Anyone struggling with diabetes?

Thanks again everyone who has posted. I've passed the info on, much appreciated.

I was diagnosed a couple of years ago and keep it under control by only eating a particular low-carb bread, no potatoes, no oats, no pasta unless it’s the no-carb stuff from H&B, no sweet corn, no parsnips and no carrots. I can tolerate a particular brand of chocolate. I Got a monitor and checked my levels before I ate and two hours after and stopped eating anything that Increased my blood sugar levels. It’s quite easy to substitute food. I use ground almonds a lot to make stuff like bread, scones and cake - but am having trouble getting hold of it at the mo!

Low carb diet works a treat. Absolutely the easiest thing. Just give up eating loads of bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and cakey stuff. I have 2 small squares of very dark chocolate after dinner, and 1small cake once a fortnight . We are having pizza this evening. Base made with cheeses, ground almonds and egg. Brilliant. Loads of recipe books out there.

Floradora did you have things to give up that you really love and how did you do it?

Thank you so much everyone for responding. I'll pass your comments and information to my daughter and I'm sure she will feel much less alone in her situation.

Personally I did not find it a problem at all you have to get into the mindset that there are certain things that you can no longer eat. This might not be so easy for your daughter but I just did it 20 years ago . I have never had really high readings always been within limits when tested . I belong to several Facebook groups for those with diabetics and cannot understand the people who have ignored it until it is too late. Some people moan about missing certain things but she must look for the things she can eat . The thought of amputation of toes even lims can set you on the right path.
I do feel for your daughter but there are far worse things to suffer from I know from experience .

I think the best advice was not to rush at a drastic diet change, and to avoid rather than ban the carbs. It was the hugely daunting list of forbidden foods that threw my DH into such a panic.
If you get right down to brass tacks there's sugar (which is a carb) in fruit.
We did find Dr Cavan's book a huge help, but I can't say I really read all the scientific stuff towards the end!

And I don't know how you go months without eating any chocolate Growstuff I suppose I could but I would not be happy.

The squares are quite big. I nibble and savour each bit. I could stretch to two squares. I don't know how people do things like eating a whole box of chocolates /packet of biscuits?

I love dark chocolate. It's not so much the carbs in 85% choc, but the calories. There is no way I could limit myself to one square a day, so every few months I buy a small bar and scoff the lot (and feel sick afterwards).

Yes I am struggling so much. I love chocolate and I am finding it so hard to have one square a day (85% dark) and one biscuit. Its like an addiction. And I am suffering horribly from ibs because of eating good fibre. So I am going back to white bread. I can't stop it totally. And I have M.E so exercise is difficult. I am hating it all at the minute.

I have been diabetic for a long time and do go through times when I struggle with the diet.

I would recommend a book called carbs and cals which I have found really useful.It gives you the values in a very wide range of foods but also has pictures of different size portions which is really helpful.

I tend to keep strictly to a low carb diet when eating at home which keeps my blood sugars in check but when I go out I will choose what I want off the menu.I don’t go mad,no food to me is worth a massive spike in blood sugars.

On a recent thread,another gransnetter advised me to check my bloods more than once a day and I have found this really helps too.

I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes 30 years ago. I wasn't overweight/obese and thought I ate quite healthily, so it was tough restricting my diet even more. Everything I was told seemed more appropriate for people very overweight and eating loads of fattening food.

Although I'm now beginning to get some of the nasties associated with diabetes, I've actually controlled it quite well.

My advice would be to become "carb aware". There's no need to cut anything out completely. Log everything you eat for a week, count the carbs (there are apps or books available) and cut them back. There's no magic figure for carbs. An adult is recommended to eat about 250-300g a day, but I try to eat fewer than 100g (sometimes even less). Cut portion sizes.

The other side of it is exercise. There's no need to run marathons or get a gym membership - just don't sit/stand around for long. If it's possible to walk somewhere rather than get in the car, do it. Just keep moving.

This is a lifestyle change and quick fixes almost certainly won't work.

I was diagnosed 15 years ago. I have it under control with diet. The advice i was given was to never eat anything from a packet or any processed food. I lost 20% of my body weight. You need small amounts of carbs for energy. I also used the book above. Best of luck

Type diabetes.co.uk into a search engine for one of these forums.

Yes.
YES.
My DH found the diet restrictions so impossible he wouldn't even think about them, and started eating every unsuitable food item he could lay his hands on. His diet became worse than it was before. He was overwhelmed by the long list of DON'Ts.
Then a diabetic friend said he should just stop binging on carbohydrates and forget about 'leafy green vegetables' and fibre, or cutting out cheese and cream and just reduce the starchy carbs.
There is an excellent book called Reverse Your Diabetes by Dr D Cavan that sets it out in easy to read words.
Its on eBay for £2.99 or Amazon £9.99, or of course from your local library.
Doctors and diabetic nurses flood your shocked mind with lists of what not to eat so people just switch off and don't even try.
Also join a forum like this one for Diabetics, but start slowly by cutting down on starch and eating plenty of protein.
After 6 months of that you can cut down on other unhealthy food groups.
Even if he's a beer drinker, (which is a favourite rod to beat diabetics with) just concentrate on avoiding sugary carbs and only progress to the next step when this has been achieved.
This worked for him - till covid sent us all into binge comfort eating.
His bloods are up now, so I must start at the beginning again - first stop will be to persuade him those lovely sausage rolls are not a good idea.
Its not easy.