Frustrated and alone...until now I hope!

[helenb]

Hi Everyone

I have just found out from my doctor (over the phone I might add :roll: ) that I am diabetic. I have an annual blood test as I take Atenolol for Hypertension and apparently my test results found that I was 7.8% (not sure what that really means yet). Doctor called me to tell me "he thinks, no, YOU ARE diabetic". This is the only test I have had. I have none of the "usual symptoms" that I can think of - apart from maybe getting up once a night for the loo. I went in to see a doctor the next day who gave me a little leaflet and a 92nd generation photo copy of a black and white plate of food and was told to "cut down" (not helpful). Admittedly I am over weight, so of course that was no surprise!

Why am I frustrated - because I haven't heard a single thing since then (the 6/8) and was expecting an appointment with the Diabetic Clinic/Diabetic Nurse. I have done lots of reading since the 6th which has really helped (but its also a bit scary too isn't it). Plus I am not really sure what the 7.8% was a reading of (I assume A1c), so I wrote a little note to the doctors and hand delivered it to them on Monday morning asking for some more details and when was I likely to hear with an appointment for the Clinic. And still, A BIG FAT NOTHING :shock: no call or message from the doctor. Is this normal.

I obviously want to get cracking with testing myself but not sure what to get (I would want something that I can download to my PC) and am not sure just how serious things are either. I was told "we'll try with diet first" so I am hoping that its not too bad at the moment. In my note to the doctors I also asked them to let me have last year's results so I could see what the change has been.

I was feeling so alone, worried and frustrated and then found this forum which I hope is going to help me so much more than my GP is at the moment. Is this lack of contact normal or am I being a bit paranoid?

Oooh, another thing too, I'm a veggie and have been for 20 odd years, so if anyone has any suggested diets/books then that would be good too. I've just bought the Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook which seems great, but as I haven't been to a clinic I am not sure really what to follow - ahhhhh!!! Any advice about what questions to ask when I do and if there is something I should be asking the GP too.

Thanks a million - Helen

 

[Bluenosesol]

Helen,

An HBA1C of 7.8 equates to an average blood glucose level of 11.2 for the last 3 months. This would indicate diabetes, but it is a quickly recoverable position.
3 months ago my HBA1C was 10.3 and I am now down to 5.8%.

Dont be put off by all of the negative data surrounding diabetic complications. You will never cure yourself from diabetes but you will quickly recover to safe territory where your blood glucose levels are not harming you and hence giving your body the opportunity to recover from any damage incurred. You will no doubt receive lots of advice from this forum, so check in often.

I will leave it to those members who are more seasoned than I, but believe me, you will get the support you are looking for.

All the best Steve.

 

[Lizzie7]

Hi Helen,

I'm just diagnosed too - it's scary and there is so much to find out!

I'm pretty much vegan (health reasons lol) and bought a book called Reverse Diabetes Diet by Dr Neal Barnard. Obviously, I don't know whether the advice is sound or not - there seems to be a lot of different approaches to diet and diabetes - but it does include some good recipes and a 7 day eating plan. The diet is fairly high in low GI carbs (e.g oats, barley etc).

I've reduced carbs a lot though and trying to find vegan, low carb foods is a challenge. One fanatastic food I came across is channa dal - basically split chick peas - they don't affect my blood sugar at all and seem to reduce the blood sugar effect of other foods when eaten together. There's info about channa dal and recipes on www.mendosa.com

xx

 

[hanadr]

no-one who has found this forum will ever be alone
Hana

 

[helenb]

I've reduced carbs a lot though and trying to find vegan, low carb foods is a challenge. One fanatastic food I came across is channa dal - basically split chick peas - they don't affect my blood sugar at all and seem to reduce the blood sugar effect of other foods when eaten together. There's info about channa dal and recipes on www.mendosa.com xx

Thanks for the tip-off about the Reverse Diabetes Diet, I had also seen about Chana Dal so have bought a big bag and made a big pot full and have frozen portions for a quick meal. I'm glad that this is something that doesn't effect your BG levels, so once I have my meter I hope that this will prove the same for me. I love a lot of Vegan products and am trying to find somewhere locally that sells Tempeh as I think this would be a useful addition to my diet. So far my search has been unsuccessful and can only find it online with expensive minimum £30 order options. Anyone got any suggestions for online at all - or anywhere around Peterborough?

I'm going to phone my surgery tomorrow to ask (in a very nice way) if they have received my note and if there is any news coming my way - fingers crossed

Oh, I forgot to say that the best book I have read so far is:- Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year - An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (Patient-expert Guides): The First Year - An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (Patient-expert Guides)" by Gretchen Becker. It's an American book but has been edited for the UK market which is really helpful. Maybe I should buy my GP a copy - he, he!!!

H

 

[wallycorker]

Hi Helen,

I too can recommend Dr Neal Barnard's inspirational book "The reverse diabetes diet" - however, be sure to buy the one with a colourful drawing of an artichoke and carrots on the front because that one has been adapted by Rodale for the UK market. That makes the book very much more readable than some others that I have read. Dr Barnard advocates a very low fat diet and that was the way that I started my dramatic improvement programme. It really is a great book and things happened to me just the way that Dr Barnard said that they would and extremely quickly.

However, without any doubt whatsoever, reducing carbohydrate intake is a very powerful tool in helping to get a diabetic situation under control - again that results in sudden and dramatic improvements. A good book on that subject is "The Diabetes Revolution" by a UK doctor called Dr Charles Clark

I've settled down to using a mixture of the two - what I call a low-fat and reduced carbohydrate diet with loads of fruit and vegetables and very low alcohol intake.

However, you will find a load of great advice on this and other diabetes forums that will help you to sort out your condition and achieve good control over your blood glucose levels. It is worth doing to keep well clear of the quite horrible diabetic complications that can develop in poorly controlled diabetics.

Good luck and best wishes - John

 

[Lizzie7]

Hi Helen,

You can make tempeh yourself from soya beans. I've never tried it but there are lots of guides if google 'make tempeh'.

If you have a health food shop (e.g. Holland & Barret or an independent) in Peterborough they will probably sell it.

 

[Spiral]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm a "proper" vegetarian and have been since 1985, and I was diagnosed diabetic in February. I have started a few veggie threads in the low carb forum and the food forum.

Those numbers are very high :shock: I noticed a fairly rapid reduction in a number of my symptoms which I now realise were probably related to high blood sugar, as I have reduced my carbohydrate intake and my blood sugar levels, headaches, fatigue and lethargy, indigestion and acid reflux.

There is some conflicting advice and information about being veggie and diabetic. Also, a lot of veggie food is carbohydrate based :? Whatever dietary approach (low GI, or low carb or whatever) you take, succesful diabetics limit their carbohydrate intake

I have found Rose Elliot's books good for ideas, I started with the low GI books and now low carb, because the people who's blood sugar readings I most aspired to were low carbers, although ther eare a few low GI-ers who also have very good numbers. I'm probably eating better than I have done for years

Welcome aboard, always nice to have another vegetarian and new recipies to swap Look around and ask away.

 

[helenb]

I too can recommend Dr Neal Barnard's inspirational book "The reverse diabetes diet" - however, be sure to buy the one with a colourful drawing of an artichoke and carrots on the front because that one has been adapted by Rodale for the UK market. That makes the book very much more readable than some others that I have read. Dr Barnard advocates a very low fat diet and that was the way that I started my dramatic improvement programme. It really is a great book and things happened to me just the way that Dr Barnard said that they would and extremely quickly.

I have just ordered it from the bookdepository.co.uk so thanks very much John for backing up Lizzie7's recommendation too.

I have Rose Elliot's Low Fat & Sugar book as well now so I am cooking from that quite a bit. Have lost half a stone in the last 3 weeks so I'm really pleased with that . Will keep a look out in the Diet/Food part of the forum for useful ideas and will definitely post any good recipes for other fellow vegetarians (and non-veggies too!).

Thanks everyone for making me feel so much less alone.
H

 

[hanrahanj1]

A really good source of information

I bought a copy of Gretchen Beckers book Type 2 Diabetes The First Year, this was brilliant. It is so
informative and an unputdownable read, highly recommended. There is an excellent chapter on getting the best from the NHS (a joke if ever i heard it).

I would advise anyone newly diagnosed to purchase a copy (you can get one really cheap online from Amazon). My husband also bought me a Patients guide to Diabetes from LLoyds Pharmacy £4.99 which was also quite good. They are available in a wide range of common ailments.

So all you eager for info little newbies getting on that internet or to your local bookshop/pharmacy and order the above books. A must have from your book shelf.