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Hi, I'm Paul. Newbie to the forum, which I'm delighted I've found. I'd love to get some feedback or any other comment based on what follows. Thanks SO much to anyone who has time to read this and lend some knowledge/experience. I'm feeling a little bit lost over what seem to me to be fairly basic things. Anyway I'll start with all the info you great guys seem to ask for, then ask a couple of q's...
I'm 56, was diagnosed diabetic (I assume I'm type 2?) about 7 months ago. I got quite sick while travelling last summer, got back to UK and had all sorts of tests including first ever HbA1c which was 61. There was a lot being looked at back then (nothing ongoing and happily everything ok now) so we (Doctor and I) finally came back to blood sugars 8 weeks later when second HbA1c was 45. Diabetic diagnosis was made, no medication. I was due to have another HbA1c early last month but Covid intervened. Doc has just asked me to call back in 3-4 weeks to see about having another one. I was also scheduled for a Desmond day last month which has been rescheduled for September.
I've had a BG finger prick monitor since the start. Around the time of the 45 last year I was averaging about 8-9 before lunch. Since then I've put some exercise back in my routine, lost a few pounds (currently 164lbs) and my BG before lunch has dropped this month to average 5.7, ranging between 4.7 and 6.3. I don't measure BG in a structured way; before lunch just became my routine, most days. When I occasionally do 'before first bite and 2 hours later' I get pretty much the same readings before and after.
What do I eat? A generous bowl of All Bran for brekky every day, with some nuts and seeds thrown in. Then rather than having set meals I have 3 or 4 'portions' throughout the rest of the day. The portions might be rice (riceberry or brown) with tuna, or a veg broth, crispread with mackerel or other fish, quorn with a low carb sauce or just chopped toms, plenty of chicken breast or other white meat, very occasional wholemeal roll. Or some combination of that lot, or something similar. Few cups of tea, unsweetened soy milk with tea and All Bran, plenty of water. Yes I know my diet is really boring, but now I've found this site I'm sure that's going to improve. Anyway, whichever combination of the above I have doesn't seem to make much difference to my readings, which are pretty consistent.
Of course it's a shame I don't have a recent HbA1c. I've not had a conversation about targets with the Doc and it's not clear when that will happen now. Likewise Desmond day is a while off. And time is drifting by... so here I am asking you fine people!
Without this diagnosis I would have said I was in reasonable shape. I'm happy in life. I'm lucky my Diabetes was spotted really, and ok with the diagnosis as it doesn't seem too severe (yet). I have no other health issues or medications (yet). I suppose I'm questioning whether I'm doing enough about my Diabetes diagnosis. Should I have a fixed target? Should I be more worried about it than I am? Should I be cutting back on carbs more than I am? Etc etc.
Any feedback at all is most welcomed. Thank you so much if you made it this far.
I'm 56, was diagnosed diabetic (I assume I'm type 2?) about 7 months ago. I got quite sick while travelling last summer, got back to UK and had all sorts of tests including first ever HbA1c which was 61. There was a lot being looked at back then (nothing ongoing and happily everything ok now) so we (Doctor and I) finally came back to blood sugars 8 weeks later when second HbA1c was 45. Diabetic diagnosis was made, no medication. I was due to have another HbA1c early last month but Covid intervened. Doc has just asked me to call back in 3-4 weeks to see about having another one. I was also scheduled for a Desmond day last month which has been rescheduled for September.
I've had a BG finger prick monitor since the start. Around the time of the 45 last year I was averaging about 8-9 before lunch. Since then I've put some exercise back in my routine, lost a few pounds (currently 164lbs) and my BG before lunch has dropped this month to average 5.7, ranging between 4.7 and 6.3. I don't measure BG in a structured way; before lunch just became my routine, most days. When I occasionally do 'before first bite and 2 hours later' I get pretty much the same readings before and after.
What do I eat? A generous bowl of All Bran for brekky every day, with some nuts and seeds thrown in. Then rather than having set meals I have 3 or 4 'portions' throughout the rest of the day. The portions might be rice (riceberry or brown) with tuna, or a veg broth, crispread with mackerel or other fish, quorn with a low carb sauce or just chopped toms, plenty of chicken breast or other white meat, very occasional wholemeal roll. Or some combination of that lot, or something similar. Few cups of tea, unsweetened soy milk with tea and All Bran, plenty of water. Yes I know my diet is really boring, but now I've found this site I'm sure that's going to improve. Anyway, whichever combination of the above I have doesn't seem to make much difference to my readings, which are pretty consistent.
Of course it's a shame I don't have a recent HbA1c. I've not had a conversation about targets with the Doc and it's not clear when that will happen now. Likewise Desmond day is a while off. And time is drifting by... so here I am asking you fine people!
Without this diagnosis I would have said I was in reasonable shape. I'm happy in life. I'm lucky my Diabetes was spotted really, and ok with the diagnosis as it doesn't seem too severe (yet). I have no other health issues or medications (yet). I suppose I'm questioning whether I'm doing enough about my Diabetes diagnosis. Should I have a fixed target? Should I be more worried about it than I am? Should I be cutting back on carbs more than I am? Etc etc.
Any feedback at all is most welcomed. Thank you so much if you made it this far.