# Recently Diagnosed



## HelenA21 (Jan 28, 2017)

Hello All,

After a routine Fasting Blood Test result of 7.6 in October 2016, followed by a Glucose Tolerance Test result of 8.5 (before) - 15.4 (after), I was diagnosed as Type 2 at the start of December 2016.  My Total Cholesterol result was 6.5 (HDL 1.2, LDL 4.2).  

As directed I made an appointment with the Diabetic Nurse, who weighed and measured me, (Weight 14st 5lb, Waist 116 cm), took my urine sample (for kidney function), and set up referrals to have my feet and eyes checked, and to attend a 1 day DESMOND course.  She gave me a Low-fat Diet Sheet (2 pages), an information sheet about cholesterol, and a copy of "Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes" published by Diabetes UK (thank goodness!) and said "Come back in a month".

I felt a bit abandoned, so went straight online to this site and have found it very useful.  I bought two books:  The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes by Gretchen Becker, and Reverse Your Diabetes by Dr David Cavan, both of which I would highly recommend.  I also bought a blood glucose monitor and some testing strips.  I decided that as the Christmas period was fast approaching, and food-wise it's an unusual and calorie laden time of year, I would only make some small adjustments (i.e. cut back on wine!), but monitor the effect my current diet had on my blood glucose levels, and then start in January with a new diet, loose some weight and increase my exercise levels.

So, that's what I've done.  My visit back to the Diabetic Nurse at the start of January confirmed my feet and kidneys are ok, and that I will be given the HbA1c blood test at the end of March.  If my result is under 58 I'll continue with diet only, and if it's over then it's on to medication.  The DESMOND course was useful, although quite basic (and they'd run out of the resource packs that we were supposed to take away with us), but at least it helped "keep it real", as it would be so easy to go home and forget all about it (no symptoms) until the blood test at the end of March, then on to medication and continue until something awful happens.

I'm following a moderate carbohydrate diet of 150g carbs per day with a max of 80g carbs per meal, and 1,500 calories a day.  I'm monitoring my fat intake, and generally go for low fat while ensuring the low fat isn't compensated for with higher sugar, but haven't got any low-fat target.  For January I've cut out alcohol completely (Dry January), but will start to drink moderately and within my carb/calorie limit in February and see what impact this has on my blood glucose levels and my willpower re: carbs and calories.  

And the results have been very encouraging!  Since the start of the month I've lost 9 lbs, I've signed up for a weekly Pilates class (I know I need to do more exercise!), and I'm testing before and 2hrs after each meal.  The results shows a range of 6.0 - 7.4 mmol on waking, (in the last two weeks all below 7.0 mmol), a before eating range of 4.8 - 6.4 mmol, and an after range of 5.0 - 8.4 mmol, (mostly under 7.5).  

I'm feeling quite pleased by these results, but it is taking a lot of effort to change, track and monitor everything I'm eating!  Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up until the end of March when I have my next blood test, by which time I'll have a lot of data about what is and isn't working for me.  Hopefully some of it will have become habit and not take so much conscious effort.  I'll let you know how I get on.  

Thanks to everyone on this site for all your postings - they've all been very helpful, whether they're about ideas, experience, shared feelings, confusion, anger, medical advice and so on.  I'd be interested to know what you think of my efforts and results so far - I know I've got a long way to go.

Best Wishes
Helen


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## grovesy (Jan 28, 2017)

Welcome.
Well done on your progress so far.


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## James 048 (Jan 28, 2017)

Warm welcome to the forum Helen .


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## Grogg1 (Jan 28, 2017)

You are doing very well. Welcome to the forum.


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## Grannylorraine (Jan 28, 2017)

Welcome, and well done on your weight loss.


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2017)

Hi Helen, welcome to the forum  Wow, you've certainly taken control of things very well after the inadequate advice you got from the nurse at your diagnosis! Well done, and particularly well done on the weight loss, often harder to achieve at this time of the year  You're already taking all the steps I would advise, so I can't add much to your account of how you are managing things, except to say that I am pretty sure you will achieve excellent results if you continue this way, especially given the numbers you are currently achieving  There is an awful lot to take in at first, but it really does become much easier as you become more experienced, learn about your diet, and feel the benefits of your adjustments 

Good luck, let us know how things go, or if anything worries or confuses you, we'll be happy to help


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## Mark Parrott (Jan 28, 2017)

Hi Helen.  Very impressive results.  Those numbers are definitely something to be proud of.


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## Stitch147 (Jan 28, 2017)

Hi Helen and welcome to the forum.


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## mikeyB (Jan 28, 2017)

Yup, welcome to the forum, Helen.  Your figures are mighty impressive indeed. Keep up the good work


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## Amigo (Jan 28, 2017)

Well done you! A textbook response to the diagnosis and you're clearly doing very well. 150grams of carb a day is quite high by some standards on here but it's obviously working for you and it has to be do'able so good to keep it realistic. 

Good luck going forward, you're doing great!


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## Ditto (Jan 28, 2017)

Hello Helen, welcome.


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## john pardo (Jan 29, 2017)

Hi and welcome


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## Lindarose (Jan 29, 2017)

Welcome to the forum Helen and a very impressive start  You're doing so well and it's always exciting to get your hba1c result when you've made such big changes. Will look forward to hearing your next update.


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## stephknits (Jan 29, 2017)

Great to read such a positive post!  Looking forward to hearing how you get on.


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## HelenA21 (Jan 30, 2017)

Wow! Thanks for all your welcomes and encouraging remarks - it's great to have all this support.  I think at the moment I'm in the enthusiastic beginner phase - the hard part will be keeping at it in the long run.


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## Bubbsie (Jan 30, 2017)

HelenA21 said:


> Wow! Thanks for all your welcomes and encouraging remarks - it's great to have all this support.  I think at the moment I'm in the enthusiastic beginner phase - the hard part will be keeping at it in the long run.





HelenA21 said:


> Wow! Thanks for all your welcomes and encouraging remarks - it's great to have all this support.  I think at the moment I'm in the enthusiastic beginner phase - the hard part will be keeping at it in the long run.


Hi Helen...you've made a great start...no reason to think you won't be able to maintain it...like many of us here once you start to take control and manage your diabetes much of it will become automatic...of course that does take time...however if you go at a steady pace as you have your management is more likely to be sustainable long term...of course we all have the occasional dip in our enthusiasm and resolve...I have...came on here for a rant...soon steered me back in the right direction...well done...look forward to hearing your progress.


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## HelenA21 (Jan 30, 2017)

Bubbsie said:


> Hi Helen...you've made a great start...no reason to think you won't be able to maintain it...like many of us here once you start to take control and manage your diabetes much of it will become automatic...of course that does take time...however if you go at a steady pace as you have your management is more likely to be sustainable long term...of course we all have the occasional dip in our enthusiasm and resolve...I have...came on here for a rant...soon steered me back in the right direction...well done...look forward to hearing your progress.


Thanks!  I can be prone to ranting .....


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## grovesy (Jan 30, 2017)

HelenA21 said:


> Thanks!  I can be prone to ranting .....


We are used to ranting , it can be good for your soul.


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