Some background retinopathy

Rebecca29

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Got my letter yesterday and i cant shake off the scared feeling.
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
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Insulin
Got my letter yesterday and i cant shake off the scared feeling.
Welcome to the forum!
I'd be scared if my letter said that, but I've heard from many people that their result said 'some background retinopathy' but then with the next check it was gone again.
Hope it will be the same for you!

How are you managing your diabetes at the moment? Keeping your numbers as healthy as possible is the best way to prevent damage, but sometimes this is easier said than done.
 

Barry05

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
For 2 or 3 years my eye scans came back with results of having background retinopathy and my blood sugar levels were gradually becoming higher, my reaction at first was that much as you are having.... The nurse kept altering my medications to keep up with it but to no avail....
However upon my last eye scan two months ago, retinopathy wasn't detected, apparently it fluctuates depending on what's in my intake......
Since the good recent result I am more conscious of what goes inside me.......
 

tinmonkey

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I had a similar result 2 years ago.

I went very low carb, did intermittent fasting and lost weight. For the last 2 eye screenings there's been no sign of any eye problems.

Good luck!
 

klogs17

Well-Known Member
Messages
67
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My result in December said the same. Just as scared but another reason to keep managing my diabetes as best I can.
 
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Z_e_u_s

Active Member
Messages
35
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Received same results last December but what I am very confused about is that my Hba1C has gone down consistently since diagnosis (over a year ago) and has been sitting within 'normal' range for almost a year (32 last blood test in September same as previous one in May last year). MySgr app is telling me it has gone down even more since my last check and I can see my insuline tolerance has improved since I see lower numbers than I used to.
I had NO signs of retinopathy when my Hba1C was high (96 at diagnosis) but had neurological damage showing once I started to control it (also had bad neuropathy..now milder but taking ALA and turned to acupuncture for that).
So, at least in my case, being careful and bringing numbers down doesn't necessarily mean keeping troubles away.

As a consolation I am having ice-cream more often ;)

P.S.: I am not encouraging anybody to turn to ice-cream if you don't see rewards for your hard work! I am just stating where I am at right now.
 

TriciaWs

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,727
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
I was told I had a slight bleed in one eye after my last scan, done 2.5 years since the previous one. I was shocked and scared as I'm in remission but I had a chat with someone from the hospital eye screening team who explained the results and said it was probably when my BS was up a bit with an infection and that it was already showing signs of healing.
I've gone back to checking I don't have carb creep and testing more often for a few days.
 

Dark Horse

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,840
Received same results last December but what I am very confused about is that my Hba1C has gone down consistently since diagnosis (over a year ago) and has been sitting within 'normal' range for almost a year (32 last blood test in September same as previous one in May last year). MySgr app is telling me it has gone down even more since my last check and I can see my insuline tolerance has improved since I see lower numbers than I used to.
I had NO signs of retinopathy when my Hba1C was high (96 at diagnosis) but had neurological damage showing once I started to control it (also had bad neuropathy..now milder but taking ALA and turned to acupuncture for that).
So, at least in my case, being careful and bringing numbers down doesn't necessarily mean keeping troubles away.

As a consolation I am having ice-cream more often ;)

P.S.: I am not encouraging anybody to turn to ice-cream if you don't see rewards for your hard work! I am just stating where I am at right now.
A sudden improvement in HbA1c is thought to potentially worsen retinopathy in the short term but reduce it in the longer term. This would be much more significant if the retinopathy was quite advanced to start with. More details here:- http://diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/retinopathyprogression.htm
 
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Ronancastled

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,236
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Not uncommon to be picked up on the first scan post diagnosis, none of us know for sure how high our BG has been nor the length of time prior to diagnosis.
I got the letter but then rang the surgery who are given a more detailed report.
Nurse could tell me there were 2 micro blotches (not technical term) on one eye only.
Anyway, the following year came back all clear after getting my BG in order.
Cause of that I've now gone back to every 2 years instead for scans.
 

Rebecca29

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Ive been diabetic for almost 9 years. I have lost almost 4 stone. nov last year (was hospitalized with covid pneumonia) so eaten small meals as no appetite but still some naughty treats but now its stopped (it helps that i have not like the taste of most bad foods since the hospital)

I have filled my freezer today with cod (no crumbs/skin)

Spouts, broccoli, peas etc

Chicken breasts

Then tuna, sweetcorn, no sugar/salt baked beans, eggs, brown pasta(just to try it as don't eat much pasta), shredded wheat but not sure about milk now as seen some posts saying semi skim is not a good choice (I don't like any other milk).

I also see the diabetic nurse end of feb for bloods and hopefully chat.

I hope i can keep this background for the rest of my life if i cant improve it. Thankyou for reading.
 
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MrsA2

Expert
Messages
5,574
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
, sweetcorn, no sugar/salt baked beans, eggs, brown pasta(just to try it as don't eat much pasta), shredded wheat but not sure about milk now
Both the beans and the shredded wheat are way carbier than the semi skimmed milk.so too is sweetcorn
Have you tested them for their effect in your body? You may find they are too high for you.

Everything else you chose was very good and low carb
 

Rebecca29

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
No not tested them but will this week. Its confusing as lists/recipes UK ones for type2 say its ok to eat in moderation. I guess my blood reading will let me know if I can or not I guess.
 
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Rebecca29

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Once again thankyou for your replies. I'm still anxious alot since my background retinopathy diagnosis. Keeping bg as low as I can I just hope it works and my eyes stay healthy.