Thanks for the help

I was diagnosed as a T2 in January with an HbA1c of 53. My DN gave me target of 47 but, at the time, I hadn't a clue how to get there and she said it would probably be impossible with diet alone but that I could get medication after trying for 3 months.

I signed up to this Forum in mid February and read a lot. I adopted the LCHF diet - although I didn't really take to the high fat (at least my gallbladder didn't !). However, I changed my low fat yoghurts for full fat Greek ones and ate a lot more olives, avocados,and olive oil. I bought a meter and some strips and, for the first 2 weeks or so, I tested what food 'spiked' me. I got some surprises (porridge, lentils etc.) so out they went - along with the usual suspects (bread, potatoes, pasta and rice). I also found out how much I liked peanut butter in celery sticks, cauliflower, broccoli and celeriac (I hadn't ever eaten that before and now I'm hooked). I've even experimented with a 100ml glass of nice red wine before bedtime for a week to see if that reduced my morning dump from my liver.

I went to my GP's last Tuesday and another nurse took my blood test, weighed me and checked my blood pressure. I'm due to see my DN for a review on May 11th and to attend a Desmond course on May 7th.

I also signed up with an NHS Scotland online interactive website for diabetics. They have details of my test results, clinic letters and treatment plan. What a shock I got today when I logged in to see my latest results had already been posted and I was really pleased to see my HbA1c was now 42 !!

I've also lost 24 lbs and my cholesterol has dropped from 3.9 to 3.4 (I've been on statins for a few years after a few small TIAs).

My only concern is that my blood pressure was elevated and I'll see what the DN nurse says at my review. I'd rather not go on medication, so maybe a few other changes are needed. I did explain to the nurse who took the test that I've just had '2 weeks from hell' and she noted that on my records, so maybe my pressure will have reduced by the time of my review.

I'd like to say thanks to all the people on this forum who give us 'newbies' the advice and encouragement we need. I don't want to highlight anybody in particular but I've found the posters on the thread that encouraged me to post my fasting levels in the morning and the recipes thread particularly useful. I'm sorry if I've silently stalked a few of the members (you probably know who you are) around the forums just reading their posts and absorbing their advice.

I know this isn't the end of the story (it's probably only just the first chapter) but I'm really quite a happy bunny.

Thanks again.

So far I've only had it mashed with butter but I'm going to try it roasted soon.

Thanks KateA, I'm so pleased that I won't have to add to my existing medication and have proved the DN wrong. Without all the advice on this Forum I would not have had a chance. Before diagnosis, I rarely ate sweet things BUT I was a real carb lover (bread, potatoes and pasta in particular).

I must try Celeriac chips. Do you do them in the oven?

Arab Horse said:

Thanks, will have a go and see if they are any better than mashed!

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So will I. One more question do you cut the celeriac into 'chippy' chips or American chips (crisps)?

KateA said:

@WeeFergus chippy chips, nice and chunky. Cannot be doing with 'fries' or crips. There is a bit of shrinkage when you roast them. My non diabetic son loves them, I wonder sometimes if I just like my food because I have too.

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Thanks KateA. I'll give them a go when I get an urge for a chippy!

Paul59 said:

Well done weefergus, those are great results & once again show the lchf works unlike the Nhs eatwell plan, oneday they will come to realise that they are just making people more ill in the long run & adding to the Nhs costs in treating the complications & medications needed. (Oh boy I'm like a broken record).

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Thanks Paul59. I will find out on Thursday what the DEsMOND course advises. I don't know if they will have access to my results but I'll take a copy with me and would like to take to the floor to explain to the other diabetics how I did it. I doubt if that will be permitted.

zand said:

@WeeFergus What a brilliant post! Well done for doing the hard work.

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Hi Zand, after the first few days it wasn't really all that hard. I was a massive carb eater but I kept reading on this forum what the dire consequences could be if I ignored my diabetes and there were so many success stories that I could use for motivation.

Baruney said:

Great stuff @WeeFergus. Google remulade recipes an all time classic and very, very nice.

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Baruney, that celeriac remoulade looks right up my street. I can't believe that I'd never tried celeriac before reading about on this forum. I've used it as a topping for cottage pie and fish pie and find it is really difficult to tell it from mashed potatoes (one of my past loves). I'm going to try some of the 'bread' and 'cracker' recipes next.