• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

What has caused my prediabetes?

S

Sally66

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I just don't understand how prior to my surgery I was not showing any signs of pre diabetes and now post surgery I am. I had a 6 hour op to remove a massive fibroid (larger than a rugby ball) as well as having my uterus and cervix. Thankfully I kept my ovaries. I had to also have a urological procedure during the op and a blood transfusion. Due to low iron levels I was put on iron tablets for about 3 weeks. Reading all sorts and apparently the latter can cause damage to the pancreas. Prior to my op I was on a hormone treatment to reduce the fibroid and prevent blood loss. Have I got rid of one problem and now been given another?

I'm having huge difficulties coming to terms with this diagnosis. As most people say prediabetes/diabetes same thing - you are just at a different stage of the journey. It is true my abdominal surgery required a lengthy period of inactivity and I was a bit over weight but so are loads of people. Why me?

Very depressed. Can't escape the stigma. I've never smoked, never had a sugary diet. Suicidal thoughts.
 
The difference between all your other problems and what's happening to your body , is that even if you progress to full diabetes, is that you can control your symptoms by your diet by you.
Control is the key, to unlock better health.
Your pancreas will respond by control.
There is a difference between prediabetic and diabetes, pre is a warning to get your blood glucose levels in control. To be diabetic is usually controlled by drugs and it is harder to get control.
If you read around the forum, and read the thread about successful stories, posters have reversed their diabetes and been able to achieve great results. Surely this must inspire you to get yourself in control.
Only you can do this.
We on this forum will help in any way we can.
This is a change in lifestyle, which, can be great for your health.

I have to low carb or it will see me very ill. It has changed my life, I'm off to work soon, I couldn't do it unless my blood glucose levels were not in control.
 
I am sure you are right. People on here all have to show great control or there are serious consequences. I am only too aware of that. But it is not easy and I'm sure every single one on here would much rather they did not have to do it or felt a huge sense of injustice as to why they have to when others don't. I'm also sure everyone has asked the same questions as me and at times felt equally depressed. Don't for one minute think I'm not trying to control the situation. I am. But it ain't a happy situation, is it?
 
Sally66 said:
But it ain't a happy situation, is it?
Click to expand...

Not at the moment it isin't, being pre diabetic does give you a good opportunity to kick this thing to the kerb. Your relationship with food needs to change and you should in all honesty be eating less carbohydrate like all diabetics, as nosher8355 said above the lifestyle change has so many positive benefits that in time you'll start to feel great.

So hang in there and look at this as a change for the better, just give it a little time.

:)
 
I hesitate to give advice because I'm in the early stages of all this and have only been dealing with it for a few months.
However, it might help you to know that I was diagnosed prediabetic at the end of last year. Like you I didn't have a sugar filled diet and I already walked every day. I was very scared, and depressed, and felt very stigmatised by the diagnosis. However, my wonderful doctor thinks it's quite possible to reverse, and supports me in doing so by following a LCHF diet, losing weight and increasing my exercise levels.
This forum has helped me enormously, as has facing what could happen to my health if I don't sort myself out. My BG levels have reduced significantly, my weight has gone down, my energy levels have soared and all in all I am more healthy now than I was for several years prior to diagnosis.
I may or may not reverse the prediabetes, but even if I do, I'm not intending to reverse the lifestyle and diet changes I've made - I'm so much better off for them.
You've just been through major surgery, followed by a very significant diagnosis. It takes a little while, but your emotional reaction will stabilise, especially if you stick around here and read the threads - you'll gain confidence, feel less alone, feel less self recriminatory and more optimistic and it CAN be the beginning of feeling much better in life. Good luck!
 
Sally66 said:
I am sure you are right. People on here all have to show great control or there are serious consequences. I am only too aware of that. But it is not easy and I'm sure every single one on here would much rather they did not have to do it or felt a huge sense of injustice as to why they have to when others don't. I'm also sure everyone has asked the same questions as me and at times felt equally depressed. Don't for one minute think I'm not trying to control the situation. I am. But it ain't a happy situation, is it?
Click to expand...

As Sally, so sorry to hear of you feeling so low. I am type 1 and was diagnosed 26 years ago, after my ex left home with two children to look after. Diagnosed hundreds if miles away from my home, so a scary time.. I had my now teen at the age of 42 1/2 years and that was my diabetes highlight. Your diagnosis could be reversed in time, with maybe a different eating regime., I have read posts about this before.
Don't let this dominate your life, don't let it be a burden or engulf your life, diabetes for many of us, is just a small part of who we are and I won't let it take over my life, I rule diabetes, it doesn't rule me. Often I wish I didn't have it and it makes me mad and frustrated at times, but it's about being the boss and taking control. Members on here are supportive and offer helpful advice. Just keep posting as there are many who feel like you, but it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom.

Take good care and I wish you all the colours of the rainbow....................except blue

RRB x
 
Hello Sally66
Please don't blame yourself, as Daks said, try to see your pre diabetic diagnosis as an opportunity to avoid the complications that many of us experienced before we were aware that we were diabetic. Have a look at this site it will answer many of your questions
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14046739.php
 
Sally66 said:
I just don't understand how prior to my surgery I was not showing any signs of pre diabetes and now post surgery I am. I had a 6 hour op to remove a massive fibroid (larger than a rugby ball) as well as having my uterus and cervix. Thankfully I kept my ovaries. I had to also have a urological procedure during the op and a blood transfusion. Due to low iron levels I was put on iron tablets for about 3 weeks. Reading all sorts and apparently the latter can cause damage to the pancreas. Prior to my op I was on a hormone treatment to reduce the fibroid and prevent blood loss. Have I got rid of one problem and now been given another?

I'm having huge difficulties coming to terms with this diagnosis. As most people say prediabetes/diabetes same thing - you are just at a different stage of the journey. It is true my abdominal surgery required a lengthy period of inactivity and I was a bit over weight but so are loads of people. Why me?

Very depressed. Can't escape the stigma. I've never smoked, never had a sugary diet. Suicidal thoughts.
Click to expand...

Sally . Pre-diabetes does not automatically mean you will slip into full blown Type 2. I was diagnosed 6 years ago as pre-diabetic but by adopting a low GI diet and doing a lot of fun exercise I managed to reduce my weight by 15 kg and control my BG levels (HbA1c = ~6 even after 6 years) . So officially I am still not diabetic. But medical opinion is divided. Many experts think that once you have Type 2 it is irreversible and only drugs can control it. My own research convinces me that they are probably correct, as the Beta cells that produce insulin do not regenerate. Other experts claim Type 2 can be reversed with fasting (so-called Newcastle diet) but the evidence is inconclusive and "reversed" does not mean "cured" for ever. Your best strategy is to control your pre-diabetes by diet & exercise now before it escalates. It can be done, so good luck!
 
RichardofYork said:
Sally . Pre-diabetes does not automatically mean you will slip into full blown Type 2. I was diagnosed 6 years ago as pre-diabetic but by adopting a low GI diet and doing a lot of fun exercise I managed to reduce my weight by 15 kg and control my BG levels (HbA1c = ~6 even after 6 years) . So officially I am still not diabetic. But medical opinion is divided. Many experts think that once you have Type 2 it is irreversible and only drugs can control it. My own research convinces me that they are probably correct, as the Beta cells that produce insulin do not regenerate. Other experts claim Type 2 can be reversed with fasting (so-called Newcastle diet) but the evidence is inconclusive and "reversed" does not mean "cured" for ever. Your best strategy is to control your pre-diabetes by diet & exercise now before it escalates. It can be done, so good luck!
Click to expand...

I'm not so convinced you can reverse diabetes either, what I do believe however is that you can shelf it, stop it from becoming a progressive disease and switch it to a condition that needs control, usually with other health benefits, that to me is as good if not better than reversal, as it takes continued healthy choices, which for most means living a life far longer and healthier than had they not been diagnosed to begin with.

It's a win win situation if you get it right.
 
Like you I was shocked after a blood test to find I was prediabetic, this was just over 2 years ago.
I had a long talk with the diabetic nurse and and a dietician to check my diet and was told I ate a good diet.

I was not overweight for my height but the result showed also I had high cholesterol, I already have high blood pressure but am on medication and have heart valve disease so the GP was concerned.
I was told that the cause was probably my age at 68 yrs. The pancreas produces insulin to control our blood sugar level and mine was probably not working so well now I was older.
I was keen to try and understand the values of food and how they affected my blood sugar levels. Bought a meter and started testing but my GP does not approve of what I do because he says it causes me stress when the leves are found to be high.
I managed to reduce my 42 result to 39 which is normal, but in my case because I was restricting foods my weight dropped by one and a half stone. What I have found is that if I stick religiously to my diet the weight drops off which is not good.
My tests over the months are 42, 39, 41, and the result this week was back up to 42 which is again prediabetic.
Understanding how what you eat and how it affects your blood sugar is complex, what might work for me might not work for you but my big problem is not loosing weight, GP said I need to keep to 9 and half stone but that's easier said than done.
Diabetic nurse and dietician said I am not a typical prediabetic because I am active have plenty of energy not overweight don't feel ill and eat a very good diet.
Best of luck with your diet, this is a good site for asking all the questions you will be asking. What I will say there is no such thing as a diabetic diet buy a meter that's my advice.
 
Sally66, I too have recently been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. And I'm a skinny person who eats wholemeal everything and has never had sugar in the house, and has never had a can of Coke or any other type of processed anything. It really does seem unfair, doesn't it? I was utterly shocked.

But, as others have said here, pre-diabetes does not inevitably lead to diabetes. Yes, a large number who are diagnosed with pre-diabetes go on to develop diabetes. But many don't. I think it's worth making a good effort to be one of those that don't. I think it's only inevitable if you don't tackle it head on.

I'm taking it one step at a time. I see all the possible changes I can make as being good changes (not just for the diabetes).
And in a way I'm thankful that this was caught at the pre-diabetes stage, and not later down the line.
 
Back
Top