Nearly 1 year on...

[smeatons]

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes back in March last year. Back then I was discharged from hospital absolutely petrified, not knowing what I should do and more importantly what I could eat! The only advice I was given was to "eat healthy". Thankfully I have a wonderful (non-diabetic) diabetic nurse at my GPs who I made contact with the following day and she gave me a crash course in life post-diagnosis, gave me a testing kit and sent me on my way.

Then I found this website and forum. At first I freaked out a little bit because I couldn't find anyone posting with numbers as high as mine, but after posting ( viewtopic.php?f=20&t=20118&p=183591#p183591 ) a number of you posted your experiences and provided me with encouragement. After that I didn't feel so alone and at sea. I cant tell you how much that helped me - so thank you all!

I went on the two day course run by the local health authority - didn't find that useful at all and disappointingly found it very patronising. In fact I think the advice I have been given by the NHS has (in general) been terrible and if I followed what they told me to do on eating particularly, I would most probably be in a similar situation to when I was discharged. Thankfully I have educated myself using regular testing before and after meals, working out what I can eat and in what kind of proportions. When I've not been sure about something I have come here and found plenty of ideas and advice.

I don't know if anyone else does this, or indeed if it is medically "correct", but now when I'm looking at new foods, I take a look at the carb content to gauge the overall impact of eating it and the sugar content to see what the "instant hit" element will be... seems to work for me but I'm not endorsing it in any way! But if it is a new food I do test pre- and post- meal so I know if I want to eat it another time whether it really is possible or not.

So, what's changed since March? Well I'm half the man I used to be (lol), my weight has reduced from 122.6kg to 91.5kg - ok, not half but certainly significant - at least I think so (ie. nearly 5 stone in old money).

My H1bac reduced from the 11.9% at diagnosis, to 6.4% in June then 5.7% in September and 5.8% this January - I was expecting this last result to be worse because I have relaxed the rules slightly around my food and it did include the Christmas period... although it really does seem that the long term health risks really do control my short term desire to eat certain foods I would still love to eat a whole diary milk chocolate bar - maybe one day that dream will go away too.

So, what are my plans for the coming year? Well I plan to get my weight down to 72kg which would get my BMI into the green zone and to maintain my H1bac around the 5.7% range.

Why have I told you all this? Two-fold really...

1. To say thank you to you all. Many of you are a real inspiration to me and you share your knowledge of the condition so freely, it is a real benefit to me and no doubt many others.

and 2. I hope my own small success story may help others in some small way to realise that gaining control is possible and when you do it is the greatest feeling going.

best wishes for the new year and thanks again
David

 

[Grazer]

Well done Smeatons! Great result! Perfect example of how to deal with diabetes. Regarding your point below:-
"I don't know if anyone else does this, or indeed if it is medically "correct", but now when I'm looking at new foods, I take a look at the carb content to gauge the overall impact of eating it and the sugar content to see what the "instant hit" element will be... seems to work for me but I'm not endorsing it in any way! But if it is a new food I do test pre- and post- meal so I know if I want to eat it another time whether it really is possible or not."
That's exactly what I, and many others on here, do. Well done again!

 

[Unbeliever]

That is wonderful news Smeatont! Pity most of us have to figure it all out for ourselves and that
in most cases, we have to totally ignore the advice we have been given by the NHS but always good to read of another success story.

Of course, if you can do this so quickly after your diagnosis it probably means that you will be able o maintain these levels and that little damage if any, has been done. CongratulaTions!

 

[chocoholicnomore]

Well done Smeatons

It is so good and encouraging to read a success story like yours. Thank you for sharing it.

I have not had a good day today-bit of comfort eating (4 choc digestives, 8 celebrations and a packet of maltesers ) But coming on to this forum and reading your success story inspires me to try better and not to give in. If I were you I would have had the dairy milk long before now. :twisted:

I really admire your determination and will power. Any chance you can pass some on :lol:

 

[smeatons]

I have not had a good day today-bit of comfort eating (4 choc digestives, 8 celebrations and a packet of maltesers ) But coming on to this forum and reading your success story inspires me to try better and not to give in. If I were you I would have had the dairy milk long before now. :twisted:

I really admire your determination and will power. Any chance you can pass some on :lol:

Oh we all have bad days, that's why this forum is so good! As long as the good days outnumber the bad then it's the right direction I try not to beat myself up about it, what's done is done, you can't change that but if you dwell on it you just get depressed. I prefer to just say that the next day has to be particularly good and then I forget about it.

If you asked me a year ago I would have told you I had no willpower - and indeed I didn't - not sure I do now... my behaviour is more controlled by fear lol. I used to laugh at the re-sealable giant chocolate buttons packs... I mean who would need that facility??? Now whenever I feel the urge to eat something naughty I think about the possibility of losing my eyesight and that usually does the trick. Usually NOT always. I also don't have anything in the house I know I can't resist, such as a white crusty loaf, cakes, custard etc.

There are a couple of things I really struggle with still, one is when I'm staying in a hotel and go down for breakfast. Given my choice is 40g of a cereal such as bran flakes or a cooked breakfast I find it difficult to justifiy the price I'm paying and with everything out on show I always want to have more than I should, like having a yogurt with my cereal. I manage it, but always come away grumpy The other is meals out, particularly if they bring bread before the meal and definately the fact I can't have a pudding!

I also have a number of "cheats" creeping in which I'm now trying to kick.
One of them is eating salted peanuts or cheese when I'm feeling hungry, particularly when my numbers are in the 6-10 range. They might be good on the carb front, but by every other measure they are a big failure.

The other is eating two chunks of diary milk when my numbers go below 4 since it is the only time I can get away with eating some. I've come across Jordans Country Crisp Chocolate cereal which seems to be better for me in getting a chocolate fix although it is 70% dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate. I'll see how that goes.

So you see, we all have our battles to fight but in the main I feel I'm winning the war - I hope you do too because it really is worth it.

David

 

[Grazer]

Hi David! Just wanted to comment on a couple of the points you raised.

With regards to breakfasts in a hotel - there is no contest in my mind! Cooked breakfast all the time! Virtually zero carbs apart from the one slice of brown toast, but a nice feeling start to the day.

Regarding the cheese and nuts - I assume you're concerned about the saturated fats here, and the effect on cholesterol. That is of course your decision, but I have been eating far more cheese as a snack and certainly far more nuts since being diagnosed and my cholesterol level has dropped from over 5 to 3.8! I'm not suggesting that the cheese and nuts have lowered my cholesterol, but they certainly don't seem to have had an adverse affect. I think that the improvement in my general fitness and slight loss of weight which have come from my reduced carbohydrate diet and increased exercise have more than compensated for the nutty snacks. Incidentally, walnuts are one of the best that's you can have - one article actually said that they can be useful in lowering blood glucose! Not sure I believe that, but I do eat them by the bucket. I also get through bags of pistachios. I use them as my new chocolate drops in my non-sugar routine.

By the way, if you feel guilty with nuts and cheese, how about my other favourite snack? A cold hard boiled egg with salt. Leave out the salt if that concerns you.

Good luck and stick at it.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Congratulations David a great overall result :clap:

 

[johnboy25744]

good on you Smeatons.
It is really encouraging to read your story. Keep it up and all the best for the future.
John

 

[the east man]

Hi David! Just wanted to comment on a couple of the points you raised.

With regards to breakfasts in a hotel - there is no contest in my mind! Cooked breakfast all the time! Virtually zero carbs apart from the one slice of brown toast, but a nice feeling start to the day.

Regarding the cheese and nuts - I assume you're concerned about the saturated fats here, and the effect on cholesterol. That is of course your decision, but I have been eating far more cheese as a snack and certainly far more nuts since being diagnosed and my cholesterol level has dropped from over 5 to 3.8! I'm not suggesting that the cheese and nuts have lowered my cholesterol, but they certainly don't seem to have had an adverse affect. I think that the improvement in my general fitness and slight loss of weight which have come from my reduced carbohydrate diet and increased exercise have more than compensated for the nutty snacks. Incidentally, walnuts are one of the best that's you can have - one article actually said that they can be useful in lowering blood glucose! Not sure I believe that, but I do eat them by the bucket. I also get through bags of pistachios. I use them as my new chocolate drops in my non-sugar routine.

By the way, if you feel guilty with nuts and cheese, how about my other favourite snack? A cold hard boiled egg with salt. Leave out the salt if that concerns you.

Good luck and stick at it.

excellent results David!! I also agree with Grazer on his point about Cheese and nuts

 

[pms543]

How really encouraging and inspirational!!

Thanks for taking the time to share your journey because it always hits home with sopmeone!!

All the best for the next part of losing weight too

 

[NeilG]

Well done. My experiences are similar to yours. The NHS help has been very variable. I was diagnosed T2 in 2005 and controlled my diabetes with metformin until last year. 2010 was stressful and my morning glucose levels rose. I took a break from work in April 2011. In early June my doctor told me my HABc1 was in the high 10s and I might need to inject - no thanks - he added 2 Vilda Glyptin tablets to my daily tablets. I started a diet with a target of 600 calories a day, but probably around 7-800, with longish fast walks, no cafeine, no starchy food and no processed foods. 3 months later my weight drop was 22.5kg to 101kg (6ft 3"tall) and my HABc1 = 5.6. I have now lost another 6kg and my body fat index is 25.0. I still do not eat any starchy food and want to lose another 6kg and then move what is left around by diet and exercise. I will get my new HABc1 shortly - fingers crossed.

In September I found the notes on the Newcastle study and found the blood readings, weight and body shape changes they gave and mine to be similar. I noted they had reduced their drug intake and would like to do the same and propose discussing this my doctor shortly and suggesting a slow programme of reduction. Has anyone any thoughts on this.

I have been trying to find if the drugs Vilda Glyptin and Metformin do any damage as a side effect but have not found anything on this. I heard one drug described as "it smashs your pancreas up" but I do not know which drug this referred to.

 

[jahusba]

Well done David, thanks for sharing :clap: :clap: :clap:
Jane

 

[Grazer]

Neilg, some drugs work by making the pancreas produce more insulin. It is felt this speeds up the demise of the pancreas. Metformin doesn't work like this, and places no extra load on the pancreas. It is considered a very safe drug and has been used for decades (with different names). So stay on the met unless it disagrees with you. (some people get bad tummy upsets etc!)

 

[smeatons]

Thanks for all the kind words.

With regards to the cheese and peanuts, the reason I'm trying to "kick the habit" is more to do with the amount of calories that come with them. I'm already on a statin so I don't even think about cholesterol
100g of peanuts = 604 calories so isn't too good when you are trying to lose weight. Cheese is somewhat better, but it still works out at about 415 calories per 100g.

NeilG - impressed you managed that diet! I'm working on about 1200 a day. I do keep looking at the Newcastle diet and although I have no problems with the vegetable /soup element of it, I'm not sure I could live on shakes every day.

 

[Ardbeg]

I'm on day 5 of the Newcastle Diet and find it quite easy to stick to so far.

Giving up the booze is far easier for me than giving up the chocolate. I too have a very sweet tooth. I am using Asda's own brand shakes and find them ok actually. I'm having a bowl or two of soup per day, plus a plate of salad too. Probably not drinking as much fluids as I ought to.

On the topic of nuts; walnuts and almonds are best for you; I avoid all the rest

 

[Will]

Ardbeg,

I couldn't find the post you you made just before this one about weight loss and Metformin. This is a reply to that post. Hope that's not confusing.

I lost 9 lbs in week 1, 7 lbs in week 2, 5 lbs in week 3, 4 lbs in week 4, 3 lbs in week 4, 4 lbs in week 5, 3 lbs in week 6, 2lbs in week 7 and 3 lbs in week 8.

When it gets to the low figures it can be disappointing, but it is the law of diminishing returns so don’t expect too much and don’t lose your grip when the figures get smaller. At the end of the day I lost nearly 3 stones and my waist went from 44 inches to 37 inches. You will put a few pounds back on when you finish the diet and eating normally just by filling your system up again. Its very depressing to go up the scales again, even by a small amount. I am 7 pounds heavier after Christmas and I am having a hard time stopping it from increasing further being back on the beer twice a week, but I will do something about it. I have to.

Day 3 is when ketosis kicks in proper and you start to burn fat efficiently, and more importantly, when the pancreas loses enough fat to start to work normally again. That’s the theory anyway. If you stick to the diet, the weight will come off. Zero calorie drinks are fine.

Don’t be too concerned with the scales, just look at your glucose meter and hopefully you will take heart from your results and keep focussed on your health. I was useless at sticking to Metformin (3 x 850mg per day) and my FBG’s were between 8 and 10 mmol/l and my HbA1c was 10.8% in June last year before the diet. Starting the diet it was 8.1, low sixes for the next 4 days, low fives for the next three and mid fours ever since. There was a patch of low fives for a few days when I had a cold. I only test every few days in the morning and after an evening meal. For me, this was a huge turn around. Whether it works for others or not or whether it is permanent or not, time will tell.

Metformin is a medical issue for your GP, but if your measurements are normalising, you probably don’t need it. Try it and see for yourself. There is a small risk of having hypos if you continue. I am no doctor, so please check it out.

You are doing well and seem to be having the success I had. Keep it up, it could change your life.

 

[Ardbeg]

Cheers Will,

Thanks for your prompt reply which is most helpful.

My FBG is definately going in the right direction - from 7+ every morning to circa 6 in only 5 days :shock:

I guess my real concern and therefore my burning question is:

"At what FBG level should I stop taking Metformin?"

Like most Type 2's; my problem has always been keeping my BG below 7. I've never had the opposite problem of not allowing it to drop too low.

What is a too low BG?

What is a satisfactory FBG level and a typical BG level during waking hours?

 

[smeatons]

Diabetes UK suggest that the normal range for a non-diabetic is

3.5–5.5mmol/l before meals
less than 8mmol/l, 2 hours after meals.

(See http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Monitoring/Blood_glucose/Blood_glucose_targets/ )

Most people suggest that a reading of 4.0 or below is hypo territory. Because of the drugs I am on this is something I need to keep an eye out for, but your body usually gives you a good indication when you are there... things like hot sweats, shakes, sometimes go a bit dippy etc Full list of the different types of effects can be found here: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-a-hypo.html Very easy to resolve though

As to when to drop the metformin - I'd talk that over with your doctor/nurse. I _think_ metformin is responsible for a reduction of about 1mmol/l in your numbers.

 

[Ardbeg]

As to when to drop the metformin - I'd talk that over with your doctor/nurse. I _think_ metformin is responsible for a reduction of about 1mmol/l in your numbers.

Thank you.

I never consulted my GP or nurse before starting this diet, as I'm sure he would have agreed anyway. I'll probably stop the Metformin altogether from day 8 onwards and obviously keep a regular eye on my BG levels from now on.

For me, the biggest challenge will come at the end of this 8 week "detox" diet. We all know that maintaining a healthy eating regime thereafter is the key to continued weight stabalisation and acceptable BG levels, BUT, that is much easier said than done. :lol: