3 months on from diagnosis of type 2

SimonJ 2

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
On the 6th of January 2018 I was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic. My HbA1c was 60. In the last 12 weeks I have been on a low calorie/carb diet. My 29th of March blood test showed my HbA1c was 38. Am I still diabetic? I'm new to this. Not sure what to think.
 

rom35

Well-Known Member
Messages
431
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
First of all - congratulation to this excellent result. 38 in 12 weeks is magic. Second: I'm afraid, that diabetes cannot be cured at this time. In case you change your diet regime and leave the LC, you'll return to bad state. Keep the regime, and you can live as non-diabetes (except of food). Diabetes is the for live partner and you cannot leave her out of the doors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eggs11

archersuz

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,213
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@SimonJ 2 Very well done on that result. 38 is a non-diabetic result but there has been much debate as to whether this means you are reversed or well controlled. Many of us prefer to say well controlled as if we were to eat a high carb meal it would spike us!
Welcome to the forum and I'll tag @daisy1 who will be along to give you some useful information.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joe Public

NewTD2

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,563
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Congratulations on achieving an HBA1c of 38 which is considered "normal" blood glucose level.

WELL DONE!!!

However, once you've been diagnosed diabetic, you're diabetic for life.

So stay in control, never slip, look after yourself daily, to keep diabetes at bay.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joe Public

Ragmar

Well-Known Member
Messages
132
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Unfortunately once you befriended the beetus he'll be with you through thick or thin, sometimes he can be nice and other times down right mean but in the end he's a reminder to stay healthy.

Congrats on the drop! Welcome to the forum.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alison Campbell

SimonJ 2

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks. Not sure I can sustain the low carb diet. It gets a bit boring.
 

archersuz

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,213
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Boring? You need to look at some of the recipes on this site https://www.diabetes.co.uk/recipes/. Hopefully others will be along soon with more links for you.
I do allow myself the occasional treat that isn't as low carb as it should be, but we all deserve a break sometimes!
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks. Not sure I can sustain the low carb diet. It gets a bit boring.

I’ve managed to sustain a low carb diet since my diagnosis 11 months ago. I have found that the diet can be varied. How about joining in on the thread “what have you eaten today” in the low carb sub Forum. Some of us post what we eat each day and share recipes. And I agree with the others, my last three HbA1cs have been mid thirties yet I’m still diabetic, just well controlled or in remission, whilst I maintain low carbs.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/

EDIT to add thread link.
 

SaladDaze

Well-Known Member
Messages
107
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Simon,

Well done on your result.

At least you got to enjoy Christmas and the New Year ;-) I was diagnosed T2 a week or so before you, So no Christmas pud for me!

I had an HbA1c of 12.1% (= 109). I understood that was not good so I put myself on a low carb diet (no medications as yet) and at the end of Jan it was down to 7.0% (= 53) so still a bit above normal range. Doc said to go back in three months, so I'm now waiting for the end of April for my first HbA1c reading after a full 3 months of low carb.

As far as diet is concerned I do love the salads I make and did even before the diagnosis. Also I've started baking loaves of Soul Bread just to satisfy my craving for something a bit stodgy occasonally. I also found a very low carb jam in the supermarket to put on it. Not the best jam but compared to nothing it's wonderful.

To date I've also lost 12 kilos (26 lbs) so far.

I asked my doc whether I should buy a glucose meter and he said no, but I've just bought one anyway because I thought it would be silly to wait until the end of April to find out if things aren't progressing as well as hoped. I did my first finger prick last night. Four tests in total so far, two within normal range the other two just wierd (which I'm going to ignore for now).

Whilst my low carb diet is OK I would like to be able to indulge myself a little occasionally in future if I do get it under control. So my idea is to get myself one of those 'Freestyle Libre' pieces of kit that stick to the skin and take constant readings for 2 weeks. During that period I'll experiment to see how different foods ... and drink ;-) ... affect me, keeping a careful note of what I eat, exercise etc.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I found the high carb diets I was put on soul destroyingly tasteless and really enjoy the foods I can eat - and am determined to go on eating for the foreseeable future.
The meals I am eating now are really indulgent - to add in carbs would not add to my enjoyment at all.
I do know that I can add carbs now - well over a year from diagnosis I seem to have got my metabolism back in balance. but I know that it would be so easy to gain weight if I ate more carbs, so I don't - in fact I am cutting back a bit to try to change my body composition to less fat more muscle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gwynfor16

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@SimonJ 2

Hello Simon and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask questions when you need to and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

Aseiten

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
So never can get undiagnosed? Hmm, I think I’m in denial..
 

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Messages
228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
On the 6th of January 2018 I was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic. My HbA1c was 60. In the last 12 weeks I have been on a low calorie/carb diet. My 29th of March blood test showed my HbA1c was 38. Am I still diabetic? I'm new to this. Not sure what to think.
Congratulations ! that's an excellent result in such a short period of time-well done !
As others have said you can't ever remove the 'diabetic label' but you can live as a well controlled one with normal blood glucose levels. You may find that you can eat an increased amount of carbs as time go by, the sensible thing to do would be gradually increase the amount of carb and test yourself to see what type/how much you can safely tolerate without spiking your BG.

Lots of yummy recipes so it needn't be boring. I went low carb to support my Hubby (who is T2) but I enjoy it so much that I don't think I'd ever revert back to my old ways.:)
 

james11

Well-Known Member
Messages
262
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Well done and keep it up.....its amazing how tasty even a salad can be if u play around and add things u like and u dont miss the carbs too much !
 

adyf

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
On the 6th of January 2018 I was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic. My HbA1c was 60. In the last 12 weeks I have been on a low calorie/carb diet. My 29th of March blood test showed my HbA1c was 38. Am I still diabetic? I'm new to this. Not sure what to think.

Great figures there. I was diagnosed around the same date and have my follow up blood test on the 23rd.
 

smw99

Well-Known Member
Messages
109
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I found the high carb diets I was put on soul destroyingly tasteless and really enjoy the foods I can eat - and am determined to go on eating for the foreseeable future.
The meals I am eating now are really indulgent - to add in carbs would not add to my enjoyment at all.
I do know that I can add carbs now - well over a year from diagnosis I seem to have got my metabolism back in balance. but I know that it would be so easy to gain weight if I ate more carbs, so I don't - in fact I am cutting back a bit to try to change my body composition to less fat more muscle.
I love my food now and if someone told me it had all been a huge mistake and i was never diabetic, I would not give up my low carb diet as I feel fantastic on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJC3

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I had a real blow out dinner tonight - celebrating my birthday with family, leg of lamb, mint sauce and five different veges plus Yorkshire puddings. I thought that I would be seeing quite a high BG level so I checked at just after 1 hour to see if I should be walking home - it was 7.2mmol/l. No worries there then.
I make the Yorkshire puddings, using water and very thick cream instead of milk, three eggs and bread flour - they are invariably light and delicious with crunchy edges.