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New T2 Diabetic - how can i prevent complications?

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Carina1962

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
hello there, i have recently been diagnosed Type 2 and once i got over the initial shock i am now buckling down to make big lifestyle changes. I have already lost weight (but still got a long way to go) and i go walking every day and watch my food. I am taking this very seriously as i have a strong family history relating to diabetes (my mother was insulin dependant for 12 years before she died at the age of 74 with heart failure). I am so concerned about getting tested and taking precautions to prevent any nasty things. I am thinking of doing the following, let me know what you think

1) having regular pedicures and the odd reflexology session throughout the year
2) having regular eye exams including eye scans etc
3) having a heart health screening once a year ie paying to have a full exam which includes an ECG etc
4) these above are in addition to the full annual review which you get anyway with the GP/Nurse.

I am just so scared of the complications that go with diabetes that i am prepared to do whatever i need to do to get fully checked.

What do people think?
 
Hi Carina, I moved your thread to the general messageboard as more people will see it here. It sounds to me like you are doing all the right things - you recognise the potential problems and you're prepared to put in the work to do your utmost to avoid them. The pedicures and eye exams sound like a good idea. You will have the best treatment for your nails and feet, and having your eyes checked for other things (other than retinopathy) is sensible.

Regarding the heart checks - not sure if they would be entirely necessary or productive, and I would have thought your GP would be happy to do an ECG once a year for free. They will test things like heart rae and blood pressure anyway, so I'm not sure what else a 'full heart check' entails - perhaps an echocardiogram too? One of the main checks on your heart would be an angigram, but as this is an invasive procedure it would probably not be something you'd want to have done without a definite cause as there are risks associated with it (it's where they put a wire with a camera up your femoral artery to check your heart's arteries).

The main thing you can do is get a good HbA1c - preferably below 6.5%. The risks of complications dininish markedly once this is below 7, as it then falls within the 'normal' range of non-diabetics. Your hard work with diet and exercise, plus losing what weight you need to, will bring you this reward. Do you know what your current HbA1c is?
 
Hi Carina and welcome. Northerner has already said everything, really - keep active, eat well and have fun! All these things are prpbably more important than having extra checks, beyond what the NHS provides. The big area where you may face disagreement with NHS policy is over prescription of blood glucose testing strips - if you want to use these, then check the NICE guidelines - see http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG66FullGuideline0509.pdf To avoid confusion by other board users, you might want to change your profile statement, which says you are type 1, but your post says you're type 2.
 
Carina - sounds like you are already on the right tracks. The particular emphasis for us Type 2s is around the weight loss, diet and exercise as a means to keeping the risks reduced alongside the achievement of HbA1c below 6.5 as a minimum (some would argue below 6 is better but 6.5 is the standard for the NHS). Good foot care, blood pressure, cholesterol measures are also recommended by the NHS but the latter causes significant debate

I've found out that understanding what foods affect my blood sugars has helped immensely too.

Finding ways to treat and reward yourself is also essential to your mental well-being - managing diabetes can be stressful and can get so focused on the "cannot, must not, should not" aspects that we lose the plot from time to time. At those times people on this site are so helpful in giving encouragement and advice - stops you feeling alone too

Finally, if you can, find someone on your health care team that you can talk to about any worries/concerns and get them checked out. Not always easy and you may choose to reject their advice at times - you should be able to do that without them taking offence.
 
Hi carina62,

The main thing that you need to do to try to steer well clear of the complications that can come along with diabetes is to maintain a well-controlled blood glucose level - as others have said below 6 if you can manage that. In my opinion, diet is your most powerful tool in trying to achieve that degree of control.

In general, the NHS will look after most things fairly well in terms of check ups etc. Where they may let you down is by possibly advising that you should not test - I strongly recommend that you do test! They may also advise that you ought to eat plenty of starchy carbohydrate - e.g. cereal, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice etc. If they do, then as a non-insulin-dependent Type 2, I advise that you beware that advice because it will cause your condition to progress and deteriorate.

Best wishes - John
 
Hi Carina,

Welcome to the forum.

I found testing my blood glucose has taught me how to improve my numbers. Testing isn't for everybody and most GPs won't let us T2s have strips on prescription.

I got them after buying my own and when I showed my progress I was allowed strips as long as I send my BG test results.

I also have avoided ready meals, fried take aways, breads, fat, salt and of course sugary things. I watch the carb content of food labels.

Also I bit the bullet and gave up smoking.

I do have the odd 'sin'....:D

Hope that helps.
 
Newly diagnosed T2

thanks for your advice everyone, it does help. As my GP said to me, "you are responsible for your own health" and if i feel happier to have tests (and pay for them if need be) then i will have them for my own peace of mind. I am seeing the Nurse tomorrow evening and i am going to try and get my strips for my monitor on prescription but she may say no but i will give it my best shot (my partner is coming with me so i know he will try too). I have been given urine strips but i feel much happier using my test monitor as i get a better picture of my readings. I think my main concentration is to carry on with my weight loss and with my walking and diet of course and hope that within 3 months (that is the time span the Nurse has given me to see how my BS levels go) the levels will have gone down.

I will book myself my first pedicure within the next week or 2 and will keep a diary reminder of all the tests i have.

I am finding advice from everyone really helpful and positive and encouraging so thank you everybody. I will be back asking for more no doubt!
 
I haven't had an Hba1c blood test yet but will ask the Diabetic Nurse tomorrow when i see her.
 
The heart tests i'm talking about is one that BUPA does called a Coronary Risk Assessment which involves numerous tests but it is very expensive at ?500 but there is one called Lifeline Screening which is much cheaper ?139 and i had my first one done this year in May 2009 before i knew i was diabetic and they do an ECG along with looking at how your circulation is doing on scans, it's an American Company and the reason they do it cheap is because they test a number of people at the same time so you are in this hall with partitions and behind the partitions there are several trolley beds and qualified staff who are checking you out along with other people. The website is called www.lifescreening.co.uk
 
carina62 said:
...I will book myself my first pedicure within the next week or 2 and will keep a diary reminder of all the tests i have.

I am finding advice from everyone really helpful and positive and encouraging so thank you everybody. I will be back asking for more no doubt!
Click to expand...

Hi Carina, check with the pedicurist (is that the right word?) that they treat diabetics. Sometimes they have a blanket exclusion, however good your feet are, on diabetics because of insurance.
 
Hi Carina, you sound really positive about managing your diabetes, and that's probably the main thing, although you've prbably noticed from these forums that we all have ups and downs. The good thinkg is, you can always find support and advie when you need it here. Good luck with your appointment tommorrow.
 
Hi,

You mention pedicures. These are more (if I understand my lady friends correctly) to do with keeping your feet and nails looking attractive. You need to see a chiropodist as a small problem, such as an ingrowing toenail, can quickly become much worse when diabetes is present. Nowadays in fact they are called podiatrists. Make sure they are registered with the HPC (Health Professionals Council) - there are still some about that are not and mine has had to deal with the aftermath of some of their efforts. A fully qualified podiatrist can administer anaesthetics and prescribe antibiotics, pain relief, etc. In fact they are the only people besides doctors and dentists that can prescribe. They can also check circulation and carry out other diagnostic tests. I see mine every 8 weeks or so as I struggle to cut nails, etc. since I fractured my femur. You might be fine going every three - six months.

People with Type II sometimes have had high blood sugars for quite a while and their may be early changes in the retina for example. If you have not had your retinas checked push for this and if it becomes problematical find a really good optician. Nowadays some have the equipment to take photographs of the back of the eye to detect changes. A letter from an optician will gee up people if required.

Be wary of some of the private health screening. A friend had a full medical paid for by his company before an overseas assignment paid for by his company. He was passed as 100% A few days after arrival he woke up feeling unwell and suffered a heart attack. Fortunately he survived despite the fairly primitive conditions and was flown back to the UK where he had to undergo heart surgery. He has made a full recovery!

I think you should be fine. Good control and a bit of luck are the main things you need.
 
still worried about diabetes!

I saw the diabetic nurse on Monday and basically she said that i will get my
A1C test in 3 months time which will be January, although i have found a site where you can buy the tests online and i will prob do that while i wait until January to have my proper one. She won't give me any strips or lancets on prescription, only urine sticks which means that i will have to pay for them myself and they are not cheap so will have to try and make 50 strips last me a month as i can't really afford to buy them twice a month at ?25 a time. She has given me details to attend a one day group called DESMOND which will advise and teach you on food types and carbs etc so i have my name down on the list and just have to wait until i'm called to go so that should be very useful. All i can do at this stage is carry on with my weight loss and keep walking every day and watch my food intake and get tested. She also told me that i was very lucky as at my particular practice they have a very good diabetic care team and i will be checked every 6 months whereas she said some practices only do it once a year so that is good news.

The only off putting thing i have come across is that i tend to read up stuff on the net about diabetes and some are really scary in what they say about diabetics ie they say that a diabetic is more likely to die from heart disease than a non-diabetic and that in the US it is the 7th listed cause on death certificates with death occurring from complications relating to diabetes. On some sites it really does emphasise how serious it is but then on the other hand you hear positive stories of people who have manged to control their diabetes for years and still be able to avoid complications. Does anyone know (or have read anywhere) what the general statistics are for the longevity of a diabetic?
 
Hi Carina, try not to worry too much about what you have read - as you learn more you will realise that diabetes affects us all in different ways. Remember that very few people will be as proactive as you are being in getting to grips with the condition - those people who don't make the effort are, on the whole, the ones who will suffer the consequences of poor control. The knowledge you are gaining now will give you a really good chance of reducing your risks significantly.

There may not be much point in getting a self-test HbA1c at this stage - you would be better off spending your money on test strips so that you can check your day-to-day levels. This is the best way to work towards a good HbA1c in January.

Regarding getting strips on prescription, you might want to lok at this to give you some ammunition:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/FAQ/FAQ_3/#anchor_4959
 
I'd be wary of setting too much store by US death statistics - they also have many more deaths from firearms, which are virtually unknown in the UK. Death certificates are written differently in different countries eg Catholic countries used to have far lower rates of recorded suicides, but that's because doctors are reluctant to condemn a dead person to not being allowed to be buried in consecrated gorund. UK death certificates list primary cause of death, plus contributing causes - so, in practice, for example, many elderly men die of heart disease of some sort, but WITH cancer of the prostate gland; they don't die OF prostate cancer.
Personally, I don't worry too much about statistics in relation to myself - I'm only interested in having the best possible life, by looking after myself, having fun and co-operating with diabetes team. I appreciate people with type 2 diabetes will have a whole range of approaches to their situations - and at least you have more statistics to consider than us rarities who get type 1 diabetes as young fit normal weight adults!
Sounds like you're doing the right things, particularly walking and getting your weight down. It will take a while before HbA1c etc begin to respond, so don't be too tough on yourself - and 3 months from now your HbA1c will reflect the chanegs you have made.
 
Hi Carina, nice to meet you. I'm T2 too. I was diagnosed around a year ago.

If there's one thing I've learnt, I'm afraid it's to keep on to your GP if you don't get decent advice. Mine has been appalling much to my detriment, but happily I see that many folks on this site have great GP's / Diabetic Nurses who give excellent assistance. If you get the feeling your GP has more budgetary concerns rather than the concerns of your health, ignore that and persevere. I'm kicking myself by not heeding my own advice earlier.

Someone has a strap line on here that reads something like 'Well maintained diabetes is the leading cause of nothing' or something similar. It is all about monitoring, whatever your GP says. You don't need masses of tests as a T2, but you do need to know what foods can cause you problems (bananas and bread in my case!).

Exercise is very important as well as knowing the signs pre-hypo / hyper.

I'm certainly still learning and about to go through a steeper curve as I'm just about to go to Insulin.

Hopefully you can manage your diabetes and keep it under wraps.

There are also some great people on here who can give you great advice and support.

Paul.
 
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