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Newbie hi and advice welcome!

D

Dandelade

Well-Known Member
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Hi there,

So I’ve just joined because there seemed to be so many helpful others out there.

I’ve had a hba1c test back at 48 with request for another appointment in 2 months to confirm diabetes (likely t2, bmi 30, 42 years old).

I’m not waiting around and am doing everything I can think of but advice would be welcome or just others saying hi who are in a similar position.

So far, I’ve bought a blood glucose monitor and my levels in the morning/ before food started off averaging 7.2 and 11 after food. After realising that is probably going to confirm a diagnosis (I’m not making that up right?) I’ve tweaked diet and exercise.
I’m doing fairly well (I think), reducing carb intake, an hours walk with the dog and a couple of hours of gardening a day most days. Now averaging about 6 in morning and staying steady after food. When I don’t do the exercise part for a couple of days it rises to about 8.

it’s alright at the moment because I’m a teacher and its the six weeks holiday so I can spend my time getting it right and exercising. I’m dreading going back to work, any suggestions on replacing gardening with something with a similar effect for the winter months? I know I could just cut carbs completely to compensate but when I tried that at the beginning I couldn’t concentrate on doing any work in the evenings which I will have to do come September.

Advice and hellos welcome - thank you for reading so far!
 
Welcome the forums.
Dandelade said:
Now averaging about 6 in morning and staying steady after food. When I don’t do the exercise part for a couple of days it rises to about 8.
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Not a T2 but that's a pretty good result. The morning reading tends to be the last to come down because of dawn phenomena. The liver tends to pump out sugar first thing in the morning and you can't exactly tell it that you're on a low carb diet.

Dandelade said:
but when I tried that at the beginning I couldn’t concentrate on doing any work in the evenings which I will have to do come September.
Click to expand...

Going low carb can be a bit of a shock to the system. I suspect that if you persevere (while on holiday) you'll find that that passes. How low are you going now? Most of the nonmedicated T2s on here seem to tweak their levels by reducing their carbs a bit, but it's a choice you have to make for yourself. It's also likely that reducing weight (weight gain is a symptom of T2 so you may find it coming down anyway) will reduce your levels. But at an hba1c of 48 you are borderline diabetic so you may not have to make much reduction at all to get where you want to be.

Dandelade said:
I’m dreading going back to work, any suggestions on replacing gardening with something with a similar effect for the winter months?
Click to expand...
You don't find that just travelling around the school building has an effect? Offer to do playground duty? I love gardening but I honestly find that walking the dog has a better effect on my levels (not T2 but T1 with some insulin resistance) and I'm guessing you'll still have to fit that in during the winter months. (Mind you most of my gardening seems to consist of pulling up weeds at the moment, other kinds are much more energetic.)

And here's my favourite link about T2 and diet, @JoKalsbeek 's awesome blog.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/jokalsbeek.401801/

Good luck. No doubt there will be some T2s along soon to give you better info.
 
Thanks Ellie, the link is great and your words reassuring!
I used to be really active with teaching but with COVID we’ve now got a box painted on the floor at the front that we’re told not to move out of which definitely hasn’t helped!
Carbs I’m down to about 60g a day. Will keep tweaking and see if I can get it down further...
 
Hi @Dandelade
I'm just going to throw in a note of caution. I was like you and went hard and fast to get it dealt with, but now dn is refusing to label me as diabetic as my numbers are "normal" and therefore I don't get regular checks that I am entitled to. I know I am diabetic from my bg rises if I eat carbs but because I got low readings by low carbing before my second test I am now missing out on being outside the system.
I have put in a complaint but do wonder if you need to ease back a bit until you've had that second test.
Sounds awful to be saying this, but I wish I had spent the first couple of months monitoring but not adjusting my food.
 
Thanks MrsA2, I am a bit worried that exact thing will happen. What are the regular tests I’d miss out on if the same thing happened?
On the other hand I’m worried that if I leave it until the second test I’ll be back at work and will really struggle with a new promotion and my body hating the new regime (I did try just before we broke up and then it was so blah on my body I’ve I couldn’t do my work properly so started again in the holidays and it’s got used to it).
I’m hoping to go in armed with all my data and food diary that they’ll take in account but suspect not, especially if that’s been your experience?
Thank you for your reply too, I hope to learn as much as I can from others in the same position.
 
It seems very strange that your GP practice doesn't recognise a diet controlled diabetic.
I was diagnosed on one test - though it was 91 so there was little doubt.
I eat most of my carbs in the evening, as I react less to them, and as my first meal is usually very low carb it is convenient to eat that way. I can then have a dessert several times a week.
 
No easy answer, only to try to do what you think is best for you.
Probably best not to expect too much from the NHS, anything over disinterest would count as a bonus .
I went cold turkey on carbs, not with intent but in fear as I was diagnosed on lockdown day and didn't see a professional for nearly a year. . Did have quite a few side effects but got through it quite quickly.
Really is a personal choice which approach to take, but as it has to be way of living for the rest of your life it has to fit your life
 
Thank you, just finding my way and working out how to make it sustainable at the moment. I was quite lucky to have a chance urine reading of glucose after a car accident, which on the upside would have went undetected.
 
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