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Prediabetes diagnosis

F

fitnessqueen13

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello,

I had some blood tests for other things and the GP also tested by Hbac1 - the result was 43. I went to see the nurse yesterday who told me I have pre diabetes. I asked lots of questions about what I should be doing to reduce my blood sugar etc and she was absolutely useless - a complete waste of time. No guidance or suggestions apart from increasing my exercise "if I felt like it"! She asked if I wanted to be referred to the dietician but the waiting time is 6 months.

My main emotion at the moment is rage - I feel so angry! I do have a family history type 2 diabetes and my mum died of complications - she was diagnosed with type 2 when she was about 65 though and I'm 53. I am willing to do what is necessary so that this doesn't develop into Type 2 diabetes although after seeing the nurse yesterday I ate a load of **** and drank half a bottle of wine (don't even want to analyse what that was about). I am about 56lbs over weight and I know I need to shift this.

So far the information I've found on here has been informative. I'm going to start the LCHF diet and up my exercise - from today. I've got another blood test in a month's time. I had to ask for it as she wanted me to come back in six month's time. Are there any other tests I need to have?

I'd appreciate any help and advice you can give.

Many thanks

FQ13
 
Hi fitnessqueen, i was diagnosed in December with a fbg of 10.4 l started to cut out carbs and started to exercise within a month my fbg was 6.5 after my last blood tests fbg was 5.5 and hba1c was 5.4 al in the normal range so just be disciplined and work hard and you will get the results.
Mark
 
Hi, Great job for finding help, its unfortunate that we are often not given it by our health care professionals but on the up side, in my experience it would have been bad, outdated advice anyway so they may have done you a favour by making your seek help for yourself, its a great idea to cut out the carbs (carbs are sugar) you are finding this out at the perfect stage, while your still able to halt it in its tracks! i too had a parent killed by t2 so i know exactly where your coming from and I'm so happy your here and i know you'll do great with your attitude, diet is our biggest weapon and you've got that sorted, exercise i don't think aids weight loss but is amazing at reducing blood glucose so the combination will have a dramatic effect, if you need any low carb food ideas there is a great recipe section on the forum, i don't think you need any blood tests at this stage (but I'm not medical at all) it will take a little while for the changes you are making to take effect anyways, the hba1c test they do is a 3 month average so not much point having them until 3 months is up as it will record your bg pre the changes, best of luck with the new you, please let us know how its going or if you have any questions, always someone happy to try and help
 
I got an appointment for Desmond for six months after being diagnosed with Type 2. Told them to forget it. As others have stated educate yourself. Find out the foods that you LIKE that are good for you. Patrick Holford's book is a good start.
 
fitnessqueen13 said:
Hello,

I had some blood tests for other things and the GP also tested by Hbac1 - the result was 43. I went to see the nurse yesterday who told me I have pre diabetes. I asked lots of questions about what I should be doing to reduce my blood sugar etc and she was absolutely useless - a complete waste of time. No guidance or suggestions apart from increasing my exercise "if I felt like it"! She asked if I wanted to be referred to the dietician but the waiting time is 6 months.

My main emotion at the moment is rage - I feel so angry! I do have a family history type 2 diabetes and my mum died of complications - she was diagnosed with type 2 when she was about 65 though and I'm 53. I am willing to do what is necessary so that this doesn't develop into Type 2 diabetes although after seeing the nurse yesterday I ate a load of **** and drank half a bottle of wine (don't even want to analyse what that was about). I am about 56lbs over weight and I know I need to shift this.

So far the information I've found on here has been informative. I'm going to start the LCHF diet and up my exercise - from today. I've got another blood test in a month's time. I had to ask for it as she wanted me to come back in six month's time. Are there any other tests I need to have?

I'd appreciate any help and advice you can give.

Many thanks

FQ13
Click to expand...


FQ - I'm going to out a really positive spin on your situation, because in so many ways, I'm envious.

I too was diagnosed off the back of a blood test for something else, which identified a raised fasting blood glucose, then confirmed by an HbA1c. At that point my HbA1c was 73. I couldn't, and can't still quite believe that. But, having sorted myself out with a meter to self test, I was having blood scores in the diabetic range, so I had to accept it. I was seeing it with my own eyes; tests from my own blood. My numbers are in my signature below, and you will see it is possible, for some people, to make a sea change to their blood scores, and their overall health. I'm not alone in achieving those sorts of results, but I think it's fair to say that we've had to make the effort to achieve them. To balance that statement, I would point out that I seem to have been lucky and caught this thing whilst my pancreas, liver and other organs still function well, but were impeded by insulin resistance. Not everyone gets that lucky break.

Where's the spin in that? Well, I so, so wish I had found out my blood glucose was raised before it reached truly diabetic levels. You have an opportunity to stop this thing in its tracks, and with effort, luck and no other underlying issues, never have to develop full blown diabetes.

You seem keen to put the effort it, and make those changes. Please do. All the reading I have done suggests that the sooner we make the required changes to our diet and lifestyle, and where necessary with medication, the better our outlook will be. Don't waste this golden opportunity.

For me, I am hoping I can maintain myself in the non-diabetic range for as long as possible (in my head I'm saying forever, but have to keep an open mind to the fact that things beyond my control can change), and that I can continue to lead the great life I always have done, but just more being aware.

On a reduced carb diet, you should lose weight. I didn't go the whole LCHF route as I just don't actually enjoy eating lots of fat. I've tried, and I just couldn't sustain it, so I created my own hybrid, through trial and error. These days, I don't deliberately add fat to my diet, but nor do I avoid it. So, that means roast pork with crackling, butter, rather than Flora, and so on. But, I did trim up, and I would say reducing carbs and losing my love handles was the key to those numbers, so now I need to maintain it. That'll be the hard bit for me, if I'm honest.

I don't know how you gained weight; whether it was an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, after an injury, hormone related, reactive overeating or plain old enjoying your food a bit too much, but as well as reducing carbs, you may want to think about portion sizes. As much as anything it's a great way to retrain your system to still enjoy food, but maybe a bit less of it.

Take your opportunity FQ. You won't regret it.
 
Hello and welcome FQ,

I can't add anything to what has been said above. All great advice. Just stop being angry and try to look at it as being lucky. This may be the kick up the bum you needed to do something about your weight and maybe lifestyle before you develop full blown diabetes rather than when it's too late. A low carb diet of one description or another is the best way to go, with a little added exercise if you can. Just a 20 or 30 minute walk every day is a good thing.
Please get yourself a home testing meter, it's the best way to learn as you will see if you read through these forums.
Good luck, and ask as many questions as you like.
 
The first thing I said to the doctor after she had told me I had diabetes was "I think this is a wake up call" Within a week I was making changes and in a perverse sense I am enjoying the eating plan. Went from 15 stone to 13 and a half stone. Mostly happy with the situation.
 
fitnessqueen13 said:
Hello,

I had some blood tests for other things and the GP also tested by Hbac1 - the result was 43. I went to see the nurse yesterday who told me I have pre diabetes. I asked lots of questions about what I should be doing to reduce my blood sugar etc and she was absolutely useless - a complete waste of time. No guidance or suggestions apart from increasing my exercise "if I felt like it"! She asked if I wanted to be referred to the dietician but the waiting time is 6 months.

My main emotion at the moment is rage - I feel so angry! I do have a family history type 2 diabetes and my mum died of complications - she was diagnosed with type 2 when she was about 65 though and I'm 53. I am willing to do what is necessary so that this doesn't develop into Type 2 diabetes although after seeing the nurse yesterday I ate a load of **** and drank half a bottle of wine (don't even want to analyse what that was about). I am about 56lbs over weight and I know I need to shift this.

So far the information I've found on here has been informative. I'm going to start the LCHF diet and up my exercise - from today. I've got another blood test in a month's time. I had to ask for it as she wanted me to come back in six month's time. Are there any other tests I need to have?

I'd appreciate any help and advice you can give.

Many thanks

FQ13
Click to expand...
My gosh i could have written most of that post myself! I was recently diagnosed too, A1c 44 so very similar to yours. I was already on a reducing diet and swam 2-3 times a week...though no real weight loss.

Since diagnosis i switched to a low carb high fat diet and not only is my blood glucose reducing nicely, so is my weight. I've also upped my swimming to 4-5 hours a week and have lost around 15 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I feel fitter than i have in years.

Its a big shock but with the right support you can make the changes you need. We're lucky, we got to find out before we actually became diabetic. I'd like to say don't waste the opportunity to make changes because some people aren't as lucky as we are...we're in a position to delay or put off forever a type 2 diagnosis.

If you need any support, i'm here for you x
 
Thank you so much for all your replies they've been really helpful. I'm over the anger now and do see it as a wake up call.

I've started a low carb lifestyle and have increased my level of activity. I bought a fitness tracker at the weekend and am shocked at how inactive I was. I honestly believed I was much more active than I am! It's a great incentive - especially when it tells me to get up and move :-)

I am so glad that I found this forum.

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