod at work - for the few months prior to diagnoses . I often spoke my mind and did not give a toss.
It must have been entertaining for workmates listening to me go off on one again. I remember telling one guy that i wanted to hammer 2 rusty nails in his eyes and stick a miniature wooden ship up his arse,  i think he only said 'Morning' to me . 
Ive always been a bit cheeky , but this was a bit much .  

So as i write this, i have a reading of 5.3 mol and iam starting to feel irritable again . I guess i just better not snack at all and ride this out . If i dont eat for the rest of the evening i get a good morning BG level , so Iam gonna have to get used to it . Thanks for your help - this has been very valuable info.


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## insulinaddict09 (Sep 28, 2009)

numbnuts said:


> Thanks for the info everyone, That is very re-assuring to know . I thought i was imagining my hypos . Well iam, but i still feel them .
> I now know my body has been high for too long.
> I have been a sod at work - for the few months prior to diagnoses . I often spoke my mind and did not give a toss.
> It must have been entertaining for workmates listening to me go off on one again. I remember telling one guy that i wanted to hammer 2 rusty nails in his eyes and stick a miniature wooden ship up his arse,  i think he only said 'Morning' to me .
> ...



Glad we could help  rusty nails eh??  I'll avoid you whilst hypo then lol hehe . Hope you feel better soon .


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## am64 (Sep 28, 2009)

numbnuts said:


> I have been a sod at work - for the few months prior to diagnoses . I often spoke my mind and did not give a toss.
> It must have been entertaining for workmates listening to me go off on one again. I remember telling one guy that i wanted to hammer 2 rusty nails in his eyes and stick a miniature wooden ship up his arse, i think he only said 'Morning' to me .
> Ive always been a bit cheeky , but this was a bit much .
> 
> ...


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