Hi all - diagnosed yesterday!

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MarkB said:
Thanks Sarah. I'm hoping to talk to my GP this week and am planning on raising the thought of doing the 800cal diet (my wife did the Exante plan last year for other reasons, and it worked for her, so I'm aware of it). He is planning to put me on some medication that'll rapidly decrease my blood sugars, but won't until I have a reader. Hopefully that won't stop me doing the 800c plan.
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I don’t know if my stats played into the calculation of letting me give it a go at lowering it without meds (considering it was so high) or if it’s just down to individual medics preferences. I have no other underlying conditions and my blood pressure, cholesterol etc are all spot on. My bmi was ridiculous though and sugar level. I couldn’t do the shakes to be fair I didn’t even try but it didn’t really appeal to me but I know there are loads of people who swear by them, it’s really good that there are so many options as were all different.
 
It will possibly depend on what medication they are proposing to put you on whether the 800cal shakes would be suitable. It would definitely be wise to check.
 
MarkB said:
@harbottle Thanks for sharing your story - my BP last night, tested with our home kit, was much better: 125/83. But it is a home kit, so could vary - next time I'm at the GP or passing I'll use their machine again.
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I took my home machine into the next bp review I had to make sure it matched up with nurse's reading (which it did).
Doctors are happy for me to give them my bp and to ignore surgery taken ones. Also been put in my medical notes that I have white coat.
They have kept me on low dose Ramipril but didn't increase it as it would have needed to be if going on their readings of 150/95 to 160/100 vs mine of about 120/80 on average.
 
Had a call with my GP today. Confirmed I have Type 2, as I thought (due to googling wtf Metformin was!). He's ordered my blood sugar monitor, but it's not in yet, so I'll have a f2f with him when I come in. He was pleased my BP is normal-ler now (128/89 this morning).

He's also ok with me doing Exante for example, but stressed how tough 800 cal diets are. I'm aware, as wife did it last year, so taking his advice to instead focus on a 1200-1500 cal diet, looking at cutting sugars and carbs as intended, instead. I'm already on track with that so will stick with it and see how my weight loss goes.

As for a diabetic nurse appointment, he says that will be arranged once we're through this new diagnosis phase and see how the metformin is working for me.

I'm much more relaxed about it all this week, and focussed on getting my diet in order.
 
Wow, your surgery is doing a better job than mine. I had no follow up with the GP when I started the drug, and when I turned up to an appointment with the DN she said "I don't know why you're here."!
 
Annoyingly it looks like we'll have to move house (and area; we can't afford the rent around here, as it's shot up during lockdown!) - the life of a renter... So if we do, it'll be to Suffolk; hoping the GP I end with will be as good as current, otherwise at least I should have my second HbA1c test results before then. Will know in the next week if we need to move or not.

Not much weight loss yet - roughly 0.5kg - but I often take a little while for diets to kick in.
 
Latest blood test: down from 91 to 66. Dr happy w/ progress, but wants me to be down to at least 58. Is prescribing another drug (can't remember the name, collecting it today!) and more bloods in 11 weeks. Happy with my progress but will need to clean up my diet a bit too.
 
Thanks for the update @MarkB

Well done on your HbA1c reduction. The next med to be offered is often Gliclazide or a sulfonylurea which aims to actively reduce BG levels rather than just working ‘behind the scenes’ on improving insulin resistance and reducing glucose release from the liver.

Hope you get on well with it. Let us know how it goes 🙂
 
If as @everydayupsanddowns suggests it is Gliclazide then they should also prescribe you a monitor and strips so you can test your blood glucose at home especially before driving but it will also give you the opportunity the keep track on a day to day basis and test some of your meals to see if you are tolerating the amount of carbs you are having. I would have thought that you should be aiming to get your HbA1C to below 48mmol/mol at the very least and eventually below 42mmol/mol as 58mmol/mol is still quite a way into the diabetic zone and high enough to potentially cause complications.
Well dome on your progress so far. Keep it up.
 
Hi both - I may have misheard (it was a phone appointment) and he said 48. I'll keep working hard and hopefully exceed 58 anyway! As for the meds, I think he mentioned one starting with "i" - I'll know today and will update. Thank you both @everydayupsanddowns @Leadinglights
 
Empagliflozin is the new medicine I'm now to take 10mg a day in addition to the existing dose of metformin.
 
MarkB said:
Empagliflozin is the new medicine I'm now to take 10mg a day in addition to the existing dose of metformin.
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OK that is a medication that encourages excess glucose to be excreted in the urine, I hope you were told it is important to drink plenty, I think they say at least 3litres per day so expect frequent loo visits otherwise you can become dehydrated.
 
MarkB said:
He didn't say that but I figured as much! He did warn it can cause UTI. Good thing I work from home and the toilet is only a door away 🙂 @Leadinglights thanks again
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I'm taking a similar "flozin" medication. It does make me very thirsty, and I reckon I now get through easily 6 pints of fluid - decaf tea, water and soda water - each day. I also take a pint to bed each night, as I need to get up a lot, and have a very dry mouth.
 
Forgot to update: had my first diabetic nurse appointment on April 1, where they obviously took bloods again. Results were HBAC1 of 56, down from 66 just a month before. VERY PLEASED.
 
MarkB said:
Hi! No, the only symptom I had was blurred vision, which I had put down to WFH for two years now thanks to Covid, and my office area not being well lit, not having the daily walk commute to the station etc etc. I do drink a lot of water, but that's generally proactive as I try to stay hydrated (but my wife comments on it, and she's not surprised by my diagnosis because of that!).

Yes, very lucky to have the GP I have - my wife goes there regularly for various ailments and she's always very positive about them. We were planning to move to Suffolk (we're south London right now) but may knock that on the head for a year just to ensure I have a good GP offering good advice...

I'll be speaking to the doctor again next week, so I'll be sure to ask which type I am. As he's started me on Metformin I'm assuming it's Type 2, but will find out.

Thanks for the reply 🙂
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Welcome. Given the variability of GPs you might be wise to wait and stay near a good one. If you are a type 2 you can make inroads by using low carb diets and reducing your input of carbs overall. All beige food are carbs, 'brown' pasta is as bad as white pasta. This is a great forum.
 
Yes, very well done. From 92 to 44 in a bit over 4 months is a significant achievement and clearly achieved because of your application and diligence. Pat on the back.
 
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