From Bulgaria with Love!

[*John]

Greetings to everyone here, all the way from Bulgaria!.😎


Due to my historical cancer ops and H blood pressure, I am under serious observations, scans and check-ups at very regular intervals. No complain here for the Bulgarian system, I know worst ones.

In all of my countless blood tests that I had so far, I note that my glucose is creeping up over the past 7 years. In Jan 2015 the GP send me for an A1c, It turned out to be 5.9% against (6.7-7.3%) So he said nothing wrong with you John, go home.

As the glucose did not stop creeping up,(sacked that GP) 2½ years later went back to the same laboratory I had the first A1c test done, for a new one and they moved the goal post now!!. Now I am 7.4% against (4-6%). ????

Can some of you good people here, tell me when is the time to start panicking? Is this 7.4% average, above average, below average, too high, should I panic, should I stop eating altogether?, I am NOT SMOCKing!😱 I stopped enjoying my morning coffee with 2 sugars, I cut my beer, I cut my meat consumption, I started eating more “grass” and flowers. Come on please I would like to hear from some with more experience in this “field”. My expertise are cancers chemo-therapies and other things.

I started using test strips and they all tell me yes I have Type2, but I just don’t know WHEN TO PRESS THE PANIC BUTTON.🙄

Doctors I had enough, 6 ops in seven years…

Thank you
John😎😎

 

[Northerner]

Greetings to everyone here, all the way from Bulgaria!.😎


Due to my historical cancer ops and H blood pressure, I am under serious observations, scans and check-ups at very regular intervals. No complain here for the Bulgarian system, I know worst ones.

In all of my countless blood tests that I had so far, I note that my glucose is creeping up over the past 7 years. In Jan 2015 the GP send me for an A1c, It turned out to be 5.9% against (6.7-7.3%) So he said nothing wrong with you John, go home.

As the glucose did not stop creeping up,(sacked that GP) 2½ years later went back to the same laboratory I had the first A1c test done, for a new one and they moved the goal post now!!. Now I am 7.4% against (4-6%). ????

Can some of you good people here, tell me when is the time to start panicking? Is this 7.4% average, above average, below average, too high, should I panic, should I stop eating altogether?, I am NOT SMOCKing!😱 I stopped enjoying my morning coffee with 2 sugars, I cut my beer, I cut my meat consumption, I started eating more “grass” and flowers. Come on please I would like to hear from some with more experience in this “field”. My expertise are cancers chemo-therapies and other things.

I started using test strips and they all tell me yes I have Type2, but I just don’t know WHEN TO PRESS THE PANIC BUTTON.🙄

Doctors I had enough, 6 ops in seven years…

Thank you
John😎😎

Hi John, welcome to the forum 🙂 7.4% would normally be a cause for concern and bless you with a diagnosis of diabetes. We're asked to aim for 6.5% or below, as this is the point where the risks for the various complications of elevated blood glucose levels can begin. Don't worry though! You don't need to exist on a diet of grass and flowers, and meat is fine! The chief things you want to watch out for are carbohydrates - bread, potatoes, rice, pasta etc. as well as the more obvious sugary items and drinks (sugar in all its different forms is all carbohydrate - lactose in milk, fructose in fruit etc.). You may not need to cut these out of your diet entirely, but you can se your blood glucose meter and test strips to help you determine what (and in what quantities) your body tolerates well and what needs reducing or replacing with lower-carb alternatives. Have a read of Maggie Davey's letter which will give you a good overview of diabetes and how you can set about managing it well, and also have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S which will help you to pinpoint the good and not-so-good elements of your diet 🙂

Let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to help out 🙂 Are you in Bulgaria permanently, or just visiting?

 

[Martin Canty]

Welcome John.....
At Diagnosis I was 9.3% but quickly cut that down to the 6's by modifying my diet a little (reducing carbs) so no real worries with a 7.4 now you are aware that you have Diabetes.

The progression to good control takes time; it's better not to rush it but bring your Fasting Blood Glucose down gradually (keep a log, some days you will be higher some lower, but the trend is important). Test for spikes in your food your after meal reading should be no more than 2-3 mmol rise compared with before the meal (36-54 mg/dl if you are using those units) if a particular food does spike too much then just avoid it, you will learn what foods you tolerate & those you don't.

 

[Amigo]

Welcome to you in sunny Bulgaria John (one of my favourite places). You need more Shopska salad and kavarma and less banitsa! Best wishes and as a fellow cancer sufferer, diabetes doesn’t play nicely with it so please try to keep your glucose under control.

 

[*John]

Notherner, Thank you, I am s t u d y i n g the links you gave me. We moved to Bulgaria just before the Bulgarians moved to the UK... ☺
Martin, Glad to see your A1c going South. Hope mine will do the same.
Hey, Amigo, Are you also in Bulgaria? I don't do Bulgarian Banitsa (cheese pie) They don't use much cheese, just milk and filo pastry... I'd rather eat sunflowers (millions here...)

 

[CathyB]

Welcome John, as the others have said, utting the carbs as well as sugars and monitoring your bloods will help you make a difference so there is absolutely no need to panic at any point I started with a bg of 22 and am now down to a much more comfortable 5.5 🙂

 

[Amigo]

Notherner, Thank you, I am s t u d y i n g the links you gave me. We moved to Bulgaria just before the Bulgarians moved to the UK... ☺
Martin, Glad to see your A1c going South. Hope mine will do the same.
Hey, Amigo, Are you also in Bulgaria? I don't do Bulgarian Banitsa (cheese pie) They don't use much cheese, just milk and filo pastry... I'd rather eat sunflowers (millions here...)

No I’m not in Bulgaria John but I love to holiday there! 🙂

 

[*John]

Welcome John, as the others have said, utting the carbs as well as sugars and monitoring your bloods will help you make a difference so there is absolutely no need to panic at any point I started with a bg of 22 and am now down to a much more comfortable 5.5 🙂

Wow!! Well done Cathy! Thanks for sharing, It's scary, I am trying to come to terms with my new uphill...

 

[HOBIE]

It sounds like the new James Bond film

 

[*John]

It sounds like the new James Bond film

Tittle is: DIABETES IS FOREVER!

 

[HOBIE]

Your post title John . Have been to Bulgaria on my Motorbike.