need some advice please

[bev]

Hi all,

Long time no speak!🙂

I am after a bit of advice please. My Brother -in Law has been diagnosed Type 2. He is mid 50's and overweight - but more importantly he is very lazy and likes the couch a bit too much! My sister has asked for advice and I dont want to overload them with everything as they are both quite upset and he is very shocked and quiet which isnt like him.

Obviously I would know what to say if he was Type 1 - but feel a bit at a loss about advising Type 2. At the moment he is diet controlled (diagnosed last week) - so not sure what to advise. I have said to change diet to healthier food (they live off take-aways) and to start doing some exercise.

My BIL seems to have taken it quite badly - and he said he eats healthily so doesnt know what to change! He looks ill and is very tired all the time.

All advice welcome.🙂Bev

 

[mcdonagh47]

Hi all,

Long time no speak!🙂

I am after a bit of advice please. My Brother -in Law has been diagnosed Type 2. He is mid 50's and overweight - but more importantly he is very .

All advice welcome.🙂Bev

Go to the Type 2 part of the Stickies section in the Newbies Thread and print off ... Maggie Davey's Open Letter to a Newly Dxed Type 2, Alan S's "Test, Review, Adjust" and Jennifer's Smart Advice.

Print those three off and give them to him.

 

[Northerner]

Hi bev, nice to hear from you again, but sorry to hear the news about your BIL I would usually recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter - prehaps you could print them out for him? Also, Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker is the sort of Type 2 equivalent of Ragnar Hanas' Type 1 book - many of our Type 2 members have found it really helps.

It's natural to be upset at the diagnosis, and fearful of what changes it may bring, but with the right knowledge, support and determination he may find that he has a new lease on life! He will be feeling rotten at the moment because not only does he have the stress of the diagnosis to deal with, but his levels are no doubt high and affecting his mood. Perhaps he would be inspired by Silkman Bob's account of how he turned things around? It can be found at: http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=24517

As far as food is concerned, The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction to eating the right kinds of food to release energy slowly and steadily.

I know all this at once might be a bit overwhelming, so perhaps as you know him, you will be able to select whatever would be appropriate. And of course he is more than welcome to join us here! 🙂

 

[Vicsetter]

It's possibly too soon for any kind of factual or advisory intervention. Strong caring support and being able to judge the right moment to offer advice is what I would advise. Some people withdraw into shock initially and need space and time to come to terms with it.

 

[Jimbo]

Best exercise advice I think to give is simple, walk, take it easy, don't force it, then gradually, up the distance.
After a month or so he will find that he is no longer sauntering everywhere but, actually striding out.
The weight loss will be assisted by walking too, the loss should be quite marked if he has been leading a particularly sedentiary life style.

 

[trophywench]

He could also do a lot worse than read Alan Shanley's entire Blog........

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/d-day.html

Define 'healthy eating' though. Certainly isn't carbs with everything. That comes as a severe shock to most people. I've no idea if it's healthy for your heart or not but it ain't healthy for diabetes ......

How much does your bro actually KNOW about nutrition when you boil it down? - I don't; not many people do ....

 

[bev]

Hi all,

Thankyou for your replies.🙂

Is there any reason (diabeteswise) why my BIL should have swollen ankles. He tried to go on a bike ride yesterday but his ankles were really bad and he was exhausted before he went so he didnt go in the end.Bev

 

[Andy HB]

Hi all,

Thankyou for your replies.🙂

Is there any reason (diabeteswise) why my BIL should have swollen ankles. He tried to go on a bike ride yesterday but his ankles were really bad and he was exhausted before he went so he didnt go in the end.Bev

Hi Bev, swollen ankles were a problem for me just prior to diagnosis. They went down again every night though. It was some sort of fluid retention and was definitely diabetes related .... not sure of the mechanism which causes it though. Since diagnosis I have not had any problems whatsoever.

Your brother-in-law will feel like rubbish especially if his levels are down (false hypo and everything) or if he isn't really doing anything about his levels he will continue to feel tired and unable to do anything.

At the end of the day, he needs to get the motivation himself to make changes to his lifestyle and behaviour. No-one else can do that for him except to provide encouragement.

All I can do is to point out where I was and where I am now.

Pre-diagnosis
Tired all the time and 19stone plus. Dying on my feet! Frequent problems with skin infections etc.

Diagnosis
BG level in the 20's. HbA1c of 13.3% and weighed 18stone (1st had gone AWOL).

Then after a brief period of panic. I got down to it. Started walking every day. 30mins to start with because I still felt rubbish but slowly and surely I felt better and more able to walk for longer. Eventually walking (quickly) for 1hr every day and 1.5hrs at the weekend.

My diet evolved quickly initially to help the weight loss and was further tweaked when I found foods which really disagreed with me.

18 months following diagnosis
Hit 13.5st and feeling great. No medication and HbA1c was 5.8%. BG's consistently in the 4's, 5's and 6's and rarely any higher.

Now
After a little bump up to 15st I'm back at 13.5st. But generally still hunky dorey.

Anyway, good luck to your BIL and I hope he feels better soon.

Andy 🙂

 

[chattygirl197811]

When I was diagnosed type 2 (although it now seems I'm slow onset type 1) the diabetes nurse at my hospital gave me factsheets advising on diet. I also attended a Desmond day (type 2 education day run in some parts of UK ) and was offered to see a diabetes dietician which helped me alot. Perhaps your brother in law could look into this? 🙂

 

[bev]

Hi Andy and Chattygirl,

Thankyou for your replies.🙂

Andy - yours is quite inspirational - and sounds like a lot of hard work but it has obviously paid off - well done. I think the problem is that there is pure denial at the moment and carrying on in the normal lifestyle - not made changes I dont think and still on take-aways - not sure he will ever 'get' the whole thing to be honest as he isnt the sort who wants too much detail.

Someone mentioned to me that he might have a 'glucose intolerance' rather than Type 2 - does anyone know what this - it sounds the same as Type 2 to me!Bev

 

[Northerner]

Glucose intolerance suggests that blood sugar levels are above 'normal', but not high enough to give a diagnosis of diabetes. To all intents and purposes, I think someone who has this has to make just the same adjustments as someone who has been diagnosed Type 2.

 

[mcdonagh47]

Hi Andy and Chattygirl,

Someone mentioned to me that he might have a 'glucose intolerance' rather than Type 2 - does anyone know what this - it sounds the same as Type 2 to me!Bev

IGT - Impaired Glucose Tolerance - is diagnosed when a person is between 7.8 and 11.1 at the two hour mark of an OGTT ( Oral Glucose Tolerance Test). Over 11.1 is dxed as Type 2 Diabetes.

IGT sometimes leads to Type2 Diabetes later, but in 50% of cases it doesn't, basically its a poor first phase insulin response but good second phase insulin.

How was BIL diagnosed as T2 ?

 

[Andy HB]

Hi Andy and Chattygirl,

Thankyou for your replies.🙂

Andy - yours is quite inspirational - and sounds like a lot of hard work but it has obviously paid off - well done. I think the problem is that there is pure denial at the moment and carrying on in the normal lifestyle - not made changes I dont think and still on take-aways - not sure he will ever 'get' the whole thing to be honest as he isnt the sort who wants too much detail.

Oh, I also forgot to mention that I was a take-away merchant prior to diagnosis. I could go a whole week without cooking anything for myself at times!

I'm still pretty partial to them, but it tends to only be once every couple of months or so now.

Andy 🙂

 

[bev]

IGT - Impaired Glucose Tolerance - is diagnosed when a person is between 7.8 and 11.1 at the two hour mark of an OGTT ( Oral Glucose Tolerance Test). Over 11.1 is dxed as Type 2 Diabetes.

IGT sometimes leads to Type2 Diabetes later, but in 50% of cases it doesn't, basically its a poor first phase insulin response but good second phase insulin.

How was BIL diagnosed as T2 ?

Hi Mcdonach47,

Not sure yet - I havent spoken to him so dont know the details other than he had a blood test at the GP and was told he had Type 2. He has an appointment in a couple of weeks - not sure if it is about medication or changing lifestyle. Bev