For those with diabetes, how did you know/find out?

SexyGreyFox

SexyGreyFox

SexyGreyFox

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So basically were you feeling lethargic etc and went to the GP and they confirmed or was there another way you found out?
Obviously don't turn this into a medical thread, I just want to know how your journey please.
I reckon my journey was completely different than anyone else.

Thanks
 
Feek said:
Please return with an update soon.
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OK you asked for it :)

Unlike other people I wasn't suffering any side effects and all these years on still haven't (really) suffered any side effects.
One night I was singing on stage with my rock band, I came off at half time and a friend asked me if I was diabetic.
I told him no but he insisted I get checked out because he could 'see signs' but I said I can't be diabetic because I run marathons/half marathons so I'm FAF.
After the gig he insisted I get checked out because to this day I've never asked him what he saw.
Anyway, went to Lloyds Chemist who told me go to the GP who sent me for the Glucose Tolerance test.
Two weeks later I'm being told I'm diabetic, I'm arguing the toss because I'm probably the fittest person he sees and he asks me what food I eat to run marathons.
I was eating all high carb foods and that is what gave me diabetes.

The only way to explain my diabetes because I've never had a 'warning' unlike other people is that it's like a pimple on my leg :)
It gets slightly bigger so I have more tablets, a few months later it grows and I have more tablets and I'm now on maximum dosage of 4 tablets but still I haven't had any warnings unlike other people, I've just got a pimple that's getting bigger. Hope that makes sense.

I've now just failed my latest HbA1c test and told I've got to inject but nothing has ever happened to me to be panicking.
On Friday my wife arranged for a Cousin to visit me behind my back, he suffers really bad with it and he gave me a right talking to and said to do everything I can to stay away from injections - THIS IS MY FIRST WARNING IN 20 YEARS.
I'm going to beg the Nurses for a 3 month waiver to completely change my lifestyle and eating habits and hopefully in 3 months I get the HbA1c reading down and try my best to keep it going.
 
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str said:
Are they saying you have T1 or T2?

Did they tell you the HBA1C result?

I felt something was wrong and was insistent when the doctor said I was fine. They did a blood test to put my mind at ease and about a week later the receptionist called me to arrange an appointment and blurted out that I had been diagnosed with T2 diabetes.

With hindsight, an early warning was that I had been losing weight for months while still eating like a pig. Back then, I was fortunate my body was still capable of ensuring my blood glucose dropped below 12 mmol/l which prevented severe ketoacidosis.
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I've had T2 for over 20 years but no side effects

Yes I have an HbA1c of 67 and should be below 58.
I had 3 operations turned down because I was above 58 and then last Feb 2022 it came down to 56 so they operated, within months it was back above 70.

You're the only person I've ever heard of who lost weight because of diabetes.
 
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str said:
It sounds like you have a lifestyle that somewhat helps to manage your condition.
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Well no, my lifestyle choices are rubbish because that's why I'm on maximum tablets and now looking at injections.

This is what I take now and I can't have any more :
Empagliflozin 25mg tablets
Gliclazide 30mg x 3 modified-release tablets
Glucophage 500mg x 4 tablets (Merck Serono Ltd)
Alogliptin 25mg tablets
 
Fourstar said:
In this thread it seems people can have normal blood sugar levels but be diabetic and given medication based on HbA1c and/or(?) glucose tolerance test.
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HbA1c is done over at least 3 months so you can't kid the Clinicians like you can a normal p rick test (come on Mods :))
With the normal p rick test you can know the part of the day when you are likely to be within range and just give them those results or just make them up.
They could take the machine off you and actually look at dates and times you took the test - "Why are you taking them at 5am in the morning?" :) .

With HbA1c it's a level that your body is at and you can't fake that so for instance I had my test on Monday but if I decided to starve myself a week earlier it still wouldn't change the result (significantly).
 
bazzabear said:
Ooo, this sounds like it'll be a good story.
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It's further up replying to Feek.
So basically never had symptoms, still really haven't got symptoms but I'm that bad I've got to have injections.
It doesn't make sense.

bazzabear said:
Well. This is the most disappointing thing that's ever happened.
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I PMd him yesterday but bare in mind his 4 daughters had to keep an eye on him two weeks ago while his wife went on holiday so I asked him something about being house trained and he didn't reply to that until 10 days later.

dmdiabetes.jpg
 
I'm in Waitrose Uttoxeter because they sell the lowest carb bread.
I've tasted a slice and it tastes like dog poo :)
My hunt for a decent nice tasting low carb bread still continues after decades of trying.
My biggest vices are bread and potatoes and I've got to stop.
 
str said:
They say to cook potatoes and allow them to cool then store in the fridge to be eaten the next day and the same goes for rice. It results in a much lower GI food meaning hopefully a significant reduction in high blood glucose spikes.
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but what is the carb count?

Ooh, just found this on Diabetes UK - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-t.../carbohydrates-and-diabetes/carbs-and-cooking

I've finally found some low carb bread that tastes decent a slice - Warburtons Wholemeal No added sugar at 9g or Hovis Nimble Wholemeal at 8g
I was told two decades ago when my journey began that I needed to stay below 50 carbs a day but it may have all changed now.
For my dinner I had a mixed grill because you can eat as much meat as you want and then finished off with two chips for the taste :)
 
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Unbelievable.

Just got a call from the Nurse to tell me they had give me the wrong result, I'm not 67 but 59
Glycated HbA1c IFCC 59.0 mmol/mol (that was from a text).
She said the last tablet upgrade has obviously worked and to carry on what I'm doing so no injections.
HOWEVER, last Friday I started a low carb diet and I'm going to keep on it for my next test in October but I will allow myself a treat now and then and not every day.
 
flea.rider said:
1 coffee a day morning .. pepsi max(2-3 cans a day rest is bottled water .. well except for the 1/2 bottle of voddy most nights :) .. and there lies my carbs ...
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tom_e said:
I'd be pointing the finger at the half a bottle of vodka a night before anything else to be honest.
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Vodka is a low-calorie liquor with no carbs, fat, or sugar, and no nutritional value for that matter.
 
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tom_e said:
I'm ignoring any sort of nutritional value (or not) and focusing on the fact it's half a bottle of spirits, that's going to lead to you feeling pretty crappy whether you've got diabetes or not.
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@flea.rider in his post was suggesting his carbs came from the Vodka because it doesn't come from Pepsi Max or water, don't know about coffee.

flea.rider said:
1 coffee a day morning .. pepsi max(2-3 cans a day rest is bottled water .. well except for the 1/2 bottle of voddy most nights :) .. and there lies my carbs ...
Click to expand...
 
andybird123 said:
nutrition.bmj.com

What predicts drug-free type 2 diabetes remission? Insights from an 8-year general practice service evaluation of a lower carbohydrate diet with weight loss

Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is often regarded as a progressive, lifelong disease requiring an increasing number of drugs. Sustained remission of T2D is now well established, but is not yet routinely practised. Norwood surgery has used a low-carbohydrate programme aiming to achieve remission...
nutrition.bmj.com nutrition.bmj.com

even UK GP's are coming round to low carb diets
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Hmm, I was told this over 20 years ago by GPs :confused:
The cause of my diabetes was eating lots of carbs for running/exercise so I was to cut them and then when the Diabetic Nurse came in she handed me a leaflet and my first words were "This is the Atkins Diet" to which she wouldn't admit to.
OK strictly not Atkins because you could still eat some carbs but near enough.

Anyway, if you want to know the problem I'm having now with diabetes it's not nice.
I was told when I first went on 5mg Empagliflozin to keep an eye on my willy for yeast/thrush infections.
A few months ago that dosage was increased 5x to 25mg and now my willy is in a state :(

Sorry no **** picks incoming.
 
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SexyGreyFox said:
Anyway, if you want to know the problem I'm having now with diabetes it's not nice.
I was told when I first went on 5mg Empagliflozin to keep an eye on my willy for yeast/thrush infections.
A few months ago that dosage was increased 5x to 25mg and now my willy is in a state :(

Sorry no **** picks incoming.
Click to expand...

GPs this morning because my willy has got way worse :(
I've got to come off the Jardiance Empagliflozin for two weeks to see if that cures it but that pill is my wonder drug.
 
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