I am a new member

lyadberrios · #1 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 10:59 AM

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and God knows I need all the help and support I can get. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last week. As you can imagine I am experiencing a whole spectrum of emotions regarding this; guilt, anger, depression, sadness, fear. I have been able to get my blood sugar under control for the most part. There is so much information about type 2 diabetes that is like drinking from a firehose. At this point my focus is on reducing the amount of carbs I consume, become active and incorporate my new routine into my life as soon as possible. I had been quite sedentary for the last 2 years or so and I am certain this had to do with my condition. I look forward to exchanging/sharing ideas with all of you so that we help each other. Thank you.

notme · #2 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 11:04 AM

Welcome to Diabetes Forums lyadbrerrios. We all understand how you are feeling right now and is seems that you are on the right track to getting back to good health. You are right that sedentary is a very bad routine. Exercise is fundamental in making sure you are healthy.

Keep up the good work and read and post often. We are here to help and listen.

princesslinda · #3 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 11:08 AM

Welcome lyadberrios! Glad you found the forum so quickly. It took me about 3 months to find it...3 LONG and SCARY months. It has truly been a Godsend to me.

It is difficult to get that diagnosis....I had the same feelings of guilt, sorrow, anger, depression...then at some point I realized I couldn't change the fact that I had diabetes, but I could change the way I let it affect me. I had seen my mother deal with complications of diabetes due to being non-compliant, so I knew I had to be very proactive so as not to follow in her footsteps.

Sounds like you're on the right track. Watching those carbs (esp. potatoes, rice, pasta and bread) will help keep you #s stable. Also, i'd encourage you to test...OFTEN. If you test 2 hrs after your first bite of food, you'll see how different foods affect your blood sugars and be able to make smarter food choices. When first diagnosed, I kept a food journal, writing down all I ate and the corresonding blood sugars. Before too long, I had a lot of "good" foods I knew I could eat...and it made things much less stressful.

Also, exercise is VERY important, every little bit helps.

There's a great book you'll see recommended here often "The First Year, Type 2 Diabetes," by Gretchen Becker. She's T2 herself and its an easy to read and very informative book.

Also, post often, ask lots of questions. Learn all you can about this new chapter in your life....and lose the guilt....if all it took to get diabetes was being fat and inactive, there'd be no normal-sized diabetics. You just picked the wrong parents

. Seriously, the guilt is counterproductive. From this day on, just resolve to do all you can to have the best life possible with diabetes....and you'll be fine.

bryan42 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 11:10 AM

WELCOME LYADBERRIOS!!! The shock of diagnosis DOES wear off. Do not blame yourself, think of it as a way to become healthier. Glad your here!!

lyadberrios · #5 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 11:58 AM

Thank you all for your heartwarming and blazingly quick responses...

Certainly having found this forum is a gift and God put me in its path.

Just to give you a bit of background regarding how my T2 was discovered. Lost about 12 lbs over the last 6 weeks or so. I felt very thirsty all the time, felt extremely tired and the urge to 'go' very regularly. When I went in to have blood testing done, the blood/glucose meter shot up to 268 fasting for over 12 hours.

Just yesterday the A1C results came back with an 11.9%, with the expectation that with treatment and the other factors it will drop to below %7. Now the new me is born, gearing up for battle to take this thing on.

Thank you all again.

Regards,

Luis

Holly · #6 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 12:04 PM

I prefer to think of my sedentary life style as a symptom of the disease rather than the cause. That's my belief and I'm sticking to it. Yea.... I did the same self-blaming, depression, sadness etc. that you are going through.

shutterbug · #7 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 12:54 PM

Welcome to the forums. I know it could be really difficult in the beginning. But, since you are out here looking for information, I think you already have taken a step towards healthy lifestyle.

DCaplinger · #8 (**permalink**) 06-29-2008, 04:10 PM

You aren't feeling anything we didn't feel. It's normal... and it will pass as you learn that diabetes is all about living healthy. In some ways, diabetes will actually be the best thing to happen to you. You've probably been saying for some time you needed to get more active and probably lose a few pounds... well guess what... you've got a real reason now.

I know some diabetics that continue to decline because they haven't accepted that they are diabetic, and try to fool themselves that they will start taking care of themselves tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes. Do it today, start today, and make today the first day of the rest of your life.

You can control the beast that is diabetes. I have. I refuse to let diabetes control my life. I have a disease, it will NOT have me!

Regards,

kgm0612 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-30-2008, 05:26 AM

Welcome to the forum, Luis.

Karen

davef · #10 (**permalink**) 06-30-2008, 06:20 AM

Luis,

Welcome to the forums. You have found a really great place for support, I found the forums a couple of days after diagnosis and I KNOW it and the people here have really helped me get control of my diabetes. Also Linda's advise about testing is really good, it does make a big difference to getting control, as your numbers come down you will feel so much better. If I can do it, then anyone can.

The first while can be overwhelming and I recognise the range of emotions you mention, but please believe that things DO get so much better. I'm six months in and I'm healthier now than I have been in years.

Good to see you have a fighting spirit. The book Princess Linda mentioned is really good, informative and easy to read, so I'd whole heartedly recommend it.

jacobsam622 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-30-2008, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyadberrios

Thank you all for your heartwarming and blazingly quick responses...

Certainly having found this forum is a gift and God put me in its path.

Just to give you a bit of background regarding how my T2 was discovered. Lost about 12 lbs over the last 6 weeks or so. I felt very thirsty all the time, felt extremely tired and the urge to 'go' very regularly. When I went in to have blood testing done, the blood/glucose meter shot up to 268 fasting for over 12 hours.

Just yesterday the A1C results came back with an 11.9%, with the expectation that with treatment and the other factors it will drop to below %7. Now the new me is born, gearing up for battle to take this thing on.

Thank you all again.

Regards,

Luis

Welcome to the forum. This battle is to the death.