Started testing again pending "official" diagnosis

[AndBreathe]

Wow, that's quite a drop. Your body does a good job of looking after you! Where can I get one like that, lol.

My GP, when suggesting I be removed from the diabetic register, commented i have absolutely no markers for diabetes or metabolic syndromes any more, and she can't believe I ever had them. I had to reassure her, based on my own testing, in the early days. She wasn't with the practise at that time.

Had I not tested, and "proved" the rationale for initial diagnosis, I probably still wouldn't have believed it myself.

MrB has a better body than mine. Almost 69; he is medication free, with his only "issue" periodic reflux from a long standing hiatus hernia, which he finds pretty much disappears when he is moderating his carbs, alongside my own eating. Other than that, he has poor hearing, due to an accident many moons ago, but that just gives me an excuse to shout at him from time to time. His BP was marginally elevated at his last MOT, but he was anxious about something he wanted to discuss. The answer to the underlying issue was mild dehydration, at which point his BP has dropped right back into the "fit old git range"

We don't do so badly on Planet Breathe.

 

[Pipp]

Hi CatLadyNZ
I dont get restless leg syndrome because I take Horsechestnut herbal tablets. Some brands are just horse chestnut, some have butchers broom, vitamin C, etc. It really works. You would need to check with your pharmacist and/or doctor regarding interactions with other medication. Hope this is a help.
Sassiegirl from Tas.

Hello, @Sassiegirl. I notice you are new to forum. Welcome from me, too. Is Tas Tasmania? There are a few Antipodeans around forums here.
Have you had the welcome info from @daisy1?

 

[daisy1]

@tigerlily72 @Sassiegirl

Hello and welcome to the forum Here is the information we give to new members, as mentioned above, and I hope this will help you. Ask all the questions you need to and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

 

[tigerlily72]

Hi,
Just wanted to interject an alternative viewpoint into the thread.

I am a type 2 diabetic. Have been for 3-5 years. After 10+ years of pre-D. But i am not diagnosed T2. I have kept my blood glucose tests low by diet and exercise. My HbA1c has been too low for diagnosis (so far), and while my fasting bg is often over 7, it hasn't been on the rare occasion that my surgery gives me the test (averages every 1 x every 18 months).

Reversal is a lovely idea, and a possibility for some of us. Assuming that clamping down on diet, and losing weight MAY work for you is a great goal, but it may not work for you. It doesn't always. I have never had a fatty liver, so losing the fat won't reverse D for me.

So, here i am, 5 ish years after developing T2. Undiagnosed. No foot or eye checks. No HbA1c, unless i can persuade them. No metformin (which would help my morning readings, and my appetite, and maybe help a little with heart protection). If i had an accident, and was hospitalised, my diabetes would not be factored in to my treatment regime. I have paid privately for HbA1cs. If i was on metformin, i would get free prescriptions and (maybe) free test strips.

With a diagnosis, I would receive all of those, which would give me far more information, checks and backup when managing this condition. It isn't about the money. It is about checks for retinopathy, neuropathy, kidney failure.

In your place, i would go for reversal and dietary control, and i would bust a gut to do so, but i would wait until AFTER that next fasting blood test, and if i came away from it with a diagnosis, i would see it as a positive thing. And THEN i would turn my life around and stun the doc and nurse with my impressive control and hoped for reversal.

The benefits of having been diagnosed outweigh the cons - IMHO.

That's a really interesting and valid point. I hadn't thought of it like that. I did ask the nurse when she did the blood the first time around if they'd also check HbA1c and they did. I think my next result will be over 7 as I felt a bit odd on waking this morning. I got hubby to test me (I'm needle phobic and can't stand the thought of doing it myself). I'd not had anything to eat or drink on waking and it returned 8.2. My Dr told me if it's over 6 that confirms it and I get the official diagnosis.

 

[Sassiegirl]

@tigerlily72 @Sassiegirl

Hello and welcome to the forum Here is the information we give to new members, as mentioned above, and I hope this will help you. Ask all the questions you need to and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Hi Daisy1,
I was told by an A and E doctor that I was diabetic in 2005. I had cellulitis in both legs, and my bg was 6. He told me to go back to my GP and request a fasting BG test. I had that and they said it was perfectly normal. My daughter is a nurse and she talked about my symptoms to an RN she worked with. She said I was probably insulin resistant and printed off info for my daughter to bring home. I have all the symptoms, including the skin tags. I had 42 removed from my neck! But because my glucose levels are not high, drs say there is nothing wrong with me. My orthopaedic surgeon says I am probably insulin resistant. I have attended a diabetes clinic and have changed my diet. I asked my gp about the insulin resistance and she ignored me. I see a different gp (the other one left the surgery because she eloped Its like banging my head against a brick wall.

 

[Sassiegirl]

Hello, @Sassiegirl. I notice you are new to forum. Welcome from me, too. Is Tas Tasmania? There are a few Antipodeans around forums here.
Have you had the welcome info from @daisy1?

Hi Daisy1, Yes I am from Tasmania, Australia.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Hi Daisy1,
I was told by an A and E doctor that I was diabetic in 2005. I had cellulitis in both legs, and my bg was 6. He told me to go back to my GP and request a fasting BG test. I had that and they said it was perfectly normal. My daughter is a nurse and she talked about my symptoms to an RN she worked with. She said I was probably insulin resistant and printed off info for my daughter to bring home. I have all the symptoms, including the skin tags. I had 42 removed from my neck! But because my glucose levels are not high, drs say there is nothing wrong with me. My orthopaedic surgeon says I am probably insulin resistant. I have attended a diabetes clinic and have changed my diet. I asked my gp about the insulin resistance and she ignored me. I see a different gp (the other one left the surgery because she eloped Its like banging my head against a brick wall.

Glad you are seeing a different GP now. In addition to fasting BG, HbA1c and the oral glucose tolerance test can provide a better picture of whether someone is diabetic or not. Insulin resistance and prediabetes are best treated the same way as you would if you were T2 diabetic anyway, so you are doing the right things.

 

[Sassiegirl]

Well, watch this space i've just had another periodic FBG test (this morning) which is probably why i thought to post on this thread! And it was probably over 7, in which case, the wonderful world of nhs diabetic monitoring lies at my feet. Lol.

Hi Brunneria
You have that xylitol is toxic to dogs. Do you know what it is made of. I was going to buy some chewable vitamins for my granddaughter but it said they contained xylitol. It said contained all natural products. She is fructose intolerant and would be quite ill if she has artificial sweeteners. So is xylitol artificial or natural.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Hi Brunneria
You have that xylitol is toxic to dogs. Do you know what it is made of. I was going to buy some chewable vitamins for my granddaughter but it said they contained xylitol. It said contained all natural products. She is fructose intolerant and would be quite ill if she has artificial sweeteners. So is xylitol artificial or natural.

Were they multivitamins? She might find it more helpful to get blood tests for vitamin deficiencies and target those with individual supplements. Usually those products don't have fructose or artificial sweeteners.

 

[Sassiegirl]

Glad you are seeing a different GP now. In addition to fasting BG, HbA1c and the oral glucose tolerance test can provide a better picture of whether someone is diabetic or not. Insulin resistance and prediabetes are best treated the same way as you would if you were T2 diabetic anyway, so you are doing the right things.

Well actually the new gp is useless. My orthopod requested that I always see him, as the gps often only stay a short time at the surgery. My gp owns it. I have been seeing him for about 3 yrs. I have had a lesion on my leg that kept getting infected. Cellulitis, and 3 times I have had blood poisoning. He kept giving me antibiotics. The lesion was getting bigger and I was getting cellulitis every 2-3 months. I asked if I could have a referral to a dermatologist. He was happy to do that. So I waited 3 months for my appointment. When I rang for the appointment, his nurse said it didnt sound like a solar kerastosis. (That is what I had been told previously.) As soon as the dermatologist saw it, he said he thought it was a squamous cell carcinoma. He did a punch biopsy. I had two stitches, and was in incredible pain, because its right on a nerve, and I have neuropathy. (Using hypericum oil - St Johns wort- helps the nerve pain) Now I am waiting to see a plastic surgeon to have it operated on. (another 2 months). I dont know whether I will need skin grafts, Chemotherapy and/or radiation.

 

[Indy51]

@Sassiegirl - all about Xylitol :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol - extracted from various kinds of fibres apparently.

Another article: http://authoritynutrition.com/xylitol-101/

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Well actually the new gp is useless. My orthopod requested that I always see him, as the gps often only stay a short time at the surgery. My gp owns it. I have been seeing him for about 3 yrs. I have had a lesion on my leg that kept getting infected. Cellulitis, and 3 times I have had blood poisoning. He kept giving me antibiotics. The lesion was getting bigger and I was getting cellulitis every 2-3 months. I asked if I could have a referral to a dermatologist. He was happy to do that. So I waited 3 months for my appointment. When I rang for the appointment, his nurse said it didnt sound like a solar kerastosis. (That is what I had been told previously.) As soon as the dermatologist saw it, he said he thought it was a squamous cell carcinoma. He did a punch biopsy. I had two stitches, and was in incredible pain, because its right on a nerve, and I have neuropathy. (Using hypericum oil - St Johns wort- helps the nerve pain) Now I am waiting to see a plastic surgeon to have it operated on. (another 2 months). I dont know whether I will need skin grafts, Chemotherapy and/or radiation.

OMG that is terrible negligence on the part of the GP! The referral should have mentioned suspected cancer. Is the dermatologist ok with a 2 month wait for cancer surgery?

I have heard that if you contact the NHS office with concerns about your GP they can make an exception and allow you to register with a practice outside your area. I don't know anything else about this as the process is different to NZ.

I don't know about you but there is no way I could trust a GP who had made a mistake like that

Best wishes for your recovery. xx

 

[Sassiegirl]

OMG that is terrible negligence on the part of the GP! The referral should have mentioned suspected cancer. Is the dermatologist ok with a 2 month wait for cancer surgery?

I have heard that if you contact the NHS office with concerns about your GP they can make an exception and allow you to register with a practice outside your area. I don't know anything else about this as the process is different to NZ.

I don't know about you but there is no way I could trust a GP who had made a mistake like that

Best wishes for your recovery. xx

Thank you CatLadyNZ for your thoughts. My brother gave me a book on non-toxic cancer treatments. I have been trying one. For the first time in 3-4 years, the lesion on my leg is healing over and looking heaps better. Normally a huge scab builds up, as the lesion doesnt heal and keeps weeping and sometimes bleeding. And each time the scab comes off, I have a big patch of raw skin underneath, (about the size of 50cent piece). This can take from 1-3 days to scab over again, and I am in terrible pain and cant bear anything to touch my leg. Well!! a few days ago, half the scab came off, with healed skin underneath, not raw skin. No pain. And no weeping. The treatment is to eat 1/4cup cottage cheese mixed with 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, twice a day. I was pretty sceptic about this, but if I have to eat this for the rest of my life, I dont care. It seems to be working. The cancer may be a lot smaller by the time I see the plastic surgeon.

CatLady - the referral was ridiculous. It had one sentence!!! Also we are already at a surgery out of our area. It must be different her in Tas. I have 10 days now till my appointment to see the plastic surgeon. It is only at his rooms. I think I will have to be in hospital for the treatment I am to have. Just as well we have the highest private health insurance.