New T2

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madgy

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Recently diagnosed T2 here. Despite a strong family history of T2, I knew nothing about it and had no symptoms. Feel let down by my GP practice as no action taken when HbA1c was 47 and 66 in May and November respectively last year. I only received Diabetes Specialist Nurse appointment when it reached 87 in February this year, briskly told I was diabetic, would have to take Metformin and would probably end up on insulin. All this before I had even sat down! She did not put me forward for Desmond course; with a BMI of around 33 I was not fat enough for the NHS weight loss programme and at 68 too old for the NHS Path to remission, No advice on diet and exercise. Rang DiabetesUK helpline when I got home in tears and they were lovely.
Thanks to this forum I now know that ‘healthy eating’ for the general population is not the same as it is for us and also that I am not the only one to be given this serious diagnosis in what I feel is an off-hand manner.
So here we are, having followed all your expert advice and with the help of Carbs and Cals Counter, I have lost 20 pounds and HbA1c is down to 60. I had hoped it would be lower than this after my hard work but recognise that this is a marathon not a sprint. It is only by reading the forum every day that I have managed to get my head around my diagnosis and cannot thank you enough for level headed responses and advice.
 
Welcome @madgy 🙂 That’s a great improvement in your HbA1C, along with fantastic weight loss😎
 
It is often better to do things a bit more gradually to avoid any issues with eyes and nerves which can happen in some people if they reduce blood glucose too quickly and it can then be easier to find a sustainable regime which can become a new way of eating.
Great reduction all round.
 
Wow - well - better not write what I am thinking as I get into enough trouble as it is.
I was lucky in that I got not one shred of advice and very little information when diagnosed.
When I had a high glucose level flagged ten years earlier they dealt with it by not doing the test again. It was included in the tests done because I take Thyroxine, and then it wasn't.
My HbA1c of 91 reduced to 47 by the second test, then 41 at 6 months, but that's just me working out my anger at being told to eat carbs because they are so healthy, for decades plus sticking to no more than 50gm of carbs a day.
I used an electronic kitchen scales and one of my sliderules to calculate carbs, and also used a blood glucose tester to check that my meals were bringing my after eating levels down into normal numbers. That BSc from the Open University was sure to come in handy one day.
The ten year delay in being given a diagnosis has, I suspect, resulted in my lowering carbs even further - to try to push my HbA1c down into the 30s - having no effect on it, though my after meal numbers reduced a little.
 
Hi, @madgy and welcome, from a fellow T2. Shame you've had such a bad experience with your GP practice. We've had others pop up from time to time with similar stories. At least you've now come to the right place to get the support and advice you need, and it's from people managing their diabetes day-by-day. Well done on what you've achieved so far.

If remission is your aim you can work towards it without the NHS Path To Remission Programme. Many of us have done so, some of us from much higher HbA1c levels than yours. It's not guaranteed but that's no reason not to try.
 
Hi and welcome .... although you have obviously been lurking here for a while, which is absolutely fine of course, but lovely that you now feel that you want to say hello personally.

Many congratulations on what you have achieved so far and very sorry that you have been so poorly (un)supported by your GP practice. Really pleased you found the forum though and the information and inspiration you needed and an approach which is clearly working well for you! It takes a lot of hard work and effort to turn that advice into results, so a big "WELL DONE" to you. Of course it is an ongoing project/journey and there will likely be some ups and downs but if you can mostly keep making a bit of progress and get back on track as quickly as possible if you fall off the wagon, which many of us do from time to time, then you are a winner. Managing diabetes isn't about perfect results, it is about doing the best you can and finding an approach that works for you and your lifestyle and your body.
 
madgy said:
Recently diagnosed T2 here. Despite a strong family history of T2, I knew nothing about it and had no symptoms. Feel let down by my GP practice as no action taken when HbA1c was 47 and 66 in May and November respectively last year. I only received Diabetes Specialist Nurse appointment when it reached 87 in February this year, briskly told I was diabetic, would have to take Metformin and would probably end up on insulin. All this before I had even sat down! She did not put me forward for Desmond course; with a BMI of around 33 I was not fat enough for the NHS weight loss programme and at 68 too old for the NHS Path to remission, No advice on diet and exercise. Rang DiabetesUK helpline when I got home in tears and they were lovely.
Thanks to this forum I now know that ‘healthy eating’ for the general population is not the same as it is for us and also that I am not the only one to be given this serious diagnosis in what I feel is an off-hand manner.
So here we are, having followed all your expert advice and with the help of Carbs and Cals Counter, I have lost 20 pounds and HbA1c is down to 60. I had hoped it would be lower than this after my hard work but recognise that this is a marathon not a sprint. It is only by reading the forum every day that I have managed to get my head around my diagnosis and cannot thank you enough for level headed responses and advice.
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Same here, I feel as though I am in a canoe without a paddle at times. My reading was 52 just told to cut carbs and get more exercise. I am a 72 female, 5ft 1, weigh 8 and half stone approx, and walking average eight thousand steps a day. All I seem to achieve by cutting carbs is to lose weight bout 5/6 pound in 4 weeks which I don’t want to lose any more. Good luck
 
martinswife said:
Same here, I feel as though I am in a canoe without a paddle at times. My reading was 52 just told to cut carbs and get more exercise. I am a 72 female, 5ft 1, weigh 8 and half stone approx, and walking average eight thousand steps a day. All I seem to achieve by cutting carbs is to lose weight bout 5/6 pound in 4 weeks which I don’t want to lose any more. Good luck
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When you cut carbs people often lose weight fairly quickly because it is fluid that is lost as carbs tend to make the body retain fluid. Making sure you are eating enough protein and healthy fats will help stabilise your weight.
Avocados, eggs, nuts, full fat yoghurt are good options.
 
Gosh @madgy 😱

So sorry to hear about the rather brutal and dismissive way you were given the news of your diagnosis :(

And not even in a timely way!

Well done on your terrific weight loss so far. And good to hear you’ve found it helpful to compare notes with other forum members too. Having others alongside who are facing similar challenges day to day can be so helpful!
 
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