6.7 level, how bad or good.

[KenzieQuin]

Hello everyone. I am new to this, haven't even had a conversation with the nurse yet (booked for next week) I was ordering a repeat prescription on my health app when I noticed the results for my recent blood test said I have type 2 diabetes. Nice way to find out! Anyway the level was 6.7. I know absolutely nothing about diabetes (well, apart from the obvious) So my question is can this level be easily reversed? Thanks in advance.

 

[Ljc]

Hi @KenzieQuin . Welcome to the forum . Firstly don’t panic ok.
Though it was not a nice way to find out . With a reading of 50 (6.7 in the old measurement system ). You have really only just crossed the threshold into our extremely select club, 48 gets you the diagnosis , 42 to 47 is pre diabetes .

With your Hb1ac level , you probably won’t have to do much to lower your blood glucose level (BG)
You are now probably wondering what on Earth you can eat , well we get to eat good tasty food.
Protein in all it’s forms are absolutely fine as are good fats, providing you dont have a medical condition that requires you to cut down, veg is fine be a bit careful with fuit, forvthe time being stuck to anything with berry as part of its name as we often tolerate them better.

It carbohydrates esp the starchy ones you will need to reduce portion size of but probably not by much .
Sorry got to go, others will be along shortly

 

[KenzieQuin]

Thankyou. 🙂 Just noticed it says type 2 mellitus. Is there a difference?

 

[Sally71]

Diabetes mellitus is the full name of the one which everyone understands as being diabetes, i.e. a problem with blood sugar levels. There is another condition called diabetes insipidus, which I think is a kidney problem and nothing to do with blood sugar. “Diabetes” actually means “too much urine” which can be a symptom of both conditions (in the case of diabetes mellitus, it’s when the blood sugar is too high)

 

[rebrascora]

I know absolutely nothing about diabetes (well, apart from the obvious) So my question is can this level be easily reversed?

Hi and welcome

Actually the "obvious" that you know is probably only half the story...... Almost everyone believes that diabetes is about sugar and sweet stuff but actually it is all carbohydrates which break down in our digestive system into glucose and are absorbed into our blood stream. You might be interested to know that there are 5grams of carbs in a teaspoon of sugar and 15g carbs in a medium slice of wholemeal bread and both break down into glucose in our gut. The slice of wholemeal bread might take a little longer but it can be just a matter of 10 -15 mins longer which isn't really that much in the scheme of things, so a slice of bread will generate 3x as much glucose as a teaspoon of sugar. Of course the sugar is the first thing to cut out of your diet because it contains no other beneficial nutrients, but cutting down on your portion size of more complex carbs like bread and pasta and rice and couscous and potatoes and pies and pastries and breakfast cereal as well as the cakes and biscuits will help to push your diabetes back into remission. Not everyone can achieve remission but with a few changes to your diet ,particularly in relation to portion size and doing a bit more exercise (a brisk daily walk is ideal if you are able) you have a good chance of achieving it with a starting score of just 50.

 

[KenzieQuin]

Hi and welcome

Actually the "obvious" that you know is probably only half the story...... Almost everyone believes that diabetes is about sugar and sweet stuff but actually it is all carbohydrates which break down in our digestive system into glucose and are absorbed into our blood stream. You might be interested to know that there are 5grams of carbs in a teaspoon of sugar and 15g carbs in a medium slice of wholemeal bread and both break down into glucose in our gut. The slice of wholemeal bread might take a little longer but it can be just a matter of 10 -15 mins longer which isn't really that much in the scheme of things, so a slice of bread will generate 3x as much glucose as a teaspoon of sugar. Of course the sugar is the first thing to cut out of your diet because it contains no other beneficial nutrients, but cutting down on your portion size of more complex carbs like bread and pasta and rice and couscous and potatoes and pies and pastries and breakfast cereal as well as the cakes and biscuits will help to push your diabetes back into remission. Not everyone can achieve remission but with a few changes to your diet ,particularly in relation to portion size and doing a bit more exercise (a brisk daily walk is ideal if you are able) you have a good chance of achieving it with a starting score of just 50.

Sorry didn't mean to include your message in reply, but can't find how to undo it.
Thank you for the information. I don't do sugar, cakes, biscuits or cereals, I don't even like chocolate. However I do love potatoes and bread, this is likely my down fall, along with almost all of my fathers family having type 2.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @KenzieQuin

Hopefully you will be able to book an appointment with your GP or the diabetes nurse at your surgery to get checked over and have a chat through some of the basics.

In the meantime you might find Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, a helpful starting point. They are often recommended to newcomers by forum members.

Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years. Plus the regular checks you get after a diagnosis with diabetes mean that any potential problems may be spotted earlier, and can be sorted out sooner.

Good luck and keep asking questions!

 

[KenzieQuin]

Thank you I will check out the book. I haven't a clue what I am meant to do.

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome. 🙂 Quite disgusting how you found out!

 

[KenzieQuin]

Thank you. Yes it was a shock and I was devastated. I try and be pro-active, so have ordered the book mentioned above and the testing kit arrived today. As suggested in the book I am going to test a lot and try and see how it all works for me. I am able to read the book, or parts of it on a kindle reader, until the book arrives on Friday. So have started on my knowledge journey. I cannot believe how ignorant I am (and my family) Nearly all of my biological fathers family have t2, one of the few things I know about them, as I have had very little contact (almost none) in my nearly 60 years of life. I also have COPD, I am collecting chronic diseases, or so it appears. So need to find exercise which works for me, any advice would be appreciated.
Part of my devastation when I saw that I had diabetes was due to my life circumstances. I have been raising two of my grandchildren for 13 yrs, they are 16 and 15 now. Two years ago their baby brother came to live with us. I am applying for a special guidance order at the moment and am terrified this diagnosis will effect the outcome. I need to secure this littles boys future in our family. Oh dear I appear to have given my life story! But any advice would be really grateful as I may need to prove I am handling this very soon. Thank you everyone.

 

[rebrascora]

Walking is about the best exercise you can get for diabetes if you are able. If you can get into a regular daily routine of it that really helps a lot. It should also improve your fitness which means your body will need less oxygen so it should improve your COPD. I know it has helped with my asthma.

I don't think the diabetes diagnosis should impact your guardianship of your grandson, but obviously you will want to stay as fit and healthy as you can to see him grow up, so it sounds like you have plenty of motivation to improve your health and make better lifestyle choices and perhaps develop a good eating habit in your grandchildren because as you are aware, there is a genetic element to diabetes, so encouraging them to reduce their carb intake a bit and eat more whole foods may stand them is good stead for the future too.

 

[KenzieQuin]

Yes I have had this conversation with 2 of my adult children today. Although I can't run I can walk for about 4/5 miles easily, at a reasonable pace. I will be explaining the benefits of low carb to the g.children.

 

[Ljc]

Initially I think it’s helpful to keep a brutally honest food diary and say for a week don’t make any changes , that along with testing just before eating then two hours after starting to eat, you will see if that meal etc works for you or not .

Low carb sure doesn’t mean bland and uninteresting meals and snacks .

As I said in my earlier post with that Hb1ac you probably won’t need to make many changes to what you eat carbohydrate wise, all you may need to do is reduce your portion size of them and fill up with veg , till you find suitable swaps.

Whatever changes you make, please ensure you don’t set yourself up to fail by setting target you can’t keep to long term.

When we talk about exercise we don’t mean working up a sweat , just some walking at a pace thats ok for you will be fine .

And an occasional treat is fine .