A Good Thing??

[MJT82]

Evening folks, thought I'd sign up and share my story, this forum looks a great resource and hopefully in time I can assist others the way I'm sure you guys will assist me.

So me, 39 year old bloke from the North East with a familiar story I guess, over weight, over worked, under hydrated and not getting enough sleep. In short I haven't been looking after myself for a good long time now, with emphasis on the "I", I fully accept this situation is through my own doing. I'd been feeling pretty run down and burnt out for most of this year, I put it down to being busier than usual with work or maybe a bit of a hangover from a dose of our friend covid in mid 2020. About 3 months ago I noticed I just couldn't seem to ever drink enough, I was always thirsty and of course always needed to pee, then I stepped on the scales expecting to see a raise as my diet had been particularly bad in recent times.....but it had dropped noticeably. At that point I decided to get a private blood test (didn't want to hassle the NHS), this came back showing an HbA1c of 94, which was a bit worrying! Eventually got in with a Doctor a couple of weeks back, last week they took some bloods and again I had an HbA1c read of 94 and this one came with a diagnosis of Type 2 and a prescription of Metformin.

Upon receiving the diagnosis I was both relieved and excited, which isn't what I was expecting to be honest. I was relieved as I suspected something wasn't right for a while and at least now we've got something to work on. The excitement was the thought that I had no excuses to sort myself out, us fat folks know we're not living the right lifestyle, here's the opportunity to do something about it without the "starting tomorrow" mindset. Yeah the risks associated with this condition are frightening, but they are also a massive motivator.

So what now, my aim is remission and to get off meds, I know that's quite a task at a level of 94 but it's the only goal I can set. In a week since diagnosis I've transformed my diet, after getting over the first 4 days of sugar and caffeine cravings I'm feeling and sleeping so much better, yeah I'm getting tired and grouchy at times but I'll adjust. Still need to figure out the diet, so much contrasting info out there, I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys are doing.

So yeah, funny how probably one of the worse experiences in my life may turn out to be one of the best.

 

[Drummer]

Hello @MJT82 and welcome.
I was diagnosed with Hba1c of 91 almost 5 years ago now but I had done Atkins previously and so abandoned the high carb foods and went back to 50 gm of carbs a day - that fixed things pretty quickly, though I am still drinking coffee and did not need to exclude sugar as I did not use it.
I now set a limit of 40 gm of carbs a day, but by choosing veges with a low carb content I seem to manage very well - I have frozen berries on hand for the times I feel like having dessert, but these days I have them with cream as I have not been able to get Greek yoghurt - we are living in interesting times and I often find that what I want to buy is not on the shelves, but I have a big freezer so there is almost always something I can eat somewhere in the depths.

 

[Kaylz]

May I ask are you testing your BG at home?

One thing that sticks out to me is this comment -

then I stepped on the scales expecting to see a raise as my diet had been particularly bad in recent times.....but it had dropped noticeably

In general weight loss is seen in Type 1 diabetics leading to a diagnosis, I'm not saying it isn't possible in Type 2's but it is less common and I'm slightly concerned that they may have come to the conclusion of Type 2 because of your age as many doctors still don't get that Type 1 is developed at any age not only in youngsters xx

 

[Inka]

I echo @Kaylz - has Type 1 been ruled out @MJT82 ? It often comes on more slowly in adults. Contrary to popular belief, Type 1 is not a childhood condition and can come on at any age. The oldest person diagnosed was in their 90s, and it’s actually more common in adults than children.

 

[MJT82]

May I ask are you testing your BG at home?

No ones mentioned anything about home testing, I'm still early on with it all, I've had a phone consultation with a doctor followed by visiting the practice for some blood tests which led to another phone call confirming diagnosis/starting meds and today I met with the diabetes nurse who took BP, weight and height measurements and gave me some leaflets. I'm awaiting appointments with the eye and foot people.

 

[MJT82]

I now set a limit of 40 gm of carbs a day

Wow! 40g! I've been keeping a log of my food this week and have been in excess of 100g everyday, I've eliminated the bread, pasta, rice etc... I don't eat meat (and I'm lactose intolerant so my food future looks bleak! ), I've tried to not lean too heavy on potato, the bowl of porridge every morning probably isn't helping I guess. It's just a lot to get your head around, especially with the various opinions of very low carb/very low calorie/generally eating well. Trying to stay positive...

 

[Inka]

Anything under 130g carbs per day counts as low carb @MJT82 There are many different approaches to diet here so please don’t feel you have to follow any particular one.

 

[MJT82]

Anything under 130g carbs per day counts as low carb @MJT82 There are many different approaches to diet here so please don’t feel you have to follow any particular one.

Thanks, just trying to educate myself, this forum is a great help, I just need to find the way that works for me which I'm sure I will. The good news is I'm no longer washing a packet of biscuits down with an energy drink whilst wondering what pizza I should have for dinner!

 

[Inka]

Thanks, just trying to educate myself, this forum is a great help, I just need to find the way that works for me which I'm sure I will. The good news is I'm no longer washing a packet of biscuits down with an energy drink whilst wondering what pizza I should have for dinner!

Well in that case, presuming you are Type 2 (see comments above), you might find some small, sustained changes have a good effect 🙂

 

[MJT82]

Well in that case, presuming you are Type 2 (see comments above), you might find some small, sustained changes have a good effect 🙂

How do they test for Type 1? Is it not something they would test at the same time as T2, looking at the symptoms they are very similar.

 

[Inka]

How do they test for Type 1? Is it not something they would test at the same time as T2, looking at the symptoms they are very similar.

The symptoms are similar - high blood sugar, thirst, frequent urination - but they’re two different conditions. Type 1 is an auto-immune condition, where your own immune system atttacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

They can test for it by looking for these Type 1 antibodies, and also by doing a test called C Peptide, which gives an idea of how much insulin you’re making. A Type 1 would be making only a little insulin, but in general Type 2s make plenty of insulin but they’re resistant to the insulin they make and so can’t use it properly.

 

[rebrascora]

I would echo what the others have said about the possibility of you being Type 1. The unexpected weight loss and sudden onset of extreme thirst (and consequent weeing) and very high HbA1c are all more typical of Type 1 and the fact that you had Covid earlier in the year may also be an issue as Type 1 has been associated with viruses triggering the immune system (Type 1 is an autoimmune condition) and Covid particularly seems to have a strong link with diabetes.
If I were you I would be asking if they will do GAD antibody and C-peptide tests to rule out the possibility of Type1. These tests although not always totally conclusive should indicate if you are Type 1.

 

[Attila]

Similarly to you when I was diagnosed last year I was also diagnosed as Type 2 - early forties, overweight - but luckily they did all the necessary tests (I was in a hospital) without me asking for it and when the results came back a bit later it turned out I was Type 1. So they switched me from Metformin to taking insulin. At that time my HbA1c was also above 90, but it went down later and had much better values.

 

[Kaylz]

Is it not something they would test at the same time as T2

As I mentioned in my first response some doctors still don't think Type 1 can be developed later in life so down to age put it down to Type 2 without doing the tests, there are a lot on this forum who were misdiagnosed as Type 2 when they were in fact Type 1, @rebrascora that commented is one of them as well as @Attila xx

 

[rebrascora]

The HbA1c test is relatively cheap and quick and gives you a diagnosis of diabetes. The vast majority of diabetics will be Type 2 and if you are a bit overweight and a mature adult who perhaps admits to a not so great diet, that all moves the clinical diagnosis pointer more towards Type 2, so, along with the common misconception with GPs that Type 1 only exhibits in children and young adults, it is easy to see how it happens. I am pretty sure there will be quite a lot of Type 1 diabetics on the system who were diagnosed in the last 30+ years and are just recorded as Type 2 insulin dependent and I do wonder if this is partly why Type 2 is considered a progressive condition and Drs have such a pessimistic attitude towards it.

The testing for Type 1 is much more expensive and takes weeks for one of the tests and the sample for one of them has to be frozen immediately and sent off to the lab in a freezer container and the test results can be inconclusive or need someone with experience in the field to interpret them, but many GPs don't even know these tests exist because it is not something they generally deal with and don't have the facilities to freeze samples and have access to suitable transit for them. I had to go to my main University hospital for the tests because the local hospital where my diabetes clinic is held doesn't have the facilities for processing and dispatching such samples. So there are logistical limitations and specialist knowledge required for such testing.

It is therefore more usual for hospital consultants to sanction the tests but many people don't get referred to the hospital clinic and I think there may be financial implications for GPs to retain and treat Type 2s in house rather than refer them, so there can be a reluctance to look beyond the end of their nose with diabetes.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @MJT82

Well done on the positive changes you have already made, and your positive attitude and mindset will be a huge help going forwards. You aren’t alone either - 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.

Often you don’t realise how weary, worn down and lethargic you have been feeling. Erratic and elevated blood glucose levels can be exhausting and are linked with low mood, but this may have come on quite gradually. Making a few positive changes can give you more energy, a clearer mind, and a brighter outlook. 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.

So yes - bizarrely, a diagnosis with diabetes can be quite a positive thing for some people!

Try not to get overwhelmed by the options, claims and counter-claims of low carb, low calorie, low fat, high fat, keto, etc etc. What matters more at the end of the day is that you work out a menu and approach that you enjoy, can sustain, and crucially, that meets your BG and weight aspirations. Getting a BG meter and checking before/after meals can really help tailor your menu to suit your body better.

Let us know what happens with the conversations around your diabetes type. Late 30s is a prime time for a possible mis-classification, so it could be well worth getting that unintentional weight loss and sudden onset checked out.