Thank you CatLadyNZ. I must admit I was concerned that I appeared to be glazing over in the consultation as the GP started explaining to me the standard healthy diet. - a version of which I had already been watching on the surgery info screen whilst in the waiting room. Its not as if I'm unaware. I have brought up two children and am an educated type, but have put on a bit of weight round my middle in my 40's. I didn't dare tell her I'd bought a meter and had started to check my fasting and post meal levels! She added that these online forums are self selecting so members are bound to agree with each other and push or maintain that certain diets are effective.
I don't want to get obsessive about checking blood glucose levels. It could be all absorbing. But I think that once I've recognised a pattern, I won't be doing it as often or only at certain times.
Iam still rather partial to fruit and need an occasional blackcurrant fix (with crème fraiche) but slowly getting accustomed to what I can manage without spiking.
Hopefully I can avoid liposuction (as mentioned on a different thread) and try to keep type two at bay. On that score, when I asked the GP if it was inevitable, she said it was worth doing more diet and exercise lifestyle changes to delay a diagnosis, but not to worry as once a diagnosis is made,. I would be in the system for more checking and support and that diet control or medication would be the way forward.
Apparently it's normal for everyone to lose a small amount of muscle mass and gain about 400g of weight each year after the age of 40. The nurse is right in that forums are self selecting, but that doesn't make what we say here inaccurate. I wonder if she thinks the only info about low carbing and self monitoring are anecdotes on forums... when there is a growing body of research evidence supporting these practices. It just hasn't reached a critical mass yet where it would filter out to the GPs and nurses.
I agree with you about obsessive checking of BGs... I only do it when I'm going through a learning phase of getting back on track - a few weeks. Outside those times then I think 1-2 days a month of testing would be enough. Plus on sick days.
I would ignore that liposuction comment... I felt it was totally out of place and tried to tell the person but he wasn't listening, lol. All I would do is low carbing and exercise, and wear something to suck everything in for special occasions
In terms of inevitability of diabetes... I think you can delay it forever... I had my head in the sand so made no changes and got T2. I wish I could go back with what I know now and see if I could prevent T2. Your nurse saw it as an advantage to T2 diagnosis that you would be in the system for more checking and support... well, you are intelligent and motivated enough to give yourself all of that without a T2 diagnosis. Home BG testing and, say, 6 monthly HbA1c is probably all you need to do by way of checking. And an annual blood pressure test - I think everyone should have that. My GPs have always just taken my BP whenever I am there for something else.
