Still Angry

Gingermick

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
So I was diagnosed as type 2, just before Christmas 2017, happy Xmas! After going to my GP about a numbness in the sole of my foot. He did a test, said it was probably Morton's neuropathy (which it turned out to be), but as I havent seen him in a few years, a blood test would be wise.

Cholesterol, slightly high
Triglycerides, slightly high
Hba1c - 108

No history in my family, BMI of 26 and falling over the last 2 years.

Where did it come from? it wasnt there 5 years ago - no answer

So I have been on Metformin. A few side effects, especially when mis-timed with food! but enslaved to the pill.

I will have my first blood test on Metformin in a few days. so we will see
 

Mick1959

Well-Known Member
Messages
151
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
So I was diagnosed as type 2, just before Christmas 2017, happy Xmas! After going to my GP about a numbness in the sole of my foot. He did a test, said it was probably Morton's neuropathy (which it turned out to be), but as I havent seen him in a few years, a blood test would be wise.

Cholesterol, slightly high
Triglycerides, slightly high
Hba1c - 108

No history in my family, BMI of 26 and falling over the last 2 years.

Where did it come from? it wasnt there 5 years ago - no answer

So I have been on Metformin. A few side effects, especially when mis-timed with food! but enslaved to the pill.

I will have my first blood test on Metformin in a few days. so we will see

Had you been ill before diagnosis, I became type 2 following a severe illness, that jolted into being
 
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Runica

Well-Known Member
Messages
69
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Yup, bar steward, ain't it? I was diagnosed at 108 as well. No family history, and I was given the all-clear 5 years previously with a pregnancy glucose tolerance test. Mine was only picked up as I changed GP surgery and had a standard blood test on joining.

I was most amazingly angry, which came to a peak about 4 or 5 months into diagnosis. Feeling more chilled now, getting to grips with the 'forever' issue, and no longer feeling hard done by.

Also, I second bulkbiker in that there is no need to be chained to any pill. Your body, your choice, weigh up the pros and cons and take charge.
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome,

You may find the www.bloodsugar101.com website an interesting read.
There is a section on how T2 develops differently in different people, sometimes taking years to appear, with slow steady increases in blood glucose, but in others, the shift can only take a few weeks, making it very difficult to predict, because there are no obvious warning signs for the doc to pick up on.
 

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Second the advice to look at dietdoctor.com

I was also diagnosed at 108 and have successfully used low carb to bring levels down into the normal range. Lots of good advice and support on here.
 

Gingermick

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
Had you been ill before diagnosis, I became type 2 following a severe illness, that jolted into being

I did say to my doctor that this just doesnt happen, this massively, but he was non-committal.

I have had nerve damage since the year 2000 ( a "war" wound from Kosovo) and have tried all sorts, most havent worked. 2 years ago, my old GP left, and was assigned a new one, and he was willing to investigate my nerve damage further. He put me on an anti-epileptic pill, which, granted, was very effective at blocking the pain, however the longer I took it, the more I would develop sporadic muscle spasms, in my eyes, lips, face, legs, hands and arms. Over time the lentgth of spasm got longer and longer, up to 40 mins! So I stopped taking them, and eventually (6months) they stopped and at the same time as this, I was losing weight, with ease, 10 kgs in 2 years, without really trying!

It sounds weird but that is the only thing of notice in the last 2 years, and I put my diabetes down to those drugs, I may be wrong, but the timings are uncanny.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
If you have been relying solely on Metformin to reduce your BG levels you might not see much difference in your Hba1c, as the modern diet is really overloaded with carbohydrate.
I got excellent results by eating low carb foods, dropping all my tests to normal levels, and the proper amount of fat lowered my triglycerides - we are not meant to survive on low fat foods.
 

Gingermick

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
I havent changed my diet much, just the easy bits to be honest. I want to see how effective the Metformin is, so after the second measurement, I then know how much of a lifestyle change I will have to go through with diet and exercise (and so will my family!!).

So stay tuned!
 
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Metabolism_Boss

Well-Known Member
Messages
170
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Reality TV shows. Celebrities that are famous for being famous
Yup, bar steward, ain't it? I was diagnosed at 108 as well. No family history, and I was given the all-clear 5 years previously with a pregnancy glucose tolerance test. Mine was only picked up as I changed GP surgery and had a standard blood test on joining.

I was most amazingly angry, which came to a peak about 4 or 5 months into diagnosis. Feeling more chilled now, getting to grips with the 'forever' issue, and no longer feeling hard done by.

Also, I second bulkbiker in that there is no need to be chained to any pill. Your body, your choice, weigh up the pros and cons and take charge.
I'm another member of the "108" club. It wasn't until I got some control over my blood sugar that I realised how rough I had actually felt. I'd been putting my symptoms down to ageing. Now I'm interested in clothes and make up again and carry 60 litres of compost around the garden with ease. I think this is why it goes undiagnosed in so many people, the symptoms are subtle and it isn't until you actually develop an associated illness that it comes to light.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Gingermick

Hello Gingermick and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 well over 235,000 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

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.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

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 blood glucose 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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. Be aware that if the weight keeps going down without trying then T1 becomes a possibility. Many of us have no family history of diabetes. If the Metformin continues to give problems then ask for the SR (Slow Release) version
 
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Gingermick

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
So here is the update!

Today I have a Hb1A1c of 40 !!!!!

thats on metformin twice a day, a few dietary changes (only a few) and a slight increase in physical exercise.

So yes, proof that it is controllable

So me and the doctor have agreed that I will drop to one pill a day, and do some proper dietary changes, and more gym style Exercise, and in 3 months will go for another reading, and see where to go from there.

Am I still angry? basically yes, but not nearly as much as I was.

thanks for reading

mick
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
So here is the update!

Today I have a Hb1A1c of 40 !!!!!

thats on metformin twice a day, a few dietary changes (only a few) and a slight increase in physical exercise.

So yes, proof that it is controllable

So me and the doctor have agreed that I will drop to one pill a day, and do some proper dietary changes, and more gym style Exercise, and in 3 months will go for another reading, and see where to go from there.

Am I still angry? basically yes, but not nearly as much as I was.

thanks for reading

mick

Well done! :D
 
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