Waiting on diagnosis - feeling scared

[vanillapie]

Hi all, newbie here. I have recently been having hyperglycemic symptoms and so bought a blood sugar monitor - the GlucoRx Nexus - to test my sugars, as I am overweight and my father has Type 2 diabetes, so I wanted to rule it out. I was shocked to find that at 2pm today, before I had eaten any food for the day, that my sugars were 8.8, and so it's likely that I have developed diabetes.

I have booked a doctor's appointment, but it is a good two weeks away yet and I am not looking forward to it. Obviously I don't want to feel that I am jumping the gun by diagnosing myself, but with blood sugar levels like this it's unlikely to be anything else. I am feeling quite terrified and even ashamed that I let myself get this unhealthy as I am only 27 years old. Has anyone else felt like this? Are there any other 20-somethings with Type 2 here?

I've been testing my sugars and reading up on Type 2 all day. Following a small sandwich, my sugars rose to 10.8 after two hours, which seems so high! This was all I ate today as I became too scared to eat anything as I was unsure of the effect it would have, and especially after this post-prandial reading I am even more scared to eat.

My plan is to begin intermittent fasting and use meal replacement shakes with one main balanced meal a day in the evenings. I have been wanting to lose weight for a while so maybe this will give me the kick up the bum I need but I have always struggled with food so I am wary of the changes to come.

I'm feeling very scared by this, so any helpful words of wisdom would be appreciated!

 

[Guzzler]

Hello and welcome. I would advise that you do not make any drastic changes to your diet until you know for sure what any blood tests that your GP may order show. Yes, try to change to a healthier way of eating, perhaps cutting down on the obvious baddies like pies, takeaways etc but to go from a normal western diet to doing IF/using shakes etc all at once would be a big shock to the system.
Keep a detailed record of your readings and the foods you are eating. Test first thing in the morning before you get ready for work etc, this is your fasting reading. Test before the first bite of food then 2 hours after the first bite, the difference between those two readings should be no more than 2mmol, preferably less. Note down what your meal was. You can also test last thing at night if you wish.
Take these readings and notes with you to your GP along with a list of any symptoms you are having.

 

[vanillapie]

Hello and welcome. I would advise that you do not make any drastic changes to your diet until you know for sure what any blood tests that your GP may order show. Yes, try to change to a healthier way of eating, perhaps cutting down on the obvious baddies like pies, takeaways etc but to go from a normal western diet to doing IF/using shakes etc all at once would be a big shock to the system.
Keep a detailed record of your readings and the foods you are eating. Test first thing in the morning before you get ready for work etc, this is your fasting reading. Test before the first bite of food then 2 hours after the first bite, the difference between those two readings should be no more than 2mmol, preferably less. Note down what your meal was. You can also test last thing at night if you wish.
Take these readings and notes with you to your GP along with a list of any symptoms you are having.

Thanks so much for your advice, particularly about testing times. I'm keeping a record of everything now! I will avoid any drastic changes for now but will aim to be healthier.

 

[Resurgam]

First of all - eating low carb foods has helped a lot of people to lose weight - this is because the modern diet, and those who advise on weightloss favour carbs, even though it is unsuitable for many people. It is the same diet used to fatten farmyard animals so it is only natural that it fattens us too - it has nothing to do with being unhealthy, it is a natural consequence of too many carbs.
Secondly - we can't give you a diagnosis after a couple of random tests - you'd need to have the Hba1c test to get a better idea anyway.
Thirdly, if you suspect that you are diabetic - why are you eating sandwiches?
Lastly - meal replacement shakes can be unsuitable for diabetics, and also 'balanced' meals - because what dieticians and most HCPs think of as balanced are high carb.
There doesn't seem to be all that much to be concerned about in my situation - I eat a low carb diet and that fixed my problems with carbs after about 6 months, and that was almost a year ago. No need to do anything punishing, just remove the reason for the high BG levels.
You might like to read William Banting's Letter on Corpulence, from the mid 1800s or a copy of Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution written a hundred years later when the problem with too many carbs was still being ignored, and there are loads of things on line which explain that people are eating too many carbs.
I hope your doctor's appointment resolves your worries, but even if you do discover that you are diabetic it could be the start of a whole healthier lifestyle for you.

 

[Guzzler]

Thanks so much for your advice, particularly about testing times. I'm keeping a record of everything now! I will avoid any drastic changes for now but will aim to be healthier.

I hope that your fears are ungrounded and will keep my fingers crossed for you. I do not wish to scare you further but by being overweight you increase your risk of developing Pre Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes so your weight loss idea is a good one. Few tips for you that may help, cut out snacking first especially the carb heavy snacks like crisps and biscuits. Carbs are addictive. Cut down on fruit, yes, I know it sounds counterintuitive but fruit contains fructose and this sugar is stored as fat in the liver. Cut out or cut down on table sugar (obvious one this and harder to cut down on because it is in so many foodstuffs).
Whenever possible, walk and especially after eating a meal. No need for tens of miles but excercise can help.

 

[Lar oli mu]

I've been testing my sugars and reading up on Type 2 all day. Following a small sandwich, my sugars rose to 10.8 after two hours, which seems so high! This was all I ate today as I became too scared to eat anything as I was unsure of the effect it would have, and especially after this post-prandial reading I am even more scared to eat.

Hi Vanilla!
Be encouraged: it's not only about reading and eating now. You have a chance to find out what is (and was for the past years) REALLY harmful for your body. And then you cut it out. And find friends who support you in doing so. Root causes of diabetes are sort of complicated but you'll find out eventually what is and maybe has been going on in your body for years and years.
Most of the diabetes related stuff you can tackle with lifestyle changes. Good advice you'll receive here. So start with the first tackle like Contralto suggested.
Greetings from Northern Germany

 

[NewTD2]

Hi all, newbie here. I have recently been having hyperglycemic symptoms and so bought a blood sugar monitor - the GlucoRx Nexus - to test my sugars, as I am overweight and my father has Type 2 diabetes, so I wanted to rule it out. I was shocked to find that at 2pm today, before I had eaten any food for the day, that my sugars were 8.8, and so it's likely that I have developed diabetes.

I have booked a doctor's appointment, but it is a good two weeks away yet and I am not looking forward to it. Obviously I don't want to feel that I am jumping the gun by diagnosing myself, but with blood sugar levels like this it's unlikely to be anything else. I am feeling quite terrified and even ashamed that I let myself get this unhealthy as I am only 27 years old. Has anyone else felt like this? Are there any other 20-somethings with Type 2 here?

I've been testing my sugars and reading up on Type 2 all day. Following a small sandwich, my sugars rose to 10.8 after two hours, which seems so high! This was all I ate today as I became too scared to eat anything as I was unsure of the effect it would have, and especially after this post-prandial reading I am even more scared to eat.

My plan is to begin intermittent fasting and use meal replacement shakes with one main balanced meal a day in the evenings. I have been wanting to lose weight for a while so maybe this will give me the kick up the bum I need but I have always struggled with food so I am wary of the changes to come.

I'm feeling very scared by this, so any helpful words of wisdom would be appreciated!

Hope this helps mate -

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb

 

[There is no Spoon]

I was shocked to find that at 2pm today, before I had eaten any food for the day, that my sugars were 8.8, and so it's likely that I have developed diabetes.

Hi vanillapie,
Just because you mention not eating anything until 2pm how much tea or coffee are you drinking anything else like fruit juice?

 

[stephenlopez]

Don't get scared about your diagnosis and I'm telling this from my personal experience. I was diagnosed with type-2 about 4 weeks ago and I can understand how are you feeling right now. Maybe you don't know anything about the condition and how to deal with it, for this check out this: https://zovon.com/health-conditions/diabetes/

Now, moving further, I just want to say that life is possible with diabetes and people at this community are live examples of it. I've been so grateful to this community to help me. Also, whenever you feel scared or confused anything about your condition, you can just login to the forum and I and all the other members of this community will be here to help you!

 

[catapillar]

@vanillapie i think you are getting rather ahead of yourself in self diagnosing diabetes based upon a few readings at 8.8 or 10.8. The World Health Orgsnisation diagnostic criteria for diabetes require random blood sugar to be over 11.1 to raise concerns about diabetes. This would the be followed up by a hba1c test to see what your blood sugars have looked like over the last 3 months and only if that is over 48 would diabetes be diagnosed.

You seem to be having perfectly normal non diabetic readings from what you have posted. Depending on when you tested post prandially you may have just caught the peak of the spike.

If you're concerned, go and see your GP for a hba1c test.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Those readings give a hint of early diabetes and the GP will confirm or otherwise. Do reduce your weight anyway as it reduces risk and your blood sugar. Just keep the carbs down and have enough proteins, fats, veg and non-tropical fruit to keep you feeling full.

 

[vanillapie]

Hi vanillapie,
Just because you mention not eating anything until 2pm how much tea or coffee are you drinking anything else like fruit juice?

Hi Spoon, I drink water with a drop of no added sugar squash during the day. Sometimes I have coffee but this is usually black and I didn't have one yesterday.

 

[vanillapie]

Thank you all for your extremely kind and helpful responses. While I wait for my doctor's appointment I will lower my carbs and continue to take readings and then go forward from what the doctor says. I'm very grateful for all your responses, they have eased my mind a little.

 

[There is no Spoon]

Hi Spoon, I drink water with no added sugar cordial during the day. Sometimes I have coffee but this is usually black and I didn't have one yesterday.

I've been caught out with the no added sugar thing a couple of times it doesn't always mean there is no sugar. You are probably right but worth double checking.

Have you ever gone down the shelf in the supermarket comparing the no added sugar item to the one next to it, its shocking the no added sugar one can have even more sugar in it.

The tea coffee question was to see if you had taken into account any sugar in them with out thinking about it, black does not mean no sugar but going to assume that's what you meant.

If you use sweeteners, even the no added sugar water can have sweeteners, that can trick the body into thinking you are taking sugar and still have the same effect as taking sugar.

 

[xfieldok]

Milk can spike your numbers but double cream doesn't. I have been doing low carb. Not specifically dieting but losing weight seems to be a by product of eating this way.

 

[pollensa]

I've been caught out with the no added sugar thing a couple of times it doesn't always mean there is no sugar. You are probably right but worth double checking.

Have you ever gone down the shelf in the supermarket comparing the no added sugar item to the one next to it, its shocking the no added sugar one can have even more sugar in it.

The tea coffee question was to see if you had taken into account any sugar in them with out thinking about it, black does not mean no sugar but going to assume that's what you meant.

If you use sweeteners, even the no added sugar water can have sweeteners, that can trick the body into thinking you are taking sugar and still have the same effect as taking sugar.

Exactly, referring to sugars and marketing, for example, look at yogurts, can anyone find a yogurt even greek that has totally 0% sugars, I cant find any at all. Fage, from Greece put 0% total, one would think that means total all sugar and fat etc., but it just means fat, and the yogurt has 4% sugar, compared with lidl brand of 3natural so called greek yogurt. Ultimately, is there a YOGURT out there that has no added sugars, but more importantly is without Sugars, I dont think there is any, if so, please inform...

Its not an easy task in the supermarkets getting it right. Best thing one can do is make your own, if able, even make my own Keto mediterranean flat bread now, which comprises of coconut flour, pysillium husk intergral no carbs, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, black pepper. Cook a big batch cut into squares, freeze it, when required take out frozen, pop in Toaster and its great crispy to put with topping of avoc tom for example, whatever, or eat with salad and this has not sugars. Check out the recipe on www.dietdoctor.com keto eating.

Just a suggestion as breads on supermarket shelves all show sugars!

 

[MSI10]

Hi im also i newbie here but just wanted to say guys diabetes is truly reversible. I was diagnosed in Jan 16th with a hba1c of 95. I was confused and really anxious about what will happen next i refused to take medicine as i belived i should be in control of my body not diabetes. I started following this strict diet of limited carbs of 20g known as the keto genic diet. I lost 9kg and my hba1c exactly after 3 months is down to 30. i slowly introduced carbs in my diet again and after eating high carb meal my sugar goes to 8 in 1 hour testing, where as used to be 13 to 14. I must say its all down to keep your weight at an healthy level. my cholesterol also came down to 3. Hope you find this info usefull feel free to contact me.

 

[EllieM]

I am feeling quite terrified and even ashamed that I let myself get this unhealthy as I am only 27 years old.

Would you feel ashamed if you found that you had become ill because you were gluten intolerant and you'd been having toast for breakfast every day? The modern diet seems to be guaranteed to make anyone with the wrong genetic make up resistant to insulin and sugar. Luckily, just as gluten intolerants can avoid wheat, T2 diabetics can cut down on carbohydrates.
Good luck with your doctor's appointment.

 

[vanillapie]

Would you feel ashamed if you found that you had become ill because you were gluten intolerant and you'd been having toast for breakfast every day? The modern diet seems to be guaranteed to make anyone with the wrong genetic make up resistant to insulin and sugar. Luckily, just as gluten intolerants can avoid wheat, T2 diabetics can cut down on carbohydrates.
Good luck with your doctor's appointment.

Thanks for this - it made me think about it in a different light.

 

[Jessiefless]

Hi

First of all well done for taking charge of your own health and getting the doctor’s appointment. You shouldn’t be getting hyperglycemic
symptoms if you are type 2 as your body is still producing insulin but you have done the right thing by getting yourself checked out! There are a number of reasons you can be diabetic(if you are) so don’t beat yourself up. Take it one step at a time, get your blood results, see the nurse and if you are diabetic they should offer you a place on the DESMOND course, if they do take it, it is really information and talks you through how your body works and how to make it work better as a diabetic.

There is life after a diagnosis of T2 I promise xx