My name is Theresa. I’m 63 and 5’7’ and weigh 10 stone. After a number of blood tests my doctor rang to say I had prediabetes. All she said was we’ll test you once a year! That was it! I know this can be controlled or reversed through diet but I wasn’t given any support or help. A statement of fact and that was it. I’m a bit in shock and don’t know what to do next....
What do I do now?
- Thread starter Spy184
- Start Date
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- 18,240
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
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- Insulin
Hi @Spy184 ,
Welcome to the forum.
I'll tag in @daisy1 with an info sheet.
& also a few friendly members to say hi & impart some personal experince with diet managment..
@bulkbiker @Bluetit1802 @Jim Lahey @DCUKMod @Rachox
There are plenty more too.
Hope this helps!
Welcome to the forum.
I'll tag in @daisy1 with an info sheet.
& also a few friendly members to say hi & impart some personal experince with diet managment..
@bulkbiker @Bluetit1802 @Jim Lahey @DCUKMod @Rachox
There are plenty more too.
Hope this helps!
Bluetit1802
Legend
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- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Hi, and welcome.
It is normal for otherwise healthy pre-diabetics to be tested once a year, so nothing unusual in that, but your doctor does seem to have missed out on proper information.
First of all, what was your HbA1c? (the blood test used to give you your diagnosis). If you have no idea, then you need to find out. You can ring the receptionist and ask for a print out of your blood test results. All the information will be on there, including other tests such as cholesterol and lipids. If you live in England your surgery should be putting test results on-line, so you can ask about this and how to register. Knowing all your numbers is important.
Secondly, you would do well to buy yourself a blood glucose meter and plenty of test strips. Beware that test strips vary in price from under £8 to about £30 for 50, so when choosing a meter check the price of the strips before you buy. You only need one meter, but you do need many thousands of strips. A meter will tell you instantly what your food choices are doing to your blood sugar levels, giving you the chance to tweak your diet accordingly. We can help you with this, and advise you on the best way to use them.
Next, I will tag @daisy1 for her excellent information post. Do read it, also read round the forums and the main website where you will find as much information about diabetes as there is. Then ask as many questions as you like.
It is normal for otherwise healthy pre-diabetics to be tested once a year, so nothing unusual in that, but your doctor does seem to have missed out on proper information.
First of all, what was your HbA1c? (the blood test used to give you your diagnosis). If you have no idea, then you need to find out. You can ring the receptionist and ask for a print out of your blood test results. All the information will be on there, including other tests such as cholesterol and lipids. If you live in England your surgery should be putting test results on-line, so you can ask about this and how to register. Knowing all your numbers is important.
Secondly, you would do well to buy yourself a blood glucose meter and plenty of test strips. Beware that test strips vary in price from under £8 to about £30 for 50, so when choosing a meter check the price of the strips before you buy. You only need one meter, but you do need many thousands of strips. A meter will tell you instantly what your food choices are doing to your blood sugar levels, giving you the chance to tweak your diet accordingly. We can help you with this, and advise you on the best way to use them.
Next, I will tag @daisy1 for her excellent information post. Do read it, also read round the forums and the main website where you will find as much information about diabetes as there is. Then ask as many questions as you like.
Guzzler
Master
- Messages
- 10,577
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Hello and welcome to the forum.
Sometimes I think that being given the diagnosis in this way is harder than actually tackling the problem. Never fear, though! You've won the jackpot in joining this forum. Here you will find knowledge and support aplenty.
Have a wander around the forum and ask as many questions as you like.
By the way, you're quite right that the condition can be put into remission or reversed, have a look at the Testimonials and Success Stories part of the forum for the evidence.
Sometimes I think that being given the diagnosis in this way is harder than actually tackling the problem. Never fear, though! You've won the jackpot in joining this forum. Here you will find knowledge and support aplenty.
Have a wander around the forum and ask as many questions as you like.
By the way, you're quite right that the condition can be put into remission or reversed, have a look at the Testimonials and Success Stories part of the forum for the evidence.
Thanks. Not great at technology. When you say ‘I’ll tag in @daisy1’ I’m not sure what that means. I presume there’s some link to the info sheet but I’m not sure what to do! Sorry.
LittleGreyCat
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,249
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
-
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
If you include a user ID with an "@" sign in front like @Spy184 in a message then the user gets an alert.
This is sometimes called tagging.
- Messages
- 18,240
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
I've alerted members to your post, who maybe relevant to your specific question.
They should then see your thread. When they log in..
Don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of what's going on!
Guzzler
Master
- Messages
- 10,577
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Not to worry. You'll soon get the hang of it, if in any doubt at all just ask and the more 'techy' folks will walk you through things. Daisy1 will appear as by magic with her fab intro post which gives all the basics on our condition and links to further reading. She may not post until tomorrow morning but the intro is well worth waiting for.
daisy1
Legend
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- Type of diabetes
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- Tablets (oral)
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- Cruelty towards animals.
@Spy184
Hello Theresa and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 200,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Hello Theresa and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 200,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
- Messages
- 21,889
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Hi and welcome @Spy184
The thing to remember is that you are actually in quite a good place.
Pre-diabetes is the zone between ‘normal’ and an actual diagnosis of diabetes.
Yes, it shows that you have some glucose dysregulation going on. And yes, it means that if you ignore it, you may face health issues down the line.
But it also means that you’ve received a useful heads up that allows you to halt that progression. And believe me when I say that reversing Pre-D is a heck of a lot easier and less drastic than reversing full blown type 2 diabetes. Best to make sensible changes now, and keep an eye on things to prevent slipping into old habits. Rather than let things slide now, and then face a mountain to climb later.
At this stage, info is your friend. Info (your test result numbers), education (this forum and elsewhere, knowing where you are currently getting your carbs from), and a few changes, and you will just move into a new lifestyle that improves your health, rather than wearing it down.
The thing to remember is that you are actually in quite a good place.
Pre-diabetes is the zone between ‘normal’ and an actual diagnosis of diabetes.
Yes, it shows that you have some glucose dysregulation going on. And yes, it means that if you ignore it, you may face health issues down the line.
But it also means that you’ve received a useful heads up that allows you to halt that progression. And believe me when I say that reversing Pre-D is a heck of a lot easier and less drastic than reversing full blown type 2 diabetes. Best to make sensible changes now, and keep an eye on things to prevent slipping into old habits. Rather than let things slide now, and then face a mountain to climb later.
At this stage, info is your friend. Info (your test result numbers), education (this forum and elsewhere, knowing where you are currently getting your carbs from), and a few changes, and you will just move into a new lifestyle that improves your health, rather than wearing it down.
- Messages
- 15,937
- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hi @Spy184 and welcome to the forum. Sorry I didn’t reply yesterday, had a busy day! You’ve certainly come to the right place by joining this forum. I unfortunately didn’t get diagnosed til I was full blown diabetic, however with the help of this forum I have got my blood sugar levels back to normal. As @Bluetit1802 says it would be really useful to know your HbA1c number so you know if you are just into the prediabetic range or at the top, just about to tip into the diabetic range. Low carb eating and the use of a blood glucose meter are definitely your tools to reverse this.
Thank you. I’m sure it will take a while to get my head around the information. In the meantime how many grammes of carbs should I aim for a day (or rather not go over)?
@Spy184
Hello Theresa and welcome to the Forum
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 200,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
Reduce your carbohydrates
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
