Good morning all. I am new here so hello to everyone.
I would like to get an understanding of how others are treated by family and friends after they got diagnosed.
This happened to me last October (2015) when the doctor said, almost as an after thought following treatment for an ear infection, "Oh and by the way the tests show you are diabetic. You'll need to loose weight, change your diet and reduce what you drink". That was it. No follow up or more advice. Just come back in three months for more tests. On top of already having blood pressure treatment.
I've had better days!
On getting home I did a bit of research and looked at changes I could make that might help. Gave up drinking, changed to what |I thought was a good diet and did more exercise. The result being since losing three stone. (down to a reasonable 12st 2lb) and feeling much better, fitter and able to stay awake during the daytime.
Back in early March I got hospitalised with septicaemia. Four or fives times a day blood sugar and blood pressure test and advised by the consultant and nursing staff to buy a blood sugar monitor and do regular testing at home.
After joining the DiabetesUK web site I took to the low carb diet. Brilliant!
In passing one evening I just said in ordinary conversation about buying a blood sugar monitor. My wife's reaction as left me feeling as though I don't really want to be with her any more (obviously not the only issue). "Your becoming obsessive with this. Not drinking isn't normal and keep taking tests is a waste of time. I'm getting sick of this". If you add to this folk who say "you need to put on a bit of weight, don't go too far", "go on just a few drinks won't hurt you", "you become faddy".
As anyone else had such reactions? If you turned to them and said "your carrying extra weight". "your drinking's a problem". They would never speak to you again but it makes me feel rather isolated and alone in managing my health.
Good morning. I sent you a hug - it's a man hug - with need to have that as a separate icon.
I'm new ish too - October 15 Type 2.
Alcohol - well done on giving up. I gave up too. I wasn't a regular drinker - just Saturdays in October - long story /another time.
Diet/weight - excellent. Well done on the weight loss and taking the diet seriously
Exercise - brilliant - don't stop. You may find that diabetics exercise far more than non diabetics. You may also find that people who don't watch what they eat and don't exercise eventually become diabetic. (It happened to me and I'm waiting for my wife to wake up and smell the roses before it happens to her too - but she is in complete denial on her health.
Blood pressure dropped - fantastic - same here. I test every day.
Blood testing - speaking bluntly, it may be your wife's attitude that is the problem - not you.
You need to test. You are on a journey and will finding out what works and doesn't work for you. Your blood sugar results are the only real way of telling.
Obsessive: staying alive is a skill. You can live a long and active life with managing your diabetes. This site is full of success stories. Similarly, you can drive through life like a constant car crash and cause so many complications - you don't need me to spell them out - just read up on this site and have a much shorter and pretty miserable life. There is nothing faddy about dealing with diabetes.
May I suggest that you surround yourself with friends who will support you in a positive way. There are plenty here who will support you - in fact, I'm sure everybody will. A few drinks will hurt. I can't have just one. I've never had a drink problems - just somebody who was very good at drinking alcohol whenever the mood took me.
Don't feel isolated,Just go out there and kick diabetes in the nuts and take all the credit for yourself.
(T2, Oct15, weight loss 6 stone so far, waist loss 10 inches. Blood pressure and resting heart beat - best in 30 years - I was a national level athlete in my last teens/ early 20's. Currently 50 but feeling 35)