# Hello everyone, another newbie here



## Deemure (Mar 19, 2016)

Hello everyone, 

I'm a newly diagnosed diabetic. I'm about a week in and still very much finding my way. It's all still a bit new and scary. 

Started metformin a week ago and so far *touch wood* no nasty ill effects. I hope that continues! 

Just wanted to say hi and I'm looking forward to learning how to manage my diabetes appropriately.


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## pottersusan (Mar 19, 2016)

Hi Deemure
Welcome to the club no one chooses to join! there'll be really helpful Type 2's along in a while


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## SB2015 (Mar 19, 2016)

Welcome Deemure.  
There are loads of people on here that can help, so just ask any questions.


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## grovesy (Mar 19, 2016)

Welcome.


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## Copepod (Mar 19, 2016)

Welcome to the forum Deemure. Good to hear that metforming isn't causing you problems. It works for lots of people, but people with problems are more likely to post. What information are you looking for?


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## BobAird (Mar 19, 2016)

Hi Deemure. I'm also a week in with my diagnosis and know how you feel. So much to take in, plus dealing with everyday life. Everyone on here is great and iv had loads of advice already. Any questions, fire it on here and someone will answer quickly.


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## robert@fm (Mar 19, 2016)

Hi and welcome, and I hope you have good luck with the metfartin; I didn't notice any nasty effects when I was on it, but that may have been because I have suffered stomach upsets on and off since my teenage years, so I may not have noticed any effects which did occur. 

As you will have noticed, this is a very friendly forum and a great place for help and advice, or for funny/cute posts in the Entertainment section, or just to have a good rant if you need one!  (We all do sometimes, with all the dumb misinformation spread by Daily Mail types...)


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## Northerner (Mar 20, 2016)

Deemure said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I'm a newly diagnosed diabetic. I'm about a week in and still very much finding my way. It's all still a bit new and scary.
> 
> ...


Hi Deemure, welcome to the forum  I hope you've had a chance to browse our Useful Links thread where you'll find links to lots of good resources, but if not I'd like to draw your attention in particular to Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter which are a very good, concise introduction to diabetes and its management, plus a book that comes highly recommended by many of our members, Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. These will help you get to grips with things, and if you have any questions, there will always be someone here who can help out - so ask away!


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## pat.y (Mar 20, 2016)

Welcome Deemure, I've been type 2 for over 10 years now. I cried when I was first told but you will get to grips with it. Just ask away.


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## Deemure (Mar 20, 2016)

Copepod said:


> Welcome to the forum Deemure. Good to hear that metforming isn't causing you problems. It works for lots of people, but people with problems are more likely to post. What information are you looking for?


To be totally honest, I'm not sure. I feel a bit like I've been diagnosed, given tablets and sent on my way. 

I think I experienced my first hypo today as I felt really weird, like I had a head full of cotton wool and felt a bit nauseous too. I felt better after I drank some apple juice. 

I think getting to grips with an appropriate diet and timing of meals is my first priority. I'm just not sure where to start.


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## Deemure (Mar 20, 2016)

BobAird said:


> Hi Deemure. I'm also a week in with my diagnosis and know how you feel. So much to take in, plus dealing with everyday life. Everyone on here is great and iv had loads of advice already. Any questions, fire it on here and someone will answer quickly.


Thanks Bob. It's nice to know I'm not alone.


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## Deemure (Mar 20, 2016)

Northerner said:


> Hi Deemure, welcome to the forum  I hope you've had a chance to browse our Useful Links thread where you'll find links to lots of good resources, but if not I'd like to draw your attention in particular to Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter which are a very good, concise introduction to diabetes and its management, plus a book that comes highly recommended by many of our members, Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. These will help you get to grips with things, and if you have any questions, there will always be someone here who can help out - so ask away!


Thank you very much for the advice.


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## Deemure (Mar 20, 2016)

pat.y said:


> Welcome Deemure, I've been type 2 for over 10 years now. I cried when I was first told but you will get to grips with it. Just ask away.


Thank you. I'll admit that I sobbed when I found out. Need to put my big girl pants on and deal with it.


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## Copepod (Mar 20, 2016)

Deemure said:


> To be totally honest, I'm not sure. I feel a bit like I've been diagnosed, given tablets and sent on my way.
> 
> I think I experienced my first hypo today as I felt really weird, like I had a head full of cotton wool and felt a bit nauseous too. I felt better after I drank some apple juice.
> 
> I think getting to grips with an appropriate diet and timing of meals is my first priority. I'm just not sure where to start.



Were you able to check your blood glucose level when you felt weird? It's possible that you actually experienced a "false hypo" - your body is getting used to lower levels, so that what is actually a nearer normal level felt hypo. Especially as you felt better drinking sugar in the form of apple juice. 

The key thing about diet is that all carbohydrate, not just sugar, needs to be considered.


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## KookyCat (Mar 20, 2016)

Hello Dee
I think we all had a good sob when diagnosed, better out than in I'd say.  I've had my big girl pants on for about 2 years now with the diabetes and I've almost convinced myself I'm an adult now I've reached the grand old age of 42   Welcome aboard, you'll get the hang of it, it just takes a bit of time.


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## Northerner (Mar 20, 2016)

The less said about my big girl pants, the better...


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## Deemure (Mar 20, 2016)

Copepod said:


> Were you able to check your blood glucose level when you felt weird? It's possible that you actually experienced a "false hypo" - your body is getting used to lower levels, so that what is actually a nearer normal level felt hypo. Especially as you felt better drinking sugar in the form of apple juice.
> 
> The key thing about diet is that all carbohydrate, not just sugar, needs to be considered.


That would make sense. I don't have a meter at the moment, but I did have a similar episode at work where I was able to test and it was 5. After eating it went up to 10. 

I suppose my body will be getting used to being more sensitive to insulin. Trial and error I guess. 

Thank you for the suggestion.


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## Copepod (Mar 20, 2016)

Feeling wobbly at 5mmol/l is definitely a false hypo, as true hypo is below 4mmol/l. Ideally, get a meter so you can test whenever needed and so you can learn how different meals / foods affect you. Metformin doesn't cause hypos, but even people who don't have diabetes can go below 4mmol/l, usually after long periods of not eating and / or endurance activities, so it is possible you will go below 4mmol/l. If you drive, your blood glucose level should be over 5mmol/l when setting off and every 2 hours during long journeys.


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## Confusingtheblues (Mar 20, 2016)

Hi everybody.  I am a Newbie on this forum, but I have had T2D for over 10 years.  I am also on other forums so not new to this game.  Hope to speak with you in the threads.


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## Matt Cycle (Mar 20, 2016)

Hello Deemure and Confusingtheblues and welcome to the forum.


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## Confusingtheblues (Mar 20, 2016)

Thanks.  I just met you on another thread.


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## robert@fm (Mar 20, 2016)

False hypos can be infuriating.  On Feb 9th I was collected for my hospital appointment with only 5 minutes to go until the time, so not surprisingly I was already 15 minutes late when I got to the hospital, and then it took another 2 hours for a porter to take me.  I nearly wasn't seen, but they relented because it wasn't my fault; and all the stress caused the familiar faint and wobbly symptoms, but when I mentioned this and they checked my BG it was 9.4!  They gave me tea and biccies just the same, and this helped (a bit).


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## Copepod (Mar 21, 2016)

Deemure said:


> Thank you. I'll admit that I sobbed when I found out. Need to put my big girl pants on and deal with it.


Big girl pants are just what you need, after a sobbing episode. Or "grow a pair", being ironic.


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## @Fractis (Mar 21, 2016)

Welcome! 

I can strongly second @Northerner's recommendation of "Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker" - It was a real life changer for me, and helped get me through a few wobbly months after I was diagnosed. Like you, I was not given any direction or information when I was diagnosed, and what I like most about the book is that it explains about what we need to do to manage our own condition. 

Long-term conditions are very different from most other conditions you are treated by a doctor for (be they minor or chronic); most of the day to day care needs to be your own responsibility and not the doctors, and that can take a lot of getting used to.  Once I got the hang of being in charge, and not relying on others to tell me what to do, I felt very empowered, and was able to make some very positive changes to my health.

Good luck with your journey, and do let us know how you are getting on.


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## William 2003 (Mar 30, 2016)

Hello @Confusingtheblues and @Deemure from me another Newbie.  (only joined this forum today)  I am Type 2 Diabetic - but have had it 16 years next month.


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## Lynn Davies (Mar 30, 2016)

Deemure said:


> To be totally honest, I'm not sure. I feel a bit like I've been diagnosed, given tablets and sent on my way.



I wrote something similar in my first post!  I just got the impression that 'You're fat it's your own fault '.

Read all the information you can and look at low carb/high fat as this is the quickest way to get your blood sugar down. Also helps to keep the metformin quiet!


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## Confusingtheblues (Mar 31, 2016)

William 2003 said:


> Hello @Confusingtheblues and @Deemure from me another Newbie.  (only joined this forum today)  I am Type 2 Diabetic - but have had it 16 years next month.


Hi.  I am approx 10 years T2 now.  My mum was 39 years T1. I am old enough to know better, but something happened along the way.


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## robert@fm (Mar 31, 2016)

Confusingtheblues said:


> I am old enough to know better, but something happened along the way.



Not sure what you mean by that; I hope it's not the tabloid nonsense that T2 is caused by "lifestyle" and that people are "to blame" if they get it; it isn't (it's caused by insulin resistance, which is ultimately down to genetics; there is strong evidence that, in many if not most cases, T2 causes obesity rather than the other way around) and they're not.


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## Confusingtheblues (Apr 1, 2016)

It means I have reached the age where things start to go backwards, and the 'string sort of thing' stops working like it used to.  Confused?  I am......older, but not necessarily wiser.


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## Amigo (Apr 1, 2016)

Welcome Deemure (like you really wanted to join eh? ).

I cried too even though I had my big girl pants on because I was already battling something much more sinister. I had a crashing about day, wailed a bit then thought, I need to learn about my enemy if I'm to tackle it. So I joined here tentatively, read the excellent links northerner posted and then ordered myself the Dr. David Cavan book, 'Reversing your diabetes' (type 2 that is). That really really helped me to get my head round it.

I've not bothered with the medics much apart from the necessary, essential checks but I was fortunate to be given a meter and regular strips. This method works! You find out what uniquely suits you and it's there stopping you from pigging out! I'd highly recommend self testing.

Other than that, a walk after meals really helps. Oh and little treats....you can't give up on absolutely everything but there's always a smaller version available (like snack size Ripples at 10g carb 

Good luck but learn because information is power.


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