Pre diabetes diagnosis

[LizzyB71]

Hi all, hoping for some support from this community.

Two and a half years ago I had a regular NHS health check and remember the nurse saying my blood glucose levels were a bit high, putting me in the pre diabetic range (HBa1C of 45) I didn’t understand the enormity of this at the time and to be honest it was not fully explained to me. I thought that as I had just had a biscuit, that was why the reading was high! I continued with my running and lost 1.5 stone at Slimming World and didn’t give it much thought. That was until I went to the opticians at the end of July and she said she noticed some characteristic changes to the blood vessels in my eyes, suggesting high blood sugar and/or high blood pressure.

I’ve just been to the doctors who have taken a blood sample from my arm and to be honest I am terrified that the results will be worse, putting me into full T2 territory. My blood pressure was 140/92 but the nurse felt that was due to me being anxious as previous readings have all been fine. I feel ashamed and embarrassed that I have stuck my head in the sand about this. I had to give up running due to a foot injury so the weight came back on. I am 5ft 3 and 12st so need to lose 2st to get back into a healthy range. Since I saw my optician I have adopted a low carb approach, no pasta, potato, bread or any sweets/cakes. I bought a glucose monitor and yesterday’s readings ranged from 4.9 on waking to at its highest 7.8 after dinner. I am taking up cycling with my husband, just waiting to pick up my new bilke.

I don’t think I have had any symptoms of T2, apart from fatigue, which as I am an insomniac is quite normal for me.

Thanks for reading, I will update with my blood results when they are in.

 

[xfieldok]

Welcome to the forum.

First of all, stop with the shame and embarrassment. It's nothing you have done to yourself. Drop that weight, stick with low carb and you should be fine. Make the best use of your meter before and after eating. Log your food and readings on the mysugr app. After a few days it will give an estimated hba1c. It will become more accurate the longer you use it.

Check the link in my signature.

Read around the forum and ask questions.

 

[Sandy Cooper]

Thanks for the support and shared information.

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome,

read the link you were told about by @JoKalsbeek you will find it very useful.

Give up on the shame- some people can eat high levels of carbs and never develop diabetes - we can't.

you have found a great place to get information and support and meet virtually some of the nicest people in the world. Read around, ask questions, vent , share your success.

Good luck and welcome.

 

[LizzyB71]

Good morning all, thanks for your encouraging words. Well, I’ve woken up to bad news this morning. My blood results are in. Total cholesterol is 6.0 and HBaC1 result is 49. This puts me into full blown T2 category now. I am determined to turn this around and am already losing some weight and adopting a low carb approach. It’s going to take me a while to get my head around the diagnosis and the shame I feel. Wish me luck!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Good morning all, thanks for your encouraging words. Well, I’ve woken up to bad news this morning. My blood results are in. Total cholesterol is 6.0 and HBaC1 result is 49. This puts me into full blown T2 category now. I am determined to turn this around and am already losing some weight and adopting a low carb approach. It’s going to take me a while to get my head around the diagnosis and the shame I feel. Wish me luck!

Breathe. Believe it or not.... You woke up to GOOD news. A HbA1c of 49? A lot of us started out with double that, some even more... And got our numbers down in no time at all. Total cholesterol doesn't really mean anything, you'd need the breakdown and the ratio's, but I'd not worry about that number, honestly. (Especially women from a certain age do better with slightly elevated cholesterol.) From where I'm sitting? It's looking hopeful. Really. Not just saying that to ease your mind. Just a few changes in your diet and you'll be back in the non-diabetic range.

It really is that easy. You probably read The Nutritional Thingy by now... And you've already implemented some changes in your diet. You're going to be okay. It's nowhere near as bad as you think it is right now. No need to feel ashamed about anything either. Our bodies just can't cope with the carb intake other people are fine with. Lucky DNA.

Jo

 

[Jilly1958]

I was diagnosed September 2019 I have lost 4 stone but I can’t seem to get my blood to level out what am I doing wrong

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I was diagnosed September 2019 I have lost 4 stone but I can’t seem to get my blood to level out what am I doing wrong

Hi Jilly. You might get more responses in a thread of your own. (@Antje77 , can you help please?)

Couple of questions before there's an answer for you, though congratulations on the weight loss.... What are you eating, what medication are you on, what is your HbA1c, and how/when do you test? Your profile says you're prediabetic, so... When you say "level out", what exactly do you want your blood sugars to do? Because blood sugars fluctuate throughout the day, as they're supposed to. You're not going to see a flatline, should that be what you mean... You just don't want the fluctuations to be too big.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help a little.
Jo

 

[Jilly1958]

Thank you so much for answering I have been diagnosed type 2 I am on metformin 500g twice a day, I can’t seem to get my blood below 5.5 it goes up to 7.5 sometimes bit higher I am on a low carb diet. I really don’t eat all the obvious naughty things just not sure what to do

 

[Antje77]

Hi Jilly. You might get more responses in a thread of your own. (@Antje77 , can you help please?)

Looks like you found the way to post a new thread @Jilly1958
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/can-you-help-me.176237/

 

[Jilly1958]

Yes I did hahaha just about

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thank you so much for answering I have been diagnosed type 2 I am on metformin 500g twice a day, I can’t seem to get my blood below 5.5 it goes up to 7.5 sometimes bit higher I am on a low carb diet. I really don’t eat all the obvious naughty things just not sure what to do

Between 5,5 and 7,5 isn't actually bad you know. It's over 3,5 and under 8,5, meaning it is in the normal range. Don't fret, you're making solid progress!

 

[LizzyB71]

Breathe. Believe it or not.... You woke up to GOOD news. A HbA1c of 49? A lot of us started out with double that, some even more... And got our numbers down in no time at all. Total cholesterol doesn't really mean anything, you'd need the breakdown and the ratio's, but I'd not worry about that number, honestly. (Especially women from a certain age do better with slightly elevated cholesterol.) From where I'm sitting? It's looking hopeful. Really. Not just saying that to ease your mind. Just a few changes in your diet and you'll be back in the non-diabetic range.

It really is that easy. You probably read The Nutritional Thingy by now... And you've already implemented some changes in your diet. You're going to be okay. It's nowhere near as bad as you think it is right now. No need to feel ashamed about anything either. Our bodies just can't cope with the carb intake other people are fine with. Lucky DNA.

Jo

Thanks for your kind words. I spoke to my doctor today who was lovely. He wants me to go for it with the diet and exercise (as I am doing and am committed to) and he will retest me in 6 weeks with a fasting glucose test. He thinks if I try my best I will get out of the T2 zone. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I have already learnt so much from this site, stuff I never knew, I wish I’d discovered it sooner.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thanks for your kind words. I spoke to my doctor today who was lovely. He wants me to go for it with the diet and exercise (as I am doing and am committed to) and he will retest me in 6 weeks with a fasting glucose test. He thinks if I try my best I will get out of the T2 zone. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I have already learnt so much from this site, stuff I never knew, I wish I’d discovered it sooner.

Well, now you know, and now you're acting on it. You'll be fine.