Recent diagnoses of type 2

[Dave Harbud]

Hi folks! A couple of weeks ago I got the results of a set of well man blood tests from medicheck, which I'd ordered because I was constantly feeling tired and sick of my GP dismissing it as age (64). There were a number of nasty surprises, principally that my HbA1c was 68.89 mmol/mol - they recommended that I talk to my GP ASAP. After looking at an emailed copy of my blood tests they grudgingly agreed to a telephone appointment with a diabetes nurse on 19th Nov. Apart from moral disapproval, I anticipate a prescription of PE for the rest of my life and stern warnings to lay off the cakes.
I have a family history of type 2 diabetes and I'm obese. I read 'Your simple guide to reversing type 2 diabetes' and they recommend losing 2.5 stone. I've tried the 800 calory crash diet that they recommend in the past and gave it up after a week because it was making me so ill. I have used the 5:2 diet in the past, to go from 17.5 to 15 stone over a year, though I later put it all back on. I think that I can stick to that diet though (frankly this has put the fear of <personal deities/> into me. I've stopped drinking and I'm avoiding sweet stuff (like a lot of heavy drinkers, when I stop, I develop a sweet tooth). I've lost a stone in 3 weeks and would probably have lost more if not for pub lunches - I guess it's soup and salad courses from now on.
In the absence of medical advice, I'm not sure just how much immediate danger I'm in. Am I going to need meds? Should I be monitoring my glucose?
The good news is that the regime seems to be bringing my blood pressure down....
....
Actually, I've just spotted the list of links pinned on this sub-forum, so there looks like a lot of useful material to be getting on with

 

[Docb]

Hi @Dave Harbud, and welcome to the forum.

I'll get my hobby horse out of the way first! Anybody who gives an HbA1c to two decimal places needs a good talking to. That level of precision is not justified and your 68.89 should have been quoted as 69.

In terms of immediate danger, can't answer that, but it is safe to say that if you don't do something to get your blood glucose down then risks of getting problems in the longer term are high enough to give you the incentive to work on it.

If you are obese then getting the weight off and keeping it off is a pretty good bet for getting your blood glucose down. Read around the forum and you will find members who have tried all the diets, some who have had amazing success and some who have not. My reading of it is that there is no real consistency in terms of the effectiveness of the different approaches. You have got to find a way that works for you. It does not matter what you call it as long as it works and can be sustained in the long term.

Anyway, read around the forum and the learning zone and get to understand the basics. Come back and ask questions about anything that does not make sense. We will do our best to help.

 

[Leadinglights]

Having a sensible dietary regime which is sustainable for the rest of your life is a much better way to go than the YoYo dieting which you have been doing. If you are going to get your blood glucose levels reduced that has to involve reducing the amount of carbohydrates you have in your meals. High carb foods include bread, cereals, pastry, cakes, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy veg and fruits like bananas and grapes. Basing meals on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, vegetables and salad and fruits like berries with only small portions of those high carb foods will still give you filling tasty meals.
Have a look at the thread What did you eat Yesterday in the food forum for ideas of what Type 2 folk have, bearing in mind some people will be dietary managed and some who also take meds.
Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[trophywench]

Hiya! Don't for a minute imagine you need to instantly eschew all the things mentioned in the previous post and think OMG I'm going to starve - cos you aren't - the crucial thing is to cut down the mount of any/all of em you eat. So if lunch is usually a cow between two mattresses, try half a cow between two halves of mattresses and once you've got used to that, halve the mattresses again. Some people do it at 10% a week - whatever you do anyway, make your goals achievable as this needs to be ongoing. If you are a breakfast cereal monster - try having eg eggs and/or bacon - both protein not carb.

You can and will get there!

 

[Drummer]

hello @Dave Harbud - I'm afraid that some like to make out it is difficult - and then suggest that you do things unconnected to the problem.
If you are an ordinary type two then the problem is carbohydrates, they are the starches and sugars in our diets even the healthy ones. Reducing them should lower blood glucose and allow the metabolism to get back into normal tracks.
I found I had lost a lot of weight without even trying just a few months after diagnosis and starting to avoid high carb foods from that moment on. I was no longer diabetic in 80 days.

 

[Dave Harbud]

Thanks for your advice, everybody.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Dave Harbud

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

How have your family members managed their diabetes? Might there experiences be one of the things that is causing you concern?

Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy. Many forum members later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.

When it comes to managing your diabetes, it’s often best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.

Hopefully by sharing experiences and comparing notes with the friendly folks here, you will be able to find a selection of strategies that work for you. 🙂

 

[Dave Harbud]

My mother put my father onto a low GI diet when he was diagnosed at 70. He was in remission for some years. My mother no longer cooks (and he's of the generation that doesn't) so their diet is now ready meals and pub lunches, but they now eat so little, that his blood sugar is no longer in the diabetic range. He developed dementia a few years ago which the doctors believe is associated with his diabetes. Frankly dementia scares the hell out of me - his advice is 'Don't grow old'.
I have always cooked for myself (and for my partner for the last 35 years). She's vegetarian, so I don't eat a lot of meat and fish. I can see upsets over switching to whole meal pasta etc, but there are work arounds.

 

[Leadinglights]

My mother put my father onto a low GI diet when he was diagnosed at 70. He was in remission for some years. My mother no longer cooks (and he's of the generation that doesn't) so their diet is now ready meals and pub lunches, but they now eat so little, that his blood sugar is no longer in the diabetic range. He developed dementia a few years ago which the doctors believe is associated with his diabetes. Frankly dementia scares the hell out of me - his advice is 'Don't grow old'.
I have always cooked for myself (and for my partner for the last 35 years). She's vegetarian, so I don't eat a lot of meat and fish. I can see upsets over switching to whole meal pasta etc, but there are work arounds.

There is a misapprehension that wholemeal versions are better, they have the same carbs as white versions but the glucose is released a bit slower in some people. However black bean or edamame bean pasta is much lower in carbs than standard pasta so may be an alternative for you.
I certainly agree with the advise Don't grow old.

 

[Docb]

Echo @Leadinglights comment about the notion that wholemeal versions are no better than the other. My solution with pasta was to swap the portions round.... used to have a lot of pasta with a bit of ragout. Now have a bit of pasta with a lot of ragout.

Oh, and I tend to use spaghetti rather than other forms of pasta because it is much easier to control the portion and if you eat it from a dish rather than a plate, you can load the dish with ragout, put the pasta on the top and nobody knows what you have done. And if you chuck some peas in the pasta the illusion that you are eating a regular pasta/ragout dish is complete.

Same with chips... use French Fries. Get a far bigger pile for the same weight spud cut into chip shop chips.

Being a bit sneaky is perfectly acceptable, especially if it means you don't have to change what's in your diet.