# Type 2 Diabetes



## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Well after suffering a raging thirst most evenings for the past 4-6 weeks I decided to visit Lloyds Pharmacy and have the test done. 6 and below is normal, I fasted and it read 13.7. At a local surgery (as we are house sitting at the moment in Buckinghamshire) their test read 17 non fasting. They took blood and I received the test results today from a more indepth test. 40 being normal on that my reading was 80 so I have an appointment tomorrow with the doctor when he is giving me Metformin. 

I have read if I get a form FP92A from the doctor I can apply for an exemption certificate to receive free prescriptions for my diabetes medication, is this right.

It is all new to me, anyone else a type 2 diabetic on here with any advice please.

Cheers

Dave


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Type 2 in a lot of people has been reduced or even reversed by losing weight.....

I do not know your body mass or your age or much else but there is a vast amount of info available from diabetes uk;

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/home

That should be a HIGH priority to have a look at before asking your own Dr. forewarned etc.

An exemption certificate is available for ALL prescription items AFAIK with Type 2 unless of course you are over 60 in which case they are free anyway I believe....

Metformin is linked with quite a few side effects - so have a good read of Diabetes UK before starting it ........


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

Peter


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

I have to go for a diabetes test in March organised by the diabetics association, Sainsburys no less.
Yes I do have a dry mouth some nights but I just put that down to alcohol.
I am fortunate that being the age I am I get free prescriptions but still not looking forward to the results.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I've just gone onto Metformin too, first tab yesterday, I'm on 1 a day for a koth then testing me, I was controlling it with diet, but since my back has got so much worse, I am a lot less active.


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

DJMotorhomer said:


> Well after suffering a raging thirst most evenings for the past 4-6 weeks I decided to visit Lloyds Pharmacy and have the test done. 6 and below is normal, I fasted and it read 13.7. At a local surgery (as we are house sitting at the moment in Buckinghamshire) their test read 17 non fasting. They took blood and I received the test results today from a more indepth test. 40 being normal on that my reading was 80 so I have an appointment tomorrow with the doctor when he is giving me Metformin.
> 
> I have read if I get a form FP92A from the doctor I can apply for an exemption certificate to receive free prescriptions for my diabetes medication, is this right.
> 
> ...


Her indoors has type 2 diabetes. Initially she was treated with tablets but her blood sugers were all over the place so she was put on insulin injections to stabilize her condition.

She duly informed DVLA who kindly replaced her license with one that needs renewing every three years. No effect on car insurance but need to inform them.

Due to the fact that high blood pressure & high cholesterol is often a result of diabetes our doctor prescribed tablets for both as a preventative measure. Unfortunately when travel insurance renewal comes around we are asked the questions: do you have xx, answer no; do you take medication for xx, answer yes. So we have a discussion about the reason for taking those meds. PIA really.

Eyesight problems are also associated with the condition & she is called for retinal screening once a year to check for early signs.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Firstly, don't worry too much about it, these days most type 2 can be easily controlled by drugs, I've had it for over 20 years and no, I'm not obese and never have been, sometimes it just happens.
You'll need to modify your diet, avoid sugar, stop excessive booze, stop smoking etc. but nothing too drastic. Exercise will also help a lot. There are many potential long term side effects but maybe now isn't the best time to frighten you off.

Your Hba1c (thats the blood test) reading of 80 is high but not completely OTT, you should be able to get it down to around 40 or 50 with diet, exercise and medication. You'll have this blood test a couple of times a year to monitor progress, possibly more often initially. You'll also go onto a retinopathy screening program which is done yearly and photographs your retina to detect any detioration. You could buy a home blood testing kit but TBH they're a bit hit and miss, the Hba1c is much more reliable as it detects your blood sugar levels over a period of about 3 months. Your blood sugar levels will go up and down very quickly during every day so the home test kits can give dramatically different results depending on when you do them.

Drugs are a bit of a minefield, the most popular one (probably because it's cheap) is Metformin. This can cause quite a few side effects (usually gastric) but you do get to tolerate them after a while. There are other drugs but doctors are often reluctant to prescribe them due to cost and possible side-effects. Metformin works by reducing the amount of sugar absorbed by the gut and that's why it can cause gastric problems. You may be tried on a drug (Gliclazide or similar) that boosts your natural production of insulin to start with but they're less popular these days.

Your doctor will also develop an unhealthy interest in your blood pressure because diabetes will exascerbate arterial problems. Usually they will prescribe a cockail of anti-hypertension drugs to keep your blood pressure down. What they SHOULD do before prescribing these drugs is give you a 24hr blood pressure monitor but they rarely do this because of the effort and cost. You'll find that BP measured in the surgery can be very inaccurate and that a 24hr test will show a much different average level - insist on having the monitoring before starting to take drugs. If they refuse, buy your own BP test machine and monitor your own BP at home then take the results to the surgery.

You can indeed get an exemption certificate for prescription charges (if under 60) and you don't need to report your condition to the DVLA unless you have to start using insulin.

If you need any further advice PM me.


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## Charisma (Apr 17, 2008)

All good advice above. I was diagnosed Type 2 about 5 years ago but have just had the all clear from the Doc after losing 2 stone in weight, watching my diet (low fat), and more exercise. It is reversible.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Apparently it can be reversed by fasting

A restricted cal diet for several weeks 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I know 2 people who have beaten diabetes 2 with a no carbohydrates diet and 2 on this forum also have reduced their blood sugar, cant remember who they are.


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

gaspode said:


> Firstly, don't worry too much about it, these days most type 2 can be easily controlled by drugs, I've had it for over 20 years and no, I'm not obese and never have been, sometimes it just happens.
> You'll need to modify your diet, avoid sugar, stop excessive booze, stop smoking etc. but nothing too drastic. Exercise will also help a lot. There are many potential long term side effects but maybe now isn't the best time to frighten you off.
> 
> Your Hba1c (thats the blood test) reading of 80 is high but not completely OTT, you should be able to get it down to around 40 or 50 with diet, exercise and medication. You'll have this blood test a couple of times a year to monitor progress, possibly more often initially. You'll also go onto a retinopathy screening program which is done yearly and photographs your retina to detect any detioration. You could buy a home blood testing kit but TBH they're a bit hit and miss, the Hba1c is much more reliable as it detects your blood sugar levels over a period of about 3 months. Your blood sugar levels will go up and down very quickly during every day so the home test kits can give dramatically different results depending on when you do them.
> ...


Thanks Gaspode
That is all valuable info I will take onboard.

I have put on excessive weight over the last 6 months. All inclusive Caribbean cruise, all inclusive Lake Como trip. 3 months wardening but purely office based and 3 and a half months in New zealand, all with hardly any exercise. I am changing my diet immediately. At present we are house sitting in Buckinghamshire so I have had to register as a temporary resident with the local doctor. He said as it will be 2 weeks before I can see my own GP and having a level of 80 he would rather put me on medication until then, but now I have had advice from here, I will speak to him first before I accept the medication.

Thanks all

Dave


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Found out that you do not need to inform DVLA if you are only on tablets.

This is from their website
* "Drivers do not need to tell us if their diabetes
is treated by tablets, diet, or both"*

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ed-by-non-insulin-medication-diet-or-both.pdf

So that is good news at least !

Dave


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

In case you misunderstood my tuppence worth Dave, the low carb people still take the drugs ,but as the blood sugar lowers so is the medication.
I am having my blood tested 4 times a day whilst in here, 4.5 this afternoon, 6.4 just now.
All is good.


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## Joeo's (Dec 11, 2016)

TYPE 2 Diabetics.

Please have a look at Newcastle University's web page on Diabetes reversal without medication.
Prof Taylor is one of the leading experts on diabetes control with diet.

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal/#publicinformation

Also visit






for Dr. Fung's Video on Intermittent Fasting video.

Joe


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

listerdiesel said:


> https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving
> 
> Peter


This came up a little while ago PatP I think, I have a notifiable condition too, Sleep apnea, but I was warned *NOT to fill in this form online*, *but to download it and send off*, you'd think it was the same, but it is then actioned by a human, well as near as they have at DVLA.


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

But then I see this ! on DVLA website

*Bus, coach or lorry licence
You must tell DVLA if your diabetes is treated by tablets or non-insulin injections.*

But what is a motorhome ? ........ is it classed as a bus ? because of the size.

Dave


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'd say none of the above Dave.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

DJMotorhomer said:


> But then I see this ! on DVLA website
> 
> *Bus, coach or lorry licence
> You must tell DVLA if your diabetes is treated by tablets or non-insulin injections.*
> ...


Anything driven under a Vocational Licence, groups C, C1, D, D1.

Peter


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

A friend was recently diagnosed and told to watch his diet. We all know about sugar and carbohydrates but he was most upset to find that he could only eat one pear at a time. He used to eat about 4 at a time! It seems you need to become expert at sugar content. He found the practice nurse to be the most informative on practical management matters.

It is one of the diseases I fear most, along with dementia. Mostly because it impacts on all aspects of your life.

This might be useful https://thebloodsugardiet.com/


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## Charisma (Apr 17, 2008)

When I was originally diagnosed, my GP sent me on a Desmond course http://www.desmond-project.org.uk/ which was a one day course giving all sorts of very useful information on the disease and also diet and on going care. If you haven't been offered one, ask your GP about it. The course is free too!!


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