My Type 2 neighbour

[Northerner]

I was talking to a neigbour of mine recently - he's in his 70s and just been diagnosed Type2. He just found out from one of my other neighbours that I was diagnosed last year so we had a bit of a chat about it all.

He was happy that the doctor told him he didn't need to test. He'll probably be fine without it - we had a good discussion about his situation and he is about my weight and build, eats a sensible diet and takes lots of exercise. We did discuss food 'spikes' and I explained how testing could help him discover what's good and not so good for him, but I think he'd rather just take the word of the doctors that he's OK. He's diet only to start with, but it seems likely he may have to go on some low-dose medication as there seems little he can do that he isn't already doing to get his levels lower. He's a classic example of how you don't get diabetes from being overweight, lazy and eating a bad diet as the many campaigns would ave us believe.

 

[SamInnocent]

Same as my Dad - he developed Type 2 5 years ago when he turned 60 (yeah, nice birthday present eh?!!!). He's been fit and active his whole life, without a day going by where he doesn't do some kind of exercise, the result of which he's never been overweight either.

He's still diet and exercise controlled now, mainly because he leads such an active lifestyle.

I can imagine how annoyed he gets when he hears about how you can prevent Type 2 by exercising and watching your weight though!!

 

[ukjohn]

I was 66 years old when I was diagnosed 4 years ago. I was 6ft tall and weighed 13 stone, I was very fit having been a milkman delivering to the doorsteps of 500 customers every morning. All my weight gain has been the result of insulin from the day I was diagnosed.

John

 

[Caroline Wilson]

My dad is type 2 and also doesn't test, but that is because my mum can't see the point in it. I also have a friend who doesn't test because they are scared of needles. They are happy for someone else to do the testing.

 

[Tezzz]

I'm the only T2 at work who BG tests.

I got approached by another driver today and asked me to test him, I said OK. He was 8.8 2 hours after eating. I said I wouldn't worry with an 8.8 2 hours after cereals.

The other guy I did last week was 15.8 and he'd been driving for 4 hours. I said if I was that high regularly I'd see my doctor ASAP. He did and got another HbA1c done then put on new tablet regime. He's also getting his own meter so he can learn, like I did, what foods give me high readings.