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Learning to grow up

A

angua

Well-Known Member
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Hi to everyone here, my name is Gilly, I was told in May that I was pre-diabetic with an HbA1c of 58. Really shocked at the diagnosis but then I really shouldn't be - I'm very overweight, a significant wine drinker and have always had a predilection for sweet things. Due to an atrial flutter (sorted) and the installation of a pacemaker I really haven't done much in the way of exercise for a very long time. Really had my head up my bum for many years :oops:
So I started skulking about here in early May - thanks to you all and the knowledge that you've shared I've realised that its not the end of my world - there are many positive things I can do .... in many areas of my life that will only have a positive result. More than that however I see that you all take responsibility for yourselves - sounds really stupid for a relatively intelligent woman of 55 - but I think I've lived thus far under the warped and mistaken belief that I was a bit immortal, I see from you all here that actually admitting that I'm not, that I have to 'take care' of myself is not quite as scary as I had supposed.

I have not had any alcohol since May 3rd
I have given up my beloved winegums (but have seen a post about sugarfree jelly :idea: )
I have bought a meter
I've worked out I cannot eat pasta bg = 10.6
I cannot eat a whole nectarine with half a bread roll bg = 13.7
but tonight I found that I can go to the local hotel and eat beef stroganoff with salad bg = 6.2
so for the poster who's tag is "I eat to my meter" thank you ... and so do I
hopefully during my time on the forum I'll be able to contribute a little of what I'm learning for others like me, learning to grow up.

Gilly
 
Hello Gilly

Welcome to the forum :)

I am so pleased that you've found the forum before your pre-diabetes evolved into full-blown diabetes. You've grabbed the chance to change your lifestyle and you're going to live for many long years now. I do think that being diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes can be a positive experience because if you find what works for you, you can enhance your life, become fitter and extend your lifespan.

I thought I was immortal until a year ago as well. Since then, thanks to some fantastic advice on this forum, I've turned things around and am now fitter than I have been since I was a teenager and I was 54 in May.

At first the diagnosis of diabetes or pre-diabetes can seem scary, but really it is not. I prefer to look at it as being given a chance to take control of your life. There are not many conditions where you can be such an active participant and directly affect your own state of health. It is a challenge, but a very satisfying one.
 
Welcome Gilly,

I like you knew I need a kick up the bum and this was it.

It's very empowering to take control of your life, isn't it.
Mary x
 
Hi Gilly and welcome to the forum :)
You seem to be doing well and hopefully you won't progress to full diabetes if you carry on like you are now. Here is some information to help you which we give to new members which you may have already seen, but just in case.... Ask all the questions you need to as you will get lots of replies.

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 well over 30,000 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 ... rains.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 blood glucose 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.
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Please sign our e-petition for free testing for all type 2's; here's the link:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/petition/

Do get your friends and colleagues to sign as well.
Click to expand...
 
Welcome to the forum
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Welcome to the Forum, and well done on taking control of your diabetes. I played around it for many years with all the wrong info but pleased to have found this forum and all the advice from very knoledgable folk. I am sure you will benifit too.
All the best Kate
 
Welcome to the forum Gilly. I'm glad you listed something that you've found you can eat without getting bad numbers. It's a good feeling and one you'll repeat over and over as you get the hang of controlling your levels.

Any questions - just ask.

S
 
"There are not many conditions where you can be such an active participant and directly affect your own state of health. "

Thank you didie. I could adopt this as my motto since it is such good advice but I have a motto already which you can read in my signature.

Welcome Angua and I hope that your journey into personal responsibility is a happy one.
 
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