I'm worried

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Erika

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Hi everyone,
In my family everybody has (had) diabetes: my grandmother, my mother (going blind, having gangrene), my aunt (also going blind), my brother (injecting), sister, cousins... everybody but me and one niece. I had felt smug and put down my non-diabetes to a different lifestyle (and good luck). But I had my fasting blood sugar levels checked every year. From 3.9 in 2001 it was most years within the healthy levels, staying between 4.6 and 6.8). For the last three years it has been 4.8, 5.6 and 6.0, slowing creeping up. Then I had an HBA test in summer this year of 44. As I didn't understand the result I phoned the GP and questioned him. He suggested I may be pre-diabetic.
I browsed the internet and found this forum; spend the evening reading all the information and posts of newly diagnosed people and the advice given and felt rather scared. I then found a book 'Stop Prediabetes Now' which advocates a kind of paleo-diet and I have tried to follow it as much as I could (though occasionally giving in to cravings for bread, cereal, chocolate, etc, but trying to keep that in check.
I bought the self check (checking fasting blood sugar once a week) and the results were mostly in the normal or bordering on diabetes (between 5.2 and 7.4). I checked the following day after I measured 7.4 and my blood sugar level was at 5.0.
Today I have been very busy and had toast for breakfast, then came home late for lunch and had bread again. I felt rather lethargic and rough afterwards, although I do not know whether this is because I also have chronic fatigue or whether it has anything to do with the high carbohydrate I have eaten today. I measured my blood sugar level about two hours after eating and it was 9.1; one hour later 7.7 (will check again in another hour).
My GP didn't offer an appointment, nor give any help or advice on what to do. I have now made an appointment with a different GP, but I feel that I may get some more immediate help, advice (or just encouragement) here.
I have just bought (on Kindle) the recommended book by Gretchen Becker and will read that tonight.
I still don't know whether I have got diabetes or not... whether I can reverse whatever I have got (if it turns out not to be full blown diabetes) or what I should eat. Is the paleo-diet really the best thing?
All my life (I'm 63 now) I have felt certain that I would become diabetic as it is so common in my family, but somehow it was always something that would happen in many years. I have been in denial just how easy it can creep up on me and I feel rather disturbed, down and distressed.

Sorry for the long message... I have nobody to talk to about this and it has been brewing inside me for many weeks now.

Erika
 
Forgot to mention... I'm obese, weighing about 97kg at 1,5 m short

Erika
 
Hi Erika, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm sorry to hear about your worries but there are some things you should bear in mind. You may have a greater chance of being diagnosed with diabetes because of your family history, but this does not mean that you will end up sufferig the problems your elders have. Treatments have improved hugely, as has knowledge about the condition and how best to keep things under control - and are improving all the time. Your numbers currently may suggest some degree of insulin resistance, but this could probably be improved greatly if you were able to lose weight, increase your activity levels, and tailor your diet to contain foods that you can tolerate well.

Many of our members have found that diabetes, or the possibilities of a diagnosis, have been the spur and motivation to make adjustments that have left them feeling much happier and healthier than they have felt in a long time. Regarding diet: you need to establish a diet which you enjoy and which is kind to your blood sugar control. If you are finding the paleo diet difficult, it's unlikely you will be able to stick with it long term, so it's better to experiment with meals you enjoy to see how you might adjust them - for example, by reducing portion sizes of things that cause large rises in levels, or by substituting them with things that you cope with better. You might have fewer potatoes and more of other vegetables, or substitute white or ordinary brown bread for a seeded alternative like Burgen Soya and linseed (a forum favourite! 🙂. Use your blood glucose meter to see how you react to different meals and build up a picture of what may be causing problems for you - it's useful to keep a food diary and note down the carbohydrate content of everything you eat and drink and then look for areas where you might make modifications. Test before and one or two hours after eating to try and determine the peak of your blood sugar levels. Be patient, as all this can take time - you are trying to determine a diet that is healthy generally, and also for your blood sugar levels. Many people find the principles of the GL diet appropriate, try and get a copy of The GL Diet for Dummies as a good introduction.

Exercise will help enormously, so if you can fit in something regularly, like a walk each day, this will really benefit you.

Try not to worry, hopefully by making the adjustments now you will be able to stay healthy and free of medication 🙂 Do let us know if you have any questions and we will try our best to help!
 
Still frightened of the changes

Many thanks for your kind words of encouragement. I feel sure (at least I hope) that I will not face the same problems as my mother and aunt did (going blind, having gangrene) because they developed diabetes when they were in their late 30s/40s and so had diabetes much longer before it affected them severely; they also injected insulin. Since they were diagnosed 4 decades have passed and much more is known about how to control it. I aim to learn as much as I can and to follow the advise as best I can.
Having to give up some of my favourite foods will be very hard but I will try my best. I will also make the effort of exercise; something that is difficult at times due to the chronic fatigue (I used to be so active... trained karate in my 40s). And I will certainly take your advice on testing my BG before a meal (e.g. Weetabix), one and two hours afterwards.
Losing weight also is hard (I'm an emotional eater), but again I will try.

I'm so glad I found this forum......

Erika
 
Keeping the food diary should help you evaluate where and when you are most inclined to overeat. If you want to, you are more than welcome to share details of your meals so that the other members can make suggestions based on their own experiences.

We are all here to support you in your efforts Erika, so stay positive and if you need a helping hand let us know 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum Erika 🙂

The Gretchen Becker book is definitely worth reading.

I think your GP is splitting hairs. That HbA1c of 6.2% (44) isn't really that much below the 6.5% that is usually stated for a diagnosis and even if you are not technically diabetic you would still benefit from some of the help given to diabetics.
 
Thanks, Mark and Northerner,

I have started to follow the advice in the Gretchen Becker book and have tested my BG before my breakfast (got up early), and will test again after one and two hours. I will continue to check how my body reacts to certain foods and I will make a point of going for a daily walk. Whether I am actually diabetic now or pre-diabetic, whether I can reverse it or not, I will follow the advice given (because it's healthy living anyhow) and see what happens.

I will see my GP on 8 November and hopefully will know more after some tests.

Erika
 
Don't panic! The damage done by diabetes is cumulative over a very long time, and can be reduced by remaining in control.

Re: the obesity, it may be worth asking your GP whether your PCT will fund a referral to Slimming World - it has worked wonders for me (4st in 6 months, BG and BP in normal range now). It's flexible enough to suit your own food preferences/tolerances. The group support is amazing. And if you can't get funding, it's a fiver a week.
 
Thanks, LeeLee... I tried Slimming World (and others), but while it works initially I soon put the weight back on again (even while there). My problem is that my overeating is a reaction to stress (long term coping mechanism as a result of childhood abuse). So for me, I need to be happy and stress-free to eat normally.

I checked my BG this morning.... had my favourite weetabix with semi-skimmed milk and a coffee with s-sk. milk and Sweetex (at 4:30 am). I measured myself before I eat (5.2), one hour after eating (10.5), two hours after eating (6.9) and just now, four hours after eating (4.8).

While the first and last readings indicate normal BG, the Gretchen Becker book suggests that if there is a large jump one hour after eating a high carbodydrate meal this may be an indication of diabetes.

I guess, I have to wait until I see my GP to get my fears either confirmed or dismissed, but I do appreciate feedback from this group. You all know so much after years of living with it than my imagination and my fears running riot.

Erika
 
Hi Erika, a lot of people find cereals have quite a sharp effect on their blood sugar levels, even though they may be marketed as 'low GI' or 'slow-release'. Weetabix comes into this category for me, I'm afraid - like you I was a lifelong lover of them but decided to take them off my breakfast options when I saw what effect they had on my levels. I now usually have Burgen soya and linseed toast, or Belvita biscuits which also seem kinder to my levels. People often find that they are more insulin-resistant in the mornings so less able to deal with a carby breakfast, and opt for a low or no-carb breakfast (bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes etc.) Also, in the mornings many people find that their liver gives them an extra (but unwelcome) boost by releasing stored glucose to give you energy for the day ahead.
 
Yes, sadly, the Weetabix will be off my menu now. I used to adore them, especiallly with blueberries... but it's no good pining.

I am trying out various meals now to see what effect they have. Had stir fry with pre-packed chinese vegetables and King Prawns for lunch. Used extra virgin olive oil and my BG was raised by just 0.9 one hour after the meal (from 5.2 to 6.1).

I'll have to create a list of meals that will have similar effects and learn what to avoid and what I can eat without damaging myself.

I feel much more positive now than yesterday (or even this morning).
 
Hello Erika, be prepared for a bit of `adjustment` in your food intake ie. I have found skimmed milk shoots my BG. up very quick! But I can just manage 2 slices of toast for breakfast and still keep below 7.0!
 
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