Prediabetes

Really don't think that is part of my problem as I only weight 9 stone.  Have been suffering with knee problems resulting in knee replacement last June, hence I have been unable to exercise, or even walk, at all.

I had been on steroids for 6 and half years, and think this may have caused steroid induced prediabetes.  Stopped taking them in May and will never take them again.  The side effects are awful.

My sister was on steroids for 8yrs and developed type 2 diabetes as a result, now she has stopped taking them it is stable. There is a good possibility that now you have stopped taking them that there will be no further progression

Even though being overweight is a known risk for T2 my dr says thin people can get it too.

I really hope so.  Determined to keep the diagnosis as prediabetes or better.

Thanks for being in touch.

Jane,  out of interest, do you use a monitor and are they clear to read?

 

Sorry I forgot to mention that I've no idea whether I've beaten it yet.  I have another HbA1c test in the new year.

Thanks for your reply.  My story is exactly the same!  Was prediabetic a year ago and nobody thought to tell me!  I am furious.

have already received excellent advice from a diabetic website.  Absolutely no help from my GP other than waiting to hear about a workshop.  I want to get started on this immediately so have cut out carbs to a great extent, sugar in tea and coffee etc.  I know everyone spikes differently, hence my order for a BG monitor.

Good luck with your test results.  All pretty scary.

Scary it certainly is Lynn. What is a workshop  I wonder? My GP said they don't do anything for prediabetes. That's not much help really is it? That's when he said 'Watch your diet'.. rather a daft remark I thought. Like you I also bought a BG monitor and did a home made OGTT test, only a guide I think from something I found on google, i think it was an American site. . I bought some Lucozade and drank it, having tested [fasting] beforehand then I sat around doing not a lot and tested again after 2 hrs. A bit higher than I'd have liked so who knows where I'm going but I am working on it. I do think the exercise helps, makes the beta cells, the ones that are left anyway, work overtime perhaps

I've just looked on this website and on the 'related info' I clicked on 'healthy eating' and there is the usual [IMHO] rubbish about eating carbs, including pasta, rice potatoes etc and cutting down on fats, especially saturated. I don't go with that myself and neither do full blown diabetics who wish to control their BG according to what I read. Doesn't everyone know that all carbs turn to glucose in the blood so how can they possibly be good. I learnt that in biology when I was at school an awful long time ago!!

It is a prediabetic workshop at our surgery.  The diabetic website I've contacted has said that most NHS advice is light years away from current thinking so I think I'll stick with their advice.

As I had a knee replacement in June and am having the second knee op next March, exercising is almost impossible which is a worry.  So, I'll do all I can diet wise.  My food bill this week is horrendous, but I am so new to this I need to know I have plenty of healthy choices on offer.  One lovely lady from the diabetic website has given me a list of everything that is pretty OK and that has been so helpful.  So surprised about fruit and how careful you have to be.  Apparently berries are best with double cream so slow things down. Can't complain!

Unfortunately the nhs is light year away from reality. It is true that a lot of advice given is incorrect and way out of date...Doctors are happy to prescribe medicines and not try and help you get your sugar levels down. The proof is in the meters and also in your own ''feeling'' better.Simply test your sugar level before any particular food...then check it again after and you will soon fine out which foods are bad for you. I personally cannot eat rice, bread or potatoes any pasta and white flour in general. Bananas and pineapples are out too. Apples are great and I eat upto 3 a day whenever i feel hungry.All breakfast cereals are bad...check the carbs in them and you will see they are 65% carbs so a no go for diabetics. Hope this helps.

Can you advise what to have for breakfast?  Have been eating porridge, but maybe that's not a good idea.

I've read diabetics [on a diabetic forum] say their diabetic nurse gives them all this c**p advice about eating pasta,potatoes etc which the patient then ignores and instead eats bacon and egg for breakfast and on return to the nurse/GP find their glucose levels are much better. Nurse/GP thinks it's all down to the patient obeying their orders when in fact it's all down to ignoring the 'advice',ditching the carbs and eating full fat - saturated for choice!!

As a prediabetic myself, ever since I found out I have had either a boiled or poached egg for breakfast, a slice of brown toast and BUTTER. I've never had any hunger pangs which I often did when I ate cereal. As Milo says, cereals are not at all good, apart from the carbs they are seemingly loaded with salt which is bad for blood pressure.Porridge oats are also carbs of course. Then there is the milk one has with it, lots of  sugar in that.

Isn't it extrordinary that despite all the evidence from diabetics saying carbs cause sugar spikes the NHS  and this site and to a lesser degree the diabetes sites all seem to be in denial and still tell patients to eat carbs..

How can their advice be so outdated?  What a worry.

How many eggs can you safely eat per week?

Would love to know how you get on test-wise in the New Year!

lynn08926, As jane 243 has already answered your question, I can only add to what she has already said. A full english is a great start to the day...bacon, eggs, sausages, mushrooms and ''maybe'' one small toast depending on how good or bad your sugar levels are. I already said you need a test meter which will tell you what's good for you and what isn't. Everyone's diabetes is different so you have to judge your level according to your readings. Best to try out different foods and check the spikes you get then decide what suits you. Cereals are totally out...they have been pushed on to the public for the last 40 years or so and has only created an obesity crisis which even now is being ignored.

The best thing to eat daily is apples...any variety...so make a nice snack in between meals...do not ever go hungry and do not break the low (or no) carbs rule. There is no such thing as low or mild diabetes either...and eating any type of ''sugar'' is bad...even healthy foods like honey are not good for diabetics...follow my guidelines and you will surprise your diabetic nurse or doctor !...and feel free to ask any questions any time and i will try to give you answers...

I would suggest one daily would be fine but you will get to a point where you get tired of eggs !....so to avoid that try a variety of breakfasts and different ways of cooking them...Another wonder addition is avocado...not cheap so i buy them only when on offer or a good deal...

Am already pretty fed up with eggs.

Since getting the news, I have been eating one slice of Bergen Linseed and Soya bread which I understand isn't too bad.

Until I receive my monitor this is all trial and error as to what spikes my BG.  Will be in touch once I start to get some readings.  Haven't got a clue how to translate those!

I eat one or two eggs at breakfast every day.  The guy next door keeps hens so they are delicious. sometimes I may have an omlette for supper too. I think the NHS guidelines say 3 a week is the maximum !!

I await my fate in the New Year with baited breath. After all my efforts I shall be cross as a wasp if things haven't improved this time.

Well, let's keep everything crossed that your readings have improved.

My meter arrived today.  Did a test after lunch which said 6.0. How does that seem to you?

lynn08926 a reading of 6.0 after lunch is excellent...but it needs to be done like 2 hours after lunch.

What you need to do is test your sugar levels before food and two hours after. This will tell you what's happening to your levels and more important which foods disagree with you.

Breads generally are not good as more than 65% is carbs and that aplies to most breads...but again each person is different so you can decide what suits you.

Yes, this evening I have tested at 6.15 pm and will test after 2 hours.

What happens if I would like some fruit in between?  Surely that will affect the 8.15 result?

Whatever food you eat it will affect your sugar levels so yes any fruits you eat will show up in any tests.

So, what was the meter reading at 6.15pm ?

5.8.  How was that?

That's a low side but still diabetic non the less...I imagine it would be easy to put diabetes behind you. You need to change your diet and your sugar levels will be that of a non diabetic BUT you will have to take care and keep an eye on it for the rest of your life.

There are some foods that actually reduce the sugar level...Karela or bitter gourd is available in Indian grocery stores and the juice reduces sugar levels...A tablespoonful is more than enough...Another vegetable that helps is ''Okra'' or lady fingers....soaked in water overnight after being cut in half lengthwise...you then drink the water...takes about a month of this to work...

8.15 result 5.9.

I am impressed with that...It's really good readings...you need to twig them a little and you will have achieved what you need to..a level below 5...keep it up and something that will help is a 20 minute brisk walk after a meal...and keep to a diet with low carbs and you will be fine ...just remember it can and will come back if you change your diet again..

I'm afraid a brisk walk or any walk is not possible at the moment. I've just had a knee replacement!

haven't been able to be very active for a long time. Probably part of my problem now.

It looks like this knee problem which has reduced your mobility is the cause of your BG numbers being high. You should try any other exercise which burns calories and stick to a low cxarbs diet to keep your sugar levels down until you are able to take walks again.