Type 2 diabetic, dealing with pricks daily
Replies
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Sorry, I’m Canadian so my experience may be different. My dad with multiple medical issues plus T2 has a nurse practitioner assigned to him to review his A1C and diet every couple months.
[Edited to add] if I were you I’d ask for a referral for your mom.0 -
Hello @CeeBeeSlim if your PCP is very knowledgeable on treating T2D then you would be ok. It would appear though that you might need to also see an dietitian which would help with getting your mother on a diet that would support getting her A1C numbers at goal. The more information that you can get on the subject the better, there are many references online and in books on how the foods we eat and exercise effect our bodies. Asking for a referral certainly wouldn't hurt though. Hang in there.1
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@jgnatca @REDMANIV Thanks for the guidance. I think a dietician is a great idea - more for my dad! My mom is recovering from a stroke so my dad and I are responsible for her entire diet. When she’s with me her, A1c numbers are in range, when with him (I’m not there), they’re elevated. It’s the southern diet, the “joy” she sees in her face when he presents her with the sweets, etc. It’s strange but I think it’s because he doesn’t “see” the diabetes, it’s easy for him to dismiss it. Maybe the dietician can better educate him than the arugula-eating East Coast no-tasty food daughter! Sigh!!1
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CeeBeeSlim wrote: »@jgnatca @REDMANIV Thanks for the guidance. I think a dietician is a great idea - more for my dad! My mom is recovering from a stroke so my dad and I are responsible for her entire diet. When she’s with me her, A1c numbers are in range, when with him (I’m not there), they’re elevated. It’s the southern diet, the “joy” she sees in her face when he presents her with the sweets, etc. It’s strange but I think it’s because he doesn’t “see” the diabetes, it’s easy for him to dismiss it. Maybe the dietician can better educate him than the arugula-eating East Coast no-tasty food daughter! Sigh!!
This reminds me of my father in law. He didn't trust a nursing home to stick to his mother's no sodium diet, he said as he prepared her a cheese sandwich.0 -
Hello T2D MFP loggers. How have things been going your way? I got the results of my blood glucose test back and my doctor certainly was not impressed with me letting my diet get out of control. I did find out some good information about how the A1C test works and I have invested in quite a few books to gain some more knowledge on my life as a diabetic. I will be back in to see the Dr again in July and hopefully with the changes I have made to my diet and exercise I will see my numbers drop back down to the range my Dr wants them to be in. He has shifted me from checking my BG from fasted in the mornings to two hours after my largest meal of the day. He said this will give me a better idea on how my body is processing and handling the different types of foods that I am consuming. If my numbers are higher than 150 then I will need to make some adjustments. So far so good though for now, my numbers after my largest meal have been averaging in the 110-120 range. It feels as though I am on a pretty good track now, time will certainly tell the tale though. If you are new to T2D (Type 2 Diabetes) drop in and let us know how things are going.0
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Hello T2D MFP loggers. How have things been going your way? I got the results of my blood glucose test back and my doctor certainly was not impressed with me letting my diet get out of control. I did find out some good information about how the A1C test works and I have invested in quite a few books to gain some more knowledge on my life as a diabetic. I will be back in to see the Dr again in July and hopefully with the changes I have made to my diet and exercise I will see my numbers drop back down to the range my Dr wants them to be in. He has shifted me from checking my BG from fasted in the mornings to two hours after my largest meal of the day. He said this will give me a better idea on how my body is processing and handling the different types of foods that I am consuming. If my numbers are higher than 150 then I will need to make some adjustments. So far so good though for now, my numbers after my largest meal have been averaging in the 110-120 range. It feels as though I am on a pretty good track now, time will certainly tell the tale though. If you are new to T2D (Type 2 Diabetes) drop in and let us know how things are going.
I really appreciate your honesty. Around here, so many people seem to get a diagnosis and, BAM, 3-6 months later their A1c levels are in the 4-5 range. I struggle constantly, and it gets depressing.
Good luck on your journey!0 -
T1 here. Diabetes T2 is a fast growing disease. It relies on lousy diets and being overweight for its existence.
Being Insulin dependent is a tight rope and tracking everything going in my mouth and weight loss is controlling readings.
Keep up good works and control your diabetes.1 -
Hello everyone,
I was first diagnosed with T2D in 2016. I was put on the drug of choice - Metformin - had severe gi issues. discussed with multiple health professionals. Those discussions pretty much fell on deaf ears. My PCP told me I did not have a choice, I had to take that med. Which lead to years of noncompliance and chasing other options to try to get A1c and BGL within acceptable levels. I did have good luck following the Whole30 way of eating - for 9 months. However, when I allowed myself to "eat normally" for the holidays, that turned into a year and a half of being non compliant and no monitoring of health concerns. I happened to wear a new pair of shoes that caused a blister on the ball of my foot, and within a mere 4 days, developed a diabetic ulcer that was infected and caused me to be hospitalized.
After explaining to everyone I encountered why I had been non compliant, I was met with looks of confusion and words of encouragement and told that there are other options. First being that we needed to get my BGL down! and A1c back on track, see a GI specialist, see an endocrinologist, and begin taking insulin.
I decided that was all well and good, but that I also needed to follow the Whole 30 or at the very least Paleo way of eating because I knew I could do that and that it had helped.
I am 2 months post hospital, my BGL is between 77 and 150, I test 4 times a day, I am off of all insulin, I am taking Victoza, Glipizide, and Jardiance. I go in for blood work next month to recheck my A1c. I am sending in my results of my BGL every 2 weeks to both my PCP and my Endocrinologist. PCP is very excited about my progress, Endocrinologist is still skeptical since it has been relatively a short time period and doesn't think I have the ability to keep up with the progress I have made.
In these past 2 months, I can tell you, I have felt like pure hell as my sugars have been leveling out. PCP keeps assuring me, stick with it, it will get better. Endocrinologist keeps tweaking meds to help with symptoms, and to help keep the levels down as long as I follow my regimen. PCP recommends following a Glycemic Index diet. Endocrinologist recommends following the Keto Diet with no more than 50mg of carbs per day.
What I have found so far is the Keto Diet is very similar to Whole 30 and Paleo, however, Keto limits the micro nutrients to 75% Fat, 20% Protein, and 5% Carbs daily. Whereas the other 2 are just as long as they are compliant, it doesn't matter how much you eat of what.... I have not been able to follow the Keto Diet to a T, however, I am trying and do see results in both BGL and in weight loss. I am down 10 lbs since May 24th, and I am told that the Jardiance does help with weight loss as well. The other meds promote weight gain, so I am glad to see the numbers on the scale continuing to go down.
I also have resumed wearing my Fitbit. All of these things that "keep track of things" for me help me to be aware of what I am doing and how things affect me. When I think I am being good as far as eating foods that are compliant, because of the glycemic index, it may not be good for me specifically, but is still a healthier choice for example a sweet potato instead of a white potato...
Also if I want to indulge in say a chip, I get Veggie chips and count out the number that are considered a serving and that has made all the difference too. If I don't count out the serving, and just guess when to stop, my BGL goes higher than I want it to be even if it is still in an acceptable range. I would like to keep my levels more consistent rather than swinging from one end of the range to the other. AND with the steps I have been taking, I have been able to keep them on a pretty consistent level by eating much of the same foods every day. It isn't adventurous, but it allows me to get things under control and then make a change every now and then to see how my system deals with small changes one at a time.
Thanks for allowing me to ramble on and I hope some of the things I have been learning about myself will help others of you.2 -
theresabrown77040 wrote: »Hello everyone,
I was first diagnosed with T2D in 2016. I was put on the drug of choice - Metformin - had severe gi issues. discussed with multiple health professionals. Those discussions pretty much fell on deaf ears. My PCP told me I did not have a choice, I had to take that med. Which lead to years of noncompliance and chasing other options to try to get A1c and BGL within acceptable levels. I did have good luck following the Whole30 way of eating - for 9 months. However, when I allowed myself to "eat normally" for the holidays, that turned into a year and a half of being non compliant and no monitoring of health concerns. I happened to wear a new pair of shoes that caused a blister on the ball of my foot, and within a mere 4 days, developed a diabetic ulcer that was infected and caused me to be hospitalized.
After explaining to everyone I encountered why I had been non compliant, I was met with looks of confusion and words of encouragement and told that there are other options. First being that we needed to get my BGL down! and A1c back on track, see a GI specialist, see an endocrinologist, and begin taking insulin.
I decided that was all well and good, but that I also needed to follow the Whole 30 or at the very least Paleo way of eating because I knew I could do that and that it had helped.
I am 2 months post hospital, my BGL is between 77 and 150, I test 4 times a day, I am off of all insulin, I am taking Victoza, Glipizide, and Jardiance. I go in for blood work next month to recheck my A1c. I am sending in my results of my BGL every 2 weeks to both my PCP and my Endocrinologist. PCP is very excited about my progress, Endocrinologist is still skeptical since it has been relatively a short time period and doesn't think I have the ability to keep up with the progress I have made.
In these past 2 months, I can tell you, I have felt like pure hell as my sugars have been leveling out. PCP keeps assuring me, stick with it, it will get better. Endocrinologist keeps tweaking meds to help with symptoms, and to help keep the levels down as long as I follow my regimen. PCP recommends following a Glycemic Index diet. Endocrinologist recommends following the Keto Diet with no more than 50mg of carbs per day.
What I have found so far is the Keto Diet is very similar to Whole 30 and Paleo, however, Keto limits the micro nutrients to 75% Fat, 20% Protein, and 5% Carbs daily. Whereas the other 2 are just as long as they are compliant, it doesn't matter how much you eat of what.... I have not been able to follow the Keto Diet to a T, however, I am trying and do see results in both BGL and in weight loss. I am down 10 lbs since May 24th, and I am told that the Jardiance does help with weight loss as well. The other meds promote weight gain, so I am glad to see the numbers on the scale continuing to go down.
I also have resumed wearing my Fitbit. All of these things that "keep track of things" for me help me to be aware of what I am doing and how things affect me. When I think I am being good as far as eating foods that are compliant, because of the glycemic index, it may not be good for me specifically, but is still a healthier choice for example a sweet potato instead of a white potato...
Also if I want to indulge in say a chip, I get Veggie chips and count out the number that are considered a serving and that has made all the difference too. If I don't count out the serving, and just guess when to stop, my BGL goes higher than I want it to be even if it is still in an acceptable range. I would like to keep my levels more consistent rather than swinging from one end of the range to the other. AND with the steps I have been taking, I have been able to keep them on a pretty consistent level by eating much of the same foods every day. It isn't adventurous, but it allows me to get things under control and then make a change every now and then to see how my system deals with small changes one at a time.
Thanks for allowing me to ramble on and I hope some of the things I have been learning about myself will help others of you.
Awesome share and thank you for lending us some insight into your journey, your struggles and your successes! Congrats on getting the scale to move down. It certainly looks as though you are on a really good path towards getting your BGL where it needs to be.
I go back in next week to get my blood drawn for my next batch of tests. I am a little over 2 months into a new eating lifestyle and I have been doing a ton of fat burning exercises. By the time I see my Dr again I should be down right around 20 pounds. Hoping for some really good A1C numbers as I have really attempted to stay on track.
Keep up the fantastic work and check in from time to time to let us know how you are doing.0 -
Hello T2D MFP loggers. How have things been going your way? I got the results of my blood glucose test back and my doctor certainly was not impressed with me letting my diet get out of control. I did find out some good information about how the A1C test works and I have invested in quite a few books to gain some more knowledge on my life as a diabetic. I will be back in to see the Dr again in July and hopefully with the changes I have made to my diet and exercise I will see my numbers drop back down to the range my Dr wants them to be in. He has shifted me from checking my BG from fasted in the mornings to two hours after my largest meal of the day. He said this will give me a better idea on how my body is processing and handling the different types of foods that I am consuming. If my numbers are higher than 150 then I will need to make some adjustments. So far so good though for now, my numbers after my largest meal have been averaging in the 110-120 range. It feels as though I am on a pretty good track now, time will certainly tell the tale though. If you are new to T2D (Type 2 Diabetes) drop in and let us know how things are going.
I really appreciate your honesty. Around here, so many people seem to get a diagnosis and, BAM, 3-6 months later their A1c levels are in the 4-5 range. I struggle constantly, and it gets depressing.
Good luck on your journey!
@SaraKim17 Keep you head up my friend. Things will certainly get better as you figure out how to navigate your way through this journey. Being dishonest when it comes to my T2D will only end up hurting me physically in the long run. I have had to face the reality of leading a healthier lifestyle and making better choices if I ever want a chance at maintaining my BGL where they are supposed to be.
Thanks for the share and have a good weekend!0 -
T1 here. Diabetes T2 is a fast growing disease. It relies on lousy diets and being overweight for its existence.
Being Insulin dependent is a tight rope and tracking everything going in my mouth and weight loss is controlling readings.
Keep up good works and control your diabetes.
@dsboohead awesome job to you! Thanks for the share. I agree that tracking everything I eat and weight loss will continue to be vital as I live with T2D. I have also added in glucose shredding fat burning workouts. they are not the funnest thing in the world to do however I know the benefits I get from doing the slow burn exercises.
Have a great weekend and you keep up the fantastic work!0 -
Hello T2D MFP loggers. How have things been going your way? I got the results of my blood glucose test back and my doctor certainly was not impressed with me letting my diet get out of control. I did find out some good information about how the A1C test works and I have invested in quite a few books to gain some more knowledge on my life as a diabetic. I will be back in to see the Dr again in July and hopefully with the changes I have made to my diet and exercise I will see my numbers drop back down to the range my Dr wants them to be in. He has shifted me from checking my BG from fasted in the mornings to two hours after my largest meal of the day. He said this will give me a better idea on how my body is processing and handling the different types of foods that I am consuming. If my numbers are higher than 150 then I will need to make some adjustments. So far so good though for now, my numbers after my largest meal have been averaging in the 110-120 range. It feels as though I am on a pretty good track now, time will certainly tell the tale though. If you are new to T2D (Type 2 Diabetes) drop in and let us know how things are going.
I really appreciate your honesty. Around here, so many people seem to get a diagnosis and, BAM, 3-6 months later their A1c levels are in the 4-5 range. I struggle constantly, and it gets depressing.
Good luck on your journey!
@SaraKim17 Keep you head up my friend. Things will certainly get better as you figure out how to navigate your way through this journey. Being dishonest when it comes to my T2D will only end up hurting me physically in the long run. I have had to face the reality of leading a healthier lifestyle and making better choices if I ever want a chance at maintaining my BGL where they are supposed to be.
Thanks for the share and have a good weekend!
@REDMANIV, thank you for your encouraging words! They really do help.
I'm not giving up, but I do give in to my feelings too often. There are definitely changes I can make that I haven't. I think you've hit the nail on the head -- I do need to be honest with myself. I "rationalize" too much.
Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!0
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