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Our Journeys

tubolard

Well-Known Member
All,

This Our Journeys thread is a place where we can all detail our successes no matter how we've arrived at them and no matter what size. It is in no way intended to detract from or replace the Success Stories thread in the low carb forum, it's a place where we can all celebrate each other's successes, after all this is a forum for all people living with diabetes and we all need encouragement.

So if you've lost some weight, had a good test result or just had a bloody good day, let us know what's worked for you.

Regards, Tubs.
 
Well, seeing as I've created this thread I'd better be the first to contribute :D

Hi there, my name is Tubs, and I'm a type 2 diabetic :8

I was diagnosed in June 2008 after a couple of weeks of peeing a lot, blurry vision and incredible thurst.

I'm one of the lucky ones I was handed a meter, some lancets, and a prescription for test strips immediately and told to test twice daily, and if the reading went over 25 to head over to A&E without passing GO and without collecting £200. Well it did, the Sunday after diagnosis. Worried? You'd better believe it.

I was given two leaflets on diagnosis, one from DUK and another from my PCT. The PCT leaflet went into some detail about what I now know is called the Low GI diet. I subsequently found out my HbA1c was 11.5%. I also found out that there is a family history of diabetes.

I was prescribed 1500mg metformin straight away, I presume because of my weight. I'm also taking ramipril and felodipine for my blood pressure and, of course, the obligatory statin.

I'm also a member of the ASCEND study and don't know whether I'm taking an aspirin a day or an omega-3 capsule a day :)

One month after diagnosis saw my HbA1c drop to 11% and my diet had changed significantly, I cut out all the sugar and **** and added more wholemeal foods.

Two months into the new regime saw my HbA1c drop to 9.5%, another two months later it was down to 6.7%. My GP announced herself satisfied. I however, having helped her practice achieve one of its QOF targets, said that I wanted to see if I could get my HbA1c even lower.

In October I saw a dietitian for the first time who explained to me further the low GI diet. Following that conversation I reduced portion sizes of certain foods, and I think I've explained those changes in this post.

In January 2009 my HbA1c was 5.7%.

I registered with my practice in 2006, up until diagnosis my lifestyle and diet was something like this

My diet pre-diagnosis was awful - a weekday would look something like: coffee, cookies and pain au chocolat for breakfast, crisps, biscuits for a mid morning snack, a coupla beers for lunch, crisps, biscuits for a mid afternoon snack, more beer on the way home, crisps, chocolate, for a before dinner snack, soup for dinner, crisps, biscuits for supper. Liquid consumption throughout the day - copious amounts of full-fat Coke.

A weekend would typically begin with a full fried breakfast - sausages, bacon, egg, toast, and more toast with jam, and coffee. Sandwiches for lunch, crisps/sweets for a mid afternoon snack. a light meal for dinner, crisps/sweets for supper. Liquid consumption throughout the day - copious amounts of full-fat Coke.

Post diagnosis my diet is more like:

Breakfast: 2 slices wholegrain toast with low fat spread
Lunch: One round wholegrain sandwiches with low fat spread or soup and an apple
Dinner:
Pizza; or
Pasta/Meatballs in a tomato & courgette sauce; or
Spaghetti Bolognese with side veg; or
Noodles, chicken, salad; or
Vegeburger, new potatos, tomato & courgette

Either a mid morning or mid afternoon snack of vegetable crudites or baked pitta with cheese and some houmous.

a couple of plain chocolate digestives to dunk in my tea.

In that time I've lost some serious weight and I'm now buying clothes in high street stores - still a little snug but comfortable none the less and I have the confidence to know that I am slowly, but surely, shrinking my way to happiness. I've also reduced, by 500mg, my metformin dosage.


Regards, Tubs.
 
Re: SUCCESS STORIES

I don't know if this is the right place but here's my success story so far. Diagnosed December 2006. Since then I've lost 4 stones, One in the last 6-7 weeks on Orlistat tablets the doctor agreed to let me try. I had to lose 16ibs in 12 weeks - end of May!! success story enough?! :?:
 
Re: SUCCESS STORIES

gillyh said:
I don't know if this is the right place but here's my success story so far. Diagnosed December 2006. Since then I've lost 4 stones, One in the last 6-7 weeks on Orlistat tablets the doctor agreed to let me try. I had to lose 16ibs in 12 weeks - end of May!! success story enough?! :?:

Gilly congratulatulations.

Tubs.
 
Re: SUCCESS STORIES

gillyh said:
I don't know if this is the right place but here's my success story so far. Diagnosed December 2006. Since then I've lost 4 stones, One in the last 6-7 weeks on Orlistat tablets the doctor agreed to let me try. I had to lose 16ibs in 12 weeks - end of May!! success story enough?! :?:

That's a perfect success story Gilly, congrat.
 
Here's my story so far. Due to being a diabetic for only 3 months I have not got the experience like many here.

I'll start from the beginning because I believe that it's all somehow interconnected.

1999- 2003, suffered from very bad stomach pains. When I told the Doc I could eat chillie but black pepper gave me bad pains he laughed and called me a "pervert", jokingly of course.

2003: My first angina attack, many followed and I was in and out of hospital for a long time.

Jan 2004: Got my first stent.

May 2004: Ended up in hospital again this time with pancreatitis and "flying high" on morphin. Spent another two months at home taking morphine.

2005: Was told for the first time that I had a stone in my pancreas and that is what caused the pancreatitis in the first place. It was blasted
to pieces by sound waves but because the pancreatic duct has a narrowing the pieces could not be drained in to the duodenum.

2006:Pancreas flared up again and was giving me lots of trouble.

April 2007: Was told that I needed a partial pancreatectomy to remove one third of my pancreas wher ethe stone is. The Doc said about 8 weeks , still waiting.

June 2008: Had to have a second stent inserted into the first one because it was 95% clogged up again. (Have a video on youtube if anyone is interested in seeing it)

April 2009: Diagnosed as diabetic and here I am still alive and kicking controlling my diabetic as well as my life and the best thing about it is that I have bben lucky enough not to have been forced to give up most foods I like eating (ie: bread, potatos, rice, noodles etc.) or change my life style drastically.

My usual daily diet is as follows.

Breakfast: Two slices of bread, toasted or fresh, with something on it. It could be cheese, ham, cold chicken, turkey, beef, lamb or anything that's in the fridge BUT as low a fat as possible.

Lunch: Cooked meal, could be anything, the salad above or with white beans, sometimes with boiled potatos. Could also be chicken and chips. Home made meat balls, low fat, and chips or boiled potatos, or even rice. Pasta is on the table sometimes in different variations. Could be stuffed wine leaves and roast potatos and salad. We eat salad or veggies with nearly every meal. Yesterday we had chicken stew with boiled potatos and veggies. Oh and I always take the skin off the chicken.

Supper/Dinner: See Breakfast.

During the day, some fruits, evenings "wobbly wobbly" as my 18 month old grandson calls it ( I thought him that :lol: ). That's sugar free jelly.

As snacks in front of the TV, nuts or digestive biscuits but 5 at the most.

And about 10 mugs of tea during the day with low fat milk and sweetners that do not contain asparteme.

Meds:

Angina: Rosuvastatin, Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Bisoprolol, GTN.
Diabetics: 1xMetformin SR daily.
Asthma: Fluticasone & Salmeterol
Also take 20mg Esomeprazole and Folic Acid.

My BG results: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key= ... g&hl=en_GB

All in all I am quite happy with my results and life style although there are things that I obviously miss like chocklates and cakes and things people do, especially on a cold winters night to keep warm. :wink: :lol:
 
heres my story was diagnosed 4 years ago had really good bs readings over that period then for some reason last year fell seriously of the waggon and lost my way hsblc in feb was 13.5 and in all honesty had lost weight and had classic symptoms of diabeates but maybe living in denial
also following like many before me the dreaded diet of bread potatoes etc was also told when had a standard bs test of a strip which was 22.9 i would need insulin or this was the only option to meterformin anyway after beig given the standard 3 tabs
i came across this site and getting a lot of very helpfull info have hopefully managed to turn the corner(hopefully) had a hsblc after six week of being on tabs it was down to 8.6 and had my tabs reduced by 1 go back in may and hopefully will be able to get this reduced again
anyway here was a typicall day before tabs breakfast big bowl of cereal or four toast
dinner two sandwiches crisp banana then snacks
tea big bowl of lasagne
evening snacks
super 4 toasts then 2 bottles of vodka a week plus buiscuits and cakes(stupid)

new diet roughly
2 scrambled eggs breakfast
morning snack apple atkins low carb bar
dinner salad tuna 2 rice cakes
tea mainly meat veg
as you can see this is a massive improvment i now feel guilty when i eat a lindt 90% cocoa bar once a week and only drink about 4 vodkas a week 2fri 2 sat
 
Hi Eric,
What I like about you is that whatever life throws at you, you carry on smiling. You are an inspiration and also the envy of most fellow diabetics. To be able to eat as you have described is great.
I must say that varieties of beans and salads feature high in my diet but the chips, mmmm........!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
I can almost smell them. Will have to make some with sweet potatoes sprinkled with olive oil, rosemary and garlic.
Hope your other health problems get sorted soon and that you carry on posting on the forum Eric.

Look forward to your future postings.
Regards, Catherine.
 
Thanks Catherine, we only have one chance at this life and I aim to make the best of it and smile/laugh all the way out.
 
Thanks eric and Tubs. I am hoping to carry on with the weight loss as whatever happens I'll feel better in myself. Maybe even improve my diabetes?! And get rid of other health complaints. The orlistat tablets seem to be working quite well with me. Best thing I did demanding them from doctor when he kept on about my weight. :mrgreen:
 
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHA!

I have just done my regular 4 weekly weighing, 77.4kgs.

Lost 4.6kgs

YES! :D :D :D
 

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Thanks Ken, but less of the "old dog" if you please, I'm still in my youth I'll have you know. 8)

I wished. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
New to the Neighborhood

Hey guys. I a new person in the neighborhood. My account is Poroffesor Q8I, but my real name is Aziz. You guys have very nice and cool stories. Im sure in some time I will share mine with u. :D :D :D
 
Hi all,

I don't think I have had a lot of acheivements in my diabetic career as i have been in denial pretty much the whole time but lately i have made 'u' turn and decided to take control of my health and disease.

I have been diagnosed with D for about 5 years now but only last year i was told i was type 1.
I started on insulin but soon discovered I knew nothing about it and soon got very fat very quickly.
to stop this and to shift the excess weight i stopped the insulin and soon it fell off.....and i began to suffer.

i have pretty much dodged all clinic appointments so i wasnt getting into trouble from the proffessionals and i was just going further and further down a slippery slope.
i felt terrible and spent most of my time in the toilet.

in my head i didnt want to go back on the unsulin because it made me fat which was so so stupid.
i had done my research and knew what i could do to help but i just couldnt change my mentalilty.......until 3 weeks ago when i woke up one morning, ater another broken sleep and decided that i was going to wise up to this and change my life.

it may not sound a lot to some people but i have accpeted my disease and have taken a step towards gaining back the years i could have lost due to my stupidity.

thanks for listenin!!

xxx
 
Well done Lel and it is a big achievement.
You have taken control and that is the positive thing to do. Small steps Lel, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Regards,
Catherine.
 

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