Thanks for the advice @Prem51. I really appreciate it. Sorry to hear the way things turned out for you early on but hopefully things are much better now?
Many thanks again @Freema, @daisy1 for the extra info and @Prem51. By the look of things the adjustments I need to make are doable (she says) and my GP signed me up for NHS DPP for the next 9 months - anyone doing that?