G'Day from Australia

[cazzyw]

Hi Everyone,
I have just been diagnosed 2 weeks ago with type 2 diabetes.
I am having trouble getting a hold on my sugar levels, they are all over the place.
I bought recipe books and have roamed the net a lot getting ideas of what I can and cant eat, I thought I was doing everything right!! but my sugar levels are through the roof.......I am on diabex and have been eating fruit, rye bread, basmati rice, vegies etc

not sure where to go from here?????

any help would be great.

Also is there anyone out there who also suffers from PCOS, as I thought this might have an impact on my sugar levels as well.

Thanks Cazzy

[princesslinda]

but my sugar levels are through the roof.......I am on diabex and have been eating fruit, rye bread, basmati rice, vegies etc...
...not sure where to go from here?????

Hi Cazzy, welcome! Sorry you have diabetes, but glad you found the forums. Lots of great information and friendly folk here.

BTW, I, too, have PCOS, with insulin resistance.

Food-wise, i'd encourage you to leave off bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, as these can cause your blood sugars to rise. After you get them more normalized, you can occasionally have brown rice, various dark breads on occasion, but right now your goal is to get better control of your blood sugars. Think fresh or frozen green veggies, salads, lean meats, cheeses, eggs and for desserts, have sugar free pudding or jello.

Also, regular exercise will help with your insulin resistance. Diabex is same as metformin, which helps your body better utilize the insulin you are making. It can take a few weeks to get optimal results from it.

I would also encourage you to test your blood sugar often, esp. 2 hrs after your first bite of food, this way you'll learn how different foods affect your blood sugars and make better food choices. I kept a food journal the first few weeks after diagnosis, writing down everything I ate...before long, I had a lot of blood sugar-friendly choices.

Hang in there. Look around, ask questions, learn all you can about this new chapter in your life. You'll be fine. Its a life changing diagnosis, but many of us are much healthier WITH diabetes than I was before being diagnosed as it forces me to take better care of myself.

[Evermont]

Hi Cazzy, welcome to the club. I can tell you've been reading because you're onto all the best variations of the wrong foods. Take some time to browse here on DF, we'll help you out.

[xMenace]

Welcome.

I didn't see any mention of a doctor. You should be having regular follow-ups until you are stabilized. The typical prescription is metformin which is what you are on. The doses run in 500mg increments up to 2000mg. It requires a build-up in the system to be effective. It can take a few weeks, so be patient.

As far as diet goes, a low-carb sandpaper-food diet seems the best choice for ganing control and losing weight. Daily aerobic exercise is vital. Avoid hard anaerobic workouts until the BGs are down and you are settled. They can shoot the sugars way up.

[morrisma]

Cazzy,
Welcome to our world.

You will need to learn which foods to avoid and which to use in moderation. No one learns overnight and everyone makes mistakes so don't be too hard on yourself.

Find a doctor's office with good endo and, if possible, diabetes nurse educator. They will be invaluable in setting you on the right math medically and help you work through the inevitable changes the disease brings.

For general support, ask us here!
Mike

[mho357]

Hi Cazzy and welcome.

I echo what the others have said about your diet - time to cut out some of the carbs.

Mark

[matingara]

getting ideas of what I can and cant eat, I thought I was doing everything right!! but my sugar levels are through the roof.......I am on diabex and have been eating fruit, rye bread, basmati rice, vegies etc

Cazzy,

Greetings from the great white South!!! looks like you have been given the "standard" information. unfortunately, that is not going to help you.

do what the others have said re lowering your carb intake.

i would also leave out MOST fruit. good fruits are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries even 1/2 a grapefruit is OK!

Bad fruits are bananas, oranges etc.

being in australia you can get Burgens "Wholemeal and Seeds" bread. this has 8.5g of carb per slice. so limit yourself to 1 slice per meal max.

the good news is that now that carbs are your enemy, fat and protein are now your new friends!

by eating more fat and protein you should discover that you are rarely hungry between meals. you should also see an improvement in your cholesterol and triglyceride tests! (amazing - huh?)

will pass on more info if you need it!!!

-- Joel.

[ant hill]

Welcome Cazzyw , Tell us more about yourself??

Anyway, Another ozzie, Yippie. I live in Victoria Melbourne.

There is a lot of help here and loads of great people who are like you who has been there, Done that. I see you have troble with your BG and that means Exercise!!! Just about anything that's white will set your BG's up skyward.

[kgm0612]

Hi & Welcome to the forum. Glad you found us. Nice people and tons of valuable information to be found here.

Karen

[cazzyw]

Hi All,
Thanks for your support, I have been reading a lot!! probably too much, I shouls slow down a little and take one step at a time i think.

So my story....... I am 38 married with two teenage children!!
I work full time at Kmart doing payroll.

I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).
I live just north of Newcastle NSW, on a great little peninsula.

I exercise a lot so thats never been an issue, I had always thought I ate quite healthy, as I knew that Diabetes was a high risk for me with the PCOS.

The more I have read the more surprised at what foods do to your BG - I had no idea.

I have been reading about raising your Glutathione levels which in turn (reasearch has suggested) appears to activate the cells into taking up your sugars better. Has anyone else heard of this. Or is anyone taking Milk Thistle or selenium? These two are supposed raise your glutathione.

I have a great doctor who I am seeing every 3 weeks until I am under control. I also have a diabetic nurse thast I see or can call whenever. I also am booked into to see a diabetic educator in a couple of weeks.

I have my eyes and feet checked and all is great there - no damage.

I can tell you I have had more Dr appointments in the last 3 weeks than I have had in the last 30 years!!!!

Well time to go, hope to talk again soon.

Cheers

Cazza

[Tazmara]

Greetings Cazza and welcome to this forum!! (smiles and waves) I cannot offer advice as to how to get your levels down, as I am in the same learning boat as you are. I do admit that I have been doing a lot of reading too, and some of the replies to your intro have been really helpful to myself also.

There are a lot of wonderful people here, that are quick to offer assistance or a shoulder when needed. I do hope that you find the answers you are looking for. Something that I have learned is that I had to be not so hard on myself, and be patient with the changes in life style... I am confident you will see positive results soon. (soft smile)

[Kim_in_TN]

Welcome! You are on the right track by coming here and scheduling your appt. with a diabete's educator. It's just a matter of learning which food to avoid and also finding out what triggers highs for you personally. Hang in there, you'll figure it out soon! Also, be prepared to maybe have to tweak your medications and doses along the way to find the best mix for you!

[adiantum]

G'day Cazzy, or maybe I should say Hi Neighbour. I live South of Newcastle by the lake.
I cant offer you any advice as I'm newly diagnosed also.
So far I'm just relying on diet & exercise for control .
I dont mind the diet at all,because Ive not felt so well in many years & all because of it.
At first I missed the cakes & would stand in front of the display at Woolworths & blame them for making me sick.
Now, I stand in front of the display & think ' hello cakes, your not very attractive are you ' Then do a sharp turn to the right, pick up a mini cabbage & silently say ' hello gorgeous' .
My BG seems to be ok , I start the education program next week.
My weight is less , my clothes are feeling loose & I do my belt up 2 notches down ( so the cabbage works )