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New T2 but also have a Pacemaker / Defibrillator, anyone else?

Colin P

Member
Messages
6
Hello Everybody.

I've been on the cusp of being diagnosed for about a year now. Pre-diabetic in early 2020 (I forget the number, not that I have any idea what it means anyway), a reading of "53" a few months ago and today had a call saying I was at "57". I understand that "48" is the threshold.

From the result a few months back it was decided, by me, to see if I could improve the number which I've been unable to do and there was me thinking I was doing ok. Ho-hum.

So now I need to take this seriously and really get into trying to manage this condition. From what I glean, a low or no carb diet seemingly is the best way forward but changing the habits of a lifetime are going to be tricky.

Added to that I have some heart electrical issues for which I've suffered numerous cardiac arrests. Thankfully I have a defib / pacemaker otherwise known as an ICD (Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator) embedded in my chest. It has saved my life five times now by shocking me back to life. As I've said my heart issues are electrical with the plumbing being good, for now.

As a result of the heart issues I take some really toxic and powerful drugs including a very high dose of beta blockers which make getting any benefit from exercise tricky. Saying that, I love to cycle and up until the last cardiac arrest and shock event in August I was doing fine. Off the back of that shock event I underwent some minor heart surgery and have been finding things difficult exercise wise ever since.

A little bit about me; I'm 50 years old, married and have two grown up children and somehow have managed to keep working throughout the heart issues and more recently covid. It has at time though be difficult.

I'm looking for, and welcome any and all help and advice. I'm particularly interested on hearing from anyone who also has heart issues and T2.

I have to say, the T2 diagnosis has frightened me more than the heart stuff!
 
a relative of mine sounds similar. She is a managing to reduce weight by low carb. Its slower going than my even lower carb with exercise but she's getting there.
 
Thank you all for the replies and the links.

I've been doing a lot of reading and it seems that to manage this condition I need to measure my blood levels and get a meter.

That led me down a rather deep rabbit hole, there is a bewildering choice.

There are loads to chose from but what caught my attention was the libre. However, the arm patches are quite pricey!

In terms of the meters that use strips, can anyone recommend which is the most cost effective and easiest to obtain replacement strips for?
 
Thank you all for the replies and the links.

I've been doing a lot of reading and it seems that to manage this condition I need to measure my blood levels and get a meter.

That led me down a rather deep rabbit hole, there is a bewildering choice.

There are loads to chose from but what caught my attention was the libre. However, the arm patches are quite pricey!

In terms of the meters that use strips, can anyone recommend which is the most cost effective and easiest to obtain replacement strips for?

I use this one

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/tee2-plus?variant=19264018776121

Strips reasonably priced and has always given me pretty accurate readings.. if you phone them up and order a bunch of strips they often throw the meter in for free.

I am not affiliated with them in any way.
 
I use this one

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/tee2-plus?variant=19264018776121

Strips reasonably priced and has always given me pretty accurate readings.. if you phone them up and order a bunch of strips they often throw the meter in for free.

I am not affiliated with them in any way.
Strips can be found here sorry
https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/tee2/products/tee2-strips?variant=19264018645049

Now you are fully T2 you can get it without VAT too!
 
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