Hi! Where did that come from!?!?

[LESte82]

Hi, I'm Steve

42 and found out I have type 2 this afternoon after bloods earlier in the week, bloods were taken after a period of feeling generally unwell and fatigued for a couple of weeks, My GP and I put this down to work related stress and fatigue as I have a very stressful job and have been working silly hours for the past 8 months delivering a contract implementation, but we had bloods done generally to rule out anything underlying, all was well with the exception of high cholesterol and type2 confirmation.

I am in a bit of shock as to where my diagnosis has come from, as an active resistance trainer in the gym and someone who eats the right things the majority of the time, I don't drink and haven't done for 5 years due to personal choice having seen a family member succumb to alcoholism in the past, and another succumb to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, both in their late 60's.

I am a glutton and have been known to over eat the wrong things in far too big a quantity in the past, I also recognise that I abused my body in my teens, 20's and early 30's with too much of the wrong foods and drinks, was never a massive drinker but had a few drinks at weekends on nights out etc so probably haven't done myself any favours there.

I'm in a bit of shock and worried about what this means for me, but I'm researching like heck and determined to fight this and achieve remission through good diet and exercise. I'm also massively worried about meds, what are the side effects, can they create more problems elsewhere?, so many questions!

All of this is not helped by the fact I have terrible health anxiety and worry about the worst case scenario with regard to health often (great combination right!)

I'm 6ft tall and weight 102kg, carry the majority of my weight around my gut, hips, and lower back, although wouldn't say I'm obese my BMI is 31, I know I need to drop 15kg to get in better shape and safer levels of weight to promote good health for myself.

Hoping to chat with anyone who has advice or guidance on type2 and their experience, and here for support for any others who need it, although I'm wet behind the ears in terms of my experience and knowledge in this obviously.

Simply want to be around for as long as I can be for my family and will do whatever it takes to achieve this, but very much wary and anxious about this recent diagnosis.

Thanks

Steve.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @LESte82 🙂 As you’re a little overweight, then it might be that losing weight will improve things. The NHS website says the best weight for your height is between 61.9 kilograms and 83.6 kilograms.

You could start by looking at the Learning Zone (orange button at the top of the page). Looking at your diet and seeing where you can make changes will help, eg cutting out any junk foods, reducing carbs (all carbs, both sweet and savoury) and increasing green veg.

Do you know what your HbA1C was (the test that diagnosed you)?

 

[LESte82]

Welcome @LESte82 🙂 As you’re a little overweight, then it might be that losing weight will improve things. The NHS website says the best weight for your height is between 61.9 kilograms and 83.6 kilograms.

You could start by looking at the Learning Zone (orange button at the top of the page). Looking at your diet and seeing where you can make changes will help, eg cutting out any junk foods, reducing carbs (all carbs, both sweet and savoury) and increasing green veg.

Do you know what your HbA1C was (the test that diagnosed you)?

Hi, thank you! Good advice 🙂

My HbA1C was 50 mmol/mol which is Greek to me!

I'm waiting on contact from diabetes nurse to discuss next steps.

 

[Drummer]

Hello @LESte82 and welcome to the forum.
Type 2 diabetes is not an illness nor something brought on - unless it is something made worse by following the guidelines of what constitutes a healthy diet.
For many very ordinary type 2s all that is required is reassessing what to eat. Starches and sugars are problematic, like the wrong fuel for a vehicle, it is perfectly good fuel, just going to wreck the engine not meant to run on it.
The big around the middle shape is classic type 2, and I spent decades getting to be almost spherical on the advice of GPs and dieticians intent on telling me that it was somehow my fault.
Your HbA1c is only just in the type 2 range. A few alterations in diet ought to be effective in turning things around for you.

 

[Inka]

50 is at the lower end of the diabetes zone @LESte82 so it might mean that you can improve that and maybe even get it back down with some sustained changes.

 

[Alan44]

Hi @LESte82 and welcome to the forum.

Well, I can relate to you diagnosis and share my experience with you, which may help you.

When I was diagnosed my HbA1c was 51 (4 months ago) my doc just sent me a text pointing me in the direction of this site and saying they would do a follow up blood test in 3 months.

I was only one stone over weight, but I guess not very active (in real terms) and as it was during the summer did eat a lot of ice cream and lollies.

Having read loads of threads on here and asked many questions I made the discission to control the controables which were.

1) Weight
2) Diet
3) Exercise

In 3 months I reduced my weight by 2 stone, BMI from 27.4 to 22.7
I followed a low carb diet (less than 130 carbs per day) and reduced my calorie intake to less than 1200 per day.
I increased my exercise by walking for England or so it seemed.

3 months and two weeks later I had my next blood test ---------- it was HbA1c of 46.

So in just 3 months I had gone from Diabetic to Pre Diabetic, I will admit that I was hoping for better, but a score of 46 is not diabetic and I will settle for that for the time being.

On my medical records the foot note read "Safe and satisfactory for this patient". I'm 71 so a bit older than you and I think the NICE guide lines are a bit different for old farts like me.

From what you have said there is a lot you can do to help yourself, just as I did.

This forum is so full of knowledgeable members full of experiences which can help you and I would very surprised if given the effort you cannot get yourself into the Pre range or better.

The norm is to have another blood test 3 months after the first to confirm diagnoses.

Take care and ask as many questions as you wish.

Alan😉

 

[Leadinglights]

Just to chip in with a link which you may find helpful as it is a low carb approach based on real food which is easier to fit in with family life. It is based on a suggested no more than 130g carbohydrate not just sugar per day, it is not NO carbs. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
As mentioned you are only just into the diabetic zone so some changes to your diet in reducing your portion size of high carb foods and cutting out cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks including fruit juice. People often think they have a healthy diet but it is not so if there is a problem coping with carbohydrates.
I followed the principals in the link and reduced my HbA1C from 50mmol/mol to 42 in 3 months and to below that in another 6 where it has remained by making it my new way of eating.

 

[pjgtech]

Hi and welcome, as other have said 50 is only just above the diabetic threshold.
42 to 47 is pre diabetic and 48 and over is diabetic.
Your GP would usually do a second blood test after 3 months to confirm your HbA1c levels and if its still high they may then prescribe meds.
Have you had two blood tests or only one?
Are you on any meds yet (for diabetes)?
Also as others have said, losing weight is one of the bets things a T2D can do, check what you eat, less carbs is usually (but not always) the way to go, and that means ALL carbs, not just sugars, so potato, rice, pasta, bread, sweets, cake, biscuits, etc, etc.
Checkout the freshwell website and the sugarfreelondoner website and this website for lots of useful info and loads and loads of good diabetic friendly recipes.
Good luck with it and keep us updated on progress.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi and welcome, as other have said 50 is only just above the diabetic threshold.
42 to 47 is pre diabetic and 48 and over is diabetic.
Your GP would usually do a second blood test after 3 months to confirm your HbA1c levels and if its still high they may then prescribe meds.
Have you had two blood tests or only one?
Are you on any meds yet (for diabetes)?
Also as others have said, losing weight is one of the bets things a T2D can do, check what you eat, less carbs is usually (but not always) the way to go, and that means ALL carbs, not just sugars, so potato, rice, pasta, bread, sweets, cake, biscuits, etc, etc.
Checkout the freshwell website and the sugarfreelondoner website and this website for lots of useful info and loads and loads of good diabetic friendly recipes.
Good luck with it and keep us updated on progress.

I would certainly hope they would not be on medication with that HbA1C until dietary changes have been tried.

 

[pjgtech]

I would certainly hope they would not be on medication with that HbA1C until dietary changes have been tried.

Yes, I agree, but I think we have had peeps on here in the past who have been pushed onto meds quite fast and without a 2nd blood test, (I think?) which is why I asked.....cheers

 

[harbottle]

50 is just over.
Lose some weight, stop eating high carb foods and see what happens. You may find it goes back to normal.
Mine was 83, 36 in 3 months after a lot of wet tent loss.

I’m quite drunk at the moment after an office Xmas party.


So this might be gibberish
Struggling to type
But I did read a bucket of carbs
Read =eat

Of Balls I can’t tie wet v the b Mo ment

 

[Alan44]

50 is just over.
Lose some weight, stop eating high carb foods and see what happens. You may find it goes back to normal.
Mine was 83, 36 in 3 months after a lot of wet tent loss.

I’m quite drunk at the moment after an office Xmas party.


So this might be gibberish
Struggling to type
But I did read a bucket of carbs
Read =eat

Of Balls I can’t tie wet v the b Mo ment

I would never have guessed

Your typing sounds like you had a good time

 

[harbottle]

I would never have guessed

Your typing sounds like you had a good time

Mmm.
I think so. I ended up walking home and my wife said I was in a bit of state. (Well she used a less polite term!)
The afternoon was a bit of a blur.

I'm still wondering what 'wet tent loss' actually means.

 

[JimmyBlue]

@LESte82 Welcome to the forum and I get your confusion and concerns. I'm 63, 6'2", run 5Ks regularly and have a quite stressful job (but not for much longer ). I was diagnosed end of September following up on a different problem and my HbA1c was 86, so quite a bit higher than yours. I spend a few days after the diagnosis trying to figure out how I had ended up here, but then realised it was irrelevant. I had diabetes and the past cannot be changed but I can do something about it going forwards. As @Drummer says, the starting point is looking at what you eat, for me it was all the normal carbs: potatoes, pasta, rice, bread and also porridge. I have dropped all these and moved to a low carb diet of <130g/day and when I get my next HbA1c result in January, I am hoping to get down to the same level as @Alan44 or maybe a bit lower.

My only bit of advice on moving to a low carb diet is remember that reducing carbs is only one part of the equation, you need to make sure that you are eating more protein and fats to make up the reduction so that a)you don't feel hungry and b)don't end up unexpectedly on a Keto diet which can lead to quite major weight loss. Losing a stone when you are already 13 stone 8lbs can be a bit of a shock.

 

[dannybgoode]

I'm in a similar position although for me type is not yet known so I'm hedging my bets and factoring in it may be T2.

I'm 48, 187cm (a shade under 6'2) and currently weigh around 89kg. I've been a little overweight for a few years prior to this bit have always been aerobically fit and over the last 3 years in particular I've been running half and full marathons in respectable times.

Diet is ok-ish, with hindsight a bit carb heavy but I don't drink and don't smoke so coupled with the exercise I didn't have me down as at risk at all.

However a week yesterday my Hba1c was 121!

So it can just happen regardless of type and history. I'm just trying to look forward now and will look at what needs to change if it is T2 (or T1 for that matter).

Good luck with everything. Your Hba1c sounds at a level where you should be able to get it under control nicely.