My last posting for a while as I am off to The Den tomorrow, where there is no Internet access, and the reported wireless coverage is poor.
I have been been slightly lax with my Metformin - missing the odd dose, but diligent with the Okra. Result is that my blood glucose is still dropping. OK so it is still higher than it should be, ranging from 12-16 throughout the day, but better than the 15-21 that it was just with Metformin.
As usual, I have over-prepared and over-packed for my sojourn in the Cotswolds. Maps, guides, boots, back packs, shoes, plenty of clothes, books, DVDs, CDs. And the previously mentioned hat. For some reason I am becoming very taken with said hat. It's a leather outback-style (think of a less formal Fedora, in leather not felt). I think it may become part of my standard walking attire.
Oh and also my jars of Kefir. I got a delivery of the "grains" some days back, and started drinking the cultured milk they produce about the same time as I started with the Okra. Kefir is a bit of an acquired taste, but now I am hooked, and the health benefits are numerous. Also seems to be quite versatile, not just a drink.
25 Nov 2008
20 Nov 2008
What the nurse said next
Second appointment at the diabetic clinic.
Good news - I've lost 25kg since I was last weighed at the surgery six months ago.
Obviously not all of that was since my diagnosis. But I'm not going to be too over analytical about it.
Interestingly, my blood glucose levels which remained relative unaffected by the prescribed Metformin, have started to drop. I think it has been since adding Okra to my diet, and drinking the Okra infusion in the mornings.
The nurse suggested increasing the Metformin dose, but I want to explore the Okra thing more fully, so am going to delay increasing the Metformin dose for a week to see what happens.
Good news - I've lost 25kg since I was last weighed at the surgery six months ago.
Obviously not all of that was since my diagnosis. But I'm not going to be too over analytical about it.
Interestingly, my blood glucose levels which remained relative unaffected by the prescribed Metformin, have started to drop. I think it has been since adding Okra to my diet, and drinking the Okra infusion in the mornings.
The nurse suggested increasing the Metformin dose, but I want to explore the Okra thing more fully, so am going to delay increasing the Metformin dose for a week to see what happens.
14 Nov 2008
What the doctor ordered
Figuratively if not literally.
I'm going away for a few weeks. Not entirely related to my diabetes, but at least it will give me a chance to focus on my health needs.
So 3 weeks from 26th November booked at The Den.
Seems like a great place to do my daily walks, and be in complete control of my diet.
Shopping list now includes walking boots, gators, pedometer and a hat. Not exactly what I'd expected to buy as essential equipment for diabetes management!
I'm going away for a few weeks. Not entirely related to my diabetes, but at least it will give me a chance to focus on my health needs.
So 3 weeks from 26th November booked at The Den.
Seems like a great place to do my daily walks, and be in complete control of my diet.
Shopping list now includes walking boots, gators, pedometer and a hat. Not exactly what I'd expected to buy as essential equipment for diabetes management!
12 Nov 2008
What a friend said
I've started telling some of my friends about my diabetes. Oddly I've started with my virtual Facebook friends first. Safety in the anonymity of Facebook perhaps.
Unexpectedly, many of them are diabetic too, and they offered lots of support and advise based on their own experiences.
Perhaps the most interesting was from a Facebook friend in Singapore, who sent me an article on the use of Okra to manage blood glucose levels.
I love Okra, though it's been years since I've had them, and I've never cooked them myself.
Researching this a bit further (what would I do without the Internet?!) there seems to be a lot of informal and anecdotal evidence that Okra _does_ help with management of blood sugar levels. Probably due to the mucilagenous nature of it preferentially binding or absorbing simple carbs so they can't be absorbed by the gut. Though it may be a more complex physiological effect at play. Either way, the article suggests soaking split or diced Okra overnight in a glass of water, then drinking the slightly gloopy infusion in the morning as one way of getting a daily dose.
So, that's going to be added to my morning breakfast. Maybe with a squeeze of fresh lemon to make the gloopiness more palatable.
Unexpectedly, many of them are diabetic too, and they offered lots of support and advise based on their own experiences.
Perhaps the most interesting was from a Facebook friend in Singapore, who sent me an article on the use of Okra to manage blood glucose levels.
I love Okra, though it's been years since I've had them, and I've never cooked them myself.
Researching this a bit further (what would I do without the Internet?!) there seems to be a lot of informal and anecdotal evidence that Okra _does_ help with management of blood sugar levels. Probably due to the mucilagenous nature of it preferentially binding or absorbing simple carbs so they can't be absorbed by the gut. Though it may be a more complex physiological effect at play. Either way, the article suggests soaking split or diced Okra overnight in a glass of water, then drinking the slightly gloopy infusion in the morning as one way of getting a daily dose.
So, that's going to be added to my morning breakfast. Maybe with a squeeze of fresh lemon to make the gloopiness more palatable.
11 Nov 2008
What the nurse said
Had the first appointment with the diabetic nurse.
Altogether a much more postive experience than the one with the GP.
It still took a while to convince her I did not need a shoulder to cry on, and was really just interested in getting good information and advice about how to manage and treat my diabetes.
But... we went through the diet (which is basically what I have been eating these last few days: healthy cooked from scratch meals, lots of veggies, some fruit, some meat, as little added fat and salt as possible).
And exercise: for now, given how sendentary I am normally, we've agreed that I need to aim to do a 40-60 min walk at least 3 times a week, and work up from that.
She's given me a BG monitor, which means I get to stab my finger tips at least twice a day, and squeeze a drop of blood (omg... it's not green!) onto a test strip which a small Tamagotchi-like machine analyses and beeps my BG level at me.
Normal readings are between 4 and 8. Mine is currently 18. OK, so I've not been taking the full dose of Metformin the GP prescribed. Simply because it made me feel so ill I decided to try to ramp up to the full dose, rather than spend several days with some self-inflicted version of Delhi Belly.
Next appointment with the nurse is in a week's time.
Altogether a much more postive experience than the one with the GP.
It still took a while to convince her I did not need a shoulder to cry on, and was really just interested in getting good information and advice about how to manage and treat my diabetes.
But... we went through the diet (which is basically what I have been eating these last few days: healthy cooked from scratch meals, lots of veggies, some fruit, some meat, as little added fat and salt as possible).
And exercise: for now, given how sendentary I am normally, we've agreed that I need to aim to do a 40-60 min walk at least 3 times a week, and work up from that.
She's given me a BG monitor, which means I get to stab my finger tips at least twice a day, and squeeze a drop of blood (omg... it's not green!) onto a test strip which a small Tamagotchi-like machine analyses and beeps my BG level at me.
Normal readings are between 4 and 8. Mine is currently 18. OK, so I've not been taking the full dose of Metformin the GP prescribed. Simply because it made me feel so ill I decided to try to ramp up to the full dose, rather than spend several days with some self-inflicted version of Delhi Belly.
Next appointment with the nurse is in a week's time.
7 Nov 2008
Drop till you shop
Woke up feeling very dizzy.
Dizziness is a sign of hyperglycaemia - too much glucose in the blood.
Lightheadedness on the other hand is a sign of hypoglycaemia - too little glucose in the blood.
So, am I feeling dizzy or lightheaded? I have no idea, and suddenly it occurs to me that without a Blood Glucose machine, I have no way of being sure, and I am just assuming I am hyper because that is typical of type 2. But the GP told me not to get a BG machine until I see the diabetic nurse in 5 days time.
The good news is that the books from Amazon arrived today, so I'll have something to start feeding my ignorance.
Some hours later, with a few chapters under my belt, to accompany the raw porridge and yoghurt, and the litre of filtered water, I feel slightly more empowered to make some better informed food choices for my new healthy eating regime, so that it can fit around family meal times.
I'm still feeling dizzy and weak, but not as much as I did first thing. So off to the shops to get some supplies; I come back with wild alaskan salmon fillets, puy lentils, leeks, carrots, bok choi, blackberries, blueberries, skimmed milk, Weetabix and bran flakes.
Plan for the next five days is to have a fibre-rich whole-grain breakfast with fresh blueberries and semi-skimmed milk (normally breakfast for me would be a glass or two of water, but hell, maybe breakfast is the most import meal of the day after all); lunch of braised greens (hence leeks and bok choi) and grilled fish, and a dinner of lentil and root veg stew. Snacks of crudites (no dips), fresh and dried fruit as the mood takes me.
And water. Am averaging 3 litres a day now.
All in all, I feel positive, at least with my commitment to effecting a real and sustained change. Can't wait to see the diabetic nurse.
Dizziness is a sign of hyperglycaemia - too much glucose in the blood.
Lightheadedness on the other hand is a sign of hypoglycaemia - too little glucose in the blood.
So, am I feeling dizzy or lightheaded? I have no idea, and suddenly it occurs to me that without a Blood Glucose machine, I have no way of being sure, and I am just assuming I am hyper because that is typical of type 2. But the GP told me not to get a BG machine until I see the diabetic nurse in 5 days time.
The good news is that the books from Amazon arrived today, so I'll have something to start feeding my ignorance.
Some hours later, with a few chapters under my belt, to accompany the raw porridge and yoghurt, and the litre of filtered water, I feel slightly more empowered to make some better informed food choices for my new healthy eating regime, so that it can fit around family meal times.
I'm still feeling dizzy and weak, but not as much as I did first thing. So off to the shops to get some supplies; I come back with wild alaskan salmon fillets, puy lentils, leeks, carrots, bok choi, blackberries, blueberries, skimmed milk, Weetabix and bran flakes.
Plan for the next five days is to have a fibre-rich whole-grain breakfast with fresh blueberries and semi-skimmed milk (normally breakfast for me would be a glass or two of water, but hell, maybe breakfast is the most import meal of the day after all); lunch of braised greens (hence leeks and bok choi) and grilled fish, and a dinner of lentil and root veg stew. Snacks of crudites (no dips), fresh and dried fruit as the mood takes me.
And water. Am averaging 3 litres a day now.
All in all, I feel positive, at least with my commitment to effecting a real and sustained change. Can't wait to see the diabetic nurse.
6 Nov 2008
The morning after the day before...
So I managed to book an emergency appointment at the GP, as per the consultant's recommendation.
I still don't feel upset at yesterday's news, just keen to get on, find out what I have to do, and start doing it. My wife thinks I'm in shock. Well, for sure I'm not happy-clappy about the diagnosis. Maybe it's odd, but I'm looking forwards to making the changes to my diet, my currently non-existant exercise routine, and my lifestyle in general. Two things are missing at the moment to let me do this:
1) Information about exactly what to do.
2) Commitment from my family to support me.
The first is easy to address: the appointment with the GP should help, and also the books I've ordered from Amazon.
The second is trickier: how do you respond to "But what if I don't like the food you have to eat?". This has long been a point of contention. This is not the first time I've tried (and failed) to introduce a family-wide improvement in our diet. I'm not a convenience food junkie, and while I enjoy the odd take-away, 3 or 4 times a week is too much for me. But that's what our diet has become.
OK so in theory, I could cook separately for me. But, theory breaks down when:
a) you have four kids, who to be fair would try most things, but need to eat earlier in the afternoon/evening.
b) your wife is a fussy eater, and is resolute about it.
To please everyone you end up having 3 different menus/sittings, and the reality is that simply doesn't work unless you have a big kitchen, or have Gordon Ramsay tucked away in a cupboard. (We have neither!)
Anyway, that's something to work on.
First things first, I need to find out exactly what I need to do. So off to the GP I go...
...and which proves to be an oddly disappointing experience.
OK, so I got some tablets prescribed, and an appointment for the diabetic clinic in a week's time. Which was the main point.
But the GP seemed to have misplaced his bedside manner: I got the distinct impression he was more concerned with the dent my treatment would cause in his budget, than he was with supporting me, or even pretending to be supportive.
This was very much a "Well, you brought this upon yourself. Now take one of these pills twice a day and see the nurse" kind of appointment. Quality.
Oh well, I know I am going to have to be highly self-motivated and self-supporting, but I did kind of expect a slightly less harsh reception. Or at least information to be more forthcoming.
Hopefully that will be put right at the clinic appointment next week.
And the books from Amazon should help.
I still don't feel upset at yesterday's news, just keen to get on, find out what I have to do, and start doing it. My wife thinks I'm in shock. Well, for sure I'm not happy-clappy about the diagnosis. Maybe it's odd, but I'm looking forwards to making the changes to my diet, my currently non-existant exercise routine, and my lifestyle in general. Two things are missing at the moment to let me do this:
1) Information about exactly what to do.
2) Commitment from my family to support me.
The first is easy to address: the appointment with the GP should help, and also the books I've ordered from Amazon.
The second is trickier: how do you respond to "But what if I don't like the food you have to eat?". This has long been a point of contention. This is not the first time I've tried (and failed) to introduce a family-wide improvement in our diet. I'm not a convenience food junkie, and while I enjoy the odd take-away, 3 or 4 times a week is too much for me. But that's what our diet has become.
OK so in theory, I could cook separately for me. But, theory breaks down when:
a) you have four kids, who to be fair would try most things, but need to eat earlier in the afternoon/evening.
b) your wife is a fussy eater, and is resolute about it.
To please everyone you end up having 3 different menus/sittings, and the reality is that simply doesn't work unless you have a big kitchen, or have Gordon Ramsay tucked away in a cupboard. (We have neither!)
Anyway, that's something to work on.
First things first, I need to find out exactly what I need to do. So off to the GP I go...
...and which proves to be an oddly disappointing experience.
OK, so I got some tablets prescribed, and an appointment for the diabetic clinic in a week's time. Which was the main point.
But the GP seemed to have misplaced his bedside manner: I got the distinct impression he was more concerned with the dent my treatment would cause in his budget, than he was with supporting me, or even pretending to be supportive.
This was very much a "Well, you brought this upon yourself. Now take one of these pills twice a day and see the nurse" kind of appointment. Quality.
Oh well, I know I am going to have to be highly self-motivated and self-supporting, but I did kind of expect a slightly less harsh reception. Or at least information to be more forthcoming.
Hopefully that will be put right at the clinic appointment next week.
And the books from Amazon should help.
5 Nov 2008
And so it begins...
I've just come back from a long-awaited appointment at the Bart's and Royal London Hospital, having been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
It's no real shock. I've suspected for a couple of weeks I had diabetes or Syndrome X: unquenchable thirst, frequent urination, feeling slightly dizzy. My recent 'flu made provided a temporary alternative explanation. But deep down I knew.
Back up a moment...
Why was I at the Bart's and Royal London anyway? After many years of obesity, with the usual cycle of trying this diet or that diet, various medical investigations, failed attempts at making lifestyle changes, everyone and their dog's opinions on what I needed to eat or how I needed to exercise etc etc, I decided to get myself referred to a proper Obesity clinic, and get this thing sorted once and for all.
Well, that was in June 2008. The first appointment arrived for mid-July, but was cancelled by the hospital the day before I was due to go. The appointment today was the first available opening since then.
The GP's regular blood tests have never show any sign of diabetes, so the GP was quite relaxed about the appointment. He was happy I was going of course, but he was not worried.
But two weeks before the appointment was due, the thirst and the seemingly endless pee-ing kicked in. So yeah, I was kind of expecting this.
The consultant at the clinic went to great lengths to explain to me the importance and urgency of taking the management of my diabetes seriously. I think she thought I was having trouble accepting I had diabetes. Maybe it was because I hadn't burst into tears or wasn't howling or something.
As far as I am concerned diabetes is just a label for a condition. I am not scared of either the label or the condition. I simply wanted to know what were the practical things I needed to do to manage, control and if possible reduce the effect it was going to have on my life.
But my time was up, and I'll have to get that information from my GP's Diabetic clinic - an appointment I need to make ASAP.
The consultant's closing remarks were both chilling and encouraging: This is your wake-up call. If you commit to doing something about your weight and health, we've caught this early enough that there should not be any further complications. If you don't, this will kill you.
Seems like I've made a step forwards in dealing with my obesity.
Not on the path I thought I was going to follow, but a step forwards never-the-less.
On the taxi ride back from the hospital, I think about whether I have really accepted that I have diabetes, or whether I am in shock / denial. I don't think I am.
I have diabetes. It's a condition that will kill me if I don't manage it. Ergo, I will manage it. It's no longer a question of will-power or anything else. My attitide to my personal health has already changed - my health is no longer something that rests at the bottom of the pile of all the things that I need to do. It's now at the top, and will only be pushed down temporarily by my family's immediate health concerns, if they ever arise.
But that does raise a question - can my family accept the change in priorities, and support me with the lifestyle changes I will be making?
It seems, at the end of the day, that is the biggest concern I have.
It's no real shock. I've suspected for a couple of weeks I had diabetes or Syndrome X: unquenchable thirst, frequent urination, feeling slightly dizzy. My recent 'flu made provided a temporary alternative explanation. But deep down I knew.
Back up a moment...
Why was I at the Bart's and Royal London anyway? After many years of obesity, with the usual cycle of trying this diet or that diet, various medical investigations, failed attempts at making lifestyle changes, everyone and their dog's opinions on what I needed to eat or how I needed to exercise etc etc, I decided to get myself referred to a proper Obesity clinic, and get this thing sorted once and for all.
Well, that was in June 2008. The first appointment arrived for mid-July, but was cancelled by the hospital the day before I was due to go. The appointment today was the first available opening since then.
The GP's regular blood tests have never show any sign of diabetes, so the GP was quite relaxed about the appointment. He was happy I was going of course, but he was not worried.
But two weeks before the appointment was due, the thirst and the seemingly endless pee-ing kicked in. So yeah, I was kind of expecting this.
The consultant at the clinic went to great lengths to explain to me the importance and urgency of taking the management of my diabetes seriously. I think she thought I was having trouble accepting I had diabetes. Maybe it was because I hadn't burst into tears or wasn't howling or something.
As far as I am concerned diabetes is just a label for a condition. I am not scared of either the label or the condition. I simply wanted to know what were the practical things I needed to do to manage, control and if possible reduce the effect it was going to have on my life.
But my time was up, and I'll have to get that information from my GP's Diabetic clinic - an appointment I need to make ASAP.
The consultant's closing remarks were both chilling and encouraging: This is your wake-up call. If you commit to doing something about your weight and health, we've caught this early enough that there should not be any further complications. If you don't, this will kill you.
Seems like I've made a step forwards in dealing with my obesity.
Not on the path I thought I was going to follow, but a step forwards never-the-less.
On the taxi ride back from the hospital, I think about whether I have really accepted that I have diabetes, or whether I am in shock / denial. I don't think I am.
I have diabetes. It's a condition that will kill me if I don't manage it. Ergo, I will manage it. It's no longer a question of will-power or anything else. My attitide to my personal health has already changed - my health is no longer something that rests at the bottom of the pile of all the things that I need to do. It's now at the top, and will only be pushed down temporarily by my family's immediate health concerns, if they ever arise.
But that does raise a question - can my family accept the change in priorities, and support me with the lifestyle changes I will be making?
It seems, at the end of the day, that is the biggest concern I have.
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