Dear friend diagnosed with Diabetes type 2

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jendiaz9732
jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to help her be healthy and maintain her sugar levels low. Currently her sugar is at 8.6 and needs to be at 6.5. I don't know too much about this diagnosis. Anyone have tips/ideas/suggestions? Anything helps! Thanks!
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  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
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    Do you mean a1c? It means her average blood glucose is normally very high and that she needs she needs to check and manage her blood glucose better. Be it with insulin or oral medications. There is a lot of long term damage from having elevated blood glucose for a prolonged time such as a blindness, kidney problems, need for amputations, etc. I see diabetics who don't give two craps about their blood glucose levels with horrible ulcers and amputations and coming back for more amputations because they just won't manage their blood glucose. So definitely encourage your friend to be responsible and listen to her endocrinologist.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Dr Bernstein' Diabetes Solution is an excellent book on learning how to control blood sugars. It really helped me. Dr Atkins' diet will be complimentary to it, if you wish to gift her some books.

    It is very good of you to try to help her out. :)
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    hekla90 wrote: »
    Do you mean a1c? It means her average blood glucose is normally very high and that she needs she needs to check and manage her blood glucose better. Be it with insulin or oral medications. There is a lot of long term damage from having elevated blood glucose for a prolonged time such as a blindness, kidney problems, need for amputations, etc. I see diabetics who don't give two craps about their blood glucose levels with horrible ulcers and amputations and coming back for more amputations because they just won't manage their blood glucose. So definitely encourage your friend to be responsible and listen to her endocrinologist.

    Yes I believe that's what that was. It is all very new to her as well. Oh gosh that's what we want to prevent. I also signed her up with ADA free program for diabetics. I will definitely relay this message thanks a bunch!!
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    Dr Bernstein' Diabetes Solution is an excellent book on learning how to control blood sugars. It really helped me. Dr Atkins' diet will be complimentary to it, if you wish to gift her some books.

    It is very good of you to try to help her out. :)

    Okay I am going to look that book up and get her it! Thank you :) Love her and want her to be healthy. Especially on this new road she just began!
  • Coolhandkid
    Coolhandkid Posts: 84 Member
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    8.6 is really scary. Without significant management it could lead to a lot of significant and serious medical problems. Encourage her to drop all carb heavy foods and drinks. Sugary treats are the obvious thing to cut out but even breads, mashed potatoes, etc need to go.

    This is a big deal. Be supportive and find a way to cook for a day a mo and show her that she doesn't need a carb heavy plate for a good meal.
  • winnie141
    winnie141 Posts: 211 Member
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    She needs to see a dietician! She will be given a whole bunch of information about carbs...how many of them to each at each menu...what kinds of foods to eat. Lean proteins are very inportant to a diabetic as it kinda acts as a stabilizer with sugars. A lot of diabetics will binge on the sweets and eat a ton of protein to counteract it. This is not wise...the negative effects of high blood sugar is pretty devastating not to mention weight gain. I hope she has a good diabetic team that will help her. (Is she from Canada where she has plenty of access to health care such as diabetic nurse, dietician, pharmacist ect?) I'm not sure what the states or other parts are like as far as offering diabetic services so I can't really say what would be offered.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
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    Eating low-to-moderate carb and getting a lot of exercise both help.

    Encourage your friend to seek out all of the diabetes education possible. Doing active things together would also be a great support.
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,771 Member
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    jendiaz9732 wrote: »
    I want to help her be healthy and maintain her sugar levels low. Currently her sugar is at 8.6 and needs to be at 6.5. I don't know too much about this diagnosis. Anyone have tips/ideas/suggestions? Anything helps! Thanks!

    Has her doctor referred her to a dietitian? That's who should be helping her manage her blood sugar, not her well-meaning friend getting advice from internet strangers.

    I'm not sure what you can really do for her, aside from inviting her over for healthy meals or encouraging her to join you in activities. She may not want your input--she may simply want an ear for venting.

    If this is your partner my advice would be different, but if this is just a buddy of yours, I don't know that there's much you can or should try to do.
  • Coolhandkid
    Coolhandkid Posts: 84 Member
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    I had a friend that was diagnosed similarly and he completely changed his life. He takes 100-130 mi bike trips on weekends regularly and is healthier than he has ever been.

    This is life changing news. Some people use it to springboard themselves to a new life and some crumble. I don't know what your relationship is but if she doesn't handle it well make sure you get her the proper support, whether that is giving her a ride to see a dietition or what you will have to decide.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Her doctor will provide her with medications to bring down that A1C number.
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Did she ask for your help? Not trying to be rude, but I wouldn't want help from a person who hasn't never had to managed Type 2 Diabetes. Just being honest.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    Did she ask for your help? If she didn't, I wouldn't meddle or insert yourself into her medical problems.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Key point is that blood sugar comes from digested carbohydrates not just sugars.

    Control with diet is preferable to medication if possible.
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
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    yarwell wrote: »
    Key point is that blood sugar comes from digested carbohydrates not just sugars.

    Control with diet is preferable to medication if possible.[/quote

    With an a1c that high she's probably gonna need medications and can possibly work her way off them... I believe an 8.6 correlates with an average glucose of around 200 for the last 90 days.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Different doctors treat it differently. There are so many different treatments and it varies by endo and patient.

    All you can do is encourage her to follow her doctor's advice. But know this: many people don't. Either they think they don't really have it because they feel good or they think the doctors don't know what they're talking about or they plan to work on it - just not right now (which turns into never) or they simply don't care.

    They lie their heads off and say they're doing it, but they don't. That's why the test result she got is so nice to have. You can't trick your way out of an A1c like you can a regular finger prick.

    It's great that you want to support your friend, but she may not want to do what's best for her. She may not even agree that it IS best for her.

    I hope it all works out. I hope she works on it and gets her stuff together and lives a healthy life. People do that, too!! :)
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    Coolhandkid wrote: »
    8.6 is really scary. Without significant management it could lead to a lot of significant and serious medical problems. Encourage her to drop all carb heavy foods and drinks. Sugary treats are the obvious thing to cut out but even breads, mashed potatoes, etc need to go.

    This is a big deal. Be supportive and find a way to cook for a day a mo and show her that she doesn't need a carb heavy plate for a good meal.

    Thanks so much. She is very depressed right now and I'm just trying to inform myself so that I can help her. She is all for help. I motivated her to start working out even before she found out she had it, but she would still eat bad stuff, even though she was working out. I'm just very worried and want her to be okay.
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    jburke141 wrote: »
    She needs to see a dietician! She will be given a whole bunch of information about carbs...how many of them to each at each menu...what kinds of foods to eat. Lean proteins are very inportant to a diabetic as it kinda acts as a stabilizer with sugars. A lot of diabetics will binge on the sweets and eat a ton of protein to counteract it. This is not wise...the negative effects of high blood sugar is pretty devastating not to mention weight gain. I hope she has a good diabetic team that will help her. (Is she from Canada where she has plenty of access to health care such as diabetic nurse, dietician, pharmacist ect?) I'm not sure what the states or other parts are like as far as offering diabetic services so I can't really say what would be offered.

    We're from TX. But thank you I will look into diabetic support teams with her.
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    Eating low-to-moderate carb and getting a lot of exercise both help.

    Encourage your friend to seek out all of the diabetes education possible. Doing active things together would also be a great support.

    Thank you. Yes we do cardio twice a week together :) I have been researching it all day for her.
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    barbecuesauce wrote: »
    jendiaz9732 wrote: »
    I want to help her be healthy and maintain her sugar levels low. Currently her sugar is at 8.6 and needs to be at 6.5. I don't know too much about this diagnosis. Anyone have tips/ideas/suggestions? Anything helps! Thanks!

    Has her doctor referred her to a dietitian? That's who should be helping her manage her blood sugar, not her well-meaning friend getting advice from internet strangers.

    I'm not sure what you can really do for her, aside from inviting her over for healthy meals or encouraging her to join you in activities. She may not want your input--she may simply want an ear for venting.

    If this is your partner my advice would be different, but if this is just a buddy of yours, I don't know that there's much you can or should try to do.

    I know there may not be much I could do, but it doesn't hurt to try. Just trying to educate myself so I can help her. She is feeling very down.
  • jendiaz9732
    jendiaz9732 Posts: 285 Member
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    Coolhandkid wrote: »
    I had a friend that was diagnosed similarly and he completely changed his life. He takes 100-130 mi bike trips on weekends regularly and is healthier than he has ever been.

    This is life changing news. Some people use it to springboard themselves to a new life and some crumble. I don't know what your relationship is but if she doesn't handle it well make sure you get her the proper support, whether that is giving her a ride to see a dietition or what you will have to decide.

    That's awesome! I'm glad he lives a much healthier life now :) thank you I will continue to support her.

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