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Diabetes Type 2 - Positives

P

peterb999

Member
Messages
24
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi all,

I've always been a glass half full person and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in January 2023 with a 110 reading.
There are so many downsides to having type 2 but to cheer myself up the other day I was trying to think of any positives it has brought to my life.

1. Weight. I was 20 stone and am now 14 stone. This definitely would not have happened had I not been diagnosed.
2. Takeaways. I have not had a takeaway for over a year. I do miss it - but, the price has rocketed where I live. My daughter has quite a few takeaways, all delivered via Just Eat and pays 3 times what I used to pay. I am saving about £80 a month.
3. Crisps. No more crisps anymore. I used to eat 6 packets in one sitting and now have hardly any. 6 packets of Walkers around here have gone from £1 to £2.40. Quite a saving.
4. Chocolate. Similar to points 2 & 3 the price of chocolate has rocketed as well. All the £1 multipacks are now at least £1.50.

Can you think of anymore? Any positivies that you've come across since diagnosis?
 
I was diagnosed 8years ago. My positives have been:
Weight loss 115kg down to 68kg
BP levels normal on way less meds.
Less pain from arthritic joints, not just the weight bearing ones, I think due to generally less inflammation.
Skin tags around my neck disappeared.
There are probably more that I can’t think of just now!
 
I've had loads of positives
- Indigestion is a thing of the past, i used to suffer with chronic heartburn but since changing my diet thats all gone
- No more getting up in the night to pee, i though that was a menopause symptom but it was my body trying to dump sugar
- reduction in bleeding gums, id noticed that when flossing my gums no longer bleed, my dentist noticed the improvement in them and said gum disease can be caused by diabetes
- 2 stone weight loss so i am down 2 dress sizes
- More energy which mean i feel like i achieve more than i used to
- More pride in myself. I am looking after myself better which is having a positive impact on my marriage ;-)
- Saving money on takeaways
- Better understanding of ultra processed food and the impact it can have on our bodies and health
- i'm sure there are plenty more but effectively being diagnosed as T2 in Feb this year has done me a whole lot of favours
 
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Some great posts here, thanks for sharing. Thinking about it, I too don't have to go to the loo during the night, also, I had liver problems with no symptoms. It was picked up during my diabetes blood test - I think I could have hard serious liver problems if it wasn't for that.

I used to be able to sleep in until lunchtime when I was younger but that has gone and hasn't come back even with the diabetes changes - I wake up at 5am and just lay there and can't get back to sleep so I end up getting up.
 
Like you I was nearly 20 stone and am now 13 stone. I still need to lose another stone, but am not too far away. The main positive I got was joining this forum and getting informed, honest and supportive advice from the members here.
 
IanBish said:
Like you I was nearly 20 stone and am now 13 stone. I still need to lose another stone, but am not too far away. The main positive I got was joining this forum and getting informed, honest and supportive advice from the members here.
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You've done incredibly well there, 33 is a great figure in less than two years.

I buried my head in the sand a lot when I was first diagnosed, I just didn't want to read about it and I think I was a bit in denial. Fortunately, I did stop eating chocolate and crisps (and bloody pasta - I hate pasta, always have but my wife always made it). I remember asking my diabetic nurse if that is one of the things that I should stop eating - she asked me if I like it so I said know so she said, why the bloody hell do you eat it then, haha.

I am now 38 so I'm going to ask the nurse if I can come off metformin (I was told I would be on it for life). I'm meeting a new one for the first time this afternoon so I'll see what she thinks.
 
peterb999 said:
Hi all,

I've always been a glass half full person and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in January 2023 with a 110 reading.
There are so many downsides to having type 2 but to cheer myself up the other day I was trying to think of any positives it has brought to my life.

1. Weight. I was 20 stone and am now 14 stone. This definitely would not have happened had I not been diagnosed.
2. Takeaways. I have not had a takeaway for over a year. I do miss it - but, the price has rocketed where I live. My daughter has quite a few takeaways, all delivered via Just Eat and pays 3 times what I used to pay. I am saving about £80 a month.
3. Crisps. No more crisps anymore. I used to eat 6 packets in one sitting and now have hardly any. 6 packets of Walkers around here have gone from £1 to £2.40. Quite a saving.
4. Chocolate. Similar to points 2 & 3 the price of chocolate has rocketed as well. All the £1 multipacks are now at least £1.50.

Can you think of anymore? Any positivies that you've come across since diagnosis?
Click to expand...
Let's see...
1. I'm not dead, which I was supposed to be 9 years or so ago, so yay for diagnosis, figuring out what was wrong, and doing something about it, before I kicked the proverbial bucket.
2. While energy's been an issue recently with a bunch of other conditions acting up, I still have more energy and strength than I had when first diagnosed, when I could barely make it across the apartment without my knees buckling. (Walked 5km's today! Knackered, but did it, and will walk more later this afternoon!)
3. With blood sugar control, my temper became less volatile (not that I was aggressive, but my toes were rather long) and my depression manageable.
4. I was told I hadn't the spine for a diet, and I'd fail before the year was over. Turns out, I did have one, as almost a decade later I'm still dieting! Hurrah for spines! :) (It's nice to have proof of one, other than x-rays).
5. I got to feel a bit useful in this place, which is important if you've always felt like a waste of space. I do have foot-in-mouth disease sometimes, and sometimes a warning has to be repeated because I tend to forget doing something wrong before (like sharing information that might be jolly good fun for spammers!), but more often than not I kind of am able to share a bit of knowledge. Which is cool. I was so scared when I was first diagnosed, and I want to try and lift those initial fears some for others, if I can.
6. I don't do people. I can't socialise, people terrify me. I'm a cat person. Humans though, nope. Yet by being in this place because of T2, I actually made some new friends. And they don't (generally) meow!
7. I'll second @Rachox on the skintags, and @MrsA2 on the IBS.
 
Thanks Peter. I think my next test will be a bit higher as I'm eating a few more carbs. I too was given metformin at the start, but only took them for a few weeks as I didn't like the side-effects. I stopped all sugar, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice at first, which was great for weight loss.

Good luck with the HbA1c test, and with coming off the horse tablets.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Let's see...
1. I'm not dead, which I was supposed to be 9 years or so ago, so yay for diagnosis, figuring out what was wrong, and doing something about it, before I kicked the proverbial bucket.
2. While energy's been an issue recently with a bunch of other conditions acting up, I still have more energy and strength than I had when first diagnosed, when I could barely make it across the apartment without my knees buckling. (Walked 5km's today! Knackered, but did it, and will walk more later this afternoon!)
3. With blood sugar control, my temper became less volatile (not that I was aggressive, but my toes were rather long) and my depression manageable.
4. I was told I hadn't the spine for a diet, and I'd fail before the year was over. Turns out, I did have one, as almost a decade later I'm still dieting! Hurrah for spines! :) (It's nice to have proof of one, other than x-rays).
5. I got to feel a bit useful in this place, which is important if you've always felt like a waste of space. I do have foot-in-mouth disease sometimes, and sometimes a warning has to be repeated because I tend to forget doing something wrong before (like sharing information that might be jolly good fun for spammers!), but more often than not I kind of am able to share a bit of knowledge. Which is cool. I was so scared when I was first diagnosed, and I want to try and lift those initial fears some for others, if I can.
6. I don't do people. I can't socialise, people terrify me. I'm a cat person. Humans though, nope. Yet by being in this place because of T2, I actually made some new friends. And they don't (generally) meow!
7. I'll second @Rachox on the skintags, and @MrsA2 on the IBS.
Click to expand...
Plenty of positives there Jo, thanks for sharing.

I know what you mean about humans, the older I get the less patient I am with people (apart from family). It's an effort to get out of the house and meet people and I haven't met 1 friend since I moved here in November last year.

There is a cat that lives down my street that seems to have taken a shine to me. He comes to see me every day day and it's really nice as he snuggles up to me on the sofa. I have spoken to his keeper and the cat just loves going in and out of peoples houses. I can certainly see why people love animals so much.
 
IanBish said:
Thanks Peter. I think my next test will be a bit higher as I'm eating a few more carbs. I too was given metformin at the start, but only took them for a few weeks as I didn't like the side-effects. I stopped all sugar, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice at first, which was great for weight loss.

Good luck with the HbA1c test, and with coming off the horse tablets.
Click to expand...
Hi Ian,

I've already got the results from the NHS app and I know that I've got down to 38 from 48 in December - I'm hoping to bask in the glory when I see her, haha. Like you I have stopped horrible pasta, rice, potatoes etc. When I used to have chips with meat for dinner I know have a plate of salad instead - I don't think I really appreciated just how tasty you can make a salad.

I haven't given up bread yet, I still really enjoy a good sandwich for lunch. It is wholemeal bread with loads of nuts in it.
From reading this forum, I have started to have eggs on a morning instead which I am enjoying but I really don't want to give up my sandwiches, haha.
 
peterb999 said:
Hi Ian,

I've already got the results from the NHS app and I know that I've got down to 38 from 48 in December - I'm hoping to bask in the glory when I see her, haha. Like you I have stopped horrible pasta, rice, potatoes etc. When I used to have chips with meat for dinner I know have a plate of salad instead - I don't think I really appreciated just how tasty you can make a salad.

I haven't given up bread yet, I still really enjoy a good sandwich for lunch. It is wholemeal bread with loads of nuts in it.
From reading this forum, I have started to have eggs on a morning instead which I am enjoying but I really don't want to give up my sandwiches, haha.
Click to expand...
Tried any of the low carb breads around? Heylo, SRSLY, etc? I don't think you'd pick them for taste, but they are good enough to allow for sandwiches at a fraction of the carb cost of bread.
 
Thanks for the recommendation, but it looks like it costs over £4 a loaf which is a bit too expensive for me.
 
Thanks @peterb999 for starting this thread.
I agree that there are positives from a diagnosis. Once you know your problem, you can start dealing with it.
After my T2 diagnosis, I was relieved as I had developed typical symptoms like being thirsty all the time.
The first thing I did is that I went cold turkey on fizzy sugar drinks. This was actually painless and the thirst stopped.
I was on metformin for 4 years, and reduced my HbA1c from over 100 to the 60s.
When it became clear that this is not changing I decided to reduce my weight
using intermittent fasting. This did the trick, My HbA1c is now in the 40s.
I am not on any medication since more than 5 years.
This has several positive side effects:
- I am 10 kg lighter and fitter, cycling is so much more enjoyable without that spare tyre around my belly.
- My cholesterol values have improved as well and the GP has stopped asking me to consider statins.
- No more junk food: While I never was a big offender, I now prefer to fast instead of eating ultra-processed food.
I also avoid takeaways. I prefer to spend my money on real food and good restaurants.
- I eat more eggs, cheese, olives, ... - fatty food is more satiating and I don't feel hungry.
- Any low fat food items are banned from my fridge. These are usually ultra-processed and high on sugar.
I never liked them anyways.
- I've educated myself and understand that "fat is bad" is based on a study by Ancel Keys, which never could be replicated. I now can argue the case that "fat is not bad, but good".
 
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KennyA said:
Yes, the expense is another factor. I did quite well without it (or real bread) for years. Still not eating carby bread.
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Hi @KennyA . I've been looking at different breads for my sandwiches. Lidl do High Protein Rolls with a low carb of ~10g, high protein of ~24 and high fibre of ~13g. Do they sound good?
 
Lupf said:
Thanks @peterb999 for starting this thread.
I agree that there are positives from a diagnosis. Once you know your problem, you can start dealing with it.
After my T2 diagnosis, I was relieved as I had developed typical symptoms like being thirsty all the time.
The first thing I did is that I went cold turkey on fizzy sugar drinks. This was actually painless and the thirst stopped.
I was on metformin for 4 years, and reduced my HbA1c from over 100 to the 60s.
When it became clear that this is not changing I decided to reduce my weight
using intermittent fasting. This did the trick, My HbA1c is now in the 40s.
I am not on any medication since more than 5 years.
This has several positive side effects:
- I am 10 kg lighter and fitter, cycling is so much more enjoyable without that spare tyre around my belly.
- My cholesterol values have improved as well and the GP has stopped asking me to consider statins.
- No more junk food: While I never was a big offender, I now prefer to fast instead of eating ultra-processed food.
- I eat more eggs, cheese, olives, ... - fatty food is more satiating and I don't feel hungry.
- Any low fat food items are banned from my fridge. These are usually ultra-processed and high on sugar.
I never liked them anyways.
- I've educated myself and understand that "fat is bad" is based on a study by Ancel Keys, which never could be replicated. I now can argue the case that "fat is not bad, but good".
Click to expand...
Sounds like you are doing great Lupf. Things like this are very inspiring to me, I'm really hoping that I can keep my reading down. I love eggs and cheese and that type of thing.
 
Depends on what your carb budget is. They wouldn't work for me as I'm aiming for around 20g/day, and half of that on one roll is too much. The SRSLY rolls come in about 3g, which is more manageable (and they last for weeks in the fridge).

You might have more space for that if you're looking at (eg) 80g/day.

I don't pay any attention to claimed protein and fibre contents. The carb value is what counts for me.
 
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