Type 2 diabetic and determined

[ShirlB]

I have had type 2 diabetes for about 8 years but even though I go to all my checkups, I.e. annual diabetic check, blood tests, etc I have never managed to get questions about diet, eating correctly answered, My blood sugars were out of control and my reading were in the 20’s sometimes. The nurse was trying to persuade me to go onto insulin but I was determined to find other solutions. The nurse suggested a free service offered in my county (Notts) called “everyone health”. You get 12 weeks of a free advice and exercise program, the sessions last for 1 1/2 hour, 45 mins of nutrition advice and 45 mins of exercise. All I can say is by following their advice and sticking to the diet advice with a bit more exercise and I have had to stop taking my diabetic tablets as my blood sugars were running too low. I am now determined to reverse my diabetes if that is possible. I’ve only been to 3 sessions so far.

 

[trophywench]

Well - that's much the same advice we give to all our members who are either newly diagnosed or can't understand why their BG isn't 'behaving'. It is successful, isn't it?

Personally I have never understood why the NHS when diagnosing T2 doesn't tell the patients that yes OK we can help you by giving advice and providing access to appropriate drugs - but the other 99.9% is entirely down to them. It's blatantly obvious for a new T1 because the NHS don't live with us and lead our lives and hence can't test our BG, count our carbs or calculate or administer our jabs.

Well done you anyway, keep the good work up for the rest of your life!

 

[Drummer]

I do wish that doctors and nurses would get down to the basic facts about diabetes and just say 'its all about the carbs' when someone is diagnosed - my doctor said absolutely nothing about anything but me being a very bad diabetic. It was just lucky that I have been trying to do low carb eating for decades and simply went back to it from the moment I was diagnosed.
My Hba1c tests came back as no longer diabetic, but no one I spoke to has been at all interested in why - honestly it is just beyond my comprehension.
I feel like getting a tee shirt with 'Its the carbs' printed on it.

 

[ShirlB]

Thanks for your replies and comments. I have now, after four full weeks on the everyonehealth.co.uk program, lost 3 kg. My main focus was not the losing weight though, it was getting my blood sugar under control. I had normal readings for the first two weeks, going to the gym and following the diet but on the third week I couldn’t get to the gym at all. Even though I was still following the diet, my blood sugars went back up. This week I’m back at the gym for at least 2 or 3 sessions and my readings are back down. It leads me to believe that the exercise is more important than the diet. What do you think?

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for your replies and comments. I have now, after four full weeks on the everyonehealth.co.uk program, lost 3 kg. My main focus was not the losing weight though, it was getting my blood sugar under control. I had normal readings for the first two weeks, going to the gym and following the diet but on the third week I couldn’t get to the gym at all. Even though I was still following the diet, my blood sugars went back up. This week I’m back at the gym for at least 2 or 3 sessions and my readings are back down. It leads me to believe that the exercise is more important than the diet. What do you think?

You're doing really well @ShirlB, and it's a great incentive to carry on when you can see the beneficial effect it's having 🙂 The truth is that both diet AND exercise are important. Eating a diet that your body can manage well is the first step, and regular exercise makes your body more sensitive to the insulin your pancreas is producing, so it needs less insulin and keeps your blood sugar levels under better control 🙂 The longer you continue with both, the better things will get! 🙂 Keep us updated on your progress! 🙂

 

[Drummer]

The diet is more important, because that is what will give the most control - exercise failed you when you were unable to go to the gym - but you could have just cut down the carbs and stayed in the normal range.
I am over two years from diagnosis, top end of normal for Hba1c, but the last one was taken when I had a tooth abscess, so am hoping the next one is even more normal. These days I can eat more carbs without elevating blood glucose, but I don't because my insulin is effective, I put on weight so easily, just like when I was younger.