New to all this

[What the..?]

Welcome to the forum @What the..? happy delurking!

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and the rather brutal way the news was broken to you!

It sounds like you’ve made a great start so far, and hopefully with the changes you have already been making your next HbA1c will see your efforts paying off

Keep asking questions and keep picking the brains of the forum’s hive mind. 🙂

Hello, and thanks Mike. Yes, I have been 'lurking', and very productive and reassuring it's been too! At the risk of repeating myself I am so very grateful to this site, and this forum, as I genuinely don't know quite how I'd have coped if I hadn't found it. Keep up the great work.

 

[rebrascora]

The problem is that HCPs don't see the readings from BG meters when bananas are consumed by diabetics.... usually because they discourage them from using BG meters in the first place and they are stuck with the nutritional information the NHS has been ploughing out for decades about low fat etc and the "eat well" plate with no understanding of how the items on that plate affect BG levels.
Yes, bananas are healthier than a piece of cake but if you are looking to control diabetes, then neither are a good choice. There is the equivalent of about 4 teaspoons of sugar in a banana and that all gets broken down into glucose and gets absorbed into your blood stream, just the same as the sugar and flour in a piece of cake would or the carbs in a slice of bread.... even wholemeal. Not saying don't eat a slice of wholemeal bread or a banana or even a piece of cake ever again (birthdays and Christmas are the exception for the latter 😉) but know where your carbs are coming from and choose wisely and limit them.

It is not really the GP's fault that his info is out of date. He is trying to do what he believes is best from the very limited and poor information he has. The nurse might be a bit more up to date but the NHS guidance is the problem and that is controlled from the top and it is unlikely to change because the government has a hand in it and there is a monster food industry behind low fat, high carb foods.... I'm not normally a conspiracy theorist but even if you just view it from the point that there is no money to throw at proving the current guidance is unhelpful.... you can see how it is not going to change The few enlightened NHS staff who have grasped the whole low carb management idea are almost having to work below the radar, because they are not following the "party line" which is the "eat well" plate and five a day including plenty of fruit.

Just as an aside, the bacon and eggs for lunch is fine, but feel free to add a nice large side salad with a good dollop of coleslaw to make it healthier... or a large omelette with salad and filled with veggies like onion and courgette and peppers and aubergine and mushrooms. Coleslaw is a good choice to have with your salad as it incorporates cabbage and fat... both good choices and it tastes good. I generally buy cheese coleslaw because it is higher in fat and is tastier.

I can imagine your HCP's faces when they hear that you have ditched their professional advice and medication for a plate of bacon and eggs!! They might have a heart attack! Not saying bacon and eggs is not a good diabetic choice but don't forget to pack in those low carb veggies wherever you can. A side of steamed broccoli served with a dollop of real sour cream and chive dip (Not the Doritos stuff in a jar) works really well with bacon and eggs too.... and broccoli only takes 3 mins in the microwave.

It is great to read that you are relishing the challenge rather than feeling overwhelmed by it. Keep up the good work and good luck with the nurse. Hope you have one of the forward thinking ones.

 

[Christy]

Hello Christy, thanks for the welcome! It is good to know that you've had such success yourself - if I've read your readings correctly. Did you find it difficult? So far I have found things relatively easy, eating with my family but having hardly any rice, pasta, spuds, bread etc. And I'm actually enjoying thinking a bit more about what to have at lunchtime, instead of just going down the toast with something on it route - in fact I'm about to go and make myself bacon, egg and mushrooms. No bread, but I don't see that as a hardship, because I would never have dreamt of making bacon and egg for lunch for myself before, and I'm eating so much better now in general, and my incentive is strong.

Hi @What the..? . Yes, you've read my results correctly. Tbh I was expecting an improvement but not that low & now I'm not sure if I'm too low. We're never happy lol. Thankfully I wasn't offered medication and found this site v soon after diagnosis. No one can promise you good results as we're all different but in your shoes I wouldn't be taking the medication. I was so shocked at my diagnosis (out of the blue) & pretty much cut out junk food, alcohol & went low carb, normal fat. It's hard psychologically to eat fat after years of the low fat mantra. I've not been hungry & I can honestly say it's not been difficult. I cook carbs for everyone else (maybe less so) & have more veg for me. I've started to introduce small amounts of carbs with no big rises but have no desire to eat loads of it. I do have a small amount of dark chocolate every night. Can't have no treats! Sorry for the long saga 😉 Keep in touch. Be interesting to find out how you get on. I'm now being seen by a lovely, supportive gp but found out most of my info on here.

 

[What the..?]

Hello everyone, just an update about my appointment with the practice nurse yesterday. You may remember that I was diagnosed a month ago as Type 2, with an HbA1c level of 53, was prescribed Metformin and Atorvastatin but decided not to take them until I see what my next blood test result is. I wasn't sure about whether to let on about not taking the medication, but yesterday, when I met the nurse, decided to be honest about it as she raised the subject of the medication and side effects.
To be honest she was quite scatterlogical, when I went into her room she had a half-eaten sandwich and mug of soup on her desk, and her first words were 'right, I'll have to check this out, I haven't done diabetes for about eighteen months'. Not exactly reassuring. It took her a little while to find the right protocol on the computer to follow, but got there in the end, and when I told her I wasn't taking the medication, but instead following my own lower carb and increased exercise regime she took it reasonably well. I don't think, from our conversation, that she really understood what I'm doing, but suspect she realised I wasn't going to be easily coaxed off course when I showed her my month-long diet and exercise diary (which she barely glanced at). She stressed that the Metformin could prevent all sorts of eye and foot problems, and then advocated it as a weight loss tool (though I gather from what she said the unpleasant side effects regarding rushing to the loo are your body purging the fat, but why that's preferable to having a go at getting rid of it naturally, without the toilet issues, is beyond me).
Anyway, she agreed to me having another blood test next month, and the really good news is I've lost a couple of ounces short of a stone in the month since diagnosis. I knew I'd lost some weight as my clothes are feeling looser, and actually if a particular skirt (which I only wear around the house) isn't hitched in a specific way, it falls down as I walk across the room. I think it's days are numbered!
The amazing thing about this is that following all the helpful tips and information on this site I haven't struggled at all with following the lower carb way of eating, and am enjoying the exercise, and it obviously works. The nurse seemed to want me to be feeling low, or somehow deprived, and asked me if I was feeling depressed with having to cut back on food. She kept talking about how we mustn't stint ourselves too much at Christmas as it'll only mean I'll end up feeling hard done by and giving up my diet. It was, all in all, a rather strange meeting. Oh, and out of devilment I asked what the prediabetic range is, and she had to Google it.
So, onwards and upwards, I'll let you know when I've had my next blood test results...in the meantime I hope you are all well and as happy as possible in these strange times, and manage, in whatever way, to have a Merry Christmas x

 

[Christy]

Slapping face emoji! The nurse sounds clueless! Looks like your making good progress. Love your devilment. Hope you get a great result. Season's Greetings!🙂🙂

 

[rebrascora]

Congratulations on your fantastic weight loss. Pleased the nurse wasn't "difficult" about abstaining from the medication, but it sounds like she wasn't knowledgeable enough to argue/discuss any points relating to diabetes. She clearly wasn't the regular diabetes trained nurse at the practice or she would have seen a diabetic patient much more recently than that, even in the current pandemic.
Sounds like you are doing great, so just keep at it and really looking forward to your next blood test result as I think it will cause to celebrate.

 

[Drummer]

Body purging fat eh?
Lordy lord, you couldn't make it up - but they obviously do.

 

[trophywench]

To be fair to her - Metformin was originally marketed by the company that made it, as a weight loss drug! And then the doctors who had prescribed it to some overweight patients discussed the results and found that their Type 2 overweight patients had generally had a bit lower blood glucose results as a side effect.

But other than that, she really was a bit useless really wasn't she!

Good job you aren't clueless really, isn't it?

 

[Lucyr]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Looks like you’ve had some good advice and getting on well so far. Have to say I was totally baffled by how you were thinking of hiding that you aren’t taking the medication though. It should come up in a big red box on the GPs screen (or does on mines at least) that you are overdue reordering it! So probably best to be upfront and honest on that one.

 

[What the..?]

Hello Lucyr - I had collected the medication from the chemist so that wouldn't have arisen. I wanted to have a chance to bring my HbA1c level down without the taking the tablets, which I am very hopeful will be the case when I have my next test next month.

 

[What the..?]

To be fair to her - Metformin was originally marketed by the company that made it, as a weight loss drug! And then the doctors who had prescribed it to some overweight patients discussed the results and found that their Type 2 overweight patients had generally had a bit lower blood glucose results as a side effect.

But other than that, she really was a bit useless really wasn't she!

Good job you aren't clueless really, isn't it?

Well frankly the only reason I'm not clueless is thanks to this forum and all the excellent advice!

 

[What the..?]

Congratulations on your fantastic weight loss. Pleased the nurse wasn't "difficult" about abstaining from the medication, but it sounds like she wasn't knowledgeable enough to argue/discuss any points relating to diabetes. She clearly wasn't the regular diabetes trained nurse at the practice or she would have seen a diabetic patient much more recently than that, even in the current pandemic.
Sounds like you are doing great, so just keep at it and really looking forward to your next blood test result as I think it will cause to celebrate.

Thanks Barbara, will keep you posted! No, I didn't get the impression that she had a very high level of knowledge about diabetes. I am so thankful for what I've picked up on this site x

 

[What the..?]

What a bizarre experience. Based on what you've described I suspect you didn't see a specialist DN. Well done on the weight loss and on owning up to holding off on the meds. I know you were wary of disclosing that. It seems to me you're on the right track so keep going and please keep us posted.

Martin

I will, thanks very much Martin.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hope your follow-up blood tests show positive results from your efforts so far @What the..? 🙂

 

[Lucyr]

Hello Lucyr - I had collected the medication from the chemist so that wouldn't have arisen. I wanted to have a chance to bring my HbA1c level down without the taking the tablets, which I am very hopeful will be the case when I have my next test next month.

Ah I know you collected the first one, but hba1c isn’t normally done more often than once every 3 months.

 

[trophywench]

No it isn't - cos the average lifespan of a red blood corpuscle is 9 - 120 days apiece hence when they take blood, some of the red cells will be right at the end of their lives so more un-needed glucose will have stuck to them simply cos they've been there longer and others will be literally only born today and have none.

 

[Perfect10]

I started with HbA1c in August of 49 and after switching to low carb and losing a few pounds along the way was 44 at next blood test 6 weeks later. I wasn’t prescribed meds as was told that as my first result was only just over the diabetic range that I needed a second blood test before they would diagnose.
I find the low carb diet easy, am rarely hungry and don’t want to go back to eating higher carb foods as feel far healthier now.

 

[What the..?]

Ah I know you collected the first one, but hba1c isn’t normally done more often than once every 3 months.

Hello Lucyr - yes, I'm having my next blood test next month, which will make it three months since my last one in October. I didn't see my GP until mid-November when he prescribed enough medication to take me into February, so nothing would have been flagged up about my not reordering. By the way, you're not my pharmacist in disguise are you? 😉 I don't think I actually said I'd collected the medication - which I did so that they wouldn't perhaps flag it up to the doctor that I hadn't collected it. I am so far really pleased that I'm not taking it, but am open to doing so if my next results are not an improvement.