Type II Diabetics - Let's Support Each Other

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  • chroi23
    chroi23 Posts: 27
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    Hi all! Just diagnosed with type II 22 Feb '11. My nutritionist suggested i use this site as a way to track my dietary intake as i can also keep track of my carbs here instead of writing it all down in a little notebook like i had been doing. So far i'm liking myfitnesspal. Unfortunately my primary care doctor didn't give me a range where she wanted my blood sugars to be...so i'm trying to keep it around the 130s and lower...my fasting was 126 when they diagnosed me. i've found my numbers are always higher when i wake up and then they gradually drop as the day progresses. I take 500mg janumet 2x a day and so far i've been lucky to only have tummy upset twice. When i took metformin (dr prescribed it for weight loss and pre-diabetes) my tum was sick for close to a month..couldn't leave the house for fear...lol Anyhow, thought i'd key in and make myself known... :D
  • tabbychiro
    tabbychiro Posts: 223 Member
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    Hello! I was diagnosed with type 2 maybe 10 or more years ago. My control of it has been very on/off. I think I am too much in denial because I do not feel sick.

    At the end of 2009, I was on 4 insulin shots a day along with metformin 2x a day. Did that motivate me? nope. When my endo said, I would have to take statins b/c my cholesterol was getting too high is when I felt motivated. So I started being much more careful with what I ate, exercised regularly, lost about 15 lbs and got off all the meds. And then I got a little too complacent. My a1c went up a little but my endo said he'd give me another chance to bring it back down. I think it was in the low 7s. (at one point my a1c was 13!) So now I am back at trying to stay off the meds.

    I do fine with exercising. It is the food part that I struggle with. I hate to cook. I love carbs. Also I have not been checking my sugars. tsk.
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    Welcome monkeygirl6!

    I'm from the U.S., but live in the U.K. now. Diabetes is treated very differently here. First of all, the doctor did not spend ten minutes scolding me about my weight and how allowing my weight to get out of control caused the diabetes. Instead, he has been very supportive and helpful. Maybe my doc in the U.S. was just a bit of a jerk, I don't know. Also, they determine how well one is managing it by checking the A1c. Seems they've done studies and for non-insulin dependent diabetics, home testing isn't tremendously useful other than during the process of adjusting medication dosages. My fingers are happier now!

    They have new at home testers that don't require finger pricks, the one I was given lets me prick my forearm and I really don't feel any pain :smile: When they first told me that I was diabetic I dreaded having to prick my fingers because everytime my mom has to do it she always looks like it hurts.

    As for carbs impacting my blood sugars: potatoes have a greater impact than basmati rice (other types of rice act like potatoes for me). I eat very little in the way of starchy stuff (bread, crackers). Wheat seems to be worse than oats, spelt or barley. When it comes to starches, whatever is considered a serving, I eat half that amount. There also seems to be a connection to the amount of starches I eat and weight. If I slip into old habits and start more starches, my weight will start to go up, and rather quickly. That creates some big challenges, especially when eating out!

    Thanks for posting!
    katzpawz

    I'll have to monitor the way different types of carbs are affecting my sugar, I've only noticed a general trend. I do know when I eat pasta for dinner my sugar in the morning is way higher than it would have been with a protein and brown rice. I eat a lot of brown rice, I used to live on white rice (I'm half Japanese) but found a brown rice that is not as grainy as others I've had in the past.

    I'm glad you started this topic because I'll be diabetic the rest of my life, hopefully like you said I'll be able to drop some of the meds but if that's not possible I just want to avoid adding extra meds.
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    Hi all! Just diagnosed with type II 22 Feb '11. My nutritionist suggested i use this site as a way to track my dietary intake as i can also keep track of my carbs here instead of writing it all down in a little notebook like i had been doing. So far i'm liking myfitnesspal. Unfortunately my primary care doctor didn't give me a range where she wanted my blood sugars to be...so i'm trying to keep it around the 130s and lower...my fasting was 126 when they diagnosed me. i've found my numbers are always higher when i wake up and then they gradually drop as the day progresses. I take 500mg janumet 2x a day and so far i've been lucky to only have tummy upset twice. When i took metformin (dr prescribed it for weight loss and pre-diabetes) my tum was sick for close to a month..couldn't leave the house for fear...lol Anyhow, thought i'd key in and make myself known... :D

    I think the metformin might be making my tummy hurt also I'll have to talk to my doc about it... :sad:
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
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    Hi My Name is Sheila, I turn 40 next month and I made the choice on the 1st of March to get healthy, stop living the life I live and lose 100 pounds. My Ultimate goal is to get off my meds and no longer be diabetic. I have realistic expectations that it will take time to lose this weight Ive have carried around for years Ive been a big girl all my life but I have the belief in myself that my will, want and desire to no longer be fat. I look at small reachable goals each week and that helps me reach them. Ive had gestational diabetes since I was pregnant with my first child. After my second it never went away so living with type 2 for 3 years. I take Glumetza and Januvia, I have good numbers pretty much everyday for a year now. Ive lost 15 pounds since November without really doing anything dont know why. I only know this because I went in November to get blood work done and they weighed me and then at the end of last month again went to the doctors Im now 260 this is when I made the choice to do something about it.
    Last week I recorded everything I ate for the first time ever in my life and this week Im going to get the calories under 2000 a day. I was over by 370 calories last week but didnt really try to get them down just tracked how many I ate. Last week I burned 4100 calories this week I want to be at 650 a day. Yes I know this isnt exactly how the website uses the tracking but I am working my way into it with getting my calories down.
    I drive school bus so I sit on my butt most of the day, I have 2 boys Tristan 8 and Quentin 3, we are planning a trip for July to Disneyland, I want to be able to walk around without it bothering me by the end of the month I would like to at least walk 6 miles a day.
    I use my fitness pal to track all I eat and exercise each day its so helpful.
    I dont own a scale, dont know if Im going to get one cause I worry that I will worry how much I lose each time I step on it and get down on myself when i dont lose but then think how am I to know how well Im doing. Still on the fence to scale or not to scale.

    Look forward to being part of the group
  • katzpawz
    katzpawz Posts: 754
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    @ qtpiesmom: Welcome to the group! We're glad you found us! Feel free to jump in and post. Let know how you're doing or anything else that's on your mind.

    You are welcome to send me a friend request if you'd like.

    Cheers,
    katzpawz
  • katzpawz
    katzpawz Posts: 754
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    Greeting and welcome to anyone I've missed! Looks like I may have missed acknowledging one or two of you.

    Feel free to post, ask questions, share your success, vent frustrations. This is a place where we can share and support each other.

    Cheers,
    katzpawz
  • cathyv0409
    cathyv0409 Posts: 230 Member
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    Welcome Monkeygirl, Chroi, Tabby and Sheila!!

    I am also on Metformin 500 X 2 a day. I have had some trouble with it upsetting my stomach and have to make sure I take it after I have eaten something. I have recently started eating the small meals that are recommended for diabetics (or snacks between meals). This is so hard for me to get accustomed to and the fear of running out of calories before I run out of day. Supper has always been our big meal and I used to intentionally try not to eat until lunch time (I know, bad). My weight loss health coach recommended eating something within an hour of waking up to kick start my metabolism. I am trying to do that (it is almost always yogurt) but don't manage it every day.

    I'm not as good at checking my blood sugar as I should be so not much help when it comes to what makes it rise. My hubby is type 1 diabetic and I know for him, pasta or carbs and anything with a lot of fat in it will kick it up. Sheila, I think using the site to track what you are doing now is a great idea! It really does give me insight into what I need to change or where the changes would be "least painful" :smile: I don't think there is a right or wrong way to use this site - whatever works for us.

    Katzpawz and I started a challenge a couple of days ago if anyone would like to jump in with us on that. My goal is to do a better job of tracking my blood sugar (I know that is vague) and get some type of exercise every day. As she said in an earlier post the idea of the challenge is to give each other support - not criticize. I think most of us are hard enough on ourselves and our internal critic is strong enough that we don't need help from others!!

    I still need to lose over 100 pounds according to the weight tables but my first goal is 50 down then to get under 200 and we will see what happens from there. This site has been SOOO helpful for me both in the tracking and the support of friends. I look forward to getting to know you all better and walking this path together.

    Have a great day!
    Cathy
  • katzpawz
    katzpawz Posts: 754
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    Just got in from my walk!! Two days in a row, just under two miles in 45 minutes. My target is 3 miles in about an hour or so. Ultimately I would like to be able to do a 20 minute mile, but I'm not there yet!

    I've also logged my food, water and exercise so far for today. I've just got to get the rest of the day logged! I don't know what happens to my brain after dinner. I have the hardest time getting my evening meal/snack logged!

    Cheers,
    katzpawz
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
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    WAY TO GO KAT THAT IS GREAT!!
    Cathy I couldnt agree more we all beat ourselves up enough in our own minds so being here with good ladies like you is a great thing.

    As diabetics losing weight is great but we also have to worry about having our blood sugars drop or get out of hand. Choosing good foods to eat it the key, portions, balancing the carbs with protiens and veggies. Eating well balanced is the key, we can have that piece of cake as long as we dont eat the rice or potatoes with it. I love that now we have choices for ice cream and cookies that dont have sugars. I know not great for the calories but sometimes you have to treat yourself.
    How do you guys eat carbs? For me this is how I look at my plate I split it in half and then split the one half again
    The big part is for veggies not carrots, corn or peas since they are full of sugars/starch the other 2 smaller parts are for carbs and protein.
    Do you eat 6 small meals a day?
    For me this week as well as burning 650 calories a day and being under 2000 is to drink 8 glasses of water at least.

    Positive affirmation of the day
    BELIEVE IN ALL YOU DO!!
  • cathyv0409
    cathyv0409 Posts: 230 Member
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    That is amazing, Katzpawz!!!!

    qtpie - one of my biggest challenges is portion control. I have phone "coaching" with a weight management coach through my insurance (well, I have had one call so far) and as a part of the "deal" she sent me a portion plate. According to the plate that shows how we should be portioning out our food you are right on track. The first surprise that she warned me about is that the plate isn't the size of a dinner plate but more like the Dora or Elmo plate we bought for our young foster kids. I do try to eat 5-6 small meals or snacks a day but this is a fairly new thing for me. I also shoot for 10 - 8 oz glasses or water a day. I also aim for 1200 calories since I have a lot to lose but I don't get in as much exercise as you do either. If you have been on the boards long you have seen the arguments for and against eating your exercise calories.

    Thanks for the positive affirmation!!
    Cathy
  • katzpawz
    katzpawz Posts: 754
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    As for eating exercise calories: the nutritionist who taught the diabetes education class I attended (in the UK), recommends NOT eating exercise calories unless the net calories for the day goes below 1200. So, I do eat some of mine, but not all of them and not everyday. I try to let my body tell me what it needs. If, after a long walk, I feel particularly hungry, I may have a little larger snack than normal. If I don't do that, more often than not, I will get overly hungry and end up going way overboard.

    Just "food for thought!"

    katzpawz
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    Just got in from my walk!! Two days in a row, just under two miles in 45 minutes. My target is 3 miles in about an hour or so. Ultimately I would like to be able to do a 20 minute mile, but I'm not there yet
    katzpawz

    Great job! I love walking!
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    That is amazing, Katzpawz!!!!

    qtpie - one of my biggest challenges is portion control. I have phone "coaching" with a weight management coach through my insurance (well, I have had one call so far) and as a part of the "deal" she sent me a portion plate. According to the plate that shows how we should be portioning out our food you are right on track. The first surprise that she warned me about is that the plate isn't the size of a dinner plate but more like the Dora or Elmo plate we bought for our young foster kids. I do try to eat 5-6 small meals or snacks a day but this is a fairly new thing for me. I also shoot for 10 - 8 oz glasses or water a day. I also aim for 1200 calories since I have a lot to lose but I don't get in as much exercise as you do either. If you have been on the boards long you have seen the arguments for and against eating your exercise calories.

    Thanks for the positive affirmation!!
    Cathy

    I struggled with carb portion control cuz I thought I new what the size of a tennis ball was but I was dishing out a softball serving instead.
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    On another thread someone commented about keeping carbs to 40% of the total calories coming in... Is this something diabetics should be using to control carbs??
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
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    For me I read nutritional values and keep everything under the 30-35 mark with Carbs and try to never have sugars over 8, if that helps any. When it comes to rice, pasta, potatoes ifs no more than 1/2 cup and I balance that with veggies and proteins.
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    qtpie- for carbs I also eat about 1/2 a cup though I'm not very good at eating vegetables. Its not that I don't like eating my veggies I do but I'm a little lazy about preparing them with my meals for some reason.

    Cathy- I eat around five meals a day. I always eat breakfast with a carb (usually instant oatmeal) and some kind of protein. I'm off dairy right now because I'm trying to figure out if I'm lactose intolerant. I eat a snack around 10 which is my break time that includes almonds (usually 7-14 depending on my hunger level) and a small fruit of some kind. Then lunch around 12:30 which is always a leftover from the night before, unless they are feeding us teachers for free that day. At the end of school I have another snack of almonds and a fruit and by 6 o'clock I am ready for dinner which includes some kind of meal under 400 calories. I used to workout at the gym around 4:30 but because its softball season I'm not getting over there until around 6 which has pushed my dinner to 7:30, which is a little late for me but when I work out my appetite decreases so a light dinner works great. I'm still working on my carb intake and I notice when I eat more carbs in the morning my hunger is better throughout the day. On weekends I wake up later so I usually take out one of the snacks.

    This last week my morning blood sugar has been around 125, but tonight I ate a Jumbo Jack and I'll let you guys know how that affects my blood sugar in the morning. I'm thinking its going to be in the 30s, but I didn't plan well for dinner tonight and was starving.
  • katzpawz
    katzpawz Posts: 754
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    Morning all! So this morning I'm off to a good start. Breakfast followed by a little quiet time. I've had a pretty busy week, so I may take it a little easier today. I'll just see what I feel like doing based on my energy level. Although...I WILL GO FOR MY WALK TODAY!!

    I hope everyone is having a great week!

    katzpawz
  • tabbychiro
    tabbychiro Posts: 223 Member
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    I remembered to check my blood sugar this morning. 131. On the high side. Probably eating ice cream last night wasn't the smartest thing to do.

    I also struggle with portion control.

    Carbwise, I am trying to stay away from the refined stuff, easier said than done though. Ideally I would keep the carbs to 30g per meal/snack but that is hard.

    Cathy, I used to have a weight management phone coach provided by my insurance. But then they stopped it. I never investigated why. And then we switched insurance companies anyway. But I thought it was a great thing to have.

    We are going to an Asian buffet restaurant tonight. So frustrating because there is not nutritional info and probably 95% of the stuff isn't healthy anyway. And I'm starving right now. I hope I don't go all crazy tonight.
  • monkeygirl6
    monkeygirl6 Posts: 53
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    So my blood sugar was 118 this morning go figure? And I forgot to take my meds last night, go figure I thought it would be way higher with the greasy fast food!

    Tonight i was bad and helped myself to a snowcone, but I'm going to be up real late so i don't think it will affect my numbers that much...

    No workout til sat. And that making me feel lazy

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