Hello Everyone.

My name is Chalin, and I am a type 2 diabetic. Have been for the past 20 years. I am very over weight and need to lose about 100 pounds. My issue is that when I take my insulin, sometimes it drops waaay to fast and too far. Now that my sugars are not in the 450's (!!!!) I dont feel my drops until they are in the 40's-50's (!!!!!!). By then all I want is to stuff my face w/ anything and everything to raise them and fast.

I am a SAHM of 2 little girls. Caitlyn is 5 and Erika is 3, almost 4). They keep me on my toes and keep me totally insaine 24/7. I am almost always cleaning or doing something, and now adding a "workout" time in during the day is a bit tricky, but I am finding a time for it.


Hi Chalin,
I've found that having pre-measured healthy snacks works best for me. I carry snack size baggies with either dried fruit, trail mix, animal crackers or quaker granola bar or special k bar. I don't know about you but when my blood sugar drops that low, I can't even think straight. I get all shaky, dizzy & nauseous and feel as though I'm having an out of body experience.

My biggest issues are when my sugars drop and I reach for anything and everything to get them back up. I dont think about my calories when it happens, just raising the sugars. Then the guilt hits afterwards.

I hope to hear how everyone else handles the lows w/o blowing their calories...

Hello Everyone.

My name is Chalin, and I am a type 2 diabetic. Have been for the past 20 years. I am very over weight and need to lose about 100 pounds. My issue is that when I take my insulin, sometimes it drops waaay to fast and too far. Now that my sugars are not in the 450's (!!!!) I dont feel my drops until they are in the 40's-50's (!!!!!!). By then all I want is to stuff my face w/ anything and everything to raise them and fast.

I am a SAHM of 2 little girls. Caitlyn is 5 and Erika is 3, almost 4). They keep me on my toes and keep me totally insaine 24/7. I am almost always cleaning or doing something, and now adding a "workout" time in during the day is a bit tricky, but I am finding a time for it.

My biggest issues are when my sugars drop and I reach for anything and everything to get them back up. I dont think about my calories when it happens, just raising the sugars. Then the guilt hits afterwards.

I hope to hear how everyone else handles the lows w/o blowing their calories...

Don't know how but my previous reply/quote got all mixed up so I'm trying this again.

Hi Chalin,
I've found that having pre-measured healthy snacks works best for me. I carry snack size baggies with either dried fruit, trail mix, animal crackers or quaker granola bar or special k bar. I don't know about you but when my blood sugar drops that low, I can't even think straight. I get all shaky, dizzy & nauseous and feel as though I'm having an out of body experience.

Hi- I'm Rodney- Been fighting Type 2 since '86--- Now I'm 61 over weigh trying to lose but so far NO luck-- Taking Metformin 2x & Actos in AM + Cholestol drugs --- So tired of the fight & trying to lose weigh--- Wife was in Hospital earlier this week for back operation & my sugars just went up & wild--- only up to 210 but that is the Highest I've been for a while-- Love Gardening Veg. & some Flowers--- trying to get to where I'm strictly Organic but not their Yet--- Worked BNSF Railroad for 33 yr's but suffered a TIA several Years ago so now I have a Brain Disease + some Dementa --- not fun at all but I struggle on--- Spring,Summer & fall are my best times cause I'm able to be outside working--- Going to YMCA 2X weekly Treadmill & weight's--- have been staying below 1960 calories but pounds just seem to stick on Me--- Hope I can get My matablism sp} to change & start losing.--- Know I would feel better but just is not working yet-- Have been on Fitness pal for 3 months now so yes I'm new!!! --- that is about All about Me!!!

Rodney

Hi. I'm Hillery. I was diagnosed as Type 2 in August of 2011 when I was having my thyroid removed. It is odd that I found the d word (diabetes) more frightening than the c word (cancer). I was put on metforman for a short time, but changed my life style quickly. I lost about 50 pounds over six weeks. I'm now at a plateau. I am hoping this group will help me move forward with different ideas.

I've been a big girl all my life and now at nearly 40, I know I need to make a huge change. Weight Watchers and other diet plans have not helped me. I've found I lose more weight with myfitnesspal.com than any other program.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Jim. I am 55 and have been Type 2 for the last 4 years. This summer my doctor added Victoza and the reality of using a needle for my medication woke me up to really try and do something about my weight and diabetes. I started using Medifast but found the lack of taste and structured food did not do much for my weight loss. The concept of watching my calories gave me the insight to think about calorie reduction and exercise. Someone I met at the YMCA told me about MFP as a good way of watching my calories and applying it for losing weight.

Last spring my A1C was 7.5 and I felt I was heading in the wrong direction. Since starting MFP I have lost 30 lbs the slow way and hopefully it will stay off. I realize this is a life changing moment and difficult to keep working and make my changed eating habits permanent. Since losing the weight my A1C was recently measured at 6.4 so I believe I am heading in the right direction. I know that I have to keep telling myself I am and will be a Type 2 Diabetic.

I am glad I have found this site and group since some of the posts have been really useful. Thank you for creating this group.

Jim

Way to go Travis! Your my role model! I'm also trying to get my A1c way down.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 you

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 weight

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.

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 friends

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 welcome