I’m definitely more active now, and I’ve managed to lose 75 pounds which I’m really pleased about. The sessions helped me on a journey to believe that I could overcome the fatigue.

With Francesca’s advice and support, I gained the confidence to start making small changes every single day, keeping consistent with it. I stopped having those wild swings where I was walking one day and then doing nothing for the next three or four days. 

I caught the bug of being outside and being a bit more active, and it became something I wanted to do rather than a chore. Moving more is a part of my life now. It’s also helped with my fatigue, as that’s gone now, and I don’t suffer from the same aches and pains in my joints either. Physically I feel better, and mentally I do too. It’s been great for me and I’m really glad I discovered the service. 

After I finished my sessions, I knew I wanted to get onto a programme and keep my activity levels up so I joined a women’s optimal health programme. It’s really helped me on my journey to lose weight and stay active, but it’s also led to my HbA1c levels going down and my diabetes going into remission.

If it wasn’t for the helpline, I don’t think I would have had the belief in myself to get to the point I’m at today. It’s completely changed my lifestyle. 

The combination of making changes to my diet and taking up regular exercise meant that I lost a lot of weight quite quickly. My body has changed and I feel so much fitter and stronger. I even go for a little jog occasionally - whereas if you’d have asked me before I’d have said ‘I’ll never run again.’ 

I’m now 83 kilos and have lost more than 40 kilos. I feel so much more confident, because I have committed to something and made it work. It’s an achievement I’ve strived for all my life. And more importantly, my blood sugar levels are right back down. They were in the 80s and they are now 41. I am officially in remission. My doctor was absolutely amazed.

The One Million Step Challenge been a humbling and enriching experience. I’m so grateful for what it has brought into my life.

It felt amazing to be told I was in remission. My family were so pleased for me. The nurse said I just need to go back once a year, but I asked if I could go back in three months. I’ve read on forums people talking about remission and someone said, “Even when you’re in remission, psychologically you’re always diabetic,” and I knew what they meant. I feel like I will always be looking over my shoulder. It doesn’t get me down, as you come to terms with it, but it’s always there. 

To begin with, if I went out for coffee and got the little biscuit on the side, I wanted to eat it but knew it was a slippery slope. I’m absolutely determined not to let things slip and go back to how they were. Now that I’ve sustained my lifestyle and it has become second nature, I have the confidence to not be quite so stringent, and have treats occasionally. 

It’s not exactly been a walk in the park but a lot easier than I ever imagined. I do realise that it’s a change for the rest of my life, so I make sure that all my initiatives are realistically sustainable and not too onerous.

Health benefits

My efforts have paid off far beyond what I could have hoped for. Besides being in remission, I no longer need blood pressure medication, my cholesterol is reduced to optimum levels, my back, knee and hip pain has disappeared. I’ve also recently had it confirmed that I no longer have sleep apnoea (stop-start breathing while asleep), so I don’t need to use a CPAP mask – this is life changing in itself. 

Immediately after surgery, my consultant told me to stop taking the metformin medication. I had regular check-ups every six months thereafter with the amazing team at Shrewsbury Hospital. My bariatric dietician has been incredible with the level of support and advice she has offered me. 

Within four months of having the surgery, I had lost a further six stone and now weighed 12 stone. My sleep apnoea had gone and my regular blood tests showed my blood sugar levels (and other factors) had returned to normal, meaning that my diabetes was no longer within the diagnostic levels.

More than two years since the surgery, I am sticking to eating healthy and following the strict guidelines set by the bariatric team. Admittedly, I do have a treat every now and then, but within strict moderation. To my surprise, I am still able to eat many of the foods I enjoyed prior to surgery, though I do avoid junk food and fast food at all costs. Also, I have not had alcohol or fizzy drinks since the operation. 

I recall the reply I gave my consultant at my first post-op check-up when asked how I felt: “Liberated!” I feel so much healthier and I can do so much more than I did before surgery.
 

I was told I had put my diabetes into remission after about 10 weeks, this was in early December 2019. The NHS dietitian told me when I went to one of the fortnightly meetings and she had double checked with my GP. I was so happy that I started dancing around the room. 

I feel at least 20 years younger, I have so much energy now and I sleep like a log. Previously I used to wake up because I needed to go to the toilet and I was always tired. I used to get exhausted just by climbing the stairs and now I run up them. I’m exercising as well and have started walking and swimming. We were warned in the liquid phase not to do more than gentle walking in case we passed out. 

My weight has gone from 127 kilos to 99.6 kilos and my blood sugars have come down from 51 mmol/mol to 37 mmol/mol. 

But, I never once thought about giving up. I just keep telling myself that it’s a short-term pain and I can get through it.