Hi, My Dr recommended this site, recently diagnoses with prediabetes and a few other bits

[ncoope70]

Hi, totally new to all this, diagnosed with prediabetes, high cholesterol and liver disease (awaiting on scan to confirm level of disease and a few other things related to the liver damage.
Been told by my diabetes nurse today I have to live like I have type 2 to prevent it developing into type 2.
A bit overwhelmed with it all to say the least, I don't expect a response on here but it feels good to have a space where I can talk about it.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi ncoope70
Welcome to the forum. you certainly will get responses from people and they will be willing to answer any specific questions you have. There are people in your situation and the advice is just take things day by day, you don't have to rush into anything drastic but the prediabetes diagnosis is a wake up call to make some changes primarily to you diet.
Some of the dietary suggestions may not be suitable with your liver and cholesterol issues but reducing carbohydrates in your diet will go a long way to reducing your blood glucose and enabling you to keep low.
All carbohydrates covert to glucose so watching your intake of high carb foods is a good way to go. Cutting out or reducing portion size of potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals, bread, products made with flour, and some fruits as well as sugary drinks is a good start. Basing your meals on meat, fish. eggs, dairy, veg and salads and fruits like berries will give some low carb meals.
Have a look at the Learning Zone (orange tap at the top) and work through in your own time as it will help you become familiar with some of the terminology.

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @ncoope70 and welcome to the forum.

Is the liver disease you mention 'fatty liver' ?
Also how high was the (HbA1C) reading which confirmed pre-diabetes for you?

You need not fear living like you have Type 2 Diabetes. Many of us live very well like that. In my case I still live like my readings are still in the Type2 range (above 47 in the current UK measurements) even though eating a non-restricted Low Carb High Protein High(er) traditional Fat way of eating put me into non-medicated remission. with a current HbA1C of 37.

It is possible/probable that a Low Carb way of eating (without calorie restriction) will improve Blood Glucose, reduce fatty Liver, improve Blood Pressure, and improve blood Lipid ratios (even if it doesn't reduce the LDL number.

 

[ncoope70]

Hi ncoope70
Welcome to the forum. you certainly will get responses from people and they will be willing to answer any specific questions you have. There are people in your situation and the advice is just take things day by day, you don't have to rush into anything drastic but the prediabetes diagnosis is a wake up call to make some changes primarily to you diet.
Some of the dietary suggestions may not be suitable with your liver and cholesterol issues but reducing carbohydrates in your diet will go a long way to reducing your blood glucose and enabling you to keep low.
All carbohydrates covert to glucose so watching your intake of high carb foods is a good way to go. Cutting out or reducing portion size of potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals, bread, products made with flour, and some fruits as well as sugary drinks is a good start. Basing your meals on meat, fish. eggs, dairy, veg and salads and fruits like berries will give some low carb meals.
Have a look at the Learning Zone (orange tap at the top) and work through in your own time as it will help you become familiar with some of the terminology.

Thanks for your reply, even that information is great, much appreciated, it will take me a while to find what is right for me with my other conditions, but this Diabetes sight is great, already printed of some different meal plans.

 

[ncoope70]

Hi @ncoope70 and welcome to the forum.

Is the liver disease you mention 'fatty liver' ?
Also how high was the (HbA1C) reading which confirmed pre-diabetes for you?

You need not fear living like you have Type 2 Diabetes. Many of us live very well like that. In my case I still live like my readings are still in the Type2 range (above 47 in the current UK measurements) even though eating a non-restricted Low Carb High Protein High(er) traditional Fat way of eating put me into non-medicated remission. with a current HbA1C of 37.

It is possible/probable that a Low Carb way of eating (without calorie restriction) will improve Blood Glucose, reduce fatty Liver, improve Blood Pressure, and improve blood Lipid ratios (even if it doesn't reduce the LDL number.

Hi, I was diagnosed with fatty liver some time ago, but now they think its gone past that stage due to other things that showed up in my bloods. I was overwhelmed with all the different numbers etc but know my number for the prediabetes was 47 and my high cholesterol was off the charts, sorry I don't know all the terminology so excuse my ignorance. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Sulfate]

Hi ncoope70
Welcome to the forum. you certainly will get responses from people and they will be willing to answer any specific questions you have. There are people in your situation and the advice is just take things day by day, you don't have to rush into anything drastic but the prediabetes diagnosis is a wake up call to make some changes primarily to you diet.
Some of the dietary suggestions may not be suitable with your liver and cholesterol issues but reducing carbohydrates in your diet will go a long way to reducing your blood glucose and enabling you to keep low.
All carbohydrates covert to glucose so watching your intake of high carb foods is a good way to go. Cutting out or reducing portion size of potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals, bread, products made with flour, and some fruits as well as sugary drinks is a good start. Basing your meals on meat, fish. eggs, dairy, veg and salads and fruits like berries will give some low carb meals.
Have a look at the Learning Zone (orange tap at the top) and work through in your own time as it will help you become familiar with some of the terminology.

I have just read your post about using the learning zone. When I tapped the orange top and wanted to register it doesn't give the option to say I am prediabetic?

 

[Leadinglights]

I have just read your post about using the learning zone. When I tapped the orange top and wanted to register it doesn't give the option to say I am prediabetic?

@everydayupsanddowns
Perhaps you could advise on this.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have just read your post about using the learning zone. When I tapped the orange top and wanted to register it doesn't give the option to say I am prediabetic?

@everydayupsanddowns
Perhaps you could advise on this.

Thanks for letting me know about this. I will certainly mention this to the Learning Zone team.

I think if you are at risk of diabetes (which is sometimes called prediabetes), you would need to select the type of diabetes that you are at risk of developing, so that you get directed towards the most appropriate content for you?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @ncoope70

The cut-off for a diagnosis with diabetes is 48mmol/mol, so at 47 it feels like you are right on the borderline, which probably explains your nurse’s suggestion that you begin acting as if you had already had a diagnosis.

Hope you can find a way to balance your various health concerns alongside a dietary approach that helps your metabolism process the food you are eating. Moderating your total carbohydrate intake, as well as cutting out any obvious sweet and sugary things - so reducing portion sizes of things like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals etc, and choosing fruits carefully (berries and melon are often kindest) - can give your metabolism the best chance of processing the food without leaving excess glucose sloshing around in your bloodstream.

If you are able to increase the amount of activity in your weeks - even just 30 minutes of brisk walking a day - that will help increase your insulin sensitivity, as will aiming to lose any excess weight you may be carrying.

It’s quite normal to feel overwhelmed to begin with - so be kind to yourself, and remember that this is a marathon not a sprint!

 

[ncoope70]

Welcome to the forum @ncoope70

The cut-off for a diagnosis with diabetes is 48mmol/mol, so at 47 it feels like you are right on the borderline, which probably explains your nurse’s suggestion that you begin acting as if you had already had a diagnosis.

Hope you can find a way to balance your various health concerns alongside a dietary approach that helps your metabolism process the food you are eating. Moderating your total carbohydrate intake, as well as cutting out any obvious sweet and sugary things - so reducing portion sizes of things like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals etc, and choosing fruits carefully (berries and melon are often kindest) - can give your metabolism the best chance of processing the food without leaving excess glucose sloshing around in your bloodstream.

If you are able to increase the amount of activity in your weeks - even just 30 minutes of brisk walking a day - that will help increase your insulin sensitivity, as will aiming to lose any excess weight you may be carrying.

It’s quite normal to feel overwhelmed to begin with - so be kind to yourself, and remember that this is a marathon not a sprint!

@everydayupsanddowns Thank you, I only have myself to blame, been over doing it on the alcohol especially the last 10 years, so that is no longer a option for me, so with not drinking should help a LOT, I don't actually eat a lot of those kind of carbs so not eating hem at all will be very easy, it will be my love of cheese that will be harder lol. Thank you for your advice, much appreciated.

 

[Leadinglights]

@everydayupsanddowns Thank you, I only have myself to blame, been over doing it on the alcohol especially the last 10 years, so that is no longer a option for me, so with not drinking should help a LOT, I don't actually eat a lot of those kind of carbs so not eating hem at all will be very easy, it will be my love of cheese that will be harder lol. Thank you for your advice, much appreciated.

Unless you can't have cheese for your other conditions, cheese is fine for your diabetes as it is virtually zero carb.

 

[ncoope70]

Unless you can't have cheese for your other conditions, cheese is fine for your diabetes as it is virtually zero carb.

Yep it’s no good for my high cholesterol sadly.