Prediabetes diagnosis

[Lynn1]

See my sig. There's a permanent link in it.

Would you happen to know if some varieties of apples contain more sugar?

 

[Brunneria]

Would you happen to know if some varieties of apples contain more sugar?

Lynn love, I really do worry that you have become obsessed with this.

You are PRE diabetic.
That means that a few dietary changes, increasing the exercise (cycling, swimming, yoga are all great for problem knees) and you have a good chance of avoiding any further problems.

Worriting about minor carb differences between apple varieties is taking it waaaay too far.

Sorry to be so blunt, but several people have suggested this already.
Yet you seem to be getting more and more concerned with the details.
It really isn't necessary.
Your meter is useful to help you spot the big spikes, your problem foods.
Once those are identified, just avoid them and relax.

 

[aqualung]

Lynn I can understand how you are feeling even if you are only pre diabetic. It is confusing and I was also told I was becoming obsessed! At the back of your mind you think "what if I don't cut carbs enough and it develops into diabetes". HOWEVER as time goes on and you can see what you are doing is working (I would ask your GP for an Hba1c at 3 months) you will be more relaxed - I certainly am

 

[Lynn1]

Lynn I can understand how you are feeling even if you are only pre diabetic. It is confusing and I was also told I was becoming obsessed! At the back of your mind you think "what if I don't cut carbs enough and it develops into diabetes". HOWEVER as time goes on and you can see what you are doing is working (I would ask your GP for an Hba1c at 3 months) you will be more relaxed - I certainly am

Thanks. I understand that I am over-reacting, but this news comes at a time when I am extremely fragile for various reasons.

What makes it even more difficult is that, for completely different medical reasons, my mother had a leg amputation which was quite horrendous. Those feelings, however irrational, stay with you.

I was told this news a month ago by my GP and since then have had no personal guidance whatsoever. Even the diabetic workshop hasn't materialised so far and, therefore, felt I should take matters into my own hands. Therefore, the hammer and nut scenario has developed.

The only guidance I've had is from the wonderful people on this forum, and I thank all of them.

 

[jack412]

Thanks. I understand that I am over-reacting, but this news comes at a time when I am extremely fragile for various reasons.

What makes it even more difficult is that, for completely different medical reasons, my mother had a leg amputation which was quite horrendous. Those feelings, however irrational, stay with you.

I was told this news a month ago by my GP and since then have had no personal guidance whatsoever. Even the diabetic workshop hasn't materialised so far and, therefore, felt I should take matters into my own hands. Therefore, the hammer and nut scenario has developed.

The only guidance I've had is from the wonderful people on this forum, and I thank all of them.

I think the hammer / nut for a prediabetic is no wheat product, eat everything else and test with a home blood meter

 

[Toulouse31]

Hi Lynn, just wanted to say i,m newly ??pre diab, and i just yesterday started bg testng with results all over the place . I know exactly how You feel, i,m in limbo until i get back to france tomorrow and will be in house by myself obsessing alone for a week.trying to get up courage to see my gp and convince him something IS vry wrong. Sending you a hug, so glad we both are here. I feel so much better knowing i,m not alone.

 

[Lynn1]

Being on this forum will mean you're never alone. Take care.

 

[AndBreathe]

Lynn - Much as I sympathise with all you have said around your feeling fragile and I can appreciate (though, thankfully not from personal experience) how traumatic observing the aftermath of an amputation would be, creating your own, personal, obsessional over-control isn't good either.

It takes a while to get out heads around allowing our bloods to do what a healthy person's bloods do, but I do urge you to do that.

What is your worst score since testing? When was it (fasting, pre or post meals)? And, what had you actually eaten? Is there anything there that breeches the non-diabetic/diabetic thresholds? if so, list them culprits for consideration.

Please make a list of all your other foods and beverages you haven't tested yet, then rank them into how much you like them. Decide if you want to test them. I would urge you do. Then make a plan to do that.

BUT deciding Granny Smith versus Braeburn is, frankly, unhealthy.

Many, many, many people on here would take your hand off to have the options you do. Don't go so OTT you give yourself an unnecessarily restricted life. Life needs to be lived and enjoyed, not beating into a dark place full of unnecessary barriers.

 

[Lynn1]

Lynn - Much as I sympathise with all you have said around your feeling fragile and I can appreciate (though, thankfully not from personal experience) how traumatic observing the aftermath of an amputation would be, creating your own, personal, obsessional over-control isn't good either.

It takes a while to get out heads around allowing our bloods to do what a healthy person's bloods do, but I do urge you to do that.

What is your worst score since testing? When was it (fasting, pre or post meals)? And, what had you actually eaten? Is there anything there that breeches the non-diabetic/diabetic thresholds? if so, list them culprits for consideration.

Please make a list of all your other foods and beverages you haven't tested yet, then rank them into how much you like them. Decide if you want to test them. I would urge you do. Then make a plan to do that.

BUT deciding Granny Smith versus Braeburn is, frankly, unhealthy.

Many, many, many people on here would take your hand off to have the options you do. Don't go so OTT you give yourself an unnecessarily restricted life. Life needs to be lived and enjoyed, not beating into a dark place full of unnecessary barriers.

My worst score has been 10.7. This was 2 hours after eating a small bowl of pasta.

Really wish I hadn't asked the question about apples now!

 

[AndBreathe]

Well, looks like pasta is a tricky food for you, for now. (I can now tolerate most things, but pasta is still tricky for me.....)

And the next worst food?

At this stage, for you, it's about picking your way through, in small steps.

I think your question about apples illustrates how much you want to kick this into touch, but also maybe highlights a bit of over-enthusiasm. It's not easy getting your head around this stuff.

 

[Lynn1]

Well, looks like pasta is a tricky food for you, for now. (I can now tolerate most things, but pasta is still tricky for me.....)

And the next worst food?

At this stage, for you, it's about picking your way through, in small steps.

I think your question about apples illustrates how much you want to kick this into touch, but also maybe highlights a bit of over-enthusiasm. It's not easy getting your head around this stuff.

It was a Warburton Seeded Thin bread at 9.8 2 hours after. Burgen Soya and Linseed is high, too. Plus anything in breadcrumbs.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It was a Warburton Seeded Thin bread at 9.8 2 hours after. Burgen Soya and Linseed is high, too. Plus anything in breadcrumbs.

How many slices, and did you try testing them more than once or did you just give up on them?

 

[Lynn1]

How many slices, and did you try testing them more than once or did you just give up on them?

Definitely gave up the Thins. Two slices of Burgen bread gave a reading of 8.1 on one occasion. One slice is around 7.1. Both readings were after 2 hrs.

 

[AndBreathe]

It was a Warburton Seeded Thin bread at 9.8 2 hours after. Burgen Soya and Linseed is high, too. Plus anything in breadcrumbs.

So, you have some clues where you may find that trimming portions (1 slice, not 2, perhaps?) could potentially help you, or leaving those foods alone for a little while? Sounds like wheat/grain isn't great for you, for now.

So, how many foods appear to have you over 7.8 at the two hour point, and what are they?

 

[Lynn1]

So, you have some clues where you may find that trimming portions (1 slice, not 2, perhaps?) could potentially help you, or leaving those foods alone for a little while? Sounds like wheat/grain isn't great for you, for now.

So, how many foods appear to have you over 7.8 at the two hour point, and what are they?

Burgen bread, chicken breast in breadcrumbs, porridge (occasionally).

 

[AndBreathe]

Personally, I wouldn't have too much issue with limiting those foods to irregular features of my diet, and perhaps giving pasta a wider berth for the time being. My plan would be, armed with that valuable information, to do as suggested above, and ask for a further HbA1c test in a couple of months.

If your GP/nurse isn't too enthusiastic about another test, suggest to her you have made some dietary changes and you are anxious to understand the impact of them, bearing in mind your pre-diabetic diagnosis, upcoming knee replacement and you avoidance of further steroid treatment. I would like to think he/she wouldn't be difficult about it.

I would also do ad-hoc testing, based on the consumption of any new foods, and maybe occasionally for your next highest foodstuffs.

As you can see; I am trying to persuade you to take modest, measured actions, rather than a all guns blazing.

The statistics for pre-diabetics going on to develop full-blown diabetes are encouraging anyway, but with the knowledge you have been gaining, you must surely be increasing the chances of keeping this at bay, or even backing out of that range.

Please do give it some serious thought, Lynn.

 

[Lynn1]

Personally, I wouldn't have too much issue with limiting those foods to irregular features of my diet, and perhaps giving pasta a wider berth for the time being. My plan would be, armed with that valuable information, to do as suggested above, and ask for a further HbA1c test in a couple of months.

If your GP/nurse isn't too enthusiastic about another test, suggest to her you have made some dietary changes and you are anxious to understand the impact of them, bearing in mind your pre-diabetic diagnosis, upcoming knee replacement and you avoidance of further steroid treatment. I would like to think he/she wouldn't be difficult about it.

I would also do ad-hoc testing, based on the consumption of any new foods, and maybe occasionally for your next highest foodstuffs.

As you can see; I am trying to persuade you to take modest, measured actions, rather than a all guns blazing.

The statistics for pre-diabetics going on to develop full-blown diabetes are encouraging anyway, but with the knowledge you have been gaining, you must surely be increasing the chances of keeping this at bay, or even backing out of that range.

Please do give it some serious thought, Lynn.

Will do. Thanks again.

 

[Lynn1]

Personally, I wouldn't have too much issue with limiting those foods to irregular features of my diet, and perhaps giving pasta a wider berth for the time being. My plan would be, armed with that valuable information, to do as suggested above, and ask for a further HbA1c test in a couple of months.

If your GP/nurse isn't too enthusiastic about another test, suggest to her you have made some dietary changes and you are anxious to understand the impact of them, bearing in mind your pre-diabetic diagnosis, upcoming knee replacement and you avoidance of further steroid treatment. I would like to think he/she wouldn't be difficult about it.

I would also do ad-hoc testing, based on the consumption of any new foods, and maybe occasionally for your next highest foodstuffs.

As you can see; I am trying to persuade you to take modest, measured actions, rather than a all guns blazing.

The statistics for pre-diabetics going on to develop full-blown diabetes are encouraging anyway, but with the knowledge you have been gaining, you must surely be increasing the chances of keeping this at bay, or even backing out of that range.

Please do give it some serious thought, Lynn.

Purely out of interest, can you tell me why my blood glucose level rose between meals? Lunch reading 5.8/6.8, but 3.5 hours later it was 7.0. Could it be I need a mid-afternoon snack, although I wasn't particularly hungry? Honestly, I'm not uptight or anxious about this; just interested!

 

[Bluetit1802]

There is no difference in reality between 6.8 and 7.0 due to meter foibles and other factors. What happened is you stayed the same all afternoon. This maybe because you had fat with your lunch. Fats help to stop rapid spikes and tend to make the rise longer. (A humpback bridge rather than a mountain peak.) The general advice is to have some form of exercise about an hour after eating. This works for some people.

A snack could have made you rise even further, so if you aren't hungry, don't snack.

 

[Lynn1]

There is no difference in reality between 6.8 and 7.0 due to meter foibles and other factors. What happened is you stayed the same all afternoon. This maybe because you had fat with your lunch. Fats help to stop rapid spikes and tend to make the rise longer. (A humpback bridge rather than a mountain peak.) The general advice is to have some form of exercise about an hour after eating. This works for some people.

A snack could have made you rise even further, so if you aren't hungry, don't snack.

Yes, I did! Tried corned beef (of all things!) and then had my yoghurt. Thanks!