Newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I have questions.

[DireBetes]

My GP rang me with the news a couple of days ago. I can’t see the nurse until new year, and I wonder if anyone can answer my (probably stupid) questions?

My GP has advised that a low carb diet can manage, and maybe reverse, the diabetes, so I’m reading up about this and feel tentatively positive that I could follow this sort of diet.

I’ve been started on metformin, currently on 1 tablet a day, but to build up to four over a month.

If I mainly manage to stick to a low carb diet and occasionally have a treat, like bread sauce on Christmas Day, or a birthday takeaway, will this be a big set back, or ok as long as most of the time I’m sticking to low carb? Would it be dangerous?

Can I drink alcohol?

The biggest eating and drinking time of year is one week away, I’d love to know how careful I need to be - 100%, or if I would survive 90% careful!

If there’s anything else I really should know I’d be very grateful for advice. 🙂

It can be mind bogglingly confusing.

My rules are to limit a significant carb to one meal per day.

breakfast
5% fat fage yogurt with berries (not 0% fab - 0% fat stuff is higher carb)

lunch
soup, eggs or salad

dinner
‘normal’ home cooked family dinner dinner of spag bol, curry, roast, stir fry etc. I would aim to have small amount if rice, pasta or potatoes. Sometimes I miss the carb out and have extra veg.

Other stuff
unsweetened almond milk in coffee (normal milk spiked my sugar levels)
snack - apple, berries, almonds. I know apples are high sugar but I figured it was better than a biscuit.
alcohol - gin and slim tonic
bread - only bread I eat is sourdough (less impactful on blood sugar). No wraps, panini’s, pastries etc)
only drank water or coffee

I take four metformin per day. Side effects absolutely settled down for me.

For most people the stomach side effects of metformin settle down over a few weeks. If it doesn’t there is a slow release version of it that is less likely to cause this issue.

This might interest you, it’s a video about how an Indian gooseberry extract lowers blood sugar :
nutritionfacts.org/video/amla-versus-diabetes/

Christmas healthy eating has slightly gone to pot.
My mother had a stroke on the 23rd, so the last couple of days have been filled with hospital visits and working it all out with family.
I think metformin may have lowered my appetite, but I most definitely haven’t stuck to low carb anything!
Will do better tomorrow.

Ooh, OP, sorry to hear about your mother. Sending you best wishes!

low carbing in the season of mince pies and roasties is a challenge even at the best of times. At the risk of sounding stupid : hope you aren’t too stressed
.

So sorry about your mother, OP.

I think I’m back to low carbing.

The last week I have eaten whatever’s there and whatever’s easy.
I have been drinking regularly as well, which I don’t normally do.

I’m up to 3 metformin tablets a day now, I’m sure they’ve lowered my appetite.

My mother is doing well, still in hospital but the family is working together to sort out visits and taking my father, so it’s less stressful than it could have been.