Type 2 Diabetes
February 8th, 2011 | Posted by Paul |
Type 2 Diabetes. That’s me. Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes last September.
“How did I become diabetic?” Good question. There can be a variety of reasons including it being passed down through the family, (probably not in my case). Many Type 2 diabetics have been diagnosed simply from living a rather sedatory life style – that’s to say no exercise and not the best diet in the world. Type 2 folks are typicallly overweight, some tipping into the OBESE category if you look at the body mass indexes of people.
So – “How DID I become diabetic?” Or more accurately, how did my diagnosis come about. I beleive I went for a blood test, and my cholesterol looked a bit high. The doc sent me back for a glucose blood test – where they measure your blood sugar level…. make you drink a jar of “glop”… go away for 2 hours… and the come back and take the test again. Both results were about the same – above average.
After a few months on cholesterol tabs and the start of my “Getting Fit & Eating Healthy” campaign, a second HBCa1 blood test, (which shows the average blood sugar level over the previous 3 months), showed my blood sugar level had come down several points.
Being diagnosed Type 2 diabetic has also been quite a bit of an education into learning how many body works and how to control it. The downside to all of this is that it appears there is no real coordination between the different elements of the NHS, charities, societies, foundations, and commercial companies which can provide the information and support needed to help a person understand and control their diabetes.
Even in the NHS it depends where you live as to whether the doctor will prescribe you medical strips for your blood sugar meter, (if you “self test”), or even send you to see a Diabetic Nurse for specialist help and support.
The current state of play with myself and my Type 2 diabetes is this:
1. Exercise going extremely well! Usually down the gym a couple of times a week for a couple of hours. (Note – the “standard” recommended exercise regime for Type 2 people is half an hour a day. In my opinion, I think that’s aimed at older folks who do absolutely sod all and haven’t exercised in years!).
2. The diet is fairly ordinary – but extremely healthy.
In conclusion, being diagnosed Type 2 diabetic was a bit of a shock to begin with. But, as it is a “lifestyle change” I have embraced that idea and gone with it. And, y’know – I even like going to the gym now! 
Hey, sorry to hear about the diabetes. I know that some people do manage to go into remission by losing weight and getting fit, lets hope that you are one of these people. As well as the trips to the gym start walking more, I recently started a walking regime, try to walk most days for anywhere from 45 minutes (around the village) to over 2 hours (trekking around Essex footpaths). OK, I did not get much work done today doing that…..
I am due to start this course in May: http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/sk120.htm
Hopefully I will learn something useful and pass it on. Take care, and hope you sort the “footer problems” out.
Jon – hi.
Sorry for not getting back to you – WordPress appears to be very “random” in it’s approach to notifying me about comments.
Wow! That course is – well, EXPENSIVE. Have you checked out here?: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/index.php – an absolute goldmine of information. Here’s my thread: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=19297 – that must have covered most of your course?
If you’re a DB2 person, get yourself onto a DESMOND course, (it’s FREE!) – Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed. I can also recommend this book: “Type 2 Diabetes – Your Questions Answered” (by Rosemary Walker & Jill Rodgers) – (not affiliate link – ha!) : Type 2 Diabetes – Your Questions Answered.
And my “quest for knowledge” also just ended up with me having a 45min chat on the phone with a DB Nurse at the local hospital.
“Pay for it?! I’ve never paid for it in my life, your honour?”
Exercise – yup – agreed in theory. I had this small debate at the meeting. I really do think that’s aimed at older folks who do absolutely sod all and haven’t exercised in years – or like yourself, where you may have the time, (due to “working circumstances” etc etc), where you can schedule that kind of time in. Remember the “Big Commute” Jon? You know how long a half hour is at the start or end of the day, and the impact it can have on the rest of the schedule for the day?
Anyway, this week I have officially lost 2 stone since last September – hurrah! And I AM aiming for 13 stone by June – which will be tough going – but that’s my target. (I’m 14 stone 3.5lbs now).
But please let me know, (or add onto that diabetes.co.uk forum thread?), if you do come across anything useful. But I found myself totally bamboozled at one point – and then decided to take destiny into my own hands and make some executive decisions etc etc
Thanks for dropping by Jon!
Paul
p.s. keep in touch!
Yeah, managed to convince myself that these OU courses are an investment in my future, although not really sure how that will actually work out…