Feeling really desperate, eye test showed background retinopathy

Hi and welcome to the forum, you’ve come to the right place!
First let me post a link to our useful info:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
Many of us Type 2s here have got both our blood sugars and weight under control by eating a low carb diet. There is info in the link and also here:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
Testing blood sugars before and after meals will help determine what foods suit you.
Oh and background retinopathy is not necessarily a permanent thing, one of my screenings showed it but the next test it was gone!
Have a read of the info I have posted and come back with any questions you have.

toosweettoeat said:

Rachox
A big thank you for your message, so relieved about the background retinopathy, but will use it to spur me on to get to grips with my type 2.
Will read the links you sent me and hope to contact you again.
A big thank you x

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Oh I just need to add, that if you are on insulin or tablets you can risk going hypo if you go low carb quickly without adjusting your doses with your dr or nurses guidance. Metformin is the exception to this though, I low carb whilst on Metformin with no problems.

@toosweettoeat

Hi and welcome.

easily done my friend.
but you knew there was a possibility of complications
you just got to decide NOW, Next time OR Ever.. how much YOU are willing to do to help yourself.

If i am brutally blunt...We'll all feel sorry for you, but not one of us will suffer the damage if YOU ignore it.
So..it's up to you


BUT anything you do TODAY can improves tomorrow for you.

Seen a few posts where those who have dropped the carbs get a good result..
then next check up get background retinopathy..
thay carry on take good care of themselves and next check it's got better.
So you might have a good chance of reversing it, with a little LCHF treatment.

Only you can make the changes needed to improve your health.
they do say those with addictions don't get better until they reach rock bottom,
maybe this YOUR moment to shine. and start that climb back.

May not be what you wanted to hear, sorry.

Good luck on your road back.
may the Journey start here, and be smooth.

Regards.

My first test showed background retinopathy second test normal - but I went low carb at once and started to see normal levels of glucose, normal levels for Hba1c.
As others have said - its your choice.
Personally I would far rather have a low carb diet - having a delicious crisp salad on a warm summer day is not a hardship, though neither is a multicoloured stirfry in winter. When I lost weight it was without effort, so I can only advise - try it and see if it makes you feel better.

The diet required for tackling this is entirely do-able (dare I say, enjoyable? Yes, I do!). https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help a little too. Just be careful if you're on certain meds/insulin.

But really, you CAN do this.

toosweettoeat said:

Hi
Have come on here because I feel I need to get to grips with my type 2 diabetes, have been diabetic for probably around 10 years.
I go from trying to take care of myself to absolutely binging on all the wrong things.
I know I am in denial but I also know I need to do something now!
I have always though I was untouchable but today I got my eye test results showing I have background retinopathy and I realise that I am not untouchable.
I am overweight for my height and need to lose a few stone at least, I eat cakes, sweets, chips food of any sort and I just don’t seem to have any will power.
Anyone got an6wise words for an absolute head in the sand type 2?

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toosweettoeat said:

Hi
Have come on here because I feel I need to get to grips with my type 2 diabetes, have been diabetic for probably around 10 years.
I go from trying to take care of myself to absolutely binging on all the wrong things.
I know I am in denial but I also know I need to do something now!
I have always though I was untouchable but today I got my eye test results showing I have background retinopathy and I realise that I am not untouchable.
I am overweight for my height and need to lose a few stone at least, I eat cakes, sweets, chips food of any sort and I just don’t seem to have any will power.
Anyone got an6wise words for an absolute head in the sand type 2?

Click to expand...

Hi, take your head out of the stand, take a real good look in the mirror and ask yourself what little things you can do to start to change your lifestyle to help yourself, it's entirely up to you, so, if you really want to do it, you can. Also, I find giving a good kick up the backside very helpful too
Good luck

If you're T2 why on earth do you eat cakes crisps etc?

I don't want to be too much of a doomster, but I am just short of my 3 month after diagnosis tests and I have had the results of the eye test and am OK for now.
I was having lunch with a friend and had to mention I 'was still on that Low Carb thing'.
She said that an ex-daughter in-law, had been T2 diabetic for over 20yrs and had ignored any and all advice throughout that time (both medical and from friends/family). She apparently just carried on regardless as though the condition didn't exist.
Having not heard from her for 7yrs, she recently got an email with a photo showing the lady in a wheelchair with a double leg amputation.
We were eating at a Harvester in the UK, I had a double gammon steak with egg and a small leafy salad with just salt, pepper, vinegar as a dressing (all the prepared dressings too high in Carbs), incidentally, the Tomato sauce and Barbeque Sauce were too far high in sugar for me. It was hot, so I had a glass of tap water with my meal (otherwise I would have had a black, green or peppermint tea - no sugar or milk).
Did I feel deprived? - heck no! I was just looking after myself so that I never get into the state of that friend's ex- daughter-in-law!

I had retinopathy left eye my very first test.
Since then it has repaired itself and subsequent tests have been fine.
Had one Monday not got the results yet.

Took me a while to find this again but have discovered the easy way now .... anyway .... just got my results through .... no maculation no retinopathy in either eye so good news and yes you can repair the damage. So long as you haven't let it get to bad I would imagine.

Hi, I feel your pain. It can be very hard to give up the things you love eating. I'm only a newbie here but from my diagnosis three weeks ago I went straight to LCHF. I was sad and weepy but the support from the amazing people helped me through it. The good thing is that 'Keto' has become a lot more fashionable so a lot more information is out there. I even had a work function. I rang the restaurant (it was a week after my diagnosis so feeling **** and fragile.e0 the restaurant had a low carb menu which I ordered from- I stuck to m mineral water so no cocktails- but- no spike in my blood sugar levels. I am now solidly in the 5s with some 4s- aiming for the 4s. Do I miss the sweet stuff- yes I do but I think I would miss my sight or my legs a lot more.

If you commit I can say without doubt you will get so much support here that it will become easier. I plan to be here for a long time.
take care of yourself.