Greetings from Jacksonville, FL

[Mama2Two]

Hi there. Just wanted to introduce myself.

My name is Lisa. I'm 41, married w/2 kids, 2 grown step-kids and one step-grandchild on the way. :eek: I was pre-diabetic for many years in my late 20s/early 30s. Then, while pregnant with my son at age 33/34 I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. That was my first experience with insulin. The GD resolved with his birth, but when he was about 3 I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic. I was on oral meds for quite a while (metformin 500 mg 2 PO BID) until I got pregnant with my daughter when I went on insulin again. After her birth, I went back on Metformin. My control was not great as there was a lot of stress in my life. I had excellent control while on insulin during my pregnancy (HgA1C just before delivery was 5.4), so I asked to switch from Met to insulin again. My doc prescribed Lantus. I don't know if it's going very well.

In the beginning, my fasting BGs were around 125, and at first, the Lantus got me down to around 104. My doc wants my fasting BG to be below 100, so I kept increasing my dose. Now I can't seem to get my fasting below 135 and I don't know why.

I'm the first to admit my eating habits are horrible...and I'm working on that. I'm also working on getting more activity into my day. But I'm an emotional eater and stress is a killer for me.

So...that's my story... I'll probably lurk for a while, just reading and learning, before I start asking questions. :)

[mzteacher]

welcome mama!!!
i am sure you will find lots of answers here...looking around will be most informative....but join in when your ready!!
susan

[morrisma]

Welcome to the club Lisa.

You'll find lots of support here. Emotional eater? Hmm - that's a tough one. I'll bet food talks to you too. :D Calls to you from the freezer. :D My fiance has that problem.

Diets are great but exercise can make the dieting less stressful. Start by walking and see if that doesn't help bring those sugars down.

Glad you found us.

[fgummett]

Hey Lisa, Welcome to DF... glad you found us!
Lurking is OK but don't be afraid to ask questions :) How often are you testing? What kind of meal plan? Do you exercise..? Walking counts!

[Phonelady61]

HI and welcome . I used to live in Arlington in jacksonville . I now live in clearwater . Just wanted to say welcome to the forum and you could not have chosen a nicer site to be on . Everyone is so helpfull and non judgemental . I have been on some forums and they holler at you and act stupid with ppl ,but not here . Everyone is so nice and kind . So welcome and glad to have you with us.

[notme]

Welcome to Diabetes Forums Lisa. I am sure you will find a lot of information here and lots of help to get those numbers where you need them.


Welcome!

[art]

Sarasota waving hi.
Sounds like you know what the problem is.
A lousy diet?
Lurking can be fun but we would rather you joined us.
We don't get judgemental and we tend to support each other.

Art

[davef]

[QUOTE=Mama2Two;331886]Now I can't seem to get my fasting below 135 and I don't know why.

I'm the first to admit my eating habits are horrible...and I'm working on that. I'm also working on getting more activity into my day. But I'm an emotional eater and stress is a killer for me./QUOTE]

Hi Mama2Two,

Welcome to the forums, glad you found us. It is a great source of information and the people here are always ready to help and support.

Can I suggest that you have possibly identified why you are struggling with your fasting numbers "my eating habits are horrible". I was always a comfort eater, by the size of me I guess I needed a lot of comfort ;). If you are like me, then night eating could be an issue and that could be a source of your problems with your morning numbers.

Do you watch your carbs at all? do you eat late a night? I have found that if I have to eat late at night that something link a small hot-dog frankfurter or some slice meat & cheese work best for me and my morning numbers.

I know you are not newly diagnosed, but there is a book "The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes by Gretchen Becker", which you may find useful, there could be some new tips in it for you. I found it to an easy and informative read.

[fgummett]

All good advice!
Worth thinking about the fact that although you put your eating down to emotion (I can relate 100%) it could also be the Diabetes... I find it easier to control hunger urges when I don't feel hungry, and that is easier when my sugars are under control. High sugars actually make you feel hungrier... it's maybe counterintuitive that while you have vast amounts of sugar floating around in your blood your body is crying out for food, but with poor control it is harder for the sugar to cross into the cells to be used... so in fact your body is hungry, and resisting the hunger urge is akin to resiting the urge to breathe or satisfy a thirst... will-power will only get you so far :)

[Mama2Two]

Wow...thanks for the wonderful welcome! You all have such good advice... You know, I actually diagnosed myself. I'd had a sinus/throat infection that lasted 12 weeks despite multiple antibiotics, I was always thirsty and visiting the bathroom a lot, so I went to my doctor and requested a glucose tolerance test. My fasting BG then was up in the 260 range. I wish I knew why my doc didn't think of it considering my history of gestational diabetes and my obesity. :confused: :confused: :confused:

Right now I'm only testing in the morning per my doctor's advice. We're working first on the fasting BG levels...and then we're going to tackle the post-prandial. I do occasionally test at other times, but definitely always in the morning. I've noticed that it makes a difference if I test when I first open my eyes versus after being up and moving around a bit.

I do tend to eat in the evenings after we get the kids to bed. I try to make it a good combination of protein and carbs, like cheese and whole wheat crackers, but I'm not always successful. I also tend to get most of my fluids after dinner because at home I have Crystal Light and Kool-Aid (made with Splenda), whereas at work I have just water and I get bored with that...and of course I'm up 4-5 times each night visiting the bathroom.

I've noticed that my sugars are higher in the morning when I've not had a good night's sleep (which is very often lately). Could this be because I'm getting up to go to the bathroom so much? Perhaps the liver is making more BG because of the many trips to the potty?

I didn't remember that high BG could cause me to be hungry, but now that you mentioned it, I recall that during my diabetes education right after my diagnosis, I asked why I could still feel starving even after a full meal and they explained about the sugar not getting into the cells, so my cells were actually the ones starving. It's REALLY hard to be starving like that and not eat, but I know now that I have to power through it when it happens.

I've come to realize that I don't deal well with stress...it makes me eat more...so I'm thinking of taking up Yoga to help me relax. I do walk at least 3 times a week with my husband and kids...and I'm trying to take the stairs at work (in the "up" direction...not just down) at least twice a day, and the stairs here are actually like two flights in one. They're 26 steps each floor.

I just started this about a week ago, and I've lost about 4 pounds so far (I'm also part of a dieter's forum that has been tremendously supporting and we've got a May goal we're working towards).

I guess I've just finally realized that I made me this way...I have to be the one to fix it.

[princesslinda]

Hi Lisa: Welcome! You've been given great advice already.

When diagnosed, I was told only to check my fasting #s, and we'd work on the others later. I've been diagnosed 19 months and rarely have my fasting #s at the 110 or less goal. But, my post meal #s are regularly much better than the 140 or less goal.

Let me encourage you to test your post meal #s. I've read that they are the first to actually show a problem, even before your fasting levels get out of whack.

If you test 2 hrs after your first bite of food, you'll see how various foods affect your blood sugars and be able to make smarter food choices. If you only check that morning #, you could be going quite high after meals and never know it until your A1C....so you could conceivably have 3 months of out of control post meal #s and not know.

I,too, am an emotional eater...but I try to make sure there's nothing that bad around the house, so if I eat, I eat something that's not going to spike my blood sugar.

Take some of the water add-ins with you at work and you'll be able to drink more water there. If you're getting up to go to the bathroom a lot, on one of these trips, check your blood sugar so you'll know if you're getting up due to increased fluids or increased blood sugars.

Get the Becker book as recommended..its a keeper!

Post often and ask lots of questions. We are all here to help and support each other.

[davef]

I guess I've just finally realized that I made me this way...I have to be the one to fix it.

No you didn't, you are not to blame for your diabetes! Don't think like that, it's something that you were predisposed to, there is a great bit in the Gretchen Becker book about that very thing.

Could I suggest that you test more often, right now, testing just in the morning is not helping you find out what foods are working for you and what are not. Don't put off post-prandial testing while waiting for your fasting BG to come down. It's all part of the same equation.

I was diagnosed in November'07 and there is no way on this earth that I could have gotten things under control by testing once/twice a day (as suggested by Doctor). I started testing first thing in the morning, then before each meal and two hours after, I aim for below 140 two hours after first bite of a meal. this has enabled me to find out what foods work for me and what don't. I watch my carbs, but even doing that I was surprised by some foods that didn't work and some that did.

Sorry for prattling on, it's just as far as I'm concerned testing is the best tool we have for taking control. When I upped my testing I told my Doctor what I was doing and he got behind me 100% as he saw how serious I was about taking control.

When you get your BG down, the thirst will go away and you will sleep better and so your morning numbers might also improve.

[morrisma]

Lisa,
I don't spill sugar (peeing a lot) unless my sugar is over 180-200. I was only getting up multiple times at night when my sugar was over 300. You are causing potential long-term damage over 140. You see where this is going - you need to know what your numbers are more frequently.

As Linda said, 2 hours after the first bite of a meal and before bed readings are going to help you get a handle on this. Talk to the doc about getting extra strips even if only short term.

BTW, Whole wheat crackers send my sugars through the roof. YMMV.

Fun, huh? Take it slow. We'll help you along.:D

[fgummett]

I guess I've just finally realized that I made me this way...I have to be the one to fix it. NO NO NO NO NO!

You did NOT make yourself like this :) and unfortunately there is no fix BUT you can decide to take control from here on out :)

It's REALLY hard to be starving like that and not eat, but I know now that I have to power through it when it happens. At times like that it helps to be aware of why you feel hungry but trying to soldier through it with will-power alone is a losing battle... Accept the poor control and determine to do something about it.. by testing you may have already figured out what you ate that put your sugar up so high and know what to do next time but for now if you need to get on with your day try having a handful of something like nuts which can help to take the edge of the hunger and provide you with healthy fats and protein that may stave off the hunger for a while. This kind of conscious eating to stave off the hunger pangs is quite different to the unconscious eating of whatever we find... usually chips, cookies etc... Many of us have been there and trust me it does get easier when your sugars are in better control. I will also add my vote to testing after meals now rather than later.

[Janlaton]

Like David up above said Night eating is a big problem for me. I get home in the neighborhood of 7 most nights from work. I have always had my main meal in the evenings. In recent months I have read about not eating after 7 pm so I decided how do I handle this and have an evening meal. Believe me I have really streamlined this. 2 oz of meat 1 cup vegs 1 15 carb serving and a free drillnk. As long as I stick to this my am sugars are less than 100! For the last month my average was 107.

Keep in mind you not only need to do this for yourself but those precious children of yours as well.

Welcome to the forum. Hope I was not to harsh.

[kgm0612]

Hi Lisa & Welcome to the forum.

My advice........test a little more often than you're doing. This way you'll know how the foods you're eating are effecting your blood sugar. Try cutting back on the carbs a bit.

I never took Lantus, so I can't offer any advice, other than I know some members here "split" their dose by taking half in the morning and the other half at night.

Karen

[jacobsam622]

welcome to the df