Apologies for the long post! 
I’ve been a member of this site for several years. I rarely “log-in” but I’m on here daily reading, learning, appreciating. Although I did make a few posts ages ago, there’s nothing I can say that hasn’t been said better and there’s no information I can give that hasn’t been given in more depth and with more intelligence by other members. One thing I can do is say thanks for all the amazing information and inclusive support you all offer. It’s made a huge difference to me and I’m sure to many others.
For whatever reason I was never formally diagnosed (T2) diabetic, even though I was well over the commonly accepted cut-off – for multiple annual HBA1cs. I was also dealing with other (mostly auto-immune) health issues which I’ve since come to understand are all connected in one way or another. In spite of my GP/Practice Nurse telling me “Diabetes is a progressive disease” and I really needed to deal with my diet while, at the same time telling me how she can’t stop herself pigging out on Macdonalds, and after finding The Wheat Belly Blog, Diabetes 101, this Forum, and getting a testing kit (against same Nurse’s “advice”), I managed to reduce my level to the “pre-diabetic” range.
But it was difficult. So difficult. For years I’d been the recipient of and studied/practiced various (mostly complementary) therapies – one of which is called EFT (known as “Tapping”). Enough people told me I helped them for me to believe I probably did (self-belief not being my strong suit then) but could I help myself? I could not. I was addicted to food – it was my comfort, my support, my rock. It was all I had. The compulsion to eat was so strong I just didn’t have the resources to fight it. I knew what I needed to do – but I couldn’t do it. But I kept on Tapping and I kept on trying even though I kept on failing! My HBA1c crept back up to those original high “diabetic” figures.
After a couple of sad/difficult years, last year was my very own “annus horribilis”. My mother had a massive stroke. She wasn’t expected to survive the trip between hospitals for the operation to remove a blood clot in her brain, let alone survive the stroke. A full roller-coaster of emotions ensued. I told my beautiful daughter I wasn’t ready to be the family matriarch and that beautiful, supportive girl reminded me I already was (there was only me, my mother and my daughter, they were all I had). My mother survived. Thankfully she had the “right” sort of stroke. I don’t often bandy around the word “miracle” but it sure felt like it. Four weeks later that wonderful young woman, my only child, herself died. As you can imagine, I was devastated. And then Easter this year her father, my ex-husband, also died.
But you know what, as sad as his death was, it’s set me free. No need to go into details. None of them are good. But I’m free now. And on the 20th April 2018 after a 4 day bout of norovirus during which - while hugging the porcelain – I realised I didn’t want to eat (now that was a miracle) I was finally able to give up eating all grains AND sugar. I went proper LCHF!
Well if you’ve managed to read this far through this slightly depressing tale, I’m going to reward you for your fortitude and present to you my own miracle. VERY slowly, but VERY surely my weight has dropped. Since 20th April I have lost 4 stone (26kg) – no mean feat and I’m still losing. And I did this with my thyroid, according to my Endo, functioning at almost the lowest possible level before being completely Kaput! But the weight loss, the no grains/no sugar diet and the ever so slight easing of the grief is definitely changing that. My most recent tests showed an increase in my thyroid function and an HBA1c of 5.5% (36.6)! I’m positive this will continue and expect even better results at my next Endo check-up in March 2019. If you play your cards right I might even update you!
So. Life has changed beyond recognition in both a bad way and a good way. To all of you who are struggling – I say stay strong, stay here and stay reading. There’s so much to learn. If you do only one thing, and in my humble opinion that’s “eat to your meter”, you will learn what works for you, and what’s right for you. And even though it may completely contradict the advice you’re getting from your HCPs remember it’s your diabetes and it’s your health you’re dealing with so it’s always you who gets to decide what you do. For the emotional side of things I cannot recommend enough something like EFT. I taught myself – there’s lots of information online. It can really help you let go of the emotional attachment to food. I never thought I could and yet here I am.
Anyway. This was a very long-winded way of saying thanks so much to all those who’ve helped me over the years. You didn’t know you were doing it. But you did. I’ll likely go back to anonymity but I’ll definitely be back to my daily viewing – and learning.
Thank you.
Abigail
I’ve been a member of this site for several years. I rarely “log-in” but I’m on here daily reading, learning, appreciating. Although I did make a few posts ages ago, there’s nothing I can say that hasn’t been said better and there’s no information I can give that hasn’t been given in more depth and with more intelligence by other members. One thing I can do is say thanks for all the amazing information and inclusive support you all offer. It’s made a huge difference to me and I’m sure to many others.
For whatever reason I was never formally diagnosed (T2) diabetic, even though I was well over the commonly accepted cut-off – for multiple annual HBA1cs. I was also dealing with other (mostly auto-immune) health issues which I’ve since come to understand are all connected in one way or another. In spite of my GP/Practice Nurse telling me “Diabetes is a progressive disease” and I really needed to deal with my diet while, at the same time telling me how she can’t stop herself pigging out on Macdonalds, and after finding The Wheat Belly Blog, Diabetes 101, this Forum, and getting a testing kit (against same Nurse’s “advice”), I managed to reduce my level to the “pre-diabetic” range.
But it was difficult. So difficult. For years I’d been the recipient of and studied/practiced various (mostly complementary) therapies – one of which is called EFT (known as “Tapping”). Enough people told me I helped them for me to believe I probably did (self-belief not being my strong suit then) but could I help myself? I could not. I was addicted to food – it was my comfort, my support, my rock. It was all I had. The compulsion to eat was so strong I just didn’t have the resources to fight it. I knew what I needed to do – but I couldn’t do it. But I kept on Tapping and I kept on trying even though I kept on failing! My HBA1c crept back up to those original high “diabetic” figures.
After a couple of sad/difficult years, last year was my very own “annus horribilis”. My mother had a massive stroke. She wasn’t expected to survive the trip between hospitals for the operation to remove a blood clot in her brain, let alone survive the stroke. A full roller-coaster of emotions ensued. I told my beautiful daughter I wasn’t ready to be the family matriarch and that beautiful, supportive girl reminded me I already was (there was only me, my mother and my daughter, they were all I had). My mother survived. Thankfully she had the “right” sort of stroke. I don’t often bandy around the word “miracle” but it sure felt like it. Four weeks later that wonderful young woman, my only child, herself died. As you can imagine, I was devastated. And then Easter this year her father, my ex-husband, also died.
But you know what, as sad as his death was, it’s set me free. No need to go into details. None of them are good. But I’m free now. And on the 20th April 2018 after a 4 day bout of norovirus during which - while hugging the porcelain – I realised I didn’t want to eat (now that was a miracle) I was finally able to give up eating all grains AND sugar. I went proper LCHF!
Well if you’ve managed to read this far through this slightly depressing tale, I’m going to reward you for your fortitude and present to you my own miracle. VERY slowly, but VERY surely my weight has dropped. Since 20th April I have lost 4 stone (26kg) – no mean feat and I’m still losing. And I did this with my thyroid, according to my Endo, functioning at almost the lowest possible level before being completely Kaput! But the weight loss, the no grains/no sugar diet and the ever so slight easing of the grief is definitely changing that. My most recent tests showed an increase in my thyroid function and an HBA1c of 5.5% (36.6)! I’m positive this will continue and expect even better results at my next Endo check-up in March 2019. If you play your cards right I might even update you!
So. Life has changed beyond recognition in both a bad way and a good way. To all of you who are struggling – I say stay strong, stay here and stay reading. There’s so much to learn. If you do only one thing, and in my humble opinion that’s “eat to your meter”, you will learn what works for you, and what’s right for you. And even though it may completely contradict the advice you’re getting from your HCPs remember it’s your diabetes and it’s your health you’re dealing with so it’s always you who gets to decide what you do. For the emotional side of things I cannot recommend enough something like EFT. I taught myself – there’s lots of information online. It can really help you let go of the emotional attachment to food. I never thought I could and yet here I am.
Anyway. This was a very long-winded way of saying thanks so much to all those who’ve helped me over the years. You didn’t know you were doing it. But you did. I’ll likely go back to anonymity but I’ll definitely be back to my daily viewing – and learning.
Thank you.
Abigail
