just diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes
Shua89
Posts: 144 Member
I have done every diet out there and nothing has worked (including MFP). The scale wouldn't budge no matter what so honestly I kind of gave up - but still stayed active.
I switched doctors recently because the old one refused to run any tests or take my concerns seriously. New doc has found that I have T2D and that is the cause of my not being able to lose weight (as well as a few other things).
So, now I need to learn how to deal with this and I'm determined to get off the meds as soon as possible.
I need to hear advice, encouragement, and success stories.
Go!
I switched doctors recently because the old one refused to run any tests or take my concerns seriously. New doc has found that I have T2D and that is the cause of my not being able to lose weight (as well as a few other things).
So, now I need to learn how to deal with this and I'm determined to get off the meds as soon as possible.
I need to hear advice, encouragement, and success stories.
Go!
0
Replies
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Plenty of Type 2 diabetics have lost weight by a variety of means. How many calories a day did you eat when using MFP unsuccessfully ?0
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Plenty of Type 2 diabetics have lost weight by a variety of means. How many calories a day did you eat when using MFP unsuccessfully ?
1200, but that is not the point. Now that I'm on meds and my blood sugar is normalizing I know the weight will start coming off.
The point of my post is that I want advice and encouragement from people with T2D on how they have managed it and are dealing, as well as how they are handling their weight.
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I have had type 2 diabetes for almost 5 years now; I'm 22. Calorie counting and a active lifestyle have worked for me. I'm obviously on meds, they help regulate the sugar level. I'm certainly no expert, but with meds and mfp and determination, I'm confident that you'll see the results you want to. All the best and hang in there!
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Plenty of Type 2 diabetics have lost weight by a variety of means. How many calories a day did you eat when using MFP unsuccessfully ?
1200, but that is not the point. Now that I'm on meds and my blood sugar is normalizing I know the weight will start coming off.
The point of my post is that I want advice and encouragement from people with T2D on how they have managed it and are dealing, as well as how they are handling their weight.
I was diagnosed with pre type two when I was 19.
First thing to do is try to find a nutrition class specifically for type two. I did a two week class in my area. I counted my carbs and exercised and three months later my blood sugar level was that of a normal person. I never had to start meds because I regulated my carbs.
Try to find a class. They really help!1 -
Not sure why you expect the weight to come off because you're under control. That actually is counter intuitive. But getting it under control will make you feel better which will allow you to be more active. So far as pills are concerned, don't set a goal of getting off of them. May not work that way. Only way to stay under control and delay further damage is to lose weight. Got to make that a priority.0
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My hubs was diagnosed and started his meds about 18 months ago. He has now been off meds for about 4 months. In the year or so he was on the meds, we adjusted his diet to include alot more veg at each meal and he cut out drinking about 90% of sugary juices and sodas. he dropped close to 40 lbs in that time. It wasn't the meds that made him lose the weight. It was the huge reduction of high caloried sugary drinks, pastries, etc. It was being diagnosed being T2 and the thought of having to spend his life on meds and taking blood samples, that finally made him take his weight seriously. Best wishes for getting healthy!0
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It's doubtful you've tried every diet out there. Keep your carbs under 100 grams/day, maybe even do a Ketogenic diet for a few months. 0
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I have done every diet out there and nothing has worked (including MFP). The scale wouldn't budge no matter what so honestly I kind of gave up - but still stayed active.
I switched doctors recently because the old one refused to run any tests or take my concerns seriously. New doc has found that I have T2D and that is the cause of my not being able to lose weight (as well as a few other things).
So, now I need to learn how to deal with this and I'm determined to get off the meds as soon as possible.
I need to hear advice, encouragement, and success stories.
Go!
Sorry, but without wanting to be rude, you did not understand what your dr told you. Your inability to lose weight contributed to diabetes, not the other way round. You have not been eating 1200 calories and ended up overweight, not physically possible. Weight loss aids prevention and control of diabetes. You seem to expect the opposite.1 -
How about some of you stop telling me everything I've done wrong in the past and give me the encouragement and advice I asked for.
The med I was put on has a benefit of weight loss which will help jumpstart my weight loss.
My Dr. also said that as a result of my high blood sugar levels it was next to impossible for me to shed the weight on my own.
I know full well why I'm overweight, I don't need you all to jump down my throat about that.
I came back here for encouragement and support, now I remember why I quit coming to this site.
Thanks for nothing.0 -
If you want to avoid (or reduce) meds, you really need to look into the ketogenic diet/lifestyle. It's free, but you'll need to do a lot of reading as most doctors don't suggest LCHF diets since they can't sell pills when you don't need them.
You'll also lose weight, reduce inflammation and get overall healthier.
This works best for T2, but it can help T1 (that's another thread).
I found this site recently and it's amazing: http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/
Also, you can find some extremely helpful keto groups on Facebook which can help you get your macros right and answer the questions you'll have.
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I have done every diet out there and nothing has worked (including MFP). The scale wouldn't budge no matter what so honestly I kind of gave up - but still stayed active.
I switched doctors recently because the old one refused to run any tests or take my concerns seriously. New doc has found that I have T2D and that is the cause of my not being able to lose weight (as well as a few other things).
So, now I need to learn how to deal with this and I'm determined to get off the meds as soon as possible.
I need to hear advice, encouragement, and success stories.
Go!
@Shua89 ... I hope your new doctor, the one who made the diagnosis, has also followed through on providing you with literature to read and a referrel to a dietician/nutritionist who specializes in Diabeties.
AFM ... This is a disease that I have been living with for the past 13 years, and before that I was insulin resistant without actually knowing that I was. In my own case, DB2 runs in the family through the current and previous generations.
The way I learned "to deal with this" and how I support my "determindation to get off meds as soon as possible" was:
1 -Learn how to eat 'better'. That meant and still means skipping fast food and restaurant meals in favor of cooking my own food at home. It also means giving up high carb/high fat snack foods. And, it means not having fruit all by itself. Another aspect was to learn portion control. (For example, a mini-apple or pear at under 4 ounces with an ounce of cheese or a tablespoon of peanut butter is good, but those beautiful apples that are as big as your hand are out)
2 - It meant investing in a home blood glucose monitor (my doctor gave me a prescription for it and the test strips) and measuring faithfully, first thing in the morning, last thing at night at the minimum. And before then 1-2 hours after the start of a meal at various times ... mostly when I am learning how a new recipe affects my glucose.
3 - It meant learning how to combine my foods so that there was a balance between the carbs, fats, and protein in them ... I try to stay between 45-60 grams of carbs at meals, 15 grams at snacks. My average carbs are 45% of my calorie allowance per day, the rest is from protein and fat. ... This is where MFP comes in for me .... I log every item I eat at the time I eat it.
4 - It also meant forcing myself into more activity and losing weight. ( a work in progress )
That's what works for me ... I hope some of this information is what you were looking to receive.
good luck.
PS .. please don't be defense because some of the responders on here take a real bottom-line "Dutch Uncle" approach and it comes off insesitive and tough. They usually mean well.2 -
I have T2 caused by years of eating crap food, high in carbohydrates combined with prolonged periods of eating "healthy" with extreme calorie restriction (yup 1200), still high carb but avoiding all those "bad" fats and animal foods. It was the perfect way to mess with my hormones and create metabolic disorder which made me gain more easily and have ever more trouble losing fat. Obesity did not CAUSE my T2, but it is a co-symptom. I've read most of what the others said, I know what the Diabetes Association says, I know what most doctors say... and most of the advice is crap. It's the FOOD. First and foremost. When you don't eat foods that affect your blood sugar, you won't have T2 symptoms and you will lose weight (without fricken starving yourself).
But you can go the route most people go: avoiding healthy fats/animal foods, eating loads of carbs (fruit and fibre are terrific for diabetes...sarcasm), and starving yourself because of course, if you aren't losing weight, it's just because you aren't counting calories and lack willpower (hormones, and metabolic issues don't exist! just calories in and out! Ever wonder how our slimmer ancestors managed without counting calories?), and using pharmaceuticals because we were all born with a pharmaceutical deficiency and why change the food when you can just inject something or pop pills?
Whoa, but I did see one other person offer some good advice... re: the ketogenic lifestyle. I had to go further to get well: an all animal food lifestyle. I haven't felt better any other way. Granted, the whole world is against this way of eating, but it's the only way that prevents my T2 symptoms entirely. And it's delicious.2 -
Akimajuktuq wrote: »Whoa, but I did see one other person offer some good advice... re: the ketogenic lifestyle. I had to go further to get well: an all animal food lifestyle. I haven't felt better any other way. Granted, the whole world is against this way of eating, but it's the only way that prevents my T2 symptoms entirely. And it's delicious.
You went ZC eh? I don't have diabetes, but since I've been keto for the past year I've seen so MANY others with serious diabetes to the point of losing limbs and even near death who have turned it around and are now healthy, normal weight, and off all medications. It really is incredible.
I'm on keto for another reason and have contemplating going a month of ZC... but it's taking some serious willpower to do that
Reading the books such as Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore, The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz, even The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance by Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney. Such amazing works, based in science (not money) and it works for so many issues, especially diabetes.
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If you want to avoid (or reduce) meds, you really need to look into the ketogenic diet/lifestyle. It's free, but you'll need to do a lot of reading as most doctors don't suggest LCHF diets since they can't sell pills when you don't need them.
You'll also lose weight, reduce inflammation and get overall healthier.
This works best for T2, but it can help T1 (that's another thread).
I found this site recently and it's amazing: http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/
Also, you can find some extremely helpful keto groups on Facebook which can help you get your macros right and answer the questions you'll have.
I think this is the best post here. If you have T2D then follow a LCHF diet. I would recommend this site: dietdoctor.com. Watch the videos, read the articles and follow the 2 week diet plan. No need to count calories, it just takes time and a little money to get going. Another site to look at is realmealrevolution.com. What is the worst that can happen? You are already diagnosed with T2D so I don't really think you can make it much worse than that?0 -
I'm t2d and have lost 88lbs and brought my a1c from 8.7 to 5.4. I'm on tanzeum and metformin. I've completely changed my way of eating. I count carbs and calories. Your mileage may vary! I'm 34 and also have pcos. Feel free to add me.0
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If you're particularly brave, you should give us your stats (age, weight, height) and open your diary.
I'm one of the CICO folks, so I may not give you exactly the advice you want to hear. But it's easier to get to specific advice for you if we have specifics from you....1 -
Akimajuktuq wrote: »I have T2 caused by years of eating crap food, high in carbohydrates combined with prolonged periods of eating "healthy" with extreme calorie restriction (yup 1200), still high carb but avoiding all those "bad" fats and animal foods. It was the perfect way to mess with my hormones and create metabolic disorder which made me gain more easily and have ever more trouble losing fat. Obesity did not CAUSE my T2, but it is a co-symptom. I've read most of what the others said, I know what the Diabetes Association says, I know what most doctors say... and most of the advice is crap. It's the FOOD. First and foremost. When you don't eat foods that affect your blood sugar, you won't have T2 symptoms and you will lose weight (without fricken starving yourself).
But you can go the route most people go: avoiding healthy fats/animal foods, eating loads of carbs (fruit and fibre are terrific for diabetes...sarcasm), and starving yourself because of course, if you aren't losing weight, it's just because you aren't counting calories and lack willpower (hormones, and metabolic issues don't exist! just calories in and out! Ever wonder how our slimmer ancestors managed without counting calories?), and using pharmaceuticals because we were all born with a pharmaceutical deficiency and why change the food when you can just inject something or pop pills?
Whoa, but I did see one other person offer some good advice... re: the ketogenic lifestyle. I had to go further to get well: an all animal food lifestyle. I haven't felt better any other way. Granted, the whole world is against this way of eating, but it's the only way that prevents my T2 symptoms entirely. And it's delicious.
Just curious, can you explain what you disagree with? Because I thought this was exactly what all diabetes related organisations are saying, exactly what you are pointing out, that it is the food.0 -
Yes, IR can cause many people problems with losing weight. If you go low enough carb and/or take an insulin sensitizing medication like Metformin, it may well help. I'm not as hungry as I was before with my levels bouncing all over the place, too. I'd get shaky and headachey with a great amount of calories eaten and no real hypoglycemia. It was just the peaks and falls of my BG doing that. I'd eat more total calories because of the frequent hungry spells.
I do lose weight quicker on Met and with lower carb, too. I never knew I was particularly slow at losing weight, but it is a bit quicker now when I try to lose a pound or two. It was really fast when I first started the meds, but that only lasted a few months. Still, I didn't change a thing (I'd been low carb for a while by then, because I'd been pre-diabetic before). I was tracking just like usual, and my loss curve got so much steeper for a while there. That was pretty cool. I was at the end of losing my extra lbs, so it really sped that up.
More importantly, use your monitor and make sure your levels don't get too high. Carbs are of course the prime culprits, and you can eat fewer per meal, etc. I have to eat fewer overall as well, because my waking glucose goes high on too many carbs the day before. It's high anyway. That's my biggest problem still.
Exercise is really important. It doesn't have to be all-out, but it's basically crucial for good glucose levels.
I have no doubt that my levels would be horrible if I didn't change anything. I know what they do on a daily basis (and if you use your meter you'll surely spot when you slip up, too
). Do give medicine a few weeks to kick in. It doesn't register right away, although missing doses usually shows up more quickly once you are on it consistently (like within 2 days). 1 -
Thank you for the good advice. I was half-heartedly doing low carb for a few weeks before my diagnosis. Now I'm 100% low carb and doing pretty well with it. My husband is totally on board with the low carb lifestyle so that makes it much easier to stick to.
The doc just put me on Met to start with but it does have a side effect of weight loss so that in conjunction with the low carb gives me high hopes for finally seeing some progress.
I do (and have been for a long while) work out for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. There is a park across the street from where I work so when the weather allows I go there and walk on my lunch breaks. When the weather doesn't allow I walk laps around the building (it's 1/3 of a mile from one end to the other).
I have a glucose monitor now and am probably being obsessive about checking my levels. Something I don't understand is that I am actually slightly higher in the morning than at any other time of the day. That makes no sense to me so if anyone can explain that, feel free. For example I was at 95 before going to bed and at 115 when I woke up. No food or even water in between those readings.
I have a long family history of diabetes so none of this is a shock to me but I am saddened by it. I'm trying to accept it and attack it head on to be as healthy as possible. My goal is to get my A1C levels below a 6 (I tested at 8.2). I know it can be done but will take hard work and dedication on my part.
I do have a question for those of you dealing with it though and I can't seem to find a consistent answer: what is a normal level for after meals?
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I have a glucose monitor now and am probably being obsessive about checking my levels. Something I don't understand is that I am actually slightly higher in the morning than at any other time of the day. That makes no sense to me so if anyone can explain that, feel free. For example I was at 95 before going to bed and at 115 when I woke up. No food or even water in between those readings.
I do have a question for those of you dealing with it though and I can't seem to find a consistent answer: what is a normal level for after meals?
You have a higher blood glucose in the morning because you body produces it. During the night, your BG drops and the body pumps out more in response, and thus you wake up with it higher. The readings you stated are actually very good for a diabetic.
There is no 'normal' but there are recommendations from the medical articles I have read and Diabeties workshops I have attended ...
Acceptable Blood Glucose ranges:
below 180 and over 70 at any measurement (whether fasting or not, just eaten or not)
Before meals = 70-130
2 hours post the start of a meal = under 180
a1C Level (from blood work) = under 7.0%
There is a lot of really good online information about diabeties and related topics on Livestrong.com
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