New today and scared

[Halfhybrid]

Hi, I got a phone call from the surgery today to say my blood result was 48. I'd been tested last year and it was 45 and they said that was "pre-diabetes". That should have been a wake-up call but it just seemed to get lost amidst the other issues I have been going through such as losing my husband to cancer 2 years ago, depression and osteoarthritis.

I presume this result now makes me diabetic and I'm devastated. It feels like I've received some kind of death sentence and to make it worse, it was self-inflicted as I am about 20 stone and drink and eat too much.

I don't suppose there is anything positive that can be said. I've done this to myself and now I'm paying the price. I'm not telling my family as they will be both upset and judgemental and I'm not telling anybody else for the same reasons.

 

[Alister]

The 1st thing you need to do is stop blaming yourself & stop being scared
yes your life will change, potentially for the better, I have certainly started eating better&tastier food & am enjoying it far more (i was 109 when diagnosed so you are not doing too badly).
if you follow all the help & guidance you get from your medical team & here you could end up healthier than you currently are (assumption made based on the info you provided - no intent to offend).
I would reconsider telling your family, it will help in the long run

 

[Ljc]

Hello @Halfhybrid , welcome to our friendly forum. It can be an awful shock when you’re first told, but their is light at the end of the tunnel, like @Alister says

The 1st thing you need to do is stop blaming yourself & stop being scared
yes your life will change, potentially for the better, I have certainly started eating better&tastier food & am enjoying it far more (i was 109 when diagnosed so you are not doing too badly).
if you follow all the help & guidance you get from your medical team & here you could end up healthier than you currently are (assumption made based on the info you provided - no intent to offend).
I would reconsider telling your family, it will help in the long run

Firstly having diabetes is not a death sentence , quite the contrary a dx (Diagnosis) can be the wake up call we need and end up making us/you fitter and this may sound strange healthier too !!!
When I was first diagnosed over 22 yrs ago my Hb1ac was 115, very much higher than your 48, in fact 48 is just over the diabetic threshold of 47. So imo it may be possible for you to control your diabetes by changing your diet and some exersize if possible, just going out for a walk can help big time.

The type of diet many of us on here follow is tasty and often aids weight loss which also improves you BG (blood glucose) levels.

Ask as many questions as you need , we’ll do our best to help.

When you’re ready We have a very informative thread especially for people new to diabetes, it’s called , Useful links for people new to diabetes, just scroll down to the T2 section. Have a read of all of it but especially
Maggie Davies letter.
Jennifer’s advise
Test review adjust by Alan s
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/
For future reference you’ll find the thread at the top of the newbies say hello here forum.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Thanks for your replies. Day 2 and I'm still in some shock. I'm not seeing the GP for another week so don't know what to expect apart from disapproval. Haven't had a lot to eat today as am too scared to eat. Just cooking fillet of fish and a sweet potato. Before that, I just had a chicken and bacon sandwich and 2 satsumas. Don't even feel hungry at the moment.

Have decided definitely not going to tell family and friends unless things get worse to the point where I am ill and then I will need to.

 

[Amigo]

Thanks for your replies. Day 2 and I'm still in some shock. I'm not seeing the GP for another week so don't know what to expect apart from disapproval. Haven't had a lot to eat today as am too scared to eat. Just cooking fillet of fish and a sweet potato. Before that, I just had a chicken and bacon sandwich and 2 satsumas. Don't even feel hungry at the moment.

Have decided definitely not going to tell family and friends unless things get worse to the point where I am ill and then I will need to.

You’ve had a lot to contend with and have probably been too upset to look after yourself properly. A diabetic diagnosis starts at 48 so it’s not a desperate number and despite your weight, suggests you’ve probably still got some decent pancreatic function. It also means you can turn this around and not many conditions give you that chance. I was diagnosed 3 yrs ago with a Hba1c of 52. I lost 2 stone in weight and started to be smarter with food choices. I’ve done this diet alone and like you have arthritis. I also have cancer.
You seem to need advice on food choices and they’ll be lots of links for you to look at for ideas like the one from Lin. Just be careful with carbs especially bread. Fruit too can spike you so do some research on carb values and test regularly. It’s the only way to know what you can uniquely tolerate.
I felt desperate and upset when I was diagnosed and it seemed like life would never be the same again. But you know what, with a better diet you’ll actually start to feel better. I can guarantee your weight is contributing to your depression.
You’re at a good starting point so you’ll be able to bring your levels down much more quickly. Hell, this is no death sentence. It can actually be the major wake up call we all need and by simply eating smarter you’ll keep the chance of diabetic complications down massively. If the GP won’t prescribe the means to test, I’d advise buying your own. It really is necessary despite what they’ll tell you.

The book, ‘Reverse your diabetes’ by Dr. David Cavan was my lifesaver at diagnosis along with this forum.
You can do this...please let us know your progress and best wishes. We all know how this feels. 😳

 

[Halfhybrid]

Hi Amigo. Thanks for your reassuring words - and I'm sorry you have cancer. Yes, I've had a lot on my plate the past few years. I lost my husband 2 years ago and my Dad has been diagnosed and treated for 3 different types of cancer over the last 3-4 years. My eating habits changed. I started eating a lot of ready meals instead of preparing my own food like I used to. I also started having takeaways once or twice a week which we only used to do as an occasional treat. And then there is the lager ....

Somewhere in my head, I knew all this was bad stuff to be doing but there was so much going on that I ignored it. I had a blood test last year and was told I had a level of 45 - prediabetes - but somehow doing something about it got lost in everything else. Don't think I really believed it could be true.

You're right that overweight is contributing to the depression. It's making my arthritis worse - quite apart from the snide comments people think you haven't heard. Working in an office full of younger people who drink protein shakes and go running at lunchtime is not an incentive - it's even more depressing when you have arthritis and can't do it (well, you know the pain of arthritis).

I have wanted to be slimmer and fitter for a long time - as you say, this is a major wake up call. Trouble is, I understand that once you have the label, you will have it for life, even if your blood sugar levels go back to "normal". I presume this becomes a stigma when applying for things like insurance.

Re the testing means, I'll see what the GP says and if they don't prescribe the means to test, I'll buy something.

Apart from anything else, this is going to require subterfuge from family. I live on my own but when we get together, I'll just have to tell them I'm on a healthy eating regime and want to cut down on food, especially carbs (true).

One thing among many that worries me - does this mean I will never again be able to have anything like Christmas dinner or a piece of cake or chocolate or a meal out eating the type of thing I may have had in the past e.g. curry in sauce with rice?

Thanks for your good wishes. All the best to you too.

 

[Amigo]

Hi Amigo. Thanks for your reassuring words - and I'm sorry you have cancer. Yes, I've had a lot on my plate the past few years. I lost my husband 2 years ago and my Dad has been diagnosed and treated for 3 different types of cancer over the last 3-4 years. My eating habits changed. I started eating a lot of ready meals instead of preparing my own food like I used to. I also started having takeaways once or twice a week which we only used to do as an occasional treat. And then there is the lager ....

Somewhere in my head, I knew all this was bad stuff to be doing but there was so much going on that I ignored it. I had a blood test last year and was told I had a level of 45 - prediabetes - but somehow doing something about it got lost in everything else. Don't think I really believed it could be true.

You're right that overweight is contributing to the depression. It's making my arthritis worse - quite apart from the snide comments people think you haven't heard. Working in an office full of younger people who drink protein shakes and go running at lunchtime is not an incentive - it's even more depressing when you have arthritis and can't do it (well, you know the pain of arthritis).

I have wanted to be slimmer and fitter for a long time - as you say, this is a major wake up call. Trouble is, I understand that once you have the label, you will have it for life, even if your blood sugar levels go back to "normal". I presume this becomes a stigma when applying for things like insurance.

Re the testing means, I'll see what the GP says and if they don't prescribe the means to test, I'll buy something.

Apart from anything else, this is going to require subterfuge from family. I live on my own but when we get together, I'll just have to tell them I'm on a healthy eating regime and want to cut down on food, especially carbs (true).

One thing among many that worries me - does this mean I will never again be able to have anything like Christmas dinner or a piece of cake or chocolate or a meal out eating the type of thing I may have had in the past e.g. curry in sauce with rice?

Thanks for your good wishes. All the best to you too.

It certainly doesn’t mean you will have to give up on absolutely everything forever. What I means is you’ll choose what you eat and consider its implications rather than eating like an unsupervised toddler at a birthday party (we’ve all done it!). Once you get your levels stabilised and you’re testing, you’ll know what you can eat and you’ll find low carb alternatives and recipes. You’ll be amazed at the level of carbs in things you ate before and won’t want to over indulge in them once you see results. The odd treat is fine but you choose to have it rather than just eating without thinking of the consequences.
Forget this stigma and blame issue...rise above it! There’s good reason for your over-eating. I don’t discuss my diabetes with anyone and nobody cares because I don’t make a fuss.

Thanks for your best wishes and it’s time to concentrate on you now and turn this around! 🙂

Join in the what you’ve eaten yesterday thread on here and people will advise if you’re getting it wrong. Nobody judges on here. We are all in this together! 😛

 

[Martin Canty]

I presume this result now makes me diabetic and I'm devastated. It feels like I've received some kind of death sentence and to make it worse, it was self-inflicted as I am about 20 stone and drink and eat too much.

I hear what you are saying & diagnosis is quite a shock, my first thoughts were diabetic complication & how much has my life been shortened...... That put me into a mindset; I can control this thing, move on 3 years & my D is under control, I have lost 60lb (ish at the moment) but my weight was sitting at 165lb for most of last year and I;m in better shape & fitness levels than I have been for most of my adult life.

 

[Martin Canty]

Apart from anything else, this is going to require subterfuge from family. I live on my own but when we get together, I'll just have to tell them I'm on a healthy eating regime and want to cut down on food, especially carbs (true).

To be honest, be open about it, most people I interact with on a regular basic know I'm T2, I use it as a learning opportunity. We don't need the additional issues of self stigmatizing Diabetes... D is not necessarily a lifestyle disease, there is a genetic component, there is a dietary component (our modern diet has way too many refined carbs)

 

[Jeandp]

Hi @Halfhybrid How are you feeling today?

 

[Grannylorraine]

I understand why you don't want to tell people, I was ashamed when I was diagnosed and blamed myself, it could be helpful to have family supporting you, but tell them when you are ready.

 

[Zillah]

Telling people when you are ready can be a source of support, it is two of my colleagues birthdays today and so the obligatory cakes appear- but they both bought me diabetic friendly items so I didn't lose out 🙂- I realise that not everybody is supportive but we have nothing to be ashamed of and its part of us now...so sod the judgers is what I say!

 

[Halfhybrid]

Day 7 since my diagnosis. Had the family over at the weekend and realised there is no way I could tell them just yet - if at all. Got away with cutting down on carbs although I'm sure I over-ate on other things as usual. I don't see the GP till Friday so have not bought a testing kit or anything until I hear what she has to say about it all. Very nervous of going to see her. She has been monitoring my health since I lost my husband (anti-depressants, painkillers for arthritis etc). She is very kind but I'm sure she will be very disappointed in me that I did not wake up to the fact that I had pre-diabetes this time last year and didn't really do anything about it.
Everybody at work is gearing up for Sport Relief with various activities planned. Feel even lower because there is nothing I can join in with due to my osteoarthritic knees. Many go walking and running at lunchtime. I can't run at all and although I can "walk", it is very painful to walk a lot of distance.
Does anybody have advice about low-impact exercise that will help to shed some weight as well please?

 

[Jeandp]

The very best thing you can do to shed some weight is to follow a low carb high fat WOE. Cut back on all carbs (cut back, not cut out) including sugary drinks. Take it gradually and watch the weight fall away. It might help with your painful knees and it will definitely help your bg levels.

 

[Pine Marten]

Hi @Halfhybrid, I won't repeat all the very good advice others have given, but I'll just say that this forum is a great place for support and encouragement when you feel down. There is no need to eat boring food - have a read around the food & recipes thread for some interesting ideas, and you'll be surprised at what things you *can* eat!

It really will help to shed some weight (I have dodgy knees too...) and once you start doing that it should give you the incentive to carry on. I'm really sorry to hear about your family troubles (my first husband died of lung cancer) and you've had a lot to contend with without D as well, but try and look at it as a positive thing to take control of and not let it control you 🙂

All the best to you - come here regularly and let us know how you get on, ask questions, seek information, or just have a good old moan!

 

[Halfhybrid]

Hi @Halfhybrid, I won't repeat all the very good advice others have given, but I'll just say that this forum is a great place for support and encouragement when you feel down. There is no need to eat boring food - have a read around the food & recipes thread for some interesting ideas, and you'll be surprised at what things you *can* eat!

It really will help to shed some weight (I have dodgy knees too...) and once you start doing that it should give you the incentive to carry on. I'm really sorry to hear about your family troubles (my first husband died of lung cancer) and you've had a lot to contend with without D as well, but try and look at it as a positive thing to take control of and not let it control you 🙂

All the best to you - come here regularly and let us know how you get on, ask questions, seek information, or just have a good old moan!

Hi Pine Marten, my husband died of pancreatic cancer. Now I'm wondering whether I helped cause it if I have the D word and he had something pancreas-related too. Maybe I stuffed us both so full of food and drink that I made us both ill. Another massive guilt trip.

 

[trophywench]

You cannot 'cause' cancer in another human being unless you happen to have a supply of carcinogenic agents and know how - do you happen to work at Porton Down?

Of course you didn't cause it - and now you know you are diabetic - set about making it have the least possible impact on the rest of your life - by learning how to do that asap.

 

[Pine Marten]

No indeed, @Halfhybrid, no way did you cause your husband's illness - it was just one of those sad things that happen to all of us at one time or another.

Please look after yourself now, and don't blame yourself for things that you can't control. You do however have control over your D, and a good start is by reading the threads here, and learning more about the way forward. Cutting down on carby food and shedding weight will help you enormously - and feeling healthier physically will have emotional benefits too. All good wishes to you 🙂

 

[Drummer]

My experience of diabetes was rather short - 80 days after I was told I was diabetic the low carb diet had dropped my Hba1c to below the diabetic range - and I was way above your first result.
However - I used low carb eating to control my weight for decades - I started on the early 1970s, and what I am eating now is more or less the same as I did back then. There are a few things which have appeared recently which I can eat and which were not around back then.
Cutting down on carbs should - with any luck resolve quite a few problems for you.
Diabetes is basically an inability to cope with carbs - and having diabetes makes you fat - not the reverse. As soon as I got my blood glucose down, it began to go lower all by itself and I lost weight. I cut back a lot because I was on a stupid high carb cholesterol lowering diet - like that worked.
Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and all sugary floury foods have been known to be bad for diabetics for a very long time, but they are pushed as foods we should eat for energy.
I feels so much younger, have far more energy and have lost over 40lb - I am working on gaining some muscle at the moment. Diabetes is no longer of any relevance.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Hi Drummer. Yours is such an encouraging story. Thanks for sharing.

I have my appointment with the GP tomorrow and I am dreading it. It will be more "real". Scared of going and hearing it spelled out. Don't know what to expect (apart from her disappointment).