New from Texas!

Maya_Papaya · #1 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 06:54 PM

Hi, my name is Maya--I'm 25 years old and I live in Texas.

Yesterday I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I was put on lots of confusing meds and I have to go to diabetes classes starting august 9th. And suposedly sometime this week I'll be getting a bunch of stuff and someone is coming by to show me how to test my blood sugar....

I'm pretty scared I guess, and so i'm looking at some places that might possibly be of some support...hopefully I can find that here.

Maya

4519 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 06:59 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Support is what we do here. There are people that have some experiences with just about everything phase of diabetes - and willing to discuss it.

Tell us what medications you are on, if you want to find our experiences. We all test our blood. Being scared is a normal way to start this "new life" you are starting. We all faced that same start and can help with that too.

You won't understand this at this time, but you are going to experience better health before long and you will be 'glad' that you were diagnosed, well, okay, not glad that you were diagnosed, but glad that the downward spiral we all were on at that time might come to an end and good health is the results, if you take it serious and change some things in your life.

JediSkipdogg · #3 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 06:59 PM

Hello and welcome to the site. Diabetes can be alot to take in at once, but it's a very easily treatable condition. Once you get further along with training and medications and such, I'm sure you'll have lots of questions and we will all be glad to answer them.

Keezheekoni · #4 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 08:17 PM

Welcome to the board! Glad to have you here.

I'm sure pretty much all of us remember when we were first diagnosed, so we can all tell you the things you are feeling are normal. We're definitely here for support, and if you have questions, ask away!

Rikki

shanda · #5 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 11:34 PM

Hi Maya and welcome to the Forum

I was diagnosed Type 2 five months ago and I still remember how confused and scared I was. Now I'm just confused

Well less confused than in Feb, but still I don't "know it all". That is where this Forum is so wonderful, so many people here have been living with this for years and have experienced everything and are willing to help you.

I agree with what 4519 said, since being diagnosed I'm in better health than I have been in years. I've lost a lot of weight, I eat foods I never would have looked at before ( like baby spinach, I love it!!) and my bg is well within normal range.

Once you get going with this you are going to feel SO much better!! Glad you found us.

shanda

mg_2204 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 11:55 PM

Hello and welcome to this wonderful forum Maya!

Infosec · #7 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 01:21 AM

Hello and welcome Maya.
I know how you feel. Less than 3 weeks ago I was diagnosed with type 2. My HbA1c was 10.8%. The doctor spent less than 5 minutes with me before going to the next patient. I was given very little guidance. At this time I am not on any meds, just told to check my glucose levels 3 or 4 times each day and will meet with my doctor again in 2 1/2 months. I did not think diabetes was much of an issue. Then as I started researching it I learned how serious it is. What I learned scared the **** out of me. I have lost more than a few nights of sleep over it. I still have so many questions. I am finding a lot of answers on this site. The people here are great!

The feedback that I have seen on this thread is comforting. I agree with shanda; I am now eating healthy foods that I would have never eaten in the past.

I have been following a low glucose load (GL) diet for a few weeks now (I did research and found good books on this) and am getting on our treadmill 6/7 days a week for almost an hour each day. I am seeing a lot of improvement in my glucose levels and am loosing weight. My wife has been very supportive and is following the same new lifestyle (diet and exercise) with a lot of success (to be supportive but also loose weight).

Hey, there is a diabetes commercial on TV right now. I can't think of the name of that actor.... And I had thought diabetes was something that only the elderly got. Shows how ignorant I can be!!

BTW, I lived in Texas for 9 years, 1989-1998, around the Dallas area.

You will be able to find good information, support, and make some friends here.
P.S. My self esteem was not high before I was diagnosed. It then plummeted big time after I was diagnosed with T2, especially after I realized how serious Diabetes is. But I have been eating healthy foods, exercising, and loosing weight. The lifestyle change was not that hard. I have gone down 1 pant size (almost 2) already. I feel more energetic and better about myself now than I did before I was diagnosed. Do your best to focus on the positive.