Partner of Type 2

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catlady

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Hi all,
My husband found out April that he was Diabetic (type2) he's been doing really well and has drastically overhauled his diet/lifestyle, lost a lot of weight and got his Hc number down from 99 to 41.
I've joined the forum for some support for myself as I'm really struggling with his diagnosis due to anxiety around health (convinced myself he's going to die)
Hope I find some positivity
 
Hi and welcome.

Firstly, many congratulations to your husband on making the necessary lifestyle changes to effect such an amazing reduction in his HbA1c and lose some weight.

The way I look at the situation is that I am now fitter and slimmer and eat better than I have most of my life and as a result I am actually healthier than I was before my diabetes, so providing I manage it well, like your husband is doing, I truly believe I will live longer and with a better quality of life than I would have done if I hadn't got the diagnosis and made those changes, so I think there is probably less to worry about for your husband now rather than more, because he is actively getting healthier to manage his diabetes well.

You should be incredibly proud of him as many people bury their head in the sand at diagnosis or assume the medication will sort it, but your husband has clearly taken control of the situation and put the effort in to deal with it through lifestyle changes and that has paid off in his fantastic results. Of course maintaining that will be challenging over the rest of his life and we all face challenges at different times which means our diabetes management slips a bit here and there but the important thing is to get back in the wagon as soon after we fall off as we can and find ways of staying on the wagon more easy.
I am sure your support has been instrumental in helping him deal with challenge and the fact that you are here seeking support for yourself shows how much you care! :D
 
Thank you. That's a really refreshing way to look at it. He's doing amazing, I am very proud of him. He's on the lowest dose of metformin, so hoping he continues with this success. My current worry is mainly stemming from his recent diagnosis of macular oedema. He's having some laser and steroid treatment which starts tomorrow... how does everyone cope with the ups and downs?
 
I wonder if his diabetes has gone undiagnosed for quite a while to cause changes in his eyes at this stage or if perhaps the sudden reduction in HbA1c has put a strain on them particularly as his levels were so high at diagnosis and perhaps his eyes had got used to those high levels and the sudden change in BG levels was more than they could cope with. The treatments for damage to the eyes are very effective and I would say that he has probably just been very unlucky to develop problems at this early stage. It will be more important than ever to maintain his good diabetes management to give his eyes every chance of improvement. Unfortunately steroids are notorious for inflating BG levels so he will need to be maybe a little stricter with his diet whilst he is on the steroids. Does he check his BG levels at home to monitor his levels or just rely on his HbA1c blood tests at the GP surgery to keep track of things. If he doesn't self test, I think the majority of people here would recommend it. We see it a bit like driving without a speedometer. You can really know if you are keeping to the speed limit without being able to glance at it and not nice when you get a speeding ticket through the door or high HbA1c result because you haven't been able to keep a closer eye on it.
 
He does monitor at home, but no one has mentioned the steroids might affect his numbers. Dr said what you've said that he's probably been undetected for a while. Fingers crossed they don't get any worse he's only 42 years old. Just feel so panicky about it all
 
Also thank you so much for replying to me. It's really nice to have someone to talk to about it x
 
catlady said:
He does monitor at home, but no one has mentioned the steroids might affect his numbers. Dr said what you've said that he's probably been undetected for a while. Fingers crossed they don't get any worse he's only 42 years old. Just feel so panicky about it all
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Are the steroids quite short term, keeping a watch on blood glucose is a good idea but also on his weight as steroid can cause weight gain. My other half who is not diabetic had a week on IV steroids and oral steroid for 3 months for a Crohn's flare up and has put on a huge amount of weight even though he hasn't really eaten more than before, they made him feel hungry so I suspect he did sneak extra biscuits.
Well done to him for the now normal blood glucose.
 
They are directly injected into his eyes. So not sure what the impact will be
 
Hi catlady it's franthepotter. Just to say first you are amazing for coming on here. Also regarding pessimism ... I don't see it like that in any way at all. I have 4 grandparents and a mother who are all diabetic and they lived long lives and diabetes didn't get them. It's quite genetic and that's mixed in with lifestyles that go with genetics ... so my mum loved making home made jam and i had loads as a kid.
What is just really really a pain is that the world has restaurants and cafes and supermarkets filled with stuff that is what I want to eat and can't. And life is really busy so eating well seems tovtake time. But maybe that's a good thing! I made egg wrapped sushi (no rice) with roasted cauliflower grounds with spinach and cucumber for lunch. My meat and potatoes eating husband wanted sone of my meal. Silver linings ? Anyway apologies for the long post franthepotter
 
Welcome to the forum @catlady

Sorry to hear about your husband’s diagnosis, and the worry ot has caused you. It’s only natural that you should feel anxious, especially with the treatment needed for his eyes - but he is doing brilliantly, and you should feel very proud of how well he is managing his diabetes.

Hopefully the laser will go well, and the injections won’t cause too much disruption of his glucose management. We have quite a few members who have been able to hold the early changes in their eyes steady by keeping their glucose levels as in range as they can, so I hope that’s the case for your husband too.
 
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