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Hi Tammy and welcome
This is a difficult time for you and it is important to take it all one step at a time.I am glad that you have visited here and I hope that you can get some support from others at this website. Please contact me directly if you would like some personal support.
Have you been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and what are your next steps?
Have you been given any information yet?
Bye
Helen EdwardsHi Tammy
don’t apologise – keep blurting – that is what the website is here for!Suspecting that you have diabetes and then actually being told you have it are worlds apart and it is normal to feel that it is sudden, even if you have suspected it.
That is great that you have access to a support group through someone you know.
Being patient is hard and especially for those of us who want to know as much as possible, as soon as possible. Some people do not want to know anything while othes want to know all at once! We are all different. It is important to take the time you need to take it all in and things will gradually get sorted out. In the meantime, keep visiting!
bye
HelenHi Tammy
yes it is frustrating when you have to wait to see the specialist to find out more, but your doctor must think this is the best management for you and is doing the right thing by your health. Hang in there! You have taken some control by getting the BG monitor and that is great. You also seem to have a positive attitude about making changes to your health and it is such a good start for you to have this attitude. Yes, 8.8 mmol is heaps better than 22.9mmol!
bye for now
Helen EdwardsHi Tammy
I am so glad that you have such good support and education, it makes a big difference and it is so important that you have good connections with your health professionals, who will guide you through learning and adjusting to your diabetes and its management.Ok, so you have type 1 diabetes, it is sometimes a relief to find something out that you have been suspecting isn’t it. Going onto insulin should make you feel a lot better physically and that should help with all the learning and adjusting that you need to do next. Your attitude is wonderful.
Helen Edwards
Hi Tammy
Good to hear you finally know what you’ve got. It’s really nice to see you so positive about it all aswell, goodluck with learning all the little bits and pieces that make up this thing they call diabetes )Just remember to ask lots and lots of questions, even those that seem a lil’ strange!
Take care
Hi Tammy
talking about things is really such a great way of dealing with things and helps you to understand what is happening to you and put it all into place. I am glad that you are getting some support
bye
Helen EdwardsHi Tammy, so glad I just read this. I had only posted a message just before I read your post. under ‘gailblu’
Hubby got tested this afternoon on neighbours machine,, and his ‘read out’ or whatever you call it was 23! Hubby also, does not get his results until 3 or 4 more days from the blood test he had done at the doctors today. I have been checking everywhere for information.Thank you ” title=”Smile” />I am so glad I came across this site! Thank you Helen for providing a place for us! I have looked through a number of threads on the site, and am so relieved to see so many positive and supportive posts.
At almost 46, I was diagnosed with Type 2 yesterday. It wasn’t really unexpected – very strong family history, prediabetic when I was pregnant and a huge weight gain following the birth – but still a shock. My fasting BGL was 7.6, with the 1 and 2 hour readings in my GTT being 15 and 12 respectively. My doctor is confident we can control the diabetes with exercise and diet.
I can’t get an appointment with the Diabetes Clinic until 30 September, but I need help now. I’m sure my doctor told me this, but I’m in a bit of a fog right now, what BGL range should I be aiming for? My doctor suggested testing my blood 4 times a day, at different times – before meals, 1-2 hours after meals, bedtime, etc. My readings so far have been between 5.5 (before a meal) and 9.6 (2 hours after a meal). If I get a higher reading before a meal, should I wait before having the meal?
Hi Gracat, welcome to the forums. I’m just giving this a wee boost to make it easier for Helen to find again ” title=”Smile” />
Hi Gracat and welcome, thanks for your comments, I am sorry you have come to the board at a time when there are some small problems, but normally this is a very genuine and supportive group, so I am sure you will get support and ideas here.
Yes it is frustrating when you have to wait for appointments and often when we get diagnosed, it is hard to take everything in and feeling "foggy" about things is what happens to most of us! It is a bit hard to take everything on board all at once. It is shock protecting us from being too overwhelmed and is actually helpful for us in the grieving process.
The Royal College of General Practitioners guidelines for 2003/2004 state that the goals for management of diabetes are:
– BGL fasting 4 – 6 mmol (first thing in the morning);
– Post prandial BGL (2 hours after a meal) 4 – 7.7 mmol;
– A1c (the average levels over the past 8 weeks and the gold standard for prevention of complications) of 7% or less.Now, these levels are considered "normal" BGL and are the targets. It states in these guidelines that with type 1 diabetes, such levels are "rarely possible".
It further states that fasting levels of 6.1 – 6.9 mmol and post prandial levels of 7.8 – 11 mmol minimise the risk of microvascular complications.
and that:
Levels 7 mmol and above fasting and 11.1 mmol and above post prandial, are associated with a risk of micro and macrovascular complications.Your levels will rise after foods, everyone’s do, but with people with diabetes our bodies can not regulate the BGL in relation to the carbohydrate. You will find if you check too soon after eating that your BGL might be right up, but will drop a bit by that 2 hour point and so it is important to wait the recommended time before you check after eating, which is generally 2 hours. Just clarify this with the Dr as he might want you to check earlier than 2 hours and have a reason for that. It is good to check at varying times on different days, to get an overall 24 hour picture if you can.
So if your levels are 5.5 mmol before meals then this is in the target range, but the levels of 9.6 mmol 2 hrs after a meal are a bit high at the moment.
However, remember it is early days and it is important to focus on things one step at a time ok. Lots of people with type 2 find their BGL can be managed with diet and exercise, some for many years and some for a shorter period of time. If your doctor is confident that you can manage with diet and lifestyle changes at this stage, then it is important to get as much information as you can about what things you need to do in this management.
If you are unsure maybe you could put a call into the doctor to clarify the targets he wants you to aim for and how often to check BGL?
People with type 2 diabetes who are not on medication or insulin injections do not always have to check BGL as often as people with type 1 and type 2 on medication/insulin. However often in these early days when things are getting established and worked out, your doctor will need you to do the 4 checks a day to get an understanding of your patterns over 24 hour period and in relation to different foods and activity levels.
Also, if you are unsure about what and when to eat, can you call the clinic and get and earlier appt with at least the dietician? or could you go see a dietician separately, as this is an important factor in your BGL management. What info have you been given re food?
I remember once asking my Dr what I should do if I got up and my BGL was high and he said "what would you do if you were not a diabetic" and I said " eat" and he said "right, so that is what you do"! It made me think about this a lot and I thought well yes, I have to eat anyhow and should not be stopping eating because I have diabetes.
However, in reality I do choose different foods and amounts of carbohydrates depending on my levels and so it is something that you will learn about and work out what works for you.
keep visiting and asking questions
Helen Edwards
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