Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes (mild)

CLAPTON

pension-newbie wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Helpful


1. I suspect I have been drifting into this for a while, thinking all the lose weight calls could be deferred until I was less busy
2. As kidmugsy said, maybe they have lowered the bar because people like me weren't doing anything until they passed it - in which case I approve
3. Dr says if I lose weight and exercise all my levels could easily go back to below where they are - however the medication will be lifelong as I have proved I have the tendency, and some damage (arteries, liver) may have been done so I need more protection
4. Yes I was very surprised and somewhat worried to be told the diabetes (type 2) entitled me to free prescriptions - the fact the govt were happy to pay this money was actually the most worrying sign to me for how serious I had let things get


I might take this thread onto one of the other discussion boards as its not really about pensions anymore and I worry about going off topic, but I do appreciate the advice

over 90 % of prescription in England are free
100% are free in Scotland and Wales and NI

I'ld try finding out other facts from the internet resources before taking life long medicine

Triumph13

The only impact it is likely to have on your retirement plans is if you were planning to move abroad in retirement to a country that would not automatically give you free healthcare. Medical Insurance will probably have just got a whole lot more expensive. My own health issues have definitely put some restrictions on my options for this reason.

uk1

CLAPTON wrote: »

I'ld try finding out other facts from the internet resources before taking life long medicine

Very sound advice ..... from bitter experience.

nrsql

pension-newbie wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Helpful


1. I suspect I have been drifting into this for a while, thinking all the lose weight calls could be deferred until I was less busy
2. As kidmugsy said, maybe they have lowered the bar because people like me weren't doing anything until they passed it - in which case I approve
3. Dr says if I lose weight and exercise all my levels could easily go back to below where they are - however the medication will be lifelong as I have proved I have the tendency, and some damage (arteries, liver) may have been done so I need more protection
4. Yes I was very surprised and somewhat worried to be told the diabetes (type 2) entitled me to free prescriptions - the fact the govt were happy to pay this money was actually the most worrying sign to me for how serious I had let things get


I might take this thread onto one of the other discussion boards as its not really about pensions anymore and I worry about going off topic, but I do appreciate the advice

What medication?
Would be a bit concerned about medicating just in case.
They should test to if there is any damage - blood and urine tests are a good indicator.
Some doctors think that people won't change and the only option is medication so don't look at other options.

I was disposed type 2 and told would be put on metformin and statins, they would decide the dosage at the next test. By the time of the next blood test I had lost 3 stone in weight and HbA1c and cholesterol were in the normal range. Every checkup they are surprised that I'm not on drugs but can't find a reason to put me on them (except there is a view that everyone over 40 should be on statins).
Note: if you don't eat carbs then it won't increase your BG, but might have other detrimental effects, it's your choice. I tested before and after every meal to see how things affected me, less rigorous now.

If you're not being medicated then you don't get free prescriptions but it also usually doesn't affect insurance.
I would expect annuities to still be affected though.

kidmugsy

Here's my amateur advice (to self).

(i) I don't touch statins because I am not a middle-aged male who has had previous symptoms (e.g. heart attack or angina), nor has any reason of family health record to be especially fearful of heart attacks.

(ii) I took a warning from a nurse at the GPs' practice to limit my banana consumption - I've opted for a daily max of half a banana. I also took her advice not to eat an apple at one sitting - I eat them in slices during the day. I avoid any fruit varieties clearly bred to be super sweet e.g. some tomatoes, some apples, some grapes.

(iii) I started to look at the food labelling in supermarkets. Have you seen how much sugar there is in most muesli, or in low-fat products such as yoghurt? Eschew!

(iv) I avoid fizzy brown sugar-water, take my tea without sugar and use a sweetener in my coffee.

And so this fatty has an HbA1c clearly below the current diagnostic threshold for Type 2. I dare say that something else will fell me before I get into trouble on the blood sugar front.

P.S. Have you noticed how the medical face can fall when your test results are good. Thus: you're fat, we must test your cholesterol; followed by, oh dear these results are OK - in fact excellent.

margaretclare

Kidmugsy's advice is good. DH was diagnosed Type 2 in 1981. I've learned an enormous amount from him.

I wouldn't say you need to make plans to retire any earlier. DH worked until he was 66, that was in 2002. Testing your BS and maintaining good control is really important.

Some of the advice given is misleading. Toooo much carbs sometimes advised: result - spike in BS followed by crash. Maintaining a level BG is better for you and shows up in your HbA1c. Also, all the low fat foods that are advocated, more often than not they have sugar added instead of fat! Not good. A lot of thought now that fats are less harmful than added sugar.

PeacefulWaters

So if I overeat and get diagnosed as diabetic I can free up c£8 in prescription costs a year to invest in my pension!

margaretclare

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

So if I overeat and get diagnosed as diabetic I can free up c£8 in prescription costs a year to invest in my pension!

Diabetes is not always caused by overeating.

In the case of my DH, he had it coming to him down both sides of his family. There can be a strong genetic component.

PeacefulWaters

margaretclare wrote: »

Diabetes is not always caused by overeating.

In the case of my DH, he had it coming to him down both sides of his family. There can be a strong genetic component.

My apologies. I was being glib. And I am at risk.

Mojisola

kidmugsy wrote: »

And so this fatty has an HbA1c clearly below the current diagnostic threshold for Type 2. I dare say that something else will fell me before I get into trouble on the blood sugar front.

P.S. Have you noticed how the medical face can fall when your test results are good. Thus: you're fat, we must test your cholesterol; followed by, oh dear these results are OK - in fact excellent.

Same story for me. I bought a blood test monitor and quickly learned which foods pushed up the blood sugars and have been in the healthy range of all the blood tests ever since.

If I'd followed the dietary advice given by the NHS, I would have been on medication years ago with all the attendant problems.

I found this forum - http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/low-carb-diet-forum.18/ - very useful when I was learning about how to control my blood sugar levels.