Type 2 Diabetes and Health Anxiety

[BackRoads]

So I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes back in April with an A1C of 8.5%. I know from previous blood tests that I had been diabetic for a year or less. I immediately changed my diet and lost 30 pounds. No meds. Fortunately, it has worked well so far. My A1C is now 5.2%.....completely normal. While I am happy with this, I still have extreme anxiety over allowing this to happen, and I wonder how much damage was done to my body during that time. I feel guilty about the past, and worry about the future. I realize neither of those things helps. Can anyone else relate?

[Pamplemousse]

The answer is... most likely none. T2 diabetes is a "slow burner" relatively speaking and it can take years for the more serious effects to show.

In the time frames you're suggesting, I'd say no effect, and well done for addressing the matter so promptly and effectively.

I'm T2 myself and have been for five years.

[BackRoads]

The answer is... most likely none. T2 diabetes is a "slow burner" relatively speaking and it can take years for the more serious effects to show.

In the time frames you're suggesting, I'd say no effect, and well done for addressing the matter so promptly and effectively.

I'm T2 myself and have been for five years.

So I take it you have had no complications so far? I also worry some because I was prediabetic for a few years as well. Opinions are mixed on whether that causes damage.

[Pamplemousse]

None whatsoever. No signs of retinopathy or neuropathy. To date, no impairment of kidney function (I say this because I am awaiting a test) and liver functions are all normal.

[Pamplemousse]

I should also add to the above that urea/creatinine levels are normal too. I now have online access to my test results and as a rule they sit nicely in the ranges of 'normal'.

[sarahsarah]

Same as Pamplemoose. I've been T2 for 5 years, I don't know what my HBA1C was on diagnosis (I'm assuming high because my fasting was 17.5) but with diet, exercise and low-dose Metformin, it's never been higher than 5.9 since.

As has been said, T2 is a slow-burner in terms of irreversible damage to your body. Keeping your A1C under control and having regular blood tests and check-ups may mean there is never any damage to your body.

Educate yourself about how to best control this condition for you (everyone is different) and you'll feel more in control. Unfortunately, medical advice is not always up-to-date when it comes to T2 so you may have to find it all out for yourself, which is no bad thing really as knowledge is power when it comes to diabetes.

[BackRoads]

Same as Pamplemoose. I've been T2 for 5 years, I don't know what my HBA1C was on diagnosis (I'm assuming high because my fasting was 17.5) but with diet, exercise and low-dose Metformin, it's never been higher than 5.9 since.

As has been said, T2 is a slow-burner in terms of irreversible damage to your body. Keeping your A1C under control and having regular blood tests and check-ups may mean there is never any damage to your body.

Educate yourself about how to best control this condition for you (everyone is different) and you'll feel more in control. Unfortunately, medical advice is not always up-to-date when it comes to T2 so you may have to find it all out for yourself, which is no bad thing really as knowledge is power when it comes to diabetes.

I test regularly, and seem to have pretty good control of it so far. I have found some good sources of info. I just wish I had changed my ways a decade ago! I started getting some burning pain in my feet and to a lesser degree in my hands, but this didn't start until about 6 weeks AFTER diagnosis, after lowering my blood sugar numbers significantly. I didn't notice any symptoms at diagnosis. Best I can tell I only spent about a year in diabetic range. Hoping that wasn't too damaging, and that my body is just adjusting.

[sarahsarah]

I was worried about this when I got diagnosed too but you soon learn to live with it, I promise you. I had every short-term T2 symptom going when I was diagnosed but they soon went away when I got my blood glucose numbers under control.

The long-term damage uncontrolled diabetes can cause that you're worried about is progressive over a long period of time. For example, your eyesight won't fail overnight, it takes years and years, so if you're having your annual retinal scan, any slight damage will be picked up well before it starts to affect your vision and you can be treated accordingly. Same with kidney function, feet, nerve damage and the vast majority of complications associated with this condition.

Keep up you with your regular A1C check and do what you can to keep that as low as possible, have your other blood and urine tests and make sure you attend your retinal screenings and get your feet checked and that's all you can do really. If you do that, you'll be ahead of the game.

T2 can be a pain in the arse to live with and if you ignore it, the consequences may be catastrophic eventually, but at the end of the day there is a lot you can do to try and make sure you stay healthy for as long as possible. Complications may never come along and if they do, you know you have caught them early and there's a lot that can be done to control or even reverse them.

[BackRoads]

I was worried about this when I got diagnosed too but you soon learn to live with it, I promise you. I had every short-term T2 symptom going when I was diagnosed but they soon went away when I got my blood glucose numbers under control.

The long-term damage uncontrolled diabetes can cause that you're worried about is progressive over a long period of time. For example, your eyesight won't fail overnight, it takes years and years, so if you're having your annual retinal scan, any slight damage will be picked up well before it starts to affect your vision and you can be treated accordingly. Same with kidney function, feet, nerve damage and the vast majority of complications associated with this condition.

Keep up you with your regular A1C check and do what you can to keep that as low as possible, have your other blood and urine tests and make sure you attend your retinal screenings and get your feet checked and that's all you can do really. If you do that, you'll be ahead of the game.

T2 can be a pain in the arse to live with and if you ignore it, the consequences may be catastrophic eventually, but at the end of the day there is a lot you can do to try and make sure you stay healthy for as long as possible. Complications may never come along and if they do, you know you have caught them early and there's a lot that can be done to control or even reverse them.

Thank you for this response. I certainly plan to do all that I can on my part. Glad to hear you are doing well.

[Pamplemousse]

I'd also add a friend of mine has been T2 for rather longer and it is interesting to note that even recently his GP suggested that he should, even with this condition, expect to live to 80+ in his current state of health.

T2 is eminently manageable; there are some schools of thought that now believe it to be reversible in some cases. But the important message here is that it need not be life-shortening.

[RadioGaGa]

I have a friend/colleague who's in her very early 40s, and she's been Type 2 for about 10 years. That's quite early to develop it, but not uncommon in today's society.

She's basically the picture of what not to do if you're diabetic - and we all joke with her about this (despite the potential seriousness of it). She eats sausage rolls like they're going out of fashion, drinks full fat Coca Cola like she's being paid for it, and to top it all off, she smokes!

In simple terms, why diabetes is serious is because it clogs arteries, causes neuropathy among other things.

My uncle, who I've spoken of on here quite a few times, was diagnosed with T2 before I was born (and I'm 26). He also had a quadruple by pass around the same time. He's now in his late 70s, and he's healthier than said colleague, and the majority of men in their 50s (or even 40s!). He is on a statin, clopidogrel (blood thinner) and a blood pressure tablet along with Forceval (a multivitamin). Why has he done so well? Because he has turned his life around and taken diet etc seriously. He is religious with taking his medication.

My point is that T2 is almost always a lifestyle condition (there are exceptions) so it can be controlled by lifestyle modifications.

See this link if you want to read about dietary modifications for T2 diabetes. (https://patient.info/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/type-2-diabetes-diet)

good lucik

[sarahsarah]

I personally wouldn't be following any dietary advice for diabetics that encourages starchy carbohydrates to be part of my everyday diet. I find the advice in that link full of outdated information and not useful for a diabetic. Proceed with caution.

[Pamplemousse]

Equally I wouldn't advocate diets where carbohydrates are removed almost entirely and the body is driven into ketosis to achieve weight loss - diabetic ketoacidosis is no fun. As is the potential risk of a hypo.

By all means, feel free to post links to what you think is an acceptable, 'modern' method of dietary control.

[sarahsarah]

I'm not advocating ketosis as a method of weightloss and I personally don't have all the answers for everyone but that link suggests bread and potatoes and things like dried raisins for T2 diabetics? Come on.

[Pamplemousse]

I'm not advocating ketosis as a method of weightloss and I personally don't have all the answers for everyone but that link suggests bread and potatoes and things like dried raisins for T2 diabetics? Come on.


Okay... so, as I asked before, please post links to any peer-reviewed dietary advice for T2 diabetics you feel are more 'up to date'.

[sarahsarah]

No, I don't, as you probably could have guessed. The only thing I advocate is testing after eating different foods and that is how I found out what is good for me to eat and what spikes my blood glucose levels. As I've said, every T2 is different, if one can eat what's listed on that link and not spike or have a sustained rise in BGs then excellent, I'm happy for them (and also a little jealous).

The OP may well be able to tolerate certain foods better than I can and that is why I haven't mentioned low-carbing or indeed mentioned what to eat at all in my advice to them, merely to do their research and find out what's best for them. I can personally process some carbohydrates, depending on their source, OP might be fine with flour, for example.

There's a lot of information out there. All I was suggesting is that a newbie reads it, sees what works for them and then continually monitors it, changing it up when necessary. That's the only advice I have. I'm not telling anyone what to eat- just to be wary of all information as it's continually changing.

[Bakebeansrule]

There’s some really good info here. I was also diagnosed with type 2 back in May. I’ve changed my diet and managed to get my HbA1c down to 38 and lost 31/2 stone. I’ve been told i have reversed my condition but it doesn’t stop me worrying about what my future holds. I feel guilty the odd time I might eat anything that isn’t diabetes friendly as in crisps, potatoes etc.
I’m in my early 30s so reading here that the outlook is positive really helps

[Pamplemousse]

I wish I had your resolve, Bakebeansrule. I think a lot more effort is going into research on diabetes - especially T2 as it seems to be a growth industry, sadly. However, it is apparently much better understood than it was even 20 years ago. I am still intrigued by the usage of "reversed" when I have understood it only to go into remission. Maybe that has changed too.

Either way - well done!

[Bakebeansrule]

I wish I had your resolve, Bakebeansrule. I think a lot more effort is going into research on diabetes - especially T2 as it seems to be a growth industry, sadly. However, it is apparently much better understood than it was even 20 years ago. I am still intrigued by the usage of "reversed" when I have understood it only to go into remission. Maybe that has changed too.

Either way - well done!

Thank you I was surprised also but they were the words of my diabetes nurse, I was expecting remission but she said I had reversed it and as long as I kept the extra weight off there’s no reason for it to show up again. I hope she’s right and not just saying things to keep me happy

[Pamplemousse]

Nurses aren't in the business of saying things just to make a patient happy, it sounds like you've had a happy outcome. Well done, you :)

[Bakebeansrule]

Nurses aren't in the business of saying things just to make a patient happy, it sounds like you've had a happy outcome. Well done, you :)

Thank you I guess I won’t know until my next appointment after Christmas

[Jase.]

Thank you I was surprised also but they were the words of my diabetes nurse, I was expecting remission but she said I had reversed it and as long as I kept the extra weight off there’s no reason for it to show up again. I hope she’s right and not just saying things to keep me happy


Wow, congrats! Does that mean you no longer need to take any meds? I'm also in my early 30's and T2. What did you do to reverse it? Did you exercise a lot? Calorie control?

I do between 10,000 and 15,000 steps a day and I'm roughly on 1,500 calories per day but I'm gonna try and lower that to around 1,300.

[BackRoads]

Wow, congrats! Does that mean you no longer need to take any meds? I'm also in my early 30's and T2. What did you do to reverse it? Did you exercise a lot? Calorie control?

I do between 10,000 and 15,000 steps a day and I'm roughly on 1,500 calories per day but I'm gonna try and lower that to around 1,300.

For me, going with a low carb diet has worked great so far. I don't track calories at all. For more info, watch some videos on youtube from Jason Fung, Ken Berry, and Dennis Pollock.

[Bakebeansrule]

Wow, congrats! Does that mean you no longer need to take any meds? I'm also in my early 30's and T2. What did you do to reverse it? Did you exercise a lot? Calorie control?

I do between 10,000 and 15,000 steps a day and I'm roughly on 1,500 calories per day but I'm gonna try and lower that to around 1,300.

Hi, I never took any medication at all. I was given metformin but tried to lower my HbA1c without it. Walking is great I do at least 10,000 steps a day up to 20,000 in the summer. I do a couple of short exercise videos on YouTube every day and cut most of the rubbish from my diet. I didn’t look at calories but I did cut back dramatically on carbs you will be surprised how mantis carbs are in things! I’ve lost 3 1/2 stone by doing this

[Bakebeansrule]

Can I ask also when you test what kind of Numbers do you see? I’ve been told of a forum that after 2 hours you shouldnt see double figures on your meter

[BackRoads]

Depends on what I eat. My meter is on the American system, so it measures mg/dl. I try to stay under 140, and almost always do if I eat a relatively low carb meal. Really low carb and I usually stay below 120. Too many carbs, and the result isn't as good.

[Bakebeansrule]

Depends on what I eat. My meter is on the American system, so it measures mg/dl. I try to stay under 140, and almost always do if I eat a relatively low carb meal. Really low carb and I usually stay below 120. Too many carbs, and the result isn't as good.
From what I can tell that’s under 8 so really good. What confuses me is I saw 13s after eating when I was pre diabetic and was told that’s fine the numbers can go up after you’ve eaten as long as they don’t stay there but then other people are saying that’s not how it works