Shocked and worried

[Drummer]

I am very sensitive to carbohydrate, so my advice is coloured by that - but as you have a meter you might - with luck find that you can cope with more than I can.
At diagnosis I returned to eating 50 gm of carbs a day as I did Atkins for as long as I could get away with it and found that it controlled my weight.
I would advise not bothering about your weight at all - it will either go away of its own accord or when you begin to feel better you will be running about more and will burn it off - the thing to concentrate on is control of blood glucose levels. I have seen the consequences of uncontrolled diabetes and it is not good at all.
Firstly - carbohydrates are starches and sugars. If you are lucky simply eating smaller amounts will do the trick - but I would advise switching to low carb foods, salads, stirfries, roasted veges so they can provide all the micronutrients you need - small amounts of bread or oats have very little nutrition, and I'd find them very boring.
Secondly what you can eat, and should eat are protein and fats - because contrary to popular belief, fats are essential for good health and wellbeing and they make an excellent fuel source. Type twos in ketosis are as a rule, not about to keel over - if blood glucose levels are normal along with feeling 110 percent energised it is usually a good sign.

 

[Mephistophlillie]

....and just when I was getting my head round things, I've just recieved a letter from the eye screening. I've been told I have background retinopathy. I feel shattered.

 

[Northerner]

....and just when I was getting my head round things, I've just recieved a letter from the eye screening. I've been told I have background retinopathy. I feel shattered.

Don't be concerned, this is very common. It doesn't affect your sight, and can come and go - it's more than possible that when you go for your next scan it will be clear 🙂 They are very quick to act on anything that needs more urgent attention, so unless you get called in for an earlier appointment then there is nothing to trouble yourself with 🙂 I've said time and again on this forum that they really ought to word these letters better - everyone finds them alarming, unnecessarily so

 

[Mephistophlillie]

Don't be concerned, this is very common. It doesn't affect your sight, and can come and go - it's more than possible that when you go for your next scan it will be clear 🙂 They are very quick to act on anything that needs more urgent attention, so unless you get called in for an earlier appointment then there is nothing to trouble yourself with 🙂 I've said time and again on this forum that they really ought to word these letters better - everyone finds them alarming, unnecessarily so

thanks so much for taking the time to reply - that's very reassuring. The letter says I have to go back in a year - so I hopefully don't have to worry about it too much. Back to the job in hand!

 

[Northerner]

thanks so much for taking the time to reply - that's very reassuring. The letter says I have to go back in a year - so I hopefully don't have to worry about it too much. Back to the job in hand!

No, if it says a year then everything is good. It's not unusual to get background retinopathy on your first scan, as it may be related to the period prior to your diagnosis when your levels would have been elevated. Getting them under control means that things settle down and as I say, it may be gone next year 🙂 Some people get a report of BR every year for decades, but it never actually gets any worse 🙂

 

[DebbieC]

Good morning everyone. My name is Andy, and I was diagnosed with type 2 on Monday of this week. I'm feeling startled and lost in a big new world of information and i have launched myself into a suddedn and dramatic lifestyle change and weight loss plan. I am pleased to hopefully find a community of people to share my new journey with as i feel isolated and secretive to the world around me right now.

Hi and welcome, am mum to T2 son and would like to say hi, and to reassure you have come to right place...I am relatively new here but the support has been amazing... my son has lost 4.5 stone since last September with low carb and got his BG to normal levels... so I am pretty sure the food suggestions on here will help you too. We started on diet but honestly he didn’t need to restrict the healthy stuff...he has reduced or cut out chips, rice, pasta and only has few new potatoes or low carb brown bread occasionally... plus cut out the beer and cider. Please ask for any help even though am also learning, Debbie and James

 

[Mephistophlillie]

Hi and welcome, am mum to T2 son and would like to say hi, and to reassure you have come to right place...I am relatively new here but the support has been amazing... my son has lost 4.5 stone since last September with low carb and got his BG to normal levels... so I am pretty sure the food suggestions on here will help you too. We started on diet but honestly he didn’t need to restrict the healthy stuff...he has reduced or cut out chips, rice, pasta and only has few new potatoes or low carb brown bread occasionally... plus cut out the beer and cider. Please ask for any help even though am also learning, Debbie and James

4.5 stone since September is staggering!!! Wow

 

[Martin9]

Hi @AndyCol
I haven’t much advice to give you that hasn’t been mentioned already above, but if you follow the advice given you should be able to bring your blood sugars into control.
Regards
M.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @AndyCol

you’ve already had some great input and suggestions. Keep us updated with how you are getting on, and keep asking questions - nothing will be considrered too obvious or ‘silly’ 🙂

 

[Lucylemonpip]

Hi, I had my first retinopathy check in January and was shocked to hear I have some retinopathy. I thought that with an HbA1c of 50, it might “just” be okay, but it wasn’t. However, on a good note, it’s minimal, so that’s something if it has to be anything. 🙂 I suppose, looking on the positive side, at least there is now a baseline to compare future test results and the diagnosis reinforces determination to carry on eating healthily, lose weight with low carb eating and to reach and maintain a remission.

 

[Drummer]

My first test detected background retinopathy, second check was normal.

 

[Maz2]

What a shock for you. It came as a terrible shock to a friend of mine who had no idea. \I know lots of people who are diabetic or pre. You have certainly come to the right place for advice. Reading Michael Moseley's books, in my view, is a good idea too. Also "Reverse your Diabetes" by Dr David Cavan. he means keeping better control, not literally "reversing"..

 

[Tee G]

Hi @AndyCol and welcome, Im very new here myself and feel like ive suddenly fallen into a whirl wind of rising issues. Just in the last 9 months am swinging between pre-diabetes and full diabetes, blood pressure is up (currently undergoing monitoring for that) and my Cholesterol has been on quiet the rise too! I have to lose just over a stone in weight and for the first time in my life have to really think about what i eat and consciously take on some extra form of exercise! Like the gardening, walking, climbing up on roofs clearing out gutters, painting/decorating and all the other household chores i do hasnt been enough to keep me free of these issues! Having said all that, im very encouraged by the helpful kind and very knowledgeable people ive found on here, and im sure you too will gain much insight using this community in the coming days/weeks and hopefully months. I have been amazed that all the great tips and info given, and am astounded at their in depth knowledge and good advice and above all, interest and willingness in helping support others, you are not alone. Many hands here to help you. Good luck on this journey, we are walking with you 🙂