Return of the lost

Sorry you've had such a rotten time. What was your HbA1c, if the nurse was happy with it?

Hello.

Sorry to hear about your dad and your other personal problems, but it's good to see you are back to being motivated, even if it is the threat of insulin.

I wish you well in your new journey.

suffolkboi61 said:

To be honest I wasn't really listening until she said about going on insulin, but am nearly sure it was between 5-5.4%

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I think you need to confirm that, because if you're achieveing an HbA1c of 5-5.4% I'm amazed that your medication has been increased, with the prospect of insulin, and secondly, if you're seeing readings of 22.1 you must be having some serious lows to influence the average at non-diabetic levels.

Something isn't adding up there; I'd suggest you need some clarification.

Good idea. Welcome back

Sorry about your father.
Sometimes our priorities get reshuffled, usually for very good reasons.
But glad you are picking up the reins again.

Just speculating, could the a1c have been in the 50s, using the new units?

Hi Suffolk sorry to hear of your recent problems, I have a good mate who has recently gone through a similar situation with his mother and has neglected his own health for over a year now.

Still at least you sound as if you know what to do and have returned here for support and encouragement which you are sure to find.

You will probably find that if you can lose the weight you have put on over the last year or so you will lose a lot of the insulin resistance that comes with weight gain and will be able to reduce your meds rather than progressing to insulin.

Weight loss is not easy but can be accomplished if you are motivated and by the sound of it you are, be strict and stick with what ever diet you choose and set small targets of say 6 or 7 pounds at a time rather than try to lose the whole lot all at once, then once you get the first 7 lb off then look to the next etc etc I found this method worked well for me and I've lost around 5 stone since diagnosis 6 years ago and have managed to maintain that weight loss too give or take a pound or two here and there.

Reducing or even cutting out alcohol can be a great help and it is something I do if I put a few pounds on over xmas or the winter period generally, alcohol even in moderate amounts can add a lot of calories to your daily total.

Try to avoid eating between meals, I found that by looking at the time when I felt hungry and telling myself "its only x minutes till lunch/diner/bedtime" that helped me stop eating between meals, again its not easy but stick with it and reap the benefits of weight loss, lower bg levels and fewer meds

Good luck

suffolkboi61 said:

I have to go back again in 6 months but will ask for a print out on Monday from my health center. Also I think it's time to dig out my folder of records of what I ate and did after being diagnosed, lucky I kept a complete diary of it all.

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Good plan! Your old records will be useful, but I'd want to actually re-confirm the numbers I was achieving these days, as our bodies can change - even improve in some areas.

Welcome back to the forum, so sorry about your fathers passing, take care.

Hi and welcome. I have toagree with the other posters that if your HBa1C is good perhaps below 6.5% then I can't see why your DN is suggesting a move to insulin. Yes, if you can reduce your carbs to get your weight down you should find that any need for insulin will disappear.

Sorry about the loss of your father ...you have been though a very sad time.