Hello

[Rses]

Hi,

Recently diagnosed (sort of) T2 here. I use sort of as my GP was quite vague about my diagnosis when we discussed my blood test results in person. I went for a full blood check up including hba1c due to a history of Gestational diabetes following a week of dizzy spells after my Covid booster vaccine . Turned out my Hba1c was 50 along with low vitamin B12. I was referred for a follow up test 2 weeks later which showed a Hba1c of 47 but fasting glucose of 7.2. She dismissed it saying I can easily get it down but I insisted on a referral to a Diabetes clinic. I’ve found this forum really useful tor advice and have consciously started to review my meals and reduce carbs and exercise more. I’ve been really anxious since diagnosis and am lost as to next steps? I’ve been asked to do bloods again in 6 months but wondering if I will be contacted by the Diabetes clinic before this?

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome Rses
I suspect that as your HbA1C on the repeat test is on the top end of prediabetic or 'at risk' they may not be in a ruch to send you an appointment. But you have the opportunity to do plenty to reduce your levels to normal below 42mmol/mol by the time of the blood tests in 6 months.
Have you been offered any medication to deal with the low B12, mostly people get enough from their diet unless they have a condition which inhibits absorption from foods.
You are right in thinking some changes to your diet are needed but you probably have a good idea of what is involved having had gestational diabetes. However approaches which have been found to be successful have perhaps changed a bit recently and low carb is one way that works for many people so you may find this link useful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[Rses]

I’ve started B12 supplements as I’m vegetarian which probably caused it in the first place.

 

[Leadinglights]

I’ve started B12 supplements as I’m vegetarian which probably caused it in the first place.

It does make it a bit more challenging to have a low carb regime if veggie but there are quite a few people here who are and there a quite a lot of recipes for veggie meals and some interesting salad ideas in the food /recipes forum
There are substitutions you can make for the high carb pasta, rice and potatoes which are often the basis of many veggie meals, edamame or black bean pasta, cauliflower rice, celeriac, butternut squash are all lower carb alternatives.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Rses

Sorry to hear aboit your anxiety. A diagnosis with diabetes can feel like a massive thing. Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.

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.

When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - they need to be sustainable long term. Your results seem to suggest you have caught things just at the point where your body was on the edge of T2, so you may find that some fairly modest tweaks and changes to your menu / portion sizes and activity levels are all that is required.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on with your follow-up appointments.

 

[Chris88]

Hi,

Recently diagnosed (sort of) T2 here. I use sort of as my GP was quite vague about my diagnosis when we discussed my blood test results in person. I went for a full blood check up including hba1c due to a history of Gestational diabetes following a week of dizzy spells after my Covid booster vaccine . Turned out my Hba1c was 50 along with low vitamin B12. I was referred for a follow up test 2 weeks later which showed a Hba1c of 47 but fasting glucose of 7.2. She dismissed it saying I can easily get it down but I insisted on a referral to a Diabetes clinic. I’ve found this forum really useful tor advice and have consciously started to review my meals and reduce carbs and exercise more. I’ve been really anxious since diagnosis and am lost as to next steps? I’ve been asked to do bloods again in 6 months but wondering if I will be contacted by the Diabetes clinic before this?

Hi Rses,

Welcome to the forum and good luck on your new journey.

I was fascinated to read your description of diabetes symptoms after your Covid vaccination with a history of Gestational Diabetes - I had a similar experience but my previous pancreas issues were due to pancreatitis.
Like you I was initially diagnosed as Type 2 but this didn't fit with my presentation and history.
I suffered idiopathic acute pancreatitis 8 years ago, no symptoms of pancreatitis since - thankfully.
Pre -Covid I had no diabetic symptoms other than one slightly raised glucose level, after first two Covid vaccines I developed overt diabetes symptoms: significant weight loss, blurred vision, lack of energy , falling asleep all the time, muscle loss and eventually excessive urination and thirst. I was started on metformin, gliclazide and sitagliptin and glucose levels were well controlled. Subsequently a few months later I had my booster dose of Covid vaccine and my glucose control became chaotic, so much so that my GP arranged GAD antibody and C-peptide tests which indicated I had LADA (type 1.5) i.e. late onset type 1 diabetes so now I am on insulin.
I am convinced that the Covid vaccine contributed to my progression from Pre Diabetes to Diabetes.
I am not an anti- vaxxer, I believe vaccines are essential to combat disease but when you provoke an immune/inflammatory response you are never quite sure what the result will be.
I am aware of 5 other individuals who have developed diabetes after a Covid vaccine ;I wonder if anyone else on this forum has experienced a similar worsening of diabetes after a Covid vaccination?

 

[rebrascora]

I am aware of 5 other individuals who have developed diabetes after a Covid vaccine ;I wonder if anyone else on this forum has experienced a similar worsening of diabetes after a Covid vaccination?

I was diagnosed 3 years ago so a year pre-pandemic. I found that my insulin needs increased significantly after my first Covid vaccination, suggesting a further die off of my remaining insulin producing beta cells. My Basal needs had remained quite stable up until that point for quite a while give or take a unit here or there due to exercise or lack of it and then there was a slow steady increase required over the following 2 months. My total basal insulin needs almost doubled during that time and have remained reasonably stable since then. It could be argued that this was the end stage of my "honeymoon period" but my gut feeling was that the vaccine triggered it and as you say, stimulating the immune system into action may have caused it to get a bit "keen" and attack things it shouldn't.
I am very much pro vaccine and I believe there are many people developing diabetes as a result of getting the virus itself so whilst it isn't an ideal scenario that the vaccine may have triggered diabetes in some I am pretty sure the virus itself has caused many more cases.

I think at the moment the diabetes clinics are struggling desperately to cope with their basic workload without looking at all the facts and figures so it may be some time before we really know the true figures of how Covid (in one way or another) has affected the statistics.

 

[Deleted member 34756]

Hi @Rses , thank you for sharing your concerns and sorry to hear that you have been feeling anxious. Please feel free to share any issues you have with your diabetes and we'll be able to support the best we can!