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New Diagnosis yesterday
- Thread starter KandyKat
- Start date
- Status
KandyKat
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thankyou. No they won't want to know. My GP surgery has really gone down regarding support or interest. I've just come through cancer treatment for 2nd time and they didn't even want to get me seen in the 2 week urgent pathway. I forced the issue and got seen and was found to have an aggressive tumour. Sad days for the NHS.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Really sorry to hear about your tardy diabetes diagnosis and especially on top of 2 cancer battles. You really have been on a rough road health wise, but you are clearly made of very strong stuff!
Do you know what your HbA1c result was. This is the blood test used to diagnoses and monitor your diabetes management and will be a number in excess of 47mmols/mol but can be up into 3 figures if things have gone seriously amiss.
Have they mentioned medication at all?
Did your treatment for cancer include immunotherapy? Just asking because that can trigger Type 1 diabetes so something to be aware of as generally they just assume you are Type 2 when you develop diabetes as a mature adult.
Do you know what your HbA1c result was. This is the blood test used to diagnoses and monitor your diabetes management and will be a number in excess of 47mmols/mol but can be up into 3 figures if things have gone seriously amiss.
Have they mentioned medication at all?
Did your treatment for cancer include immunotherapy? Just asking because that can trigger Type 1 diabetes so something to be aware of as generally they just assume you are Type 2 when you develop diabetes as a mature adult.
KandyKat
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thankyou. Yes I'm a fighter! 🙂 Apparently last year my HbA1c was 58. This time it's 52 so not terrible but I still need to get a grip of my diet as I'm very overweight. I cannot exercise due to M.E. I see the diabetic nurse on Monday.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
At that level some modest changes should push it back and there is very little risk of any complications from the year you went undiagnosed at those levels.
Good luck with your appointment. Do you know what you want from it? ie. Do you want to tackle it through a low carb diet and perhaps negotiate a 3 month hiatus on meds and then retest to see if you are making progress or do you perhaps want to try the NHS road to remission program which involves a low calorie soups and shakes based diet for 8-12 weeks I believe and is based on the work done by professor Roy Taylor and his team at Newcastle University, where rapid weight loss was found to burn off the excess visceral fat around the liver and pancreas and resulted in about 50% of participants achieving remission. The key with that program is in maintaining the weight loss after real food is reintroduced but there is a support system built into the program to help with that. I am not sure if all areas offer this option yet, but something to ask about if you are interested in that approach.
Or perhaps you would like to start on medication to help you get your levels down and then maybe consider coming off the medication later. Dietary changes still need to be a part of this approach as the medication on it's own is not generally able to keep a lid on things. Dietary changes are far more powerful than most diabetes meds.
There isn't one correct approach, just what you think might work best for you and your lifestyle. Obviously if you are limited in the exercise you can do, then diet will be more important.
Good luck with your appointment. Do you know what you want from it? ie. Do you want to tackle it through a low carb diet and perhaps negotiate a 3 month hiatus on meds and then retest to see if you are making progress or do you perhaps want to try the NHS road to remission program which involves a low calorie soups and shakes based diet for 8-12 weeks I believe and is based on the work done by professor Roy Taylor and his team at Newcastle University, where rapid weight loss was found to burn off the excess visceral fat around the liver and pancreas and resulted in about 50% of participants achieving remission. The key with that program is in maintaining the weight loss after real food is reintroduced but there is a support system built into the program to help with that. I am not sure if all areas offer this option yet, but something to ask about if you are interested in that approach.
Or perhaps you would like to start on medication to help you get your levels down and then maybe consider coming off the medication later. Dietary changes still need to be a part of this approach as the medication on it's own is not generally able to keep a lid on things. Dietary changes are far more powerful than most diabetes meds.
There isn't one correct approach, just what you think might work best for you and your lifestyle. Obviously if you are limited in the exercise you can do, then diet will be more important.
KandyKat
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thankyou for your support. I'd like to do it by dieting. I've started already lol cutting down on carbs etc. I have heard of the NHS diet but think I'm best to try with 'real food' so I can continue for life.
Vonny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I certainly found that was the best way for me @KandyKat - I still eat what I did when first diagnosed, just more of it now I'm on maintenance. I never feel hard done by, food wise, I'm rarely hungry and if I need to snack I'll just grab a chunk of cheese or some nuts.
Very best of luck to you on your new journey. If you've been through cancer hell, you can do this x
Very best of luck to you on your new journey. If you've been through cancer hell, you can do this x
KandyKat
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thankyou Vonny x
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If you want to do it with real food then this low carb approach is based on real food. There are menu plans to suit various tastes and budget as well as recipes for the meals. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
You can of course just follow the principals and just do your own thing which is what I did and reduced my HbA1C form 50 to 42 in 3 months and then to below 40 which is where I am 3 years later. It is my new normal way of eating. Meat, fish, eggs, cheese. veg and salads and fruit mostly berries.
I hope you are well on the way to recovery after your cancer treatment.
KandyKat
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thankyou that is helpful. Well done with your journey, that's great.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @KandyKat
Glad you have found us!
Sounds like you are beginning to put together a plan of action to get to grips with your T2. Hope it goes well!
T2D can be fiercely (and sometimes frustratingly!) individual. So try out the approach that seems like the ‘best fit’, and see how it works for you - and tweak and possibly change tack if you don’t get the results you are looking for 🙂
Glad you have found us!
Sounds like you are beginning to put together a plan of action to get to grips with your T2. Hope it goes well!
T2D can be fiercely (and sometimes frustratingly!) individual. So try out the approach that seems like the ‘best fit’, and see how it works for you - and tweak and possibly change tack if you don’t get the results you are looking for 🙂
KandyKat
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thankyou. I am very glad I found this forum 🙂
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