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

Yet another addition to the club

B

brendan998

Member
Messages
10
Location
Manchester
Hello there,
Not too sure where to begin. I had a blood sugar check done and got the results a few days ago.
Its 14.5 which meant nothing to me except the doctor at the hospital said I almost certainly had diabetes and should go to my GP.
So I fasted and went last Thursday where he did another check, but I won't have the results of that until 2nd Dec when I have a follow up visit.
I'm not overweight.
I have a bloody awful diet - fry ups, chips sweets chocolate spuds with everything 3 sugars in my tea crisps everyday etc etc...
Well that was till last Thursday.
The doctor said I have a choice:
a) Keep going like I am and perhaps I won't need an amputation because I'll have died of a heart attack beforehand....or
b) Drastic change in lifestyle, diet exercise etc
I'm so confused.
Ok, I'm not so daft as to think I had a healthy diet but I felt fine and perhaps was in a false sense of security thinking I'm just one of those guys who can eat anything and not put weight on.
Take aways, 3 times a month...not bad eh?, but the doctor explained the crisps and mars bars and twix each day was as bad as another take away.
I've got to look at labels.
My main problem is that just about everything in my diet, or to be honest in my life, is far from the 'Drastic change in lifestyle'
Ok I've cut my sugar down to one in my tea
Everything I like is 40% meat 40% spuds and 20% veg on the plate.
I eat loads of bread and yes I've bought some brown bread and no I haven't dipped my bread into the bacon fat for nearly a week now as I grill the bacon now
I have a job in sales that I love and when I get home from work I'm a carer so planning meals is a nightmare and I end up getting a quick sausage on toast to fill me up.
I suppose this 50 year old body of mine is saying enough is enough but I don't know where to begin.
Everyone is flooding me with advice about diet and fat and carbs and exercise and read the labels and they're only trying to scare you and........
I read the labels and they frighten me cos I don't understand them.
Anyway to sum up I've set myself a target that in 12 months I'm going to be one of those people you look at and say wow don't they look fit and healthy....but gee I'm really missing 3 sugars in my tea!
Brendan
ps you'd better add to the symptoms 'tends to ramble'......sorry
 
Hi,

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Welcome to the forum - a great place to come and so quickly.

The first thing that you need to learn is that you will need to cut back on the starchy carbohydrates - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice. That usually leads to a big improvement in blood glucose levels - and quickly.

Oh!.......and I'd cut out all of the sugar too - even the one spoonful per cup. Why not use sweetners?

A lot to learn and a long way to go but you'll get there if you stick around and are committed to making the changes - especially, to your diet! It's not too complicated really.

Best wishes - John
 
Thanks for the reply John,
Good news I don't have cereals, rice or pasta. I've invested in Brown Bread and Oven chips. I've not tried sweetners but will give them a go tomorrow. I seem to remember about 30 years ago trying some in tea and they were naff.
The doctor said he'll get me to see a dietician so I guess that'll start me off.
I think really I've got to educate my taste buds and not have preconceived notions that I'm not going to like something before I've even tasted it.
On the face of it is 14.5 very high, extremely high, dangerously high or just a warning sign

Cheers

Brendan
 
Hi again Brendan,

I'd still advise caution with any bread and potatoes of any kind - they are very dangerous foods to diabetics as far as I'm concerned.

As far as taste is concerned,I tink that you'll find that your taste buds have very short memories - it's as short as days maybe. These days, if someone puts sugar or full-fat milk in my tea or coffee then it tastes absolutey horrible to me.

Be aware that dietitians might give you very poor advice - a lot of them do in my opinion. That is my experience anyway for what it's worth!

Your 14.5 is high and certainly more than just a warning sign. You need to take things seriously and keep clear of the very nasty complications that can come a diabetic's way in the longer term - heart disease, blindness and amputations just to name a few!

You sound as though you'll get things sorted out - it's largely down to self-management. You've made a great start by finding your way to this forum so quickly after your diagnosis. Don't drift away like so many seem to do!

Good luck - John
 
Brendan,
there is hope, your starting point is not a million miles from what mine was. I have lost over 4 stone and attained "near" normal blood results in 6 months. I went to a couple of family weddings recently and by the end was totally fed up of being bombarded with kind remarks!!! . The bride of one of the weddings even complained to me that I was getting more compliments and attention than her and her new husband !!

Regards Steve.
 
Thanks Steve and John,
I weigh in at 11st 8lbs and am 5'10"
I have no trouble losing weight, never have but if i'm ill and lose say half a stone in a week it'll take me a month to gain it back.
Some have said that I'm lucky to have that but maybe I'm not so sure.
I hope this doesn't sound flippant or that I'm not taking it seriously but life without bread and potatoes for me is going to be a major thing. Its been my staple diet since......well forever really.
Anyway I know if I stop feeling negative and stuff myself with positivity I can beat anything.

Brendan
ps if I lived in Sudan I'd be so fortunate to have the choice of spuds versus veg. If they can survive their diet and smile I can be happy with a plate of anything!
 
hya brendan and welcome to the forum,
it does get easier i promise i used to have 2 sugars in tea and got used to no sugars fairly quickly and yes getting rid of carbs is hard but if you want to live you will do it as u seem determined
 
Brendan

Welcome to the forum.

You may not have to give up bread and potatoes completely but it is very likely that you will have to restruct your portion sizes significantly.

We are all different and only when you test your blood glucose regularly (when you first wake up, before and two hours after each meal) will you learn what your body can cope with.

So please ask your doctor for a blood glucose monitor and testing strips next time you see him. Even if he does not prescribe them you can probably get a free monitor from one of the manufacturer's and the price of testing trips (extortionate though it is) is a good investment if it means that you gain control of your health.

Regards

Pavlos
 
Welcome Brendan
where we can help, we will. There's a LOt of expertise on this forum.
And now for the GOOd news
You don't need to restrict your fats. They are not doing you any harm, so the problem with chips is the potato, NOT the frying medium. So the BAD news, Oven chips are no better than the real thing. Stick to the 1 or 2 you steal from some-one else's portion.
Sadly, Brown bread or wholemeal are no advantage either. You need to look for the Total carb count. GI tables can help too.
Get yourself a copy of "Collins Little Gem Carb Counter. It's only about £5 and small enough to keep in your pocket.
Read through this forum to find which eating plan is for you and then test your blood glucose to see if it's working.
Hana.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…