Newbe Here - BS Levels

[kimfly]

I am new here and new to diabetes in general, in other words it has not sunk in yet. I have not been to a doctor for complicated reasons.

I suspected I might have it ...bought a testing kit and reading started at around 350 two weeks ago..now they are down to 230 on average after I stopped drinking and starting to diet and exercise.

The question is they were at 220 then after lunch to day eating 100 carbs..it went to 325...is this normal?

And when does someone start needing to take medicine for diabetes, at a certain level or after they can not maintain levels with out it?

How bad are the levels that I am getting? When do I start crying?

[rzrbks]

kimfly,

It appears that you need to get to the Dr. as soon as possible.
The Dr. should do a fasting test, you fast for 12 hr and then take BS test.

But 220 is not normal. :eek:

Normal is less than 120 before eating. and about the same two hours after eating. really should be in the 85-100 range.

Your Dr. will make suggestions and etermine whether you can control it with diet or whether you need meds or insulin.

It's really not horrible .

kimfly, it is much better than the alternative.

[lgvincent]

I do wish you would see a doctor quickly. It does appear your blood sugar readings may not be in the normal range for a person without diabetes but you really need a doctor to make that determination.

[HeatherP]

Hi Kim. I'm sorry that things don't look too good. You need to see a doctor, so that he/she can order the appropriate blood tests.

I'm not going to claim that Diabetes is a picnic - it's not. However, once you know you have it, you can begin to deal with it. It's both emotional and physical. I'm sure you've heard the horror stories. I watched my mother in denial from the time I was born. It isn't easy. My best advice is to accept it, and begin to treat/deal with it as soon as possible. That means that you need to see a doctor for blood tests and then a dietician/CDE ASAP. This person may very well be your best tool in learing about this disease and how to cope w/ it and how to treat it.

There's a lot of us here that have probably been through what you're experiencing right now, so I welcome you, and encourage you to share your fears, questions and experiences!

HeatherP

[Jon]

I know everybody is telling you to see a doctor right away. And that really is the best advice. But I also understand denial. You think that if you don't go to the doctor and get a diagnosis, then you don't really have it and it will go away. But you already know that you have the symptoms, and you believe it is diabetes or you would not be here. The sooner you get in to see a doctor, the sooner you will start feeling good again, and you can get on with your life. Depending on what type you have, you may be able to control it with diet and excercise. Or you may have to start taking shots. Either way, not getting it under control will cause serious problems in the very near future. I read somewhere that before insulin, the average diabetic would live up to a year after being diagnosed. I don't want to sound too harsh, but I want to stress the importance of getting help now.

And as far as when to start crying, you are always welcome to cry here. We have all done it at one time or another.

[EdnBama]

Kim ...

Diabetes can be a scary prospect ... at least at first. Many of the people who write here will attest to that. I even noticed that when some celebrities with diabetes were on Larry King Live recently talking about it, they all commented how scared they were when first diagnosed. If I hadn't been in such shock, and scared thinking about diabetes affected my grandfather, I might have cried too!

It is important that you see a doctor and get a good diagnosis of what's going on with your body.

Although you didn't explain what you have done in terms of diet, it's good that you realize the importance of modifying your diet and you can share your experience with the doctor so he/she can get a better idea of what's going on.

From my experience, the hardest part about being diabetic is figuring out the food -- especially in terms of realizing that we can't approach food the same again. It sounds like you know that already so you really have started tackling the hardest part.

The main thing now is to determine if perhaps oral mediciations or even insulin shots are required to help you get those numbers down further.

A secondary object, but nearly as important, is to figure out if you have any early signs of damage ... or at least getting a baseline assessment so that doctor's can tell later if you are developing related problems.

I wish you well. It's not an easy road you are being dragged to, but with the help of family and friends -- and the good folks here in this forum -- you will be helped along and will do just fine.

--Ed

[kimfly]

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies. I am thinking about the doctor appointment issues now. The problem I have at the moment is that due to the nature of my work, I can't have diabetes and still work. So I need to find other work before I have any offical word on it.

Also I need to learn about insurance issues. I have Blue Cross of California at the moment with a high deductable and am wondering if I should change insurance or etc before "offical" diagnosis.

Is it possible to go to a doctor, get some test and pay cash and not even tell him/her who I am? I know that sounds crazy, but I think I really need to be careful. I am almost more afraid of the insurance companies than I am of the diabetes.

Does anyone know who I could contact about insurance issues to find out more about coverage? It appears from initial research that there are about $3,000 a year in costs? Does that sound about right?

[rzrbks]

Much will depend on the plan of action your Dr. and CDE take.

Meds will add to the cost; insulin types will differ, delivery systems will determine what costs run.

Each case is very different, unique, and special as is each person.

As for Cali. information, Heather and Jon know a great deal as do others on the board.

Good luck, kimfly

[kimfly]

What is a CDE?

[notme]

I can't blame you for having a fear of insurance companies Kim. I worked for several years just to keep my insurance benefits. Your best bet for insurance is to get it through employment. Once any of the insurance companies hear diabetes the door is shut. As far as diabetes cost go, it varies widely and I doubt anyone here could give you a correct answer. If you are controlled by diet and exercise you will have a much lower out of pocket yearly. You will still have lab work bills and endo bills, but not the expense of medication. If you are a type one like myself, your costs will be much higher. I use and insulin pump and it is a very expensive (but effective) way to manage diabetes. There are lots of very good long acting insulins out there that work almost as good as the pump and the cost is quite a bit less. So you see, it can vary.

I agree with everyone else that the sooner you see a doctor the better for your health, but I also understand the need to try to have everything in place. I would suggest that you find new employment quickly and get signed up on their insurance plan. Make sure you understand the fine print when it is presented to you. Look for pre-existing condition clauses and also see if there is a time frame that they consider something pre-existing. A few companies will require you to have a blood test before employment. This will show your high blood sugar immediately unless you have gained great control of your numbers.

In the meantime, watch everything you eat CAREFULLY. Try to limit your simple carbohydrates. Simple being foods that break down into sugar quickly. These foods are things like potatoes, rice, white bread, cookies, crackers or anything sugary. Juice and regular sodas are killer. Complex carbos will be a much better choice. Things like beans, protiens and veggies. Exercise is key. A bare minimum of 30 minutes a day. Make sure you test often while you are waiting. Take a morning reading before breakfast so you know where your starting point is. Try and test two hours after your meals so you know what foods you might need to avoid and what ones work. Ultimately, you would like to see your blood sugar below 150 after a meal. If you have a blood test for employment, your numbers should be below 125 to pass.

Most of all, our advice is only that. A doctor is going to know more about your personal needs than we will. He will determine what type of diabetes you have and your best course of treatment. We can always tell you what we have done to make our lives easier, but not everything will be the same for you. Just like people, diabetes is different for everyone.

I wish you the best of luck..... Don't waste time in getting treated!

Nancy

[webpundit]

Hi Kim,

Even with good insurance (thank God my company pays mine) my health costs are $1000. This includes


Insulin: I pay $25+$25=$50 for the 2 types of insulin I use per month. Those are the co-pays. I dunno the actual prices.
Glucose Monitors, Strips, Syringes etc.: This is about $100 per month. But that's only because I have to pay only 10% of my supplies!!!!
Doctor Visits: Your endocrinologist will procably ask to meet with you once every 3 months. My copay is still $40 for that. I see one type of doctor or the other every month, like Opthalmalogist, my podiatrist or dentist. :mad:


I tried to get individual insurance when I was between jobs, but naturally, nobody would give me any. So think hard about that before you let your insurance company know.

It seems like you have Type 2 where your body is still producing insulin, but it's not enough. When I was diagnoised I had readings in the 600's. Type 2 is nicer than Type 1, cuz in most cases you don't have to take those hateful insulin shots.

Hope all that helps. I wish you good health, Kim.

In silent prayer,
WP

[rzrbks]

kimfly

What is a CDE?

Certified Diabetes Educator--the person with whom you will work most closely to control your Diabetes and who will be your best source of information about how you can control your disease best.

at least that's been my experience

[EdnBama]

Collette ...

I don't know if there are labs that will test you for diabetes anonymously. However, I do know there are labs here that test anonymously for sexually transmitted diseases (AIDS, etc.) ... Not sure about where you live.

There might not be much demand for anonymous glucose testing ... whereas people really don't want others to know about sexually transmitted diseases.

Might be interesting to find out though if such testing is available.

--Ed

[DeusXM]

Reading through all this, I can't help but feel grateful that I don't live in the US. You say that insurance companies refuse to provide cover if you declare you have diabetes? That breaks god knows how many international human rights laws, and it's punishable by prosecution here.

And all this panicking over costs...jeez, it's really, REALLY frightening. How on earth can anyone charge you for the right to stay alive, that's absoutely disgusting and barbaric. I knew that the US healthcare system wasn't exactly the best in the world, but are you serious? You have to pay for diagnosis, care and meds? This is just wrong!

You say that your job and diabetes are incompatible. May I ask what your current occupation is? There are very few jobs which you can be outrightly banned from simply for having diabetes, since that's disability discrimination.

You should NOT need to take this s***. Without wanting to sound unduly harsh, what are you more frightened of, insurance companies or dying? Whether or not you get officially diagnosed, you are still going to have diabetes, and if you don't get it treated, and treated RIGHT NOW, the sad fact is that you WILL die, and it will be a very horrible and painful death and you'll probably lose at least a leg before it's eventually over.

Ask yourself if it's really worth it.

And on a final note, I'd ask all the Americans here to seriously consider forming some kind of protest group, maybe in coalition with other people with chronic conditions and lobby for a half-decent welfare state. The US is the only Western nation with absolutely no state provision for the sick, and ****, even poverty stricken nations like China somehow manage to provide for their people.

Sorry to sound so aggressive but it seriously p****s me off to actually see what kimfly is having to go through because it's just plain barbaric and inhuman. No-one in the modern world should have to suffer like this.

[HeatherP]

Kim,

Ok, there may be hospitals in your area that do free or low-cost b/s screening "clinics". It is ok for you to pay cash to a dr for a visit - they'll want you to pay up front though. Diabetes is not a good thing to have when it comes to insurance. If your insurance is thru your employer, then you should be able to obtain it. Forget trying to get it individually. The info Nancy (notme) posted was accurate and look for pre-existing conditions clauses. I don't know if diabetes qualifies you under the disability act, which would keep you from losing your job. If there's a local chapter of the American Diabetes Assoc, they may be able to help you with info.

If you absolutely have to, you can see the doctor and pay for your meds and supplies w/o insurance, but it gets very expensive. Plus, if for example, you have T1 and need to take insulin, you have a higher risk of hypoglycemia which may cause problems at your job, and then they'd find out. On the other hand, if you go so high you end up in a coma, that's not good either. In CA, the law mandates the ins co's to pay for our diabetic meds and supplies and specialists and CDE visits. At least we have that over some other states.

Your best bet is to change jobs ASAP so that you can begin to take better care of yourself. The longer your sugars are high, the more damage you are doing to yourself.

I'm sorry you're in this situation. I hope that you can resolve it quickly and get on with your life and feeling better!

Take care of yourself,
HeatherP

P.S. DeusXM, you are absolutely right!

[lgvincent]

There are jobs I'm aware of which diabetics are not allowed to work at, such as being a pilot or working on a train crew. I know a fellow who lost his job as a conductor with Norfolk Southern Railway after about 38 years on the job because he developed diabetes.

[snydermom]

Kim - My question is a little different than these others. But this came from your 1st post ...

What do you mean by "they were at 220 then after lunch to day eating 100 carbs..it went to 325"? You ate 100 carbs for LUNCH? I couldn't find 100 carbs to eat for lunch.

If you want to try and control this while sorting out your employment problems you will need to understand the diet much better.

What is a normal daily food intake for you? Beth.

[DeusXM]

In the UK, the jobs on which there are blanket bans on people with diabetes are the armed forces, emergency services and any job that involves transporting more than 10 people in a vehicle. Some companies, such as Royal Mail have tried incredibly retarded things in making their own laws. For instance, there was a case here about three years ago of a T2 postman who drove a post van. Royal Mail were ok with this, until his care team decided that he need to go onto insulin. Because of this, RM banned him from driving a postvan (which is the same size as a regular Ford Transit, not exactly massive), because they said they were worried about him having a hypo whilst on the road.

They made him make his deliveries by bicycle.

I'm sure you don't need me to point out the sheer idiocy in such a move, and thankfully, neither did the law courts. The guy was reinstated in his job and RM got absolutely shafted under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Incidentally, kimfly, if you're worried about money, surely with diabetes you should be able to claim some kind of disability benefit?

[kimfly]

Originally posted by snydermom
Kim - My question is a little different than these others. But this came from your 1st post ...

What do you mean by "they were at 220 then after lunch to day eating 100 carbs..it went to 325"? You ate 100 carbs for LUNCH? I couldn't find 100 carbs to eat for lunch.

That's right..I ate 100 carbs for lunch, it was a "personal size" pizza I thought the lable said 38 grams TOTAL but it was per serving and somehow those people think that this thing was going to serve THREE people? No way. It was supposedly a healthy organic pizza..I just did not read the label was all.

If you want to try and control this while sorting out your employment problems you will need to understand the diet much better.

The question did not have to do with my understanding of diet, I know that ..thank you. It was the part that can 100 carb raise Glucose that much.

What is a normal daily food intake for you? Beth.

Do not know that as yet.

[rzrbks]

snydermom
You ate 100 carbs for LUNCH? I couldn't find 100 carbs to eat for lunch.


1 cup of red beans and rice is 129 Carbs. That aresen't (Yankee for "Ain't") very much food.


DeusXM

The US is the only Western nation with absolutely no state provision for the sick, and ****, even poverty stricken nations like China somehow manage to provide for their people.
:topic:
And to make matters even more interesting, the people in the U.S. are constantly told that people in the UK and Canada really hate their health systems and the reason so many of them want to come here is because they can't get proper health care in their two countries--------------------and millions of idiots believe this pile of bovine excrement

[HeatherP]

Snydermom asked a good question.

Kim, can you keep a food diary for one day, noting portions and serving sizes and carbs? When you see a CDE you'll have to do it anyway. I'm sure there's some of us around here who could offer some advice in terms of keeping your b/s's more normal.

Take care,
HeatherP

[snydermom]

Kim - I sure hope I didn't offend you! Certainly NOT my intention. We were told 45 carbs per meal for Ed and I thought that was alot after joining this forum - but they allowed it due to his low weight.

As far as whether or not those carbs would raise your bg's that much, I would think it would ... especially if you aren't taking any meds.

I was thinking more along the lines of HeatherP --- jotting down what you normally eat in a day and then someone could probably tell you which items are bad & offer substitutes or alternative food.

The point to my post was that if you CAN'T see a doc now - for whatever personal reason - a super diabetic diet is your best bet for control. And I know the diet confused the h@ll out of us in the beginning!!!

Good luck. Beth.

"I only open my mouth long enough to take one foot out and insert the other."

[kimfly]

Originally posted by DeusXM
In the UK, the jobs on which there are blanket bans on people with diabetes are the armed forces, emergency services and any job that involves transporting more than 10 people in a vehicle. Some companies, such as Royal Mail have tried incredibly retarded things in making their own laws. For instance, there was a case here about three years ago of a T2 postman who drove a post van. Royal Mail were ok with this, until his care team decided that he need to go onto insulin. Because of this, RM banned him from driving a postvan (which is the same size as a regular Ford Transit, not exactly massive), because they said they were worried about him having a hypo whilst on the road.

They made him make his deliveries by bicycle.

I'm sure you don't need me to point out the sheer idiocy in such a move, and thankfully, neither did the law courts. The guy was reinstated in his job and RM got absolutely shafted under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Incidentally, kimfly, if you're worried about money, surely with diabetes you should be able to claim some kind of disability benefit?

I think the issue is that I do not know if I should be worried as yet or not. I do not know the yearly cost of dealing with this at the moment. I am investigating the insurance issues at this time. My only issue was making sure that my current insurance was good enough to deal with it. If not I wanted to get a new job with better insurance OR just change current insurance before any of this was a part of my history. It may not even be a problem "at the end of the day" :-)

[kimfly]

Originally posted by HeatherP
Snydermom asked a good question.

Kim, can you keep a food diary for one day, noting portions and serving sizes and carbs? When you see a CDE you'll have to do it anyway. I'm sure there's some of us around here who could offer some advice in terms of keeping your b/s's more normal.

Take care,
HeatherP

Yea I do that now, again that was not my original question. It appears that I must to a better job in posting, somehow all the replies get off topic.

[rzrbks]

My only issue was making sure that my current insurance was good enough to deal with it. If not I wanted to get a new job with better insurance OR just change current insurance before any of this was a part of my history. It may not even be a problem "at the end of the day" )

that would be wonderful kim:thumbsup:

[kimfly]

Originally posted by snydermom
Kim - I sure hope I didn't offend you! Certainly NOT my intention. We were told 45 carbs per meal for Ed and I thought that was alot after joining this forum - but they allowed it due to his low weight.

As far as whether or not those carbs would raise your bg's that much, I would think it would ... especially if you aren't taking any meds.

I was thinking more along the lines of HeatherP --- jotting down what you normally eat in a day and then someone could probably tell you which items are bad & offer substitutes or alternative food.

The point to my post was that if you CAN'T see a doc now - for whatever personal reason - a super diabetic diet is your best bet for control. And I know the diet confused the h@ll out of us in the beginning!!!

Good luck. Beth.

"I only open my mouth long enough to take one foot out and insert the other."

It was kind of strong ...but its just a forum...so who cares

[rzrbks]

kimfly

It appears that I must to a better job in posting, somehow all the replies get off topic.


Welcome to the Loving, Caring, Dysfunctional Family of Diabetes Forums:D

[zookeeper671]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
kimfly

It appears that I must to a better job in posting, somehow all the replies get off topic.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not only to we have diabetes, we also appear to have ADD. lol :1eye:

Angie

[Musqua]

Hi Kimfly:

My name is Heather W. & I am a type 2 diabetic who was dx. about 1 1/2 yrs ago. :mad: I have been on insulin since being dx. I am one of the lucky ones because my insulin was and still is being supplied free as I was part of a study here in Canada. With regards to insurance my blue cross covers 80 % Our healthcare system here is much better . We get many Americans coming over the border to buy their diabetic supplies because they are cheaper. I feel sorry for the ones who have problems with insurance companies. I hope that you are able to sort out the problem with everything. This is a real neat forum and a very informative bunch of people.

Heather W. ( Your Canadian friend)

[WiseWords]

I don't think people were off topic.
You just got a lot more info than you thought you needed.
That is because it is essential info.
You do not seem to appreciate the seriousness of this.

Just because you are able to function now,
it does not mean that you can go on for months,
or possibly even weeks, without seeing a doctor !

Your blood sugars are above normal.
At the very least, you must be thirsty, and
drinking more water than normal, and then,
urinating more often than normal. It becomes
a vicious cycle due to the high BG,(blood glucose).

There are some other possible causes for an
elevated BG, but in all likelihood, your self-diagnosis
is correct. This would place you in the category of a
Type 2 diabetic. Your pancreas is producing some insulin,
but not enough.
I would also suspect that you are somewhat overweight.
Losing any excess weight will be helpful, but
proper medical care is necessary. At this point,
you probably have a high level of ketones in your
blood from the high blood sugars.
Treatment options are oral meds to make the
blood absorb less glucose, along with diet & exercise.
There are also other oral meds which stimulate the
pancreas to produce more insulin. When taking any
of these meds, it is necessary to check your BG levels
before and after meals. For a new diabetic, that will
mean a minimum of four tests per day, before each meal
and at bedtime. After-meal-testing, can add 3 to 4 more
tests per day. The price for the test strips alone,
can add up quickly. Oral meds are not inexpensive.
Add to that, doctor visits, additional blood tests,
a complete physical, and probably better food choices.

Medical insurance will cover some of it, if you do not lose it.
If you have a chance to increase your coverage
while still at work, do so. Coverage for medicine is
very helpful, plus out-patient visits to your doctor's office.

If you try to get coverage from a different company,
and then go in to see your doctor a week later,
you are probably going to be suspected of fraud.
However, you may be able to increase your present
coverage with Blue Cross and get away with it.
As far as I know, they do not offer 100% coverage for
doctor visits, lab work, and medicines.
Blood testing supplies, including one meter,
are usually included when prescription coverage is available.

If your job is one which includes a "valid" reason for
not hiring people with diabetes, there may be differences
between insulin Dependant Type 1 diabetics, and
Type 2's on oral meds.
If you do lose your job, hopefully medical coverage will
continue for a set period of time. With Blue Cross, you
may also have the option of continued individual
coverage, but that comes out of your own pocket,
and is not cheap with Blue Cross, for complete coverage.

How long can you wait ?
You should have seen your doctor yesterday !
That's yesterday as in last week.

A normal BG is between 70 to 120, with ideal averages
around 100 to 105, although considered normal at
either end of the range.
After one eats, the Bg may go up to 180,
with 140 to 150 being typical in a non-diabetic.

Your ranges of 220 to 350 are above normal,
but will not kill you, although if left that way,
they will slowly torture you to death.
People usually go into a coma from a high BG when
it gets to be over 800, up to 1000. However, that
is extremely dangerous, and could result in death.
Some people can suffer the results of diabetic acidosis
and going into a coma with levels above 600.
Any Bg over 450 will probably cause some fatigue,
excessive thirst, and frequent urination.
With BG levels up to 350, you cannot wait
on seeing a doctor, preferably a good endocrinologist,
a specialist in diabetes.

This can be most difficult regarding the medical insurance.
With your previous income, you will probably not
qualify for Medicaid. If you are fired because of
the diabetes, you will get 6 months of unemployment
insurance which is half what your current pay is.
Would you be able to pay for Blue Cross on that?

At this point, you have a lot of unknowns, but
one thing is for sure.
You cannot afford to wait on seeing a doctor.
Won't do any good to subject yourself to charges
of fraud by trying to pay cash. You will not be able
to get the proper training & education that is
required to treat yourself properly.

Should you be crying? Well, it won't do any good.
At this point, your best bet is to learn all you can,
from a doctor, a CDE, and a dietitian.
Your doctor should be able to set you up with all three.
Depending on your job, you may not need to tell them
right away, but ultimately, they will know.
In the beginning, choose a doctor who will do a
complete workup, and see you frequently, along
with providing the needed education.
;)

[kimfly]

Originally posted by WiseWords
You do not seem to appreciate the seriousness of this.


Actually I do, wht makes you say that?

[WiseWords]

kimfly > Actually I do, wht makes you say that?

Your desire to put off seeing a regular doctor.
I understand that you have problems with the
medical coverage issue. But, you are going to have
those problems for the rest of your life !

And, I am sure that you do not want to face any
charges for fraud. You are not the first person
who didn't want the insurance company to find out
about a pre-existing condition. Officially, it does not exist,
but in reality, you can't wait on seeing a doctor.

I am not absolutely sure, and it may depend on your
employer's policy with Blue Cross, but if more options
are available through Blue Cross, then once you are
enrolled, I think they have to make those options
available to you, even after a medical condition is
diagnosed. The biggest issue may be when they have
the next open enrollment period for upgrades?
You might be able to sign up at any time, but
it won't go into effect until their next scheduled opening,
if you are still with the employer.
Blue Cross has a lot of funny rules because they are
so large. Never-the-less, you can't put it off !

I hope that one sentence wasn't the only thing
you got out of my post.;)

[kimfly]

I think you just make stuff up...

[am1977]

Kimfly,

I actually agree with Wise Words on this issue. I don't want to sound harsh by any means, but you are putting your health at risk by waiting. I waited a long time to see a Dr. when I knew for a long time that there was definitely something wrong (though there were other issues that hindered me from seeing one, but that's besides the point). By the time I saw my primary care doctor my blood sugar was over 600 and I was fairly ill. If I had gone in sooner when I first was experiencing symptoms, I probably would have saved myself from being admitted into the hospital and getting as ill as I was. I definitely learned from my mistake and I hope you will too.

I hope that you will take our advice and see your doctor as soon as you can. This is a serious issue and I would hate to see you get as ill as I was because you delayed getting medical help. Again, please don't take this in the wrong way...we are only really trying to help you here. I hope you will let us know how you are doing.

Take care of yourself,

Andrea

[WiseWords]

Originally posted by kimfly
I think you just make stuff up...
Kim,
Are you scared?

[HeatherP]

Of course she's scared - it's a catastrophic disease! She has a right to be upset! Her whole life is changing!


Pah-Leeeese!

[WiserWords]

WiseWords, I compliment you on your persistance to impart your help to those that need it so consistently.

You remind me of a man I once knew that with patient deliberance would slowly gain the confidence of his listeners & then very calculatingly manipulate his statements to upset those on both sides of the fence.

Your pleasures are derived from the agony you impart by the confusion you create by criticizing common sense. I believe this is a stereotypical example of a person that has low to no self-esteem and can only feel good when he brings others lower than his own pitiful existance.

You need first to recognize your problem then admit you need help. I recommend a psychiatrist because your problem is so deep it requires medication until at some point you can try it on your own.

I hope that some day you may enjoy conversation, companionship, and perhaps a deep and meaningful relationship with someone that actually cares about what you have to say.


WiserWords

[lgvincent]

I don't know, I'm sure he's just trying to be helpful. Of course, down here in Alabama the words, "yep", "nope", or "you bet 'cha" takes care of about 90 percent of our conversations.

[kimfly]

Originally posted by WiseWords
Kim,
Are you scared?



Of course I am scared. It's serious.

My issue is that it's ONLY been two weeks since I bought my blood montor device and took that first test. My last physical was 1 year earlier and all was well. So it seems the diabetes is not over a year old. Serious of course, with those high levels of glucose.

However I am testing, exercising, eating MUCH better and am not drinking wine and beer EVERY NIGHT like I used to do. And I was drinking way to much. I record carbs, calories, fat and protien using Lifescan's Diabetes Managment Software. I have several books on nutrition, diabetes and have already been to one seminar on the subject. I have read all the books in the last 12 days.

I have also purchased some Ketone test strips and all tests for the last week have been negative. My average blood sugar in the first 4 days was 260, next four days was 230 and last four days is 200. However I can make it spike just by eating carbs. I can also make it dive after 30 minutes on the treadmill, which I also bought. So I am taking it very seriously.

My thought is that if I went to the doctor in the last 14 days he/she would say, eat right, test and record your diet, start exercising, then come back in see me in 3 weeks with some data.

I am simply getting the data first is all.

And yes scared about INCOME also, I have my OWN health insurance that I pay for, I run my own company doing something that I can NOT do when offically diagnosed.

I am single, 48 years old and my life sucked before this, likely why I drank to much, ate like ****, was stressed and ended up with this. I have no one to blame but me.

So yes scared again.

Now I have a resume typed, mailed out to about 12 companies and will be selling my business (if anyone will buy it) and then looking for a job for the first time in years.

Yep scared again.

As far as family and close friends, try NONE. Again my own fault and again likely what helped me stay stressed and get diabetes.

So yes scared again, again, again, etc.

Now lastly I just read Dr. Atkins book and in his book he suggested that many doctors think that not enough insulin is being made, when actually too much is being made. I don't really undertand this as yet. But it seems to me that if I show up PREPARED, I am likely to get better advice.

The other issue that I believe is that I need to get my body back down to earth, away from the booze, high carbs, chemically made oils, and all that other poison that I have been eating for 48 years. Time to let the bosy cleans itself before I start trying to give it more chemicals that might confuse it more.

I want to give nature a chance to stabalize the readings before I go using oral meds or insulin.

As far as drinking lots of water and heading for the bathroom alot. I do not drink alot, in fact not enough. I am drinking maybe 2 glasses of water a day, Atkins says drink 8. My feet are not cold, I am not tired all the time, I sleep great, I do to the bathroom maybe 3-4 times a day. My vision has not changed since December 2001. I can not find one symptom I have...and I am six feet tall...yes six feet...and weigh 190 lbs, for my age and height that is in range..I could lose 10 lbs though :-)

Does this make the high glucose readings go away? Well of course not - the facts are the facts.

However I do plan on giving my body a month to get used to diets, new food, exercise and all the changes before I see a doctor. The ad for the sale of my business is already in a magazine, and my resumes have already been mailed.

All of this since 11/25/2003. So it appears that I am taking this very serious. I strongly believe that after 20 years of eating junk and not excercising that I need 30 days to get the "poisons" out of my system and get "stable" before asking a doctor what to do next.

Scared. You bet. Scared of being alone, old AND sick.

[WiseWords]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: Originally posted by WiserWords
>>>snipped<<<
:topic: Your IP address has been noted.
Don't be too surprised if your membership on this forum is short-lived.:D :D :D


.

[kimfly]

And...I can't type or spell :-)...But that has been a problem for years, it's not a symptom.

[HeatherP]

Kim -

It has nothing to do with what you did. It doesn't matter if you ate "too much" sugar as a kid, drink beer, or didn't file your taxes on time in 1999. Diabetes just happens. Don't blame yourself.

HeatherP

[lgvincent]

Yes, you have every reason to be worried. Diabetes is a very serious disease that needs to be watched closely. For me, it was something that just developed suddenly although I'm sure adult-onset diabetes can take much longer to develop. Like Heather said, you didn't do anything to cause yourself to develop the disease. It's just one of those unfortunate things that happens.
I hate that you're not happy with your life. I wish I knew of some way to change things for you but I could use a little help myself.

[WiseWords]

Originally posted by HeatherP
Kim -
It has nothing to do with what you did.
It doesn't matter if you drink beer,...
Diabetes just happens. Don't blame yourself.
HeatherP
Seems to me you have had diabetes long enough to
know better than to say something as foolish as that statement.
Diabetes does not just happen.
Type 2 Diabetes is most assuredly brought on
by negative elements in one's lifestyle.
Being both overweight and a boozehound can
indeed be contributing factors to Type 2 diabetes.
The unknowns are what damages have been done to her liver.

[lgvincent]

Sure, being overweight can cause diabetes but I've got an uncle who developed adult-onset diabetes after serving in the U. S. Marines for around 28 years. I don't believe it was caused by him overeating or drinking too much. I believe he developed diabetes because he had a genetic flaw and nothing he could have done would have prevented it.

[HeatherP]

I've read that there is a stronger link genetically in T2's than T1's.

[WiseWords]

To Kimfly,
The reason I asked if you were scared was
because I sensed a lot of cover-up, which seems to
have come out in your last post to me.
I am still curious about what kind of work is so
secretive that you don't want to say, and
cannot continue it as a diabetic? I can't think of
anything that a self-employed person with diabetes
can not do if they want to do it, except possibly
controlling their blood sugars by themselves,
or worse yet, with the crazzzzzy advice from the
Atkins diet. In all the posts, I was the only one who
directly answered your questions, but I now realize
that you know all the answers, so you don't need
any advice. You've got it all figured out.
I do think you need to hear some good advice, but
first you need to learn how to listen.
;)

[HeatherP]

You're doing the right things, Kimfly. Keep working at it, and not only will your b/s be better, but you'll feel physically better and know that you're doing the right thing. You can't be perfect all the time, we're all human and we make mistakes, and you'll have times when you'll give in to tempation, but keep on the path (or as close to it as possible), and you'll be okay!

Take care of yourself,
HeatherP

[snydermom]

WiseWords - If you continue to be as insulting as you are, you'll soon find yourself in the same boat as YOU told WiserWords .

<<Don't be too surprised if your membership on this forum is short-lived.>>

I may not understand the who, what, why or where of Kimfly's life and choices BUT it's sure as h*ll not my business ... nor your's. She wrote to ask advice regarding trying to control her bg's on her own.

Personally, I was mortified that I had offended her unintentionally. You, obviously, couldn't care less if you are offensive - to her or anyone else on this forum

Answer questions in a civil manner and/or shut up? Very simple.

Tell me - were you born this big of a pompous @ss, or do you have to work at it? Beth.

p.s. I'm waiting for Tony to wipe this thread out! Where are you, Tony?