• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Ah ah moment

H

HR-Guy

Well-Known Member
Messages
67
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Please share your Ah-ah moment with the board. You know that "something" that you learned that was like really new to you. Some of the information shared may provide jewel to another member.

My moment came when I learned that over sized portions protein (like a steak) can contribute to higher glucose numbers on your next readings. I found myself cutting carbs and consuming too much protein to cover being hungry or maybe for an excuse to eat a bit more. I have found that smaller portions = smaller readings.
 
An Ah Ha moment for me was discovering that meds I take for non Diabetes related issues directly affected my fasting readings raising them even after I had brought down my other readings. I had been doubting my own sanity until then.
 
HR-Guy said:
Please share your Ah-ah moment with the board. You know that "something" that you learned that was like really new to you. Some of the information shared may provide jewel to another member.

My moment came when I learned that over sized portions protein (like a steak) can contribute to higher glucose numbers on your next readings. I found myself cutting carbs and consuming too much protein to cover being hungry or maybe for an excuse to eat a bit more. I have found that smaller portions = smaller readings.
Click to expand...

Great topic for discussion, btw.
 
Mine was realizing that gaining weight in that last 10-15 years before diagnosis was not because I ate **** and was lazy.
All the whole grains and high intensity training where not going to help because I have severe insulin resistance due to PCOS.
LCHF has changed my life for the better.

Edited by moderator for language
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When I discovered I can just take a shot of quick acting whithout food to prevent that nasty feet on the floor effect. My nurse thinks I'm crazy for doing this but she can't argue with my meter/libre.
 
Mine was realising that several of my other health conditions were actually related to poor diabetes control - not just the numb toes and retinal bleeds, but the shoulder problems, trigeminal neuralgia, suspected fibromyalgia, thinning hair, brain fog, fatigue as well. Getting my levels to a good place (with the help of Libre and keto) has reversed/greatly diminished those issues and for the first time in years I actually feel quite well.

I had an elderly GP for a while, who when I saw him about a number of conditions, always said “it’s your diabetes”. We thought it was a poor excuse at the time, just assuming he was cr*p nd didn’t want to investigate my issues, because he’d never refer me. It’s become a long standing saying in our house, whenever someone complains of some ailment - “aha! It’s Mel’s diabetes!!” But maybe he was right after all... :eek::meh:o_O

I still have joint pains, but that’s a congenital issue that I shall happily kick my father for, if I ever find out who he actually is ;)
 
I think I have a few.

One was at my DAFNE-type course (they called it Freedom4Life) where I met some other people who had had type 1 diabetes since childhood. My Ah Ha moment was discovering that the complications I read about are real when I met one young lad with retinopathy and a woman with bad neuropathy. Until then, complications were theoretical but meeting people in the flesh made them real.

Another was learning, not to accept "you're doing fine so everything can stay the same" which was what I got every year (from a different consultant each time) based just in my hB1AC. Through some pushing, so far, I have changed to a pump to make my exercise much much easier and less hypo-prone and I continue to press for a Libre or CGM.

And, finally, realising how lucky I am to have had a fantastic diabetes nurse who encouraged me to do what I want (especially exercise wise) without being afraid and explained the "mechanics" so well that I can, now make my own decisions on how to do something new. Reading, on this forum, about the trials, tribulations and down-right scare-mongering or just ignorance others received from their healthcare team, I realise "acceptance" from my team (my second point) was nothing compared to what I could have experienced.
 
My ah-ha moment came very early on, the night of my diagnosis in fact. I arrived on this forum understanding that I had to reduce my sugar intake, but it was here that I learnt about the significance of carbohydrates affecting blood sugar levels as they are just sugar in disguise!

Edit for a typo.
 
Last edited:
Hotpepper20000 said:
Mine was realizing that gaining weight in that last 10-15 years before diagnosis was not because I ate **** and was lazy.
All the whole grains and high intensity training where not going to help because I have severe insulin resistance due to PCOS.
LCHF has changed my life for the better.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing :)
 
helensaramay said:
I think I have a few.

One was at my DAFNE-type course (they called it Freedom4Life) where I met some other people who had had type 1 diabetes since childhood. My Ah Ha moment was discovering that the complications I read about are real when I met one young lad with retinopathy and a woman with bad neuropathy. Until then, complications were theoretical but meeting people in the flesh made them real.

Another was learning, not to accept "you're doing fine so everything can stay the same" which was what I got every year (from a different consultant each time) based just in my hB1AC. Through some pushing, so far, I have changed to a pump to make my exercise much much easier and less hypo-prone and I continue to press for a Libre or CGM.

And, finally, realising how lucky I am to have had a fantastic diabetes nurse who encouraged me to do what I want (especially exercise wise) without being afraid and explained the "mechanics" so well that I can, now make my own decisions on how to do something new. Reading, on this forum, about the trials, tribulations and down-right scare-mongering or just ignorance others received from their healthcare team, I realise "acceptance" from my team (my second point) was nothing compared to what I could have experienced.
Click to expand...

Helensaramay, thank you for sharing. My primary is as you described, everything is fine with the status quo. Take your meds and I will see you next go around. No, no, no, next go around will be no meds.
 
My ah-ha came when I realised there was no way I wasn't going to be diabetic at some point or other. It runs in my family, I have multiple hereditary auto-immune issues, so par for the course. PCOS, my thyroid, medication and a very stupid hospital dietician who told me to eat about 300% more carbs than I did to lose weight while already morbidly obese... There just was no way around it, with the knowledge I had then. (Read; none!). Feeling guilty or ashamed don't factor into my life on this issue. Knowing what I know now (read; loads more and learning every day!), I got some control going. Good HbA1c. Some weightloss. And self-forgiveness too.
 
xfieldok said:
Big bowl of homemade mushroom soup had my numbers soaring. Next day used a smaller bowl. Barely a blip. Ah ha, portion control!
Click to expand...
On a similar note. Ah ha after getting a set of scales and comparing my bowl of porridge alongside a weighed out RDA portion of the same porridge. It seems my simple bowl of porridge was actually enough for Daddy bear, Mummy bear ,Baby bear and there was also some left for Goldilocks. RDA amounts are actually quite small:):):)
 
helensaramay said:
I think I have a few.

One was at my DAFNE-type course (they called it Freedom4Life) where I met some other people who had had type 1 diabetes since childhood. My Ah Ha moment was discovering that the complications I read about are real when I met one young lad with retinopathy and a woman with bad neuropathy. Until then, complications were theoretical but meeting people in the flesh made them real.

Another was learning, not to accept "you're doing fine so everything can stay the same" which was what I got every year (from a different consultant each time) based just in my hB1AC. Through some pushing, so far, I have changed to a pump to make my exercise much much easier and less hypo-prone and I continue to press for a Libre or CGM.

And, finally, realising how lucky I am to have had a fantastic diabetes nurse who encouraged me to do what I want (especially exercise wise) without being afraid and explained the "mechanics" so well that I can, now make my own decisions on how to do something new. Reading, on this forum, about the trials, tribulations and down-right scare-mongering or just ignorance others received from their healthcare team, I realise "acceptance" from my team (my second point) was nothing compared to what I could have experienced.
Click to expand...


Your posting is powerful, you know what they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing people in person living with the complications can be very motivating to stay on the regiment. My uncle lost his legs due to T2 and seeing him crawl around in the garden or having to call for help to get in house due to the ramp into the home failed. I will skip a meal here and there and say no to pizza to avoid that if I have to.
 
Antje77 said:
When I discovered I can just take a shot of quick acting whithout food to prevent that nasty feet on the floor effect. My nurse thinks I'm crazy for doing this but she can't argue with my meter/libre.
Click to expand...
Must try that!going to bed at 5.3 waking up at 11.3 is getting me down!
 
Ann1982 said:
Must try that!going to bed at 5.3 waking up at 11.3 is getting me down!
Click to expand...
Do you wake up that high or is it after brushing your teeth, making breakfast and feeding the guinea-pigs or whatever it is you do after waking up? I wake up with fine(ish) numbers, but if I don't take insulin before getting out of bed it shoots up like a rocket within the next hour. If you're already high when waking up it could be a problem with your basal (timing or amount) or you could be having dawn phenomenon where your bg suddenly goes up during sleep.
 
I had several. The first was that static cycling took me from 8's to 4's, this is when I dared to dream that I could get normal numbers.

The next was that changing from low GI to LCHF dropped weight / HbA1c for me and made me less hungry.

The next was having to reduce from 3 meals to 2.

The next was OMAD (now 3 to 4 times a week). This got me a 6 pack (I know I only need to loose 2 to 3 kg to make this pronounced).

The next was 2 day fasting.

Still on a journey and loving it....now onto heavy weights, as I am over a niggling arm injury.
 
Reading The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung and realising that all my many attempts at weight loss on low fat/high carb diets in the past were probably the actual reason I continued to gain weight and ultimately get diabetes.
 
Back
Top