# a long spell off the wagon..........climbing back on.



## Karen Tatton (Nov 27, 2019)

Hi everybody, I used to be a regular on here when I was first diagnosed 5 years ago, I was an avid low carber and lost 2.5 stone and almost reversed my type2. I never felt better, but gradually bad habits started to creep back in, I tested my BM less and less, gained just over a stone back and lost my way.
Then last year I lost my mum only three weeks after she was diagnosed with cancer, a few months later, six weeks after being diagnosed with cancer and on my mums birthday I lost my husband of 41 years. Since then I have really gone silly eating everything high in sugar and carbs, taking my medication haphazardly and kidding myself it won’t affect me.
Well wake up call, had my bloods done last week and my hba1 has come back at 100! I am so angry with myself but it has given me the boot up the backside I needed to get a grip and get back on track.
This forum was a great help to me last time and I got my hba1 down to 42 from 63 in a matter of months. Sharing concerns with people who have the same problems, recipes, successes, failures helped a lot, so I’m back, hopefully a bit wiser now and ready to take charge of my diabetes.


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## Drummer (Nov 27, 2019)

We say 'lost' - but people leave something with us for the rest of our lives - most significantly their love. We are the people they loved - nothing can change that, and I have found it makes a difference to my choices now to have formerly had people in my life who are still able to bring out the better side of me by having known them.
When I was diagnosed with Hba1c of 91 I was feeling very low, and for no reason other than the high carb diet I was put on  'to lower cholesterol' - which it didn't. Changing my diet got me back to good numbers almost at once, which changed my mental attitude and then began to get my metabolism back into balance. Only a few months later I was feeling so much better, and much more able to cope with life.
You seem to know what you should do - and I am sure you'll get a lot of support on this forum, because more and more people know it can be done, from higher numbers than yours, back to normal levels and ready to help in any way they can.


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## rebrascora (Nov 27, 2019)

Hi and welcome back to the forum from a relative newbie.
I am so sorry to hear of your tragic losses and can totally understand how easy it would be to fall of the waggon completely in those circumstances. The good thing is that you are now ready to climb back on and we are here to support and encourage you in that and since you have done it before, you know that you can do it again and you will feel so much better for it. It should not take long to get things back under control. Many people here have done it in a few months, some with an even higher HbA1c than you, but even if it takes a year or two, the important thing is to start making the right choices and getting things moving in the right direction again.
Hoping you have a run of better luck to help make your diabetes journey go more smoothly from here on.


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## Karen Tatton (Dec 2, 2019)

Thank you for your comments and support, I feel quite motivated at the moment and am already starting to feel the benefits of eating healthily and cutting out all the rubbish. Blood sugars are starting to fall, digestion is improving, hopefully I will start to feel other benefits soon.
I’m keeping a food diary which helps, I need to get organised with lunches for work but I shall sit down later and work out a meal planner for each work day then shop accordingly. I work 12 hour shifts, sometimes longer so need to take more than one meal with me.


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## Ditto (Dec 5, 2019)

I'm sorry for your loss and glad that you are able to get back on track. Motivation is everything!


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## SueEK (Dec 5, 2019)

Hi Karen and so sorry to hear what a horrid time you have had, my condolences to you. Well done for coming back here and getting ‘back on track’, as you know yourself the support offered by others is so helpful and we all benefit from each other’s experiences. Look forward to seeing your posts. Sue x


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## Karen Tatton (Dec 5, 2019)

Well first week on Slimming World and I put half a pound on! Been very good as well. I know I’ve lost inches as my clothes aren’t as tight as they were, can’t blame hormones at my age, I think I need to drink more. I’m not to fussed as my bm has come down from 19 to 11 in one week so must be doing something right.


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## Berenice (Dec 11, 2019)

I totally one thousand percent get where you're coming from. Been there and am there. You can do this. It's difficult but not impossible. I'm rooting for you all the way!!


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## gail1 (Dec 11, 2019)

sorry to hear of your loss welcome back to the forum


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 11, 2019)

So sorry to hear of your bereavements. Must have been, and continue to be an extremely difficult time for you, and I can understand why your own health may have become a lower priority while you were dealing with the initial overwhelming sense of loss. 

So glad you are returning here though, and wanting to begin to ‘get back on the wagon’. Folks here will be alongside you to offer support and understanding every step of the way.


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