One month on, am I doing it right?

[AdeleTurner72]

Hi everyone. So it's now 4 weeks tomorrow since my surprise diagnosis following a routine health check. I'd really like some feedback from you guys about whether I'm on the right track and if there's anything more I can do to get on top of this.
I've cut right back on carbs, mainly eating lean chicken, turkey and fish with lots of veg and salad and only having 2 tablespoons of starchy carbs with my evening meal. I've cut out all refined carbs. I've not had a single chocolate, cake, crisp, takeaway, biscuit or pastry since diagnosis.
I'm continuing to be as active as possible. Walking every day.
I've lost 7lbs in weight.
I've gradually increased my metformin dose up to 1000mg twice a day.
I've got myself a bg meter and some strips and I'm testing before each meal and 2hrs after. I've discovered I can tolerate Quinoa, but not bread of any kind!
I've got a place on a diet advice course, starting next month.
I've had my retinal screening and it's come back clear.
Is there anything else I could or should do to get on top of this? I ask because my first thing in the morning readings are still around 9 or 10. Should they be lower by now? My fasting bg at diagnosis was 17.2, should it have come down more by now? Any feedback greatly appreciated!

 

[trophywench]

IN ONE month you are doing well - so just carry on doing it for now and keep us posted. The increase in Met could well help with the mornings but you have to take and tolerate any increased (or reduced!) dose of it to gauge the full effect.

 

[Bloden]

Well done, Adele, on the weight loss and lifestyle tweaks.😛 Can’t give any advice - just wanted to say “Good for you!”

 

[Mark Parrott]

Sounds like you're doing it right so far, @AdeleTurner72 🙂.

 

[Wirrallass]

Well done for achieving what you have in one month @Adele keep up the good work ~ you're doing everything right. There's not much I can advise you on except be patient ~ Rome wasn't built in a day ~ just continue to keep the carbs low and exercise and you'll find your numbers lowering especially your waking. Good to hear you will be attending a diet programme ~ every little helps on your diabetes journey ~ and very well done on your weight loss too. Take care x

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Well done for achieving what you have in one month @Adele keep up the good work ~ you're doing everything right. There's not much I can advise you on except be patient ~ Rome wasn't built in a day ~ just continue to keep the carbs low and exercise and you'll find your numbers lowering especially your waking. Good to hear you're you will be attending a diet programme ~ every little helps on your diabetes journey ~ and very well done on your weight loss too. Take care x

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate the reassurance. I, perhaps foolishly, thought my bg would come down quicker than this if I was eating very low carb, walking and taking the metformin. Was worried I was missing something. I value the opinions of you guys on here so much, more than the medics, because you have lived with this every day for (in some cases) a long time. Thanks again. I'll keep at it and give you another update at some point!!!😉😉😉

 

[Wirrallass]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate the reassurance. I, perhaps foolishly, thought my bg would come down quicker than this if I was eating very low carb, walking and taking the metformin. Was worried I was missing something. I value the opinions of you guys on here so much, more than the medics, because you have lived with this every day for (in some cases) a long time. Thanks again. I'll keep at it and give you another update at some point!!!😉😉😉

Looking forward to your next update Adele ~ hopefully by then you will have more of a better understanding of your diabetes. Testing before and after your meals will determine what foods you can or cannot tolerate so keep at it. Good luck x

 

[Beck S]

Definitely sounds like you're doing it right! Nice.

It takes time - that's one of the things I've learned. As desperate as you are to get it right down as quick as you can, I think you just have to be patient. I think you're definitely doing the right things though.

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Thank you. I will be patient!

 

[trophywench]

This is a marathon mate - not a sprint!

Remember? Who won that race - the tortoise or the hare?

 

[AdeleTurner72]

This is a marathon mate - not a sprint!

Remember? Who won that race - the tortoise or the hare?

 

[AdeleTurner72]

So very true. I've always been a bit impatient though!!! 😛

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well done on the changes you've made so far - hope your levels come down smoothly (much easier on the eyes than them dropping off a cliff!)

 

[trophywench]

The thing you absolutely need to get your head round though Adele - is that because our body constantly changes whether it's simply getting older, concurrent other illness or injury, the outside weather, stress, excitement, foreign trips with different foods and activities, because there's a R in the month or indeed the moon is in the house of Aquarius whether or not Jupiter aligns with Mars - we all have to do something 'different' to get our BG staying where we want it to be. It's a lifetime job with no pay, no time off, no holidays and we are never allowed to retire either. There's only one way of escaping it - and none of us want that either!

So just get on with it, don't let it depress you, don't whinge about it and for God's sake - look happy!

I'm giggling writing that advice - however damn well true it is.

And that is simply what you have to constantly do with it - look for the amusing bits - with your top half gliding serenely over the lake with your legs paddling like stink under the surface and kicking all the obstacles along the route out of your path!

So I tripped up, landed heavily on my knees and smashed one patella into smithereens - had to be operated on and joined back together with small skewers with fuse wire wrapped round them in a figure of eight ('Transverse wiring') to keep in it place. BG shot up to high 20's, ketones in the 3s for days on end and now nearly 6 weeks later I'm still on 10%+ extra insulin and my BGs are nowhere near under proper control. I fully expect from Thursday when I'm starting physio and onwards from that it will shoot up again cos it's going to be painful. I have to try and stop it cos I'm the only one that can.

What's funny about that?

Well - what happens when most 67 year old ladies pitch forwards and look like they will face plant the ground - they instinctively put their arms/hands out to save themselves just as I did - and land up with horrific gravel rash in their palms and at least one broken wrist. Look at me - no gravel rash and no wrists broken! Brilliant, ain't it!

Why? Cos I fell 'up' a speed bump on a carpark I intended to walk across and because the position of my hands was on the 'down' slope over the hump - my ruddy knees hit first on the 'up' slope! LOL

And nobody can avoid the occasional accident ALL their lives, can they!

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Oh my gosh, that sounds painful. Glad you are still smiling. It is a daily battle isn't it. One of my clients at work is diabetic, she calls it "The Fight Club". I totally agree!!!😱😛

 

[happydog]

As others have said Adele it does take time. I have been on the road for over 5 years now and after a lot of hard work my last HbA1c was 40, not fabulous but good for me. I still can't get the early morning reading down consistently, best has been 6.2 and often it is more like 7.2. However it does come down in the day and all the DN is interested in is my HbA1c. I just do what I can each day and get on with my life ignoring it as much as possible. I think that you have done very well and should feel pleased with yourself. Just keep at it and you will get there. At lease it is a disorder that we can do something about ourselves. Good luck! (And as Trophywench, (an inspirational lady) says keep smiling and relax about it.🙂