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  • puttingme1
    puttingme1 Posts: 3 Member
    New to this MFP. Diagnosed this summer and trying to manage food intake and exercise in order to lose weight and lower a1c so I can avoid medication
  • 2t9nty
    2t9nty Posts: 1,631 Member
    puttingme1 wrote: »
    New to this MFP. Diagnosed this summer and trying to manage food intake and exercise in order to lose weight and lower a1c so I can avoid medication

    You have come to the right place!
  • DocRock25
    DocRock25 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm Vicki. I've had T2D for about 6 years but wasn't very compliant because I hate needles. Now, I use a Libre Freestyle Sensor. No more needle sticks. I'm able to get real time readings from the sensor, and that enables me to manage intake. Hunger and high blood sugar feel the same. If I think I'm hungry and check the sensor reading, and I'm high, I wait a while or exercise. If I'm low, I know to eat. I lost about ten pounds and dropped my A1c a point. I'm now at 7.6 A1C and hoping that over the next year I can drop another point and eventually be in remission for T2D. I'm taking two 500 Metformin 2x daily currently. I've noticed significant fluctuation in my readings when I get different med manufactures also. The sensor has made a huge difference with my compliance and ability to proactively manage the condition.
  • hawkinabox
    hawkinabox Posts: 3 Member
    Morning all from Waterloo ON. I am hoping this is an active group. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with some alarming numbers (15.2 Fast with 10.0 A1C). I am just looking for some support and advice (oh and maybe some decent recipes). Hopefully I can make a few friends here to keep me "honest" in my approach to tackling this.
  • 2t9nty
    2t9nty Posts: 1,631 Member
    hawkinabox wrote: »
    Morning all from Waterloo ON. I am hoping this is an active group. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with some alarming numbers (15.2 Fast with 10.0 A1C). I am just looking for some support and advice (oh and maybe some decent recipes). Hopefully I can make a few friends here to keep me "honest" in my approach to tackling this.

    How are you managing things now? What do your numbers look like since diagnosis?
  • hawkinabox
    hawkinabox Posts: 3 Member
    My last A1C was 7.9. My Dr upped my Metformin to 2x500 twice a day. My only issue is I’m finding the side effects to be bothersome after the morning dose
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Concordancia here. I was diagnosed with Type II early this year. Despite yearly health screenings, I blew right through pre-diabetes, going from fasting numbers in the 90s for years straight to 250.

    Right after diagnosis, I rocked the diet and exercise. I lost about 25 pounds in four months and brought my fasting numbers down to ~110-120. Then I went off the rails. Gained back every pound and fasting was 180-200 even with Metformin. When I went back to the doctor's last month, she suggested I try Ozempic. I see why people think it is a miracle drug, but I wouldn't call it "appetite suppression" so much as "food aversion." I had seen some women compare the side effects to morning sickness, but none of them mentioned the fact that it included just the smell of some foods making you gag! I call it my chemical bypass. I have lost 10 pounds, fasting numbers are around 120, and I am still on the initial dosage that doesn't technically have an effect on blood glucose. Between the gastric distress and the fact that my numbers are already coming down, I am a little concerned about going up the dosage in a couple of weeks. I am also concerned about whether or not.

    I keep carbs under 80. When I try to be consistently lower than 50 I start getting anxiety, yet it doesn't bring my fasting numbers any lower, which also leads to frustration.
  • nroy70
    nroy70 Posts: 1 Member
    Hello All, I am Eileen and just joined this group discussion. I had joined myfitnesspal since 2011 and been login on and off. Recently my blood sugar level has gone up drastically. I believe this is due to fatty Liver too. Hoping I get lots of encouragement from this group. Will be starting to log the food i eat everyday. Have been working in the City so not getting time to exercise too much lately. Hoping this helps my A1c numbers to go down and so does the sugar levels. Hoping to get best out of joining this group.
  • 2t9nty
    2t9nty Posts: 1,631 Member
    nroy70 wrote: »
    Hello All, I am Eileen and just joined this group discussion. I had joined myfitnesspal since 2011 and been login on and off. Recently my blood sugar level has gone up drastically. I believe this is due to fatty Liver too. Hoping I get lots of encouragement from this group. Will be starting to log the food i eat everyday. Have been working in the City so not getting time to exercise too much lately. Hoping this helps my A1c numbers to go down and so does the sugar levels. Hoping to get best out of joining this group.

    FWIW, my doctor told me I had NAFLD back an eternity ago before I gained weight. My liver enzymes have always been high when I got a panel done. After a year of keto, my liver enzyme numbers were low normal. I had not even seen normal for about 25 years. I am sure the weight loss helped, but the enzymes were bad at this weight before.

    I would counsel logging and tracking glucose to see what is going on with your numbers.

  • RemyBri
    RemyBri Posts: 1 Member
    Hello, I'm Remy and new here!

    I was diagnosed prediabetic roughly 3 years ago. I changed my diet and exercise habits for the better, but it didn't stop me from getting the diabetes diagnosis a year later at 30 years old.

    This past February, my a1c was chilling around 8.3. As of Tuesday, it's now 10.2.

    My doctor suggested gastric bypass, but I'd rather avoid that if I can. She recommended it because I have A LOT of factors working against me for weight loss. (meds, genetics, other illnesses I have, etc.)

    So I've been upped from metformin 500 x2 a day, to 3x a day, plus glipizide. Fasting was 280 on Tuesday; it's 205 today.

    I got back on MFP mostly to keep track of how many carbs I'm actually eating. I hope to gradually decrease my intake. I was at too many, around 250. This week I've knocked it down to 175. I'd like to keep knocking it down as my body can take it, but I'm also battling severe depression, PTSD, anxiety, and fibromyalgia, so I have to take it day by day.

    Slow but steady is going to be my new motto, as all my doctors have been trying to get me to listen to for a while now!
  • pamlorbieski
    pamlorbieski Posts: 187 Member
    Hi! I am Pam.

    I was diagnosed as a type2 diabetic when I was 15 years old. Surprisingly, I was a little pudgy, but not particularly obese or anything. I was maintained on oral meds until I was close to 20 years old. I do have the signature type 2 insulin resistance, but over the years my pancreas has also decreased function. I am currently 53 years old and have been an insulin user since I was 20. I do also continue to take meds for my insulin resistance. I take Metformin and Farxiga. It is an interesting balance for me to manage both the resistance and a very poorly functioning pancreas but I make it work :)

    There have been times in my life where I was wildly out of control, and times where I have help it together pretty well. All in all, I cant complain. I have very few effects..no neuropathy, no circulation issues. I have had my retinas lasered once about 8 years ago for some leaky vessels, and currently have very mild retinopathy in one that has not required any treatment.

    I am here to try to finally get the rest of this excess weight off! Thanks for having me!
  • chelny
    chelny Posts: 179 Member
    Hi, I'm Chel. I was just dx with T2 in Feb. It's in my family, but I was trying to eat healthy enough and exercise enough do prevent it. It didn't work. So I'm eating even healthier now. Struggling with exercise. I run, and I did some longer distance races in 2018, but looking back I think I was having sugar issues then. I just didn't know what was going on. Kind of nervous about getting sick while I'm out running. Not looking forward to the needles & blood testing. Ugh. Well, I'm here to improve things--not let it get worse.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    chelny wrote: »
    Hi, I'm Chel. I was just dx with T2 in Feb. It's in my family, but I was trying to eat healthy enough and exercise enough do prevent it. It didn't work. So I'm eating even healthier now. Struggling with exercise. I run, and I did some longer distance races in 2018, but looking back I think I was having sugar issues then. I just didn't know what was going on. Kind of nervous about getting sick while I'm out running. Not looking forward to the needles & blood testing. Ugh. Well, I'm here to improve things--not let it get worse.

    Hi Chel! I'm also a runner. Take some form of quick acting glucose with you when running. I currently use Clifblox but smarties candy works for short distances. I also eat an orange before running.

    Testing is a thing you get used to, not a big deal. Buy a meter with cheap enough strips that you don't hesitate to test often enough - I use the Bayer Contour next, which also got the highest marks for accuracy in a consumer reports study.

    Are your doctors going straight to insulin for you, or trying other meds first?
  • chelny
    chelny Posts: 179 Member
    Hey, Rheddmobile,
    Thanks for the advice. I was able to get a glucometer that is mostly covered by my insurance, including the strips. I am not on any medications at this point. I will look into Clifblox or some other sweet to bring on my runs just in case. My head is kind of spinning, but it'll be ok.
  • mypixiedesigns
    mypixiedesigns Posts: 26 Member
    Hi there, I’m Laurel. I was just diagnosed in January as T2. I feel like I am just kind of left out here with no clue what to do. I have Kaiser and they referred me to a class but that’s all the way in May.

    So in the meantime I am trying to fix things myself with changing my lifestyle. I am still pretty under control compared to some other folks I have talked with so maybe I can change things on my own. My first A1C was 6.3 and my average fasting glucose in the morning is 112 since mid January.

    I have started logging my food, meal prepping more, started a couch to 5k plan and mindfulness.

    What are your top tips for avoiding meds and what to eat to help support your body’s release of insulin?
  • 2t9nty
    2t9nty Posts: 1,631 Member
    Hi there, I’m Laurel. I was just diagnosed in January as T2. I feel like I am just kind of left out here with no clue what to do. I have Kaiser and they referred me to a class but that’s all the way in May.

    So in the meantime I am trying to fix things myself with changing my lifestyle. I am still pretty under control compared to some other folks I have talked with so maybe I can change things on my own. My first A1C was 6.3 and my average fasting glucose in the morning is 112 since mid January.

    I have started logging my food, meal prepping more, started a couch to 5k plan and mindfulness.

    What are your top tips for avoiding meds and what to eat to help support your body’s release of insulin?

    My diagnosis A1C was 12.8, so I was in a worse starting place. They started me on metformin. It was when I reduced carbs that I started seeing results on the meter.

    FWIW, the doctor reduced and then later stopped meds. My January appointment was a year after stopping the metformin, and my A1C was 5.4.
  • lklimowicz
    lklimowicz Posts: 57 Member
    So that is actually my profile - not sure how it switched to my old account for a day but - mypixiedesigns is my old profile.

    Hi there, I’m Laurel. I was just diagnosed in January as T2. I feel like I am just kind of left out here with no clue what to do. I have Kaiser and they referred me to a class but that’s all the way in May.

    So in the meantime I am trying to fix things myself with changing my lifestyle. I am still pretty under control compared to some other folks I have talked with so maybe I can change things on my own. My first A1C was 6.3 and my average fasting glucose in the morning is 112 since mid January.

    I have started logging my food, meal prepping more, started a couch to 5k plan and mindfulness.

    What are your top tips for avoiding meds and what to eat to help support your body’s release of insulin?
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    lklimowicz wrote: »
    So that is actually my profile - not sure how it switched to my old account for a day but - mypixiedesigns is my old profile.

    Hi there, I’m Laurel. I was just diagnosed in January as T2. I feel like I am just kind of left out here with no clue what to do. I have Kaiser and they referred me to a class but that’s all the way in May.

    So in the meantime I am trying to fix things myself with changing my lifestyle. I am still pretty under control compared to some other folks I have talked with so maybe I can change things on my own. My first A1C was 6.3 and my average fasting glucose in the morning is 112 since mid January.

    I have started logging my food, meal prepping more, started a couch to 5k plan and mindfulness.

    What are your top tips for avoiding meds and what to eat to help support your body’s release of insulin?

    The good news is your labs are not that bad! You should easily be able to stay off meds if that's what you want. However, not all meds are bad - for example I could come off metformin but choose to stay on it because I have no side effects, and it's an appetite suppressant. Work on losing excess weight, getting regular exercise, and staying within your carb tolerances, and you should be back at healthy levels before you know it.

    Use your meter after meals until you learn how your body tolerates different amounts of various foods. Morning fasting glucose is not strongly correlated with health outcomes, it's absurd that so much focus is placed on this, instead of post prandial glucose which has a direct connection to health outcomes. Different people are different in how they react to specific foods - for example I can eat a huge amount of fruit without a blood glucose spike, but even a small amount of rice will spike me, and some people are the opposite. They won't tell you this in class, you have to learn about your own body.

    My main tip is to learn to use your meals to fuel your exercise. Running is a great help, and I also suggest adding some strength training, because strength training improves insulin resistance. Plan to work out after eating and you will lower your glucose levels naturally. Then plan your snacks for when your glucose is lowered by exercise. Studies have found that three short walks after meals is better for glucose control than one longer walk, for example. I have found that doing bodyweight squats can quickly bring my levels down if they get too high - and you can do squats anywhere, without equipment, even in the restroom of a fancy restaurant if necessary!

  • Cathalain
    Cathalain Posts: 424 Member
    I’m back after a long absence. Diagnosed in 2012, lost 125 pounds in the space of 2 years, at one point my A1C was 4.9 and I was kicking butt. Then I got pregnant with my daughter....suffered a painful, acrimonious divorce.... and I just didn’t care, as awful as that sounds.

    The shock to my system came this weekend - my father passed away on March 2, stage 4 renal failure. Caused by.... yes. His T2D.

    That’s the slap in the face I needed. He always told me to get back on the wagon, and so I am. I’ve made an appointment for April 4 to see a new specialist, but I’m starting over here early. No reason to wait. Every reason to start again.

    Thanks for having me.
  • lklimowicz
    lklimowicz Posts: 57 Member
    @rheddmobile thanks for all that. That is the type of info that is helpful.

    @Cathalain welcome. I’m sorry for you loss. Good for you for making a change too
  • chelny
    chelny Posts: 179 Member
    Hi lklimowicz, I’m in a similar situation as you. Recently diagnosed; education class scheduled for the end of May. I’m working on making changes to my diet. I found a YouTube video and learned to use my monitor. There is a pinned thread at the top of this group with a bunch of helpful links to various websites. Ive been reading the blood sugar 101 site today. Very educational. Hope that helps.
  • lklimowicz
    lklimowicz Posts: 57 Member
    @chelny
    Thanks. I’ll check them out. Sounds like we really are on the same path - my class is end of May as well
  • olsen1972
    olsen1972 Posts: 3 Member
    Hi 🙂My name is Dana. I am 46 (almost 47). I was diagnosed with Type II last week. I was prediabetic for the past year and taking Metformin but when I went for my physical my fasting BG was 202 and my A1c was 8.5. My doctor upped my Metformin to 500 mg twice a day and I am checking my BG 4 times a day. I have had triglycerides since I was 23 and high blood pressure for 5 years - I got stuck with some very sucky genes. I was already eating pretty healthy and working out a few times a week so this has been hard. I am doing okay but feel overwhelmed at times figuring out planning my food and exercise with all the other responsibilities in life. I am also looking for other people who understand the struggles, fears, and frustration this disease brings. I’m happy to have found this group!
  • SweeterThanSugar75
    SweeterThanSugar75 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi I'm Beth. Diagnosed Type 2 on 3/19/19. Been on metformin for 15 years for PCOS and insulin resistance. Starting education classes 4/30. I'm overwhelmed with reading all I can about diabetes. Some friends and family are supportive while others tell me it's all my fault. Looking for friends to share our journey to better health.
  • Hi everyone, my name is Abby, I’m 38, and I was diagnosed Type 2 in September 2018. I unfortunately knew it was going to happen due to both my grandmothers being type 2 and I’m overweight...was just hoping it would be when I was a little older.

    I work as a CPhT on night shift at a large hospital, as well as day shifts at a different smaller hospital, so it’s VERY difficult to stay on the nutrition plan my nutritionist gave me. And virtually impossible to stick to a workout schedule as well.

    I look forward to the tips and support I hope to gain in this group. Thank you for having me.
  • luv2nap1
    luv2nap1 Posts: 24 Member
    I’m type 2... diagnosed in 2004... weighted 210 in 2016... now 178... l go to the gym twice a week.. I’m 63...
  • chelny
    chelny Posts: 179 Member
    Hi new people! :)
  • crunchergirl
    crunchergirl Posts: 184 Member
    Good morning....my name is Tracy and I was diagnosed with Type 2, 3 weeks ago. I was immediately put on Metformin. I have been eating low carb ever since and just had my education class this past Friday. I have been doing a lot of reading....books and online and have been overwhelmed with all of the information and different schools of thought.

    Decided to go back to weight watchers because I need that accountability of a group setting, but there really isn’t any support specifically for diabetics and it’s hard to track carbs via their website, so I decided to come over to my fitness pal also. I look forward to getting to know you all and learn as much about this disease as possible to control it. Thanks.
  • kel_vs_diabetez
    kel_vs_diabetez Posts: 10 Member
    Hey everybody! I'm Raquel. New to the app but a 2 yr diabetes patient. Type 2 at 29 yrs.
  • MariaNicolina
    MariaNicolina Posts: 1 Member
    Hello my name is Nicole and almost 1 year ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I made some life style changes right away and I have lost 25lbs. I've made changes in my foods and I have introduced excersice. I always have questions on what is better to eat and what to "avoid". I have reduced my carbohydrate intake quite a bit. I also try to walk everyday on my treadmill. My A1C, last July was 8.5 and now it's at 6.1. Using MFP has really helped. I need to get motiviated to really...really stick to MFT b/c it does work. Really looking forward to this group to get the "help" or "motivation" that I need.