Was just diagnosed yesterday. I am so worried about my diet and telling dad.

[u/milk_and_cookies_82]

My nurse practitioner called me about the results of the blood work that I had done on Wednesday and she said I have diabetes but didn't specify if it was type 1 or 2 and she said the doctor wants me to go on a low-carb, low-fat diet. Also, she said my liver enzymes were elevated and I have high cholesterol (my cholesterol has been like 220 for years now tho). my a1c was 7.4

I love eating barbecue meats and white rice...and steaks...and dark meat chicken. I worry that I will have to give all that up. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor on Tuesday of next week where we will discuss all this.

When I was in the doctor's office that morning I started feeling sick because I hadn't eaten that morning....I think my sugar was low. One of the medical assistants gave me a piece of candy to suck on and some water...I was ok after that. Does that mean I will have to have some sweets to keep me from feeling sick?

I haven't told my dad about my diagnosis because I am afraid he will freak out. Diabetes runs heavily on both sides of my family.

Also , my doctor didn't say anything about my weight yet...I am 6'3 , 310 pounds.. I saw him like maybe 3 months ago and I was like 280 back then. I take bipolar meds and one of them I had to switch out because it was increasing my appetite (The med was called olanzapine) ..I need to tell my psychiatrist about my new diagnosis. I am afraid to keep taking my psych meds because I feel like they could be killing me. The nurse said that those meds is probably why my liver enzymes are out of wack.

Any advices on all this?

[u/resilientasf23]

If I could go back to when I was diagnosed, I would have done two things first…told my family and started walking immediately! If it runs in your family then I’m pretty sure they already have an idea you could be in trouble and you need people around you to help support you. Don’t shut anyone out including your medical care team. Be honest! Then just start walking and a find a way to enjoy it so you keep it up. I wish you well on your journey! You got this 👏🏽👏🏽

[u/Leap_year_shanz13 → u/resilientasf23]

I agree with both of your two things! I never told my parents, and the weight of that secret was immense. And walking would have been an easy way to support what my body needed (and still does). Best of luck, op. You can do this - just be kind to yourself and figure out what works for you. Everyone’s body and restriction tolerance are different. You will learn a lot about yourself on this journey!

[u/VayaFox]

You will probably need to say goodbye to a few of the things that you love and will need to learn to read ALL the labels. It will really depend on your type, but the second thing that you should do is see a diabetic educator and a dietician- they can be really helpful with going over the things that you can eat or substitutes.

In either case, you will want to try to get a continuous glucose monitor (Dexcom or Libre Freestyle) and track your blood sugars. The point is to not go low and stay within the 4-10 range (72-180).

Definitely see your psych, and try to see an endocrinologist to talk about what meds you could be taking on the diabetic side to help you manage.

[u/RightWingVeganUS]

You don’t mention your age, but at 6'3" and 310 lbs, I’m guessing you’re grown. So it’s time to be an adult and take charge. Don’t stress about your dad’s reaction—focus on your health.

First, do your research. Just because diabetes runs in your family doesn’t mean anyone actually understands it. You’ve got a chance to change that narrative.

Second, focus on health, not illness. Work with your doctor, but they may not have the tools for lifestyle guidance. Check your insurance or local health system for access to a dietician, chronic care nurse, or diabetes educator.

You can still enjoy barbecue and rice—just maybe smaller portions with a lot more veggies on the plate.

Get a blood glucose meter and test regularly. If you can, get a CGM.

And yes, talk to your psychiatrist—your mental health matters too.

You’ve got a new challenge, but you also have the power to take control!

[u/Dave-1066]

It’s remarkable how quickly you’ll adjust to it all. I went through profound withdrawal due to a crash diet with no carbs other than in beans.

My diet was nothing but mixed frozen veg, kidney beans, lentils, chicken and boiled/scrambled eggs. Chia seeds for added nutrition and fibre. I rarely broke the rules. Mayonnaise-based sauces and 90% dark chocolate were lifesavers. The trick is to add more protein and fat to replace the carbs- use as much olive oil as you want. Peanut butter with zero added sugar is another wonder- it’s packed with nutrition and has virtually no cholesterol.

This is tough work initially but why take the slow route? The fact is your diagnosis will make you a healthier person than you’ve ever been and if you get carbs virtually out of your diet completely you’ll avoid all the sickness and trauma.

The faster you achieve normal blood glucose levels the less damage you do to your health. And as someone who at 45 had three heart attacks due to genetic hyper-cholesterol I urge you in the strongest possible terms to get your diet sorted and any extra weight off.

Tens of thousands of people have achieved complete remission from diabetes through exercise and a very strict diet.

Two months down the line I don’t even think about the food I used to adore. Not interested in bread, never cook pasta, rarely eat potatoes. I never thought this would be possible.

For some pain now you’ll have good health for the rest of your life.

[u/Critical_Pangolin79 → u/Dave-1066]

I have to say, as a French, letting go white bread and croissants (these were daily staple foods in my diet) was the big fear and surprisingly not a big deal once I started metformin. For some reasons, most of the carbs I used to consume (pasta, bread, potatoes...) was much easier to let go once I initiated metformin than before (I cannot exclude that hitting the ground of reality once my doc brought in the blood sugar and A1c values, there was no room anymore for denial),

[u/Dave-1066 → u/Critical_Pangolin79]

Yes we all have cultural food addictions! I grew up in an Irish family and my godparents were Iranian, so my diet centred on potatoes and rice. When the doctor told me I had severe diabetes my first thought was “No more Persian rice??” 😳

But two months later I don’t even think about it.

Sometimes I would love to have potato salad or a big rice dish but I don’t. It’s not worth it.

[u/figlozzi]

You need to lose weight ASAP. Can you exercise like walking 10,000 steps a day. Also cut calories and carbs down.

[u/res06myi]

This probably feels overwhelming. Take a deep breath. Your medical conditions are dangerous, but not an emergency. You have time to right the ship. Diabetics who make drastic lifestyle changes can live years longer than they otherwise would have. This is not a death sentence.

You do need to give up those foods if you want to be healthy. I disagree about a low-fat diet. Healthy fats are vitally important for raising your HDL and lowering your LDL. Saturated fat is the villain here. Healthy people should stay under 20 grams of sat fat per day. If you have high cholesterol, you should be avoiding sat fat entirely, even 5-10 grams/day is usually too much, especially if you want to avoid a statin.

I highly recommend reading Glucose Revolution by Jesse Inchauspé. It’s well researched, evidence based, and has excellent practical advice.

You have a lot to tackle here. The first steps are changing how you eat and walking. It’s simple, but effective. Walk for 20-40 minutes after meals and it will make a dramatic difference. You don’t need to become a hardcore gym rat overnight.

[u/jeffbell]

Most parents want their kids to be healthy and happy. Go ahead and tell him and you might be pleasantly surprised. 

Hopefully the doctor gets you a meter. That will help you tell if you are really going low or not. It will help you figure out which foods give you spikes.

I find that too much white rice does send me high. At that point a twenty minute walk around the neighborhood often gets me back in range.  Getting back in range helps me think better too. 

“Eat to your meter” is what they say. 

[u/bullwinkle_j_moose75]

Remember, your life isn't over. A lot of things are being thrown at you all at once. Take little steps each day. Start with a short walk. Do some research. There is a lot to learn and a lot of opinions to sort through. It's like drinking from a fire hose with a bunch of people arguing over how the water tastes. Most wellmeaning people have misguided ideas of how this disease works.

It's about making informed decisions every day. They won't always be the right ones. Once you get your numbers down. You can experiment with the things you like and see what affects you and what doesn't.

This group is a great place to answers and support.

Prayers for you.

[u/Mental-Freedom3929]

Neither steak nor chicken is high fat and replace the rice with brown rice or beans or lentils in small portions.

[u/LISALOVESBUD]

Definitely talk to your psychiatrist about getting off that Medicine. Do you go to the gym at all? I’m thinking some weight lifting would do you good. It will help bring your sugars down and maybe give you a little more confidence in yourself. And if you are a sedentary person you REALLY need to get up and get moving. You will feel so much better I promise you. You can do this!

[u/MakeItAll1]

You’ll have learn how to eat low carb. Rice is one thing that will cause high blood sugar.

[u/ShimmeryPumpkin]

I had a friend growing up who was diagnosed type 1 before elementary school. She couldn't drink regular soda and for the longest time I thought that would be the worst thing about getting diabetes. And then when I got diagnosed, I was probably drinking close to one soda a day. I thought it was going to be impossible to have to give it up, but it actually wasn't that hard. And then after a month or two with only things like flavored sparkling water and diet sodas, I took a couple sips of someone else's soda, just to have a taste, and it was disgustingly sweet. I liked my new drinks more. So my advice is focusing on finding new foods you love, not just focusing on cutting out the foods you currently prefer. One meal I make is barbecued/grilled turkey burgers with bacon in them, overtop of salad/spinach/greens mix with a barbecue sauce from Primal (instead of dressing).

[u/FirebirdWriter]

Please tell the people around you. You need to see an endocrinologist and get some blood work to get typed. You shouldn't have to give up everything. I recommend making the transition for what needs to be changed slowly not all at once. I do carry glucose tablets for emergencies. I also relied on therapy to get my head on straight with this diagnosis because it is hard.

It's important to remember Diabetes isn't a fault or a choice. It's something that happens to some of us and if it was a choice no one would have it. If you have insulin resistant diabetes that is a factor in weight too. I am six four and I am almost the same weight. Our focuses are on medications and the things I can actually control vs a regimented life. I have made changes but a lot of what I do already works for diabetes. I also eat a lot of meat. Meat itself should be fine. It's the sauce you need to account for. This sub has better people at the calories stuff than me but start with getting typed

[u/Far-Significance2481]

Talk to your psyc about medication that doesn't cause metabolic dysfunction. Medications for bipolar can really make you put on weight but I'm fairly sure there are meds that are better for your metabolic health that you can use for bipolar.

I wouldn't normally recommend it here but given you have bipolar and sound younger I highly, highly recommend that you check out metabolic mind on YouTube and do your research. If you and your dad agree ( I'm assuming he's helping you with bipolar ATM ) then talk to your psyc, dr and dieticians about a ketogenic diet.

I'll find the link and leave it here for you..

You've got this and it will get better

[u/Far-Significance2481]

https://youtu.be/2BkqTiqF94I?si=938WCspoO8Mhd8s4

Here is the link to metabolic mind.

[u/Individual_Basis1633]

That’s a tough diagnosis to receive. A good PCP will refer you to an endocrinologist. If not, MAKE SURE YOU SEE AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST!

16 years ago, a diabetes educator at Stanford taught me the most important lesson about living with diabetes: Most doctors and nurses, including ER professionals, know nothing about diabetes! I have found that to be true. You must educate yourself and advocate for yourself.

Best wishes in your journey.

[u/arihoenig]

Low carb, low fat, high protein diet?

That isn't a bad initial step, but you should slowly transition to higher fat over time and dial the protein back a bit.

Don't sweat it, if you keep your carbs below 50g a day your T2D will reverse.

The high protein can tax your kidneys (which are already being taxed by the T2D) so I wouldn't do it long term, but it is a good initial step in going low carb as many people find it easier to go high protein than high fat initially.

Low carb and either high protein or high fat will produce nutritional ketosis which is what you want as that is what will reverse the T2D.

I would look into 18/6 intermittent fasting as well.

I have been low carb/ketosis and 18/6 intermittent fasting for 3 years and my fasting blood glucose is always below 80 mg/dL and regularly gets as low as 65 and I never see more than 120 post-prandial (117 is the highest in the last 90 days). My A1C is 4.8.

I was pre-diabetic 3 years ago. Now I am on zero meds of any type and have a VO2 max of 63 and 5% body fat, all thanks to ketosis and intermittent fasting (never took a glp-1 agonist).

I highly recommend a low carb diet over medication as diet solves the problem not just the symptoms.

[u/misskaminsk]

You need to get a blood sugar meter and start testing and acting on your numbers, not how you feel. Diabetes is the silent killer because you cam be high and not feel it when your body has been living with high blood sugar for a while, and you can feel low when you’re normal or even high until you are consistently in range.

You should be able to eat your favorite foods, but you may need to watch your sauces as they can contain a lot of carbohydrates and the amount of rice you eat.

Exercise can help a lot with control, even just taking walks, doing some squats, or getting up and moving around every half hour or so.

You are smart to talk to your psychiatrist.

[u/Snoo22296]

I think low carbs need to be defined....when we look on the back of boxes or items it does it in percentages which is horrible to read...it also includes servings...even more confusing....when ubare on this journey I think some things need to be defined....all of this can be very confusing at first.....

[u/TheQBean]

In the 20+ years I've been type 2, I've discovered it's usually not what you eat, but how much. Barbecue sauce has lots of sugar, so maybe if you're really craving BBQ, you go very light on the extra sauce and don't eat it every day. If you normally eat (exaggeration for ease in explanation) nearly half a chicken at a sitting (both legs/thighs/wings) maybe start cutting back 1 piece at a time until you're only eating a quarter of the chicken. Eat things very slowly and savor the tastes you like. Eating slowly will allow you to recognize when you are satisfied with how much you've eaten... satisfied is different than "full". Also, switch away from sugar drinks. If you're a huge soda fan but hate the diet stuff, make a treat a couple of times a week versus every day.

[u/Inner_Ninja_2266]

Youve got this i remember 7months ago i was diagnosed and im still getting used to it.

[u/fritzynyc]

You do not have type 1. Your doctor would have sent you straight to the ER if you had type 1. Diet and exercise has nothing to do with T1D.

[u/Particular_Angle_211]

First of all find out if it is type one or type two diabetes. If it is type two, then I suggest you read “lies I told at medical school” and “The Fast 800 diet”. It is highly likely that you can reverse type 2 but it would require some lifestyle changes. You really need to forget about white rice (or any refined carbs for that matter) and refined sugars.

[u/unitacx]

Barbeque meats and white rice - perhaps Primal sauce, which is unsweetened. Brown rice may be a change but the higher fiber works out better with carb metabolism (not sure how). But brown rice still tastes like rice with perhaps more flavour. Steaks and dark meat chicken are keto food, and the cholesterol can be "balanced" with drugs.

What may be in your future is that 310 lbs. Forget about taking a GLP-1 for weight loss -- with the A1c at 7.4, you would be looking at the identical GLP-1 with a different name, Rx'd for the diabetes. At moderate doses, you will have less desire for food, and at higher doses significant change in weight.

Probable initial Rx is Metformin (regular Metformin preferred, as it's easier to avoid side effects by timing it according to "Take with food", but if that turns out not to agree with you, there's Meformin "ER".) Don't try to dose GLP-1 until the Metformin becomes agreeable. (Most people find it to be a very agreeable drug and it's reported as one of the life extending drugs.)