N00b hello..!!

[samdavid6]

Hello everyone.. Happy New Year to you too.

My name is Sam, I'm 32 and live in beautiful British Columbia. I just found out about a month ago that I am diabetic (I'm doing my first A1C test - at least thats what I think its called - on Saturday). I'm still waiting for a call from the diabetes clinic and then I guess they tell me what to do and what not to.

I've been looking for information about diabetes on the net, what to do, and what not to etc. I do dread the change in my lifestyle, however now that I know what it is, a lot of things that I have felt have become clear to me.

There have been times where I've felt like I have no energy, nauseous, giddy and unable to function, and I used to think it was because I was hungry, but my doctor tells me that it due to hyperglycemia. I have also had bouts where I feel thirsty and as if I am full of sugar or something.

My diabetes, at least I think, is due to a bad lifestyle in my younger days. Skipped meals, too much juices and too little water, and a sweet tooth have all contributed to this, but at least I know.. And at least I can make a change.

I have known people who have had diabetes and succumbed to amputations, heart disease and glaucoma, so I am extra motivated not to be like that.

I do exercise most days and my goal is to one day run a full marathon (so far I have run about 3-4 kilometers non stop - trust me that is nothing short of an achievement for someone who couldn't run two blocks without giving up).

Anyways enough for now. Hope to exchange messages with you more often and learn more about what diabetes is..

:-)

[soso]

Hi Sam
I am in Victoria..
Welcome and don't worry too much the lifestyle changes are a trial at first, but the rewards make it worth it and now I prefer my diet to the high carb one that goes on around me...
Good work on the running...

[samdavid6]

Thanks soso.. I'm in Burnaby. I love BC..!!

About your diet. If a high carb one isnt good for you, do you cut out the carbs ENTIRELY..? I used to do a sort of atkins thing.. (mainly because I love non-veg food), but is that something that diabetes sufferers should shy away from..?

Right now, I am just confused. I dont know what I should be doing and waiting for the diabetes clinic to get back to me is driving me nuts..!!

:-)

[mzteacher]

hi samdavid,
welcome to the forum....you are lucky to have found it (i know i was!)....i have learned much more here than i did at the clinic! nice people and lots of information.....sounds like you are off to a good start!
susan

[beau91]

:) Hi,Samdavid6,Another Canadian here from Montréal;welcome
to DF.Take your time and read the post that are for you.You'l find a lot of answer .If you have any questions feel free to ask on the forums .You'l have an answer .Since I join DF ,I learned more than on sites or by clinics.Bye Ricky
:tee: :party:

[mho357]

Hello Samdavid and welcome to the forum.

Mark

[davef]

Welcome to DF, it's a great place, with fantastic people. I was diagnosed about 6 weeks ago and DF has been a great source of help and support for me.


I've been looking for information about diabetes on the net, what to do, and what not to etc. I do dread the change in my lifestyle, however now that I know what it is, a lot of things that I have felt have become clear to me.

Initially I felt the same, but now I'm so glad I made the changes, I feel better than I have in years. I would recommend a book, suggested to me by Linda here on DF, it's called "The First Year - Type 2 Diabetes" by Gretchen Becker. I only received it today and have found it a very easy read.


My diabetes, at least I think, is due to a bad lifestyle in my younger days. Skipped meals, too much juices and too little water, and a sweet tooth have all contributed to this, but at least I know.. And at least I can make a change.

To quote the Gretchen Becker book "Your diabetes is not your fault".

It's great that you are motivated as it means that you are off to a good start. Don't stress too much over changing lifestyle, if I can change my lifestyle, from eating too much, no exercise and smoking to exercising, eating better (low carbs works for me) and just quit smoking ... then anyone can do it.

[DCaplinger]

Welcome aboard! I absolutely, 100% agree with davef about Gretchen's book. When I first found that my BGL's were high, even before I was officially diagnosed, I bought the book, and I read it... cover to cover, in a week. Now, I'm going through it again, this time, taking it in the time periods that she has it written out in.

There is a lot of information (and unfortunately mis-information) on the net about diabetes. If ever in doubt, please ask here, there's no better source of information about a disease than those who have lived with it already (some for almost their entire lives).

Regards,

Darian

[princesslinda]

Hi Sam, welcome. I know the diagnosis of diabetes is a scary one, but with a few lifestyle changes, it is manageable. Get the book the others recommended...it's a good one.

The best advice I can give you is to test, test, test.....regular testing, esp. 2 hrs after your first bite of food will allow you to see how different foods affect blood sugar and help you make smarter food choices. When first diagnosed, I kept a food journal of EVERY bite I put in my mouth and the corresponding blood sugars. Before too long, I had a lot of meals to choose from that were blood sugar friendly. Watch your bread, rice, potatoes, pasta....as these can cause blood sugars to spike. Regular exercise is also very important.

Glad you found the forum. Lots of great advice and friendly supportive people here. Post often, ask lots of questions. You're not alone!

[xMenace]

Welcome Sam,

FYI I don't think we are any more prone to Glaucoma than anyone else¿ We suffer from retinopathy. Both are bad.

I have a co-worker who was dxed three years ago and ran a marathon this summer. He's lost nearly 100lbs and ditched all his meds. It's not an uncommon story.

[lewsterr]

Welcome, samdavid. The more you learn, the easier it will be to make the necessary lifestyle changes. It's not difficult, but you do need to be disciplined. You'll get plenty of valuable information on this forum that will help you along the way. Remember to limit those carbs, and test two hours after the first bite of each meal to determine how what you eat affects your bg.

[kgm0612]

Welcome to the forum. We're glad you found us!

Karen

[Olidus]

Welcome to Club D Samdavid,

Prince Edward Island here - and I was told I have the D back in June 07.
You are going to take in a lot of information over the next little while and at times it can be very nerve racking but please know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Things do get better.

Diabetes has come a long LONG way in the past few years. Becoming a member on this site is a great start - if your anything like me - you will learn more on this site then any doctor you will meet with.
A good book to get if you are interested in doing some reading is Think Like Pancreas Amazon.com: Think Like a Pancreas: A Practical Guide to Managing Diabetes with Insulin: Books: Gary Scheiner,Barry Goldstein (http://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Pancreas-Practical-Managing/dp/1569244367/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199292040&sr=8-1)
A few people suggested this to me when I joined and it helped answer a lot of my initial questions.

Ask your questions away and they will get answered.
Cheers~

[samdavid6]

Wow.. Thank you all.. I feel so welcomed..!! Lots of books to go through, and I will try to go through them all. I am so starved of information that I'm going to learn as much as possible about this.

I am a bit freaked out about testing though. I can easily take a 2 inch needle when someone else does it, but ask me to prick my own finger and I freak out..

I'm going to have to work out some sort of invention that makes you glow if your sugar is out of whack. What a way to gain a glowing complexion no..?

:)