At a routine check for blood pressure, I casually asked if I can be tested for diabetes (my dad was stg 2). Why? I was asked, well I nod off after dinner quite easily and as my thyroid meds have been checked and are ok, I wondered why. (It can’t just be the boring to programs surely?)
Yes, you can have a HbA1c test done now, – fine thanks.
Fast forward 2 weeks, BP still a bit high and I receive a letter asking me to make a 30 min diabetic appt with the nurse.
Fast forward another 2 weeks (first available appt). ‘Hello, so how long have you been a diabetic?’ I am asked, ‘about 10 seconds’ is my shocked reply. (Tears from eyes at suprise). Well my results put me dead on the line, 6.5 per cent and 48mmol , so now I am labelled a diabetic
I noticed the nurse had a copy of Dr Mosley’s book, ‘have you read that’ I asked ‘not all, just started it’ well I’ve read it twice. Enter harassed GP who I’ve never seen before, ‘oh, you’ve had a shock, we can get you on metformin, starting with one the two tablets’ vague mentions of lifestyle changes etc. I asked what would you do?, ‘take the tablets’ was the reply, ‘it will protect your heart and help with END of LIFE condition’ ‘ We can give you blood pressure tablets too’ -thanks for that.
Exit surgery- more tears, then ANGER! I don’t want to be a diabetic. (FYI I am 10.7lbs 5’5 tall bmi 24.5 maybe a TOFI?)
I collect my tablets, go home and read Michaels book again, I decided I believe in him and his research etc I already take statins, thyroid meds so really don’t want to add BP and metformin to that. (Incidentally I read metformin can interfere with thyroid meds)
So, I told them I am giving this blood sugar diet a good try, I am 2 weeks in, blood pressure coming down a bit and I am going to stick to this. After being told by the nurse ‘you will always be a diabetic now’, I would like when I am allowed a retest after 3months that it is good news. If not I will take those ****** tablets but I’m not going to let them label me, not without a fight!
Am I doing the right thing? Watch this space.

Good for you. I know that feeling, signed on with a new doctor, sent me for full blood works, came back he said ‘why didn’t you say you were diabetic’, me ‘but I’m not’, him ‘oh yes you are’. Yes, I cried. I was started on metformin with no discussion of diet or exercise, BG way too high at 11.2, must take meds. 6 months later after constant diarrhea, doctor ‘think you should take insulin it bypasses the stomach and is so easy to take’. Sat with the needle pen in my hand, frozen for nearly an hour before I had the courage to do my first jab and I cried, not because of the pain, because of the reality of the illness, now it is second nature but I still cry because of the futility. 11 years later 4 stone heavier and blood glucose getting worse so here I am. Don’t go down that route.

They still pedal the same bottom like, lifestyle changes but have no idea what, exercise (do be careful you might drop down in a coma) diet (eat lots of carbs or you might drop down in a coma), end of life problems, heart disease, stroke, gangrene, blindness, caused by not enough exercise and too many carbs, vicious circle. Fortunately we have changed the prognosis (projected outcomes) of diabetes and it is not a life sentence any more. Even if it is we have only found a way of limiting the problems relating to it and can reduce the amount of medication upon medication we take.

About the label. I hate being told – you are a diabetic – I read somewhere that when you have a heart attack they don’t say ‘oh I hear you are a cardiac’, on a lighter note, when you are diagnosed with haemarrhoids they don’t say ‘oh by the way you are a haemarrhoid’. No I am not a diabetic, I am a person with diabetes….. But not for much longer.

Thank you for your reply, it’s reassuring. One wonders whether GPs actually read blood sugar diet book or even know about ‘fixing Dad’, I am so determined and I wish you well with your journey too.

Some do, mine does now, most don’t. There has been much discussion about why they are still using the traditional methods which we know (or think we know) to be wrong. But note my hesitation, this diet has not been proven, the research is not yet finished so doctors, nurses and nutritionists cannot go recommended any old rubbish that might have been published. There are lots of other diet similar to this which I would totally disagree with because they emphasise other aspect but might still have some value. Prof. Taylor will publish his results around 2018 or 19, not sure but even then it will not filter down to the medical profession for years. It is up to us as individuals to decide if we want to trust in this and follow this patch. It is working for me and that is what counts right now. We might find in 20 years that this causes serious side effects. Be it on our own heads, the doctors have their rules.

Glad you are determined, that’s what this needs as it is not easy but I becomes easier and I couldn’t imagine eating any other way.

Language is a curious and a fascinating thing.

I learned Welsh as an adult and was pleased by the grammar that says ‘a cold has come on me’ rather than ‘having’ a cold – it conjured for me the idea that such a thing is a temporary invasion, not something to be ‘owned’. But then a headache is different as my head is permanently attached and so the ache is a description of the state of my head. So it is grammar based not ideology.

The same goes for English usage – traditionally some conditions are used as adjectives and others never are. I understand the resistance to labels that seem to make the condition a defining aspect of people, but I do think it is an accident of grammar rather than intention.

It applies to being ‘a diabetic’ or ‘being bipolar’ rather than having whatever. But whatever medical issues we face, or whatever job we have, or whatever [insert topic here] we are not defined by just one part of our lives. Language can make it feel like that, but as long as the users of the language can see wider than the grammar, then we need not see it as a defining label.

Work on your health – don’t worry about the language.

Sunshine-girl

Best post on this forum.

Nuff said.

Hi All
I’m doing this very slowly, but have lost all the extra Christmas weight (hurrah!!) and am about to go into the next stone down. This works so well when you stick at it, why do some of us jump off the wagon ??
Also, reading other threads, I just wanted to say to Jules Maigret how much I enjoy reading your posts, sensible, funny and interesting. You are doing so well, another inspiration.
I don’t write much but love reading everyone’s news. Thanks Guys.
Andi xx

I suppose what I really thought was by accepting the label and tablets, the path for my future through the GP felt like giving in to diabetes.

I think that you’re absolutely right – we should never give in and “go gentle into that good night”.

We have choices over our own health and as long as we’re happy to live with any consequences then we should not be shy at explaining to our doctors what we intend to do.

Thanks J-M the fiver is in the post