• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

I don't want it

DawnPhenomenon

Well-Known Member
Messages
107
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Other
Hi - I've been told I'm 'borderline' diabetic. I'm a little overweight (a stone or so), an 'apple' body shape (attractive!). I have managed to get my blood sugar down in the past three months but not far enough. I know I've got to give up carbs (binge eater - mood control - hard to give up) and I have changed my diet. I had/have a fatty liver (even more attractive) but my liver function has improved and is now considered normal. I work really hard, box once a week.

I don't want this disease (I know no one does). I see through work just how much damage it can do.

Has anyone had a diagnosis reversed?
 
Yes, my blood test results are now in the non-diabetic range, through low carbing and losing weight. Lots of us here have done the same thing, so it's achievable.

I will tag @daisy1 who has some info for newbies she can post for you.

I don't miss carbs at all, because I replace them with yummy things like full fat yoghurt and creme fraiche. Tastebud heaven.
 
Thanks for the info! Sounds good - another prob I have (due to the excessive consumption of fats) is gallstones so hi fat foods are a no no.
 
I think a number of members of the forum have through hard work got their levels down to within the non-diabetic range. Some of them (e.g
@Andrew Colvin ) have been able to eat "normal"/higher levels of carbohydrates again without having diabetic spikes and levels.

If you are borderline/pre-diabetic then you have a very much better chance than many of getting things completely under control and possibly avoiding diabetes altogether. But sometimes the changes we make to get down to normal levels and stay there mean a permanent lifestyle change.

Robbity

PS You could look into the Newcastle diet instead of low carbing if fat's an issue, Andrew if I remember correctly worked his little miracle that way.
 
I know that with gallstones you are often told to eat low fat. Here's a link that says that may not be a good idea. As regards fatty liver, that's caused by excess consumption of carbs, not fat at all. My own fatty liver is greatly improved by a low carb high fat diet.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/gallstones-and-low-carb
 
Something that can worsen gallstones is losing weight too quickly. Just something to keep an eye on.
 
Hi @DawnPhenomenon.

I was diagnosed with a much higher level than you and wasnt apple shaped I was the full football. As @Robbity says I managed to take my glucose numbers from very high to normal in 3 months and they have only improved since. I can normal foods as well as unhealthy foods (sweets, puddings, etc) if/when I want/need now. I am always mindful of the effect this will have on my body when I do (now I understand the action of carbs and fats).
I did this with a very low calorie diet but not quite as low as the newcastle diet (800 kcal) but I was exercising morning and evening burning the excess which took me down to possibly about the same as the 800 to "live" on. I did this for a few months and then slowly increased my food levels back up over the coming months (mainly more fats). Then I increased my carb levels up as well. I still maintained a calorie intake that saw me losing weight until my goal weight. I did change my goal to every lower levels when I reached it. It was surprisingly easy for me. The D was a big motivator. Some people cannot lose weight this way as their body just goes into shutdown.

@Pipp is also an excellent person to talk to regarding actually following the newcastle diet to the letter. I did the same low calorie but with real food and exercise. Most that do the newcastle find they have no energy to exercise.

During my early weeks I found my abdomen shrank first. I lost the bloated/hard midriff and when I laid down it was collapse in and become concave and an added benefit I could see my toes and other parts again My waist has gone from a 46" trouser size (trouser waist was always below my real waist) to a 32" waist.

Newcatle diet link: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal.htm
You can read my first 3 months: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/got-my-first-3-month-hba1c-results-this-morning.55719/
 
@DawnPhenomenon

Hello and welcome to the forum Here is the information we give to new members and which should help you to avoid progressing to full diabetes in the future. Ask more questions and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
Hiya. I've just had another round of blood tests and have managed to reduce my sugar levels to "monitor but no further action needed". My way was follow a very strict diet, no alcohol at all and daily exercise. I consider myself lucky that my elevated BG level was found and I was able to change my lifestyle in such a way as to reverse the trend. It won't work for everyone, and I don't know what will happen to me in the future, but yes, you can reverse the rising BG levels.
Very best of luck, and please stay on the forum!
 


Thank you
 


Thank you!

I have reduced my BG levels and my liver function has improved to normal but it's hard. I try to walk on waking and I do hard physical work for many hours a day. I slipped up this week and bought mint cremes (I don't know why I did it) and although I've had half a dozen I'm going to bed on a BG level of 5.5 but by the morning I know I'll be 6.9 - 8.3. I catch it happening sometimes, it'll be around 5 and over the course of half an hour or so I can see it rise. I guess I'm lucky as this happens around 7 a.m.

I know I have an eating disorder, have always had an eating disorder. I had counselling last year in an attempt to deal with it (I hadn't been told that I was borderline then but I knew it was likely to happen).

I think it's really hard to understand the draw of food to a person who uses it as a drug. Some of the comments on this site are a little harsh. Some people battle with food - really it's a battle. Food isn't just food, it's a cheap and readily available 'drug'. It gets people like me through the next few hours, through the day. I don't want diabetes but giving up my 'drug' is proving very difficult.
 
I understand food addiction, because I have it and have had it all my life. I also found a way to lose over 8 stone and get my HbA1c down to 37. I think it was fear of ill health that motivated me. I already had numerous symptoms that were really annoying, like a fungal infection under my tummy for over a year, for example. I was over it. And I knew serious permanent complications would not be far away if I didn't take control.

I had to really focus on my eating to achieve the changes. I still use food emotionally but because I eat low carb, I don't tend to crave carbs anymore. It only took about a week for those cravings to go. If I slip up and eat more than a tiny amount of carbs, the cravings come back.

If I were you I would try to get the gallstones sorted out so you don't have to be so strict on fats. (I realise that is easier said than done). Being able to eat more fats than I used to has really helped me. They satisfy me and I just don't have that same need to eat all the time. 3 small meals and a couple of snacks a day seems to be enough.

I'm not sure which harsh comments you were referring to, but maybe we are all so pleased with the differences we've seen from changing our diets that we just can't hold it in. I don't knowingly or intentionally say things to be harsh towards those who struggle with emotional eating, and if I have said something harsh, I apologise. I have a lot of empathy because I've been there, but I also encourage people to work hard on it because the benefits are so worth it. Getting well has given me my life back, and I hate seeing people suffer like I did.
 


And you are right of course. I understand the health implications and have tried all of my life to take control of this disgusting habit. I don't eat all the time but I seem to need to gorge regularly. I'm not very overweight but I am overweight (stone to a stone and a half) and almost every ounce is around the middle. The family shape. My binges aren't as extreme and I've made changes to my diet (pumpernickel in place of white bread etc) I'm happy with porridge made with water for breakfast and as a vegetarian most of my meals are made up of vegetables. After reading on this site I decided to reintroduce cheese into my diet and made a wonderful concoction of curly kale, broccoli, cauliflower and potato (a little and with the skin left on) mash topped with fried onions (olive oil) and a little cheese but I'm unable to tolerate the cheese. I can't sort out my gallstones as I have no symptoms if I avoid fat and the GP has told me that no one will remove a gallbladder from a symptomless person.

Perhaps my improvement will be gradual.

Really appreciate your post - mostly the understanding of food addiction though not sure ours are the same.
 
Just measured my blood glucose which has gone from 5.5 at six last night to 8.1 this morning without food. GRR
 
I always thought I had an eating disorder.
Turns out it was a chemical addiction to carbs.

Once I went low carb, then very low carb, with increased fats, all physical and emotional signs of food addiction just... vaporised.

It was, and is, wonderful.
 


Ok - I will try this. It's egg rather than porridge this morning!
 


Be prepared for the carb cravings to go into overdrive for a few days.
It really is like coming off a drug.

The best thing I ever found for crushing carb cravings was to eat enough fat and protein to be satisfied.
So try butter on those eggs, and have coffee with cream instead of milk, as a snack. A slice or two of cheese, or a handful of nuts when ever you start thinking about the delights of toast, choc bars and pastries.
Never go hungry.
Make sure you drink more water than usual

Hope that helps!
 

Thank you!

I will eat the nuts and eggs but I'm not keen on dairy. I don't think it's for us humans (not trying to be provocative but really - what was it designed for?). When I've cut down in the past I tend to get panic attacks a week or so in but I'll just have to get through it.

I've seen too many people suffer with uncontrolled diabetes.
 
I think if you eat enough fats you can probably avoid panic attacks. Hopefully.

You can get a good amount of fats from things like avocados, coconut oil, and peanut butter.

Humans have adapted to be able to digest a range of foods, including the milk from other mammals. A small number of people can't digest cow's milk, but for most people, scientists do not believe there is a nutritional/medical reason to avoid it. It's true that we don't need it though. Personally, I don't want the inconvenience and expense of going dairy free, especially while low carbing. But, each to their own of course. There are some great products around based on soy, almonds and coconuts, for example.
 

I get where you're coming from. Trouble is when you begin to see a certain food in a certain way you just don't want it.

I've been reading the egg debate (and I struggle with those sometimes), which is a bit of a shame - don't want to think of them as unhealthy.

Can't eat high fat food due to gallstones though olive oil and avocado (love em) seem to be fine.

Thanks for your post!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…