What was your T2 diagnosis experience like?

In the early 1990's I was an IT Manager and for a period of weeks would crash out at my desk, woke some time later to find my head on my keyboard.

Went to local surgery who took blood sample. Phone call next day to urgently attend surgery, I had type 2 diabetes and they said out if control. Prescribed 1x500mg Metformin. Come back in a week, no improvement. This went on fir several weeks, Metformin increased to 3x500mg and a diet sheet issued.

Give up all carbohydrates and sugars. Nothing else.

Struggled for further weeks, purchased BG tester and for the first time started to understand what was happening.

No real change in meds for 3 years when a new doctor prescribed Victoza daily injections in addition to Metformin.

This started to improve matters and produced an HBa1c of 55.

More years pass till new Diabetic nurse prescribed Ozempic 1mg weekly injection. 3 months of digestive agony and severe constipation. Couldn't continue and surgery withdrew Ozempic immediately. Then discover dosage should have been 0.25mg increasing to 0.5mg injections. Constipation continued for 10 months. Had never suffered from this in 70 years.

Various telephone discussions (loosely called consulatation) later and many failed drug testing later I was prescribed 2x40mg Gliclazide tablets. It worked and my hba1c tests have eventually been 48 then 6 months later 44.

Through Covid no testing nor phone calls. My podiatrist whom I see every 8 weeks has been terrific for last 5 years. Surgery sees me once a year and through playing with drugs gas caused retinopathy problems, getting involved and prick testing daily has helped me. Regret doctors ether aren't interested or don't know.

I went to my doctor in the mid-late 90's and showed him my legs and said it looks like I shave them and I have these blotchy patches on my shins that bleed easily plus the skin is like tissue paper. He asked me if I smoked to which I replied I did but not heavily and he then said don't worry about it. Twelve months or so later I went back and saw the Dr. who was head of the practice and explained to him that I was waking every hour or so to go to the loo during the night, was having sweats during the day which absolutely drenched me, really bad cramps in my legs, especially during the night and finally, my feet felt like they were going numb and it felt like I was walking on Lego bricks sometimes. I could see he wasn't interested in the least by the way he was looking around the room and when I stopped talking, it took him a second or two before he looked back at me to see I was staring at him and it must have been obvious that I was pretty angry because he looked away again. He eventually suggested to me that it might be a good idea if I lost some weight and that was the end of my consultation. Between then and when I was diagnosed around 2019, I had been going through a myriad of other tests and I was diagnosed with COPD, asthma and arthritis and for some reason, someone must have given me a blood glucose test. This must have been through the roof because they didn't stop phoning me until I answered and insisted I went to the surgery immediately. It actually crossed my mind they were going to send me to the local hospital because the nurse seemed to be bordering on panic. I was issued with a test meter and the strips, lances etc were put on prescription. After a series of incorrect prescriptions, messed up appointments and the fact that no-one had talked to me about diabetes or medication for it, I changed to another practice at the recommendation of a friend. This worked great. I got loads of advice with diet etc and I managed to lose 6 stone in weight and when I went back for a blood test, I was told that I wasn't even pre-diabetic. I was allowed to keep testing and all was well. I then got furloughed for 6 months which was great but I put 3 stone back on. My next blood test wasn't so good and I was, without any discussion, put on Metformin and then after that, my testing strips were stopped. I'm still frustrated by this now because whenever I use a friends test kit, I'm always around 18 to 22 and the Metformin doesn't seem to do much at all. My last yearly check came back at 53 and the nurse had phoned me and asked why it was so high and I just said to her that she should know better than anyone to which she queried, so I reminded her that she was the one that recommended my test strips were stopped to which she just replied 'Oh' and said no more. There is quite a bit more in the way of incompetence involved, one quite serious but I won't bore you with it but one thing stands above all else! I enrolled with the online practice app so I had a look through all my notes. When I go back to my notes with the last two doctors at the previous practice, all it says is 'deleted' so they've very cleverly removed all evidence of their incompetence in diagnosing me when they had the chance. Very slick!!

Iamoverhere said:

What was your diagnosis for type 1 like? Mine was pretty stressful - diagnosed 8 days before my first international holiday. The nurse wasn’t really much help. She gave me my insulin and a leaflet and told me to come back in four weeks time I found the whole thing really stressful. I didn’t find the care I received very kind or inclusive either. I wondered if other people experienced different things or a similar experience to me?

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Hi type2. diagnosed In 2016 .Got a curt phone call to come in. Shocked. Did fast online resesrch and study..Asked GP about reversing it . HE refused help ! TRIED to ACTIVELY stop me. Went home studied also used this site, reversed it. Phoned GP put him on the spot!! Errrrrr..congratulations....but most ppl can't do that ( Yeah mate if you don't help them !) Help ?was not KIND . Then db nurse tried to put me on Statins .Told her RUBBISH my ratio of Triglycerides over HDL was excellent ( all learned online in a few weeks of panicked study.) Nurse off crying in back of practice, puffing on a fag. Wot a load of charlatans. Now 2024 they have started correct advice years too late. Thanks to LUCKY STARS for the internet. YOU? Type 1 advice? Get book by Dr Bernstein Diabetes Solution. Read his life on Wiki and RELAX

Diagnosis (type 2) was straightforward ; I had an itchy groin (which passed off during the summer , when I was always out in the sunshine or in the sea). My wife pestered me to go to the doctor, but as it costs 40+ quid a time (& me being a Guernseyman), I put it off for a couple of years. Eventually, to keep the peace, I consulted the doc’. He immediately suggested that I might be diabetic. After I had picked myself up from the floor (having been knocked over by a feather), I took the test - & was immediately floored by another feather !
Not to worry though, that was 17 years ago & I have never had to take medication; initially by my own efforts with diet & lifestyle; & since 2016, by following Prof. Roy Taylor & Michael Mosleys’ 800 cal , no carb diet.
Incidentally, I see that, essentially, the medical establishment has eventually come round to accepting this diet & that it is possible to reverse type 2, instead of simply reciting that “Diabetes is a progressive condition”.
Huge thanks to Michael for publicizing Roy’s research !
notwithstanding

My diagnosis was given to me by the surgery receptionist. I had an appointment with the nurse because of problems with my feet , the receptionist said it was with the diabetic nurse when I asked why she said that I had diabetes, the nurse told me type 2 had to wait another month before being put on meds due to waiting for blood tests. About a year later I was told by the nurse I'd had it for 5 years never been told.

It was during lockdown Covid pandemic back in 2021.. discovered high fasting glucose, Hba1c is high. I was still working during pandemic as an essential workers for supermarket - online shopping.

One of symptoms I notice - I was losing weight and going to bathroom a lot and thirsty.

So I had to do couple of tests.. including doing the yucky Glucose Tolerance Test.

Then it's confirmed for the diagnosis for Type 2 Diabetes.

It took a while to get registered for NDSS (National Diabetes Services Scheme), arranging referrals appointments Diabetes Educator, Dietician, Exercise Physiologist appointments etc esp the lock down.

Jump forward to 2023 - discovered I have a positive for predisposed Type 1 Diabetes Genetic.

So at the moment I have got other autoimmune diseases/ plus other autoimmune diseases ie MS, Penicious Anemia, RA etc runs in the family - no one is Type 1 Diabetes yet but family Autoimmune dieases are linked to Type 1 Diabetes.

So it is matter of time once my immune system starts attacking the beta cells.

As currently got Long Covid, Pots, CFS and PEM. The researchers say the Long Covid is part of Autoimmune Diseases and for the Pots there is evidence it might be autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system attacks healthy tissue for unknown reasons.

For now still Type 2 Diabetes. Until the antibodies for LADA to show up in the future as an slow onset.

I wasn't even told. I was rushed into hospital for something else and was given frequent injections so I went from zero meds to insulin (and a LOT of other meds, two of which my GP took me straight off as soon as I arrived home) but nobody ever at any point even mentioned diabetes. I'm not so thick I couldn't guess what insulin injections are for, but I was too ill to ask, and in any case the staff didn't enter dialogue and all wore face masks and no name badges so I never knew who they were. One doctor and a couple of nurses were pleasant, the technicians were lovely, and I do appreciate how busy they were, but because I was no trouble I didn't get much interaction and some awful things happened. I discharged myself after 6 days, which was the first time anyone said I should attend a diabetes clinic. Well actually he shouted at me from the middle of the ward, and if I EVER meet him again, I might offer him some education in how to behave around people, but I was too ill at the time.

GP called me at home to get me off the two meds, and arranged an appointment the following morning where the word "diabetes" was mentioned. After a tense conversation (because he understandably wanted to keep me on insulin) I accepted Metformin and an appointment with the diabetes "specialist" Nurse at the practice. The hospital diabetes clinic said if I was not on insulin they needn't see me. Nursie at the GP practice was scathing about me trying metformin, but agreed (had no option!) to see me again in a couple of weeks.

I researched and researched, and the best help came from here. I went keto, and the rest is history. I eased myself off the Metformin over a couple of months. Nursie and GP are truly surprised at my results (non-diabetic readings after a very short time) but nobody has ever asked what I have done, I wasn't offered any courses or info beyond a short leaflet, and I'd so like to be able to help others through this difficult time.

I received a phone call after a routine blood test with my doctor, who was happy to suggest several ways to lose weight (I was super morbidly obese at the time), including Saxenda and weight loss surgery. I said I would try to lose the weight on my own and I was prescribed Metformin 500x2 for the diabetes. I buried my head in the sand for a further 3 months and received another phone call after another blood test where my HBA1c was even higher. The doctor wanted me to double my dose of Metformin and I said, no thanks, I will try and get things under control by myself.

I found this forum and 15 months ago began my weight loss journey as well as a very low carb diet. My last HBA1c Dec '23 was in the normal range and the DN was delighted with my progress. Since then, I have lost probably another 50lbs, with a total loss of 127lbs and that seems to have done the trick. I am still taking Metformin, but just 500x1 now and my fasting glucose is well and truly in the normal range these days. I am still watching my carbs and still eating in a calorie deficit as I want to get to a healthy BMI (only 6lbs to go now).

So, my medical team were super helpful and quite sensitive in the way they handled my diabetes and weight, but I got the most help from this forum, I must say.

nicwnacw said:

I got a text asking me to attend for a Diabetes Review, have never spoken to a doctor, nurse said I would be starting Metformin immediately - I said no, so then she referred me to the NHS Clinic in my area that does Lifestyle changes (low carb), just over a year later my BG is normal, I feel generally better and avoid simple carbs most of the time. Less bloating, less IBS. Takes a deal of effort but well worth it.

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I too refused Metformin. I was diagnosed in March with a HbA1C of 51 that had increased to 52 by June even though I've completely cut out sugar and most carbs. I've rapidly lost weight..too much in fact. I'm now underweight for my height so I'm not sure what to eat without raising my blood sugar. Any suggestions as most recipes are about losing Weight.

If the recipes you have mean losing weight, but controlling your blood sugars, why not just eat more of what you currently are eating. CICO (calories in calories out). Which most doctors swear by, but we know has not that much bearing when low carbing, could be your answer. Why not have a pudding after your main meal, a few Raspberries and Strawberries swimming in cream.

ajbod said:

If the recipes you have mean losing weight, but controlling your blood sugars, why not just eat more of what you currently are eating. CICO (calories in calories out). Which most doctors swear by, but we know has not that much bearing when low carbing, could be your answer. Why not have a pudding after your main meal, a few Raspberries and Strawberries swimming in cream.

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Thanks for this. I've increased my carbs but need to be careful with fats as my cholesterol was high too. I've managed to get it down slightly and made a friend of avocados!

Delighted for you that you had such a positive experience! Just shows what is possible, and gives the rest of us hope.

I had been prediabetic for years trying off and on to " behave" to get tge numbers down. Eventually last January it caught up to me. I got a call from the Dr. about coming for a diabetes consult. I wasn't upset or scared or panicked as I knew it was likely to happen at some point.
But the good news was no medication at the time. My A1C has gone up from 6.6 to 6.9 so she suggested metformin. I begged for 3 months to get it back down and will be retested in October where I'll need to make a decision.

in January I had a routine blood test/health check to be told I was T2. The GP was adamant I must have symptoms (hba1c of 114). She wouldn’t believe me when I said I had none. wanted me on tablets straight away. I said no and I would sort things through diet. i Was told I would go blind, loose a leg, have a stroke or heart attack and then she took my blood pressure, which understandably was through the roof. I again refused medication and had to monitor my blood pressure at home for a week, which was on the low to normal side. I was told again all the risks and I had to have medication. I said no.
in may I had a follow up hba1c test. I have halved it and it was now 57. The nurse was supposed to contact me with results. She didn’t. I couldn’t contact her at the surgery and found my results on the nhs app With a note by the results about discussing me starting on statins.
i now have an annual review in October with a GP assistant. Not sure what that will involve. I have just been told to turn up.

hooha said:

Hi type2. diagnosed In 2016 .Got a curt phone call to come in. Shocked. Did fast online resesrch and study..Asked GP about reversing it . HE refused help ! TRIED to ACTIVELY stop me. Went home studied also used this site, reversed it. Phoned GP put him on the spot!! Errrrrr..congratulations....but most ppl can't do that ( Yeah mate if you don't help them !) Help ?was not KIND . Then db nurse tried to put me on Statins .Told her RUBBISH my ratio of Triglycerides over HDL was excellent ( all learned online in a few weeks of panicked study.) Nurse off crying in back of practice, puffing on a fag. Wot a load of charlatans. Now 2024 they have started correct advice years too late. Thanks to LUCKY STARS for the internet. YOU? Type 1 advice? Get book by Dr Bernstein Diabetes Solution. Read his life on Wiki and RELAX

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This is almost identical to my story and I was only diagnosed this year so obviously not a lot has changed.