Hello - recent Type 2 "but don't fit the criteria"

[Sanober]

Hello all

It's all happened a little too quickly and my friends and work colleagues are being good but I felt I should join a community where my feelings and worries can be understood a bit better. I have some health concerns going on which I'm being tested for. In Nov/Dec a urine test showed raised sugar level and I was advised to see my GP.

I had a fasting glucose test and Hba1c (6.1) and the doctor told me I was 'glucose intolerant' but told me my weight's fine and gave me no advice. She said at some point in 'later years' I would be likely to develop Type 2 diabetes as both my parents have Type 2 and I'm asian (which they got in their 50s and both on meds and are classed overweight).

Regardless, the shock of this news made me adjust my eating habits further and I increased my exercise. I was already on a reasonably healthy diet and I keep fit and hardly drink.

I was called in for another fasting glucose test a few weeks and another Hba1c showed 7.3 - the nurse has been amazing though and said I should be considered for medication now but feels that I don't fit the criteria and it may do more harm than good - she mentioned MODY /Genetics So I've been referred to the Diabetes Unit in (Name of Hospital removed) to see a specialist. I should have an appointment in a couple of weeks.

My only symptoms over the past year have been blurring eyes, lethargy, and in the last 6 months a foggy head in the mornings, the last 3 months however my sleep has been poor.

I've gone through the full range of the emotion spectrum and I feel a bit more focussed now.

I am just very surprised that I can go from 'glucose intolerant' to Type 2 Diabetic in a few months!

 

[daisy1]

Hi Sanober and welcome to the forum Sometimes diagnosis can go very quickly but it is good that you know straight away before problems begin to develop. With a bit of luck your symptoms will diminish if you control your diabetes well. The Forum Monitors have written some basic advice for newly diagnosed diabetics which I think will be helpful to you. I know you eat a healthy diet but have a look at this advice as it may be different from what you are doing at the moment. The advice on testing is also very important. Also, have a good read around the forum on subjects that interest you and then ask as many questions as you like - there is always someone here to help.

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l........(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals....... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Sue/Ken.