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Totally paranoid

Brodsky

Member
Messages
7
Diagnosed a week ago t2 spent the last week fasting and looking into the various complications I could now have lurking since I hadn’t been to the doctor for 6 years also feeling guilty because I’m was 16st I’m 56 and have 2 teenage children so I worry about the impact on my family if I get really sick or die

Sorry if its depressing
 
What was your HBA1C? ... And welcome to the forum
 
Sorry if it's depressing? Seriously? When you just get diagosed and you start googling just what T2 could mean, there's nothing to be cheerful about. So please, no apologies. Your feelings are perfectly valid, and we all had them when we were in your shoes.

Now, here comes the good news: You can tackle this and avoid complications. Including the nastiest one, death. (We all keel over some time of course, but it's not in your immediate future, and it doesn't have to be a T2 related kicking-of-the-bucket) Personally, I was right where you are, and no-one could offer me any reassurance... Just that T2 is a progressive disease, and considering I saw what it did to friends and family members, I was convinced I had one foot in the grave. I cried my eyes out. For weeks. My husband is already my carer, and I saw his future looking rather bleak: more work for him, and early widower-hood to boot. So I read, a lot. I mean, seriously, a LOT. Would all have gone a lot quicker if I'd found this place sooner, as I made mistakes at the start, but.... My HbA1c (average of 3 months) has been in the normal/healthy range since 3 months after my diagnosis, 3 years ago. So, it can be done, and I did it on diet alone. (I started out with Metformin, got really ill, got switched to Gliclazide, and could drop that and the statins after starting the diet. Three months in I was medication-free). So... No complications, and I'm not dropping dead any time soon either, unless a truck hits me or something. Better yet, I have more energy and I have had no complications (like thrush and never-healing wounds) whatsoever.

Bottom line: You can do something about this. I wrote a little quick-start guide, https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ , and for more in-depth stuff go to this forum's website, as well as dietdoctor.com, and maybe read Dr. Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code. It's all good, scientific stuff.

You're not about to push up daisies. And for your information, those 16 stones were caused by you slowly becoming a T2, it's a symptom, not a cause. If you don't know why the weight is piling on, you can't do anything about it. I know I tried, but since I didn't know I had a metabolic condition meaning I couldn't process carbs right, well... Conventional diets of brown carbs and low fat just made a bad thing worse. (I went from obese to morbidly obese, topping out at over 102 kilo's. On Low Carb/High Fat however, I lost 25 kilo's/50 pounds).

In any case... Your current feelings are normal. I just wish to offer you some hope. A lot of T2's here follow the Low Carb/High Fat diet, or the strickter version, Keto (I switched to that last year), or any of the other carb-restricting diets: Mediterranian, carnivore, Scandinavian, Newcastle... Just get yourself a meter (most T2's aren't given one, but self-fund), and find out what your meals mean for your bloodsugars. Anything carby'll spike you, meaning straight sugars, yes, but also potatoes, bread and all grain-based foods, pasta, rice, corn, cereal/muesli, most fruits (except for berries, starfruit, avocado and tomatoes), most underground veggies and legumes. That sounds like a lot to scratch, but there's plenty left to enjoy: meat, fish, poultry, cheese, double cream, clotted cream, cheese, eggs, full fat greek yoghurt, above-ground veggies, mushrooms, berries, olives, extra dark chocolate (85% and up), certain nuts...

Just be careful. I don't know what meds you've been put on if any, but gliclazide, medication like it and insulin in combination with a low carb diet will cause hypo's. So don't rush into anything blindly (meaning, without a meter), and discuss any dietary changes with your medical team. Metformin is fine, but the rest is a little iffy. Keep jellybabies or dextro on hand if you feel unsure.

So.... Chin up. You're not dead yet, and you CAN actually fight this thing. And you're about to find out just how versatile cauliflower rice is. And bacon's your new best friend.

Welcome. You're going to be fine.
Jo
 
Hi Brodsky and welcome to the forum!
You’ve landed in the best little corner of the internet to get your type 2 under complete control. Here’s a link to info for newbies:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
You can always find it in any moderators signature if you need it again!
And please don’t feel guilty, insulin resistance a symptom of type 2 can cause weight gain. If you adopt a low carb way of eating not only will you control your blood sugar but you’ll find it easier to lose weight.
 

Welcome to the club! It’s not as bad as you fear. JoKalsbeek has summed it all up extremely well.
Good luck and best wishes for your future. Jan
 
Hi thank you for your replies its good to feel less alone with this issue
all I know about my HBA1C is 9
 
Brodsky said:
Hi thank you for your replies its good to feel less alone with this issue
all I know about my HBA1C is 9
Click to expand...

Mate, it would be double figures. "9" is not possible. Please ask for your records

Mike
 
Mike D said:
Mate, it would be double figures. "9" is not possible. Please ask for your records

Mike
Click to expand...
It could be 9% the older unit used, which is equal to 74.9 mmol/mol the newer unit used in the U.K.
 
Mike D said:
Mate, it would be double figures. "9" is not possible. Please ask for your records

Mike
Click to expand...

Or do you mean 9% which would be 75 in mmols @Brodsky A1C results are reported differently depending on where you live.

The chart below might be helpful

Edited to say see @Rachox beat me to it!

 
Mike D said:
Mate, it would be double figures. "9" is not possible. Please ask for your records

Mike
Click to expand...
Well, could be 9%...? But yeah, just "9" doesn't tell us anything definite. @Brodsky, was that a vial or a finger prick test? That's another thing you have to start doing: getting your exact testresults as print-outs or downloads from the GPs site.. Just "good, bad, fine, borderline" and such aren't going to be helpful, and you want to know exactly where you're starting from. I assume they're also checking your liver and kidney function, cholesterol and the like? Always get the complete breakdown, because total cholesterol for instance, is a useless number too.

In any case... Glad you're feeling a little more hopeful. You're in good hands here.
 
Welcom to the forum. Here is a note of hope for you. My HbA1c was 11.1 (98) on diagnosis. Four months later and using diet plus Metformin that figure dropped to 6.1 (43) and later dropped to non Diabetic levels. It can be done with dietary changes and lots of support and learning here on DCUK.

Oh, and I havn't died yet.
 
I have been a member in this forum since 2009. Even then mmol/mol was used in the UK.

In Cyprus we still measure HbA1C in %
Rachox said:
I’m not entirely sure but before my diagnosis in May ‘17. However my GP still quotes the old % system!
Click to expand...
 

Welcome!

It is a massive shock to anyone receiving such news. It is even more of a shock reading about what could happen if you don’t get a grip of this. I channelled all that emotion into dealing with my diagnosis as I also have young teens. I needed to be here for them for many years to come.

By using the support and information in here I managed to reduce my levels down to normal within three months. Daily finger prick tests were down within two weeks. I recommend testing... a LOT. That is the only way you’ll know how your body reacts to certain foods.

It gets easier and then again you will probably have bad days too. Think of your family and you can do it.
 
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