Never been overweight but have Type 2 diabetes

[Champs42]

Hi
Is there anyone else here who has always had a good diet and never been overweight but still have type 2 diabetes? I can't find anyone in the same situation and I would like to swap stories with someone in my position.
Thanks
Leila

 

[nsh2111]

Hi @Champs42, I am in same boat. I was diagnosed in Q1 2016 with hbac 51 mmol/mol. A year before that I was told i have impaird glucose tolerance and asked to cut sweets.

I have always been active, gym going and healthy eating and my only sins are may be I drink ( not heavy by any means, usual after work drinks every now and then).

I was a healthy 72 Kg at the age of 36 with overall good health.

I (like a fool) didnt take much notice of diagnosis and continued my life as if nothing has happened ( except increasing exercise and cutting bread/pasta etc , obvious carbs) . HBAc went to 46 and then 44. I was not seen for a year and then last reading was 50. I am now taking it seriously and reducing my carbs. I have lost even more weight and there is no more weight left to loose


You are not alone.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Have you heard of the phrase "Thin on the outside, fat on the inside" (TOFI) ? A good percentage of Type 2s are not overweight, despite what the media says, so you are not alone. This basically means you are normal weight as far as your outside is concerned, but may have fat round your liver and pancreas, which is what causes the problems. It isn't subcutaneous fat that causes problems.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi
Is there anyone else here who has always had a good diet and never been overweight but still have type 2 diabetes? I can't find anyone in the same situation and I would like to swap stories with someone in my position.
Thanks
Leila

Hi, Yep. i do (did.) know someone.. My dad. (no longer with us.) a slim active guy who retired 3 times & deemed a "take away" as deviant.. lol.

There was also another T2 chap of retirement age i worked with a couple of years ago with a similar ethos to my dad.

Not very scientific. It's just how it goes..

 

[Dalkeyboy]

I was like you Champs42. Following my diagnosis it was discovered I had haemochromatosis - a genetic condition resulting in iron overload and causing organ damage, including pancreatic, leading to diabetes.
Have you you had your level of blood iron tested recently?

 

[Guzzler]

Being a slim T2 is not rare. I know no one of T2 in real life of any size/description (none that have told me, anyway). I think that we have all the same challenges so it makes little difference in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Champs42]

Hi @Champs42, I am in same boat. I was diagnosed in Q1 2016 with hbac 51 mmol/mol. A year before that I was told i have impaird glucose tolerance and asked to cut sweets.

I have always been active, gym going and healthy eating and my only sins are may be I drink ( not heavy by any means, usual after work drinks every now and then).

I was a healthy 72 Kg at the age of 36 with overall good health.

I (like a fool) didnt take much notice of diagnosis and continued my life as if nothing has happened ( except increasing exercise and cutting bread/pasta etc , obvious carbs) . HBAc went to 46 and then 44. I was not seen for a year and then last reading was 50. I am now taking it seriously and reducing my carbs. I have lost even more weight and there is no more weight left to loose


You are not alone.

Thank you. I cannot tell you how much better that makes me feel. I barely had any carbs and sugar in my diet and also don't have any more weight to lose. Everything I read is aimed at people with a bad diet. There seems to be no support or literature for someone like me. I too didn't take the diagnosis seriously and thought I could reverse it but now I am beginning to feel really ill all the time. I am at 49 now.

 

[Champs42]

Have you heard of the phrase "Thin on the outside, fat on the inside" (TOFI) ? A good percentage of Type 2s are not overweight, despite what the media says, so you are not alone. This basically means you are normal weight as far as your outside is concerned, but may have fat round your liver and pancreas, which is what causes the problems. It isn't subcutaneous fat that causes problems.

I have heard of this yes. I have read a huge amount about it. But my diet and exercise regime do not point to this.

 

[Champs42]

Hi, Yep. i do (did.) know someone.. My dad. (no longer with us.) a slim active guy who retired 3 times & deemed a "take away" as deviant.. lol.

There was also another T2 chap of retirement age i worked with a couple of years ago with a similar ethos to my dad.

Not very scientific. It's just how it goes..

Thank you

 

[OrsonKartt]

Hi
Is there anyone else here who has always had a good diet and never been overweight but still have type 2 diabetes? I can't find anyone in the same situation and I would like to swap stories with someone in my position.
Thanks
Leila

That is pretty much me. Nearly 2 years since diagnosis at a bmi of 24 I did the Newcastle diet which got me to a bmi of 19. Prior to dx my activity was 10,000 steps per day plus a little cycling and tennis. It's pretty much the same now. Re diet. Before dx I'd make my own very healthy bread and real ale and ate a high veg high fibre diet with occasional processed foods including chocolate etc. Now I'm hflc with very little processed foods ( sausage bacon salami and the like) ...

...... It's a life style shift really. ..... Change the beer for wine and single malt. Pay far more attention to food but get back some of the best meals I've ever tasted ....

Best thoughts ..... Any questions queries or even recipes just ask.......

 

[Champs42]

I was like you Champs42. Following my diagnosis it was discovered I had haemochromatosis - a genetic condition resulting in iron overload and causing organ damage, including pancreatic, leading to diabetes.
Have you you had your level of blood iron tested recently?

I haven't no?? I will ask my doctor. Thanks so much.

 

[Champs42]

That is pretty much me. Nearly 2 years since diagnosis at a bmi of 24 I did the Newcastle diet which got me to a bmi of 19. Prior to dx my activity was 10,000 steps per day plus a little cycling and tennis. It's pretty much the same now. Re diet. Before dx I'd make my own very healthy bread and real ale and ate a high veg high fibre diet with occasional processed foods including chocolate etc. Now I'm hflc with very little processed foods ( sausage bacon salami and the like) ...

...... It's a life style shift really. ..... Change the beer for wine and single malt. Pay far more attention to food but get back some of the best meals I've ever tasted ....

Best thoughts ..... Any questions queries or even recipes just ask.......

My doctor strongly advised me not to do the Newcastle diet as I don't have the weight to lose, but I have been thinking about it. Did it make a difference to you HBA1C?
I have already made as many dietary changes as I can. No alcohol, no sugar, no carbs etc...

 

[Guzzler]

I have heard of this yes. I have read a huge amount about it. But my diet and exercise regime do not point to this.

Type 2 Diabetes does not center on diet and excercise alone. Insulin Resistance plays a huge part in why we can develope the condition. I would say the IR is far and away the main reason.

 

[OrsonKartt]

My doctor strongly advised me not to do the Newcastle diet as I don't have the weight to lose, but I have been thinking about it. Did it make a difference to you HBA1C?
I have already made as many dietary changes as I can. No alcohol, no sugar, no carbs etc...

My last hb1c was 43. As was the one before that I monitor my blood sugars and cut out anything that spikes me I maintain a sub seven reading pretty constantly even after eating Mainly my fasting levels are sub 6. Regarding the diet. I found it very very tough. The longer it went on the tougher I found it but it drops blood sugar quickly. I honestly don't know how great the science is regarding the length of the diet. I felt awful in the second month and as I did it against the advise of the diabetic nurse I didn't have medical back up. .... Back to you do you monitor your blood sugars? I've found it really useful as there seems to be a plethora of believe systems in our medical service and it's really great to have actual personal data

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

Hi
Is there anyone else here who has always had a good diet and never been overweight but still have type 2 diabetes? I can't find anyone in the same situation and I would like to swap stories with someone in my position.
Thanks
Leila

@Champs42

To your point I've posted a story of Kyle Boelte, who like you was thin. (TOFI) you can either read his tale here:-

https://www.outsideonline.com/2125031/what-happens-your-body-thru-hike

or more of the story here
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...o-usa-kyle-boelte-style.142232/#post-17551525

Kyle was pre-diabetic and BMI of 22.2 he walked at altitude and lost 10 lbs but then got his HbA1c down to 5.6 from 5.9.. I've had an email from him since and he's now got a 5.1 number for his A1c. I'm not sure his diet was really good but that he exercised a great deal but diabetes nearly caught up with him. He's okay now.

http://www.fatchancerow.org/

Sami the guy who was one of the two rowers to row the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii was pre-diabetic too, from eating too much of the wrong diet. He went keto under the help from Dr Steven Phinney (I think) and recovered his health by the time he got to Hawaii..

 

[Guzzler]

@Champs42

To your point I've posted a story of Kyle Boelte, who like you was thin. (TOFI) you can either read his tale here:-

https://www.outsideonline.com/2125031/what-happens-your-body-thru-hike

or more of the story here
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...o-usa-kyle-boelte-style.142232/#post-17551525

Kyle was pre-diabetic and BMI of 22.2 he walked at altitude and lost 10 lbs but then got his HbA1c down to 5.6 from 5.9.. I've had an email from him since and he's now got a 5.1 number for his A1c. I'm not sure his diet was really good but that he exercised a great deal but diabetes nearly caught up with him. He's okay now.

http://www.fatchancerow.org/

Sami the guy who was one of the two rowers to row the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii was pre-diabetic too, from eating too much of the wrong diet. He went keto under the help from Dr Steven Phinney (I think) and recovered his health by the time he got to Hawaii..

Just to add to your list of those who are fit and slim and T2: Sir Steve Redgrave and Prof. Tim Noakes.

 

[Champs42]

Type 2 Diabetes does not center on diet and excercise alone. Insulin Resistance plays a huge part in why we can develope the condition. I would say the IR is far and away the main reason.

Thanks for this. Its good to know someone understands that it isn't just a bad diet that gives you type 2.

 

[bulkbiker]

that it isn't just a bad diet

But that depends on your definition of a "bad" diet. And yes I do know what you mean but lots of fruit for example can cause a build up of fat in the liver which can contribute greatly towards Type 2 and "everyone" knows that fruit is healthy .. except of course it isn't especially for those with a Type 2 susceptibility.
As for @Guzzler 's examples above both consumed excessive amounts of carbohydrate in their efforts to increase sporting performance which led to their condition... again not considered to be a "bad" diet.

 

[Champs42]

My last hb1c was 43. As was the one before that I monitor my blood sugars and cut out anything that spikes me I maintain a sub seven reading pretty constantly even after eating Mainly my fasting levels are sub 6. Regarding the diet. I found it very very tough. The longer it went on the tougher I found it but it drops blood sugar quickly. I honestly don't know how great the science is regarding the length of the diet. I felt awful in the second month and as I did it against the advise of the diabetic nurse I didn't have medical back up. .... Back to you do you monitor your blood sugars? I've found it really useful as there seems to be a plethora of believe systems in our medical service and it's really great to have actual personal data

I do monitor my blood sugar and it is pretty clear the things that spike my blood sugar so i stay away from them. Stress, lack of exercise, alcohol and any carbs or sugar. I need a certain amount of good carbs otherwise I get very dizzy and shaky so I stick to oats, brown rice and sweet potato in small amounts. my hba1c is 49 and my blood sugar between 6 and 7.5. I exercise everyday and try to stay active throughout the day if I am at my desk.

 

[bulkbiker]

. I need a certain amount of good carbs otherwise I get very dizzy and shaky so I stick to oats, brown rice and sweet potato in small amounts.

Have you measured your blood sugar levels when you have these episodes? It may just be your body reacting to slightly lower than your "normal" levels rather than being anything bad.