Just Diagnosed Pre-Diabetic

[RosieMaxwell]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Rosie, I'm 35 and I live in London.

I was just diagnosed Pre-Diabetic with an HbA1c level of 43. That was on my second test. The first one - approx 2 weeks ago -was at 48. I was just at the start of a complete diet and lifestyle change when I got the 48 result so I believe the improvement is down to the fact that I had started being radically healthier at just the right time.

I'm feeling pretty happy at the moment because I was convinced that results would confirm that I had already developed diabetes. Now I feel like I have some control and can take charge of my life. I would love to join a community of other people trying to do the same thing and learn a little about the kind of foods you guys are eating and the kind of exercise you're all doing.

My weight and BMI are very high so I'm at the beginning of a 2 year process to get down to what people would call a "normal" size and then hopefully take all the things I've learned over that time and apply it to the rest of my life.

If anyone else wants to introduce themselves in this thread, I'd be delighted.

Thanks!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Rosie, I'm 35 and I live in London.

I was just diagnosed Pre-Diabetic with an HbA1c level of 43. That was on my second test. The first one - approx 2 weeks ago -was at 48. I was just at the start of a complete diet and lifestyle change when I got the 48 result so I believe the improvement is down to the fact that I had started being radically healthier at just the right time.

I'm feeling pretty happy at the moment because I was convinced that results would confirm that I had already developed diabetes. Now I feel like I have some control and can take charge of my life. I would love to join a community of other people trying to do the same thing and learn a little about the kind of foods you guys are eating and the kind of exercise you're all doing.

My weight and BMI are very high so I'm at the beginning of a 2 year process to get down to what people would call a "normal" size and then hopefully take all the things I've learned over that time and apply it to the rest of my life.

If anyone else wants to introduce themselves in this thread, I'd be delighted.

Thanks!

Hello!
It is SO empowering, isn't it? Finding you actually have a say, some control over your own health. I'm Jo, Dutch, turning 41 this month, and diabetic since who-knows-when because I suspect it'd been going on for a couple of years before diagnosis, considering the complications and complaints. So another little reason to celebrate: you're heading all that off! No need for you to go down that road. Woo!

Is does mean a complete lifestyle overhaul, but it is worth it, believe me. For me, I started with Low Carb/High Fat and later progressed to Keto and Intermittent Fasting (Fancy way of saying I skip breakfast). It was just a better and easier way for me to control my blood sugars, as with LCHF I kept miscalculating my carb intake, and with Keto I just take as little as possible as a default; no math-mishaps anymore...! So apart from the odd blip, I stick with it. As for excercise, due to some other issues I'm a tiny bit limited there, but I walk a lot on the weekends, usually hauling camera gear. Just so happens that long walks don't raise blood sugars (strenuous activity tends to do that), so that suits me just fine.

This is everything I wish someone'd told me back when i was first diagnosed, it might help you along too. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html

Anyway, welcome, and I hope you'll keep fighting the good fight.
Jo

 

[RosieMaxwell]

Hi!!! Thanks so much for sharing that post. Just devoured it lol.

It is SO empowering and I too am thinking about doing intermittent fasting. I am also cutting my carbs down but a little wary about that because I find I need a small portion of something like couscous a few times a week...

 

[xfieldok]

Welcome! Get yourself a glucose meter and a good number of strips. This will help you see the effect of your meals on your glucose levels. We can help with meters if you want.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi!!! Thanks so much for sharing that post. Just devoured it lol.

It is SO empowering and I too am thinking about doing intermittent fasting. I am also cutting my carbs down but a little wary about that because I find I need a small portion of something like couscous a few times a week...

Need? Are you sure of that term? Technically speaking, a body can exist and flourish with no carbs at all. Carbs are addictive. They trigger the same areas in the brain as hard drugs do, basically... Which is why people who cut down on carbs fast, don't just have carb cravings for a few days, but can actually get something called carb-flu or keto-flu. It's a body going cold turkey and you actually get withdrawal symptoms, aches and pains, dehydration, fatigue... (I went through it a couple of times now). I used to have massive amounts of sugar in my coffee and tea... Now I drink them either black or with some unsugared cream. Your palette and cravings change once you kick the carbs to the curb. If you do feel like you absolutely have to have couscous, try going for portion control AND checking your blood sugars, seeing what effect they have. After all, some people can handle more carbs than others, and who knows... Your insulin resistance/sensitivity might not be all that bad. (I mean, you're still prediabetic after all!). But if it's the odd treat, and you can keep your blood sugars under 8,5 in spite of the carb content... That's the thing: You're unique. So you can figure out with your meter what works for you and what doesn't, and go from there. I eat 20 grams of carbs a day, or less. Usually hover around 10 grams, methinks. But I am quite diabetic and while no longer morbidly obese, I still put on weight fast if I have a cheat near Christmas for instance. My needs are different from yours. So experiment! Be your own guinea pig. (It's actually quite fun, after a while you get good at guesstimating what number'll pop up. )

 

[RosieMaxwell]

Need? Are you sure of that term?

You make an excellent point. It's one of my last little luxuries but I am going to try a few replacements (like cauliflower rice) and see how it goes. I'm a little apprehensive but also excited!

Welcome! Get yourself a glucose meter and a good number of strips. This will help you see the effect of your meals on your glucose levels. We can help with meters if you want.

Hi, it's lovely to meet you! Thanks so much for the tip. I would love to know what kind of meters I should be looking at. Are they expensive? Can I buy one on Amazon? (Is that a silly question???)

 

[Resurgam]

Cous cous a luxury? I can't see any sort of attraction, I'm afraid - we used to be given semolina pudding at school.
I eat a lot of salad and stir fries of low carb vegetables, along with the meat or fish, seafood, eggs, cheese - put cream in my coffee and on the berries I eat a couple of times a week. I usually have under 40 gm of carbs a day.
Watch out if you decide to go really low carb - at your age, I could lose a kg a day when I escaped from the diet regimes my doctor used to insist on and went back to what I still think of as my proper diet.
I went to the Spirit Health website and ordered a Tee 2 meter - but you might like to phone up and ask what their policy is about the definition of diabetic - as VAT is not charged for diabetics. The Tee 2 seems accurate and easy to use - I ordered a good supply of the test sticks and lancets at the same time.

 

[xfieldok]

Hi, it's lovely to meet you!

You too!

Calling @Rachox for her meter link. Personally I use the Tee2.

 

[RosieMaxwell]

I usually have under 40 gm of carbs a day.

This is intriguing. Would you say that’s a good target to aim for if I want to control carbs but not necessarily give them up?

Do you count vegetables in that? Obviously you would count the starchy ones like potatoes etc. but what about say aubergine or squash?

I just calculated that my portion of couscous comes out at 25g ish. I would only have it once a day so the rest of the day I could stay below 40 but if I have to count the carbs of all the veg I eat that might be harder.

 

[Stowbaz]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Rosie, I'm 35 and I live in London.

I was just diagnosed Pre-Diabetic with an HbA1c level of 43. That was on my second test. The first one - approx 2 weeks ago -was at 48. I was just at the start of a complete diet and lifestyle change when I got the 48 result so I believe the improvement is down to the fact that I had started being radically healthier at just the right time.

I'm feeling pretty happy at the moment because I was convinced that results would confirm that I had already developed diabetes. Now I feel like I have some control and can take charge of my life. I would love to join a community of other people trying to do the same thing and learn a little about the kind of foods you guys are eating and the kind of exercise you're all doing.

My weight and BMI are very high so I'm at the beginning of a 2 year process to get down to what people would call a "normal" size and then hopefully take all the things I've learned over that time and apply it to the rest of my life.

If anyone else wants to introduce themselves in this thread, I'd be delighted.

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Rosie, I'm 35 and I live in London.

I was just diagnosed Pre-Diabetic with an HbA1c level of 43. That was on my second test. The first one - approx 2 weeks ago -was at 48. I was just at the start of a complete diet and lifestyle change when I got the 48 result so I believe the improvement is down to the fact that I had started being radically healthier at just the right time.

I'm feeling pretty happy at the moment because I was convinced that results would confirm that I had already developed diabetes. Now I feel like I have some control and can take charge of my life. I would love to join a community of other people trying to do the same thing and learn a little about the kind of foods you guys are eating and the kind of exercise you're all doing.

My weight and BMI are very high so I'm at the beginning of a 2 year process to get down to what people would call a "normal" size and then hopefully take all the things I've learned over that time and apply it to the rest of my life.

If anyone else wants to introduce themselves in this thread, I'd be delighted.

Thanks!

Hi, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes three weeks ago. Since then I’ve started on the Fast800 diet and lost 1st 3lb , so the diet works. Great recipes that are filling and very tasty. Trying to reduce my sugar levels ASAP! Good luck with your diet, they can be difficult to stick to, but this community helps. Well it’s helping me and this is my first post

 

[Stephen Lewis]

Welcome to the club although I hope I am now on my way back to pre-diabetic. At least with everyone on this forum to help, you can enjoy the club and stop the condition getting worse as it did for many of us in the last decades. With a gradually reducing low carb diet - down to between 40 and 50 gms a day over about 6 months - I managed to lose about 45 lbs (that's 3 st. to you guys in the UK) from July 2018 to December 2019. Over the same time I got my A1c down to 6.4 and hoping for another maintained drop at my next quarterly test and I lost 8 in. from my waist.
Set your SMART goal and do all you can to reach the target in the time you have set. Then celebrate with a small bowl of couscous.
What can you do?
1. Test your bg levels after meals to see the affect of different foods and adjust your diet as needed.
2. Exercise. I go to the gym and my bg levels did go up for several months until I used up all the fat around my waist - available for the liver to produce 'emergency' glucose - now my bg goes down and I need an energy boost. Still trying to find something that helps a little. All carb snacks help too much!
3. Bring your carbs down as quickly as you can to the point where you are using fat for energy - existing or in your diet.
4. Keep coming to us in this forum with questions, for support and with help for others. I have had more help here than from all the medical professionals.
Hope this helps and know we are here for you.

 

[Resurgam]

This is intriguing. Would you say that’s a good target to aim for if I want to control carbs but not necessarily give them up?
Do you count vegetables in that? Obviously you would count the starchy ones like potatoes etc. but what about say aubergine or squash?
I just calculated that my portion of couscous comes out at 25g ish. I would only have it once a day so the rest of the day I could stay below 40 but if I have to count the carbs of all the veg I eat that might be harder.

The control of carbs isn't really important - it is the control of the blood glucose levels which matters. We are all different - though we seem to fall into types - some people can eat beans, for instance, without spiking but for me the carbs from legumes seem to push me higher than they should, some people seem able to manage porridge, others rocket up to high levels.
I am one who reacts to all carbs, so all of them are counted. Potatoes do not feature in my diet plan - though I might bite into one to test if they are done, as my husband eats them.

 

[Claireabella]

Hi Rosie.

I was also given the news that I am pre diabetic a couple of days ago. My blood sugar level is 48. I am having another blood test in 3wks and hopefully I can get that down by then. I find this all so confusing. The nurse on the phone told me to cut down on carbs and sugar which I’ve started to do. The keto plan seems a good way to go but eating a lot of fat is so alien to what I’ve had drilled into me at many slimming groups over the years. I need to lose about 11st. My menu today has been.
Breakfast. 3 egg omelette with cheese and peppers
Lunch chicken breast with avocado lettuce, egg,tomato’s and a few seeds on top.
dinner salmon fillet cooked in a little oil,broccoli, kale, squirt of mayonnaise
Handful of blueberries with Greek yogurt
Snack handful of unsalted walnuts.

hoping this is on the right track. I’d love some advice if not and to see other people’s menus.

 

[Stephen Lewis]

Hi Clairebella

As mentioned above we all react differently to the same food so you need to find out what works, and what doesn't work. for you. The only way to do this is to do a blood test after a meal. Usually 1 and/or 2 hours after. For example my bg levels go high with avocado (even though it has so-called good fat), tomatoes and broccoli. I sometimes eat 1 small pack of instant oatmeal for breakfast with fried bacon and eggs and cream on the oatmeal. The total carbs is about 20 gms and my bg stays below 8.0 and down to less than 6.0 after a couple of hours. Other people's bg might go much higher for longer.
From my experience you will gain the most benefit from a significant weight loss on a low carb diet. I was put on statins at the same time as I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic 14 years ago. All my blood cholesterol and other fats are well below normal even though my fat intake is much higher as a proportion of my total diet. If this remains the same on my next test in a few months I am hoping to drop the statins.
You are at the right place for the best information (no diagnoses) and help to get your condition stabilized.

 

[Resurgam]

Hello Clairabella
Apart from my not eating lunch - I don't need to, and probably eating a lot more fat - I have chicken thighs not fillets, your choices seem similar to my own. Having seen how my weight dropped eating the opposite of what is usually advised, and that my blood glucose normalized as well, I think that the usual dietary advice is just plain wrong.

 

[Divia]

Hi Rosie! Alles goed?


I'm a woman, 50 years old, not officially diagnosed as prediabetic, but suspecting it'll happen soon, because I did a blood test at the hospital (annual check-up) a few weeks ago and it showed my fasting blood glucose was 102 mg/dL. I've read on the internet that above 100 is prediabetes. I'm going to see my doctor next week and receive the bad news.

Anyway, I'd like to chime in and tell you I tried to purchase the blood glucose monitor Tee2 on the link given here and it didn't work, because only the UK was available in the list of countries and I'm not in the UK.

I've bought a One Touch Verio, because it was available at a pharmacy where I have a small discount. It all cost me about 65 euros: the monitor, 50 test strips, the needles to put in the "gun" to prick the finger. My discount was only about 3 euros.

Then, I've also called a number for the Accu-Check to order a monitor. I said I wasn't happy with mine. They'll send me a monitor for free! Because they make money out of the consumables (test strips, needles) anyway.

The reason I wasn't happy with mine: all monitors have an error. I'm not happy with any of them.

I take three measures and calculate the average value. But now that I kind of understood the thing, I think, I'll take only one measure. Because the test strips cost about 25 euros for 50.

I used to eat a "healthy diet" of good carbs (veggies, lots of lentils and oatmeal), but the second I read that 102, I've started trying keto.

I think keto as 20g carbs isn't doable all days of the week for me. Somedays, I go higher. But I'm trying not to go too high, like more than 50.

So, I think what I'm doing is called low carb high fat (lchf).

Up to now, my blood sugar is always below 100, averaging 89. But I ate a cheesecake typical from here (46g carbs) yesterday. I wanted to see the difference between my BG (blood glucose) after 2h of a lchf meal and the high carb. Well, enlightening. My BG went up to 128mg/L after the high carb cake! After the other meals, the lchf, it's never above 95! Usually below 90!

So, careful with the couscous. Use a meter to know what rises your BG!

There's one keto food I love more than couscous and the high carb cheesecake: keto microwave bread made with shredded coconut as the "flour". Try it!

I've eaten it with salmon yesterday... best meal ever! Salmon and a little spinach. A sort of hot savory pie.

Good luck in your journey! This diagnoses may be a good thing, after all. You were already changing and you will control your BG! You're getting healthier!

I was super upset when I got my 102. Now, after seeing that it seems I can control my BG if I eat low carb, I'm almost positive about it. It made me change, learn a lot and I'm sure my health will improve.

I recommend the The Diabetes Code book. Amazing info.

Edit to add: the free app chronometer is nice to do the counting for you! It shows macro and micro nutrients. I have to enter lots of the foods I buy here, but once we give it the data, it's ready. Lots of foods are already available to just click on it from food databases. Try it. It's free!

 

[Baz500]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Rosie, I'm 35 and I live in London.

I was just diagnosed Pre-Diabetic with an HbA1c level of 43. That was on my second test. The first one - approx 2 weeks ago -was at 48. I was just at the start of a complete diet and lifestyle change when I got the 48 result so I believe the improvement is down to the fact that I had started being radically healthier at just the right time.

I'm feeling pretty happy at the moment because I was convinced that results would confirm that I had already developed diabetes. Now I feel like I have some control and can take charge of my life. I would love to join a community of other people trying to do the same thing and learn a little about the kind of foods you guys are eating and the kind of exercise you're all doing.

My weight and BMI are very high so I'm at the beginning of a 2 year process to get down to what people would call a "normal" size and then hopefully take all the things I've learned over that time and apply it to the rest of my life.

If anyone else wants to introduce themselves in this thread, I'd be delighted.

Thanks!

Hi Rosie,

You have done brilliantly bringing your HbA1c results down from the dreaded 48mml/l to the very acceptable 43mmol/l. I was in a similar state in September last year, weighing close to 15 stone. At the age of 70, I have always found dieting very hard, but after much research, including some on this site, I embarked on the keto diet. By mid November, my HbA1c had dropped to 44mol/l and I had lost nearly 1 stone in weight. In January, with less weight and a reading of 40mmol/l, my GP put me officially into remission and in February, I was withdrawn from metformin.
I am now 12 and a half stone, and well onto my target of 11 and a quarter.
In addition my blood pressure has dropped by 7mmHg, and my medication for hypertension has just been halved.
For me the Low Carb, (High Fat) diet has been brilliant, with my cholesterol readings being better than they have ever been.

Keep on the good work!
Baz

 

[Rachox]

Thanks for the tag @xfieldok Sorry I was busy yesterday but here’s some info on UK meters for you @RosieMaxwell , and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


Some members have got a free Tee2 by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:


Phone number 0800 8815423



With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free from Home Health which has the cheapest strips available. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go, just bear in mind it seems they are replacing it with the Navii, details below.

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Home Health have recently bought out this one too, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet, links to strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/


I think @DCUKMod has some discount codes for the Navii strips


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[RosieMaxwell]

Ok everyone here is so LOVELY!

I'm a bit scared to buy a meter - don't love the idea of pricking my fingers - but having seen all your posts I've realised that doing it will help me figure out which foods really hurt me and which are ok. I will probs take the plunge... eek.

I should also ask - what kind of exercise is everyone doing? I've never been sporty/athletic so I've started with just walking which has done a good job so far but I will need to up the intensity soon so am thinking of purchasing a Cross trainer. (High impact stuff won't work for me because of other health reasons).

 

[surdoux]

I'm 72, recently diagnosed type 2, I've started walking more, (although I play golf regularly, so get a decent walk) plus got an exercise bike (virtually unused, cheap as chips on ebay) plus got a set of kettlebells (follow a series of exercise on youtube by Chichi Health and fitness, which are great, from beginners up. feel more energised now.