Guess I have Diabetes

[chrisnj]

Saw the GP today for the official follow up to the HbA1c tests a few weeks ago and he's diagnosed me as expected as Type 2 diabetes. I think I freaked him out a bit by how much I already knew (thanks to this website/forum) and by what I'm already doing with my BG testing and BP testing and that through diet already losing 2kgs.

Like a lot of you say he didn't seem that interested in the BG testing but didn't discourage it either. He's sending me on an X-PERT course and for some liver blood tests in a couple of weeks as I have some high numbers in there he wants to monitor.

We debated not going on any drugs but he was very keen I started on Metformin which I've agreed to for now and on 1 x 500mg per day this week increasing to 2 x 500mg per day from next week. I will see how this goes but I want to be on drugs for as little time as possible really and then just try to manage with diet (LCHF)

He also wanted to put me on statins for my Cholesterol and as my BP is high he might want to put me on medication for that but we are monitoring that for now. I flatly refused statins at the moment as I've read too much negative stuff on those and want to see how the diet changes and doing more exercise impact these numbers, likewise with the BP.

Roll on April when I have the next HbA1c test and hopefully much lower results!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Good luck with your liver tests.

With a low carb diet your cholesterol should improve. The total may go up, but hopefully this will be because your HDL has increased. As long as your triglycerides are OK and low, you shouldn't have any cause for concern.

 

[Juliet boxall]

Can anyone help what does honeymoon period mean how long does it last or could it just stay like that .

 

[catapillar]

Can anyone help what does honeymoon period mean how long does it last or could it just stay like that .

You might get more responses if you post your own thread. Or in a thread that is relevant to your question, which this one doesn't seem to be.

Honeymoon period is loose colloquial phrase for the period for when a type 1 diabetic retains some residual insulin production, usually characterised by needing less insulin, or unpredictable insulin requirements or hypos. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease where the immune system kills off insulin producing beta cells, but the kill off of beta cells doesn't happen all at once, it can take some time and starting on insulin can give any remaining beta cells a bit of a rest and give them a bit of a second wind because they don't have to work so hard to desperately try to make insulin. But any remaining beta cells will eventually get killed off.

Do you know whether or not you do actually have residual insulin production? You can have a cpeptide test to tell you that.

If you are experiencing a honeymoon period no one know how long it will last for you. It's different for different people. Nothing is static in type 1 though so it would be wise to just approach it like normal type 1 management - lots of testing to keep tabs on what is going on and let you adjust your insulin as required.

 

[chrisnj]

Wasn't sure if to continue this thread or start a new one but anyway great news. I went for my 3 month HbA1c blood test last week and the results are in, reduced from 84 in January to 48 now in April. My weight has also dropped to 89Kg. To say I'm very pleased is an understatement. I also attribute the majority of the success to the LCHF diet I've been following.

If anyone is in any doubt about the effectiveness of this diet and its hard to see how you could read these forums and not see this, then I can add my endorsement to it. Give it a try for 3 months and you will be amazed.

 

[Prem51]

Great reductions in HbA1c and weight in only 12 weeks @chrisnj! Well done! Keep up the good work and you should be in the non-diabetic range at your next HbA1c test.
It would be good to start a new thread in the 'Success stories and testimonials' forum too, so more people read your story.