"Being diagnosed as pre diabetic"

I asked my Gp could I have a blood test done for to check for diabetes as it runs in my family. The result was explained to me as anything from 38 to 42 was normal, anything from 42 to 48 was pre diabetic and then 48 on was diabetic. I tested as 46.

I started to follow the diabetic online guidance to try and lose weight and understand a bit more about why I was at risk.

My Gp put me on the list for the diabetes prevention programme NI.

This was the best thing that could have happened. Firstly, it was voluntary which I understand from talking to others among my friends is something a lot of them weren’t willing to do.

This I think is madness as it has really helped me. Anne-Marie, my health coach has just the right approach, lots of encouragement and empathy shown. She makes herself available to us all if we have difficulty with something and this makes a huge difference, as I myself called her while in Sainsbury’s and was confused by the food label on yogurt.

I had told her that I felt the booklet was great but I found it a nuisance going backwards and forwards to find what a serving of eg. 2 crisp breads was . Basically all the most helpful recap information that I require to keep me right I found hard to find because it was split up in different sections within the booklet. I think it would be great to have this all together at beginning or end of booklet as well as being in appropriate sections.

Anne-Marie listened and much to my delight has sent a recap of these pages in an email to us all. I have printed them off and laminated the pages as they will be used a lot by me!!.

I had my bloods done again last week and my doctor is very pleased my reading had went from 46 down to 38 !!.

All the family have lost weight and learnt more about why healthy choices are so important.

I would really like to see prevention being the overall important strategy employed by GP’s. When they see people overweight or raised levels in people’s bloods this should be acted upon immediately and a proper explanation given as to the importance of attending programmes like this one. Not everyone knows the full health horrors that await them if they turn diabetic and while I realise everyone has the right to choose whether to attend or not, they do need to be encouraged and supported to make the right choices. I am so great full my doctor did.

I realise this is lifetime changes I am making and have already slipped up but the thought of what will happen if I don’t keep myself right, for me, will keep me strong.