diagnosis of pre-diabetes

Isn't that a bit dangerous, GillT, mentioning that you are a homeopath on here? I always preferred using homeopathic remedies, or aromatherapy to treat illnesses.
When we first became vegetarian, my husband did not tell the dietician for years. I still eat lots of oats, rather than wheat because they stabilise blood sugar more than any other grain, and I like buckwheat and quinoa which are low GI. Is the Patrick Holford book about Glycaemic load?
I have his Optimum Nutrition, and his book about the brain.

That's one reason why I won't take them

Mamie, there is a lot of research information online to suggest that statins can make people more prone to diabetes. Just search diabetes and statins.

I've retired!

Sorry, haven't read it all but my experience is different. Went for my annual blood test and was called back for a different one because it appeared I might be pre-diabetic. As I have a friend who is Type 2 I knew that eating carbs was important and I hadn't been eating them. I started eating them before the test and I was fine. Had to go back 6 months later for another test and did the same and was fine.

The doc said I was not overweight and that not all type 2 was caused by obesity, he said sometimes it is simply that the body become less good at things.

Next test will be in May so I will eat more carbs for a couple of weeks before.

We are fortunate really in that none of us have ever had any health problems that couldn't be dealt with at home. I trained as a homoeopath and treated the children's coughs, colds, stomach upsets, eczema by myself, and have to say the self treatment for my menopause worked well. I suppose that is another reason why we are so narked at her attitude; we must be really good value as a family, hardly cost the NHS anything. When the children were small i treated most things myself, and found to be honest that sleep, limited food, plenty of liquids and some painkillers if absolutely necessary were all that was needed. I didn't need to see a GP to tell me that!

Awful way to treat patents. Most of the doctors at our practice are very nice I have to say. The only problem I had was when my hair fell out and after various tests etc my (female) GP said 'well you'll have to get a wig'. All good wishes for your husband's health.

We have tough enough hides to deal with people like her, but what about people who dont? How many patients just dont go back and end up getting more ill? There used to be a GP at the practice, now thankfully retired who was awful to patients, funnily enough her specialism was diabetes too, are we seeing a pattern here? Going off subject rather, but when this GP made a home visit to me after I had a miscarriage, and asked how much blood I was losing, her reply was 'well, I dont know what you are worrying about, some women lose that much every month with their period'. Not the point when you have just had a miscarriage. I saw a different GP for my next pregnancy and he was a delight.

Why are you keeping mum Galen you're a doctor?

Gill - that nurse needs to go to charm school. We have one at our practice who is nice enough but she is huge and she lectures people about their weight

grannyactivist thank you for the links, I shall download and print it and have a read at home. It contradicts, I am delighted to say, what the bully practice nurse says, and yes, type 2 can sometimes be halted/reversed. When I put my mind to something I am like a terrier with a rat, I shall do my research, and will share it on here.

Thank you for all your input, and yes I do know the difference between type 1 and type 2 and do believe that with some changes in lifestyle we can halt the onset of type 2. We are seriously considering putting in a complaint about the rude bullying of the practice nurse. When DH asked what to do, she said 'well, it is obvious, lose weight' she then advised him to cut down portions sizes, did not say anything about avoiding/limiting processed carbs, told him to eat fruit at lunchtime instead of a sandwich. Now, from the little I have read so far, this is misleading and incorrect, having a bowl of fruit which is full of sugars, albeit natural ones, would surely be a disaster for him? So, we shall tackle it ourselves, but what if we didn't have the wit or means to do so? When she asked him to roll up his sleeve so that she could take his blood pressure she said 'I dont suppose the cuff will fit your arm' . Then she said, 'oh your arms are quite slim aren't they' his blood pressure was fine, despite DH feeling that he was going to explode due to her attitude.

I'll keep mum!

In response to the OP I too have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic and have done a great deal of research. I am currently on a very low calorie diet, as trialled by Newcastle University and supported by Diabetes UK:
www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal.htm
www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/newcastle-study-600-calorie-diet.html

Wish I'd put it like that, JessM!

Type 1 is caused by the immune system destroying the insulin producing cells. it is an auto immune disease. Type 2 is metabolic.

Read the literature that comes with your medication, certain types of drugs can lead to the onset of type 2 diabetes. This was explained to me when I asked about 6 monthly blood tests.

Haven't read the whole thread but must say that Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes are not the same condition. Merlotgran seems to suggest that Type 1 (sometimes called insulin-dependent or juvenile onset diabetes) can develop from Type 2. It can't. Some people with Type 2 may also be prescribed insulin but Type 1 cannot, at present, be prevented, is not caused by lifestyle and will require insulin injections. Understanding of diabetes is further confused because although children, even babies typically develop Type 1 ("juvenile onset") many children are developing Type 2 nowadays because of obesity. What the two have in common is that once you've got diabetes, diet and exercise can help to control and manage it.

Aka, sorry but I can't be bothered arguing with you.

Gill - that nurse shouldn't have been so rude. My DH has type 2 diabetes and is stick thin and always has been. He has always taken regular long walks and is very fit at 68. Obviously if people are overweight, losing weight will help the condition. I'm just saying being overweight was nothing to do with my DH getting type 2.

If I had to hazard a guess I would say that my OH suffered some kind of metabolic change in his forties. He had a highly stressful job with masses of travel (to Australia to give a 40 minute input at a conference for example). He suffered from disrupted digestion and sleep patterns for several years. He then got high blood pressure which I suspect went undiagnosed for a few years (nobody checked) and was 230 / 120 when it was discovered. It took a long time to find the right medication and then a few years after that his cholesterol went up and he was put on statins. From the time that everything went haywire he started to put weight on his abdomen, but remained normal size everywhere else. The pre-diabetes has only started in the last two years.
So what the doctor is Jane's link says makes a lot of sense to me.
I don't doubt that bad diet and too much mucked about processed food is also causing the rise in Type 2 diabetes. I was horrified when we were in Spain last year to see so many obese Brits and watch them shovelling down chips and fizzy drinks (our apartment was over a café).
It isn't about that for everybody though and it is very upsetting when people automatically make assumptions and give little lectures about eating the wrong things, when you have never done that.
That is why we have spreadsheet; it takes the wind out of their sails. Actually our French doctor could only suggest that we should only eat cheese on Sunday.

merlot that is shocking, especially to go as far as cancelling the operation.

We suffered at the hands of a bullying nurse when DH went for his pre-op checks for his second hip replacement. Although he was well on the way to recovery from a stroke she nagged him about his weight and although we had already had the go ahead from the surgeon, she cancelled the op on the spot. When I queried her right to do this she snapped, 'He got off lightly last time. If he has another stroke do you want to be looking after a cabbage?' We drove home in total shock and our GP put in a formal complaint on our behalf. The operation was delayed by three months but went ahead with no problems and was a complete success.

We had a written apology from the hospital. I wonder if she still has a job??

Jane just a point of interest, I think I must be having a senior moment....I've searched this thread and cannot find where you said there was 'no excuse fir health professionals like Gill's DH practice nurse......'

Please help.

'But obviously failed' I find that very rude. Let's keep this discussion polite please.

Don't presume to lecture me on science either. You don't know my background or my qualifications. However if you are trying to suggest there is no link between obesity and type 2 diabetes then come out and just say that.

I think everyone agrees there is no excuse for health professionals to be rude, surely that is a given?

Yes Lona there are some great medical professionals and some who are sadly quite ignorant and I can say that coming from a medical family.