***Diabetes***

I'll just consider this as a complaint!! LOL!! I have been an out of control diabetic for over 10 years and I honestly don't why I'm still suckin' up air. I am on glypizide when I can afford to go to the doctor, but I have no insurance and am considered *uninsurable* by the industry. So I get meds when I can but it is not enough to keep my sugars under control. Diet helps but then I lose self control and really blow it again. I am allergic to Metformin (it makes my liver go crazy) and they took me off Avandia when the heart attacks started. Now I have a diabetic ulcer on my left foot and it's been there for going on three years. The neuropathy is the hardest thing for me along with just being sick all of the time. The *glove effect* from the neuropathy is halfway up my calf now. I haven't felt my feet except that excruciating burn for about 3 years as well. The emergency room doctor had said that being sick, pain, and having high blood pressure will always keep the blood sugars elevated. Checking sugars was a ritual with me for a long time when I was first diagnosed. Now I don't bother. I know that's an apathetic attitude but I can't do anything about it anyway, so I've pretty much given up. Anyway that's my complaint...oh one thing though, if neuropathy sets in sometimes rubbing Vick's vapor rub on your feet will ease the pain of a dying nerve a little bit.

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SouthernMama, I too am a diabetic, but under control. I take metformin 1000 with dinner..I find that when I go out to eat, and forget my medicine, if i take a good long leisurely walk, my sugar will go down naturally..If you are on oral meds and on diet, then most likely, your pancreas is still producing insulin. Excercise stimulates your pancreas to produce more..so even if you dance around your living room with a broom for a bit after a meal, that can help. :)

When you're sick, your blood sugar will be unstable..when you're stressed it will too..lets face it, you feel sick, you get stressed, you check your glucose, and boom! its way up there, isn't it? We have an instinct called fight or flee..its caused by stress..what happens when fight or flee kicks in, is it produces more sugar, which in a "normal" person is used as energy to fight or flee.

In a diabetic, the sugar isnt metabolized as it should be by insulin, because our pancreas doesnt produce it properly, or at all in insulin dependant diabetics. Try to destress, take a walk in the mall or anywhere every day, at least 15 to 20 minutes or more if you can handle it..:) That may help you. Good luck dear.

Here is an EXCELLENT website that may help you. its free to join, has tons of recipes that are diabetic friendly and they taste good!

http://www.onetouchgold.com/

Edited on December 28, 2007 at 11:52 AM Quote

Yup...diabetic here. Metformin 500 three times a day.

I don't really restrict myself to be honest. I refuse to let food control my life. I eat when I am hungry, and don't overeat. (which is how I've managed to lose nearly 4 stone in just under two years)

The only concessions I make are to buy some reduced sugar products, and to cut down a lot on fatty products...but if I fancy them one day, I will have it!

I have been surrounded by diabetes all my life. My Dad, grandad, and great grandad all had it, two of my brothers have (had) it. All of us are (were) type 2.

I agree with the walking suggestion. I hate winter for the fact I can't do as much during the winter months, so I try to dance a lot around the house instead, lol

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I don't restrict what I eat except i cut back on carbs, and sugar.....BUT.hehe how can i not eat a few cookies at christmas? Moderation works.. I'm type 2 as well, and frankly, havent been this healthy in years. go figure.

When I had a cancer scare, went to the doc, was relieved that I didnt have cancer and it was "only" diabetes. lol i guess the better of 2 evils, but in having it, now take much better care of myself and my doc is absolutely amazed at how well i'm doing. my goal is to get off the metformin, and control it with a reasonable diet and excercise and weight loss. Seems to be working so far!

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one teensie thing, don't set yourself up to fail. start those hikes slow! there's nothing that says you have to start out hiking 5 - 10 miles when you first begin, and health wise, unless you're very fit, it may not be a great idea!! have some realistic goals. even if its only 1/2 mile or 1 mile...work your way up to your ulitmate goal. :) good luck to you!

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from tilly51 my father was diabetic but didnt have insulin onlly tablets and my brother is and on tablets my husband thinks i should get cheked i drink a lot of juice because i am always thirsty what do you thinkxxxxxx

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it never hurts to get checked if it runs in your family. I am not an insulin dependant diabetic. I'm on metformin. Do you heal well when you get cut? do you get up to pee a lot at night? are you really sleepy after a higher carb meal? Do you have mood swings? These are some of the things that I personally had to deal with. Symptoms can be different in each person. If you think you may have a problem, first of all, get off the juice and drink water. Juice is full of sugar, although it may be natural sugar from the fruit, its STILL sugar. Ask your doctor if you should have a blood test to check. he may just start with a finger stick and a glucose monitor. He may ask you to go for a fasting blood test, which is simply not eating for 8 hours before you go have your blood drawn..he may ask for a GTT..(glucose tollerance test) never know. each person and doctor is different, but if you even suspect a tiny bit, DON'T put it off. Catching it early can mean being treated with oral meds...i am working on getting off the oral meds and onto just excercise and diet.

Did you know, that when you excercise, it stimulates your pancreas which in turn will produce more insulin, which is what we're lacking..So if you have a working pancreas, excercising will help you produce the insulin you need. :) Good luck to you tilly. hugs.

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Wow, so glad to know I'm in such good company.

I was diagnosed 3 years ago after an event of such stress (my daughter nearly bled to death after a botched adult tonsillectomy putting her into ICU for 3 days and the hospital for a week and required 5 units of packed whole red cells to stabilize her)....my body, which was probably insulin resistant waaaaay before that and I didn't recognize it, rolled over into full blown diabetes after nearly losing her. At my initial diagnosis my BS was nearly 500. I felt wretched, but had figured it out on my own prior to seeing my doctor. My dad is diabetic and I borrowed his meter for a couple days, kept a log to take in with me.

I was doing somewhat ok on oral meds, although my numbers stayed high and we couldn't get any semblance of real control. Then it sort of leveled out when my doctor added Lantus once a day. I began at a modest 10 units....within six months that had jumped up to 50 units and I still was out of control. I got brittle so damned fast, numbers jumping all over the place despite my best diet and exercise efforts. My insurance has this stupid rule that you have to try and fail three oral meds before they will approve short acting insulin. I finally called them up and read them the riot act....every day I didn't have access to short acting insulin was like putting a bullet into my pancreas as it destroys what little islet cells that may still be functioning. They relented.

For the past year and a half I've been on (still) the Lantus, still at 50 units a day and short acting Novolog on a 1 to 10 ratio for my "sweet" adjustment (1 unit of insulin for every 10 points I'm over my target number of 110) and 1 to 20 ratio for my food adjustment. I usually take about 60-100 units of short acting insulin a day. Oh yeah, and when you're on insulin you gain weight like CRAZY! That's the part I really hate. That and you run out of spots on your tummy to inject and you can't mix the spots....Lantus is time released by turning into crystals in the fat layer that slowly dissolve. If you were, say, to inject short acting insulin into a spot of Lantus crystals....well let's just say you get pretty sick and feel like yer dyin'. Trust me, BTDT..... I test approx 20 times a day. If you don't think THAT'S disrupting to your workday, I'm a paralegal and it's a PITA!

Two weeks ago I decided to get brave and start the high protein low carb diet....I've lost 14 pounds! But the most amazing thing of all is my need for insulin dropped away by nearly 50%. Today I've had no insulin at all and have had some readings around 133. I am just stunned....and it gives me hope that once I lose this weight, perhaps I can also leave some of this insulin behind using diet as the barometer and monitor myself very closely.

Sooo, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I've read all your stories with interest.....PM me anytime if you want to chat.
Hugs,
Deb

Edited on January 24, 2008 at 2:50 AM Quote

whew! sounds like you've been through the wringer Deb! Good luck with the low carb and high protein! I really hope that helps put your sugar into some sort of control on a long term basis. :)

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Hello fellow diabetics... I had no idea I was in company. I like this thread. My story is short and not so sweet, actually weird timing.

I was diagnosed about 5 years ago when I had a toenail removed on my big toe that got infected an wouldnt heal properly. I was on oral meds for about 3 years that didnt work. In the third year my blood sugars ran up to 500 daily. No, I didnt eat exactly right, but I was an officer working the street. Not an easy job for someone who needs to be careful what they eat. You find yourself running through drive-throughs and munching on your way to your next call. I was soon put on insulin. Novolog durring the day... almost 6 times a day, then Levemir, 55 units at night....this helped some.
On August 17th of 2007, I left work around 10am to go see my doctor. My right foot was swollen and red. they said celluites, but put me in the hospital. From that day on, I never returned to work... I was hospitalized 6 more times from that date through mid December. The infection had turned into osteomilites... bone infection. On January 15,2008 They amputated the last two toes and the entire right side of my right foot. I am still bed ridden and unable to walk. I have to rely on my husband to help me and fix me meals and bring them to me. I am almost like an invalid.... this is awful. I have never had an illness that kept me down for more than 3 days before, I have been in the bed for over two weeks. The pain is unbareable at times. I felt well enough the other day and today to be propped up at my computer desk. I even sang some yesterday. The depression is enormous. I wont work anymore, I have been declared disabled through my job. My doctors advised me yesterday to go ahead and apply for social security disability, and they issued me a handicap sticker... that was heart wrentching for me. I have worked since I was 15, I am almost 41. I enjoyed the first few months off, but now I am restless. Im not sure if I desire to ever go back into the work force, my doctors say I dont need to. I also suffer from depression and stress, since I have been at home, my sugars have naturally dropped to the low 200's. The insulin works better now and the only stress I have is my recent amputation. I will have to learn to walk again, and will always have a cane. Right now, in my depression, my mind tells me that I will never perform on stage again, or go out, or dance, or run down the beach. My husband says I'm silly, that I will do those things again. One things for sure though, I wont wear sandels again. I got a lot of pretty high heels size 10 if anyone needs them...LOL. I have to laugh I suppose, right now, I dont see anything else to do. Thanks for listening... thanks for this thread.

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Karaokelady38 wrote:Hello fellow diabetics... I had no idea I was in company. I like this thread. My story is short and not so sweet, actually weird timing.

I was diagnosed about 5 years ago when I had a toenail removed on my big toe that got infected an wouldnt heal properly. I was on oral meds for about 3 years that didnt work. In the third year my blood sugars ran up to 500 daily. No, I didnt eat exactly right, but I was an officer working the street. Not an easy job for someone who needs to be careful what they eat. You find yourself running through drive-throughs and munching on your way to your next call. I was soon put on insulin. Novolog durring the day... almost 6 times a day, then Levemir, 55 units at night....this helped some.
On August 17th of 2007, I left work around 10am to go see my doctor. My right foot was swollen and red. they said celluites, but put me in the hospital. From that day on, I never returned to work... I was hospitalized 6 more times from that date through mid December. The infection had turned into osteomilites... bone infection. On January 15,2008 They amputated the last two toes and the entire right side of my right foot. I am still bed ridden and unable to walk. I have to rely on my husband to help me and fix me meals and bring them to me. I am almost like an invalid.... this is awful. I have never had an illness that kept me down for more than 3 days before, I have been in the bed for over two weeks. The pain is unbareable at times. I felt well enough the other day and today to be propped up at my computer desk. I even sang some yesterday. The depression is enormous. I wont work anymore, I have been declared disabled through my job. My doctors advised me yesterday to go ahead and apply for social security disability, and they issued me a handicap sticker... that was heart wrentching for me. I have worked since I was 15, I am almost 41. I enjoyed the first few months off, but now I am restless. Im not sure if I desire to ever go back into the work force, my doctors say I dont need to. I also suffer from depression and stress, since I have been at home, my sugars have naturally dropped to the low 200's. The insulin works better now and the only stress I have is my recent amputation. I will have to learn to walk again, and will always have a cane. Right now, in my depression, my mind tells me that I will never perform on stage again, or go out, or dance, or run down the beach. My husband says I'm silly, that I will do those things again. One things for sure though, I wont wear sandels again. I got a lot of pretty high heels size 10 if anyone needs them...LOL. I have to laugh I suppose, right now, I dont see anything else to do. Thanks for listening... thanks for this thread.

This is what I am going to the emergency room for as soon as hubby gets home today and it scares the hell out of me. He is taking me to the teaching hospital and that scares me even more cuz they almost killed my sister-in-law and that is still in litigation 6 years later! My large toe and the ball of my foot are pretty much necrotic and you can see the bone in the ball of my foot. I am so freaked out I'd almost rather just lay down and wait for gangrene but I don't think I can do that either. You have way more guts than I do my friend!! The only is I am glad to have met someone who has been through it. Please pray for me!!

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My diabetes seems insignificant after reading some more in here. Whiskey, get yourself to that hospital as soon as....even though there was a problem with your sister, it doesn't mean it's going to happen to you, and the alternative to going is unthinkable.

So sorry to hear of these things, and you too karaokelady....just awful.

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TO ALL YOU DIABETICS OUT THERE. IN ORDER TO GET YOUR DIADETES UNDER CONTROL, I SUGGEST YOU GO ON AN ALL VEGGIE DIET FOR A MONTH OR TWO. I'M TALKING ABOUT FRESH VEGGIES. ALSO ADD BARLEY TO YOUR DIET AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. IT WILL CLEANSE YOUR SYSTEM AND YOU WILL BE SURPRISED AT HOW WELL YOUR SUGAR DROPS. I TOOK CARE OF MY MOTHER IN LAW FOR 6 YEARS. SHE WAS ON SHOTS 3 TIMES A DAY PLUS PILLS. HER DIABETES WAS OFF THE CHARTS AT FIRST. SHE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE 86 AND IT WASN'T FROM DIABETES. ALSO, IF YOU TAKE ARTIFICAL SWEETENER, IT IS WORSE FOR YOU THAN SUGAR. IT CAUSES MS SYMPTOMS. IT TURNS TO FORMALDIHIDE IN YOUR BLOOD. LOOK IT UP ON THE NET.

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Karaokelady38 wrote:Hello fellow diabetics... I had no idea I was in company. I like this thread. My story is short and not so sweet, actually weird timing.

I was diagnosed about 5 years ago when I had a toenail removed on my big toe that got infected an wouldnt heal properly. I was on oral meds for about 3 years that didnt work. In the third year my blood sugars ran up to 500 daily. No, I didnt eat exactly right, but I was an officer working the street. Not an easy job for someone who needs to be careful what they eat. You find yourself running through drive-throughs and munching on your way to your next call. I was soon put on insulin. Novolog durring the day... almost 6 times a day, then Levemir, 55 units at night....this helped some.
On August 17th of 2007, I left work around 10am to go see my doctor. My right foot was swollen and red. they said celluites, but put me in the hospital. From that day on, I never returned to work... I was hospitalized 6 more times from that date through mid December. The infection had turned into osteomilites... bone infection. On January 15,2008 They amputated the last two toes and the entire right side of my right foot. I am still bed ridden and unable to walk. I have to rely on my husband to help me and fix me meals and bring them to me. I am almost like an invalid.... this is awful. I have never had an illness that kept me down for more than 3 days before, I have been in the bed for over two weeks. The pain is unbareable at times. I felt well enough the other day and today to be propped up at my computer desk. I even sang some yesterday. The depression is enormous. I wont work anymore, I have been declared disabled through my job. My doctors advised me yesterday to go ahead and apply for social security disability, and they issued me a handicap sticker... that was heart wrentching for me. I have worked since I was 15, I am almost 41. I enjoyed the first few months off, but now I am restless. Im not sure if I desire to ever go back into the work force, my doctors say I dont need to. I also suffer from depression and stress, since I have been at home, my sugars have naturally dropped to the low 200's. The insulin works better now and the only stress I have is my recent amputation. I will have to learn to walk again, and will always have a cane. Right now, in my depression, my mind tells me that I will never perform on stage again, or go out, or dance, or run down the beach. My husband says I'm silly, that I will do those things again. One things for sure though, I wont wear sandels again. I got a lot of pretty high heels size 10 if anyone needs them...LOL. I have to laugh I suppose, right now, I dont see anything else to do. Thanks for listening... thanks for this thread.

This is a certain eye opener. And i hope you don't give up, and will keep trying. A little story... We have a family friend from upstate, shes a type 2 diabetic. She woke up one morning last spring with a little dot on her foot..tiny infection. By that evening she was admitted, and they took her big toe, most of the ball of her foot and part of the instep..she spent months in the hospital with that..BUT now, she does work, she drives a bus, (not saying you should go drive a bus) she is fully enjoying life, not using a cane and an all around fun very active woman. It was the inside of her foot, not the outside, but don't ever let anyone tell you that you won't or can't do it. Don't give up trying. Sometimes you have to go thru the yucky stuff and then things will get better. Good luck to you. You'll do lots of the things you mentioned when you're better. :)

BTW, when you ask Cathy what happened to her toe...she'll look you straight in the eye and say..."They took it away on the toe (tow) truck. *rolls eyes.

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Thank you Lupi! I appreciate that! Has anyone heard from Whiskey? I sent her a PM the day she posted, I havent gotten a response... Im sure they admitted her, or at least I hope they did.

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I just heard from Whiskey! You guys send her some love. They did admit her and she is home now doing some better! Shes going through some stuff, so you guys let her know you care!

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thank goodness she went. Thank you for the update on her Karaokelady.

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Yes thanks for the update on her. I'm glad she got the courage up to go and get sorted...hope it wont be long before she's up to being back amongst us!

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I went, they took off my big toenail and it was severely infected in only 8 hours!! And I have a bone infection because of the foot ulcer. I got all kinds of tests (chemical stress test, circulatory test, bone x-rays etc.), they gave me a pic-line for clendamyacin once a day. It is a God send that I went to Providence Hospital instead of OHSU. They put me on charity-care for the time being so alot of things are covered. (I think divine providence had a lot to do with that!) They did find that I have some kidney damage (scares me) but don't need dialysis yet (good thing). They gave me meds for the depression and high blood pressure and a lot of encouragement. All in all I'm glad I went but I was there from 1/31 til 2/5. I was begging for a laptop just so I could listen to you guys! LOL! Don't know when I will be singing again, maybe today or tomorrow but so much to sort through. Sure missed you all and Amy thank you so much for all your moral support! Love and Hugs...Shawna

Edited on February 6, 2008 at 12:17 PM Quote

JUDYGIRL531 wrote:TO ALL YOU DIABETICS OUT THERE. IN ORDER TO GET YOUR DIADETES UNDER CONTROL, I SUGGEST YOU GO ON AN ALL VEGGIE DIET FOR A MONTH OR TWO. I'M TALKING ABOUT FRESH VEGGIES. ALSO ADD BARLEY TO YOUR DIET AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. IT WILL CLEANSE YOUR SYSTEM AND YOU WILL BE SURPRISED AT HOW WELL YOUR SUGAR DROPS. I TOOK CARE OF MY MOTHER IN LAW FOR 6 YEARS. SHE WAS ON SHOTS 3 TIMES A DAY PLUS PILLS. HER DIABETES WAS OFF THE CHARTS AT FIRST. SHE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE 86 AND IT WASN'T FROM DIABETES. ALSO, IF YOU TAKE ARTIFICAL SWEETENER, IT IS WORSE FOR YOU THAN SUGAR. IT CAUSES MS SYMPTOMS. IT TURNS TO FORMALDIHIDE IN YOUR BLOOD. LOOK IT UP ON THE NET.

YUP - if you must eat breads, use ONLY whole wheat, preferably with Flax and Barley....recent studies show ANY diet sodas will make you worse (the sugar-free is just bio engineered sugar - the molecule is changed, but the body really doesn't like it)...take a page from your grandmother and eat porridge at breakfast..add some wheat germ while cooking...can take up to 15% off your level..
fresh veggies (small amount of meat won't hurt) except potatoe is the answer....

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I just went to the doctor yesterday and they are going to check me for diabetes. It does not run in my family but I was diagnosed with pancreatitis 2 yrs ago. Went into the emergency room 2 yrs ago for awful stomache pains and non stop throwing up. I had a gastric bypass a few years back and cuz of it, it seems a build up of scar tissue decided to choke my large intestine, so it was making me sick. Had to have it removed( scar tissue not large intestine lol) and in the process other test were made and found out I had pancreatitis. The doctors have no clue as to what caused it but I have it. My insurance ran out at the time ( ex-husband took me off his insurance) and have not had insurance untill a few months ago. So because of the pancreatitis, the doctor fears I may have diabetes. I truly hope not but if I do, I will surely have to come to talk to you ladies and will have lots of questions. So be ready! LOL :)

Edited on February 6, 2008 at 12:38 PM Quote

Any time darlin. I think a big part of being able to deal with diabetes is accepting it and taking it head on as a big challenge. worked for me anyway..I am the first in my entire family to have it..it's not so bad, and i really am more healthy now that i eat properly now..(most the time) Good luck Cheeky. :) chin up.

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My Mother is a diabetic and she has fought a long battle with her toe, but it healed and we thanked God for that. My brother lost his job due to the company moving out of the country so he has been taking care of Mom, We live in different states. He never had a clue as to what to cook or how, so he started watching the A&E channel and by golly that little booger can cook. He cooks only lowfat meals, and substitutes spices for salt or sugar. When I go visit I look forward to it, I always learn new recipes.
I constantly check my blood sugar, because I am overweight and Diabeties runs in my family prety harsh. My husband has discovered that he is diabetic also, but his is stage 2, he controls it with diet and exercise.

I also started walking, and it has helped me tremendously. I'm watching my diet too because I know if I dont i'm a good canidate for diabeties.

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I'm a home health nurse and and have armed myself with a lot of information over the years in order to help my patients. My dad is also a diabetic - he has always been thin and for many years controlled his sugar with diet alone until he got older and had to start taking pills. Both his mom and dad had diabetes, so his chances of getting it were greater than average.

For a new diabetic or one who has trouble getting blood sugars under control, I often set up a consultation with a nutritionist. I often find that three meals and two to three snacks helps keep blood sugar under control. Many have no idea what to eat. I always emphasize lean protein and veggies with high quality, complex carbs like oatmeal or flourless whole grain bread like Ezekiel bread on the side. For snacks I often recommend things like a small apple with natural peanut butter or two to three cups of air popped popcorn.

If someone is overweight, weight loss is encouraged. Exercise is encouraged on a very regular basis for everyone, as that helps regulate blood sugars as well. Sometimes it takes several medication tweakings to get sugar under control also.

I had a diabetic patient who accidentally stepped on a nail outside his home
which went right through his sneaker and the bottom of his foot. Because his circulation was impaired from diabetes, he didn't feel it until he developed a massive infection. This required a month long hospital stay, a month in rehab, one month long hospital readmission, the amputation of three toes, and six months' worth of dressing changes at home. Still, once we got him home and he got nutrition counseling as well as instruction on the diabetic disease process itself, we were able to help him lose 20 pounds, keep it off and keep his sugars before breakfast in the 90's. So it is possible to lead a normal, active life with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Education is key!

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Count me in...Type II...I take one Tolazamide twice daily...works like a charm combined with a balanced diet, (or mostly balanced)...but I constantly have low low low blood sugar levels now, and adjusting the meds didn't help, so now I just make sure I eat sporadically, and not to wait too long before my blood sugar drops, because when a low blood sugar attack hits me, it makes me pretty ill. Ask Paddy, he's seen me go alll wobbly woozy nauseated and headachey, dizzy, and it's like I'm drunk and I fall down and act/talk weird...yikes!

I too have lost 45 or so pounds...but it's an uphill battle.

A worthwhile battle though, I highly recommend fighting the fight and keeping yourself in check if you have diabetes...I've got some happy plans in my future, so I need my health to be up to par.

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hey all...mother (86) now lives with us...she is diabetic2 and now...under control ( I take her blood 4 times a day) like her doctor told me to do....

what numbers should she have?...I can show her numbers for the past three days if someone would like to comment....

and a 7 day 'easy' meal plan would be great to see..and would help me..thanks in advance...

lupiapple...onestepgold is what mother uses..we just got the meter.....has used others in the past...
mandy...my family too has had diabetes..both sides...but I havent really payed attention on what to do or how until mother moved in....

Edited on February 11, 2008 at 2:10 PM Quote

Mme, their website is free, and it has meal plans, recipes, tips that can help with control. My recomended numbers are below 113 before meals, (morning) and below 180 when checked 2 hours after meals, but my after meal readings are usually around 115 or below. I only check mine twice a day..morning, which i'm gonna do right now, and 2 hours after dinner. I hope that gives you some sort of guidelines.:)

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thank you so much for your guideline....this does help me to see a bit..thanks

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Im diabetic... I'm so glad im in england,how aweful not to be able to afford med's.. I feel so bad for u all xxxx I didn't know metforming went into the 1000 I have 3 of the 800 to take a day plus gliclazide twice a day and 10ml of insulin only in morning....Plus I do have neuropathy but with muscle weakness which has taken me since 05 to make them believe me... Now they do And im off into hospital on the 3rd for treatment ,My fingers are crossed it will work.Just to have feeling in my hands and feet again will be nice plus to be able to walk my stairs without feeling like an old person and having to pull myself up..I used to have a treat then rush onto my electric tredmill cos it sure does bring the sugars down..Dont know if it happens to anyone else,but if i sing a fair bit I get low lol

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Well, I got my blood work back and it appears I don't have diabetes, nor pancreatitis.*whew* :)

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awww really pleased for u xx

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ewwww so sorry to hear that {{{hugs}}}

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WOW, THANKS FOR THIS CATEGORY OF DISCUSSION. MY REAL NAME IS JAIME MARTINEZ. MY RACE OF PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET THIS DISEASE. THE REASON IS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CONTENT OF GREASE OR CARBS " TORTILLAS" THAT WE CONSUME. I DON'T BLAME ANYBODY FOR MY INFLICTION BUT MYSELF. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER(AROUND 11 YEARS OF AGE) I WAS VERY ACTIVE. MY ACTIVITIES INCLUDED RUNNING, BOXING, AEROBICS, AND ALSO I ACQUIRED A BLACK BELT IN AIKIDO. MY WEIGHT WAS 186LBS. WHEN I MARRIED I STOPPED DOING ANTHING OR DID MY ACTIVITIES TO A MINIMAL. NOW I WEIGH 310LBS AND HAVE DIFFICULTY TO BREATH. WHEN I SING I TIRE VERY EASILY, BEING AN OWNER OF A VERY SUCCESFUL BUSINESS OF KARAOKE (EXTREME DJ AND KARAOKE) I HAVE TO SING ALOT HOPING THAT SOMEONE WOULD SIGN THOSE LITTLE PAPERS SO THAT I COULD TAKE A BREAK. NOW I HAVE PUT MYSELF ON A DIET AND NOW WEIGH 286LBS AND FEEL BETTER, FAR FROM MY GOAL OF 220LBS BUT CONTINUING. SOMETIMES I GET DISCOURAGED, BUT I SEE MY KIDS AND PUSH MYSELF HARDERWHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT CONTINUAL ACTIVITY WILL HELP IN CONTROLLING YOUR SUGAR LEVELS. IF I EAT A COOKIE, OR 5, I WAIT ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL I FEEL MY SUGAR LEVELS RISING
(USUALLY BY FEELING DIZZY ) I GO OUTSIDE TO WORK ON THE YARD OR WALK AROUND THE BLOCK. PRAY FOR ME TO ACHIEVE MY GOAL. I ALWAYS HAVE BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF PRAYER, BUT BELIEVE IN STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. GOD BLESS AND THANKS.

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well hi e1....... didnt know this chat was here...... yes l am diabetic type 2.. l was diagnosed 3 years ago.... l am from UK so dont really understand your monitor readings as here in UK the perfect sugar reading is between 4 - 10.... why cant we alll take same readings.. l started on metformin straight away and diet. it was soon apparent that this was not good enough, I was on other diabetic pills too (cant remember name) l was put on insulin a year ago, l am on the fast and slow mix insulin.. started off on 12 units breakfast and evening meal and now l am on 60 units twice a day... I am on 500mgs metformin X 4 at evening meal (2000 mgs) but l feel like a walking pharmacist. with cholesterol meds, blood pressure, beta blockers for heart, and a range of other things. I have painful neuropathy of the feet which gives me hell at times, arthtitus in the knees and my doc wont put me on anti inflamatories cos prolonged use damages kidneys and she says my diabetes is already doing that.... l am very overweight. l sometimes get fed up with it all. whats the point l wonder. l dont feel like my life is my own. its like being in a prison but the prison is my own body. l need to exercise but my knees and feet wont let me. l get so down sometimes l go out and binge on things l shouldnt eat then l get annoyed with myself and my neuropathy hurts twice as much, oh and did l mention that l am now getting painful neuropathy in my hands. started getting the burning sting in my fingers. l wonder if some day l will lose use in them, cant walk, cant eat, cant live... do l sound depressed yep for sure. my main joy has been in singsnap, l dont pretend to be an artiste but can hold a tune l guess, heaven forbid if l ever lose use of my fingers, think l would give up... l am sorry to burden e1 with my woes but l just need to speak out, ok going for a ciggie and a cry and then to bed, its now 1.36am here in UK, nite all... again sorry, Gina

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I just happen to stumble across this thread, No I am not a diabetic however my oldest son who is 21 is....a type 1

The hardest thing was him going into his 9th grade age 15 loved football etc...On april fools day I rush him to the hospital to be told he is full blown diabetic sugars was well over 900...From that moment on it changed his life.... He didnt finish school, gave up on sports...and till this day does not check his sugars... he will be 22 soon, It saddens me to see him let his life go by....

He is a Father of a beautiful 2 year old almost 3 year old and one on the way....... I tell him you dont want to take care of yourself do it for your children they will be the ones to suffer.... he finally checked his sugars the meter says *HI* well yeah i suppose it is ..... Time for check up..... If he dont do it, then this mother will make him.....

I can only do so much but i need my son around... 4 shots a day he could get on the pump if he controled this better..... Sighs.......

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FolkyRose, thats a lot on your plate, yes. But when you feel ok, even a little walk is better than nothing. It doesn't have to be brisk, pound the pavement walk. A 20 minute stroll maybe 3 times a week to start? I'm fat, not just overweight. I am fat, and I know about the pains in the knees, but I walk the track, have lost 30 lbs so far, (kinda stayed dormant this winter) but even that 30 lbs of weight off my knees made a huge huge difference. I don't have pain anymore in them. I started by walking 15 minutes a few times a week, limited my carbs, did all the things i was told to do. You CAN eat, and if you can move around at all, then you CAN excercise. If you can't walk around, do leg lifts, use little weights to lift..no weights? Tins of veggies..it don't matter what, as long as you move around. There have been a few websites presented in this topic. Visit them and read and see if they can offer you any help in what you can do to help yourself more.

Be strong and not depressed, but determined. It's something that a whole lot of us have to deal with and live with. It may not be fair, but hey.....i did this to myself. I can't blame anyone else for my being fat and choosing not to keep my body in shape.

I am lucky, I don't have to have any insulin shots as of now, and I'm determined not to, and to get off the metformin, control this with diet and weight loss. DON'T GIVE UP.

http://www.onetouchgold.com free to join website

http://1800caloriediabeticdiet.com/

Good luck to you. You can do it. :)

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Renee, I really hope your son can get on the right track. The pump is an amazing advancement. Maybe the doctor can encourage him to check it out if he can get his sugars under control. Type 1 is a whole different can of worms, but the research is so positive to help type 1 diabetics.

I hope he does go to the doc, and gets this under control. Those babies need their daddy. Maybe that will motivate him more. I wish him and you the best.

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this is a great thread Southernmomma!

i work in the hospital, skilled rehab facility/nursing home, home health and out patient clinic and we always emphasize proper foot care for diabetes... really always been taken for granted until the worst happens... this is by my experience in the US region that i work at.. Education is the best prevention tool.... and this is a great thread to share info from different countries worldwide...

also my family has high probability of having diabetes, heart problems and stuff like that so I'm really interested in knowing more of these conditions... such as one time i was watchin TV and one of the ads caught my attention regarding diabetes... so i went online ( i actually forgot the name lol) and ordered stuff... they sent me a CD and a list of food with their corresponding GLYCEMIC INDEX.... so i compared eating jasmine rice from long grain and Biriyani (indian) rice and what a big difference! from then on, i stopped buying jasmine rice coz of it's high starch/sugar content... has anybody heard of this ad/commercial and ordered additional info?

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I'm not currently diabetic, but I become diabetic during pregnancy, and I'm about 8 weeks away from the test. Thankfully last time I was able to control it with diet, hopefully this time too.

What's scary, and I know this is what happened to my Mother, is that even if I get myself back to a healthy weight after this baby I still have a 25% chance of developing type 2 diabets in the next 12 years or so. I was very careful to follow the diet because I was probably more scared of trying to birth a 10 lb baby than I was for my own health...but....

My Mother was type 2, diagnosed after one of my sisters was born. I'm not sharing this to judge or hurt anyone, or to worry anyone, just as my story and experience with this horrible disease, hopefully to encourage some of you to take better care of yourself, and just as a way of sharing my horrible fear of this disease!

I lost my Mother in 2002 when she was 48 years old due to complications from diabetes. She took insulin but never regularly, she checked her blood sugars, but not regularly. She did however REGULARLY drink large quantities of Coke Classic (about 8 cans a day) and at least one maybe 2 packages of m&m's a day. She pretty much ate what she wanted.

She started having vision problems at age 35, her she had to have all her teeth removed and wear dentures at age 37 (probably not the diabetes, but rather they were eaten up by the constant sugar and acid from her pop drinking). She lost kidney function at age 42 and went on home dialysis, (the kind where you put a bag of fluid into your abdominal cavity every 4 hours and then drain it) She lost a leg at age 44, she was declaired legally blind at age 45, and she was placed in a nursing home at age 46 because a full body infection had so weakened her that she could no longer care for herself. She was just a few weeks from her kidney transplant (I was going to be her donor) when she got that final infection.

I was very grateful that she was able to come to my wedding but she died just 4 months after from a very bad infection.

I will not sugar coat it...I am TERRIFIED of this disease. I think it is absolutely horrendous that insurance companies will not insure pre-diagnosed diabetics. Whiskey....hon...I feel for you and I'm so glad you got on that hospital's charity care.

I hope everyone here TAKES CARE OF YOURSELVES!!! If you cannot afford insulin or other medications, please at least monitor your diet! It was awful to watch my Mother literally fall to pieces. It is rampant in my family so I will...after this baby...exercise and take control of getting myself to a healthy weight. I will avoid this disease at all costs. I also hope that someday soon a cure can be found!

Renee - I am sorry your Son is sooo in denial. Please share this with him if you think it will help. To this day me and both of my sisters harbor a bit of resentment towards our Mother because we know she could have done more to take care of herself. She was a NURSE for crying out loud...she knew the risks and yet she couldn't give up her Coke. For the sake of his dear children he needs to take control!

Hugs to all of you!

Edited on March 14, 2008 at 10:32 AM Quote

I too am a diabetic....For those of you who have no insurance and can't afford meds.. You can go to your local health dept. they can assist you in getting your meds from companies that make them and offer them to people who have no way of getting them.. If you have access to the computerl, go to Needymeds.com anyone can be an advocate for you. All you need is the perscription from a Dr. and prooof of income.. If you have no income you can get a letter from someone that knows you and is willing to state that you have none, or you can use last years income tax papers. If you didn't file you can sign a paper stating that.. Each program and med offered explaines to you how to obtain it. This is what I do for the health dept. that I work for. I have assisted hundreds of people who have no way of getting their meds. I hope you find this helpful. Also don't be so hard on your selves.. It is not easy watching the world enjoy the things you used to eat, however a trip to your local libary and you will find many helpful recipes for the tastiest of desserts and main courses offered for diabetics.. Stop looking at your disease as a curse and start thinking of it as an education.
God bless you all.
Sandygilliam

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Hello all.. I'm not a diabetic .. however my daughter is what they call a fragile diabetic. She was diagnosed at 6yrs old after sleeping for most of 4 days straight the drs decided to run some tests thought she had pnemonia turned out she was diabetic and close to coma stage.

She is 22 now. The ONLY way her sugar got anywhere close to normal was when she got her insulin pump - it was a life saver for her after years of levels between 300 and 700. She now has a 2 yr old son and we just pray that he won't get this awful condition.

We've learned alot over the years, my only advise is to keep yourself educated and find a support system cuz it does get frustrating.
Have a great nite ;o)
Michele

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Well, I can join you guys now. I have gestational diabetes. So far it's diet controlled except for my morning fasting sugars. They are consistently high no matter what, how much, or what time I eat my snack at night, so it's looking like insulin in the evenings for me. Anyway...

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Well, I guess I may as well weigh in on this too...

I am a type 2 diabetic, Metformin & Glipizide. I have been doing really good for the last 5 years.

Little background;

Just under 5 years ago I was diagnosed. I was having a pretty bad year. I kept getting sick and couldn't figure out why, and was having trouble keeping a job at the time. After a nearly 2 week stretch of what seemed like flu, nauseous and bad diarrhea, my wife finally drug me into see the doctor.

Well, some of you are familiar with the kind of story. They ran an A1C test and it was almost 9, with my blood sugar at 500 when they took the test. Started the meds went to a traditionalist. Then comes some of the changes, but my biggest change that I made to my diet was regular soda. I must have been going through 2-3 2 liter bottles of pop a day. Sometimes more. In under 2 months I was down to daily draws of 160 and dropping. By my next A1C I was nearly down to 6 with draws of about 106-115.

The only issue I have with my meds is that one of the side effects of Metformin is "diarrhea", which is what i went to the doctor for in the 1st place :)

Sure there are some times when my blood sugar can get out of whack, but i have learned to judge what I eat vs. what kind of activity I am doing pretty well. My main objective is to drop a lot of my weight and to keep my A1C's under 6 if i can.

One of my biggest pet peeves I have with some of the people I know is that when they realize that I am a Diabetic, they express astonishment when they see me on rare occasions eat some pie, cake, candy, or what ever they think that a "Diabetic" shouldn't be able to eat. Then I have to educate them on the fact that I can have the occasional piece of cake etc. just as long as I watch what I'm eating. You know, Just because I eat a piece of pie, doesn't mean that I will eat the whole thing. ((sorry didn't mean to rant))

I sympathize with those who have it much worse than I do, and I am thankful that I am doing this well. I just really wish that i would have noticed some of the signs much earlier. I must have been undiagnosed for close to 5 years, maybe more.

Thanks for listening.

Edited on May 31, 2008 at 10:15 PM Quote