I was diagnosed on the 10th August HbAc 61 re-tested on the 14th September down to 52. Today I had my first talk with the diabetes nurse and she is saying that I will always be diabetic and that I have to go on statins. I have checked my cholesterol history and it has been much worse in the past. Why do they want me to go on statins and if I get my levels back down into the 30's am I still diabetic?
New diabetic diagnosis
- Thread starter BevyW
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JoKalsbeek
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Hello Bevy, and welcome,
I'm sorry about your diagnosis. And your quite out-dated nurse. Diabetics are put on statins as a matter of course, pretty much the same as metformin, because T2's have a higher risk of cardiac/vascular events. (Chances which will lower significantly if you get your blood sugars down! Ah well...) And statins tend to raise blood sugars, besides a few other choice side effects. Which is why some people on here decline them, yours truly included, especially if their cholesterol is perfectly fine. Raised sugars? No thanks! You do have a say in that, so if you don't want them, and you haven't had a cardiac event in the past or familial high cholesterol.... If you don't want to, don't. No-one can stand beside you in the morning with a glass of water and a shotgun to force you to take anything you don't want to. If you feel okay taking them though, go right ahead. The choice, as in everything concerning your health, is yours. You can try them and see how it goes, or just decline them. And now I'm blowing right past your HbA1c improvement: well done! Excellent work. And.... You'll still be diabetic. I'm sorry. I haven't been in the diabetic range for 4 years now, blood sugars better than my non-diabetic's friend actually, but I'll always be a T2. I'm just a really well-controlled one, meaning no progression of the condition, nor complications. I call it remission, my GP calls it controlled, semantics, word games.... But if I eat something carby my body will respond with a spike. Not the kind of spike I would've had 5 years ago, but still, a spike. And it will make me feel horrid. Insulin insensitivity can be improved a lot, but if you start eating again the way you were, as in, a carb-load that is considered normal and even "healthy"... Then your HbA1c will be right back where you started in no time at all. Once a T2, always a T2. Though some might beg to differ, that's kind of what I think... I'll never be able to go back to having spuds for dinner or have a cake at someone's wedding or birthday. As long as I have to take measures to keep my blood sugars under control, I'll be a T2, and those measures are going to be with me for life, so.... The one real difference you can make is whether you let it be the "inevitable" progressive condition your nurse probably thinks it is, or get it under control and live a long and healthy life. And knock the nurse's socks off when she sees your excellent progress.
Keep in mind... It is YOUR body. YOUR health. YOUR choice. What you take medication -ise and what dietary changes you make. Just make sure you make informed choices, so keep asking questions like "Why would I need statins?". Some might consider you a difficult patient, but they don't have to live in your body, you do.
Good luck!
Jo
DavidGrahamJones
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Sorry to hear about the diagnosis but many have a similar experience to yours when it comes to statins. As Jo says Metformin and statins are a routine first prescription for newly diagnosed type IIs.
We all take different routes when first diagnosed but something the majority do is cut down on carbs. Your nurse may not like it, depends on how out of date she is. In my case dropping carbs to less than 50gms decreased my total cholesterol enough for me to stop taking statins after 17 years. I was one of those who experienced a lot of leg muscle pain, brain fog and poor sleep, so I was very pleased. Some people have no issues whatsoever, maybe the dosage is important. As Jo suggested, maybe try it and see how you feel. Muscle pain is not something you want so just look out.
As for still being diabetic I like to think that if you can eat the recommended amount of carbs (about 250 gms a day) and not experience BG spikes and have good HbA1c results the you're not diabetic. If eating that amount of carbs causes spike then your insulin resistance is dictating a diagnosis of being diabetic.
Yes you will always be diabetic but you can be diabetic in remission. You can improve by changes such as weight loss or low carbs etc. But reverse the changes and the diabetes will come back.
bulkbiker
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Tophat1900
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Hello and welome,
Can't say it better than the previous posters so will stick to saying welcome- read around and post when you want help and advice.
this site is an awesome resource for someone who would like to put their diabetes into remission or at least have it well controlled and avoid the complications from diabetes.
welcome.
Can't say it better than the previous posters so will stick to saying welcome- read around and post when you want help and advice.
this site is an awesome resource for someone who would like to put their diabetes into remission or at least have it well controlled and avoid the complications from diabetes.
welcome.
