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Here I am again

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MrsAnne

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Back in 2021, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes when my Hb1ac tipped over to 48. I was accepted onto the NHS Diabetes Path to remission programme. It was tough but I stuck it through to the year end and was really pleased with the results - 4 stone lighter and an Hb1ac of 39. Fast forward several years and to cut a long story short, life got in the way of healthy eating and excercise, the lbs have piled on again. I was having some blood tests for something else last week and have just had the results back with an hb1ac of 60 :inpain:
I really want to avoid medication if I can so my questions to the community - before I speak to the doc - are : can I reduce this again by following a similar restricted diet or is the damage done ? if so, would I be eligible for the NHS programme a 2nd time ? If not eligible, are there any pitfalls/dangers of going it alone - I know what I did last time, it was just the follow through when life got stressful that I failed on, and I think now have that under control.
Thanks
 
Hi and welcome to the forum @MrsAnne. I am not able to answer your NHS question as I don’t live in the UK. I can however, suggest you have a look around the T2DM diet and food forums here. Many members have brought their blood sugars down from very high levels on diet alone. We have low carb forums where members share their recipes. It always helps when you have others doing the same thing, strength in community kind of thing. @JoKalsbeek has a great blog too on diet. I’m sure she would be happy, as would others, to offer dietary advice first reducing blood sugars.
 
It's my understanding that it needs to be a way of eating (and exercising) for life, not just a diet for a defined term.
I'm now coming up to 5 years in and I don't find it restrictive. I've adjusted my tastes and my habits and it feels very normal and sustainable.
For you, it's a matter of finding a way of eating that you can sustain for your lifestyle preferences.
Mine includes alcohol, fun activities with friends (you'll never catch me in gym or running!) and lots of tasty filling food

Under it all, controlling my bg is the underlying motivation
 
Ps I don't know about the course. I've only just been offered my first, 5 years after diagnosis!
 
MrsAnne said:
Back in 2021, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes when my Hb1ac tipped over to 48. I was accepted onto the NHS Diabetes Path to remission programme. It was tough but I stuck it through to the year end and was really pleased with the results - 4 stone lighter and an Hb1ac of 39. Fast forward several years and to cut a long story short, life got in the way of healthy eating and excercise, the lbs have piled on again. I was having some blood tests for something else last week and have just had the results back with an hb1ac of 60 :inpain:
I really want to avoid medication if I can so my questions to the community - before I speak to the doc - are : can I reduce this again by following a similar restricted diet or is the damage done ? if so, would I be eligible for the NHS programme a 2nd time ? If not eligible, are there any pitfalls/dangers of going it alone - I know what I did last time, it was just the follow through when life got stressful that I failed on, and I think now have that under control.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Hello @MrsAnne , and good morning,

I'm not familiar with that NHS programme, but it sounds like it focuses on calorie restriction more than carbs? Three months of meal replacements during a crash diet and then you...? What? What was the follow through supposed to be? I can't seem to find what the follow-up is, just that you reintroduce foods, but no more information than that... If you're prone to developing T2, going back to the usual "EatWell Plate" is going to be a slippery slope. But again, not familiar with this at all, -being Dutch- so I can't say much of anything.

Life does get in the way sometimes, we fall of the wagon, or other stuff happens that just piles the pounds back on, which we have little to no control over. (Menopause, medications, other conditions... Stuff, you know?). No shame in that, and you can just try again. Either with whatever that NHS programme was, or with just low carb eating. Hunger isn't a part of that eating plan, but low carbing is, as most carbs turn to glucose once ingested. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html could help some, it's basically what I did.

You can try again if you want to, who's going to stop you? Find out what diet you think might suit you best, give it a whirl... Preferably use a meter along the way to see what the impact is on your blood glucose.

Good luck!
Jo
 
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