Hi all!
I first thought I had diabetes at the end of January this year. it started with the compulsive thirst, then a sudden loss of weight. I think like most people now days my first point of call was the internet, which more or less confirmed my thoughts. I made an appointment with my GP and he sent me for a 3 month blood test and it came back pretty high but as I wasn’t fasting he arranged for another test a month later, and again it came back high.
In between times I had found this website, and tbh I really dread to think what condition I would be in if had just taken the GP’s and the nurses advice. I got an appointment with the nurse a week after my first blood test, and what seems to be the NHS policy, I was told , don’t test yourself, do some exercise, lose some more weight, and eat plenty of carbs, and I will see you again in September!! God knows what state my body would be in if I had taken her advice.
But I took the advice of these forums, got myself a testing kit, and started analyzing my lifestyle. My first reading was 25, now my average readings are 5.1. and I have lost 1 1/2st,. I tested myself 4 times day to see what was good for me and what wasn’t. For example, I found I was eating to much fruit, and I could eat a little more carbs.
My diet is roughly 2 shredded wheat for breakfast ( I know some people have said that shredded wheat was bad, but that is the beauty of this site, it teaches us that we are all individuals, and what is good for some can be bad for others) For lunch , a ham sandwich with dairylea light spread on wholegrain bread, a packet of crisps, and an apple and plum. For dinner I usually just eat anything within reason, with no real restrictions, but not large portions, and for supper I will have 2 rounds of wholegrain bread toasted and my special treat, a small bar of chocolate. I know some will scorn at this, but at the weekends I still have about 12 pints on a Saturday, and a take away, and on Sunday maybe just a few pints or half a bottle of wine with my dinner.. I’m lucky, as my daughter is a personal trainer and has given me proper workouts to do, ( if anyone wants these workouts I will post them on here) and I get to the gym 3 times a week. For me, the exercise is the most important part of my new lifestyle.
At the start of all this I just didn’t know where to turn, I just couldn’t get my head round what was right and what was wrong, and I just fell into a couple of months of depression. But these last 6 weeks or so, I haven’t felt so good in years, I feel really fit and my mood is really up beat. At present, as we all know we can’t beat this horrible disease, but with a bit of planning, common sense, and a lot of help from this forum, we can lead an normal happy lifestyle.
My big concern now is we are going on a cruise in 2 weeks, I think I might leave my tester at home :wink:
I first thought I had diabetes at the end of January this year. it started with the compulsive thirst, then a sudden loss of weight. I think like most people now days my first point of call was the internet, which more or less confirmed my thoughts. I made an appointment with my GP and he sent me for a 3 month blood test and it came back pretty high but as I wasn’t fasting he arranged for another test a month later, and again it came back high.
In between times I had found this website, and tbh I really dread to think what condition I would be in if had just taken the GP’s and the nurses advice. I got an appointment with the nurse a week after my first blood test, and what seems to be the NHS policy, I was told , don’t test yourself, do some exercise, lose some more weight, and eat plenty of carbs, and I will see you again in September!! God knows what state my body would be in if I had taken her advice.
But I took the advice of these forums, got myself a testing kit, and started analyzing my lifestyle. My first reading was 25, now my average readings are 5.1. and I have lost 1 1/2st,. I tested myself 4 times day to see what was good for me and what wasn’t. For example, I found I was eating to much fruit, and I could eat a little more carbs.
My diet is roughly 2 shredded wheat for breakfast ( I know some people have said that shredded wheat was bad, but that is the beauty of this site, it teaches us that we are all individuals, and what is good for some can be bad for others) For lunch , a ham sandwich with dairylea light spread on wholegrain bread, a packet of crisps, and an apple and plum. For dinner I usually just eat anything within reason, with no real restrictions, but not large portions, and for supper I will have 2 rounds of wholegrain bread toasted and my special treat, a small bar of chocolate. I know some will scorn at this, but at the weekends I still have about 12 pints on a Saturday, and a take away, and on Sunday maybe just a few pints or half a bottle of wine with my dinner.. I’m lucky, as my daughter is a personal trainer and has given me proper workouts to do, ( if anyone wants these workouts I will post them on here) and I get to the gym 3 times a week. For me, the exercise is the most important part of my new lifestyle.
At the start of all this I just didn’t know where to turn, I just couldn’t get my head round what was right and what was wrong, and I just fell into a couple of months of depression. But these last 6 weeks or so, I haven’t felt so good in years, I feel really fit and my mood is really up beat. At present, as we all know we can’t beat this horrible disease, but with a bit of planning, common sense, and a lot of help from this forum, we can lead an normal happy lifestyle.
My big concern now is we are going on a cruise in 2 weeks, I think I might leave my tester at home :wink:
