Introduction: What Happens After You’re Diagnosed?
For many people, getting diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) feels like the hardest part.
But in reality, the days after diagnosis can be just as challenging especially when you’re trying to understand your body, adjust your lifestyle, and make sense of symptoms you’ve never experienced before.
For ethnic minority adults in particular, this phase can be even more difficult due to limited guidance, cultural dietary habits, and a lack of tailored support.
This part of my story focuses on what happened immediately after I left A&E and how a few days of feeling seriously unwell became another turning point in my diabetes journey.
Leaving A&E: Back to Normal… Or So I Thought
After being diagnosed in A&E, I spent the weekend at my parents house in London.
Being around family helped. Both of my parents have Type 2 diabetes, so there was some level of understanding and support there.
By Monday morning, I decided to head back home to Manchester.
It’s a long journey, and like many times before, I made my usual stop in Birmingham for lunch.
The Meal That Changed Everything
At that point, despite being diagnosed just days earlier, I hadn’t fully adjusted my mindset or habits yet.
For lunch, I had:
- A smash burger
- Chips
- A large diet soft drink
Later that evening, after arriving back in Manchester, it was dinner time.
Still not fully processing the seriousness of my condition, I ordered another heavy meal:
- A fully loaded fries meal
- Smash burger
But this time, something felt different.
Sudden Illness: When Your Body Says “Stop”
As I started eating, I began to feel extremely unwell.
It came on quickly.
I couldn’t even finish half my meal before I had to rush to the bathroom and vomit.
After that, I managed to clean up and went straight to bed.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand what was happening but my body clearly wasn’t coping.
The Next 48 Hours: No Energy, No Appetite
The next day was worse than I expected.
I woke up feeling:
- Extremely weak
- Drained of energy
- Completely without appetite
I managed to get a large cup of water, but that was about it.
I stayed in bed all day.
- No breakfast.
- No lunch.
- No dinner.
Just water and sleep.
Day Two: Still Unwell
The following day was almost identical.
I was still feeling very unwell:
- No energy to get out of bed
- No motivation or strength to cook
- No hunger at all
Again, I drank water and slept for most of the day and night.
Looking back, this was a critical moment.
Because although I wasn’t eating, my body was clearly going through something serious.
Recovery: Slowly Feeling Like Myself Again
By the third day, things started to improve.
I woke up feeling:
- More alert
- Less weak
- Able to move around
For the first time in days, I made myself some breakfast.
That same day, I went to my GP to:
- Pick up my medication
- Collect my glucose monitor
- Start taking control of my diabetes
My Dexcom, Continuous Glucose Monitor had also arrived.
This felt like a fresh start.
Checking My Blood Sugar: A New Baseline
When I checked my blood sugar, it read:
14.4 mmol/L
This was still high but significantly lower than my earlier reading of 26.6.
At the time, I reflected on the past couple of days.
I hadn’t eaten for nearly 48 hours.
That likely contributed to the drop in my blood sugar levels.
Important Note: Not Eating Is NOT a Solution
I want to be very clear about this:
I do NOT recommend skipping food to lower blood sugar.
In my case, it wasn’t intentional.
I was:
- Very unwell
- Living alone
- Physically unable to prepare food
This is not a safe or sustainable way to manage diabetes.
In fact, not eating properly can lead to:
- Dangerous blood sugar fluctuations
- Weakness and fatigue
- Increased health risks
Managing Type 2 diabetes should always involve balanced nutrition, not starvation.
What Happened to Me? Could It Have Been Hyperglycaemia?
Looking back now, I’ve often asked myself:
Was I experiencing hyperglycaemia?
Hyperglycaemia occurs when blood sugar levels are too high for an extended period.
Common Symptoms Include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Extreme fatigue
- Dehydration
- Loss of appetite
- Blurred vision
Many of these match what I experienced.
A More Serious Concern: Diabetic Emergencies
In more severe cases, very high blood sugar can lead to conditions like:
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (more common in Type 1 but can occur in Type 2)
- Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State (HHS)
These are medical emergencies and require immediate treatment.
While I wasn’t formally diagnosed with either at the time, my symptoms suggest that my body was under significant stress due to high blood sugar levels.
Why This Matters for Ethnic Minority Adults
For many ethnic minority adults, experiences like this are not uncommon.
There are several contributing factors:
1. Late Diagnosis
Symptoms may go unnoticed or be misunderstood.
2. Dietary Habits
Sudden changes or high-carb diets can spike blood sugar quickly.
3. Lack of Immediate Guidance
After diagnosis, many people are left to figure things out on their own.
4. Living Alone
Managing a new condition without support can make situations worse.
The Role of Food: A Harsh Lesson
One of the biggest lessons I learned from this experience was how food directly impacts my body.
The meals I ate:
- High in refined carbs
- High in fats
- High in sugar (especially from drinks)
These likely contributed to:
- Blood sugar spikes
- My body becoming overwhelmed
- The symptoms I experienced
It was a harsh but necessary lesson.
Moving Forward: A New Approach to Health
After those few days, my mindset shifted again.
This time, it wasn’t just about awareness it was about action.
With my Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor, I could now:
- Track my blood sugar in real time
- Understand how food affects me
- Make better daily decisions
I also started thinking more seriously about:
- Balanced meals
- Regular eating patterns
- Hydration
- Monitoring symptoms
Practical Advice: If You Feel Unwell After Diagnosis
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and experience symptoms like mine, here’s what you should do:
1. Don’t Ignore Symptoms
Vomiting, fatigue, and loss of appetite are not normal seek medical advice.
2. Monitor Your Blood Sugar
Use tools like a CGM or finger-prick test regularly.
3. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can worsen high blood sugar symptoms.
4. Eat Balanced Meals
Avoid extreme highs and lows in your diet.
5. Seek Help Early
If you feel seriously unwell, don’t wait contact your GP or go to A&E.
Final Thoughts: Learning the Hard Way
Those few days after returning home were some of the toughest in my journey so far.
I went from:
- Feeling in control
- To feeling completely helpless
- To slowly regaining control again
It wasn’t planned.
It wasn’t ideal.
But it taught me something important:
Your body will force you to pay attention if you don’t listen early.
Conclusion: Awareness, Action, and Accountability
For ethnic minority adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, the journey doesn’t end at diagnosis it begins there.
My experience shows how quickly things can escalate when:
- Blood sugar isn’t managed
- Diet isn’t adjusted
- Symptoms are misunderstood
But it also shows that:
You can take control starting today.
With the right tools, knowledge, and mindset, managing diabetes becomes not just possible but sustainable.
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