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When will I feel better

princessleia29

Well-Known Member
Messages
130
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi

I got diagnosed 3 months ago and I still can't seem to accept my diagnosis and just get on with life. How long does it take to really come to terms with this and what helps? I have actively engaged in weight loss so far I have lost 1.5 stone with 2 to go and I am focused on that but I still get really down about all the things I can not eat and the worry of this illness. I had my first blood test since my diagnosis this week and I get my results at diabetic clinic next week and I am so nervous. So far they have let me manage this with no medication and I am desperate not to be on anything. My initial Hba1c test results were 55 what is this in percentage please? I really hope they have improved since then.
 
My readings vary but generally 5/6 before food and 7-9 after depending on what I have eaten and I exercise every day will the weight loss have an impact already? When I first did a test on a monitor it was 11 after some cereal and now it is much lower
 
To bring your levels down to truly non-diabetic levels you need to be 41 or under. Between 42 and 47 is the pre-diabetic range. 48 or above is diabetic.

Have you been eating a suitable diet?
 
Ah I see yes I have been limiting my carbs and having better versions of them I am following weight watchers and I am very pleased with the results losing 1.5 stone since diagnosis.
 
Could I realistically see an improvement already or is it too soon to expect?
 
I just had a quick look at that on my phone but don't understand the 3 different measurements?
 
Just put your HbA1c in the middle box. The box on the right of it is the measurement in mmol/l which is the same as the ones on your meter. Your 55 equates to 8.8. This means at diagnosis your approximate average over the previous 2 to 3 months was 8.8.
 
My dear Princess ... I notice words like desperate ... nervous .... can't .... worry... illness ....
Not good.
Is there any way you can stop ... take a breath ... relax for a moment and maybe look at all this from a different angle?
Easy for me to say and do I suppose and I understand not everyone can.
All this anxiety and stressful worrying about something you do have a lot of control over by the sounds of things will not do you any good.
You sound like you're in charge of the situation ... you're losing weight you're not having to use medication so far ... somewhere I hope I'm heading back to.
What are your biggest worries?
Write them down ... here maybe.
Look at what you're doing right and what you fear may be going wrong or about to.
Writing stuff down gives us all an opportunity to reflect on what's really going on inside our troubled minds.
 
I'm worried about complications I feel down as I used to use food to manage difficult emotions by comfort eating I feel angry with myself for letting this happen I feel sad knowing something is wrong with me it just seems so big.
 
princessleia29 said:
I'm worried about complications I feel down as I used to use food to manage difficult emotions by comfort eating I feel angry with myself for letting this happen I feel sad knowing something is wrong with me it just seems so big.
Click to expand...
But you're doing so well!
I understand the comfort eating as I've known many people who've had that problem but never having experienced it I don't know how you get around that.
 
I'm coping with sugar free sweets and the weight loss is spurring me on I guess tastes change over time anyway I am amazed myself that I no longer crave chocolate but I do miss it! Thank you for saying I am doing well it means a lot
 
If you miss chocolate try ones with 85% or more (e.g Green & Black). Just a square or two will be enough and won't impact your blood sugars too much.

I used to comfort eat bread (before I was diagnosed) but barely touch it now, and it's a matter of personal challenge to resist it. The longer you do the easier it becomes to keep going, knowing that to fall off the wagon big time leads to loss of blood sugar control and towards those complications that you (rightly) worry about. But carry on what you're doing, maybe with fewer carbs, and you can keep your blood sugars under control and have a good chance of avoiding complications altogether. That is the good feeling that you need to lock into to give you that ongoing encouragement (which you deserve - don't knock yourself too much!).

It is sad that we are in this condition, but it will be even more sad not to do anything about it when you have the power to do so.

You're doing fine.
 
princessleia29 said:
Thank you
Click to expand...
it really does have to be the higher % for me, and a couple of squares are fine
without my glasses, I got some linetts on special and it said dark so I thought it ok,..... without thinking, I ate it all in10min,..... I looked and it was 45%, I won't make that mistake again
 
85% 45% of what?
 
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