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I'd like to spread the word a bit, can anyone help?

Jo_the_boat

Well-Known Member
Messages
809
Location
Littleborough, Lancashire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have written 'my story so far'.
I've written it on my own web site as that was the best way for me to get it down and spread the word.
It's going to be sent to my friends, family and other people on my database.
It's NOT a money-making thing. I just want to inform people about (primarily) T2 from a personal angle.

If anyone has time could they have a scroll through and let me know a) if it reads OK and b) if I've made any glaring ****-ups.
PM me if you'd rather..

Here..... http://abargeatlarge.co.uk/articles/the fat bloke/index.html

Thanks
 
Hi Jo,

Thanks for writing that. It describes so well most of the journey I have been on since early September and I really don't know what else to say at the moment as it has affected me deeply!

Suz
 
Jo_the_boat said:
I have written 'my story so far'.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Great! It's a useful way of documenting what you've discovered, it takes some people decades. Especially if like me you did exactly what your GP told you to do. I've spotted a few things that grabbed my attention although I did notice that some things you corrected as your opinion and outlook changes.

But crucially, in the vast majority of cases, it's preventable.

I wish that were true, I might have chosen a different measure, rather than vast majority but I'm only being pedantic. As you allude to later, there are skinny type IIs (my dad) and obese non diabetics (my aunt on mum's side).

In a nutshell, its all about sugar and insulin, the imbalance of which is Type 2 diabetes.

As you say later on, carbs are sugar, so not just sugar.

It is a lifelong, chronic condition where the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or the body's cells don't react properly to insulin (known as insulin resistance).

The interesting thing about this is that despite there being two possible causes for type II, you don't seem to be routinely tested to see which one or if it's both. I self funded my c-peptide test (pancreas production of insulin) - normal in my case and my insulin resistance test - I've managed to reduce that number in the space of 10 months.

Ancel Keys

He gets a lot more bad press than he deserves and it would be useful to look at what actually happened. Some articles that I have read suggest that he wasn't guilty of what he's accused of (cherry picking) but he certainly didn't help matters.

Sorry I've only read half, I'm getting it in the neck from HID. The one thing I will say about all those extra tests is that I feel lucky to have them routinely whereas my brother and sister might find problems when it's too late. I've been especially fortunate because having been told by a money grabbing U.S. MD that I was having a heart attack, the $16,000 that the travel insurers spent on all those test have shown my heart and tubes are in fine fetal, so I'm not going to worry about giving up statins.
 
I wanted to share my thoughts about my experience with diabetes. It took me a few years to find the right angle and outlet. I finally settled on blogging for Diabetes UK. They give me complete control over what to write. Occasionally, they ask me if I would like to contribute towards something they are pushing at the time but there is no pressure to do so. There is also no pressure about how often I write: it is entirely up to me.
Whilst I have type 1, they have contributions from type 1 and 2 and people who are affected by diabetes indirectly.
They seem to add new bloggers with different angles on their experiences and thoughts so, if you want to spread your word, they could be an option.
The Diabetes UK blog site is http://blogs.diabetes.org.uk/
 
Hi Jo, I hope you don’t mind but I’ve taken you at your closing words and shared this with my friends. I have T1 so no vested interest. I think people beyond this forum should read your research and your journey, thank you for posting it here!
Good luck with your legs - and congratulations on lowering your bs!
 

Only got to end of third page, I'm an extremely slow reader plus making the notes is making it very slow. I'll do it bit by bit over time.

I've PMed you my notes.

So far I think it's great. More clear, entertaining and helpful than anything any medical person has ever given me to read.
 
@Joe_the _boatThankyou,very much my experience,and very readable.Ill pass this on to my children,all in their 40s and early 50s,it's so much better than giving them a book or a "medical" article,which can be off putting,especially from Mum!!Thankyou.
 
@Jo_the_boat You write:

In a T2 diabetic the problems are two-fold:

Firstly the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin and secondly our body's cells don't react properly (called insulin resistance). My cells are therefore unable to accept sugar (or a limited amount only) from the limited insulin I do produce.

This leads to too much sugar in my blood stream or hyperglycaemia.

As a T2 I'm probably producing some insulin, but not enough. Over time basically my pancreas has got worn out trying to cope with all the excess sugar.

I am wondering why you believe your pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin?
Have you had any insulin level tests to determine this?
If not, you cannot assume you produce too little. You may have been producing far too much prior to your low carb diet.

Just a thought, but have you extended your research to look specifically at the role of too much insulin production as a cause of T2 diabetes rather than or aswell as too little? This ties in with the possible causes of insulin resistance. The old chicken and egg scenario - which comes first? Too much circulating insulin or insulin resistance ... but what is known is that too much circulating insulin makes insulin resistance worse, and insulin resistance triggers even more insulin production. Vicious circle resulting in very high circulating insulin and greater IR.

There will be some people with failing pancreas functions who are unable to produce enough natural insulin and these are generally the ones in need of help from medication (not Metformin alone). However, it is apparent that many others (probably the majority of newly diagnosed) have far too much circulating insulin rather than too little, and it is this high circulating insulin that can cause some of the complications. High circulating insulin has as much to answer to as high glucose, and comes well before any T2 diagnosis, maybe decades.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
it is this high circulating insulin that can cause some of the complications. High circulating insulin has as much to answer to as high glucose, and comes well before any T2 diagnosis, maybe decades.
Click to expand...

I don't think I'd fully grasped this in spite of some reading around. Thank you.
 

In a word, no I haven't considered or researched this theory.
My DN told me that my beta cells were probably producing insufficient to cope. I believed that, and have never considered any other explanation. One of the few things I remember from a scrappy consultation.
Thanks.
 
Glenmac said:
@Joe_the _boatThankyou,very much my experience,and very readable.Ill pass this on to my children,all in their 40s and early 50s,it's so much better than giving them a book or a "medical" article,which can be off putting,especially from Mum!!Thankyou.
Click to expand...

Pass it on by all means. I was going to wait till after Christmas dinner!
Plus, a generous forum member is currently doing an edit having found more typos than I care to admit to!
 

Share away by all means. As I've said it's not for profit and the wider the word spreads the better.
One person helped anywhere is what we're all about I think.
 
@Joe_the_boat,Yes I'll wait until after Christmas when you've made your amendments to pass it on.It would have helped me a great deal when I was first diagnosed,anxious and floundering many years ago to have had this to read to help me to get my head round type 2.Thankyou,and enjoy your Christmas.
 

Nice thought. I went as far as trying to set up a blog linked to my own website.
Then made a complete rickets of it and it cost me £40 (which I did get back).
Then I thought that a direct approach from me, at this point at least, might be better.
A blog linked to Diabetes UK (or within it) might be quite well read but starting from cold on my own might have been a lot of effort for not much interest.
I will have a look at your link though, thanks.
 

My DN told me to eat baked potatoes with baked beans. I also believed her ... at first!

The relevance and importance of high insulin is relatively new science. Your DN has zero knowledge of your insulin levels without the appropriate tests, and as these tests are not done routinely on the NHS she probably has never heard of them. Several people on this forum have paid to have them done privately. The only tests available on the NHS are the c-peptide tests done to help determine if a person maybe T1. I can't say one way or the other what your circulating insulin levels are or how well your pancreas functions - but nor can your nurse!
 
Good job @Jo_the_boat I've read the lot and commend you. Well done for you 2 stone loss and lowered HbA1c. A few understandable typos (sorry I didn't think to note these, but I think 2 or 3). Love your points on the symptoms especially the technical names in brackets. Great reference of the huge (in a good way) Dr Sarah Halberg.

I agree with @Bluetit1802 that Type 2's can also produce too much insulin which is basically ineffective due to "rusty" receptors on the cells.

Your point on not requiring carbs is fair enough, but I am not sure if you covered our body will make what is required in terms of glucose, even from protein. And that running on FAT (becoming FAT adapted is a viable alternative, that supports all bodily functions), perhaps a reference to Ketosis - Professor Noakes might be worth a mention here.

For me the jury is out on whether the NHS choices are good for the majority of non-diabetics after a full days meals and snacks. Take for example persons in the 40's and 50's who have "normal" blood sugars and HbA1c's, their pancreas have taken a battering on the current guidelines for decades and no doubt require greater levels of insulin to cover the "hit" compared to when they were in the 20's and 30's. Judging by the number of overweight, obese and persons with abnormal blood sugars but not yet diagnosed diabetes, I think it is logical that these persons are close to the diabetic cliff - Just my opinion - you might want watch these 2 (although gut bacteria is discussed so is insulin response with surprising results that all non-diabetics should watch):



I am not sure you covered that berries are low carb and the best fruit for a Type 2, along with lemons and limes.

Small point but my HbA1c was 134, you say up to 120.

Where you mention fasting, it might be useful to put a couple of links to the one and only Dr Jason Fung.

Where you mention Metformin issues, can you consider including the contra-indications with Kidney issues (very important as Metformin can lower function for some).

In your section on the millions with diabetes, you might want to point out that circa every 17 seconds someone across the globe is told they have diabetes.

I agree that all Type 2's are different, but I think it is possible to produce a dietary list that Type 2's can cherry pick from which could work for around 85%; I agree that some can't tolerate for example diary or might be allergic to a specific food, or don't like fish; but I feel we know enough to have a broad list.

Mainstream advocate Metformin, Sulphonylureas, Insulin, in any combination, sometimes Gastric Bands if very obese and rarely diet and exercise. Whereas the alternative routes are LCHF (or variations such as PALEO) with or without exercise (I think it is important to state that exercise is around 15 - 20% compared to diet and it good at the maintenance of weight and general health), Intermittent Fasting, Keto (explain the differences in carbs) and Newcastle Diet
 
Just some initial thoughts. I'm only up to 5 Various tests.

In the last few months I've had an ECG (electrocardiogram) an echocardiogram, an angiogram, and a CT scan.

What you describe as a CT scan sounds like an echocardiogram. Mine was exactly the same as this picture
http://manateecardio.com/services-treatments/ultrasounds/echocardiograms/
Only my echo required cold gel.

What you describe as an angiogram sounds like my CT scan.
My angiogram was again like the picture here
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/angiography/what-happens/
N.B. no doughnut-shaped machine, but a rotatable x-ray. During the angiogram staff were always present.

My CT scan was taken with this very same machine and I was literally the first patient to use it. The consultant took a photo of me on it to commemorate it. I'll be asking the internet to remove it should it ever appear !
https://twitter.com/RBHCharity/status/939164558178111493
During the scan my hands were above my head (but not for angiogram) and staff left the room (due to teething problems this was for about 40 mins - I felt abandoned !)

N.B. Both angiogram and CT scan use the contrast dye, and both require cannulation. My CT scan was walk-in (and don the elegant robe) whilst my angiogram required day-unit admission for a few hours.
Angiogram procedures don't tend to be in x-ray depts. CT scans do.

Libras tend to be a bit anal when it comes to terminology, but we do like to be exact.

Have a good one !
Geoff
 
@Jo_the_boat , I read through this earlier. It so describes my journey. OK, the specific numbers (A1c, exact age, months since diagnosis) and dates might be different, but otherwise I and many others are the same. One difference I do have, is that one of the GPs I saw gave me a hint, but otherwise what I got from my HCPs was pretty much like you. I'm no writer, so couldn't have expressed it so well. Thank you.
 
I'll try and get around to reading it @Jo_the_boat .
Maybe in upcoming relaxed days over xmas?

Well done for creating your individual experience for others to read.

My o/h told me yesterday we diabetics are a funny bunch. Of course, he isn't one and has no interest in it, any of it.
If he gets it, god help us. It will be everyone's fault but his.
Some people cannot be enlightened. They like being ignorant.
 
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