Hello

[Rosemadder]

I’ve recently been diagnosed with type 2 after a couple of years of prediabetes. Feel I did what I could to change lifestyle and diet. However I also have severe anxiety, which might not have helped. With the diagnosis I am even more anxious, really struggling to accept it and to get through each day. Also, I already lost a lot of weight and can’t afford to lose more.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Rosemadder (and what a lovely colour that is!)

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis

Have you been intending to lose weight? What changes have you tried in response to being told you are at risk of diabetes? Was your risk picked up through general healthcare screening / wellness checks? Or did you have symptoms that you went to get investigated?

Sorry for all the questions! But it can help others to understand your situation better, and offer their own experiences.

 

[Alan44]

Hi @Rosemadder and welcome to the forum

It's a bit of a shock when we think we have done all we can do and still creep into the diabetic range.
Hopefully this forum will help you fine tune what you have already been doing and get you back into the "Pre" range

Do you know what your hba1c score is, as that will tell you how much or little you have to do, to get back on track.
If you are only just in the diabetic range, there is no need to panic.

We have a wealth of experience on the forum which you will be able to tap into and help you get a better understanding of diabetes.

Alan 😉

 

[Rosemadder]

Welcome to the forum @Rosemadder (and what a lovely colour that is!)

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis

Have you been intending to lose weight? What changes have you tried in response to being told you are at risk of diabetes? Was your risk picked up through general healthcare screening / wellness checks? Or did you have symptoms that you went to get investigated?

Sorry for all the questions! But it can help others to understand your situation better, and offer their own experiences.

Thank you. My risk was picked up through general screening. I attended a prediabetes course following which I changed my diet (lots of soup and fewer biscuits). Also got outside for a walk every day. This led to the weight loss which I can’t afford to continue.

 

[Rosemadder]

Hi @Rosemadder and welcome to the forum

It's a bit of a shock when we think we have done all we can do and still creep into the diabetic range.
Hopefully this forum will help you fine tune what you have already been doing and get you back into the "Pre" range

Do you know what your hba1c score is, as that will tell you how much or little you have to do, to get back on track.
If you are only just in the diabetic range, there is no need to panic.

We have a wealth of experience on the forum which you will be able to tap into and help you get a better understanding of diabetes.

Alan 😉

Thank you. I don’t see how i can get back into the pre range having already changed diet and exercise level. Calming my anxiety might help but I cannot get on top of that despite therapy and medication.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you. My risk was picked up through general screening. I attended a prediabetes course following which I changed my diet (lots of soup and fewer biscuits). Also got outside for a walk every day. This led to the weight loss which I can’t afford to continue.

Were you already fairly slim to begin with?

While T2 is by far the more common form of diabetes, there are other types. And for some of those (which can be diagnosed at any age) weight loss alongside elevated BG can be a symptom of the metabolism struggling.

It’s quite common for glucose levels (and HbA1c) to rise slightly as we age, but rapid and dramatic increases can indicate something else is going on.

How long have you been eating in your new way? Do you think it’s just a calorific deficit from the biscuits? Is your weight stabilising?

Some members find they have needed to increase ‘good fats’ eg olive oil, oily fish, avocado… to help replace some of the energy from reducing sugary/starchy things.

Have you totalled up your approximate daily intake of total carbohydrates (not just of which sugars). Many on the forum find that somewhere around 130g of carbs a day, or sometimes slightly less, can make for a sustainable and weight-stable menu.

 

[Rosemadder]

Were you already fairly slim to begin with?

While T2 is by far the more common form of diabetes, there are other types. And for some of those (which can be diagnosed at any age) weight loss alongside elevated BG can be a symptom of the metabolism struggling.

It’s quite common for glucose levels (and HbA1c) to rise slightly as we age, but rapid and dramatic increases can indicate something else is going on.

How long have you been eating in your new way? Do you think it’s just a calorific deficit from the biscuits? Is your weight stabilising?

Some members find they have needed to increase ‘good fats’ eg olive oil, oily fish, avocado… to help replace some of the energy from reducing sugary/starchy things.

Have you totalled up your approximate daily intake of total carbohydrates (not just of which sugars). Many on the forum find that somewhere around 130g of carbs a day, or sometimes slightly less, can make for a sustainable and weight-stable menu.

The weight loss was a couple of years ago and it did stabilise. I probably lost a stone and a half.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The weight loss was a couple of years ago and it did stabilise. I probably lost a stone and a half.

Good to hear that things have stabilised. That seems to be my experience with weight generally. I make an adjustment to my general meal plan, and after a period of rising/falling it just sort of evens out and wobbles along, until I realise things have drifted again.

Are you concerned about your BMI? Although it’s a crude measure, it can help to know if you are within what is considered a healthy weight for your height, or have slipped into slightly underweight.

A waist measurement of half your height also seems to be a good thing to aim for.

 

[Leadinglights]

The programs which the NHS provide tend to promote low fat but still more carbs than many can tolerate so people still struggle to reduce their blood glucose.
You may find this link helpful with some ideas which you could adopt, it is low carb but suggests plenty protein and healthy fats which will help if you don't want to lose more weight. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
It would be useful to have a home testing blood glucose monitor so you can test the impact of various meals. Testing before you eat and after 2 hours would help you identify meals that are too high carb if the increase is more than 2-3mmoll or more than 8-8.5mmoll. Your aim would be 4-7mmoll before meals and fasting. Testing also tells you what foods you may have rejected will be OK.
What has your HbA1C gone up to, if not too high then some tweaks could be enough.
Would you like to give some examples of typical meals and people may spot some problem foods.

 

[JimmyBlue]

Hi @Rosemadder welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your issues. There has been plenty of good advice already but I will focus on the weight loss issue.
I lost a lot of weight over a six week period after going low carb last October (about 1.5 stone). After sitting down with my wife and looking at my diet, and also having a ketone test at the surgery, we realised that my problem was that my lifestyle changes meant I was doing more exercise and thus burning more calories than I was actually consuming. Once I figured that out I changed my diet to boost the fats and proteins to improve my calorie intake. I also made sure I ate before running to address a ketone problem.
I still struggle to put weight back on but it is now far more stable than it was. My diet is still low carb and I often consume 90g or less per day but as I eat high calorie protein foods and healthy fats my energy levels are compatible with my exercise regime.