Day 26

I was really happy when the Doctor prescribed Metformin. It's technically a appertite surprescent, so I was hoping it would help me on my diet. Well this week it didn't, I lost no weight which was a little disheartening.

Having said that, it was my birthday on tuesday and I had a lovely meal, then on thursday and friday whilst camping I wasn't on my best food behaviour, couple this with a macDonald on friday evening and I guess I did well not to put a load of weight on.

Today I did about two hours hard excercise on the bike and I must admit I now feel pretty weak and keep on having dizzy spells, I don't know whether it's me being super out of condition or it's down to a side effect from the diabetes. Something I need to take advice on.

I took a glucose reading on saturday (10.5 mmo/l) and last night (8.8 mmo/l), both good readings.

Day 21

I broke up from work for a few days today, which is nice! Tomorrow Elizabeth and i are off to N. Wales for a few days.

The diet is going very well, last night on my birthday and I had a fantastic meal at Armando's in Belper. I had Scallops for starter and a superb Fillet Steak for main course. It was lovely to eat out again and Armando's was a lovely place with good food.

I took my glucose reading a little while and it was 9.5 mmo/l. I'm very pleased with how things are going. I found out today I'm at the Doctors again on September 13th, can't wait to see how things have gone.

Also today I went for a bike ride, I had an excellent ride! Things like getting out of the saddle going up hill and using bigger gears on the flat. My fitness is beginning to come back slowly, maybe I might get fit enough to race again this winter!!!!!

Day 18

It was the big weigh in this morning, the scales don't lie. I topped them at 113kg, which is around 17stone 11lb. I lost about 5 kilo this week.

I'm determined to keep the diet going until I'm down to 100kg which is about 15stone 10lb. Keeping to this diet will keep the sugar levels in check as well. On the bike this morning I actually felt fitter and the hills didn't seem as bad as this time last week.

My glucose reading was 10.5 mmo/l, it seems to be levelling out at 10 ish, a little higher than it should be but better than 30 three weeks ago.

Day 16

My first week at work as gone better than I expected. My diet was just about bearable, by noon I was proper Hank Marvin!

My diabetes is in better control now and my whole body and temperament seems to be better aligned. On monday there is a new guy starting work who will take a big chunk of work off my hands. This again should make things better for me.

The glucose level tiday was 10.5 mm0/l which is high, but not as bad as it was.

Day 15

I had my first road trip at work today, I had to visit a Farmer all the way down at Hastings in Kent. Road trips were always a problem with the amount and quality of food I would eat. Generally I would live on what I can buy at motorway service stations, food like chocolate, crisps, pies and burgers. All washed down with plenty of fizzy pop, all the things that are now on the do not touch list!

Today I took four slices of bread and jam, two oranges, one Necterine, an apple and a banana. Also a bootle of sparkling mineral water.

I managed to only eat the food that I took with me and only stopped once at a service station to use the toilet. I also saved at least £10 of my own money with not buying anything...

Yesterday my glucose level was 6.4 mmo/l which is outstanding, today it was back up at 12.3 mmo/l. Not sure why the levels are so mad?

Day 13

A normal day at work today! The problem is I take problems personally even if it's not my fault. However continuing on the good trip vibe, feeling better is helping me cope better with work. Next week a Project Manager will be starting, this will take a huge chunk of work off my plate.

Diet went very well today:

Breakfast:

3 Weetabix with UHT milk

Lunch:

1 Tin of Vegatable Soup
2 slices of wholemeal bread
1 banana
1 Necterine
Cherries

Dinner:

1 piece of fish
3 pices of grilled bacon
2 slices of wholemeal bread
4 Garibaldi biscuits

I do feel hungry just before I eat, but it is getting better.

Tomorrow I'm starting to double the amount of Metformin I take, I'll be taking 500mg in the morning and 500mg in the evening.

My Glucose count this evening was 8.4 mmo/l, it's ok and I'll keep at it.

Day 12

My first day back at work. So far it as gone ok!!!

Yesterday afternoon I went on a good hard bike ride, going up the Chevin near Belper. Anyone who knows the Chevin Knows how hard it is to get up to. Surprisingly I handled it very well, I'm so impressed with my fitness that I've bought some better handlebars for my bike.

I didn't take my glucose readings because the lateness of my meals and when i did my exercise.

Generally, I still feel a whole lot better than I did three weeks ago.

Day 11

Desite a phone call from work trying to wind me up, yesterday was a very good day. The diet is becoming second nature, last night I made chicken fajitas! Sounds fatty, but no:

1 chicken breast (little fat)
capful of olive oil
1 red pepper
1 onion
3 spoons of cottage cheese
3 tea spoons of salsa
3 wholemeal tortilla flours
1 1/2 packet of fajita mix

Fry the sliced chicken, pepper and onion in the olive oil. Add the fajita mix. Cook until the chicken is throughly cooked.
Put the tortilla in the microwave for 30 seconds
drain excess oil out of pan and scoop 3 equal portions onto the tortilla's then put on cottage cheese and salsa.
Wrap or roll them up and eat......

Cookery lesson over for today. My Glucose level was only 6.5 mmo/l but this reading isn't what it seems! I took the reading three hours later than uaual so wasn't a reliable reading.

All looking good, I hope starting back to work on monday goes smoothly....

Day 10

Things are definately looking up, the diet is becoming more normal. I ate out for the first time since this all started. I had a jacket potato with chilli con carni. No butter and a diet coke, I really enjoyed it.

I also had my first cheat on my diet, after dinner I had a chocolate couissant type thing that nuch bought. It was nice and so far the effects are none excistant.

My glucose count went right down to 6.1 mmo/l, that looks great, unfortunately I tested one hour later than normal and the effect of food in my body was lower. On a positive note all the readings do seem to be going in a downward arc, i'm under no illusion that i'm cured but I do feel better than I did this time last week. This is a rest of my life thing...

I also downloaded an app for my iPhone. Glucose Buddy allows you to log your daily food intake, glucose reading and excercise done. You load the data then it downloads it to their website so you can keep an up to date account of your diabetes. First inpressions are good.

Day 9

Another ok day. It was good not to have to go to the Doctors or have a blood test, they're running out of room on my arm!!!

The diet is going well, Looking round Morrisons today I rediscovered Quorn Vegaterian food, it tastes fine and as little fat and hardly any carbohydrate.

My glucose rate was 13.5mmo/l, even though it is higher than yesterday, it is still lower than what is as been. I think the deciding factor was the lack of my bike ride. Yesterday afternoon rained really hard so I didn't go out. However at about 7.30pm the sun came out and I went on a good 1-1/2 hour ride. I made it up Gorsy Bank which is a pig of a climb and a bigger pig to get to.

I'm getting my taste back for bike riding, who knows if I really get back on the bike I may have to treat myself to a better bike....

Day 8

My best day for along time yesterday, even though I didn't get the news I wanted from the Doctor, my body definitely felt better.

This morning my body felt like it had come out the other side of a detox. This could be down to a number of things. No alcohol, well balanced diet, tablets beginning to work and most of all a good dose of exercise yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon, I tested my blood, 2-1/2 hour after food and after an hour of hard cycling and it came out at 7 mm0/l. This is half what it as been. I think I need to check before exercise.

I feel better about work and plan to start back on Monday, even if I break myself back gently I need to get back into it.

Day 7

I've just got back from the Doctors, the verdict is that things aren't happening as quick as he wants them too.

He prescribed yet another drug, this time Metformin Hydrochloride 500mg. I have to take one in the morning for a week and providing there are no side effects go to two a day after that.

I did feel a little better yesterday and the glucose count was 15.8mmo/l, the spike of the other day cannot be explained.

One good bit of news is I have been given the ok to do some serious excercise, so today I'm going to treat myself to some new cycling shorts and get out on my MTB for some serious hard training. The Doctor said that weight loss is key to the control of my diabetes, so I can't wait to get started.

Day 6

Yesterday was not a good day! First of all I felt really ill and a couple of phone calls from work didn't help, its my own fault. I said to call if there were any issues and I'm in their debt for the time they are giving off.

I ate very well and treated myself to some Hellmans lighter than light mayonase and made myself a lovely chicken and celery salad.

The real low point of the day was my glucose reading, it had risen to 18.7 which is a real backward step.

I'm at the Doctors again on wednesday, I will ask how and if I can incorporate excercise into my new regime. I have to be careful, the tablets I take can send me Hypoglycemic.

Day 5

Yesterday was the first day I actually felt ill. I felt tense, flushed and easily to be on edge.

The diet thing is not making me happy, hunger seems to be stalking me. If I think about work and all the things that are going on their my face flushes up and I get a really bad headache. This is not good!!!!

The reading I took at 2.00pm was 15.9. The blood sugar level is the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is also known as plasma glucose level. It is expressed as millimoles per litre (mmol/l).

Normally blood glucose levels stay within narrow limits throughout the day: 4 to 8mmol/l. But they are higher after meals and usually lowest in the morning.

In diabetes the blood sugar level moves outside these limits until treated. Even with good control of diabetes, the blood sugar level will still at times drift outside this normal range.

Day 4

Hunger is still the pervading problem. The constant craving for food and knowing I can't have what I want is driving me mad.

I feel tired and this is compounded by not sleeping well at night. Even though I'm off work at the moment, I can't help but keep on thinking about it!! This isn't helping either.

Today I invested in a blood glocose monitor. I bought a Accu-Chek Compact GT. It only cost £15.69 from Boots, for what it does the price is very reasonable. There is a pricker on the side and when you prick your finger a test strip comes from the bottom of the monitor and you scoop the blood into the bottom of the strip and hey presto, you have your reading.

Plying about with it today I tested myself at 3.00pm and the result was 15.1 and then again at 7.00pm after my wholemeal pasta tuna salad and it was 16.5. The norm I think is 6, however at the Doctors on thursday it was 29!!!!

I post the daily result and hopefully it begins to go down.

Day 3

Yesterday was the first day on the new diet regime. How hungry was I?

Breakfast:

Cornflakes with skimmed milk

Lunch:

2 Tuna and tomato cobs

Dinner:

Vegatable stir fry
Fish finger sandwiches

Snacks:

4 Rice biscuits and cottage cheese
1 banana
1 Necterine

All this healthy food, doesn't seem to fill me up, or is it the fact my mind is playing games.

Lets see how today goes.

Day 2

I had to fast again last night. I don't normally eat after 8pm, but when you know you can't then you seem to feel really hungry.

This morning I have had to have yet another another blood test, this will be the last one in this arm because there is no space left. I will get the results next week.

I also took the first of my new tablets this morning. I now have to take one Gliclazide 80mg, This will rapidly bring down my sugar levels. Unfortunately they don't mix well with my Thyroid tablets, so there will be side effects.

Nuch and I just completed the weekly shop at Morrisons. No biscuits, pop, beer, cakes, pizza or any nice food! Instead Brown rice, wholemeal pasta, cottage cheese and rice cakes. Whoopy f***ing do!!!!

I know deep down this is all for the best and in a few weeks time this new life style will be the norm.

Day 1

August 5th, 5.00pm 2010.

This is the date and time when I found out I have chronic diabetes.

I can't say has it came as a shock, I'm overweight, eat very poorly, drink too much and don't do enough excercise.

Earlier this week I had to go home from work, everything was getting to much for me, everything that has been happening to me can now be squared away against the diagnosis of diabetis.

I'm going to use this blog to document what happens to me, I am going to get better, my mind is made up.....