I’m in control of my diabetes at last!

"I’ve had weight problems since I was a teenager and matters finally came to a head in early 2003, when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Other than controlling my blood sugars, I made no real effort to lose weight, relying instead on the cocktail of pills I had been prescribed by my GP. I saw them almost like magic pills – I deluded myself into thinking I could eat what I wanted, and the pills would “magic” the sugar away. Of course, things don’t work like that.

I steadily put on weight over the next six years, despite a number of well-intentioned attempts at becoming more active and eating more healthily. When my daughter was born in 2005, I thought it would give me the impetus to change, but even that had only a short term effect. My life was one of continual denial – everything and anything that could be blamed for my weight gain was blamed - except for the one person (me) actually responsible for it all.

As I got more depressed, I ate – and ate – and ate. My weight ballooned and my blood sugars went from an acceptable range to borderline dangerous.

After avoiding my six monthly check-ups or having any blood tests done for eighteen months, I finally went to see the Diabetes Practice Nurse at our surgery. She insisted that I return to see her four weeks later for a follow-up – with a specific plan for losing weight and getting my blood sugars back under control.

I went home and discussed the options with my wife, remembering that she and my mother-in-law had attended Slimming World for around six months and had had some success at losing weight. She suggested we re-join – together- and almost fell over in shock when I agreed. We debated starting after Christmas, but in the end I told my wife that I had been putting this off until tomorrow for most of my life, and I wanted to start as soon as possible. We attended Susie’s group in Frimley the following week and my weight-loss journey started.

Ten weeks later, I have lost a stone and a half, three inches off my waist and chest, won Slimmer of the Week four times (including a half stone weight loss over Christmas) and Slimmer of the Month for December. I went back to see my GP to discuss my blood results, and he and the practice nurse were amazed to hear that I not only had a plan to lose weight, but that I’d already shifted a stone in the four weeks since my previous appointment. The doctor told me that a month earlier, I’d been at risk of doing some serious and irreversible damage to my health - but that I had pulled myself back at just the right time, and, provided I continued to lose weight, he was very optimistic that I could reduce, or even completely eliminate, the need for drugs to control my diabetes.

That’s not even the best news! Last week, I took a blood glucose reading that startled me so much I had to take it again. A second test confirmed the first result – my blood glucose was NORMAL – it was the lowest reading I have ever had since I was diagnosed as a diabetic six years ago.

I’m on top of the world, and with the help of my wonderful wife (who herself received her one stone award last night) and the support of our energetic and extremely supportive Consultant, I hope to hit my target around this time next year. Thank you Slimming World for helping to turn my life around."

Raffi, from Surrey

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