It's time to get my Diabetes under control

Options
ddelledge
ddelledge Posts: 5 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hello everyone!

I've been on here a couple of weeks now and so far have lost 4 pounds. Over the past several years, my work and sedentary lifestyle has allowed my Diabetes to get out of control and I'm now on 4 different medications that barely keep my sugars around 120. My son finally got on me and told me to take control and get back in shape; so here I am.

Seems like a great group and I love the iPhone app to keep up-to-date when I'm not at home. My goal is to drop from 260 to somewhere in the 185 range. At that weight, I was able to control my blood sugar without any medications.

Friend invites welcome to all.

Replies

  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    Options
    Doyou have type 1 or type 2 diabetes? If you have type 2 I would urge you to check out my website. Many people on this program have gone off all meds with type 2 diabetes.
  • LynnBirchfield
    LynnBirchfield Posts: 580 Member
    Options
    Friend request sent.
  • ddelledge
    ddelledge Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Sorry about that, I should have mentioned that it is type 2 (adult onset) Diabetes.
  • Altiv
    Altiv Posts: 174 Member
    Options
    Welcome to mfp!
    I have insulin resistance and I'm too hoping reaching my ideal weight will help me to control my insulin without more medications, before losing weight I was taking 4 pills a day and now I only take 3 and I'm hoping that number will gradually reduce as my weight drops ;)

    I wish you the best of lucks reaching your goal!!
  • ddelledge
    ddelledge Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    That is fantastic! Congratulations on reducing the number of pills you have to take each day. That's the kind of thing I like to hear to motivate me to keep going. There was a time when I was much younger that losing weight was as easy as falling off a log, but it seems like I have to scratch and claw my way to every ounce these days. Keep up the great work!
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Options
    I'm diabetic also. I found out from sudden DKA and acute pancreatitis in the ER last April. I didn't know I was diabetic prior to that.

    When I got out of the hospital, I was on insulin and Glucotrol.

    I immediately changed my diet of white rice, potatoes, french fries, white bread, etc. to whole wheat and fiber everything. I also started drinking lots of water and exercising slowly, but regularly. Within the first month and a half, I was completely off insulin and managing with Glucotrol. A couple of weeks after that, by June of last year at that point, I was completely off Glucotrol, and I haven't had to take any medication since.

    I watched my carb intake, as you know we always have to, and made sure the diet included a wide variety of vegetables, lean meat, and free foods from the exchange list; i.e. mustard, hot sauce, [low sodium] broth, coffee, tea, celery, etc. I took advantage of those condiments and snacks.

    What also helped was joining and using LiveStrong's calorie tracking site, because they also have a section dedicated to those with diabetes. You can track your glucose and insulin levels [if you need to take it] every time you input it.

    Since last April (at 303 lbs), I've dropped about 125 - 126 lbs, and I'm now about 177 lbs and completely asymptomatic from anything diabetes related. Usually diabetics also have BP and cholesterol issues [not sure if it's the same case for you], but I've also dropped those down to normal healthy levels. My BP might actually be a little too low, but that's manageable for me.

    Anyway, good luck to you and I'll send you an invite as well, just in case you need support from a fellow diabetic.
  • ddelledge
    ddelledge Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Anubis,

    That is an amazing story and an inspirational one as well. I can't say congratulations enough for your success in weight loss and getting your blood-sugar and other health factors under control. I hope to have a similar story very soon. (fingers crossed)

    D.
  • steampunkgirl
    steampunkgirl Posts: 71
    Options
    Congrats to ANUBIS609!! That is an awesome achievement and I am sure the reward of not have to take the meds is worth it.
    Kudos to you ddelledge for taking the first step. Keep with it!!
    I don't have diabetes but MANY of my family members on my dad's side have type 2. A year ago I had a health screening warned me I was getting close. I didn't worry about it until I talked to my dad on the phone. Two years ago he lost part of his right foot and his eye sight because he wasn't managing his food intake (he was over 400 lbs last time he checked). I was so angry because it could have been prevented. He was 55 at the time.
    He is working on losing weight and is undergoing exerimental surgery to restore his eye sight.
    Anyway I applaud you for your efforts and success to take care of yourself so you can enjoy the life you have.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Options
    Thank you, ddelledge and steampunkgirl.

    I don't wish it for anyone else, but the literal near-death experience gave me a moment of clarity to evaluate what I was doing with my life. It wasn't all food related, but I accepted any consequences that occurred because they were the result of the choices I made voluntarily. I wasn't scared to die. I just didn't feel like I needed to yet. So, I made a complete lifestyle change, overhaul really, not just for my diet and activity level, but for every aspect within my control.

    I'm almost overly confident in my abilities. But it's because of that willingness to achieve personal success on my own that I decided against my initial consideration of getting Lap-Band for weight loss, and decided to disprove the professional medical statistical theory that most diabetics fail in their attempts to reduce or reverse the negative effects associated with their disease.

    @steampunkgirl - I understand the frustration that you're going through. Many of my family members felt the same way, even if I wasn't diagnosed with diabetes prior to the diabetic coma + pancreatitis incident, it runs in both sides of my family, and my life choices were leading me down the path of inevitable young death or disability. So, they felt that it could have been avoided had I started much, much sooner. In the larger scope of things, which only I realized at that moment when no one else could yet, I'm glad it happened. That was my wake-up call. And so it was for the better. Now they see that. Sometimes the hard-headed need a swift kick to the metaphorical groin to let them know they're not going to create any positive changes by doing nothing.

Categories