Silkman_Bob
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Dear All,
Firstly I have been very bad and not logged on here for a while so I'm really sorry!! 😡
I just wanted to share with you my story tonight as hopefully some of you T2s will identify it.
Back in Sept 2009 I was a tad under 24 stone and was diagnosed with T2 diabetes as my Hba1c was literally off the scale. I was also diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on statins for my cholestrol. I also had massive mental health problems, probably caused in the main due to my weight and was diagnosed with acute depression just to round things off.
On diagnosis to be honest I lost the plot. I genuinely believed it was a death sentence and for close on 6 months really couldnt get my head round it. As a result I didnt do anything about it and consequently my mental health issues deteriorated to the extent that I was self harming and on the day before my 30th birthday I stupidly took an overdose.
After a short period of reflection after this, it was clear that things could not get any worse. I was a social recluse who other than going to work spent all his time locked away in his room feeling sorry for himself and thinking of every excuse under the sun not to go out and actually do things.
I then decided enough was enough and to at least try to fight back. At first it was simple steps like cutting back on takeaways and fatty foods etc and I managed to lose nearly 4 stone pretty quickly.
At which point I joined my local gym and became addicted not only to the feeling of achievement after each session but also to the feeling that I was actually starting to do something positive.
As the months went on, the scales kept dropping and this fuelled my motivation to keep going. Within 6 months of starting exercising the HbA1C had returned to normal levels albeit with the help of metformin as had my blood pressure and cholestrol.
I then started doing something I never ever thought I would ever do which was running. I signed up for my 1st 10k in Dec 2011, for which some of you guys very kindly sponsored me. I completed it in just over 1hr 20 and literally was in so much pain I couldnt move. But crucially I got the buzz of crossing the finish line. So I started to run more and more. I then did a few half marathons and mid last year was taken off all forms of medication.
I began to do things I could never dream of and this culminated last October when I ran Liverpool Marathon in just over 4 hours - I don't know what I was more wet with at the end - sweat or tears!
My weight had come down to around 10st 7 and I felt amazing to the extent I can't even identify with what was the old me anymore. The only thing (other than pics) I have which convinces me that I was once that person is a very very feint scar from my old self harming and I never want it to disappear as Im so proud of it now even though that may sound a bit wierd!
Anyway, well done if you're still with me and not fallen asleep! The reason I am here tonight is that this morning I was told by my Diabetic Nurse that as far as they were concerned the diabetes had been reversed and that they were removing me from the diabetic register - signal more tears 🙂
I have been on a rollercoaster journey to say the least but today is honestly one of the best days of my life - infact in many ways my second chance starts here.
So, I guess what I am trying to say to all you T2s is don't ever give up trying to beat this, it can be done. Granted I have been very lucky and I am incredibly humbled by this but diabetes can be controlled or in some cases beaten and in many ways is a mental challenge more than anything.
Keep fighting and you will get your reward no matter how alone you feel or hopeless the situation may first appear to be.
Take care
Bob 🙂
Firstly I have been very bad and not logged on here for a while so I'm really sorry!! 😡
I just wanted to share with you my story tonight as hopefully some of you T2s will identify it.
Back in Sept 2009 I was a tad under 24 stone and was diagnosed with T2 diabetes as my Hba1c was literally off the scale. I was also diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on statins for my cholestrol. I also had massive mental health problems, probably caused in the main due to my weight and was diagnosed with acute depression just to round things off.
On diagnosis to be honest I lost the plot. I genuinely believed it was a death sentence and for close on 6 months really couldnt get my head round it. As a result I didnt do anything about it and consequently my mental health issues deteriorated to the extent that I was self harming and on the day before my 30th birthday I stupidly took an overdose.
After a short period of reflection after this, it was clear that things could not get any worse. I was a social recluse who other than going to work spent all his time locked away in his room feeling sorry for himself and thinking of every excuse under the sun not to go out and actually do things.
I then decided enough was enough and to at least try to fight back. At first it was simple steps like cutting back on takeaways and fatty foods etc and I managed to lose nearly 4 stone pretty quickly.
At which point I joined my local gym and became addicted not only to the feeling of achievement after each session but also to the feeling that I was actually starting to do something positive.
As the months went on, the scales kept dropping and this fuelled my motivation to keep going. Within 6 months of starting exercising the HbA1C had returned to normal levels albeit with the help of metformin as had my blood pressure and cholestrol.
I then started doing something I never ever thought I would ever do which was running. I signed up for my 1st 10k in Dec 2011, for which some of you guys very kindly sponsored me. I completed it in just over 1hr 20 and literally was in so much pain I couldnt move. But crucially I got the buzz of crossing the finish line. So I started to run more and more. I then did a few half marathons and mid last year was taken off all forms of medication.
I began to do things I could never dream of and this culminated last October when I ran Liverpool Marathon in just over 4 hours - I don't know what I was more wet with at the end - sweat or tears!
My weight had come down to around 10st 7 and I felt amazing to the extent I can't even identify with what was the old me anymore. The only thing (other than pics) I have which convinces me that I was once that person is a very very feint scar from my old self harming and I never want it to disappear as Im so proud of it now even though that may sound a bit wierd!
Anyway, well done if you're still with me and not fallen asleep! The reason I am here tonight is that this morning I was told by my Diabetic Nurse that as far as they were concerned the diabetes had been reversed and that they were removing me from the diabetic register - signal more tears 🙂
I have been on a rollercoaster journey to say the least but today is honestly one of the best days of my life - infact in many ways my second chance starts here.
So, I guess what I am trying to say to all you T2s is don't ever give up trying to beat this, it can be done. Granted I have been very lucky and I am incredibly humbled by this but diabetes can be controlled or in some cases beaten and in many ways is a mental challenge more than anything.
Keep fighting and you will get your reward no matter how alone you feel or hopeless the situation may first appear to be.
Take care
Bob 🙂
