HelenA21
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hello All,
After a routine Fasting Blood Test result of 7.6 in October 2016, followed by a Glucose Tolerance Test result of 8.5 (before) - 15.4 (after), I was diagnosed as Type 2 at the start of December 2016. My Total Cholesterol result was 6.5 (HDL 1.2, LDL 4.2).
As directed I made an appointment with the Diabetic Nurse, who weighed and measured me, (Weight 14st 5lb, Waist 116 cm), took my urine sample (for kidney function), and set up referrals to have my feet and eyes checked, and to attend a 1 day DESMOND course. She gave me a Low-fat Diet Sheet (2 pages), an information sheet about cholesterol, and a copy of "Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes" published by Diabetes UK (thank goodness!) and said "Come back in a month".
I felt a bit abandoned, so went straight online to this site and have found it very useful. I bought two books: The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes by Gretchen Becker, and Reverse Your Diabetes by Dr David Cavan, both of which I would highly recommend. I also bought a blood glucose monitor and some testing strips. I decided that as the Christmas period was fast approaching, and food-wise it's an unusual and calorie laden time of year, I would only make some small adjustments (i.e. cut back on wine!), but monitor the effect my current diet had on my blood glucose levels, and then start in January with a new diet, loose some weight and increase my exercise levels.
So, that's what I've done. My visit back to the Diabetic Nurse at the start of January confirmed my feet and kidneys are ok, and that I will be given the HbA1c blood test at the end of March. If my result is under 58 I'll continue with diet only, and if it's over then it's on to medication. The DESMOND course was useful, although quite basic (and they'd run out of the resource packs that we were supposed to take away with us), but at least it helped "keep it real", as it would be so easy to go home and forget all about it (no symptoms) until the blood test at the end of March, then on to medication and continue until something awful happens.
I'm following a moderate carbohydrate diet of 150g carbs per day with a max of 80g carbs per meal, and 1,500 calories a day. I'm monitoring my fat intake, and generally go for low fat while ensuring the low fat isn't compensated for with higher sugar, but haven't got any low-fat target. For January I've cut out alcohol completely (Dry January), but will start to drink moderately and within my carb/calorie limit in February and see what impact this has on my blood glucose levels and my willpower re: carbs and calories.
And the results have been very encouraging! Since the start of the month I've lost 9 lbs, I've signed up for a weekly Pilates class (I know I need to do more exercise!), and I'm testing before and 2hrs after each meal. The results shows a range of 6.0 - 7.4 mmol on waking, (in the last two weeks all below 7.0 mmol), a before eating range of 4.8 - 6.4 mmol, and an after range of 5.0 - 8.4 mmol, (mostly under 7.5).
I'm feeling quite pleased by these results, but it is taking a lot of effort to change, track and monitor everything I'm eating! Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up until the end of March when I have my next blood test, by which time I'll have a lot of data about what is and isn't working for me. Hopefully some of it will have become habit and not take so much conscious effort. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks to everyone on this site for all your postings - they've all been very helpful, whether they're about ideas, experience, shared feelings, confusion, anger, medical advice and so on. I'd be interested to know what you think of my efforts and results so far - I know I've got a long way to go.
Best Wishes
Helen
After a routine Fasting Blood Test result of 7.6 in October 2016, followed by a Glucose Tolerance Test result of 8.5 (before) - 15.4 (after), I was diagnosed as Type 2 at the start of December 2016. My Total Cholesterol result was 6.5 (HDL 1.2, LDL 4.2).
As directed I made an appointment with the Diabetic Nurse, who weighed and measured me, (Weight 14st 5lb, Waist 116 cm), took my urine sample (for kidney function), and set up referrals to have my feet and eyes checked, and to attend a 1 day DESMOND course. She gave me a Low-fat Diet Sheet (2 pages), an information sheet about cholesterol, and a copy of "Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes" published by Diabetes UK (thank goodness!) and said "Come back in a month".
I felt a bit abandoned, so went straight online to this site and have found it very useful. I bought two books: The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes by Gretchen Becker, and Reverse Your Diabetes by Dr David Cavan, both of which I would highly recommend. I also bought a blood glucose monitor and some testing strips. I decided that as the Christmas period was fast approaching, and food-wise it's an unusual and calorie laden time of year, I would only make some small adjustments (i.e. cut back on wine!), but monitor the effect my current diet had on my blood glucose levels, and then start in January with a new diet, loose some weight and increase my exercise levels.
So, that's what I've done. My visit back to the Diabetic Nurse at the start of January confirmed my feet and kidneys are ok, and that I will be given the HbA1c blood test at the end of March. If my result is under 58 I'll continue with diet only, and if it's over then it's on to medication. The DESMOND course was useful, although quite basic (and they'd run out of the resource packs that we were supposed to take away with us), but at least it helped "keep it real", as it would be so easy to go home and forget all about it (no symptoms) until the blood test at the end of March, then on to medication and continue until something awful happens.
I'm following a moderate carbohydrate diet of 150g carbs per day with a max of 80g carbs per meal, and 1,500 calories a day. I'm monitoring my fat intake, and generally go for low fat while ensuring the low fat isn't compensated for with higher sugar, but haven't got any low-fat target. For January I've cut out alcohol completely (Dry January), but will start to drink moderately and within my carb/calorie limit in February and see what impact this has on my blood glucose levels and my willpower re: carbs and calories.
And the results have been very encouraging! Since the start of the month I've lost 9 lbs, I've signed up for a weekly Pilates class (I know I need to do more exercise!), and I'm testing before and 2hrs after each meal. The results shows a range of 6.0 - 7.4 mmol on waking, (in the last two weeks all below 7.0 mmol), a before eating range of 4.8 - 6.4 mmol, and an after range of 5.0 - 8.4 mmol, (mostly under 7.5).
I'm feeling quite pleased by these results, but it is taking a lot of effort to change, track and monitor everything I'm eating! Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up until the end of March when I have my next blood test, by which time I'll have a lot of data about what is and isn't working for me. Hopefully some of it will have become habit and not take so much conscious effort. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks to everyone on this site for all your postings - they've all been very helpful, whether they're about ideas, experience, shared feelings, confusion, anger, medical advice and so on. I'd be interested to know what you think of my efforts and results so far - I know I've got a long way to go.
Best Wishes
Helen
