Is this really happening to me?

[John J]

Hi all,

I've been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes but don't feel that bad...yet. In fact, I've managed to lose quite a lot of weight and have been taking much more exercise. So, really I'm feeling pretty good overall. :?

However, I do know that it's not as simple as that! I had decided to visit the doctor as I had been experiencing dizzy turns during the warm weather and had put this down to getting more de-hydrated than usual. I was diagnosed as having high blood pressure along with diabetes.

Now, as I say, I am already feeling much better than before although I do realise that it is a progressive condition. However, it is my hope that I can control things by diet alone for the time being but I won't know until I visit the diabetic clinic for advice. My first appointment is on Thursday.

Maybe, I'm a bit over optimistic but I have to think positive. I still feel that if I can look after myself properly and follow sound medical advice then I might be able to live a fairly normal life for as long as possible.

I'm not expecting sympathy, of course, as we're all in the same boat but I joined up in the hope that we can all share our experiences and offer each other advice where appropriate. Hopefully, I will have something to offer in due course.

 

[cugila]

Hi John J.
Welcome to the forum.

although I do realise that it is a progressive condition

Progressive - only if it is uncontrolled. Take good control of your Diabetes and you can even reverse many of the problems that you presently might have ? Read many of the success stories on here.

When you see the Nurse/GP at the Clinic ask for a meter and test strips and tell them you want to control your Diabetes and you need to be able to test to know what your Bg levels are and how certain foods affect the readings. Listen to the advice and then come back here - it might just be different from us, successful, well controlled Diabetics.

 

[John J]

Thanks for the advice and reassurance, Cugila.

It is my wish to keep good control of this and monitor myself as best as I can.

From some of the comments here and elsewhere, I get the impression that not all medical peple will necessarily encourage this or regard it to be important. However, I would like to be in control as much as I can be.

 

[wallycorker]

Hi John J,

You sound as though you have your head screwed on OK on this matter. I don't think that you are being over optimistic I've found that a great deal is possible. I was diagnosed Type 2 nearly nine years ago and I haven't any known problems despite following quite appalling advice for eight years. Over the last twelve months I've reversed my condition through diet and at present my blood glucose levels are normal - i.e. better than they were at diagnosis.

You can read my story here - it might be of interest to you:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=10512

Best wishes - John

 

[Spiral]

Welcome, John. Lots of good advice here, although it might be quite a bit different to the advice the medical people give you. I have ignored/done the opposite of just about every piece of advice my GP has given me :? :|

I reduced my HbA1c from 7.8% at diagnosis in Feb to 7% in May by cutting out all added sugar and junk food and adding fresh and raw, mostly glycaemic index (GI) principles. I went low carb in May and further reduced that to 6% on a low carb diet and no medication at all. I'm now taking metformin as I want to lose weight and get to a normal blood sugar a bit faster than diet alone.

You need to inform yourself about how blood sugar works and then make decisions about how you want to bring your diabetes under control. The most useful information on blood sugar I found before I found my way here was at http://www.bloodsugar101.com. It is an an American website and they measure a slightly differnt blood sugar reading, but it now has the UK blood sugar readings listed too. Simples!

Pay for as little as possible! The drug companies are falling over themselves to get you to use their products, so ring up customer services and see if you can blag a free meter from them. My main meter was a feebie from Roche - sent out by first class post which arrived the day after I called them. I have also acquired several finger pricking devices from this approach! I got a second meter from the competition at the top of this page. It isn't a real competition, give them your details and you will get a meter, but it may take a several weeks.

Take a look at the threads here for info on testing and the struggle some of us have in getting strips on the NHS Many GPs/PCTs don't like us T2s to test and we have to work hard to get a supply of strips on prescription. I have confirmed with my GP that he will prescribe me 50 a month, I buy the extras at eBay. It isn't fair, but every strip he gives me is one I don't have to buy myself.

Testing is expensive, so you need to know how to interpret the results so that you are not wasting strips. Testing is the single most useful thing I do to see how I'm going - and I got a huge buzz when I saw those levels falling very quickly as I tweeked my diet. I fail to see how we can gain control of our blood sugar without knowing what the food we do does once we have eaten it.

If you go to eBay check the sellers reputation and set a limit above which you will not go - mine is half the retail price, but my last lot (which I bought in bulk) were considerably less. Some people buy direct from the manufacturer, which is cheaper. Anything you do buy, make sure you get the VAT exemption, but you may need to persist with this. I understand there is a VAT exemption form somewhere on this website. If you take any meds for your diabetes, you should be entitled to free prescriptions - this is not means tested - and covers all your prescriptions. It takes a while for the card to arrive tho... I'm still waiting for it a month on.

It doesn't have to be progressive if you get tight control. And tight control is much lower numbers than the numbers the NHS finds adequate, although even those small reductions will help slow down any progression. The other good thing about diabetes is that it takes several years for the complications to develop - aim to hit the ground running by getting that control now.

 

[Dobbs]

I like your attitude.
I was diagnosed just over a year ago with T2, which I'd probably had for a few years. I felt not good for a time even after diagnosis and beginning Metformin - I suffered from neuropathy, meaning pains and aches in various places, as well as a general sense of my health getting worse. Now, just over a year on, I feel SO much better - have lost weight (10 kg) and neuropathy much diminished to the point where I hardly notice it. I feel in control of my health.
What made the change? Reading this forum and bloodsugar101. Buying a meter and testing myself between 1 and 5 times a day. Drastically cutting back on carbs. Eating more vegetables!
I don't have the feeling I'm deteriorating - I feel I'm getting my health back. Reading Jenny Ruhl talking in terms of "getting your health back" on bloodsugar101 was the most inspirational thing I've come across in all my "diabetic life" so far.
Good luck, man.

 

[John J]

Thanks for all the responses and good advice so far.

Unfortunately, my appointment has now been postponed until next week as the clinic has been cancelled for today. is this a sign of things to come??

I probably won't want to cut out carbs altogether although I'll continue to drastically cut down my intake. Just stick to a couple of slices of bread and one or two small potatoes etc..... I used to eat half a loaf and a pan of stovies but not both at once.. :lol:
Also, I have already ceased to indulge in all the obvious "bad" foods although I may occasionally have a treat.
It is a good idea to test myself regularly as you suggest and that way I can hopefully "fine tune" my diet to suit.

One consolation in all this is that I've always loved fruit and vegetables especially broccoli and I'm happy enough to eat loads of this kind of thing.

 

[hanadr]

John
I'm an "experienced" diabetic of several years, with GOOD control, But I've had a few dizzy spells recenly. I have now figured out that it's NOt a blood glucose thing, but my blood pressure falling very low. I'm on treatment for HIGH BP. If you are getting symptoms in Hot weather, it could be that too. Get checked out.

 

[John J]

Hi Hanadr,

That was my first thought when I first attended the doctor but he informed me that my blood pressure was actually *high* whereas one would normaly associate dizziness with low blood pressure.

I'm now on lisinprol and have been advised that I should take this indefinitely. However, I'm not totally convinced that this is necessary... i.e. to take it for the rest of my life... and that good diet, exercise, and weight loss must surely help in the long run. We'll have to see though.

As I say, I do feel a lot better having lost over a stone so far.
I've not received any treatment yet for my diabetes as such and don't know if I'll get away without medication or not.