Diabetic

[daniel lawecki]

Work started a wellness program test come back glucose 291 everything else ok. Wife driving me nuts on what can eat and what I can,t eat. I just found out Friday More Doctors app monday they want me to have my eyes checked. Me I was worried about my left knee which hurts on a level 9 out of a 10. The menu at my house has changed in less than 48hrs getting old sucks I,m only 56.:mad:

[Houndog]

Daniel,
I've been a diabetic for more than 10 years and the one thing I can't stress enough is eating right! If you are in the first stages of Diabetes, a simple change in diet will go a long way toward fixing the problem! Avoid Bread, Potatoes, Corn, and other starchy foods, and avoid ALL alcoholic drinks of any kind at least untill your sugar levels are under control. Learn to eat 6 SMALL meals a day instead of 2 or 3 large ones. That helps minimize blood sugar spikes. After you get things under control, remember EVERYTHING in moderation and you will be well on your way of controling your disease.

As far as your joint pain, when you get your diabates under control you will find the inflamation that is the root cause of your joint pain will markedky decrease, mine did!

Testing your eyes on an annual basis is also a very good idea because Diabetes is a leading cause of eye damage and blindness if left untreated! Get your Diabetes under control and with a very few lifestyle changes it will be a small distraction instead of a MAJOR life altering disease.

[daniel lawecki]

Thanks for the heads up my knee is just wore out it points to left more than a few degrees. Thank you very much Daniel Lawecki

[Dorf]

What Houndog said +. Been there for the last 35 years and it sucks! Follow wlhat the Doc sez plus get pleanty of exercise and keep the weight under control as much as possible. It helps to control the sugar and saves the joints. Hope this helps. Stan

[Hardcast416taylor]

Back in my "Salad Days" I worked like a plow horse and ate anything that was called food. I was lean and muscular weighing just over 200 lb. and standing 6` 2" tall. Imagine my shock to be told I had diabetes type 2! So it doesn`t really make a great deal of difference if you think you are a healthy specimun or not - get checked. Up to now I`ve had cataracts removed from both eyes, left knee total replacement and the right one is telling me it won`t be long for it. My right hip is singing soprano and the left hip is humming in chorus! I`ve dropped in height to 5` 10 1/2" tall and am fighting to stay around 225 - 235 lbs.I`ve had colon cancer, a 6 - way heart bypass after a heart attack that I had no symptoms for it. I haven`t drank anything for at least 45 years and haven`t smoked in 30 or more. Yet, here I am on insulin 2 times a day and sticking myself to check blood sugar at least twice a day. There are 9 different pills I take in the morning and 4 in the evening. A thorough physical can reveal things about your health and well being that you have no inkling of.Robert

[snuffy]

So what is your A-1-C number? If they did a blood test with your regular appointment, they may have done that as part of blood test. The A1-C is a better indication of what's going on with the inability of your body to process sugar/carbs. Many people were improperly diagnosed with diabetes just by the blood sugar level alone.

I was diagnosed in 2002 with type 2 diabetes. It has progressed to having to use insulin to supplement what my pancreas is not doing enough of. You will be given a meter, at first you'll probably have to test 3-4 times a day, to get a handle on what's going on. At first, you'll most likely go on metformin to help the cells accept the insulin your pancreas is producing. A strict diet along with the metformin should control it nicely.

There are a LOT of sugar free products on the market. Russle Stover makes some real good chocolate candies. I'm a chocoholic, so I buy them a lot. Moderation is key even with those, they taste sweet because they use sugar alcohols, sorbitol, malitol, and others. The sugar alcohols are absorbed more slowly than plain sugar, but it WILL raise your sugar numbers. Blue bunny makes a good sugar free ice cream.

Get with a dietician. Both of you. Your wife will have to learn how to cook for you. Ask at restaurants for sugar free deserts, some have them.

[Rick N Bama]

I've had Type2 for about 7 years now. It's not a death sentence.

Rick

[blackthorn]

I was diagnosed with what they call "pre-diabetis" 3 years ago. They said "you are not diabetic yet" so try to controll it with diet and exercise. After a bit of research, I came to the conclusion that "pre-diabetic" is like being "a little bit pregnant"! So far following advice similar to that set out in post #2 has kept it under controll. I have lost two very good friend to Diabetis. One lost a leg and later developed congestive heart failure, his death was sort of quiet and relatively painless. The other guy lost one leg then the other and it moved to his hands. He died in misery, laying in a hospital bed, on drugs for the pain and unable to do anything for himself. Niether of these guys were overly carefull about following Dr's orders (1st guy more than the 2nd). I am not trying to scare you here just trying to bring home the importance of following Dr's orders and sticking to a benificial routine! The problem for me is that I do not feel like there is anything wrong, but I know there is and I will not willingly go the way my friends did. One last comment--if you are put on medication, it does NOT mean you can eat/drink anything you want on the assumption the meds will take care of you.

[dbosman]

Diabetes exacerbates all ills and all ills exacerbate your diabetes.
If you get a cold, it lasts longer and inconveniently, you're slightly more susceptible to infections.

If your physician is up on the last decades findings, they will want to work on your blood pressure and heart health before attacking your sugar levels. Follow their advice. Also consider, really consider, depression treatment if they suggest it. <sigh> yes, exercise and weight loss is one of the simpler healers.

There are a couple of things that still aren't known if causation or correlation. A great many diabetics suffer from depression and a great deal of depressed people have diabetes. Another issue is triglycerides. Most diabetics have high triglycerides and most people with high triglycerides have diabetes. Don't sweat that. It's just one of those things that is.

Oh, don't cut out pork products. Moderation, yes. Of all the meats, pork can - not will - can help with your insulin levels.

[daniel lawecki]

Snuffy my test for that is Monday morning Promedica Wellness progam did first bloodwork Doc order another. Will find out later in the week. Thanks for all your replies Dan cast boolit shooter.

[Wayne Smith]

Dan, I'm also type II. Count your carbohydrates. Do not eat more than 45gr. Carbs for each meal and half between meals. Always combine carbs with protein. Carbs alone cause insulin to put sugar into fat. Protein tells insulin to put sugar into the muscles and other cells. Any meal you question if you ate too many carbs check your blood sugar two hours after eating. If it is under 180 you ate well. If it is over that you ate too many carbs.

Exercise is the other major issue. If you are not exercising start, slowly, and build up. I hated exercize and didn't. When I started we had a climbing machine, I started and fell off after 2.5 minutes! Exhausted. By the end of the month I was pushing for 30 min.

When I was Dx'ed I had high BP, high colesterol, and high triglicerides. Today they are all controlled by diet and exercise. I am not on any meds at this time. I see my MD two to three times a year.

[firefly1957]

My doctor was whining about my sugar being 130-136 fast or no fast he listed me as type 2 but never told me? (I found that out when i had shoulder surgery) One thing he had me on was Niaspan for low good cholesterol guess what one of the side effects is.....wait for it.....high blood sugar maybe the meds he is prescribing in this case is causing the trouble that medication along with statins also cause muscle damage i do feel this is why my should froze as i can not find another reason at all.
I am overdue on revisit but would like to change doctors instead not because of him but his staff can never get me in when i am sick when i had bronchitis the gal on the phone said to use urgent care as they were booked then when i called to get appointed for revisit they could not get me in for two weeks i asked her why i need a doctor then at all. He does not listen either he had his dietitian give me a diet for my sugar that only allowed 6 ounces of meat a day and was all carbs? I mentioned it to him and he seemed truely offended that i was even mentioning it?

[iomskp]

I had been fighting it and ignoring it for 10 or so years, I got to the stage I was put onto insulin, that was the wake up, I lost 100 pound over about 2 years I walk between 5 and 10 miles a day, I still don't enjoy it but I don't want to loose my legs. You will have to work it out yourself, nobody else can do it for you.

Regards Trevor

[iomskp]

Forgot to add I do not need to take Insulin anymore.

Regards Trevor

[daniel lawecki]

Before I found out I weighted 262 now 232 5' 9 1/2'' he put me on Metformin HCL 500MG twice a day. I do exercise and my wife and I walk plus to grandkids that keep me moving I,m going to really miss my beer.

[doctorggg]

Dan,

I was diagnosed in 2005 with type II diabetes. I had been pre diabetic for a couple of years. I take 3 pills a day and my A1-C runs 6.1-6.3. Houndog had some very good advice for you. I was in denial for a while. Surprising since both my parents were diabetic. Maintain your regular checkups. I had to start taking Lyrica to stop the diabetic leg pain that kept me up every night. Be Blessed and take care of yourself. I'm 58 and you are right. Getting old does suck.

[Wayne Smith]

Dan, your MD is right. Any fasting blood glucose over 125 is causing physical damage to your body. This is the result of current research. Pay attention to your blood glucose, over 125 fasting and over 180 post paradinal (2 hrs after eating) and your body is damaged. This damage adds up over the years. This causes nerve damage as capillaries die and causes eye damage in the same way.

[daniel lawecki]

Thanks to all and good luck with all your health issues. We all have alot of lead to shoot so thanks again.

[Wayne Smith]

You are welcome, Dan. You are far from the only one here with this condition as well as others. If we can answer any other questions don't hesitate to ask. PM me if you want.

[tomme boy]

Be careful with the no sugar or sugar free stuff. Compare the carbs. I found that most regular cookies have lower carbs than the " sugar free " stuff. Stay away from anything that is fried or deep fried. Thats almost the same thing as eating pure sugar. The starches will also stay with you a lot longer than other carbs, so watch them also.

Mine was triggered when I stopped smoking. My body just came to a halt when I quit. Others have said it was from taking Chantix. It is one of the side effects.

[41 mag fan]

My wife 5 years ago came up diabetic. Was having problems for a yr before that, being tired, gaining weight when she should of been losing. She'd go to the Dr they'd do the tests, tests came back normal.
Finally after a yr of this, her secretary who was diabetic, tested her one afternoon, due to her head was pounding, she was really drug down tired. The meter tested her at 545!!
She immediately called the Dr, they got her in 20 min later and tested her and she was at like 520 then. Dr, couldn't figure out why she wasn't in a diabetic coma, or something like that.
They got her under control, she went to a diabetic specialist, who put her on 6 shots a day. This went on for a year, and she got into a diabetic dietician who looked at her medical records.
To back the story up, before the diagnosis of diabetes, she'd had 2 different tests on her thyroid, one that made her glow green, as I joked with her about. But both showed 2 and 3 pts away from being inactive, but the Dr said not enough to put her on thyroid meds.
Well the diabetic dietician looked at her records, told her her thyroid was dead, and put her on thyroid meds.
Immediately her blood sugar levels started dropping, within 2 weeks they were back to normal. 2 months after starting her thyroid meds, she went off taking insulin shots.
I believe this past March has been 4 yrs since she needed a shot.
Of course her Dr keeps insisting she's a diabetic, wants her on some type of pill for it, denies her thyroid has anything to do with it. BUT he wont take her off the thyroid pill because she's not needing the shots......sometimes Dr's can't explain whats happening and still think things should be this way or that way.

[shooterg]

I miss my Cherry Cokes and real sweet tea ! And white bread. Don't miss the 30 lbs. lost.
And still ain't on insulin, so I feel lucky. I believe the smell of gunpowder burning lowers sugar levels....

[Moonie]

I was diagnosed years ago and didn't take care of it as I should have, diabetic neuropathy is a really horrible thing. Numbness and pain that just won't go away, I caught it early and was able to reverse it. Nothing worse than pain in your hands and feet that nothing helps. As they have said, it isn't just sugar it's carbs. You learn to get along just fine without all of that stuff. This is one of the reasons I brew beer and make mead but don't drink. I enjoy the process and I get pleasure out of others enjoying the fruits of my labor.

[Wayne Smith]

Actually, once you are stable and your blood sugar is within normal limits without meds beer is not a problem, as long as you count the calories as part of your meal intake. The problem is not a beer or glass of wine with a meal as part of the meal, it is drinking to excess.

The above does NOT apply if you are on diabetic meds!

[dbosman]

Regarding beer.
It's one of those things I miss. ;-(
Fortunately most of the commercial crud isn't worth missing. As you will find out after you haven't had one for a year or so, and finally give in.
After you've been following your doctors advice for a year or so, Ask if you can have a beer once in a while. My doctor says I shouldn't, but ... that life should be enjoyed. It will affect you differently than it did pre-diabetes. Make A beer part of a special occasion and let someone else drive you home.

Regarding Chocolate.
That's a hard one to give up. You really need to though, so give up milk chocolate and all its sugars.
Hard, dark, high Cacao percentage is your new friend. Don't chew it. Savor a single piece occasionally.

[Rick N Bama]

I was diagnosed years ago and didn't take care of it as I should have, diabetic neuropathy is a really horrible thing. Numbness and pain that just won't go away, I caught it early and was able to reverse it. Nothing worse than pain in your hands and feet that nothing helps.

May I ask how you were able to reverse it? I have what my Doc called "Early Stage" Neuropathy in my left foot.

Rick

[dbosman]

Hopefully a silly question for Rick_N_Bama.
Are you and the doctor sure that you don't have athletes foot fungus?

[shooter93]

I don't know your situation, weight,history etc. but I can tell you what I did when my levels became elevated. Keep in mind I am not overweight and even at my age I still work construction so I'm fairly active. Anyway.....I started taking Cinnamon and Billberry. My glucose dropped 100 points and triglycerides dropped so much the Doctor said he has never seen such a drop so quick in his career. It's been about 6 months now and everything is still holding well in the normal renage. We talked about it just last week and he told me they need to do more research into those two as all the results they see with them are positive. So you may want to discuss this with your Doctor and get his opinions. I wouldn't tell you to start taking them but I do know this isn't the only supplement I take that has worked great for different problems.

[Ole]

I don't know if regular cardio is a habit for you, but it's a very important tool in helping your body control blood sugar levels.

Anything that raises your heart rate into the cardio zone for 30 minutes works. I love riding my bike and have ridden 4-6 times a week since April of 2011 when my doctor told me I was pre diabetic. Also take 2 500mg cinnamon pills with every meal.

[Rick N Bama]

Hopefully a silly question for Rick_N_Bama.
Are you and the doctor sure that you don't have athletes foot fungus?

Well all I can do right now is hope that she knows her business.

Rick

[Wayne Smith]

May I ask how you were able to reverse it? I have what my Doc called "Early Stage" Neuropathy in my left foot.

Rick

Rick, talk to your MD. There is at least one med that helps recover neuropathy and, I think, maybe two of them. If your MD doesn't know of them get to a specialist ASAP.

[Moonie]

May I ask how you were able to reverse it? I have what my Doc called "Early Stage" Neuropathy in my left foot.

Rick

By diligently working to reduce my carb intake, 5 for breakfast, 15 for lunch and 15 for dinner. Average blood sugar under 140 and A1C as close to or under 6.0 as you can get. GP's usually go by the what the diabetes association says and their guidelines are much higher, average 180 or under and A1C at 7 or below.

[R.M.]

By diligently working to reduce my carb intake, 5 for breakfast, 15 for lunch and 15 for dinner. Average blood sugar under 140 and A1C as close to or under 6.0 as you can get. GP's usually go by the what the diabetes association says and their guidelines are much higher, average 180 or under and A1C at 7 or below.
WOW,my dietitian allows me 45, 60, 60 carbs. Along with that I do take a boat-load of insulin to counter that.

[H.Callahan]

By diligently working to reduce my carb intake, 5 for breakfast, 15 for lunch and 15 for dinner. Average blood sugar under 140 and A1C as close to or under 6.0 as you can get. GP's usually go by the what the diabetes association says and their guidelines are much higher, average 180 or under and A1C at 7 or below.

WOW,my dietitian allows me 45, 60, 60 carbs. Along with that I do take a boat-load of insulin to counter that.
I think it partially determined by weight and also how far along the diabetes has progressed.

[daniel lawecki]

Today eye doc says everything is good staying away form things I,m not to have. Boy do I miss my beer fries and other things after all these where pretty good friends for many years. Lost a little more weight. From 262-232- 225 not bad. Instead of the bar I,m shooting more then ever. If I can do this I know alot others can so many many thanks to all and good health. Dan :D

[Mike in TX]

There are a lot of new medications that appear to be working. I was put on Invokana last month. My high BS is now 140 and fasting is 110 to 120. There are more than this but this one works for me. I have been on it for 3 weeks and lost 5 pounds.