If you have read my earlier blogs you will know that I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 at Christmas time. I was back in the UK and went to the Dr’s with my sore feet and two blood tests later it was confirmed. My blood glucose levels were sky high but I had no other symptoms to speak of, so why me???? What have I done wrong to become diabetic at 50 years old, (possibly younger, since I have had sore feet at night, for over 3 years – and I mean uncontrollable burning, pins and needles, numbness, truly excruciating)? The answer to both questions, is of course, that we don’t know. I do know that my foot pain is neurological nerve damage, caused by the diabetes and of course that does not happen over night and it is non reversible, unfortunately! Why did I not go to the Dr’s earlier? The really annoying fact is, I just ignored the signs, but to be honest the only sign was sore feet! How was I to know that this was a sign of a much more serious disease – a silent disease of the modern age? I wasn’t.
To be honest it is still a huge mystery, what has caused my diabetes and I will probably never get to understand it fully. What I do know however, is that I can no longer binge on chocolate, sweets and cakes (not that I did very often) and my diet has had to change drastically. Since Christmas I have adopted a very controlled, low carbohydrate diet based on my Dr’s advise. I have had to learn what foods contain high levels of carbohydrate and sugar and avoid them completely (banana’s!!!???). I have read all there is to read on the internet about type 2 diabetes and record everything that I eat in a day, into a special Low Carbs Diet Program to help me calculate the total carbohydrate content of each meal. I also have to read the nutrition panels on every packet of food I buy, looking at Carb. and sugar content and that is not easy at my age. The writing is so dam small, I need to carry a magnifying glass now too! Col and I have each managed to lose 7Kg in 3 months. I probably could do with losing another 5Kg, but I would never have considered myself obese by any means.
All this weight loss should have helped my glucose levels drop to normal. That is what I was hoping anyway. But guess what, after 3 months of a low carb diet (less than 130g per day), my glucose level have only reduced slightly. I have been monitoring my bloods weekly, with a home test kit from Boots. So, on Monday this week I attended the Diabetic clinic at Bosa hospital. After reviewing my glucose test results (which I have recorded for the past 3 months) and carrying out their own tests, I have been given Insulin to inject x 4 per day before meals and at night. I still cannot believe this is really happening. I am diabetic and having to inject myself with Insulin at 50 years old! WHY ME?????
I have been back to the hospital again this week for a review since starting the Insulin injections 4 days ago and my dosage has had to be increased but only slightly. Thankfully my blood glucose levels are now in the normal range. I have to monitor my bloods x 2 per day and can adjust my dosage accordingly.
It has to be said that diabetes has totally taken over my life (and Col’s). I have to plan every meal, when to take an injections, when to take bloods. Nothing can be spontaneous anymore. I have to carry a ruck sack around with me containing all my drug taking paraphernalia. Worst of all, and this is a real bummer, I am facing my 1st Easter ever, with no Easter Egg!