pre diabetic.......devistated.

RobinLynx

You can get an inexpensive glucose meter & test strips at Wal-Mart. I was able to get blood sugar down to normal by diet & exercise--can't do cardio due to spine problems, but have been able to do some weight lifting & it's working. You can do it, try not to stress. There are some great resources here in MFP, you will find your way.

caddy365

Why don't you send me a friend request. I know all about it and we can discuss what your options are. I have had a lot of success with meds and diet without being miserable.

Blodeuwedd98

I've checked your food diary and there's one thing I would do right away: cut all grains... Doesn't matter if they're whole grains or refined. Get them out!
Check out some articles on the Paleo Diet effects on diabetes. You might even not be able to do a "normal" paleo, you might have to cut a bit on fruit too, but I truly believe that cutting of grains and processed food will make that problem go away in no time!
(I accept that you might think I'm being radical or that I'm just a fad diet believer... But hey, reading won't hurt, right?)

einzweidrei

Make sure to get your blood work done sooner than later. Compare your previous results to now and see if you've at least had some improvement. Then at least you know you're going in the right direction.

Good luck. You can do it.

kdeaux1959

Get the blood work done. Even if you do everything right, you can possibly still become diabetic. I had a friend who was skinny as a rail for years diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and died at 27 from it... (certainly not saying that this will happen to you of course)... I realize that you are referring of Type 2 diabetes but the same would apply there. Yes, you are doing a lot to get yourself in shape. yes, you are doing what you can do. Most likely what you are doing will help keep you from becoming diabetic but it is no guarantee. Continue to do what you can but realize, some of us will get it no matter what we do. We do our best, and in cases where there is possibility of diabetes, you will likely want to curb your carb intake to minimize glucose sensitivity. Continue to exercise but just because you are doing what you can to prevent it does not necessarily mean that you can't get it. That being said, the surgeon cannot say without any shadow of the doubt that you are diabetic... What will reveal that is the testing. Best wishes and I hope that you have dodged this bullet. Remember, all things are possible to those who believe.

lgrimm70

Hey .. Im a diabetic have been for 8 yrs.. little over yr ago they added insulin with my met. I have been off both due to eating right and exercise .. took me getting put on Insulin and a wonderful person coming into my life to get me on the right track.. it is controllable

kristenveganvixen

My hubby is type 1, and yeah, the lactose in cows' milk isn't the greatest- cream or soya milk don't have the lactose, an unsweetened soya milk is probably your best bet. And maybe muesli or porridge rather than cereal. x

_KitKat_

My mother in law had type 2, her diabetes was getting so bad they were looking to put her on insulin, this freaked her out and she COMPLETELY changed her diet. She cut red meat (not sure why), and stopped all starchy white carbs only whole grain and brown rice. She uses fiber for cooking and never uses sugar, I think she uses stevia ( if that's spelled right) . From doing this she dropped her weight to a healthy range and now tests normal, before this she was on diabetes meds and heart meds...now nothing, it really is amazing, personally I am just not a fan of her cooking now. It is fixable. Also a good rule of thumb for diabetes is if you go low follow the rule of 15, that is 15 carbs every 15 minutes till you feel better ( not perfect just OK) a half a can of soda does this In a pinch and pez candy on hand can work miracles for a diabetic with dropping blood sugar. If you go high...DO NOT GO TO SLEEP!!!! Diabetics can go into a diabetic coma from spiking and then sleeping, the best thing you can do is walk around if you have someone there, if not just at least sit up watch TV and fidget, you need to use that energy, sleeping will just allow it to build. Also you need test strips, your doctor should have given you them when he/she said prediabetic. At first you will betesting often and many test before or after eating, you will need to know your llimits to be able to avoid drugs or worst case insulin. If my stubborn mother in law worked her miracle (in months) I am sure you can too.

Napier_mum

Get the bloodwork done asap so you know for sure.

I used to work in rehab back before having babies and feet (especially out towards your little toe) don't have as much blood flow as other parts of your body, they are notorious for being problematic. I have seen plenty of perfectly healthy non-diabetics with wound healing issues of their feet (esp if they aren't keeping them elevated etc)

Clearly it will help to change your diet anyway so go for it. But definitely check with your doctor first before diagnosing yourself and panicking too much about it.

sandra211061

Hiya

My son, hes 25, was diagnosed as being type 1 diabetic in 2012 .... he was insulin dependant and was injecting 11 times a day as well as having to take 4 metformin daily. He is 6ft 8 and as fit as a fiddle so we was really shocked when it was him in the family diagnosed with this.

I changed his diet, watched his carbs counted his sugar intake ( i thought diabetes was only to do with sugars until he was dignosed) ... measured salt, you name it, i changed it!!

He now takes metformin but doesnt inject at all ....

They think his pancreas had stopped working because he was drinking luzosade (glucose drink) all the time and his body thought it had more than enough insulin in it ???? Now he drinks water maybe the odd pepsi max or diet coke ... i think you have to sit down, write everything down you eat and drink, watch your blood sugar count and find a way of living that suits you .... dont get me wrong, hes 25 so he still drinks beer, just not so often and not so much, he still eats pizza and takeaways, but a healthier choice ...

I think you have to concentrate on YOU not what others are doing as even though you all have the same problems, each and every one of you will have different trigger points.

Cathalain

Type-2 diabetic here, diagnosed 9/11/12.

I had a look at your food diary. Great job of logging, for sure, much better than how I do it! But... there's a couple of things I'm seeing here that have me a bit concerned.

The cereal has to go. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that you're like me in that grains/breads/etc. are a no-no. If there's anything, anything, ANYTHING on the planet that will make my sugars go up faster than bread or cereal, I don't know what it is. Even now, with my sugars under tight control, it is VERY, very rare that I'll eat cereal. It's just that nasty on my system.

Although it's good from a nutritional standpoint to eat fruit, for a diabetic it can cause havoc. There's way more carbs in fruit than you think. Try to stay away from bananas, grapes, cherries, pineapple and oranges - very, very high in carbs. Apples, pears and grapefruit are a little better. Most berries are okay (watch out for cranberries, though).

When I was first diagnosed, I was devastated - I thought I couldn't eat anything "fun" again. Not so! But the first thing you need to do is work on getting it down - there's only two ways to do that. Eating less carbs is one. The other is exercise. (I know, I know.) But I have to tell you that exercising, for me, made ALL the difference. At first I only exercised so that I could at least increase my carbs a LITTLE so that I wouldn't have to eat cardboard for dinner. Gradually though... I came to enjoy it. So will you.

Here's a small list of the things I changed for a while:
- Joseph's brand flax wraps. It's called lavash. Looks like a big square. Cut it in half and use for sandwiches. Not as high carb as bread.
- Sugar free coffee creamer. CoffeeMate makes some great ones. Caramel macchiato is my favorite.
- Dreamfields pasta. This one is controversial, as it doesn't work for everyone, but if it does for you and you love pasta, you have hit the JACKPOT. I LOVE this stuff. Can't get enough of it. It would have KILLED me to give up pasta but now I don't have to, luckily! It's in a black box with red and yellow stripes, can be found at any grocery store.
- Go to Linda's Low Carb website and make some delicious recipes. I LOVE her "Cheesy Nacho Soup". Find it here: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/
- I got through for a while realizing that I could have all the meat and cheese I wanted. Who doesn't love bacon? Now, eventually you'll have to rein that in, due to fat and sodium and all that, but for now, concentrate on one thing at a time. Eat meat, eat cheese, eat eggs. All delicious stuff and no carbs - what's not to love?

I would recommend Gretchen Becker's "The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes, An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed". I have a copy of it that I don't really need anymore, so if you'd like me to send it to you, I can.

And friend me if you like. I've been there, and not so long ago. I know how awful it feels. But you'll pull through, I promise.

ETA: I am a spelling bee national CHAMPIAN

Shelley6591

Just so everyone is aware type 1 is very different from type 2. My husband's nieces have been type one since they were little, it's genetic and not reversible, type 2 can be and is brought on by diet/weight. I was diagnosed with insulin resistance about 15 years ago, I started medication and lost a lot of weight, I also became pregnant since the medication is a fertility drug and no one thought to warn me. I delivered a 10 pound baby exactly a year after starting the Metformin. After that I was told to get it together by my doctor as I was only 23, I was told to exercise, eat less, consume less sugar and the biggest one for me was less carbs! I had no idea! I was told not to put anything white in my mouth i.e bread, pasta, potatoes, rice etc... that was a HUGE eye opener for me. I also limit sale just because I previously had fluid issues. Three more pregnancies and 15 years later and I'm not diabetic. This website is an amazing tool in weight loss, the logging is great since a dietician can see everything plus you can come here for support like you did!

You're on the right track, try to stay positive and once your foot is better you can get back at it! Good luck!:flowerforyou:

MizMimi111

There is A LOT of misinformation in this post. (and other replies too).

The best advice is to see a doctor/nutritionist to get you on the right path. You need to understand the disease.

You have the right attitude. You need to get proper medical advice to be successful.

Good Luck!

My mother in law had type 2, her diabetes was getting so bad they were looking to put her on insulin, this freaked her out and she COMPLETELY changed her diet. She cut red meat (not sure why), and stopped all starchy white carbs only whole grain and brown rice. She uses fiber for cooking and never uses sugar, I think she uses stevia ( if that's spelled right) . From doing this she dropped her weight to a healthy range and now tests normal, before this she was on diabetes meds and heart meds...now nothing, it really is amazing, personally I am just not a fan of her cooking now. It is fixable. Also a good rule of thumb for diabetes is if you go low follow the rule of 15, that is 15 carbs every 15 minutes till you feel better ( not perfect just OK) a half a can of soda does this In a pinch and pez candy on hand can work miracles for a diabetic with dropping blood sugar. If you go high...DO NOT GO TO SLEEP!!!! Diabetics can go into a diabetic coma from spiking and then sleeping, the best thing you can do is walk around if you have someone there, if not just at least sit up watch TV and fidget, you need to use that energy, sleeping will just allow it to build. Also you need test strips, your doctor should have given you them when he/she said prediabetic. At first you will betesting often and many test before or after eating, you will need to know your llimits to be able to avoid drugs or worst case insulin. If my stubborn mother in law worked her miracle (in months) I am sure you can too.

astrampe

As some of the others said - your carbs are way too much and of the wrong sort, and there is very little protein in your diary - change your macros to 35% protein, 35% carbs and 30% fat...
Drop the cereal - eggs on wholegrain toast is better and will last longer and not mess with your blood sugar....Stay away from refined carbs - at least eat oat oatmeal instead of cereal....
Good luck!

kikityme

You've got to watch the carbs. The only cereal I can eat is plain Cheerios, the one in the yellow box. (blaaaahhh.) I'll add 2 sliced strawberries, and that's my fruit for the day. Oatmeal is a no go for me anyway.

Bread for me was immediately removed from the equation, even whole grain.

Did the doctor put you on meds? With the Janumet, it's weird, but I don't crave the things I thought I'd kill any one here for. The other pleasant thing about Janumet? If I eat something that IS too high in carbs, yeah....all hell breaks loose intestinally speaking. That'll get you off the bread REAL quick

But you need new testing! Seriously, you can lose body parts. That was enough to scare me straight. It was hard when I thought I had been eating healthy-and truly I was, but not diabetic healthy.

PrairieSlims

Don't give up Amy!!! diabetes can be reversed through diet, exercise, water, etc. and of course MFP support!!!

QuietBloom

Well shoot, I am sorry to hear this. Cutting back on your carbs and upping your healthy fats and proteins are the best suggestion I can make. I would ask your doctor for a recommended amount of carb intake per day. And yes, you can lose weight by just laying around, so no worries. Just set yourself to sedentary in MFP.

I disagree that losing the extra weight as fast as possible is a great idea, though. No more than 2 lbs per week at maximum if you are obese, then go to 1 lb per week until you are within 15 lbs of your goal. At that point drop to a 0.5 lb per week loss.

You got this.

_Resolve_

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes November 2012, I wont bore you with the details but you can check my profile for my blog address and read about it if you want.

Here are my suggestions:

Don't be devastated, you are one of 25.8 million people in the US that have diabetes. We are a strong bunch and there are lots of advocacy and support programs out there if you need them. I can point you in the direction if you want.

Don't listen to the low carb hype but do take time a research exactly what carbs do to your bg levels.

Have an A1C done as soon as possible to get a true starting point, without knowing what your glucose has been trending at it will be impossible to measure and make changes

Once you are able to be active, get active. Try and go to the gym or out for a walk, run or cycle EVERY morning. If you burn off your glucose stores early in the day you will set yourself for success all day.

Learn to love veggies, when I first started out I was instructed to make 1/2 of my plate veggies, 1/4 protein 1/4 grain. As I started to lose more weight and get more active we started working on macros - I have eaten 1/2 of my daily macros as carbs and still have my glucose in complete control.

I could go on for days about this subject as it hits very close to home, when I was diagnosed with an A1C of 9.7% at 375 pounds I thought my life was over. It's very overwhelming, try and read up on the disease and be prepared for a hard road ahead. This isn't a death sentence like it feels like right now, use it as your reason why you want to get fit.

Welcome to the club :flowerforyou:

Point202

Hi Amy, I looked at your food diary and I can tell you straight away that the Special K breakfast cereal won't work for you. Pretzels, pizza, even with a thin crust, won't work. You may have to cut all refined carbs and even fruit sugars to get your blood sugar stable. Try switching to steel cut oats with some blueberries for breakfast. (It takes a while to cook in the morning, but if you use a rice cooker, its perfect. Put in one cup of oats to two cups of water, a little salt. Turn on the cooker, and instead of putting a lid on it, put a wooden spoon over the top, it will keep it from boiling over. I do that then go do my morning routine, 35 minutes later, breakfast!)
Don't eat any refined carbs like pretzels, pasta, sandwich rolls, cereals that aren't actual WHOLE grain. This will definitely help. DO NOT drink fruit juices or eat fruit right now except maybe some berries. Drink water, eat veggies and protein. This should really help. Best of luck to you!

I am insulin resistant (basically pre-diabetic) and have been for about 6 years. I was coming here to basically make these recommendations.

I find that for me limiting refined carbs and sugars, or substituting them for whole grain varieties is very helpful. Especially for breakfast. Instead of Special K, try a lower sugar cereal (look on the box, you'll be shocked at how much added sugar is in most cereals). Try GrapeNuts or Shredded Wheat, or some of the Kashi varieties, or a small serving of oatmeal with some peanut butter). Also substituting fruits and veggies that are lower on the Glycemic Index are better (i.e. berries instead of a banana). And when I do eat something more refined or higher in "sugar" I always eat some protein with it (a few nuts, a little bit of cheese, a glass of milk, peanut butter, etc). Basically you want your body to have to work as long as possible to digest what you're eating, so you get a slower impact on your blood sugar.

I also attempt to keep my intake at less than 45% carbs for the day. I've toyed around with what works for me, and I feel best when I'm at or about this level of carb intake. When I stray away from this too much (which I've done, hence why I'm here) I pack on the pounds and my blood sugar swings all over the place.

ETA: My diary is open to friends. You're welcome to add me as a friend if you're looking for some meal ideas.

SezxyStef

My brother has been a diabetic since he was six so I am quite familiar with what they should and shouldn't eat...

As for the foot yes, due to diabetes any foot injury has to be taken special care of due to poor circulation and healing...

Your diary...

Red berry special K...stick to regular special k...
Limit fruit intake and replace with veggies
Yogurt covered pretzles shoudl be limited as well
Instant cream of wheat - maple flavor no...
No fruit smoothies...unless you make them yourself and limit the amount of fruit
McDonalds ice cream???

to be frank you can look at your diary yourself and see the stuff that is spiking sugar...it's easy...

My brother had to stay away from starchy carbs and sweets like cookies, cakes, ice cream etc.

Not that he couldn't have them just very limited quantities...and he is 46 now and no issues at all because he has monitored himself carefully...

And yes listen to your doctor about bed rest...I wont get into details or scare you but trust me on this...get your foot healed...or you will regret it.