New Type 2

[Simon112]

Good evening everyone.
I'm rather new to these diabetes shenanigans. Noted a few symptoms in August, and have been on a whirlwind ride of being poked and prodded ever since. Type 2 confirmed last week.
Here for the support, and to be supportive where I can.
Simon

 

[EmmaL76]

Hi Simon. Welcome. If you can give us some more details there will certainly a lot of support on here. Do you know what you hba1c was at? This is a number. This tells us how far over the diabetes threshold you were at diagnosis. What is your current diet/exercise like? Have you been put on any meds ? Sorry for all the questions but it really helps to get you the best advice. If there is anything in particular you are struggling with somebody will always have the answer on here.. probably not me lol but someone will x

 

[Simon112]

Hi Emma. Thank you for your reply. My hba1c was 112, the doctor sent me straight to a+e. The diabetic nurses have since said he was being dramatic. I am on 2000mg Metformin and 2.5mg of Ramipril a day, plus 300mg Allopurinol for a long standing Gout issue. Prior to seeing a doctor I cut out everything bad, never had a sweet tooth, but cut the cards too. I've lost about 15kg in 6 weeks, but that said I had plenty to lose. My finger prick thing was about 19, but today it was 6.1. I'm stood down from work at the moment due to my diabetes being 'unstable', however I think I'm doing OK. I work out a bit, I love my spin, but haven't quite got the balance right with that, and find myself almost passing out after a good session...

 

[EmmaL76]

Thanks for that, how’s the metformin treating you? Can mess with your tummy a bit in the beginning. 112 is quite high but so many people on here have halved similar scores in a matter of months. Well done with the weight loss that’s amazing and please try not to pass out whilst spinning, good brisk walks and resistance training are great additions and can help with insulin resistance. How many times a day are you testing ? Sounds like your efforts are reflecting on your meter. You have exactly the right attitude which is all you need !

 

[Simon112]

Thanks for that, how’s the metformin treating you? Can mess with your tummy a bit in the beginning. 112 is quite high but so many people on here have halved similar scores in a matter of months. Well done with the weight loss that’s amazing and please try not to pass out whilst spinning, good brisk walks and resistance training are great additions and can help with insulin resistance. How many times a day are you testing ? Sounds like your efforts are reflecting on your meter. You have exactly the right attitude which is all you need !

The Metformin is the gift that keeps on giving. It's been, and continues to be delightful, it really has had an impact on my hunger as well as the more well-known side affects. My blood pressure has always been high, but now with the diagnosis they are looking to bring it down, hence the Ramipril. I have kidney problems as a result of the blood pressure. Hopefully all can be addressed, but it has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. The weight loss wasn't really planned, just a result of the diabetes, so I can't really take the credit. I test my blood on an ad-hoc basis and haven't really been guided to do anything else. The doctor was quite dismissive of persistent testing whilst on the Metformin...

 

[Fizzy66]

The Metformin is the gift that keeps on giving. It's been, and continues to be delightful, it really has had an impact on my hunger as well as the more well-known side affects. My blood pressure has always been high, but now with the diagnosis they are looking to bring it down, hence the Ramipril. I have kidney problems as a result of the blood pressure. Hopefully all can be addressed, but it has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. The weight loss wasn't really planned, just a result of the diabetes, so I can't really take the credit. I test my blood on an ad-hoc basis and haven't really been guided to do anything else. The doctor was quite dismissive of persistent testing whilst on the Metformin...

Hi Simon
I was told it’s important to test at least once a day if you drive.

 

[Simon112]

Hi Simon
I was told it’s important to test at least once a day if you drive.

Hello. It is interesting that there is so much differing advice. On the plus side, it's highly unlikely that I'd have a hypo that would affect my driving.

 

[Drummer]

@Simon112 I just thought that I would mention that eating low carb can reduce blood pressure - several people posted that they had had falls after becoming dizzy, one was rather nasty, on a staircase. You might need to reduce your medication at some point.
Most type twos use their blood glucose monitor to check just before a meal and then two hours later so they can see how their diet is suiting them. I agree that having a hypo or BG low enough to affect driving is unlikely.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Simon112

Sounds like you’ve been going through it a bit with your diagnosis - and that sense of being on the emotional rollercoaster and feeling a bit overwhelmed is pretty common.

Well done on your terrific BG reduction. Sounds like reducing your carb intake has really helped your metabolism cope better with your menu.

Have they measured your cPeptide? From a medically unqualified perspective, it raises an eyebrow that you went from a few symptoms in August to a very high A1c, and then experienced unintentional weight loss.

You look young-ish, maybe in your late 20s or 30s, and this is a pretty classic age to be assumed to be T2 when you might be LADA (a slow onset T1 that can look like T2 to begin with).

Some medics seem to classify people largely on the basis of ‘not being a child’ when T1 and other niche types can occur at any age.

Might be something to bear in mind if your BGs start rising again over the next 6-12 months?

 

[Simon112]

Welcome to the forum @Simon112

Sounds like you’ve been going through it a bit with your diagnosis - and that sense of being on the emotional rollercoaster and feeling a bit overwhelmed is pretty common.

Well done on your terrific BG reduction. Sounds like reducing your carb intake has really helped your metabolism cope better with your menu.

Have they measured your cPeptide? From a medically unqualified perspective, it raises an eyebrow that you went from a few symptoms in August to a very high A1c, and then experienced unintentional weight loss.

You look young-ish, maybe in your late 20s or 30s, and this is a pretty classic age to be assumed to be T2 when you might be LADA (a slow onset T1 that can look like T2 to begin with).

Some medics seem to classify people largely on the basis of ‘not being a child’ when T1 and other niche types can occur at any age.

Might be something to bear in mind if your BGs start rising again over the next 6-12 months?

Hi.
I've got to say a big thank you (blushing, lol). I'm 45! I am really pleased with my figures, but am concerned that it's more the drugs than me. I have cut out so much, but I guess the doubts will remain till the drugs are withdrawn.
It did all come on so fast, which was a concern, I'm just trying to get on with it and see what happens next
I'll be honest, I've had so many tests and only get the results from checking the NHS app and then using Dr Google to see what's what. My GP has been great to a point, as have the nurses, but under the current circumstances I haven't really had a conversation with anyone. The cPeptide is one I haven't heard of, unless that is the same as the antibody test? I have another blood test next week, but I must confess I have no idea why, I'll be asking the when I get there...

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The cPeptide is one I haven't heard of, unless that is the same as the antibody test?

No it’s slightly different. Antibodies can be checked to see if there is an autoimmune element, but they aren’t always very straightforward to interpret, so usually multiple antibodies are looked for to avoid a false negative.

cPeptide is a natural compound that is produced along with your body’s own insulin. It is not present in injected insulins. So by measuring levels of cPeptide, you can see what level of insulin production a person has. In insulin resistant T2 you’s expect this to be high (more insulin produced because the body cannot use it properly), while in LADA and T1 (where beta cells have been killed off by autoimmune attack) you would expect it to be low.

 

[Jenny105]

This is a useful explanation, Thanks I'm expecting ,results to these 2 tests on Monday. My Doc is going to phone to explain the results. Theres been a bit of confusion over what diet I should be following. So I hope clarity will reign on Monday. .