Newly diagnosed and feeling very alone!

Hi all, I was diagnosed last week, after having tests for high blood pressure. A year ago my GP told me I was prediabetic but not to worry (I’d had a baby a few months prior and put on a lot of weight) because when the weight ‘falls off’ it’ll sort itself out. I told her the weight wouldn’t ‘fall off’, that it’s been increasingly difficult over the past few years to lose weight. But nothing was done about it. In fact a dietician told me I should eat more.

So skip back to last couple of weeks, I had bloods done due to the high BP and it showed my hba1c level was indicative of diabetes at 50. I got told this via text message. I eventually managed to get a telephone consultation with a GP a few days later who has put me on BP medication (otherwise they’d ignored the high BP completely!) and said I need another blood test in 2 weeks for both issues but that they don’t usually treat it at first. I was given no information whatsoever. I feel totally lost, panicked and scared. And none of my family seem bothered either. Am I being OTT? Do I need to get a monitor? How do I change my diet? Everything I’ve read up seems so conflicting. I’m 36 and have a little boy who’s almost 2. I have to get a grip on this. Any advice extremely welcome. Sorry for the long post!

Hi thanks for replying. I do have my own bp monitor and am thinking I want to get a glucose one too so I can see how I’m doing.

I looked up my level and saw it’s only just in the diabetic bracket but my GP told me my level had been steadily increasing over time (no one had ever told me that before!) even though I’ve lost a stone during lockdown which I put down to stress because I didn’t change anything. So I suppose I’m just concerned it’s going to keep going up regardless. I also have an adrenal adenoma and am waiting for results of one of the hormone levels associated with that so lots going on

That’s very helpful thank you so much for the meter advice and the blog. Makes me feel a bit less of a big fat overweight failure!

Onlinecaroline said:

I could have written your post a month ago but with a higher hbac1 test.

I’m 33 and was diagnosed after a blood pressure check. I had lost about a stone and a bit through lockdown and put it down to hill walking but really I’m not sure. I asked to try diet and exercise rather than go in meds due to a family history of very badly managed diabetes. I’ve cut my carbs to under 20g a day and although it’s not been easy, it is getting much easier as the days go. I use a carb manager app, I don’t worry about calories for now and I’ve stopped eating breakfast to cut down my eating window. Hopefully with a little carb reduction your levels will come down.

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thanks for the encouragement I’m not a massive carb eater anyway, I’ve changed my diet for the last 3 days and finding it pretty easy so far. As long as I’ve got the right food in the fridge I think I’ll be ok.

Resurgam said:

At your age and in your circumstances I got a very similar attitude and my concerns were brushed aside. Just do as you are told - they said and you'll find that we are right and you are wrong - well - no they were not.
At least you have the diagnosis so there is no doubt about it.
Hopefully you will find that reducing carbohydrate will sort out all the problems in one go.
I can't cope with heavy carbs, grains, potatoes and other starchy food, high sugar fruits, all went off my menu and I found that my weight dropped easily.
Why a diet similar in composition to those used to fatten animals should be considered for a slimming regime for Humans is beyond anything I can understand.

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Well I’m going to do what I’m doing for a bit and see what next bloods say!

KK123 said:

Hi Amy, would you mind giving us an example of a typical days food? It really helps just in case there is anything in there that could cause problems. x

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Well I’ve just started a low carb diet so are you meaning before or now? I’ve actually asked another waitron on here about the glucose readings I’ve had so far.

1st Feb - teatime Before food 6.4 2hr After food 4.9
Meal - roast chicken, sprouts, sugar snap peas, broccoli, gravy.
2nd Feb - morning BF 6.6 2hr AF 4.8
Meal - 2 x bacon 2 x poached eggs mushrooms
2nd Feb - Before lunch 6.1