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LeAnn, sounds like you are doing well on the learning curve. I was in denial for a long time - just took a pill and expected that to fix me. I am now doing what it takes to keep my blood glucose under control. Cutting sugar is a start, as well as switching to whole grains.
I have been working with a registered dietitian/diabetes educator for 18 months now and really cleaned up the way I eat. It has helped me drop 89 lbs. There is so much to know and learn and I'm still learning. But the first thing I was told to do was to eat a specific way. It worked for me. I had a certain number of carbohydrate grams (or carb servings) to eat per meal, as well as balancing that with fat and protein grams. I was told to have 2-3 carb servings per meal (a serving was 15 grams) and to balance that with protein and fat. The carbs are what spike blood glucose levels mostly. I have become an avid label reader - it was necessary for me to get in control.
My little bit of advice would be to find a registered dietitian who knows how to work with a diabetic person. They would help you set up a good meal plan as well as encourage and educate you. Knowledge is power!0 -
Thanks for the advice! Ready to tame this monster.0
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Hi, I am new here too and newly diagnosed. I didn't have any issues 18 months ago when I participated in a drug trial and they did a number of blood tests during the course of the trial. Last spring, I started feeling bad. I would get really short of breath and had no energy. This just got worse as the year went on and I finally went to a doctor after Christmas. It turns out I was severely anemic and ended up in the hospital for several days while I received 4 units of blood and had a bunch of tests. Among them were the metabolic panel and A1C. My A1C was 7.2 so I am officially diabetic. I was put on Metformin (started at 500mg and increased each week until I reached 2000mg). After a few weeks, additional tests showed that my kidneys were NOT happy so I was switched to 2.5mg of glipizide. I am testing 3x daily and my numbers typically are between 100 and 120 with a few higher or lower.
I am hoping the medication is only short term and that I can manage by diet and exercise. I have a lot to lose, but am well on my way. I am also partially disabled and have trouble walking because of a back/hip injury so my main exercise is water aerobics 3x a week.0 -
Thanks for the advice! Ready to tame this monster.
What a great attitude you have-along with your approach, making small changes one step at a time.
Welcome LeAnn!:drinker:0 -
Hi, I am new here too and newly diagnosed. I didn't have any issues 18 months ago when I participated in a drug trial and they did a number of blood tests during the course of the trial. Last spring, I started feeling bad. I would get really short of breath and had no energy. This just got worse as the year went on and I finally went to a doctor after Christmas. It turns out I was severely anemic and ended up in the hospital for several days while I received 4 units of blood and had a bunch of tests. Among them were the metabolic panel and A1C. My A1C was 7.2 so I am officially diabetic. I was put on Metformin (started at 500mg and increased each week until I reached 2000mg). After a few weeks, additional tests showed that my kidneys were NOT happy so I was switched to 2.5mg of glipizide. I am testing 3x daily and my numbers typically are between 100 and 120 with a few higher or lower.
I am hoping the medication is only short term and that I can manage by diet and exercise. I have a lot to lose, but am well on my way. I am also partially disabled and have trouble walking because of a back/hip injury so my main exercise is water aerobics 3x a week.
Hi earinabby, Welcome!
An initial diagnosis of diabetes along with a condition of severe anemia can bring along a wide range of emotions for us-and a lot of answered and unanswered questions too.
You'll quickly find this group to be very knowledgeable, supportive and encouraging-eager to help you whenever possible, as you move forward in improving and accomplishing your blood sugar management goals.
I encourage you to visit the bloodsugar101.com site along with seeking out the recommendation to a diabetes education course in your area, along with the addition of a scheduled visit with a registered dietitian too specializing in diabetes nutrition as many newly diagnosed with a condition of diabetes find these sessions to be very beneficial.
The good news is this powerful tracking program and it's tools offered will help you to make improvements towards your blood sugar management and overall health and lifestyle goals when applied correctly.
There are countless people currently living with Type 2 diabetes who have successfully been able to reduce and even eliminate the need to take their blood sugar management meds-by adopting a few new healthier lifestyle changes here and there.
Best wishes for your success and good health!0 -
Hi earinabby, Welcome!
An initial diagnosis of diabetes along with a condition of severe anemia can bring along a wide range of emotions-and a lot of answered and unanswered questions too.
You'll quickly find this group to be very knowledgeable, supportive and encouraging-eager to help you whenever possible, as you move forward in improving and accomplishing your blood sugar management goals.
I encourage you to visit the bloodsugar101.com site along with seeking out the recommendation from your healthcare provider for a diabetes education course in your area, in addition to scheduling a visit with a registered dietitian too specializing in diabetes nutrition as many newly diagnosed with a condition of diabetes find these sessions to be very beneficial
The good news is this powerful tracking program and it's tools offered will help you to make improvements towards your blood sugar management and overall health and lifestyle goals when applied correctly.
There are countless people currently living with Type 2 diabetes who have successfully been able to reduce and even eliminate the need to take their blood sugar management meds-by adopting a few new lifestyle changes here and there.
Best wishes for your success and good health!
Thank you very much. I had to go to a free clinic for the initial consult and further follow-up after the hospitalization and it turns out that the Nurse Practitioner I saw is a registered diabetes educator in her regular practice. I now have insurance and she is my PCP. My insurance is Medicare because of the disability and I have already gone through the list of things they pay for to see what will help, both the diabetes and the weight. MFP has really helped so far and I hope to participate more in order to get the most out of it.0 -
That's wonderful! Please know this is a very supportive and caring community-for you to share your experience-and to ask any additional questions or concerns you might have. You're not alone here by being a part of this community.0
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Hello everyone! I am finally going to use this fitness site as a tool to help me lose weight even though i have T2.
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Hi there sillyady, Welcome!...What a fun username you've chosen.
This program is a wonderful and powerful program tool designed to help you achieve your nutrition and weight loss goals.
You may find the need to adjust and customize the default carb recommendation settings this program suggests to meet your individual nutrition goals, as the default percentages may or may not be individualistic enough for you.
Best wishes sillylady!
Bob0 -
Hi - I'm new here. I was just diagnosed a few months ago. Having somewhat of a hard time losing weight since my diagnosis, but dropped a lot before (doesn't seem fair really, haha). Anyway, here I am.0
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Hi seagirlie, Welcome to our little corner of mfp!, and glad you've decided to join us, and its very knowledgeable supportive and encouraging group.
In addition to checking out the www.bloodsugar101.com site, designed to answer the many questions you might have-many of those newly diagnosed with a condition of diabetes find diabetes education courses in their area, as recommended by their healthcare providers to be very beneficial too.
Have a look around the various threads within this group and ask questions when you're comfortable. You'll quickly find others here eager to share their experiences in their effort to help you reach your blood sugar management goals.
Wishing you success and good health too!
~Bob0 -
Hello to all fellow T2D
My name is James, 2006 I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes. I also have HI Triglycerides so eating has been a struggle. Since I started Fitness Pal a week ago I have lost 15 lbs and my bllod sugar levels have dropped to below 100 for the first time in a long while. Calorie counting has worked so far but I know I have just started and it will get hard to keep up with the low calorie diet. I hope I can get my weight down enough to were i can increase my calories per day. Hope everyone has success with get their goals meet. If anyone has ideas on low carb / Low calorie hit me up with your ideas.
Thanks
James0 -
Hi James, Welcome!
Congrats on your progress far.
You've made a great decision by using this powerful program tool to help you achieve better blood sugar control and an overall healthier lifestyle.
Most of us find by adding in an hour or two of exercise 2-3 times a week to be very beneficial too in helping to reduce the insulin resistance oftentimes associated with this condition.
One of the most frustrating issues of having a condition like Type 2 diabetes is, it's unique-and very individualistic when it comes to nutrition and how the carb choices we make effect our individual blood sugars. This requires a lot of time and patience along with knowing perfection doesn't exist, improvement does.
Albiet calorie counting is indeed important, its only through carbohydrate (macro) awareness that should be of greater concern to pw T2D.
Have a look at bloodsugar101.com it's a very reliable informative online resource to help you reach your blood sugar management goals.
This is a genuinely supportive and very knowledgeable group eager to share their experiences.
Wishing you continued success and good health.:drinker:0 -
Hi everyone. I'm Barb. Was diagnosed in 2009 type II diabetes. Currently taking 2000 mg metformin, Janumet, and humalog insulin with meals. I was just in the hospital, diagnosed with COPD now. I've stopped smoking, 11 days now and trying my best to get healthy. I need all the support I can get. Feel free to add me as a freind. Maybe we can all help each other get on the right track and stay there.0
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Hi MsBarb, Welcome!
Sorry to learn of your recent hospital stay along with your diagnosed COPD condition. Congrats on being smoke free for 11 days now though. That's a huge accomplishment, and not an easy addiction to overcome-to be sure. Well done!
You'll quickly find this group to be genuinely kind, knowledgeable and eager to support one another by sharing their experiences-in an effort to help each other out-towards establishing better self help blood sugar management habits.
Best wishes for your continued success!
Bob0 -
Hi, I'm Kathy. I sent this letter to my Endocrinologist's office today:
Dr. XXXX XXXXXX:
I had the most disheartening visit with your nurse practitioner, xxxxxxx, today. I walked out of the examining room not only immensely saddened at her attitude towards me but extremely offended at accusations made by her in the five minutes I was there.
I realize that you will read this with a half-cocked eye because she is your employee and I, merely one of your many patients. But, I am giving a firm visionary caution to you that if you do not ‘reel her in,’ your practice is going to suffer. Perhaps it already has.
Those of us with diabetes have a hard road to bear – because one has to eat. It is not a condition where one can simply cut down on the salt or take a medication and manage it sucessfully. There are so many variables that contribute to being a success story when it comes to this disease. I’m not playing the victim here whatsoever. Believe me when I say, I am not a person that likes ‘excuses’ or that continues to let an issue occillate in perpetuity without doing anyting about it. I work for the Georgia Army National Guard in a very instrumental position and believe in the utmost personal responsiblity and discipline. When I started to your office approximately five years ago my relationship with you and her seemed acceptable. But on that note, something that has been futile is her cautioning me about my weight and to lose wieght the entire time, which should not be continually advised without some assistance in doing so (have you all heard of metabolic syndrome?). Well, my new physician has and knows that I need more assistance and care around combatting this condition than I’ve been given by Martha. I had to ask to meet with the dietician. This nor any other regimen than continuing to ‘up’ my medications has ever been suggested.
xxxxxx has been friendly in the past, but has always been somewhat ‘spastic.’ She rushes in and runs through conversations as if she’s had eight cups of coffee or is on some sort of stimulant. And, pardon me for saying this but, while she might be diabetic herself (I don’t know), she could have no clue what it is to be overweight all of your life and yet take good care of yourself and still not be able to eat much of anything without running your blood sugar sky high, no matter all of the medical credentials in the world. Over the past few months, I have absolutely eaten nothing but the most basic of foods and have controlled my portions substantially. Nonetheless, my blood sugar (both real-time and my A1C) have continued to climb.
One of her comments to me was that I hadn’t been into see you in a year. Well, lets’ see, if she read my chart and slowed down a little she might remember that I had a major surgery about this time last year. I was actually still recovering when I came in last April. And, we discussed my coming in in another 3 months and we would assess from there. The next appointment I was 7 (NO NOT 15) minutes late and the receptionist told me I would have to reschedule, that Martha’s schedule was too full and she was already running behind (and that’s MY fault?). So, I couldn’t even schedule an appointment again until this past Fall by that time.
As I recall I could not make that appointment, and so, rescheduled. I don’t remember all of the details of these events but I’m sure your charts have it documented. When I visited last, as I recall was the FIRST mention ever of putting me on fast-acting (mealtime) insulin. I asked that I make an appointment with your dietician and really try harder before that regimen was taken. I have a very active, high-paced job that requires I’m making sight visits throughout the week and to have to take an insulin shot everytime before I eat is not the most savory of thoughts to me. But, I was willing to reassess.
In the appointment today, xxxxx highly offended me. She rushed in and acted as if she’d seen an assasination of sorts. “OKAY, we’ve got to get you on fast-acting insulin!!” Your A1C is 13 and that is off of the charts!!! ARE you taking your medicine??? As if she’d never had a conversation with me in our lives much less the care and conerne with wich I’ve always exhibited towards my condition. Not only did she claim that she had wanted to put me on mealtime insulin for years (well, why didn’t you then?) but that I was ‘desensitized’ to the high numbers in the 200s and 300s. Are you kidding me? I am so concerned about my diabetes you can’t even imagine. I work with people who let their blood sugars run consistently in the 400s and don’t even seem to be concerned.
Furthermore, if you need to put me on a mealtime insulin regimen, that’s fine. Let’s do it. But don’t treat me as if a. I couldn’t care less about my condition, b. I’m five years old, and c. I’ve committed some egregious offense by having a disease that I’ve not found the magic bullet for. I’m fine with another regimen, but you have to remember that this is very scary for me as a concerned patient. I want to live a long, healthy, vibrant life and am scared to death of losing my vision. I would never be so nonchalant as to just lacadaisically trapse into the office whenver I feel like it, eat what I like, not take care of myself, not take my medicine. I am actually incredulous at the things she said to me.
When I asked if there are other tests that can be done to check my pancreas (like a test for pancreatic cancer which my maternal grandfather died of) she informs me that it doesn’t work that way and that we already know that my pancreas is dsyfunctional and failing because of my exorbitant A1C. Well, that’s comforting. And, in fact, there are tests for such things. But, Ms. Horn didn’t seem to think it important to discuss a serious concern like that with me. She acted as if I was crazy for even thinking that.
I exercise, take Metformin, Glipizide, long-acting Levimir insuling and watch what I eat. What else can I do – other than exercise more? To this, martha advises me that it’s really ‘she thinks’ because I’m overweight. And, that if I weighed, say, 150 lbs. I probably wouldn’t be going down this road. To which I explained I haven’t weighed 150 lbs. Since I was 13 years old. I’m not advocating obesity in the least but I am NEVER going to be a normal weight. I’ve not been since I was a child and I am a realist, not living on fantasy island. I don’t have to be at the weight I am, but I do not expect my weight to come down more than another 20 or 30 lbs. That would not be t facing the facts/history. For my height, actually, I should/could weigh as much as 180 lbs. And be considered within range for my bone structure. xxxxxx seems very ‘out of touch’ with what it is to have a weight struggle if she expects that I would or should ever weigh 150 lbs.
I told her I feel as if she was scolding me to which she says, “I am scolding you.” WHY? What have I, as the patient with a very disheartening condition who is really conscientious and cares about everything, done to deserve such acrimony? When I tried to respond to anything she said, she phsyically turned her face and body away from me and said, “I’m not going to argue with you.” I wasn’t trying to argue but to have an intelligent conversation with her. To respond to her comments, to find a path forward, to discuss and get answers to questions. She seems uncomfortable answering questions. That is sign of a poor professional in any capacity.
I am so dissapointed in your practice and in her specifically. I can’t recall ever feeling so condescended and lambasted by a medical professional for anything. And, at a such a vulnerable time for me as I feel as if this disease is going to take me under. And, I am not a quitter. I am able to master anything life has thrown at me but I cannot seem to get a handle on this. And, today, she added insult to injury. Very troubling to experience this lack of listening skills, care and compassion. Others might be crazy about her, but she has definately offended me beyond compare. I will accept the responsiblity for my own life and condition but there have been many issues with your office over the past year or so that paints a very unsettling picture where our healthcare profession is concerned. Today, I honestly felt as if Martha Horn was livid at me and trying very diligently to ‘ensure that there were no ramifications’ to her for not finding a regimen of care that could have transformed this into one of those success stories.
Today, Dr. xxxxxx, I’ve had an apple and a handful of peanuts to eat. And, my blood sugar was above 200 when I came into your office. And, I’ve lost about 10 lbs. since I was there last. To which Martha informed me that it was probably because of ketoacidosis rather than the fact that I’ve been avidly trying to take my weight down. Thanks for the kudos on that one, xxxxxx!
I will be requesting the transfer of my medical records from your office to the new. I sincerely hope you will take this communication seriously because I’ve been a big trumpeteer of yours through the years. But, I will not be returning to your practice. It might not break the bank, or marr your professional reputation whatsoever, but you’ve lost a very conscientious patient’s trust, good will, respect, and admiration. And, that’s a shame.
Anyone willing to read through this and share any thoughts? I'm very discouraged today.0 -
First; Welcome aboard.
From your description it sounds like the practitioner could use some customer service skills. I hope your experience at your new doctor is better.
Just a comment i noticed; if you are trying to not eat a lot before a blood test choosing an apple and nuts probably isn't the best choice. Apples are loaded with sugar and carbs and will most likely spike your BG pretty good. I eat apples myself; but plan for them in my meal strategy for the day knowing they are going to burn a big chunk of my carb budget.
One of The best Tools for DB management is MFP. Log every thing you put in your mouth. Be honest with it, and it will be honest with you. It makes it easy for you to track and manage what you eat And it is a great tool to print out your diary for your DR so he can see exactly what you are eating.
Do you have a nutritional game plan from your doctor? How many calories, carbs/protein/fats has he asked you to consume per day? This will allow you to set MFP to your specif therapy.
Again; Welcome aboard. Lots of great, helpful people here.0 -
Hi there Kathy, Welcome.
I'm saddened to learn of your frustration and discouragement.
At the end of each day this is your diabetes condition, and your decision to change to a new endo would appear to be a sound decision in my opinion, given your past experience.
There are options available, if applicable, offering you more flexibility with your meal plan in the form of an basal long acting and mealtime insulin therapies-and I would encourage you to seek out and discuss these tools with your new healthcare provider managing your diabetes condition.
Best wishes along with a resolution towards your concerns!0 -
Hi all. My name is Kama. I just got diagnosed with type 2, on Friday. I had id before years ago, but was able to stop it with diet and excercise. But I didn't do it healthfully, I dieted extremely, and worked out extremely. So I am learning to do this in the right way, eating enough of healthy foods to fuel my body, and yes, working out. I have other health issues, so I do have to listen to my body. Any one else on Metformin? I just started taking it Friday and it seems to be giving me headaches, which were mild yestersday and relievedby eating, but today, more severe, so i took some Advil and ate breakfast, so I will see if that helps. I was diagnosed by my cardiologist, and my A1C is 10.
I see my primary care tomorrow. So I am scared and mad at myself for putting on the weight again and letting myself get to this point. I saw my mom die from diabetes and I am determine to not have that happen to me.
Looking for support and to be a support. Thanks, Kama0 -
Hi Kathy:
I hope that you can find a new physician who will address your concerns and get you in touch with a dietician.
You might check with your local American Diabetes Association and see if they have some free classes in your area.
It's certainly not easy to deal with this condition, and anybody (professional or otherwise) who thinks a couple of pat answers can set you straight, is sadly mis-informed.
Kama:
Metformin does have some side effects. :sad: When I started it I had diarrhea and really BAD gas. :blushing:
So.. ahm...it could be worse.
Best wishes with your renewed zeal to improve your health. This is a good place to be.
I have to encourage myself
every
single
day.
:flowerforyou:0
