Will I die if I don't change?

[hadntbeen]

I'm a 30 year old female. Full disclosure - my eating is out of control. Full of carbs, sugar and I drink a lot, and I mean a lot of semi skimmed milk which is just full of sugar. I am 5 foot 4 and weigh around 15 stone.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes around 2 years ago when I started to become very sleepy throughout the day.

My hba1c results in October were 8.0 so not too bad, however, I hadn't been taking the 2000 mg metformin that was prescribed to me. I was honest with my doctor about this and so she told me to just take 500 mg and we would do another test in January.

I didn't do that - I honestly don't have any other reason for it other than the tablets make me feel sick and I don't like swallowing them. I've noticed over the last month that I have been urinating a lot more. I just got my hba1c results back and they are now 9.6.

I'm quite worried by these results as my diet hasn't changed since my last results in October but still my sugar levels aren't even staying the same they are just rising.

I'm scared to talk to my doctor. My plan from today is to start taking my one tablet 500 mg of metformin and to cut out the milk. I literally drink about 2 litres a day.

Is it reversible still at this point? If I continue the way I am, what can I expect going forward?

Every part of my life is going so well, I just can't quite get a grip of this.

I guess I need some horror stories/cold, hard facts to shock me into action.

Table to convert % and mmol
<a class="break-all" href="https://freestylediabetes.co.uk/freestylediabetes.co.uk/what-is-diabetes/what-makes-glucose-levels-rise-and-fall/HbA1c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">freestylediabetes.co.uk/freestylediabetes.co.uk/what-is-diabetes/what-makes-glucose-levels-rise-and-fall/HbA1c

38 goes to 5.6 (normal)
39- 47 goes to 5.7 - 6.4 (pre-diabetic)
48 goes to 6.5 (diabetic)

im on the pills also they are large pills.i crush mine in a large pestle and mortar put a bit of cereal in my mouth and get 2 pills twice a day down this way,i have problems swallowing evan small pills but this tip hepls me get them down

Haven’t read all the replies but I think you neee more support.
have you seen a dietitian? If not ask for one. I’m not sure why you’re zeroing in on the milk specifically, it’s not the obvious thing to do. Are you also having empty calories?
have you been on a diebetes programme like DESMOND? If not get yourself a referral
do you see a diabetes specialist team?
have you discussed your side effects to metformin? There are other treatment options which may suit you better and make it easier to keep up with the treatment.

so yes of course you do need to accept change but get some help and support, many people struggle a lot to start with. Also look at the diabetes charities and help groups they are quite active and can be very supportive.

Come and join us over here

forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/?_gl=11xl3hsz_gaMzcyOTU5NTQ0LjE2NzQ0OTE0ODY._ga_J1HFNSGEX6*MTY3NDQ5MTQ4Ni4xLjAuMTY3NDQ5MTQ4OS41Ny4wLjA.

I could have written your post, I was diagnosed in July 22 but probably had it for a couple of years by then, and I have gone from 80 HBA1C to remission in 6 months, you can do this with the right support. I gave up smoking, and listed what I ate each day, I went low carb rather than no carb, as going too low too quickly can cause issues with eye sight, I stuck to 130g carbs a day and 1200 calories and went from a size 24 to a size 10/12 losing over 4 stone along the way, you can eat loads of protein and veg and can adapt your favourite recipes to reduce carbs. If you want any tips feel free to message me, we all need support on this journey but you are not too late to manage this into remission xx

Cutting out milk is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. You need to remove carbohydrates from your diet.

Our bodies are unchanged from when we were hunter gatherers (pre agricultural revolution). We eat more sugar most days than we are designed to eat in a year. Eat meat, fish and poultry and plant material that grows above ground, apart from peas and fruit for six months and nothing else bar tea without milk and black coffee. Your BS will drop and you will start to feel better.

Maybe join a FB group and learn about the carnivore diet. It's very inspiring to read about people that have reversed diabetes as well as a host of autoimmune issues like Hashimoto's etc. Get inspired and the rest will follow.

Start off by asking to attend a DESMOND course. They can usually be done F2F in a day or on line over 2 or 3 sessions.
My local trust have CBT practitioners that specialise in diabetes and you can self refer.
Then there's specialist dietitians too.
You've taken the first step by recognising things are getting out of control. A raised HbA1c will increase risk of all sorts of problems however it's not too late to take control and make changes.
As for the Metformin, never take on an empty stomach but if you're still feeling queasy/windy/lose after a month ask for Sukatto slow release which is kinder on the stomach.
There are also schemes where you can get free referrals to gym/skimming World etc but I think your first step should be DESMOND course plus CBT.
Good luck

Firt off OP, a massive well done for quitting alcohol. That is a HUGE achievement.

My experience was similar to yours; about 10 years ago I went into AA, quite booze and ended up gaining loads of weight. I replaced sugary food (especially desserts and chocolate) with booze and ate my feelings rather than drinking them.

I see it in AA all the time.

I had to sort of my feelings first and learn how to stop taking them out on self harming. I did lose the weight, it took 3 years as I did it slowly, focussing on exercise and general fitness rtaher than food depreivation.#

You don't need horror stories. You are a strong woman, you quite booze, so you have proven that you cna accomplish difficult and challenging things. Sort out your psychology first and the rest will follow. You're going to be awesome I know it x

Does this type of meal plan look okay? Before I continue?

have you seen a dietitian? Honestly I wouldn’t go on any faddy diet. Restricting leads to bingeing. So yes some people do take the fasting approach but it’s not always a good idea. You need something achievable and sustainable. Not cutting out entire food groups or fasting but that’s just my opinion. I’d speak to a professional tailored to you

The Desmond course as suggested by PP is a good idea, you should have your feet and eyes checked regularly and see the diabetes nurse for a yearly or 6 monthly check, I see mine every 4 months to discuss my blood results, but she ended up learning more from me from the Diabetes forum, I showed her the MySugr app and nutra check as she was pleased with my weight loss and made a note of them. They will also check you Cholesterol as in some cases you can have other existing conditions, I had a fatty liver, fatty pancreas and raise cholesterol but all in check with my diet changes, I still have a few carbs but within my allowance.

Do you have a blood glucose meter, it helps show what you can and cant tolerate and gives you an idea of what your next HbA1C will be without any nasty shocks. I found i am able to have a small bowl of porridge but cant tolerate bread or pasta, I can eat potato in small quanitities without it causing any issues, but everyone is different. you can do this xx

I didn’t mention milk, are you confusing me with someone else? I was referring to refined/complex carbs.

Milk isn’t the issue at all, except for the vast quantities being consumed semi skimmed milk is actually a better choice as the fat content slows the carb release somewhat (I’m explaining this as simply as I can so it’s accessible information, I know it’s more complicated than that in RL). Protein, fat, and non starchy vegetables are good for diabetic control, any form of carbohydrate will affect blood glucose levels.

Im diabetic, I’ve been diabetic for a very long time, I have an HbA1C of 36 which is ridiculously good for a diabetic. I do actually know what I’m talking about. The OP doesn’t need to do an expensive nutrition plan she needs to ask to be referred to a nutritionist and to start being sensible about her diet.

Also hot baths and 30 minute walks get your blood sugar lower too so a little stroll after a meal will help.

They’re not being patronising.

You asked for help before you’re at death’s door. This isn’t a medic forum; it’s full of folks from all walks of life. You’ve got a range of posts, from users who have taken time out of their day to respond to you.

I don’t know which one of you is “correct”, but focussing on the one part of this PP’s post which may be incorrect and completely ignoring the rest of her post isn’t the way to go.

At the end of the day, this is your life. Posters on here won’t remember you after a few days. The thread will be buried by other threads. People move on. But you’re the one risking your health and life with the way things are going. You’re the one who has to live with the choices you make.

You need to realise that this poster isn’t the last of someone saying something that makes you feel patronised and uncomfortable. There will be plenty more conversations just like these, with medical staff, especially if you continue to not change your diet and not take your medication.

I agree. The DiRECT clinical trial does indeed show very positive results following substantial weightloss of obese patients however the diet they were on requires clinical monitoring as its quite extreme as does Diabetes UKs Counterpoint. Without a doubt though, any weightloss will be beneficial to diabetes management where insulin resistance is a factor. Even slimmer people seem to be benefitting from 'de fatting' their organs (ReTUNE).

This is very true, my very slim, almost skinny sister has just found out she has high cholesterol and reducing it now too, you can be skinny fat. Although our cholesterol is a genetic thing as well.

Also by eating fat, eg full fat yoghurt you will have less carbs, it took me a while but it does work I promise.

@Cornchip it is patronising for someone to come on a forum and tell you that you are wrong about your own medical results when in fact they are the ones that are wrong. Just because I have uncontrolled diabetes and am on here asking for help, doesn't mean I'm wrong to call that out. It's patronising.

The OP was diagnosed with type II diabetes in her twenties, FFS! No one is being melodramatic. The fact that so many other people in the UK are obese doesn't reduce the OP's chances of dying young. The last thing she needs is people downplaying the seriousness of this situation.

www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Simple-Guide-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/B08X7G1BPL/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1674493259&refinements=p_27%3AProfessor+Roy+Taylor&s=books&sr=1-2

I listened to this book on audible. It is not long. The first hour is very factual about the consequences of diabetes and may help you

No. Fasting isn’t good, it’ll encourage your liver to release glucose and then you’ll be battling the dawn phenomenon and all over the place. You want a well balanced diet that focuses on healthy eating whilst taking your medication as prescribed religiously. I’d also ask for a foot and eye check. I’d also talk to your GP about the Desmond programme and the 800 shake diet plan, and ask to be referred to a nutritionist

Your best bet is to join forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/forums/general-messageboard.2/ and talk to us there, there’s a wealth of knowledge and an awful lot of support.

I think this has been misinterpreted (or I wasn't clear enough in my meaning). Of course it's a serious situation for OP. I just think that catastrophising about an early death is only going to make her feel worse, and feeling overwhelmed can lead to feeling depressed and make it even harder to make changes when it feels like such a mountain with such high stakes.

It might be more manageable in smaller chunks and trying to reframe it in a more positive way of making good lifestyle changes, starting small. Even in this situation it's important to enjoy yourself and feel that things are within your control, otherwise what's the point?

Anyway, I was trying to be helpful but I either worded this badly or it is being misinterpreted so apologies for that.

@hadntbeen is correct. 9.6 is the old style HbA1C, it translates to a new style of 81% which is what I said. I’d feel patronised if someone told me my correct information was incorrect then tried to mansplain to me
freestylediabetes.co.uk/freestylediabetes.co.uk/what-is-diabetes/what-makes-glucose-levels-rise-and-fall/HbA1c

OP, speaking as someone who has lost 3 stone in weight (and kept it off for over 4 years), I think this looks too severe when you take into account your current calorie intake.

This is too big of a restriction too soon, you are going to be hungry and will probably struggle to stick to it long term.

Keep a food diary for a week and work out how many calories you are currently eating each day on average. Then try to reduce it to about 75-80% of that as a starting point. Just cutting out the milk in itself will be an excellent start.

Think about what amount of cooking you are realistically happy to do. This plan has to work forever if it's going to combat your diabetes, not just for the next couple of weeks, so it has to be sustainable.

Your plan above contains two meals which require cooking from scratch. Is that something you're going to do every day, for the rest of your life?

If not, don't bother. Find something quicker and easier that you can do. It's about compromise. The odd ready meal is OK, as long as you're getting some fresh fruit/ veg as well.

It's about sustainable choices which are an improvement from where you're currently at - not about overhauling your entire life overnight - because that's not sustainable.

We call these people TOFIs....thin on the outside, fat on the inside.
I have actually seen a TOFI opened up in my theatre days and was shocked at the level of visceral fat.
You can't change your gene though.

You probably won't die immediately, but you may seriously reduce your life expectancy. You need to go back to the doctor and discuss your issues with both diet and the side effects of the medication.

I just converted HBA1c of 9.6 into new money and it’s 81 which as you know is very high - but there are a lot of factors in your favour if you’re keen to make lifestyle changes as well as medications.
You’re young and relatively well - so it will be easier to incorporate exercise, increased activity, other changes to your lifestyle. Weight loss is difficult at any time but much easier now that it will be in 10 or 20 years.
Also you’re very overweight and you recognise your diet is poor. I’d look at the positives of this - you could probably hugely improve your health with fairly moderate changes. Just 10% weight loss can make a huge difference to diabetes and that should be within your reach if you get the right psychological and medical help. You probably have a high enough BMI to qualify for tier 3 weight loss services which I would absolutely make the most of if I were you.