Another Newbie Here

JuLee · #1 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 01:57 PM

Hi Everyone,
I was diagnosed with diabetes shortly after my husband died 3 years ago. I think I had it for much longer judging by my symptoms, but I finally went into the Dr and was diagnosed at that time.
I haven't had a lot of help managing this, so I'm hoping I will learn a lot thru this forum.
I've been reading up on "Dawn Phenomenon" and it seems like that is what I have been battling lately. My sugars in the morning range from 150-200. I feel sick a lot of the time, mainly tiredness and stomach problems. I'm assuming this is all related to the diabetes.
I take 500mg Metformin 2x a day.

Hello to everyone!

Hopefully I will be "meeting" you soon!

Julee

mzteacher · #2 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 02:09 PM

hi julee,
sounds like you have been through a lot the past several years....glad you found the forum...it has been a great place for me to find knowledge and support!
welcome!
susan

princesslinda · #3 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 02:14 PM

Hi JuLee, welcome to the forums! There's lots of encouragement and good information to be found here.

You need to mention to your doctor that your morning #s are that high, it may be that you will need to adjust your metformin dose to get better a.m. results. I do find that I feel tired when my blood sugars are elevated.

Do you check your blood sugar often? Checking 2 hrs after your first bite of food is a great way to see how different foods affect your blood sugar and help you make smarter food choices. Do you limit your carb intake? I've also found if I exercise in the evenings, my a.m. numbers are better.

The metformin can certainly cause "stomach problems" in some people. The extended release metformin may help decrease these. I also noticed a correlation between stomach problems and eating "greasy" foods when I took metformin.

patricia52 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 02:18 PM

Welcome to the forum. I am glad you found us. I was diagnoised almost a year ago. I have learned so much here. Yes, the diabetes is making you feel bad, expecially with a mornig BG that high. Try to eat a 15 carb snack just before going to bed and see if that helps lower your morining BG. Try walking or getting about 30 minutes of some kind of exercise each day. This will help to lower that BG. Also try eating smaller meals, even if you have to eat more often. Choose whole wheat bread over white bread, brown rice over white rice. Limit your sweets to special occasions and eat potatoes only occasionally. Just small changes will make a big change in your BG levels. When they are under control, you will feel better and have more energy.

JuLee · #5 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 02:44 PM

Thank you so much for your welcome, Susan!

Hi Linda, I do watch my carbs and I do exercise, but it's in the morning. Maybe I'll try and switch it to the evening. When I get home from work I'm just so tired though! Maybe if I do that and my numbers get lower I won't feel that tired.

Hi Patricia! I have tried the snack before bed and I can't seem to see a difference yet. I'll have to try that smaller meals too... maybe spread my lunch out and eat it at my desk at work, and WALK during my 1/2 hour lunch time.

Good suggestions everyone! Thank you!

JuLee

kgm0612 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 06:55 AM

HI JuLee & Welcome to this great forum. Nice folks and tons of valuable information to be found here.

Karen

buddy7 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 01:36 PM

Good evening and welcome to the forum JuLee, you've picked a great site, good people and loads of information.

B/7 ESSEX UK.

notme · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 02:46 PM

Hi Julee and welcome to the forums. You have had a lot on your plate the past few years. I know you will find a lot of good advice and support from the very helpful people on this site.

Welcome

patricia52 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 07:01 PM

It really sounds like you are doing the right things. Maybe it is time for the Dr. to increase you Metformin or add another medicine. Diabetes is a progressive disease and it progresses faster for some than others. It does not mean you are not doing the right things. Don't spend all your short lunch walking. Just adding 10 minutes of exercise may be all that you need to see a difference. I have to get my exercise in small segments of 5-10 at a time. I try to exercise after each meal. My evening meal is when I eat the most. I am so hungry after a long day at work that I over eat. If I can make myself stop eating and take a short walk, I find that I am no longer hungry.
The nutritionist told me to try about 1/4 cup of 1% milk at bedtime to help with high morning BG reading.
Good luck. Keep experimenting and trying different tricks that others on the forum had used and you will get this undercontrol. Keep reading and keep asking questions. We are all in this together.