Thank you Diabetes!!!

Heretic1

Well-Known Member
Messages
201
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
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Diabetes!
Dear all,

I am but now a very infrequent visitor here (for a number of reasons), but thought I would 'pop in' and perhaps provide a bit of hope for those who are (as I was) terrified, and new to this world when I was 'visited' by Diabetes.

15 months ago as a 51 year old, as part of a fairly routine medical, it was suddenly dropped into the conversation 'oh it looks like you're diabetic' ....arrgghhhhhhhh, I was mortified, I was terrified, I was ashamed, I was bewildered. I was however, overweight, unfit and had an appalling diet. It was the (metaphorical) kick in the goolies I needed to sort myself out.

Fast forward 15 months........

15 months ago, I ate an awful lot of rubbish, bad fats, Takeaways, etc and drank far too much Lager (my downfall). Now my diet is massively improved. I now enjoy the 'good and healthy' food. Loads of salad and veggies, oily fish, eggs, meat .... and in proportion, Carbs!!!! . yes I still enjoy the occasional Kebab, Pizza, Chinese etc, etc..... And (shock horror) a few Beers... Thank you Diabetes for educating me as to what I should be eating / drinking ..... just as every other healthy person should.

15 months ago, I was hypertensive, my cholesterol was 6.5, I was overweight - I was an MI or stroke waiting to happen - probably a lot sooner than I would have liked (with hindsight). Now my BP is absolutely normal (occasionally low) and my Cholesterol is 4 - with all the right ratios and I understand from my ''Q Score" I am not greater risk than anyone else from MI etc.....Thank you Diabetes for help saving me from and early MI etc.

15 months ago, I thought I was 'reasonably fit' for my age.... Ooooooh no I wasn't. I was becoming increasingly sedentary, and growing old 'disgracefully'. My old 'work hard play hard' ethic had descended into play hard only.. Now I am one very fit bunny who (again) loves doing 'phys' - quite frankly I can't get enough of it. Walking, running, spinning, cycling, gym - you name it, I do it!.".........Thank you Diabetes for encouraging me to return to working hard as well as playing hard!

15 months ago, my waist was 42 and my BMI was 33. After all of the above my numbers are 32 and 23 respectively. My only regret is I now have sod all that fits me, but can't believe the clothes I can now get into ....... Thank you Diabetes I'm now in much better physical shape than I was for a number of years (and yes I do wear Lycra - see below)!

Ok - here's the biggy ..... 15 months ago, if someone had suggested doing a 10 or 15 or 20 mile bike ride I would have been sweating and breathing out of my backside within minutes!!! (or even just thinking about it)... Yesterday I did the Ride London 100 event with a team of 6 mates (none of whom know about the label I carry). Yes a full 100 miles on a road bike through London and Surrey. I had a fantastic, thrilling, exhilarating and very enjoyable day (bring on next year) .... and we raised about £4.5k for a small charity to boot. By the end I was a little weary, but by no means exhausted or in pieces, and today I was perfectly fine........Thank you Diabetes for motivating me and giving me my energy, my fitness, and my health back!

Btw, my hba1c for the last 9 months has been 36, now 34 (was 97 on being labelled). Yes I still enjoy a drink or 2, yes I still enjoy the bad things of life (occasionally), but know when to say no (or enough). The advice of good diet and loads of exercise has worked (so far) for me. According to the Practice Nurse I am well and truly 'in remission'. For me the NHS has been brilliant, I can't thank them enough. I am not taking (nor do I want to) ANY medication, nor do I take my position for granted (any more). I genuinely feel I have kicked Diabetes into touch (for the time being)........Thank you Diabetes for bringing me back from the brink of oblivion and the slap in the face I needed. Long may it continue!

Good luck on your journeys, if you want it - you can do it.

P.S. My paternal uncle sadly passed away earlier this year - he was 91 and in reasonably good health to the end. Until last year (just before I too was 'labelled') we had no idea he was diabetic (he too kept it quiet). He couldn't remember how long he had been diabetic it had been that long, but had never needed any medication for it. ....... I hope that bit of his genetics is hereditary.

Mr Heretic! ✌
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
What an amazing journey. You are now officially a Diabetes Hero, well done.
 
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Heretic1

Well-Known Member
Messages
201
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes!
What an amazing journey. You are now officially a Diabetes Hero, well done.

@Guzzler thank you very much for your kind words I am very flattered. As it stands (currently) I don't see myself as diabetic any more given ALL of my 'stats' are well into the 'normal' zone, and I take no medication to achieve that, nor do anything different to what I should have been doing - but acutely aware one day I may well be again. I guess the only thing in my life I do differently is occasionally check my BG levels which are usually 5s and 6s and very occasionally 7s. I see this as no different from checking my BP which again I know many do. Equally I am no hero at all. I'm just doing exactly what I / we should have been doing before T2 visited me! .... I'm now fitter, in better health, stronger than most my age, and my only bug bear is that despite all of this - I'm still officially labelled for life! However that too comes with its benefits. Previously I was told I wasn't entitled to 'well man appointments' because I had one a couple of years ago .... now I get an annual MOT and more besides without even asking!
All I hope is that my post inspires those new to this that you CAN beat this, you CAN feel good about yourself again, and with a bit of effort (and enjoyment) you CAN do things again maybe you thought you never could. Exercise and 'phys' plays such an important of our lives now my wife and I just wish we'd done it sooner. She has a long term cardiac condition lost 2 stone too (and looks amazing for it) and now comes cycling and spinning walking with me routinely ... something I thought she'd never do!! So she too is in a far healthier place than she was! .... another thank you to Diabetes!
Thanks again for your kind words.
 

mariavontrapp

Well-Known Member
Messages
261
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Thank you for this fantastic testimonial! Really inspiring.Could you please commit to writing us another one in a year's time? It will help you to keep on track if you know you're going to be reporting back.
 
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Heretic1

Well-Known Member
Messages
201
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes!
Thank you for this fantastic testimonial! Really inspiring.Could you please commit to writing us another one in a year's time? It will help you to keep on track if you know you're going to be reporting back.

Happy to do so ... though I hope the message will be the same .... well I've already signed up for next years Ride 100 plus London to Brighton and a couple of others in between!
 

Dr Snoddy

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,325
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
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Trolls
Fantastic to hear such an inspiring and encouraging account!!
 
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therower

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,922
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi @Heretic1 . Great attitude and great results.
27 yrs back I was lucky enough to cop for T1.
Similar to you I used my diagnosis in a positive way, it has and still does inspire me to be a better, stronger more knowledgeable person.
Hopefully many will read your post and learn from it.
Officially today's top banana.:):):)
 
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perry1960

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People that moan for no reason
Well done Sir thoroughly inspired me to carry on with my journey with diabetes
 
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Geordie_P

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanks, Heretic: I've been feeling a bit down today coz I had a bad reading and a bad day, but you're quite right: the ball is in our court: we can smash it or miss- it's up to us!
 
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Element137

Well-Known Member
Messages
128
Type of diabetes
Type 2
fantastic journey - really hope our newly diagnosed club members see posts like this - truly inspirational- well done.
 
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Prem51

Expert
Messages
7,393
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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*
Inspirational post for all of us on a similar journey, thanks for posting and congratulations @Heretic1! :)
 
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CherryAA

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,171
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Great news, and so good to see everything working ! well done .
 

Heretic1

Well-Known Member
Messages
201
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes!
Thank you for this fantastic testimonial! Really inspiring.Could you please commit to writing us another one in a year's time? It will help you to keep on track if you know you're going to be reporting back.
I'm still not frequenting this site very much, my choice (and sanity) but thought I would pop back and 'report in' a year on as @mariavontrapp requested.

Just to let you know Maria,

- I'm still not diabetic - my hba1c is 40. Gone up a bit, but still not in the zone - probably cos my diet is now virtually normal. I'm not worried and the nurse I saw a few weeks ago is still amazed.
- my BP is still the same, still normal, and very healthy.
- my BMI is now 26 .... I was literally skin and bone, but now everyone tells me how fit and healthy I look - I think most of it is on my legs - see below.
- and the biggy, again. On Sunday I did the London 100 ride again. It was a bit tougher this year, it only rained for the first 80 miles!!!! And I took 53 minutes off last years time, another amazing experience though, one I would commend. Cycling is a fantastic way of staying fit for those who perhaps have difficulty walking. On Sunday I saw many people of every age, size, ability, fitness etc on a variety of bikes doing this, my advice is if you can, then do it!!!

So a year on. I'm in great shape. I'm faarrrrr more relaxed about things. My diet is still incredibly healthy, and I'm still enjoying what I eat. I'm no carb fiend, but yep, I do eat them, and the occasional slice of cake and biccy as well (cos I can!) but still enjoying being more fit and more healthy than most people of my age ..... long may it continue.

Again - thank you diabetes!

Heretic ✌️
 
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