Diabetes!! Pre/Borderline/Elevated.... WTH!!
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MsTrueBlue
Posts: 13 Member
I'm sooooo afraid that Im about to become a diabetic.. There's a history of diabetes in my family and I was told about 3 weeks ago that I needed to watch my sugar and fried foods... I'm like "huh" my doctor said that my sugar level was elevated... I asked her for my number and she said 105... When I told my family, they told me "oh that aint nothing" but the doctor said that your number should be 99 and under.... During that same week, my numbers started going down 102 and then 89 (now I'm happy again) but this morning my husband checked it for me and it was 105 again.... OMG!!!... Am I eating too many strawberries or mangos, too much oatmeal everyday???? I doon't know what to do or where to start....
My husband is a diabetic and I watch him prick his finger, get light headed, fatigue, etc.... I don't want to go thru all of that, I already have high blood pressure.. This is just another thing for me to worry about.. I thought that I was doing good with shedding a few pounds and exercising and now I have to worry about this....
Please help me understand this diabetes stuff...
My husband is a diabetic and I watch him prick his finger, get light headed, fatigue, etc.... I don't want to go thru all of that, I already have high blood pressure.. This is just another thing for me to worry about.. I thought that I was doing good with shedding a few pounds and exercising and now I have to worry about this....
Please help me understand this diabetes stuff...
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Have you had a fasting blood draw and an A1C test done? A1C is a good test to indicate your average glucose levels over time and I used to run them all the time at my old job. Last time I had fasting blood work done my glucose level was elevated but the doctor ran an A1C and it was within normal range.
Basically being diabetic means that your body no longer uses insulin efficiently. So when you are actually pre-diabetic it's not always that your specific blood glucose level is high but rather that the amount of insulin in your blood compared to the glucose is at a higher ratio than normal. This is what I learned from one of my doctors. Proper blood testing sounds like what you need at this point.0 -
Did your doctor give you any recommendations to go by? I'm not an expert on diabetes - but I do know that not all sugar is created equal. Such as the sugar in fruit is different from the sugar in a donut.
My brother in law was diagnosed with diabetes in the past year - and he has worked to modify his eating habits to avoid going on meds. (Note to self - need to check w/ my sister for an update on how that is going.) I know they now look at the carbs on food labels much more than before, not just sugar. And he was told to increase his exercise. Take regular walks and such, as that can help the body manage insulin and blood sugar levels. Walking is good for so many things!0 -
Don't freak out! This can be controlled or even reversed. You just need some good information about food and nutrition, and sadly, most doctors do not know, and even the ADA (American Diabetes Association) gives out the wrong information.
Pre-diabetes is also known as Insulin Resistance. I have Insulin Resistance and was told I was going to become a diabetic too. I was offered all sorts of drugs and a crazy diet by my doctor and her nutritionist. I went and learned all I could about it, and "fixed" it myself ... with no drugs or crazy diets.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar (glucose). When our blood sugar rises, insulin is released and, among other actions, it stimulates the cells within the body to take up the glucose in the blood, either for immediate energy or for storing as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells. Insulin Resistance is when the cells no longer respond to the presence of insulin, and no longer take up the glucose, leaving it in the blood and therefore a high blood sugar level. (It really is far more complex than that, but this isn't a science lesson and I am no biologist!)
So, the choice then, to keep blood sugar levels normal is to either take the drugs - which cause all manner of other problems (liver failure!) - or keep the sugar out of the blood to begin with. I went with the second option ... because I hate drugs.
I did that through diet ... and diet that goes against all conventional modern "wisdom" and medical advice - because all that is wrong. Basically, I don't eat anything that can raise my blood sugar ... that would be all grains - wheat, rice, oats, corn, etc.; starchy veggies like potatoes; all forms of sugar - the white stuff, the brown stuff, honey, molasses, maple syrup, agave, corn syrup; and most fruits. What I do eat is lots of natural fats - animal fat and fish oil that naturally occurs in meats, seafood, and poultry; natural cold-pressed oils from nuts and seeds - olive, avocado, coconut, etc, as well as what occurs in those foods, and dairy fats - butter, cream, the fat in cheeses. I eat a moderate amount of protein - about 1.3 grams per kilogram of lean body weight - from beef, poultry, salmon, shrimp, eggs, etc. And then, lots and lots of veggies - either fresh or frozen. You can look at my food diary if you want, to see what kinds of meals I eat.
Here are a couple places on the web you can go for more information:
This guy was diagnosed Type II diabetic, and fixed it with diet alone, and now blogs about it:
http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/
And some information about the diet plan I sort of follow: (I am far from perfect, but close enough!)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/02/ketogenic-diet-health-benefits.aspx
Try not to worry ... stress will only make things worse. It's not the end of the world, and you can control this.
God bless!0 -
I'm sooooo afraid that Im about to become a diabetic.. There's a history of diabetes in my family and I was told about 3 weeks ago that I needed to watch my sugar and fried foods... I'm like "huh" my doctor said that my sugar level was elevated... I asked her for my number and she said 105... When I told my family, they told me "oh that aint nothing" but the doctor said that your number should be 99 and under.... During that same week, my numbers started going down 102 and then 89 (now I'm happy again) but this morning my husband checked it for me and it was 105 again.... OMG!!!... Am I eating too many strawberries or mangos, too much oatmeal everyday???? I doon't know what to do or where to start....
My husband is a diabetic and I watch him prick his finger, get light headed, fatigue, etc.... I don't want to go thru all of that, I already have high blood pressure.. This is just another thing for me to worry about.. I thought that I was doing good with shedding a few pounds and exercising and now I have to worry about this....
Please help me understand this diabetes stuff...
Ask your doctor about seeing a nutritionist or if there's an eating plan he wants you to follow.
In the meantime, look at this website:
http://www.diabetes.org/
and look under "Food and Nutrition", also meal plans. You can also sign up to receive recipes by email.
I had gestational diabetes (which has since resolved) and controlled it through a doctor supervised, super-strict diet.
Since my case and yours are not quite the same (and I only stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night) I can't really give you medical advice. But until you get back in touch with your doctor:
• Try to pair your (complex) carbs with protein. Always
• Go for a walk after dinner. (It does wonders for fasting sugar numbers)
• Try to substitute low glycemic fruit (and foods in general) for what you are eating now
• Have small meals throughout the day to prevent spikes.0 -
I'm sooooo afraid that Im about to become a diabetic.. There's a history of diabetes in my family and I was told about 3 weeks ago that I needed to watch my sugar and fried foods... I'm like "huh" my doctor said that my sugar level was elevated... I asked her for my number and she said 105... When I told my family, they told me "oh that aint nothing" but the doctor said that your number should be 99 and under.... During that same week, my numbers started going down 102 and then 89 (now I'm happy again) but this morning my husband checked it for me and it was 105 again.... OMG!!!... Am I eating too many strawberries or mangos, too much oatmeal everyday???? I doon't know what to do or where to start....
My husband is a diabetic and I watch him prick his finger, get light headed, fatigue, etc.... I don't want to go thru all of that, I already have high blood pressure.. This is just another thing for me to worry about.. I thought that I was doing good with shedding a few pounds and exercising and now I have to worry about this....
Please help me understand this diabetes stuff...
Was the 105 from a fasting blood glucose test? If so, a fasting blood glucose level of 100-125 mg/dl indicates pre-diabetes. Therefore, if you do not make changes in your diet/lifestyle now, you will become a full blown type 2 diabetic. Although, even will lifestyle changes you may still become a diabetic because it runs in your family. Sometimes no matter how healthy you eat and no matter how much weight you lose and how much you exercise, a person will still develop diabetes if there's a family history.
I don't have pre-diabetes or diabetes but I have insulin resistance and hypoglycemia and have to watch my carb intake.
You need to cut out all simple carbs. Stick to complex carbs only. This means no cake, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, ice cream, cheesecake, etc. Eat sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, veggies and fruits for your carbs. CARBS MUST ALWAYS BE PAIRED WITH PROTEIN. You ask if you are eating too many strawberries or mangos- no. You just need to pair it with a protein. If you have strawberries or mango, eat greek yogurt with it. Don't overdo the fruit though. It contains a lot of sugar. Try to stick to low glycemic fruits like berries…. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. Green grapes and green apples are better than red grapes and red apples (less sugar).
A pre-diabetic/diabetic should only eat between 30-45 grams of carbs per meal and 15-30 grams of carbs per snack. Pay close attention to food labels. I can't stress that enough.0 -
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You don't have to cut carbs out completely, but you will need to keep them under a certain level and spread them out thru the day so that you don't have high amounts of carbs at one time. Generally they recommend eating 30 grams or less at one time.
It is also recommended to choose high fiber carbs, and to eat protein with your carbs. Fiber and protein will slow the breakdown of carbs into sugar in your body.
A processed, pure sugar carb, like table sugar, or donuts, cakes, etc, will break down quickly and will spike your blood sugar level and overstress your pancreas by forcing it to release large amounts of insulin.
If you choose high fiber vegetables and fruits, then the sugar will be broken down more slowly. But be careful with the fruits, as some of them do have lots of sugar, so be careful with bananas and other high sugar fruits, and choose berries whenever possible.
High fiber grains like oatmeal are ok, but you must limit the quantity. Check to see how many carbs are in one of your servings of oatmeal, and I bet you will be over the 30 g limit for that meal.
Fats do not increase your sugar levels, but over indulging in fats can cause you to eat too many calories, so watch your overall calories. On the upside, healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, eggs, etc are good for you and help you to feel fuller so that you can stay within your calorie goal.
So don't be afraid to eat fats, just watch your overall calories.
Exercise is great for helping the body break down sugar. So walk or get as much activity in as you can.
Diabetes is a curable disease if you catch it early as you have. You can easily manage it with diet and exercise changes, and prevent becoming insulin dependent where you will have to take insulin injections daily. That is a big pain, in addition to the severe health problems that come along with Diabetes, i.e. kidney failure, losing toes,feet, or even legs to amputation, and blindness, just to name a few.
My mother died of Diabetes 2 yrs ago. I spent many hours with her at the Dialysis clinic after her kidneys failed. There were rows of people who were blind, or missing limbs. They all spent 4 hours/ 3 days a week, sitting in that clinic getting their blood filtered. A really sad sight to see.
Don't put your family thru the hell of watching you go thru that. Make the lifestyle changes NOW to prevent that.
This doesn't mean that you can never have a donut or slice of birthday cake on special occasions, just that you need to keep careful tracking of your carbs, and always be mindful. You will have to make choices that keep you within your goals.
You can do it! Best wishes.:flowerforyou:0 -
I am a type 2 diabetic, and my doctors never told me when I was in that pre-diabetes range. I wish they had.
In addition to a diet where you watch your carbohydrates, you should think about adding some form of exercise. Exercise, strength training in particular, helps to make your body more sensitive to the insulin you are already producing.
You might want to see if your local library has 'Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars' Dr Bernstein is a type 1 diabetic and there is lots of info in the book about how your body works when you have diabetes. Much of the advice will hold true for someone who is prediabetic too. He is an advocate of a high fat/low carbohydrate diet for diabetics.0 -
When you test makes a huge difference as well. If I am not feeling well, did a really hard workout, didn't wash my hands properly (touching fruit/sugar and testing) will all skew my results. My A1C wend from over 7 to just over 5 by following a reasonable nutrition and exercise plan for 15 months. I worked with a diabetic counselor and a nutritionist.0
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Good information on diabetes: http://www.diabetes.org/
That is the American Diabetes Association website.0 -
I am a type 2 diabetic that was on insulin, and now is almost completely off meds. Spreading out my carbs through the day, lowering them to reasonable levels, focusing on complex carbs, and pairing them with healthy proteins/fats are the dietary changes I've made. I also work out now (strength training and endurance) and have lost quite a bit of weight. My A1C in November of 2012 was 9.8, and now is only 5.6.0
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I had that scare when I was 37. The doctors office was right next door to a Baskin Robbins ice cream parlor. I remember going back to my car after I got the news and just crying my eyes out thinking I'll never be able to have chocolate or ice cream or cookies ever again and I thought to myself what's the point of living?! I have a history of diabetes in my family on my dads side. His mother had it and eventually went blind and lost part of one of her legs and now my dad is a full blown diabetic and has to take medicine. I thought to myself there is no way I'm going down this road and the doctor did say I could correct it with my diet. So long story short I did the low carb high fiber diet . I omitted ice cream cookies candies except those that were labeled sugar free and I watched my intake of those. At the time I got the news I was 200 pounds. Within 3 months of eating lots of beans lowcarb tortillas occasional sugar free candies and lots of water collard greens Black Eyed Peas okra green beans and getting rid of potatoes rice bread, I was able to lose 50 pounds and this was all without exercise. I went back to the doctor and had my blood sugar re tested with the 3 month test and all my levels were completely normal. I did buy the lifestyle blood sugar testing kit after I got the initial news and was adamant about checking it every day at least 6 times a day just before my meals and an hour and a half to two hours after meals just to make sure that the foods I was eating were not affecting my blood sugar levels. If something made it spiked above 130 I omitted whatever it was that I thought caused the spike because it had t too many simple carbs or starches in it and eventually got my diet down to a science of foods that were good for me. If I can do it you can certainly do it. the funny and sad thing about my dad was I put him on that diet when he was first diagnosed with it and we got his blood sugar levels down to the proper levels to where he could stop taking his medication.then he decided he didn't like the foods I was preparing and went back to eating a pot of rice a sleeve of Ritz crackers at night for a bedtime snack and bread without limitations and eventually it caught up to him and now he can't reverse it. When our bodies give us warning signs we need to listen. I was so grateful I was able to catch it in time to do something about it. And it sounds like you are at that stage . One thing I've learned is that if you have the majority of your carbs especially since I read that you like fruit so have those things as part of your breakfast and lunch but try to stay away from things with natural sugars an excess of carbs once you've had your lunch. This way your body has a chance to burn no sugar is an extra carbs off and your body will go into almost a fat burning state from say 1 or 2 o'clock whenever your lunch is over until you get up the next morning. This is key because this part of the meal plan is what helps you lose the pounds. it is not too late girl! You are still very much in control of the future of your health...it's all about eating the right foods at the right times. So just get proactive and of course doing a brisk walk of say 2 miles a day within a 30 minute time wiill vastly improve your blood sugar levels as well. I hope this helps...feel free to add me as a friend and of course.... good luck!0
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I'm pre-diabetic too. About a year ago my fasting blood sugar was around 118, 2 points from being considered officially diabetic. Now I hover around 85-90. There are a few things you need to know, some of which you may not like:
1. General weight loss and exercise WILL in most cases help tremendously in the long turn.
2. Don't base all of your hopes and worries on one reading. Blood sugar fluctuates based on many things - not the least of which are illness, stress, hormones, not having a good sleep, and believe it or not, not eating enough carbs! Even now I still get the odd 100+ reading. Don't let that scare you.
3. There is a general diabetic tendency and three is the dawn phenomenon. Do a test for yourself and measure your blood sugar 1,2 and 3 hours after a meal, or have your doctor do this test for you. If it's a combination of after meal spike, higher than average fasting glucose and a generally high A1C you should keep watching it closely. If only your fasting blood sugar is high, you may have the dawn phenomenon which has different causes than regular diabetes, most of which are harmless - just how your hormones work at night.
4. Working out is GREAT for diabetes, but too much cardio can have the opposite effect. It has to do with stress hormones.
5. If you add protein and fat to your carbs, your sugar is likely to spike less than if you ate carbs alone. It's individual, so you will need to test that for yourself. I was actually able to consume 100 net carbs in one meal and my highest after-meal spike was 127!
6. No one can tell you what will or will not work for you. You will need to do a lot of testing yourself to see how your body works. When I tried low carb I had a TERRIBLE time trying to control my sugar. It was constantly elevated, because your body can turn fats and protein into glucose if it panics that there isn't enough glucose. My happy range is between 150-200 carbs a day, this gives me great control. For some, low carb is the only thing that works, for others it's detrimental.
7. Your family members are officially diabetic, they are comparing their numbers to yours. They will likely try to calm you down and tell you that it's nothing, but what you have is slightly different from what they do. Don't let them lull you into a false sense of security.
8. This part you may not like, but there is a possibility that no matter what you do you would still get diabetes. Lifestyle changes CAN reverse pre-diabetes, or just delay it.... You need to be prepared for whatever the days will bring and keep watch every few months even when your numbers are back to normal.0 -
OMG!!! You guys have really opened my eyes... I thank yall so much for all this information. My doctor didn't give me much information about diabetes, she just called and said that my sugar level was elevated "watch your sugars and fried foods" and I'm holding the phone like "WHATTTTT" However, on the flip side of things, I'm glad she called... My grandmother was a diabetic, my dad and his brothers are diabetics and my husband is also a diabetic so I'm surrounded and for the most part non of them is following the doctors orders... Folks are telling me that I'm worrying over nothing (105) isn't a big deal but I'm worried that the (105) can change to (155)... I really want to learn more about this so therefore, I will continue to research and watch what I'm eating..
And no, this wasn't a fasting test... I just woke up this morning wanting to check my sugar and it was (105).... My husband said "see you ate those oatmeal cookies from subway last night" and I'm just standing there looking stupid...
Again, thanks for all the information... If you guys think of something else that can help me, please come back here or just add me as a friend...0 -
OMG!!! You guys have really opened my eyes... I thank yall so much for all this information. My doctor didn't give me much information about diabetes, she just called and said that my sugar level was elevated "watch your sugars and fried foods" and I'm holding the phone like "WHATTTTT" However, on the flip side of things, I'm glad she called... My grandmother was a diabetic, my dad and his brothers are diabetics and my husband is also a diabetic so I'm surrounded and for the most part non of them is following the doctors orders... Folks are telling me that I'm worrying over nothing (105) isn't a big deal but I'm worried that the (105) can change to (155)... I really want to learn more about this so therefore, I will continue to research and watch what I'm eating..
And no, this wasn't a fasting test... I just woke up this morning wanting to check my sugar and it was (105).... My husband said "see you ate those oatmeal cookies from subway last night" and I'm just standing there looking stupid...
Again, thanks for all the information... If you guys think of something else that can help me, please come back here or just add me as a friend...
If you just woke up and took it then it IS a fasting test, unless you ate too late at night. If you hadn't eaten anything for 8 hours prior the test it's considered a fasting test. What you may want to do next time is to wait it out a bit to about 10-11 am (without eating or drinking anything but water) to make sure your morning hormones are not interfering with it. Also make sure to wash your hands well and dry them thoroughly before the test. I once got the scare of my life when I tested after handling dates! You also need to ask your doctor for a A1C. A1C is a test that estimates your average glucose over the span of the last 3 months. It would show you if you really are getting consistent spikes to be considered diabetic/pre-diabetic.0 -
. . . Although, even will lifestyle changes you may still become a diabetic because it runs in your family. Sometimes no matter how healthy you eat and no matter how much weight you lose and how much you exercise, a person will still develop diabetes if there's a family history.
I just want to underscore this. Type II diabetes is cast as being solely the result of bad health habits, and that is NOT true. Many factors will increase your risk, and it is true that good diet and exercise can help cut down the risk, but sometimes people will get diabetes no matter what they do. You have gotten a lot of good (and some questionable) info here--I second the recommendation to meet with a nutritionist who specializes in diabetes--you will get good info on how to eat, and how your husband should eat.0 -
Oh Ok!! Well, yeah it was a fasting test then... I ate some oatmeal cookie from Subway last night around 11pm and my husband pricked my finger this morning around 8am.... Thanks for the information!!0
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I would think it would be a good idea to talk to a doctor who works with diabetics and maybe get in touch with a Registered Dietitian (different than nutritionist).
http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdfinder/default.aspx
Most RDs work with diabetics, but you can check the diabetes specialty on the search to narrow it a little.0 -
I had a fasting glucose level of 105 for two years and my doctor said it was not yet in the pre-diabetes range at that time. Now I'm at 120 and officially pre-diabetic. 126 is considered diabetic. I've not seen anything saying 120 is diabetic, as a previous poster stated. Generally 100-125 is prediabetic, and above that is the 'real thing'.
In any case, your doctor should be giving you guidance on your diet so you can get it under control. As several people already mentioned, you can definitely still eat carbs.
If I overdo the carbs I get very sleepy and have no energy. Keeping them in check has given me more energy. I could not live happily if I could never have bread or baked goods, so I have them. Just not all at once.
Good luck!0 -
I had a fasting glucose level of 105 for two years and my doctor said it was not yet in the pre-diabetes range at that time. Now I'm at 120 and officially pre-diabetic. 126 is considered diabetic. I've not seen anything saying 120 is diabetic, as a previous poster stated. Generally 100-125 is prediabetic, and above that is the 'real thing'.
In any case, your doctor should be giving you guidance on your diet so you can get it under control. As several people already mentioned, you can definitely still eat carbs.
If I overdo the carbs I get very sleepy and have no energy. Keeping them in check has given me more energy. I could not live happily if I could never have bread or baked goods, so I have them. Just not all at once.
Good luck!
It depends on the lab. Some labs set it as low as 110, others as high as 125. Mine has it as 1200
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