New (ish) T2 saying hello

[paulT2]

I have lurked around reading posts on this board for a couple of months now and thought I better introduce myself.

I’m Paul, 45, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes October of last year and still adjusting to my new status.

The diagnosis was kind of ironic really as for the last year or so I had been having a mid life crisis which involved me joining (and continuing to attend) the local gym, starting to run (now run 20 – 30 miles every week) and quitting a long standing smoking habit.

I’ve never been fitter, felt better or lived any cleaner! The diagnosis really caught me off guard and took a while to come to terms with.

I’ve been through denial, anger and frustration and I’m now settling down into fact finding and testing.

I have read dozens and dozens of threads and posts on this site and one of the best pieces of advice I have seen offered consistently is test, test and test again. I have been experimenting with different food amounts and combinations and with varying levels of exercise.

I feel I have control of my diabetes and hope to continue managing and enjoying my lifestyle changes.

My doctor has prescribed 1 x 500mg metformin a day taken with breakfast. This combined with sensible food choices and regular exercise seems to be keeping my blood glucose levels within a good range.

At some point in the future I’m hoping to be able to control my diabetes with just diet and exercise but I do accept this may not be possible. I would be very interested to hear from others who started off on meds after their initial diagnosis and were able to stop taking meds later.

I’m not a big poster but I will continue to lurk and learn, occasionally popping up to make a comment or share an experience.

[ProudNanaof5]

Welcome Paul...:hello: Glad you joined our family...

[Cyborg]

Welcome aboard and congratulations on taking control... :wavey:

[MJM]

Welcome Paul. I'm a T1 so not familiar with T2. However I think that you will always be a T2 but may get to a situation where diet alone would be sufficient. Keep the good eating and exercise going no matter what as it will help allieviate problems in the future.

[AlwaysLate]

Hi Paul. I thought I was reading my story here. I quit smoking 1.5 yrs ago, started eating right, no alcohol, more active, loosing weight but for some reason I just didn't feel right. A trip to the doc last Oct revealed diabetes. I was mad. How could I have D after getting a firm grip on living right? I guess if it's in the genes....

I'm on 1 pill a day too. I was taking it around 11am daily but I found I couldn't get my morning numbers down no matter how much I adjusted my diet. So, I switched taking the pill to approx an hour before bedtime. I'm not an early to bed person so my 'hour before bed' can be at midnight or it can be at 2 in the morning. I like the results. I've only been taking it at that time for 2 weeks but already the numbers have come down in the morning. They can range from 85 to 105. Numbers are good during the day because I'm very careful of the things I eat and I get in some walking.

I was told to get my numbers down to 100 then I will be able to go off the pill. Because I have extra weight to loose, the doc told me the faster I loose it the faster I get off meds. I'm going as fast as I can. I'm hoping my next visit in Feb is when he tells me I can give it a try without the Met.

[xMenace]

Gr8 job Paul.

Be thankful that denial thing was so short. Many go on for years. Some never come out of it. Mine only lasted about 5 minutes!:king: But I've had thousands of regression episodes:stupido3:

[kgm0612]

HI & Welcome to this great forum, Paul. Glad you decided to post rather than just "lurk".

Karen

[princesslinda]

Hi Paul:
Welcome aboard. Sounds like you've really took charge of your health and are doing well. I'm T2, diagnosed in 8/31/06...but I had not been leading a healthy lifestyle like you were. I'm on metformin 500 mg 2 times a day. My doc said if my A1Cs were below 6, we could consider trying with diet and exercise. My A1c At diagnosis was 9.6...last was 6.2, so i'm doing well, though still have a LONG way to go. Keep up your good work, and i'm sure if anyone can manage to control things with diet/exercise, you should be able to.

You mention how ironic it is that your diagnosis was found AFTER you became so fit and active....but imagine how much higher you levels would have been and what complications you could have experienced had you NOT been more active.

Again, welcome!

[paulT2]

Thank you to everyone for your welcome. This sure is a friendly as well as educational place.