Am I too old

[Winifreds child]

Can anyone tell me if at the age of 68 I can be given the chance to reverse my diabetes with weight loss and diet although my doctor prescribed metformin I was 49 on the blood test but I wanted to try do it myself then saw something that said it was only offered to under 65s eek…im worried now does anyone know please

 

[Vonny]

It's not something I've heard of @Winifreds child but I'm no expert (and only 65!). Some GP dole out metformin even though the condition could potentially be managed by diet and life style changes. Other GPs allow patients to try to manage their diabetes themselves. Diabetic care is very much a post code lottery.
Where did you see the information about it only being offered to under 65s? I've just googled and found one paper which said the largest cohort of T2s was 68+ and therefore should be considered for medication, but it's not something from NICE guidelines as far as I'm aware.

 

[JITR]

I think you are too old for the NHS Pathway to Remission programme. That's probably a blessing. Just start with one of the low carb / nutritious food diets I mentioned and let things evolve step by step from there,

 

[Leadinglights]

If you are only 49mmol/mol for the result of the HbA1C test then you are just on the first point on the diabetes ladder and yes it is very possible to reduce your level without medication.
I was 70 when diagnosed with an HbA1C of 50mmol/mol and by adopting a low carb approach as in this link https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/ I reduced it to 42mmol/mol in 3 months and to below 40 in another 6 months which is where I have remained 3 years on. I regard my low carb as just my new normal way of eating, it was easy as meals based on meat, fish ,eggs, cheese, veg and salads and fruit like berries was fine for me but it is important to find a way which you enjoy otherwise it will not be sustainable.

 

[Drummer]

Can anyone tell me if at the age of 68 I can be given the chance to reverse my diabetes with weight loss and diet although my doctor prescribed metformin I was 49 on the blood test but I wanted to try do it myself then saw something that said it was only offered to under 65s eek…im worried now does anyone know please

If you reduce your blood glucose levels then you should drop to lower HbA1c numbers - it really is that simple. If you are a plain ordinary type 2 reducing the carbs, sugar and starch you eat on a daily basis is just like turning off the taps on an overflowing sink - panic over.
A blood glucose tester is useful, but simply checking what carbs your usual foods contain, picking the highest ones which you eat most often and reducing or replacing them is going to give you lower after meal readings, with any luck.
Your HbA1c is not very high, so you don't need to be overly concerned unless the results start to indicate that there is something more complex going on - but your GP should be able to deal with that eventuality.

 

[Wendal]

Can anyone tell me if at the age of 68 I can be given the chance to reverse my diabetes with weight loss and diet although my doctor prescribed metformin I was 49 on the blood test but I wanted to try do it myself then saw something that said it was only offered to under 65s eek…im worried now does anyone know please

Hi WC,It may be that you fall out of the age range for some official schemes but I would just ignore them if that is the case.What I am sure is that you are never too old as far as I am concerned to want to improve your health or change the way you wish to manage your condition.
Many folk have a similar situation when dealing with high cholesterol and using statins and there are folk older than you I know choose the non medication route.
So my advice would be go ahead and take the route you want to and at least give your approach a try and if it works great and if nit within a certain timeframe you can always go back to the medicated route.

 

[Alan44]

Can anyone tell me if at the age of 68 I can be given the chance to reverse my diabetes with weight loss and diet although my doctor prescribed metformin I was 49 on the blood test but I wanted to try do it myself then saw something that said it was only offered to under 65s eek…im worried now does anyone know please

@Winifreds child you are a spring chicken and anything is possible.

I'm 71 and was diagnosed with diabetes (HbA1c 51) some 5 months ago and my doc directed me to this forum and told me to have another blood test in 3 months time (no medication).

With knowledge I gained here from the learning zone and members help, I reduced my score from 51 to 46 all without medication.

I just controlled the controllables ie weight, diet and exercise.
I lost 2st in weight, went on a low carb diet, (under 130 grams per day,) reduced my calorie intake to 1200 per day and increased my daily exercise.

Whether you have medication or not, is your decision, in consultation with your doctor, but I know what I would try first.

Alan 😉

 

[Winifreds child]

@Winifreds child you are a spring chicken and anything is possible.

I'm 71 and was diagnosed with diabetes (HbA1c 51) some 5 months ago and my doc directed me to this forum and told me to have another blood test in 3 months time (no medication).

With knowledge I gained here from the learning zone and members help, I reduced my score from 51 to 46 all without medication.

I just controlled the controllables ie weight, diet and exercise.
I lost 2st in weight, went on a low carb diet, (under 130 grams per day,) reduced my calorie intake to 1200 per day and increased my daily exercise.

Whether you have medication or not, is your decision, in consultation with your doctor, but I know what I would try first.

Alan 😉

Thank you for this it helps a lot to know it sounds like your doctor is helpful mine I feel is a bit bullying although at the end of the day if I can do it myself it would save the nhs money but I have decided after seeing positive stories I’m sure I can do it thank you for your story it’s inspiring

 

[Winifreds child]

Hi WC,It may be that you fall out of the age range for some official schemes but I would just ignore them if that is the case.What I am sure is that you are never too old as far as I am concerned to want to improve your health or change the way you wish to manage your condition.
Many folk have a similar situation when dealing with high cholesterol and using statins and there are folk older than you I know choose the non medication route.
So my advice would be go ahead and take the route you want to and at least give your approach a try and if it works great and if nit within a certain timeframe you can always go back to the medicated route.

Yes thank you that is what I decided on just need to tell the doctor that’s making me a bit nervous but if I don’t at least try I would always wonder I’m sure I can do it thanks for your opinion I appreciate it

 

[Winifreds child]

If you reduce your blood glucose levels then you should drop to lower HbA1c numbers - it really is that simple. If you are a plain ordinary type 2 reducing the carbs, sugar and starch you eat on a daily basis is just like turning off the taps on an overflowing sink - panic over.
A blood glucose tester is useful, but simply checking what carbs your usual foods contain, picking the highest ones which you eat most often and reducing or replacing them is going to give you lower after meal readings, with any luck.
Your HbA1c is not very high, so you don't need to be overly concerned unless the results start to indicate that there is something more complex going on - but your GP should be able to deal with that eventuality.

Thank you I’m going to give it a go I’ve never counted carbs before no wonder I’m here now the more I read the more I see where I went wrong just cutting out sweet things just wasn’t enough

 

[Winifreds child]

It's not something I've heard of @Winifreds child but I'm no expert (and only 65!). Some GP dole out metformin even though the condition could potentially be managed by diet and life style changes. Other GPs allow patients to try to manage their diabetes themselves. Diabetic care is very much a post code lottery.
Where did you see the information about it only being offered to under 65s? I've just googled and found one paper which said the largest cohort of T2s was 68+ and therefore should be considered for medication, but it's not something from NICE guidelines as far as I'm aware.

Thanks for your message I have been looking at so much stuff today I can’t remember it might have been somewhere on David unwins information it said age over 65 would be automatically put on medication it looked official and made me wonder if I would have to have it if I see it again I’ll let you know where it’s a bit overwhelming to start with just a lot to take in but find this the best information ever especially people’s stories puts a new light on it a bit of hope too

 

[trophywench]

According to the inside of my brain it still thinks I should be able to do everything I could easily do when I was 50 but sadly the rest of my body doesn't agree however at 74 ie last year I was semi delighted to discover I was apparently too young to have the RSV vaccine! Fancy 'not being old enough' !

 

[Drummer]

Thank you I’m going to give it a go I’ve never counted carbs before no wonder I’m here now the more I read the more I see where I went wrong just cutting out sweet things just wasn’t enough

Why HCPs see no reason to explain the problem is beyond me.
I had decades of being pushed to avoid sugars and eat 'healthy' starches - despite both being exactly the same thing after digestion.
I was not eating much sugar at diagnosis, so the only things I could target were the starches, and that fixed things in very short order.

 

[Winifreds child]

Well I wish I had gone into it more during prediabetic years but I just cut out all sweet things and could not understand where I was going wrong trying always to do even more exercise not losing weight but standing still not putting on I tried eating green veg or salad starters after reading a book but it didn’t make much difference I haven’t eaten ulta processed food for about a year but it was carbs I just didn’t know how bad they were baking my own bread eating potatoes everything cooked from scratch I was so shocked when I saw a potato in spoons of sugar calculator….I’m a bit frightened to eat now and just eat to live I see the dietitian on Tuesday I have lost about a stone since the end of November although I had pneumonia over Christmas and it takes away any appetite I see you had low calorie shakes did you manage ok on them I’ve never tried anything like that .

 

[Drummer]

Well I wish I had gone into it more during prediabetic years but I just cut out all sweet things and could not understand where I was going wrong trying always to do even more exercise not losing weight but standing still not putting on I tried eating green veg or salad starters after reading a book but it didn’t make much difference I haven’t eaten ulta processed food for about a year but it was carbs I just didn’t know how bad they were baking my own bread eating potatoes everything cooked from scratch I was so shocked when I saw a potato in spoons of sugar calculator….I’m a bit frightened to eat now and just eat to live I see the dietitian on Tuesday I have lost about a stone since the end of November although I had pneumonia over Christmas and it takes away any appetite I see you had low calorie shakes did you manage ok on them I’ve never tried anything like that .

Low calorie didn't work for me overall - I did lose some weight with the shakes, but all I can think is that my blood glucose spiked as the carbs were too easily digested. Normally I have salads, veges or stirfry and feel a lot better year on year, as it seems perfectly sustainable.
Tonight's dinner is sausages from the Coop, under 2% carbs, and frozen stir fry from Lidl. I have lots of delicious options even keeping my carbs quite low - and it has been keeping my HbA1c in the low 40s since late in 2017.

 

[Leadinglights]

Well I wish I had gone into it more during prediabetic years but I just cut out all sweet things and could not understand where I was going wrong trying always to do even more exercise not losing weight but standing still not putting on I tried eating green veg or salad starters after reading a book but it didn’t make much difference I haven’t eaten ulta processed food for about a year but it was carbs I just didn’t know how bad they were baking my own bread eating potatoes everything cooked from scratch I was so shocked when I saw a potato in spoons of sugar calculator….I’m a bit frightened to eat now and just eat to live I see the dietitian on Tuesday I have lost about a stone since the end of November although I had pneumonia over Christmas and it takes away any appetite I see you had low calorie shakes did you manage ok on them I’ve never tried anything like that .

You are doing really well with the weight loss if that is what you need to do but there is no need to be frightened of what to eat as you have a head start by cooking from scratch so you can control the ingredients you put into your meals.
At least with homemade bread you can adjust the size of your slice by cutting thinner or making your loaf in a smaller tin so can estimate how many carbs you have for that.
With the other high carb foods you can start by cutting the portion size by half and making the difference with extra low carb veg or salad.
Just make changes slowly with your HbA1C where yours is there is no real rush and better to take time to make a plan.
Do be aware that the dietician may well be following the standard NHS advice which can be too high in carbs for many tolerate hence why the GP surgery developed the Freshwell program which I posted a link to earlier in the thread.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Good luck @Winifreds child

I think with a few tweaks and changes to your menu, and the support and encouragement from the friendly folks here, hopefully it won’t be too long before you are posting your own inspiring story 🙂

 

[Winifreds child]

Low calorie didn't work for me overall - I did lose some weight with the shakes, but all I can think is that my blood glucose spiked as the carbs were too easily digested. Normally I have salads, veges or stirfry and feel a lot better year on year, as it seems perfectly sustainable.
Tonight's dinner is sausages from the Coop, under 2% carbs, and frozen stir fry from Lidl. I have lots of delicious options even keeping my carbs quite low - and it has been keeping my HbA1c in the low 40s since late in 2017.

That’s what I call a success story I will be delighted if I can get anywhere near that and by coincidence I’m having chicken stir fry tonight small portions I am losing weight almost a stone but after that I always seem to stick and haven’t ever lost more so a bit worried about that …I have been reading that it could be too much fat and not carbs that cause diabetes and it might not be such a good idea to go low carb …it’s awfully confusing but I see the dietitian on Tuesday so will try to have some questions ready….I’ve just made veg soup instead of baking bread it wasn’t quite so appealing but will have to get use to it and stop any thoughts of bread

 

[Leadinglights]

That’s what I call a success story I will be delighted if I can get anywhere near that and by coincidence I’m having chicken stir fry tonight small portions I am losing weight almost a stone but after that I always seem to stick and haven’t ever lost more so a bit worried about that …I have been reading that it could be too much fat and not carbs that cause diabetes and it might not be such a good idea to go low carb …it’s awfully confusing but I see the dietitian on Tuesday so will try to have some questions ready….I’ve just made veg soup instead of baking bread it wasn’t quite so appealing but will have to get use to it and stop any thoughts of bread

I don't know where you got the idea that it is fat as fat does not convert to glucose. Too much fat may cause people to be over weight which in turn may predispose people to get Type 2.
Adopting low carb of around 130g per day should not cause a problem and is away that many have found successful in both reducing blood glucose and losing weight. People tend to regard it as just not low fat rather than being high fat though that may be what people will do if they do not need to lose weight so they will make sure that they have healthy fats and proteins.

 

[JITR]

I have been reading that it could be too much fat and not carbs that cause diabetes [T2] and it might not be such a good idea to go low carb …it’s awfully confusing but I see the dietitian on Tuesday so will try to have some questions ready…

I don't know where you got the idea that it is fat ...

Maybe from Prof Taylor's video of Information for Doctors, directly or indirectly.

The fat he is talking about is the fat your body stores after digestion when you eat a bit too much food (carbs, fat) while prediabetic. That is as HbAic rises from under 40 to 48 before the onset of T2D.

It is better to get rid of the excess fat affecting your liver and pancreas, by diet, while you are still prediabetic. Or as soon as you can after your T2D diagnosis.

Dr David Oliver, Freshwell Low Carb Project, has two videos with good graphics about prediabetes and diet (also relevant to T2D): Part-1 and Part-2