Greetings from newly diagnosed T2

Just thought I'd introduce myself; I joined the forum a few weeks ago and have been browsing the threads for info.

I'm a UK based 58 y.o male who was diagnosed with T2 diabetes about 6 weeks ago after a routine annual check up (I'm on statins to control a familial problem with raised cholesterol, which used to be 8 but is now 5.2).

My blood pressure was fine, about 110/70, pulse ~70.

The last 'bloods' were about 18 months ago, and were presumably fine, but this time the fasting blood glucose was 7.6, and one a week later was 8.2! The average over 3 months was apparently 6.2 and the hba1c was 45, so not catastrophic, but enough to have my GP make a T2 diabetes diagnosis.

The retina scan and foot tests were both ok - no damage to eyes or feet so far.

And here I am!

I got a Tee2 and started taking readings about 4 weeks ago. The trend with me seems to be about 7-7.6 in the morning, falling to 5.2-5.8 in the evening. I'm not on any medication but I am now cutting down on carbs, thanks to the info I've picked up here. My weight was 85.6kg a month ago, and it's now 83.5. My BMI was 28 but I'm skeptical about it's verdict of 'overweight' as I am quite stocky and muscular and regularly go on 10-15 mile walks in the Peak District with the dogs.

I'll have another blood test in Dec or Jan, and I'd like to get the average below 6.2 and the hba1c less than 45.

Any advice from T2 veterans welcome.

I want to avoid having to medicate for as long as possible, live a normal life albeit one where I cut out the mid morning biscuits or regularly bingeing on carbs like fish n chips!

Regards.

Bluetit1802 said:

Hi and welcome!

As referred to above, I am a bit surprised you were diagnosed as T2 on those tests. The HbA1c of 45 indicates pre-diabetes. It has to be 48 or over for a diabetes diagnosis, and when someone is sort of borderline like you seem to be, an HbA1c is followed up with another one a week or two later, then a diagnosis can be made or discarded. Did you have a second HbA1c?

Your blood glucose tests of 7.6 and 8.2 - were they fasting tests? If so, they do indicate you have impaired fasting glucose, which can go hand in hand with either pre-diabetes or T2, but the diagnostic test is the HbA1c.

My suggestion is you ask for a print out of all the test results if you don't already have them, and check what you actually did have. If you are in England you could also ask if your surgery puts test results on-line as they were asked to do before May 2016, and how to register for these.

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Yes, I was surprised at a T2 diagnosis at an HbA1c of 45. My wife's a medic and her colleagues reckoned it a pre-diabetes diagnosis was more appropriate. One suggested that GP surgeries are trying to catch diabetes earlier, so maybe it's a good wake up call. A less charitable suggestion was that GP surgeries collect money for each diagnosis, so they're incentivised to diagnose diabetes!

I'm going to try and get online access to my blood results for a closer look.

TANDB - yes it was 6.2% and HbA1c of 45mmol/l.

Rachox - they were fasting tests. I'm hoping the low carb diet and getting my weight down to 80kg (from 85kg) will help. I'm also going to adjust my work-life balance so that I can get a morning dog walk in most days - I can get it down into the 5's by lunchtime if I walk the dogs for 1.5 hrs at the weekend. It seems to linger in the 6's when I'm at work and behind a desk.

And thanks for all the other respondents, it's really useful to have a community resource like this.