- Messages
- 24
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
My journey started late last autumn, when my GP retired and I changed to another practice. My new doctor said that he wanted to take a blood sample to check me out, as I was a new patient and was ‘getting on’ (I was then 61). A week or so later I received a message asking me to come in for a second sample, the glucose was high, 48 mmol/mol. The second HbA1c test confirmed the reading.
Like I suppose many others I started googling, looking to see what I could do, how to get to terms with this new reality. I quickly made all the usual mistakes, searching the supermarket for different kinds of grains, buying wholemeal pasta, brown rice. However, thankfully, I soon discovered the diabetes forum and spent late night hours reading and puzzling about diets, including low carb and keto. It took a while to get to grips with the debates, to think my way through the arguments, but I soon decided low carb was the way forward for me and when I told my GP and said I wanted to measure my blood glucose, he kindly handed me a meter and a prescription for strips. I discussed all this with my wife who (despite initial concerns) has been very supportive and has also gone low carb in solidarity and to lose some weight.
After a few weeks of low carb, we went on a one month family holiday, where I followed a strict regime. Apart from a few days when I felt a bit weak and dizzy (cured by a handful of nuts), I quickly got into the new way of life, ditching carbs, sugars, fruit, eating full fat, loads of greens, avocado, meat, fish and eggs, permitting myself treats of almonds, berries, a glass of red. I didn’t have scales but I could see that I was losing weight, and on return home I found I had dropped from 14 stone to 12 ½ stone! My trousers were falling off and clothes suddenly looked ridiculous on me, huge tent-like shirts and jumpers. My weight has plateaued though over the last couple of months I have pushed it down to 12 stone, and am keeping it off.
After 3 months my GP arranged another blood test and my HbA1c had dropped to 42, I have gone from top end pre diabetic/diabetic to now close to ‘normal’! To my surprise, despite increasing fat in my diet, my doctor also added that my cholesterol readings, which had been at the higher end of ok, are now even more respectable! Other benefits of low carb - I have noticed that my skin looks better and feels smoother (no more spots!) and a pain that I had in my right shoulder that I was told was due to age-related decay now hardly troubles me at all. My only concern is a sporadic itching and burning sensation on the soles of my feet, which started a few years before diagnosis. I hadn’t paid any attention to this, though after reading about diabetes I am wondering if it might be neuropathy. My GP thinks this is unlikely and checked my B12, which is fine, and now suggests I try Canesten antifungal cream.
I think I have been lucky, that early diagnosis has made rising blood sugar easier to turn round, though my moves in the right direction are also due to the sense of support that I gain through reading the stories that so many fellow travellers contribute to the Diabetes Forum. Your experiences give me knowledge, confidence and determination. I know I haven’t beaten diabetes, but I do now have control.
Like I suppose many others I started googling, looking to see what I could do, how to get to terms with this new reality. I quickly made all the usual mistakes, searching the supermarket for different kinds of grains, buying wholemeal pasta, brown rice. However, thankfully, I soon discovered the diabetes forum and spent late night hours reading and puzzling about diets, including low carb and keto. It took a while to get to grips with the debates, to think my way through the arguments, but I soon decided low carb was the way forward for me and when I told my GP and said I wanted to measure my blood glucose, he kindly handed me a meter and a prescription for strips. I discussed all this with my wife who (despite initial concerns) has been very supportive and has also gone low carb in solidarity and to lose some weight.
After a few weeks of low carb, we went on a one month family holiday, where I followed a strict regime. Apart from a few days when I felt a bit weak and dizzy (cured by a handful of nuts), I quickly got into the new way of life, ditching carbs, sugars, fruit, eating full fat, loads of greens, avocado, meat, fish and eggs, permitting myself treats of almonds, berries, a glass of red. I didn’t have scales but I could see that I was losing weight, and on return home I found I had dropped from 14 stone to 12 ½ stone! My trousers were falling off and clothes suddenly looked ridiculous on me, huge tent-like shirts and jumpers. My weight has plateaued though over the last couple of months I have pushed it down to 12 stone, and am keeping it off.
After 3 months my GP arranged another blood test and my HbA1c had dropped to 42, I have gone from top end pre diabetic/diabetic to now close to ‘normal’! To my surprise, despite increasing fat in my diet, my doctor also added that my cholesterol readings, which had been at the higher end of ok, are now even more respectable! Other benefits of low carb - I have noticed that my skin looks better and feels smoother (no more spots!) and a pain that I had in my right shoulder that I was told was due to age-related decay now hardly troubles me at all. My only concern is a sporadic itching and burning sensation on the soles of my feet, which started a few years before diagnosis. I hadn’t paid any attention to this, though after reading about diabetes I am wondering if it might be neuropathy. My GP thinks this is unlikely and checked my B12, which is fine, and now suggests I try Canesten antifungal cream.
I think I have been lucky, that early diagnosis has made rising blood sugar easier to turn round, though my moves in the right direction are also due to the sense of support that I gain through reading the stories that so many fellow travellers contribute to the Diabetes Forum. Your experiences give me knowledge, confidence and determination. I know I haven’t beaten diabetes, but I do now have control.
