Scared of getting a dx and being able to make the potential lifestyle changes

[Graphista]

I'm 50, fat, sedentary and love my carbs though try to eat relatively healthily.

I had a load of bloods taken recently as I've had a rubbish winter health wise and wanted to get to bottom of it.

Drs just called me (how rare is that?!) to have me make another appointment to test blood again as showed raised blood glucose.

On day of test I hadn't eaten before testing which is what's really worrying me!

Also family history of type 2 and yes I am kicking myself for not being more sensible but I have a lot of other health issues to contend with too inc ocd.

I'm scared I won't cope with the dx, the changes I'll need to make (creature of habit), or even that with the ocd I'll go too far the other way and be too controlling with it all.

Can anyone relate? Been through similar and can reassure?

Appointment is in 2 weeks so not urgent response from them but still...

You'll need an extra type of eye screening with diabetes, it's not like your usual optician test.

I had mine done today. It's really straightforward - they guve you eye drops and photograph the your retinas
The drops can sting a little for a second when applied but feel fine after that (takes a couple of hours for me to be able to read fine print again). The photograph bit just involved sticking my chin on a rest, and following a dot of light with my eyes.

I found than when my bloods were high (15-20+) I'd get blurred vision. Since I've got my sugars lower and stable it's improved so much.

They're normally annual (I think) but can be more regular if any changes or problems get picked up.

Your surgery should make sure you get referred for these.

@Kerfuffler yea I know re eye test. One more thing to tackle, did you need someone with you for it to get you home etc or could you see well enough fairly quickly?

I get a taxi or a lift with my support worker these days.

I've got buses home in the past, but had to ask other people at the stop which number was coming and felt a bit vulnerable.

If it's a brightish day you might need sunglasses as well.

If you drive though, you're advised not to until your pupils go back to normal afaik.

Thank you for all the 'that's amazing' comments.

The nurse was trying to get me to go on a 5 week 'Diabetic expert' course, I said lets see what my A1C is.

She couldn't really say I needed the course with that number.

How did today's appointment go?

@Kerfuffler I don't drive but think it may be a good idea to take someone with me for eye test.

Appointment seemed fairly pointless to me, still no wiser on what I should be doing diet wise, went over family history, measured weighed & bp (thankfully overweight not obese) all of which nurse could have dealt with. Nurse apparently not a diabetic nurse just a practice nurse who cares for the diabetic patients, she may refer me to a diabetic team apparently, it's a large practice in a big health centre so I'm surprised no diabetic nurse.

She couldn't really say I needed the course with that number.

No she couldn't! That's great, so very pleased for you.

Hi, I have type 2, found out because I kept getting thrush. Went and got tested and had a hub of 92. I was unhealthy, even after diagnosis was still unhealthy! Currently am 16 weeks pregnant and am on insulin now with a glucose monitor in my arm, honestly that libre is the best thing they could have given me. I'm seeing the things now which trigger my sugar levels ect and altering them and making better choices, I've seen myself lose a stone in the 11 weeks I've known I'm pregnant.
At first it's scary but it doesn't have to be doom and gloom, if your type2 change your ways, you can still have carbs just cut down your portions. You are in control of your health future, no one else.

My hb is now 42, a good book to get is carb and cals, it's very informative and show you good portion sizes ect

OP, I really gett where your coming from - last year I had a hbA1c result in the diabetic range, the only advice I had was a 5 minute conversation with the nurse and a dietitian referral which consisted of receiving an email with links to websites. I also agree about the conflicting advice out there, I felt totally at sea at first!

I have since managed to lower my hbA1c so I am back in normal range through dietary changes. I didn't follow any particular diet plan because they're all rubbish for vegetarians, but took ideas from the Michael moseley blood sugar diet and low glycemic index diet.

I was quite strict at first with lowering carbs right down, as I was pretty sure that's what was causing my blood sugar to spike. I have reintroduced some wholemeal carbs now like brown bread and brown rice now, but avoid any white carbs 99 percent of the time. At first I did get caught up in the 'which veg or fruit is too high in carbs' etc but realised I was letting the perfect be the enemy of the good! It's probably a good idea to monitor your blood sugar for a while to see what foods are causing you to spike so you can have an 'avoid' list.

@Primroseprimula

I've found using some premade food works. So Cathedral City make a potato and cheese gratin with 15 grams of carb so instead of buying potatoes I have a pack of Gratin in the freezer and I know I can have 1 as part of a meal.

Sorry I don't know if their cheese is vegetarian.

@honeybunsleo

Yes the libre is great, obviously I'm not on insulin so I only had the free sample but it taught me that bananas spike my sugar and cauliflower cheese with a bit of bacon lowers it.

@Graphista

I found this TED talk by Dr Sarah Hallberg (RIP) made a lot of sense to me.

www.dietdoctor.com/remembering-dr-sarah-hallberg#:~:text=Sarah%20Hallberg.,died%20of%20metastatic%20lung%20cancer.

Sorry haven't read the whole thread. I'm very much like you op. Overweight, history of type 2 diabetes in the family and have been pre diabetic for years now. For various reasons (family issues and stress) I haven't done anything about it. Just had the dreaded call from the GP to say that I'm in the diabetic range now.

Honestly it's was like a switch has been flipped and it's been the wake up call I needed. Just a shame it took getting to this level. I've cut alcohol to two tiny glasses a week at the weekend and could easily cut it out entirely if I needed to. Stopped eating refined carbs, sugary drinks, cakes and biscuits and desserts. Eating more I the things I'm supposed to. I feel good about it, have lost weight in just two weeks, don't feel deprived and am sleeping much better. If I have to do this for the rest of my life then I know I will cope. I need to learn a bit more about imaginative ways to introduce enjoyment into my meal, but I'm very hopeful.

This is quite a change from my panicked Googling at the start, which filled me with gloom. Some websites are incredibly negative and depressing. Once I kew I wasn't going to have to survive on water and lettace leaves it felt so much better. Hope it goes well op.

@Primroseprimula

Thank you! You get it.

I didn't follow any particular diet plan because they're all rubbish for vegetarians

YES YES YES!!! They're awful!

I have a glucose meter now to monitor, supposed to be getting bg under 10 - not happened yet and that's even fasting levels and no carb meals!

Todays fasting 14!

@sashh that video was interesting but exactly what as a veggie am I then left with to eat?! I need Cals from somewhere! If I only eat fruit, veg, dairy & eggs that's going to get very boring very quickly, not be satisfying and I'm going to be hungry & give in to cravings. It's simply not realistic or sustainable.

@knittingaddict I'm glad that's working for you but are you vegetarian?

And totally off topic I suspect but what did I miss on the deleted post?!

14 is high for fasting. If it is consistently that high you need to see gp again. Are you otherwise well?

I'm not vegetarian, but when I googled a lot of the recipes looked to be veggie and quite tasty. I didn't look too closely though. Fats and dairy seem to be ok too.

@LIZS it is high yes. otherwise I feel absolutely fine! I've no classic symptoms at all I'm not tired or run down in every other way that could be diabetes caused I'm perfectly healthy (I have ocd, endo & a physical disability following a car accident but they are separate issues)

@knitting addict no requirement for you to do so of course but if you were to look closely you'd see a lot of the food ideas and recipes are very similar flavours and quite repetitive.

Even if you feel fine it could trigger damage to your body.

If you're getting readings over 13, ask for a ketone meter as well.

You can get ketone strips for urine dip test from a chemist. Or your blood monitor may do it.

@sashh that video was interesting but exactly what as a veggie am I then left with to eat?! I need Cals from somewhere! If I only eat fruit, veg, dairy & eggs that's going to get very boring very quickly, not be satisfying and I'm going to be hungry & give in to cravings. It's simply not realistic or sustainable.

My breakfasts are often cheese (I do have ham with it) full fat yoghurt, often with nuts.

Eggs can be boiled, fried, scrambled an omelet. Mushroom omelet is a favorite of mine. Sometimes with cheese.

I have fruit mid morning and after dinner.

For snacks I have pork scratchings, which I know you can't have, but I also have salted chickpeas, coconut chips and nuts and the odd piece of dark chocolate.

If you increase the fat you will add calories so add cream to mashed cauliflower. Stir fry veg with nuts (cashews work well).