Prediabetes...right site for help?

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Mitch13

Mitch13

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Hi all, I do hope I'm on the right site to get help from people in the know. 2016 had a sting in it's tail for me. One week before Christmas I was diagnosed with prediabetes. Having been annoyingly unwell for about four years, with my GP treating me like someone with a mental illness, this was almost a relief. I saw the practice nurse for my results and, having ascertained that I knew what a carbohydrate was, she said I'd be tested again in 6 months. The offer was there to attend a clinic for dietary advice but I knew what that advice would be...high in carbs, so I declined. After all, that's what got me here in the first place.
I had asked for the test myself because (this may sound crazy) I had detected a smell of sweetness from my urine and my sweat echoed this. I'd also experienced some loss of sensation in my big toe and nothing would shift my midriff.
I left the office feeling quite positive about being able to turn this around. LCHF was my lifestyle until 6 years ago. I think I found this lifestyle a bit lonely, no one else was eating in this way, and eventually I slipped into a higher carb intake...I'd lost confidence in my choice. Big mistake! It has lead me to ill health and obesity.
The reason I'm writing here is because I've realised I didn't know which questions to ask and now I'm full of questions with no where to go for answers. Prediabetics don't have a clinic to go to.
So, if you've stayed with me to here, thank you. My difficulties are the following:

How can I know if my BG is coming down?
Where do I stand re what the GP can offer as help?
Footcare?
Advice on keeping insulin levels, level, and more.

I really don't know where to go for help. I'm only too aware of what can happen if I don't get this under control. Having worked in a centre for he blind, it was scary how many of them had diabetes. If this is the wrong place to be, does anyone know where I should take my queries?
Thanks to everyone for any help.
Blessings
Mitch13
 
Welcome.
Some areas in the UK are starting courses for people with PreDiabetes.
 
Hi Mitch and welcome. I wish I'd been as proactive as you when I was told I was becoming glucose impaired because I'm now firmly of the opinion that even marginal 'normal' results at that time were masking an underlying problem. My advice to anyone registering with pre-diabetes is to treat it simply as diabetes because it's the only way to get things under control. My Hba1c is now 40 which puts me below the pre-diabetic level of 41 but it means nothing except the fact that if presenting at the doc's today for a test, I'd simply be sent away as being in upper normal limit. And the truth is I'm diabetic and my levels can still spike into double figures with an unwise, high carb meal. Also, it's now known that diabetic complications can still occur in the long term pre-diabetic group.

You seem to know what you need to do and I'd suggest testing. Not fanatically but in order to monitor general trends. The GP won't provide one but it's said the Code Free meter is the cheapest with most reasonable testing strips. Check online for best price.

If you manage to keep your levels preferably below 38-40, you'll be heading off future problems but my advice would be to be personally pro-active. If you can do that you'll find the health benefits follow and you'll avoid the diabetic screening and label which they latch on to in relation to absolutely everything (it seems to me!).

Good luck...down with the carbs and back to the diet that obviously worked for you previously.
 
Hi Mitch , Welcome.
You have come to the right place for support from people who live with diabetes everyday. I agree with Amigo about people dx (diagnosed) with pre diabetes in treating it as Diabetes, tbh I think of pre diabetes like telling a woman that they are a little bit pregnant 🙂.

If your area has a pre diabetes course, I really do advise you to go on it, if as is most likely the promote carbs, well you can do as many of us do, nod and smile 😉.

It's very unlikely you will be provided a glucose meter and test strips, their is no harm in asking , though you'll probably get some funny/odd replies, the real reason in our opinion is £s.
If you can self fund your own the SD Codefree meter has the cheapest testing strips we know of, around £8 for 50 , high street brands cost anything between £15 - £25 for 50 .
You will need to buy more test strips and lancets as the starter kit only provides 10 of each , the measurement we use in the uk is mmol/L and don't forget to claim VAT exemption.
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
By testing before and two hours after meals you will soon learn what certain foods do your BG(blood glucos) levels.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.
 
I meant to say, if you didn't inform the nurse about the loss of sensation in your toe, then it would be a good idea to inform her.
Hopefully it will only be temporary as your BG improves, the nerves may be able to heal. keep an eye on your feet, don't walk around barefoot or just in socks.
 
Hi Mitch, welcome to the group....

I agree with others, treat yourself as though you are D..... If not then surely you will cross the threshold of D before long & besides you will always have that tendency of insulin resistance.

The good news is that diet & exercise will help. In this virtual world you will not be alone in going the LCHF route & even the non low-carbers here appear to consume significantly less carbs than the established guidelines recommend.
 
Ljc said:
I meant to say, if you didn't inform the nurse about the loss of sensation in your toe, then it would be a good idea to inform her.
Hopefully it will only be temporary as your BG improves, the nerves may be able to heal. keep an eye on your feet, don't walk around barefoot or just in socks.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that advice. I phoned for and got an appointment today with the nurse. She checked my blood, which she said was fine and she weighed me. I have lost 3kg since the 2nd December so am a happy bunny. I've also been referred to the prediabetes clinic for ongoing advice.
Very pleased that I came on here.
 
This is good news Mitch.
 
Hi Mitch. Well done for being so proactive and for coming to the best place for support. 5 and a half years ago I was diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance. Determined to take the bull by the horns, I bought a meter, started testing, read some books, increased my activity, watched my carbs and got some control back. I lost 3 stones and felt so much better. I have had a blip following the loss of my mum and a couple of health scares (not related to diabetes). I am back on the trail of trying to lose some of the weight gained and am determined to get control back, I fully agree that you should consider/treat yourself as diabetic. It would only take a small rise in BG to tip the scales after all! Welcome aboard. Good luck and keep coming back here. I lost my way for a while but am so glad I've returned! Katie
 
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