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Way to go Travis! Your my role model! I'm also trying to get my A1c way down.0
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when your a1c goes down it means your controling it correct? If it remains down does it mean you beat it? My first a1c was Jan 3rd. it was 11.5.It covers the past 3months i was told. In october of 2011, I was hospitalized for broncotis.I was in hospital for 4 days. I was given steroids antib iotics. I was also given insulin because they said the steroids made my sugur rise which it did some readings were 268. Since jan 3rd i have lost weight an d the doctor cut my metformin to half a tab a day. I got second a1c april 1st. It was 6.3. Im confused am i truly diabetic ? If it is controled does it just mean im a controlled diabetic? my morning fasts are between 91 and 110, any opinions?
mo
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Yes, your A1C is the best way to measure how well you are controlling your diabetes. Since it covers three months, there is no way to cheat it. It lets us see how well we are doing over the course of time, rather than just at a certain point in time like our normal, everyday, testing does.
There are varying opinions on whether or not you can cure yourself from diabetes. I'm of the opinion that there is no cure, because we will always have to monitor our glucose levels from here on out. I'll always consider myself a diabetic, even though my A1C is better than most of my non-diabetic friends, but the goal is to always remain a controlled diabetic. My ultimate goal is to get off the meds and stay off the meds. To me, beating diabetes means diabetes isn't beating me. I'll never be cured, but I can darn sure not let it get the best of me.0 -
Yes, your A1C is the best way to measure how well you are controlling your diabetes. Since it covers three months, there is no way to cheat it. It lets us see how well we are doing over the course of time, rather than just at a certain point in time like our normal, everyday, testing does.
There are varying opinions on whether or not you can cure yourself from diabetes. I'm of the opinion that there is no cure, because we will always have to monitor our glucose levels from here on out. I'll always consider myself a diabetic, even though my A1C is better than most of my non-diabetic friends, but the goal is to always remain a controlled diabetic. My ultimate goal is to get off the meds and stay off the meds. To me, beating diabetes means diabetes isn't beating me. I'll never be cured, but I can darn sure not let it get the best of me.
in my opinion i agree with you on this. you can control it without meds. but, a bad week or month, old habits coming back and before you know it. your numbers are back up again. had a friend who had gastric bypass, said doctor told her she was a non-diabetic again. she replaced wine with food, and depression set in, old habits came back as her stomach allowed the food to come back in, and there went her numbers back up. so once you have crossed the line, you can so easily cross it
again. i am hearing that A1C over 5 is diabetic. i think every blood lab has a different number. some say 6, some say 7. mine says 5. didn't know you could get below 5. mine stay around 5.5 -5.8. i take the smallest dose of victoza, and nothing else.0 -
Wow! I've never heard anyone say an A1C over 5 is diabetic. I only recall hearing of one of my friends/family with an A1C below 5, and that was a 4.8. The way I've always been told, anything under 6 is considered normal, anything above 6 and below 6.5 is borderline, and anything over 6.5 is diabetic. My doctor just says he wants me to remain below 7, which is ridiculous to me. I was extremely happy with my 5.1, and my goal is to keep myself below 6, preferably 5.7 or below.0
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Hi,My name is Eric.I am a 39 year old dad of a 5 year old girl,and married for 3 years.Been diagnosed in sep 2010.At the time of diagnoses my A1C was 9.1.Was put on 500mg of Metformin twice a day breakfast and dinner.Had a followup 3 months after with about 20lbs less and a A1C of 7.0.Then about 6 months later,lost another 10lbs or so and A1c dropped to 6.0.Since then,lost around another 20lbs and my last blood work my A1c was 5.7.To make it short,Just joined MFP to try to reach my next goal.Try to completelly drop my meds.0
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Not all T2 can diet control. I'm on 2000 mg met, work out most every day and severely restrict carbs (about 40 net per day). I'm about 10 or maybe 15 lbs overweight although I'm within my normal weight range, just on the higher end. I'm 46 yo and have been diagnosed for 13 years. My fastings are almost always above 110. If I eat a piece of whole wheat bread I'll come close to 200.
If you can control with diet and exercise that is fab. If not, don't beat yourself up. I'm working on my dr. to give me more drugs. I'd rather have more drugs than the rot. I sure would like to be able to eat too. My dr. always says I'm so well controlled but it is only because what I eat, when I eat, when I exercise etc it tightly regulated. I need to do something besides be obsessed with my diabetes.0 -
If you can control with diet and exercise that is fab. If not, don't beat yourself up. I'm working on my dr. to give me more drugs. I'd rather have more drugs than the rot. I sure would like to be able to eat too. My dr. always says I'm so well controlled but it is only because what I eat, when I eat, when I exercise etc it tightly regulated. I need to do something besides be obsessed with my diabetes.
agree. if you can great, if you can't exactly don't beat yourself up. you just have to work with it. i take victoza. it's an injection. not insulin. it really helped me. endro said my body was getting use to the met. has a great appetite suppressant. i use the lowest dose once a day. hoping to come off it soon. changing GPs. mine now, keeps telling me my numbers, (sugars, choles, tric, etc) are low because of the meds. wait, what about the 65 pounds i have lost and the great eating i am doing. that doesn't count? so changing doctors soon. i need someone who is going to work with me, not against me. and who just doesn't want my money. he only gives me meds for 3 months, so i have to come back. he even told me that.
good luck to you.0 -
If you can control with diet and exercise that is fab. If not, don't beat yourself up. I'm working on my dr. to give me more drugs. I'd rather have more drugs than the rot. I sure would like to be able to eat too. My dr. always says I'm so well controlled but it is only because what I eat, when I eat, when I exercise etc it tightly regulated. I need to do something besides be obsessed with my diabetes.
I totally agree with you on this. I'm all for controlling diabetes by any means possible. My preference, and my goal, is to get off my Metformin and control this with diet and exercise alone, but if that is never possible, I will not beat myself up over it, nor should anyone else. I like to think I can do it. I have watched my father, who struggled for 20 years with his glucose control, go from being on insulin to being med-free over the past two years, by finally getting serious and staying serious about his diet and exercise. It gives me hope that it's possible.
But you're totally right, it would be nice not to have to be obsessed with it all the time, and to enjoy eating again. I was telling my wife just the other day that there is absolutely no joy in eating anymore. I view eating now exactly the same as filling my car up with gas…I don't enjoy it, it bores me, but it has to be done in order to function.0 -
Hi there, 40 year old mom of 3 (21, 20 and 14...yeh I started young). I am a type 2 diabetic. I started on 18 units of insulin 2 days after i was diagnosed. I was diagnosed 2 and a half years ago. At that time I weighed about 285 lbs. I'm now at 248 and have been told recently by my doctor I'm taking too much insulin, causing me to keep the weight on. I've been a model patient, my sugars are always almost perfect so he advised me to just check my blood often and eat healthier, monitor my insulin intake and keep going for me A1C's every 3 months (my last A1C was 5.1 the one before was 6.0)
I am so very proud to say that I have been insulin free for 2 weeks and am no longer on any medication. The only thing I took at the beginning was Metformin but it made me horribly sick to my stomach. I do get a little higher on the sugars when I've eaten high carbs, but I think as long as they are healthy carbs that's not so bad.
I wanted to join this group because the hard part is starting for me and that is to lose about another 100 lbs. I know i'm very lucky that the insulin intake is pretty much nil, however I don't want to go back on the needle and really need some support in my journey. I will never 'not' be diabetic, I will only be able to control it via diet and exercise, so that being said, that's me.
I did my first cardio workout today and smiled like a kid with a new toy when done, I've never felt so great and alive and the news from the doc just topped it off, wish me luck, I think I'm going to need it
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welcome cindy....great numbers, and congrats on no meds. you started out just one pound less than i did. it's a long hard journey. just keep at it and it does come off. when i was first DX i lost over 80#s the first 9 months. than doc said everything was going so good i had to quick smoking too. on came 30, but, i have been smoke free for 5 yrs. than lost it again, plus some. than life turned upside down for me. gain back 35 or so. lost it again. than i let life take over control and gained back 40+. on my way to losing it again. different this time around for some reason. in my head anyway. slowly coming back off again.
good luck to you0 -
Hello, Everyone...my name is Joan, I'm 68, and a retired elementary teacher. I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes last year. I, too did not take it too seriously as my doctor just put me on Metformin, and that was it. In talking to a friend who is a registered dietician, she recommended that I get testing supplies, and test 3 times daily. This I did, on my own, and then I was able to take the results to the doctor. My AiC has never been over 7.0. In my last 2 visits, the A1C has dropped to 6.9 and 6.8. I also went to the Diabetic Center in my hometown in northwestern Pennsylvania. We are considered rural. We are located about 90 miles from Buffalo, NY, and about 90 miles from Erie, PA.
The Diabetic Center recommended the carbs for the day. I am obese ( I HATE that word!!!!!!!), and my doctor feels that the carb allotment is way too high. I also have had half of my thyroid removed, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
I seem to be resistant to losing weight. Last year, my doctor put me on a modified South Beach to "shock" my metabolism. I lost 1 lb. in a month!!!!!!!!! My doctor, on the other hand, looks great.0 -
Hello, Everyone...my name is Joan, I'm 68, and a retired elementary teacher. I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes last year. I, too did not take it too seriously as my doctor just put me on Metformin, and that was it. In talking to a friend who is a registered dietician, she recommended that I get testing supplies, and test 3 times daily. This I did, on my own, and then I was able to take the results to the doctor. My AiC has never been over 7.0. In my last 2 visits, the A1C has dropped to 6.9 and 6.8. I also went to the Diabetic Center in my hometown in northwestern Pennsylvania. We are considered rural. We are located about 90 miles from Buffalo, NY, and about 90 miles from Erie, PA.
The Diabetic Center recommended the carbs for the day. I am obese ( I HATE that word!!!!!!!), and my doctor feels that the carb allotment is way too high. I also have had half of my thyroid removed, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
I seem to be resistant to losing weight. Last year, my doctor put me on a modified South Beach to "shock" my metabolism. I lost 1 lb. in a month!!!!!!!!! My doctor, on the other hand, looks great.
@Joan: What was the carb amount per day the center told you? Generally, for diabetics, it should be between 30-45 each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 15 each for snacks, totaling approximately 180 per day. The key is to try to not go over these amounts per meal b/c your body can't break it down as well as a non diabetic therefore, causing weight gain or difficulty losing weight0 -
Hi Everyone, My name is Emily. I was diagnosed 18 months ago and was started out on Actos. However I was having terrible nightmares and my doc took me off the meds and suggested a very low carb diet and exercise. He recommended 40 carbs per day total which I did for a few months. I lost about 5 pounds and could not or would not stick with that carb level. So I just limited the white stuff and started exercising. Not really losing any weight so I thought I would start tracking here. My A1C is doing pretty good at 5.7. I am 5'4 and weigh 185 pounds so I have lots to lose. I didn't realize there were groups here but discovered this one and it seems like a great place to get some support.
Joan, I am also retired and I am 61. I test twice a day. We are pretty rural here in WV too!0 -
Hello,
My name is Ramona (all of you who have read Beverly Cleary books will understand the reference) diagnosed diabetic the summer of 2001 so it's been 10.5 years. I began not knowing what to do and thinking only of succumbing to this out-of-control bad dance between my liver and pancreas. Was on four meds, Actos, Glybride, Metformin and the fourth I can't remember it's been so long ago, at least in my mind. Then Feb of 2006 I decided that I wanted to live a healthy life so I began walking. I worked my way up to 35 miles and then settled. The med I can't remember was dropped and I settled on the 35 miles a week.
And then my body got use to the millage and my numbers began creeping up so I added some resistance exercise. At first I did it one time a week and then bumped it up to two. I also added Exercise DVDs to my routine. Actos was dropped and I was content for awhile. Then in 2007 I was told my department was being eliminated within the year and I got busy after I got scared. What was I gong to do without health insurence, so I bumped up everything, my walking, my resistance training and got my A1c that hovered around 7.0 and 6.3 down to my most recent 5.6.
About that job and health insurance. Yes, I found another job within six weeks of getting laid off. I began my new job after my severance and unused vacation time ran out.
I am an exergamer, Wii Fit Plus started it all. I got a free Wii and Wii Fit Plus, well not exactly free I changed my phone company and internet provider and it came with $200 Gift Card. I purchased other Video games to use with my new toy and have since moved on to "rougher" games, Ea Sports Active etc. In fact I'm here because EA stop supporting (yesterday) the on-line component and someone in one of my workout groups created a group here. So I looked to see if there were any Type II groups and I found you guys.
For anyone thinking that they will never get a handle on their diabetes, please note: it took me five years of consistent exercising moving to go from four meds down to one, metformin (I have a very overactive liver). First diagnosed A1c, 11.9, current 5.6. I worked up to only being able to do 15 minutes of fast walking, with an hour, or at least it seemed like it, recovery time, to being able to do 2 to 3 hour marathon sessions, one or twice a month, with a 20 minute recovery time and back to a resting heart rate of 65/70 in two minutes or less.
At 60, not retired, still working I plan to exercise into the sunset.0 -
Joan:
Find out from you doc if you have Metabolic Syndrome. That is what is sound like to me which will make you, yes very resistant to weight loss, but you can do it. I have Metabolic Syndrome and it took me forever to drop weight. I exercised and saw no weight loss results on the scale even though I dropped two dress sizes and people would tell me I look like I lost 50 pounds.
In fact six weeks into my new exercise program, fast walking, the scales read 14 more pounds, sigh! But because my glucose numbers when I tested were dropping, I focused on those numbers. 3.5 years later I was putting on a spring two piece dress I had purchased one year before and the skirt fell straight to the floor. I hadn't realized I had lost 35 pounds (sometimes the scales can be your enemy if you don't have the right perspective).
I workout everyday with one day of active rest so I'm a seven day a week girl. Recently (January) because of a bad respitory infection and a visit to my son and daughter-in-law, I really didn't get my exercise on but for 10 days in January and that sent my glucose numbers over the moon.
Just keep up whatever exercise/movement you are doing and it will pay off. Went from a size 20 to a 10 in five years.
All the best0 -
Hi I'm Sandra I live in Texas City TX I'm 59 need to lose 100# I have a lot of medical problems. I've been married for 39 years have a daughter and 2 grandsons in Ala I hope to learn what I need to eat and the amount of carbs sugar and whatever else I'm supposed to keep up with hope to have some friends I'm not to good at typing real slow but trying. Thanks for any help and friends0
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Hi my name is Kathy I’m married & a mother of 2. My daughter 21 is in school. My son was killed in car accident last Oct. He was 25. I & My hubby are now empty nesters. Last January I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So far I’m not on any medications & I’m still learning what changes I need to make. So I would appreciate any suggestions or help you have to offer. I’ve also lost 10 pounds since I was diagnosed.:flowerforyou:0
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welcome....
first take a look around the site and you will get some great information. this is not an easy to live with. it takes allot of adjust of diet and exercise to figure out what works for you. i suggest you see a nutritionist and get your plan. everyone is different on their carb count and calorie count.
again welcome0 -
Hi my name is Kathy I’m married & a mother of 2. My daughter 21 is in school. My son was killed in car accident last Oct. He was 25. I & My hubby are now empty nesters. Last January I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So far I’m not on any medications & I’m still learning what changes I need to make. So I would appreciate any suggestions or help you have to offer. I’ve also lost 10 pounds since I was diagnosed.:flowerforyou:
Best advice I have is to eat to your meter. It was said above and I'll say it again - everyone is different. Figure out what foods and what carb/calorie count works for you. And stick to it. Exercise is also key. I have been able to get my glucose levels under good control by diet alone, but my morning readings are a full 10-15 points lower when I am exercising faithfully.0
