# Six months' experiences



## Jean

Out of the blue, I was diagnosed with type 2 six months ago.   Since then I?ve read everything I can lay my hands on.  I?ve discovered that I didn?t have any of the commonly-accepted symptoms ? and I still don?t.   I feel no different from how I felt a year ago.

Following the diagnosis, I tightened up on an already healthy diet.    

Yet on my return to the doctor?s I was told I need to go on metformin ? although the HbA1c had not increased.

The last six months have knocked me for six.   Trying to analyse why I am so low, this is what I come up with:

1. In December I was told my newly-diagnosed type 2 could be treated by diet alone: six months later I am put on medication.    The impression is that a doctor has a tick-list he feels obliged to work through and that I?m just a passive recipient of his working his way through the list.   Don?t individual circumstances e.g. non-increase in the HbA1c and a diet approved by the practice nurse, count for anything?

2. It seems to me that I?m no longer in control of my life: diabetes is.

Such is my psychological state that my husband and my doctor agree that its effect on me is worse than the physical illness!

PLEASE: can anyone come to my aid by passing on any handy hints, psychological tricks, etc that can reassure me that I count for something and that I will enable me to feel that I am in control of my life again?

All contributions will be gratefully received!

 Jean


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## Northerner

Hello Jean, welcome to the forum! 

We have many tales here of people who have been treated poorly by their healthcare teams. Remember that YOU are the most important person in that team, and if you don't agree with what is being said to you, then you have every right to challenge it or seek a second opinion. May I ask what your HbA1c was? It may be that it is considered above a safe level and that for the first 6 months they were seeing if it could be brought down by diet and exercise alone, but that unfortunately it hasn't responded. Ideally, it should be 6.5 or below if you are to avoid long-term complications.


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## Jean

My reading was 7.3 but the doctor told me that this is almost the equivalent of the reading of six months? previously ? which was 6.7 ? because the testing machine in their lab was not at that time synchronised with those of the rest of the country.   Now they are ? and the way to compare fairly the two readings is to add 0.5 to the original figure.

I know ideally my reading should be under 6.5 ? but this knowledge does not help me accept the fact that six months ago I was told my type 2 could be controlled by diet.  
 Thanks for replying,

Jean.


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## Northerner

Type 2 is a tricky devil, as there are so many different stages and reactions from people to the various treatment options. As a Type 1, I was put straight onto insulin and that was that, basically, but Type 2 can respond very well in some people to diet and exercise. Some people have gone on to medication and then been able to come off it again as their insulin resistance changes and they are better able to tolerate carbs.

Read  what you can and ask any questions you may have here and then you will be well-armed when you next see your doctor. We can't give out advice, but can support you and relate our own experiences, so you may find others here who have felt exactly the same as you and give you more confidence in controlling your diabetes.


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## sasha1

Hi Jean

Welcome to the forum

Heidi


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## Jean

Thank you, Sasha 1 - and thank you, Northerner, for taking the trouble to reply.

I'm intrigued by your comment, 'better able to tolerate carbs'.

I'm aware there's a division of opinion on the matter of carbs,  So many 'guidance' booklets commend them because of their GI value.
I guess, though, that you're a fan of Charles Clark!

I can understand that rersearch is always ongoing, but the debate over the value or otherwise of carbs is frustrating for the sufferer!

Jean


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## mikep1979

hi and welcome jean 

im type 1 and to be honest i am of the opinion for carbs being good in everyones diets. i do however conceed it is an individual choice to this matter and also that it depends on you and what you can and cant do in the exercise area as to how well you will cope with the carb contents of meals. we do have a few active low/no carbers on here and they do say it is working wonders on them.

anyway no matter which route you choose i am sure you will be able to get all the help and advice you need and want on here 

mike


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## Northerner

Jean said:


> Thank you, Sasha 1 - and thank you, Northerner, for taking the trouble to reply.
> 
> I'm intrigued by your comment, 'better able to tolerate carbs'.
> 
> I'm aware there's a division of opinion on the matter of carbs,  So many 'guidance' booklets commend them because of their GI value.
> I guess, though, that you're a fan of Charles Clark!
> 
> I can understand that rersearch is always ongoing, but the debate over the value or otherwise of carbs is frustrating for the sufferer!
> 
> Jean



From my point of view, I have been lucky in that I am able to eat most things without experiencing significant spikes in BG levels, and I can also 'cover' any carbs I eat with extra insulin. Others are not so fortunate, and have found that reducing the amount of carbs in their diet helps to keep their blood sugar on a more even keel. As a Type 1 I have found that exercise significantly increases my sensitivity to insulin, so I need to inject less, and this can also be very true of Type 2, which is primarily caused by insulin resistance.

I think there is much debate over low-carbing simply because each individual's experience of diabetes is different in some respects to everyone else's, so one size does not fit all! This is why the person with diabetes is the most important part of the healthcare team - if, as you suspect, the doctor is simply working his way through a checklist then he/she is not being sufficiently proactive in looking for the best possible solution for you, as an individual. Do you test, or are you not prescribed strips? Ideally, you need to build up a picture of your reactions to certain foods, and your levels at different times of the day so you can tailor your diet and exercise to keep your levels down - you can only do this by being able to test and keeping a diary.


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## Jean

Thank you mikep 1979 and Northerner.

Interestingly, you both set carbs over against exercise.   

Is this the point you are making: that there is an inverse ratio between carb intake and exercise, i.e. that a goodly amount of the latter reduces the sugar level effect of the other?

If so, what, by your defintion, constitutes exercise that has this effect?  Do you mean going to a gym?   

I am in my late 60's. and I think I get a lot of exercise, but it is all walking and labouring (and some of it is heavy labour!) in the garden.   Running, press-ups, etc I don't do - but I am not a 'couch potato'.

Jean


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## mikep1979

hi jean,

exercise is anything where you get your heart beating a bit faster than normal for you. so gardening is good for this as it is very very strenuous. i do a lot of running and bike work and agree that this isnt always for everyone, but i would say as a diabetic you need to incorperate a ammount of exercise into your life everyday. as for carbs i do believe there is a direct link between the ability of ones body to break these down and use them in relation to the exercise you do. but i must point out it does also depend on the type of carbs you use. also fats are essential to 

mike


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## Steff

hi and a warm welcome jean x


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## sweetsatin

Welcome to the forum Jean


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## C*5_Dodger

Jean said:


> Out of the blue, I was diagnosed with type 2 six months ago.   Since then I’ve read everything I can lay my hands on.  I’ve discovered that I didn’t have any of the commonly-accepted symptoms – and I still don’t.   I feel no different from how I felt a year ago.
> 
> Following the diagnosis, I tightened up on an already healthy diet.
> 
> Yet on my return to the doctor’s I was told I need to go on metformin – although the HbA1c had not increased.
> 
> The last six months have knocked me for six.   Trying to analyse why I am so low, this is what I come up with:
> 
> 1. In December I was told my newly-diagnosed type 2 could be treated by diet alone: six months later I am put on medication.    The impression is that a doctor has a tick-list he feels obliged to work through and that I’m just a passive recipient of his working his way through the list.   Don’t individual circumstances e.g. non-increase in the HbA1c and a diet approved by the practice nurse, count for anything?
> 
> 2. It seems to me that I’m no longer in control of my life: diabetes is.
> 
> Such is my psychological state that my husband and my doctor agree that its effect on me is worse than the physical illness!
> 
> PLEASE: can anyone come to my aid by passing on any handy hints, psychological tricks, etc that can reassure me that I count for something and that I will enable me to feel that I am in control of my life again?
> 
> All contributions will be gratefully received!
> 
> Jean


Dear Jean,

Welcome to the forum, you will find they are all a great bunch. I've just returned from holiday and seen your thread and the reponses to it. I am one of the low carbers Northerner referred to. I like you was started on Metformin but decided to do some research on Diabetes. To cut a long story short, I ditched the Metformin over 12 years ago and started "doing low carb" and have been diet controlled ever since. My HbA1c has NEVER been over 5.8%. The diet that "Diabetes UK" recommends is as far as I'm concerned is simply crazy, and you may decide that it is is crazy too. We can't offer medical advice but I ask you to consider this *"If you don't put glucose (i.e. carbohydrate) into your body - how can you have high blood sugars"*. Others have said that exercise is important, and indeed it is, but as an older person (I am almost 69) is is not always possible to do the amount that makes a significant difference to my blood sugar. Restricting carbohydrates works for me regardless of the amount of exercise I do.

Warmest Regards   Dodger


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## Vanessa

Jean said:


> My reading was 7.3 but the doctor told me that this is almost the equivalent of the reading of six months? previously ? which was 6.7 ? because the testing machine in their lab was not at that time synchronised with those of the rest of the country.   Now they are ? and the way to compare fairly the two readings is to add 0.5 to the original figure.
> 
> I know ideally my reading should be under 6.5 ? but this knowledge does not help me accept the fact that six months ago I was told my type 2 could be controlled by diet.
> Thanks for replying,
> 
> Jean.



Hello Jean and welcome to the forum.  I've been away for a few days so just getting round to catching up on the various posts and wanted to add a few comments to your thread.

Firstly I do hope you are not blaming yourself for limited results with your diet control only for as Dodger indicates a number of us Type 2s have found the standard "approved" dietary approaches simply do not work for us.  It seems to me that your doctor was following the correct protocol in prescribing metformin as your HBA1c had not come down after 6 months of diet control alone and that, for whatever reason, your body needed some extra help.

Secondly, do you know how your body responds to various foods?  If you do then you can take greater control of your diet and possibly, like Dodger, be able to manage your diabetes without medication.  Personally I'm following a low Gi diet with about 130g of total carbs per day - mainly from pulses, fruit and vegetables alongside adding in regular attempts at a Rosemary Conley DVD to loads of gardening/housework and am just reducing my gliclazide medication with my GPs agreement.  Got my HbA1c test booked for tomorrow morning so should get the results in about a week - we'll use that to see if I can reduce my medications further.

Thirdly, most medical authorities do believe that Type 2 is a progressive disease and many people who started off diet controlled may require treatment the longer they have the disease although some, like Dodger, have remarkable stories to tell.

Finally, diabetes is linked with depression and, like any long term condition, can provoke anxiety so please be aware that you are not alone in your psychological response to initiating medication.



Vanessa


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## Jean

Thank you, Dodger and Vanessa.   I'm most grateful for your contributions.

Indeed, my main problem is not physical, but psychological.

This is where I need, please, to hear the experiences of people who similarly have had to handle the crisis of being told, out of the blue, they're type 2.

How do you come to terms with the devastating news?

How do you come to believe that you are in control of your life as you were before?

Jean


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## Jean

Thank you, steff09 and sweetsatin, for your words of welcome.

Dodger ? As an older person (like you ? if you?ll forgive my mentioning it!), once we?ve done half a day?s heavy gardening work, e.g. cutting down bushes, or even a full morning?s housework and then add in walking one and a half miles to the shops ? that?s it ? we?re finished in terms of having the energy to manage additional exercise.

I look at the help books and think, ?regular exercise for a person my age ? what more do you want??


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## mikep1979

jean,

before you go down the low carb route i would strongly recommend to speak to your diabetes team over it. i know some poeple on here are avid fans of this system, but as with all things diabetes related they are not for eveyone. what works for one may not work for others. i for one eat a huge ammount of carbs every day and my levels are never out of range. i do exercise quite a bit but it is only because of my job and the fact i like to do marathons and ironman events that i train so much. i know people on here who dont train half as much as me and still eat a healthy ammount of carbs. im in the feild of thinking you need carbs as they are a good source of energy for the body. there are different types of carbs to use. i mainly tend to try and have slow acting carbs so i have energy all day and no spikes in my bg levels.

mike


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## C*5_Dodger

mikep1979 said:


> jean,
> 
> before you go down the low carb route i would strongly recommend to speak to your diabetes team over it. i know some poeple on here are avid fans of this system, but as with all things diabetes related they are not for eveyone. what works for one may not work for others. i for one eat a huge ammount of carbs every day and my levels are never out of range. i do exercise quite a bit but it is only because of my job and the fact i like to do marathons and ironman events that i train so much. i know people on here who dont train half as much as me and still eat a healthy ammount of carbs. im in the feild of thinking you need carbs as they are a good source of energy for the body. there are different types of carbs to use. i mainly tend to try and have slow acting carbs so i have energy all day and no spikes in my bg levels.
> 
> mike



Dear Mike,

You are ofcourse correct that the low carb route is not for everyone but your example is not the best to quote against low carbing

1. You are type 1 and so can "cover" any carbs you consume
2. You also do a great amount of exercise which is excellent for improving blood sugar control

However, I cannot do large amounts of exercise and the notion that we must eat say 130 gms of carbs a day is just plain wrong. Jean *must* talk to her diabetes team before making any changes to her lifestyle but you and I both know that they will probably frown upon a low carb approach.

Regards   Dodger


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## mikep1979

C*5_Dodger said:


> Dear Mike,
> 
> You are ofcourse correct that the low carb route is not for everyone but your example is not the best to quote against low carbing
> 
> 1. You are type 1 and so can "cover" any carbs you consume
> 2. You also do a great amount of exercise which is excellent for improving blood sugar control
> 
> However, I cannot do large amounts of exercise and the notion that we must eat say 130 gms of carbs a day is just plain wrong. Jean *must* talk to her diabetes team before making any changes to her lifestyle but you and I both know that they will frown upon a low carb approach.
> 
> Regards   Dodger



dodger sorry if it seemed i was bashing the low carb route as i wasnt  i know in some ways i am lucky as i can cover my carbs with insulin and yes i do a lot of exercise. the thing i was pointing out to jean and may have not got accross is the fact that diabetes is an infividual thing. as i said what works for one may not work for others. i agree that for you low carbing is working, but i do know of others in my diabetes clinic that just abuse the low carb route as an easy way to keep levels in control.

i think we are both in agreement that with the right support and right team with you low carbing can be a good thing.

regard mike


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## Vanessa

Jean said:


> Thank you, Dodger and Vanessa.   I'm most grateful for your contributions.
> 
> Indeed, my main problem is not physical, but psychological.
> 
> This is where I need, please, to hear the experiences of people who similarly have had to handle the crisis of being told, out of the blue, they're type 2.
> 
> How do you come to terms with the devastating news?
> 
> How do you come to believe that you are in control of your life as you were before?
> 
> Jean



Jean, I'm not altogether sure that I've yet come to terms with the news and have days when I really feel frustrated and fed up with it all but it is now just odd days rather than the real lows I had in the first year.  Sometimes the irritation with it all hits hard - having been away this week and eating out, for example, trying to maintain my hard work on getting my levels to what they should be whilst my husband tucked into his full English, sweet puddings and chips!  Mind you, he came back having put weight on and I'd lost a pound so allowed myself to be really smug for an hour.  Sad I know but those little victories help immensely

The loss of the feeling of control was a real challenge - 19 months on though I have mostly got to grips with that as, in reality, I was not in control of my eating habits before diagnosis as was on a rollercoaster of what I now realise were swings in blood glucose levels driving my munchies.  Usually now I have a much healthier attitude to food and exercise which gives me the belief that I have some degree of choice over how I manage the day-to-day effects of the diabetes.  What I find frustrating is the complete lack of control over the damage done to my body before I was diagnosed and have to keep reminding myself that I can only live with what I know now as 20-20 hindsight doesn't exist

Looking back over the time I've known I've had diabetes I'd also say that I didn't get to regularly being within the recommended ranges without a lot of serious trial and error.  It has only been within the past 3-4 months that I've realised and then begun to accept that my body does not tolerate starchy carbs very well, particularly at breakfast time.  I do envy those who can and drool at the thought of a nice white baguette with high fat cheese - strangely I don't miss puddings/sweet things anywhere near as much

This forum has been a real help though - everyone is so different in what they can manage and how they respond but all are so helpful when we yell, get frustrated or simply ask a question.


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## C*5_Dodger

Jean said:


> Thank you, Dodger and Vanessa.   I'm most grateful for your contributions.
> 
> Indeed, my main problem is not physical, but psychological.
> 
> This is where I need, please, to hear the experiences of people who similarly have had to handle the crisis of being told, out of the blue, they're type 2.
> 
> How do you come to terms with the devastating news?
> 
> How do you come to believe that you are in control of your life as you were before?
> 
> Jean



Dear Jean,

I am trying to think back to the time (Jan 6th 1994 10am!) when I was diagnosed. I went through all the classical symptoms rejection, anger, denial etc. My way of coping with Diabetes was to immerse myself in the science behind this terrible disease we all share. To my surprise what I found was completely at odds with the advice I had been given by my diabetes team. The more I thought about it the crazier the advice seemed. Diabetes is a disease characterised by an inability to handle glucose (blood sugar). So what do DUK (Diabetes UK) tell us – eat plenty of starchy carbohydrates at each meal! They believe that we must eat at least 130gms of carbs each day. It sounds reasonable but for diabetics it's just plain wrong. Now, I started controlled carbing and the blood sugar readings became near normal within days and HbA1cs decreased with every successive test. It was this that solved my psychological problems. What I did was to set myself some goals and then achieve them! You have only been diagnosed for six months or so and have not had time to think things through. It took me three years to get to where I felt in control of my situation. I ditched the Metformin because the readings with it were much worse that those achieved by carbohydrate control. It may be of help for you to set some targets and then set about achieving them. Type 2 diabetes is indeed a progressive disease so the only thing we can do is slow down the progression to such an extent that it becomes irrelevant. If you  want to ask any questions feel free -use PM (private mail) if you wish, we all want to get you through this phase of your condition.

Warmest Regards   Dodger


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## Northerner

C*5_Dodger said:


> ... They believe that we must eat at least 130gms of carbs each day. It sounds reasonable but for diabetics it's just plain wrong....



A bit of a sweeping statement there, Dodger! What we can say is that there is no 'one size fits all' unfortunately as far as diabetes goes. It is up to each individual to experiment and determine the right balance for them. It's difficult when you are newly-diagnosed to discover that there are no hard and fast rules, only guidelines that we must adapt and tailor to find the best fit with our lifestyle and BG control. With time and patience, and the support of others, we will get there


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## C*5_Dodger

*Carbohydrate requirements*



Northerner said:


> A bit of a sweeping statement there, Dodger! What we can say is that there is no 'one size fits all' unfortunately as far as diabetes goes. It is up to each individual to experiment and determine the right balance for them. It's difficult when you are newly-diagnosed to discover that there are no hard and fast rules, only guidelines that we must adapt and tailor to find the best fit with our lifestyle and BG control. With time and patience, and the support of others, we will get there



Dear Northerner,

It's not my sweeping statement, it's what the "Establishment" believes. Here is a link to the document - see Table S-2, Brain Glucose Utilisation

http://www.nap.edu/nap-cgi/report.cgi?record_id=10490&type=pdfxsum

Regards  Dodger


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## Northerner

C*5_Dodger said:


> Dear Northerner,
> 
> It's not my sweeping statement, it's what the "Establishment" believes. Here is a link to the document - see Table S-2, Brain Glucose Utilisation
> 
> http://www.nap.edu/nap-cgi/report.cgi?record_id=10490&type=pdfxsum
> 
> Regards  Dodger



I was referring to your statement that 'for diabetics it's plain wrong', Dodger, not the 130g.


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## C*5_Dodger

Northerner said:


> I was referring to your statement that 'for diabetics it's plain wrong', Dodger, not the 130g.



Dear Northerner,

Sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick! However, I have posted previously on the subject. The traditional Inuit eat no carbs at all and I only eat about a 100gms per week, so at least for the Inuit and me they are wrong, seriously though, the science shows that the minimum amount of carbs needed per day is zero. The brain in fact works more efficiently on ketones.

Regards   Dodger


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## mikep1979

C*5_Dodger said:


> Dear Northerner,
> 
> Sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick! However, I have posted previously on the subject. The traditional Inuit eat no carbs at all and I only eat about a 100gms per week, so at least for the Inuit and me they are wrong, seriously though, the science shows that the minimum amount of carbs needed per day is zero. The brain in fact works more efficiently on ketones.
> 
> Regards   Dodger



YES BUT DODGER KETONES ARE DANGEROUS FOR A DIABETIC TO HAVE!!!!!!!! IT IS WHAT LEADS TO DKA!!!!! WHO EVERS RESEARCH YOU HAVE READ CONTAINING THIS IS VERY VERY WRONG!!!!!


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## Northerner

mikep1979 said:


> YES BUT DODGER KETONES ARE DANGEROUS FOR A DIABETIC TO HAVE!!!!!!!! IT IS WHAT LEADS TO DKA!!!!! WHO EVERS RESEARCH YOU HAVE READ CONTAINING THIS IS VERY VERY WRONG!!!!!



Just to clarify - I think that ketones are dangerous chiefly to Type 1s, as the body is unable to process them correctly in the absence of insulin - this is why many Type 1s rapidly decline in health before diagnosis and often end up in hospital, Type 2 is quite different in this respect. This is not the case with most Type 2s, as they do produce their own insulin so the ketones do not build up and DKA is far less likely. Ketones are a by-product of burning fat for energy when there is insufficient glucose available or it can't be used by the body. 

Apologies Jean, we appear to be moving off the topic of your original post somewhat. As you can see, there is no straightforward answer, unfortunately!


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## C*5_Dodger

mikep1979 said:


> YES BUT DODGER KETONES ARE DANGEROUS FOR A DIABETIC TO HAVE!!!!!!!! IT IS WHAT LEADS TO DKA!!!!! WHO EVERS RESEARCH YOU HAVE READ CONTAINING THIS IS VERY VERY WRONG!!!!!


 Dear Mike,

You have not disappointed me! I just knew that some type 1 would confuse diabetic ketoacidosis with dietary ketosis - they are not the same. For a start type 2s still produce insulin (unless the beta cells are completely destroyed) so although we are producing ketones there is no accompanying high sugar levels. Also, the level of ketones is typically 5% of that in ketoacidosis. Dietary ketosis is a normal condition ketoacidosis is not.

Regards   Dodger

PS We are hijacking Jean's thread if you want to persue this we should start another thread or use PM


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## runner

Jean said:


> Thank you, Dodger and Vanessa.   I'm most grateful for your contributions.
> 
> Indeed, my main problem is not physical, but psychological.
> 
> This is where I need, please, to hear the experiences of people who similarly have had to handle the crisis of being told, out of the blue, they're type 2.
> 
> How do you come to terms with the devastating news?
> 
> How do you come to believe that you are in control of your life as you were before?
> 
> Jean



Hi Jean,  like Vanessa, it's taken me a long time to work out what works best for me.  I was diagnosed 2 years ago, at age 52, initially as a type 2.  I was put on Metformin almost straight away. I was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive) at the same time. It was quite a shock because altho' I'd started to get some of the symptoms (thirsty and a recurring fungal infection, plus eyesight problems (now fine I didn't suspect diabetes. I improved my lifestyle, lost 2  1/2 stone and began exercising more (running and yoga alongside gardening - yoga is great I find, for coping with the psychological side of things for me and you can do it at any age, altho' you sound like you already have a good exercise regime.) Anyway, things improved a bit, but not enough and I was prescribed gliclazide alongside the Metformin.  I was quite devastated about a year after diagnosis to be told I would need to go onto insulin.  I felt that I had worked hard with diet and exercise and felt very guilty about any relapses I'd had with this regime - felt somehow I hadn't done enough (I had of course, and more!)  Anyway now I have been on insulin for a year and control is much better and I feel much more positive, and it is becoming just part of life.  It turns out that I am what's now called a type 1 1/2, but for all intents and purposes, the treatment and behavour is as type 1.

I think the thing that helped me psychologically is finding I can be in control with the help of medication, to a large extent, and I guess you must feel that everything is out of your control at the moment?  I'm sure things will improve with time and as you learn more about how diabetes affects you as an individual and what works for you.  I think Northerner's suggestion of getting a meter is a good start. Many companies will give these to you for free, but you need to get your GP to agree to prescribe test strips, or your surgery may give you a meter.  Its early days and don't be hard on yourself


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## Northerner

Hi Jean, I have moved the messages about Asian food to a new thread in the General messageboard, as the discussion may be useful to people there


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## wallycorker

C*5_Dodger said:


> ........Others have said that exercise is important, and indeed it is, but as an older person (I am almost 69) is is not always possible to do the amount that makes a significant difference to my blood sugar. Restricting carbohydrates works for me regardless of the amount of exercise I do..........


Dear Jean,

Further to your PM, I've been taking a look at your posts. I'm a non-insulin dependent Type 2 on metformin tablets.

I'm exactly the same as Dodger - i.e. I've found the dietary changes - particularly with regard to restricting carbohydrates - the starchy carbohydrates in my case e.g. cereals, bread and potatoes in particular but also pasta and rice - to be far more significant to my situation. 

During the course of my improvement I haven't changed my exercise regime. I do very little other than the occasional one or two mile walk and really ought to try to do more for my general health and well-being. However, at sixty-six I certainly don't want to build a control management around a great deal of exercise.

Diet is the king in sorting out a Type 2 condition as far as I am concerned - especially carbohydrate management and, in particular, cutting back dramatically on starchy carbohydrates.

Best wishes - John


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## wallycorker

Jean said:


> ............How do you come to believe that you are in control of your life as you were before?..........


Jean,

I've never felt more in control of my life as I do now and all from learning to manage my Type 2 diabetic condition!

What's more my kids are getting worried too - especially my two grown-up daughters. They always thought that I would "go" before my wife and that it'd never end up with them needing to look after me themselves - i.e. I'd always be their mother's responsibility. 

They are well scared now!! 

John


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## am64

hahha love the post John!! am sure they love you realy  ive reduced my carbs on the whole..not this week no kitchen so chinese tonight... and it has helped


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## RachelT

Hi Jean,

I can't say for sure how to cope with the sudden news that you're type 2 diabetic. It gets easier, but it takes time. I'll try to explain how it happened to me, in the hope that it helps, if only a little.

I've been diagnosed just over a year and like you, it came to me as a massive shock. I didn't have a GP because i was never ill, so i went along to a minor injuries and ailments service at my local hospital (where i conviently work) with what i thought was a urinary tract infection, coz i was drinking and weeing every hour on the hour, for Britain. The nurse gave me a couple of tests, including a finger test and a urine dipstick test and asked me if i was pregnant or had diabetes...the answer to both at the time was "no!".
To cut a fairly long story short, i ended up on the ward being asked how long i'd been diabetic for.
I've got two grandparents with diabetes, and at least two of my great-grandparents were also diabetic. I'm overwieght and to be honest, not the most sporty person in the world by a long way, and boy did i love chocolate.  I figured it would happen to me eventually, probably when i retired, like what happened to my grandma, but not the week after my 32nd birthday. 
Needless to say, it scared the bejezzus out of me, suddenly people were talking about blindness and heart attacks and strokes and kidney failure. I figured i'd have to give up my sweet and junk food loving ways and all the things i'd enjoyed. 
It took me at least two weeks to beleive that it wasn't all my fault. I think that's a good place to start, people get diabetes for a whole varity of reasons, and really, my lifestyle wasn't any better or worse than anybody else my age. Then for a few months I'd have trouble admitting i was diabetic to myself, i'd think "I'm diabetic" but it seemed too surreal to be true.
Then i stopped getting angry and annoyed whenever somebody mentioned chocolate or cakes, most of the time (i have my moments). Then i managed not to personally offended when somebody said something stupid or ignorant about diabetes (most of the time). Somedays it all comes flooding back, and i'm grumpy as hell. Somedays i'll still get annoyed that people don't think. people yell "Rachel, there's chocolates over here if you want one!"  and i'm thinking "cheers mate, i was managing to ignore that massive box of quality streets until you decided to point them out to me".  But those days get further and further apart.
By the way, you don't have to give up chocolate, i just thought that trying to reduce my intake would be bound to lead to disater in my case, so i got on the wagon and gave the stuff up completely, except at christmas and my birthday. I grabbed the "must reduce sugar intake" bull by the horns, its's working, thankfully. My HbA1c is low (in the upper 4s last time it got checked), the Metformin has stopped giving me the runs (although sometimes it will come back to haunt you) and i've realised that being diabetic doesn't stop me from having a drink or two or having a treat occassionally. According to one of the hospital's diabetes specialist nurses, the only thing it will stop me from doing is driving a cab or being a airline pilot (I'm not even sure about that, one of the guys who posts on here drives a bus.) But neither of those are at the top, or even on my to do list anyway.
Diabetes is a rotten disease, it can depress you, it makes you feel strange and different from other people, but the good news is that in many cases it can be controlled. Living a generally healthy lifestyle, or in my case, trying to live a healthier lifestyle, is something you can do to slow down the progression of the disease. There are many different drug treatment options for type 2 diabetics and more are being developed all the time. So if you do struggle with one particular drug, there are other options.
This website is invaluble, i think that one of the things that is missing in my area,maybe nationally, is emotional support for diabetics of all varities. Here you can complain, rant, moan and whine, you can ask questions and get practical answers from the people who know, because they live with it too, without jargon or endless ammounts of medical waffle. It's been a godsend to me, i've posted when i'm down and somebody always posts a supportive message back (usually Steff or HelenP, but loads of people, most of whom i've never met, i've been lucky to meet some of them recently and it was amazing, i learnt so much). It's great because some days i'm positive and trying to help out (like today) and you never know, tomorrow i might be back in a "oh woe is me, i'm diabetic" strop. And because everybody has bad days and good days, people understand.

Sorry, that's got a bit out of hand, i didn't mean to type so much.

Rachel


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## am64

Rachel that was a wonderful post


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## Northerner

Thank you for posting that Rachel, you've explained things extremely well.


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## Jean

*Thank you*

I got a bit of a shock to see today's contributions to a note I posted 5 months ago!

How appreciative I am of your supportive comments.

A fortnight ago was the first anniversary of my initial diagnosis and my HBa1C was 6.4 (it was 7.3 in June).  The improvement all began with this webpage: being on to it was the best thing that happened to me.

I'm controlled-carbing - and it seems to be having some effect.  It's hard work and it does have to become a way of life.  Yes, you can still enjoy a small piece of dark chocolate (86%).

Thank you all again.


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## Northerner

Great to hear that things are continuing to go well Jean - well done to you for your hard work and determination


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## wallycorker

am64 said:


> .......hahha love the post John!! am sure they love you realy  ..........


I'm certain that they do but I'm fairly certain that they have no desire to have to wipe my backside..........like I'm always threatening them with!


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## C*5_Dodger

Jean said:


> I got a bit of a shock to see today's contributions to a note I posted 5 months ago!
> 
> How appreciative I am of your supportive comments.
> 
> A fortnight ago was the first anniversary of my initial diagnosis and my HBa1C was 6.4 (it was 7.3 in June).  The improvement all began with this webpage: being on to it was the best thing that happened to me.
> 
> I'm controlled-carbing - and it seems to be having some effect.  It's hard work and it does have to become a way of life.  Yes, you can still enjoy a small piece of dark chocolate (86%).
> 
> Thank you all again.



Dear Jean,

I just noticed this thread that Whally resurrected, it doesn't seem like 5 months have passed! You are doing well and controlled carbing is certainly working for you. Yes, it is hard, even for me after 16 years, but I'm sure you now know that the alternatives to good control are worse. As in the past, you can PM me any time if you feel more comfortable than using an open post.

Warmest Regards   Dodger


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## Beeorchid

*Thank you for reaching me in grumpy mode....*

Thank you everyone posting on this thread - was  quite happy on diagnosis in November 2009 - in fact relieved to find a reason for feeling like sh!! - been trying very hard on the exercise & diet- lost 8kg in weight -bought own testing kit and feeling that i was getting to grips with the situation -then slide of the happiness scale big time - very nearly walked out of work - went to see GP on friday - not much sympathy there for my depressive state-showed GP my test results and prescribed another 80mg Gilcgazide - now on 3x500mg Metformin & 2x 80mg Glicgzide- further depressed as I feel as though all my hardwork on eating healthly-switched to low GI foods - and exercising -are having no effect on the situation and I could knock Grumpy Old Women it to a cocked hat ...no contest on the irritability scale !!!

So your posts about moods and your progress have given me comfort in my hour of need - thnak you


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## runner

Glad things are working out for you Jean and Rachel, that was a really helpful post and summed up what a lot of us feel at times, I guess.

Beeorchid, glad it's ahelped you too - this is a great place for comfort and joy and useful advice!


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## am64

Beeorchid said:


> Thank you everyone posting on this thread - was  quite happy on diagnosis in November 2009 - in fact relieved to find a reason for feeling like sh!! - been trying very hard on the exercise & diet- lost 8kg in weight -bought own testing kit and feeling that i was getting to grips with the situation -then slide of the happiness scale big time - very nearly walked out of work - went to see GP on friday - not much sympathy there for my depressive state-showed GP my test results and prescribed another 80mg Gilcgazide - now on 3x500mg Metformin & 2x 80mg Glicgzide- further depressed as I feel as though all my hardwork on eating healthly-switched to low GI foods - and exercising -are having no effect on the situation and I could knock Grumpy Old Women it to a cocked hat ...no contest on the irritability scale !!!
> 
> So your posts about moods and your progress have given me comfort in my hour of need - thnak you



Hi and welcome to the forum aswell beerorchid maybe you could post in the newbie section or northe could you move it cos you may get lost !


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## PhilT

Hi Jean, welcome to the forum.


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