New - pre-diabetic

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi, I'm new here. I've been suffering from chronic fatigue, and my GP did a number of tests. Almost everything came back negative except severe vitamin D difficiency and blood sugar right at the top end of the pre diabetic level. I've been given Vitamin D therapy, but not given much advice yet on the pre-diabetes, except advised to lose weight. I did my own research, and the advice on this site made more sense than anything else, so I have switched to a LCHF diet - moderate low carb. My problem is that the ongoing fatigue, cause unknown, makes it impossible to exercise - even walking a few hundred yards is exhausting, and even with LCHF diet I am not losing much weight. Any advice would be appreciated as I am very anxious. Thanks.
 

Freema

Expert
Messages
7,346
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
welcome here Jac25 :)

fine strategy you have chosen , when your levels of vitaminD goes up till normal maybe your fatique will disapear again
too low vitaminD level can cause tiredness and even depression and a bad status in ones bones as well so very good you have found out thay you have a deficiency in that vitamin...
And for your own sake eat it every winter periode the rest of your life .. cause in wintertime it is close to impossible in the nothern hemiphere to get enough vitaminD from the sunlight...

yes the best way to not become fullblown diabetic type 2 is to go low in carbs

avoid all sugars ... and almost all fruits too
 
Last edited:

Jo123

Well-Known Member
Messages
717
Hi welcome!
Sorry to hear you are not feeling good.
Hopefully once your vitamin D level improves that should help.
I was prediabetic and low carbed and have gone to normal BG levels now.
I remember feeling really tired when my BG were high.
Have you bought a monitor? I would do so and test before and after eating and avoid foods that increase my BG levels by more than a couple of points.
If you have weight to lose personally I would cut down on the fat a little to help my weight loss.
 

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
welcome here Jac25 :)

fine strategy you have chosen , when your levels of vitaminD goes up till normal maybe your fatique will disapear again
too low vitaminD level can cause tiredness and even depression and a bad status in ones bones as well so very good you have found out thay you have a deficiency in that vitamin...
And for your own sake eat it every winter periode the rest of your life .. cause in winter time it is close to impossible in the nothern hemiphere to get enough vitaminD from the sunlight...

yes the best way to not become fullblown diabetic type 2 is to go low in carbs

avoid all sugars ... and almost all fruits too

Thanks for the advice, Freema. I'm avoiding all sugars, including those hidden in low fat foods! What an eye-opener when you first start looking closely at ingredients.
 

Freema

Expert
Messages
7,346
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks for the advice, Freema. I'm avoiding all sugars, including those hidden in low fat foods! What an eye-opener when you first start looking closely at ingredients.

yes I even found glucose syrup in cream powder .....???!!!
 

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi welcome!
Sorry to hear you are not feeling good.
Hopefully once your vitamin D level improves that should help.
I was prediabetic and low carbed and have gone to normal BG levels now.
I remember feeling really tired when my BG were high.
Have you bought a monitor? I would do so and test before and after eating and avoid foods that increase my BG levels by more than a couple of points.
If you have weight to lose personally I would cut down on the fat a little to help my weight loss.

Thanks for the advice, I will try reducing fat too. It made me feel better to hear you've got back to normal BG levels - well done - and also that high BG levels can cause fatigue. My GP categorically said pre-diabetes wouldn't make me feel the way I have been, but having read a bit around the subject now, I am convinced it is adding to the chronic fatigue.
 

jonbvn

Well-Known Member
Messages
553
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanks for the advice, Freema. I'm avoiding all sugars, including those hidden in low fat foods! What an eye-opener when you first start looking closely at ingredients.
It is shocking isnt it? All those years we were fooled into thinking the low fat option was the healthy option.

My colleagues at work think i am a bit nuts avoiding bread etc. I am old enough not to care what they think. My body my way!
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Jac25

Hello and welcome to the forum :) Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. In particular it gives a link to the Low Carb Program which you might like to try. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 210,000 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
Reduce your 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 free 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
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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.
 

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It is shocking isnt it? All those years we were fooled into thinking the low fat option was the healthy option.

My colleagues at work think i am a bit nuts avoiding bread etc. I am old enough not to care what they think. My body my way!

Unbelievable. I think the ones that shocked me most were low fat "healthy" yoghurts, and tinned tomatoes with herbs. Why would anyone in their right mind want to add sugar to tomatoes?? Interestingly the 'basic' ranges don't have added sugar.

I'm coming to the conclusion that even if you are lucky enough to escape diabetic linked eyesight problems, you are likely to end up with visual impairment from peering st lists of ingredients in minute print on tinned / packet foods.

I love your 'my body, my way' mantra. I've been off sick the last few weeks so have yet to get my colleagues response to my radical change in diet. I fear the general view will be that my pre-diabetes has been self inflicted by eating too much chocolate.
 

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@Jac25

Hello and welcome to the forum :) Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. In particular it gives a link to the Low Carb Program which you might like to try. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 210,000 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
Reduce your 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 free 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
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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.
Thank you Daisy, much appreciated.
 

callyandy

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,394
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Unbelievable. I think the ones that shocked me most were low fat "healthy" yoghurts, and tinned tomatoes with herbs. Why would anyone in their right mind want to add sugar to tomatoes?? Interestingly the 'basic' ranges don't have added sugar.

I'm coming to the conclusion that even if you are lucky enough to escape diabetic linked eyesight problems, you are likely to end up with visual impairment from peering st lists of ingredients in minute print on tinned / packet foods.

I love your 'my body, my way' mantra. I've been off sick the last few weeks so have yet to get my colleagues response to my radical change in diet. I fear the general view will be that my pre-diabetes has been self inflicted by eating too much chocolate.


If you get "bullied" by that view of "all your own fault", send the culprits our way!, We'll duff them up for you!:D

Seriously, we all know it takes alot of research and, trust to undo years of being spoonfed the low fat diet nonsense.

Regarding your slow weightloss, I've only been LCHF for a few weeks, I'm not seeing a massive change in weight, but my main problem is portion control! It's taking me a while to register when I'm full, Fat does flll you up, I just didn't believe at the beginning.

I've also found the American tool https://cronometer.com has helped, just to give me an idea of the number of carbs and calories I'm taking in a day. If you try it, be patient with the americanisms!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Goodluck, you'll get there.
 

totsy

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,041
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
liars, animal cruelty
Hi and welcome,
i suffer chronic fatigue as part of my m.e and fibro , its awful isn't it? once your sugar levels are lower and vitamin D has risen the fatigue should lessen :)
 

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If you get "bullied" by that view of "all your own fault", send the culprits our way!, We'll duff them up for you!:D

Seriously, we all know it takes alot of research and, trust to undo years of being spoonfed the low fat diet nonsense.

Regarding your slow weightloss, I've only been LCHF for a few weeks, I'm not seeing a massive change in weight, but my main problem is portion control! It's taking me a while to register when I'm full, Fat does flll you up, I just didn't believe at the beginning.

I've also found the American tool https://cronometer.com has helped, just to give me an idea of the number of carbs and calories I'm taking in a day. If you try it, be patient with the americanisms!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Goodluck, you'll get there.

Many thanks - the Americanisms won't worry me as I read so much fiction from the US and Canada that it feels like normal English now. Thanks too for the encouragement- worth it's weight in gold.
 

Jac25

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome,
i suffer chronic fatigue as part of my m.e and fibro , its awful isn't it? once your sugar levels are lower and vitamin D has risen the fatigue should lessen :)

Thank you - so nice to have someone understand that this isn't normal tiredness. I was feeling fed up with waking up in the morning and feeling as if I'd already run the marathon - not that I ever have. Like you I'm also asthmatic - although no excuse for not marathon running, as Paula Radcliffe is asthmatic too! I'll go back to hoping the fatigue at least will go away when I get the blood sugar under control. Thank you for the encouragement, it's appreciated.