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Hi Everyone

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Cowboy Bob

Cowboy Bob

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Was diagnosed with Type 2 just before Christmas. Went for my post-40 check up that my GP had been hassling me to do for ages (I'm now 43, bad me) and my blood came back as 6.6 followed by 7.2 after the fasting test. Seeing the diabetic nurse for the first time tomorrow so that'll be fun.

Was quite surprised at the diagnosis as I've always been a reasonably healthy eater, walk 2 miles to the train station and back (up a large hill) every day and am only a few pounds overweight for my height. What's even more surprising is that I've always been hypoglycaemic (as is my mother) so it was a bit of a shock to see I've swung the other way - though thinking about it logically it's still the body being unable to balance blood glucose correctly.

Still, BG isn't that high at the moment so I should be able to control it quite well from what I've read. Dr has put me on metformin which I'm waiting until the weekend to take for the first time (don't want to find I suffer the common side effect halfway to work on the train).

I'm quite positive about the whole thing as I know a few other diabetics who live perfectly healthy lives so I know it's not that scary once you settle into a rhythm.

Let the journey commence...
 
Hi Bob, welcome to the forum 🙂 That's very borderline for a diagnosis, so it certainly does look as though it's caught very early. That's the second time today that I've been surprised to see someone put straight on medication at those kinds of levels though, they'd normally allow you to see what you could achieve by modifying your diet and perhaps increasing your activity levels. Type 2 people are not always overweight, a lot depends on where the excess fat is stored - fat stored around the middle (and hence the internal organs such as the liver and pancreas) can cause greater insulin-resistance and higher blood glucose levels. There are loads of diabetics here that live perfectly healthy lives, so you've just met a while lot more! 🙂

Did you have any symptoms of diabetes? Let us know if you have any questions, and keep us up to date on how you get on! 🙂
 
Hi Bob, welcome to the forum. This is a great place for help, advice, ranting or just a chat. My blood glucose level was 26 when I was diagnosed and my fasting level was 19! So it's good that they have caught yours early.
 
No, no symptoms, which is why it came as a surprise. I had started to notice that I hadn't had the shakes from my hypoglycaemia for a while though - but glad I no longer have to carry around a Mars bar anymore, hate those things - may end up hating the metformin more though from what I've read 🙂

As for the drugs straight away, from my reading it seems I've been put on the lowest dose they prescribe - 500mg once a day. I'm supposed to go back in 3 months for a check-up so maybe they're just trying to lower my BG initially while I work on changing my diet. Got lots of questions for the diabetic nurse tomorrow of which that's definitely one.
 
Welcome Cowboy Bob. Keeping active is a good thing. Take a note pad when you see nurse. Some are good & let us know what you think. Good luck
 
Well I shan't be criticising your GP and that's a certain fact!

There are other people on this forum and elsewhere who are told at that level they are 'pre-diabetic' and not helped at all really, till they come here. To my mind - you either are diabetic or you aren't - there isn't any 'pre' or 'slightly' - especially with the background of lower than normal BG to consider. This GP is also probably fully aware that when people swear to change their lifestyle and diet - very often their initial enthusiasm disappears into the ether - but he maybe thinks - how can I encourage the person to take it seriously? I know - I'll prescribe and try and see if that helps the outlook .....

You seem to be pretty aware of how to deal with it all Bob. I think you might enjoy reading Alan Shanley's Blog - which will explains things very well, and is full of tips on how to proceed. You can read it out of order or plod through it - it's written very well, and I hope you find it helpful.

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

This is not right at the start - but a good place to begin!
 
I am sure I read somewhere that is was now recommend to put people with what used to be classed as impaired glucose tolerance(Pre Diabetes) on Metformin.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum - great to hear you are getting support from your Dr.
 
Welcome. There's no logic to diabetes that I can see!
 
My GP said the advice he's received is that 48 (6.5) is the max level on the HbA1c after which a diagnosis of diabetes is made. And yet I have a friend whose doctor told her she was 'borderline' at 8.6 (what?) didn't give her meds and she's managed to get it down to pre diabetic levels without meds. Consequently she's not on the diabetic register. That concerns me a bit because it means she's not receiving retinal screening but it does seem that some GP's give leeway before making a definite diagnosis.

If I'd registered 49 I'd be unhappy about a definitive diagnosis at that stage but it is known that damage can begin at pre diabetic levels.
 
Hi Bob and welcome to the forum. 🙂
 
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