New type 2

[decimaldancer]

I am fifty years old and I did have a 9 1/2 pound baby 21 years ago. I am overweight and I have had a lot of stress in my life lately. Is all that why I am diabetic.

Hello all. Do I sound angry? I guess I am a little.

I went in to the doctor Monday to pick up some test results and the nurse just shoved some paperwork in my hand and said "You're diabetic, see this person on Wednesday and make an appointment with your eye doctor." And that was it.

I have seen the nurse who handles all the diabetic patients and got my glucose monitor and I have been sticking my finger like crazy and my results still aren't normal even though I have eaten only 1500-1800 calories a day and exercised like a demon.

I just feel tired achey and uninformed. Avoid fat, avoid carbs and don't go over 20% on your protien. How do you do that?

Does it sound like I am freaking out? I am in a quiet way. Which is why I am here instead of screaming at people and I hope someone here can answer my questions and tell me what I am suppose to do.:confused:

[HeatherP]

First of all, welcome Decimaldancer. All of the things you are feeling right now are normal and appropriate. Allow yourself to feel them so that you can move forward. This can be a very traumatic diagnosis, I was pretty much hysterical for the month following mine. You're overwhelmed right now with emotions, information, questions, and probably some misconceptions about Diabetes.

You're new at this and it can take time to get a handle on how to manage diabetes and get your sugars under control. I would encourage you to read and ask questions, both of your healthcare team and here. Try to be patient. Diabetes does not just become manageable overnight. Are you working with a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) if not, I would encourage you to do so. If you are and feel that you're not getting what you need, then you should feel free to try another one that you like better. Liking your docs and CDE will be very important to your success.

You'll find that we are a friendly bunch of folks. There are no such things as stupid questions, so ask away. Odds are at least one other person here has had the same question or experience. I hope you'll visit with us often to find the support you need and maybe even make some new friends along the way.

Nice to meet you,
HeatherP
T1 for 13 years

[Dewey]

Hi Decimaldancer,

As Heather said, all the things you are feeling are normal. It's tough to be diagnosed with such a condition, and to have trouble with evening it out. I also couldn't agree more that you should like the doctor and CDE you work with, as it's very important to your overall success.

There's a wild and friendly bunch of folks here, so feel free to jump in with any questions, concerns, or even to vent. We all care deeply about each and every member, and always welcome new friends. Welcome aboard, and hope you find some great info. here! :)

[Harold]

Hi Decimaldancer and Welcome to the Forums.

Overweight, stress, infections, genetic predisposition, medications food additives, and the various chemicals that we are exposed to all contribute to having diabetes. What triggers it and in what combinations differes for everyone and none of us will know for sure. What really matters is that you now have it and what your going to do about it.

You have a meter and that is a good place to start keeping in mind that it is a tool and not a solution by itself. Knowledge is the major tool and what you learn about diabetes and how it affects you will change over time. From the way food affects your blood glucose levels to goals you try achive. These change from your changing metabolism and from new knowledge about how diabetes works. There is a lot to learn and your not going to learn it over night so give yourself time and allow for setbacks because they happen to everyone.

The key to this desease is self management. You are the one that lives with this day in and day out. One of the best steps you can do for yourself in the begining is to keep a food log of what you eat and check your bg levels two hours after you eat. Combine the two to see how different foods and the amount of these foods affect you. Feel free to experiment and modify any diet you chose to try to see how you respond to it. Many people that eat one meal a day and a snack find out they can eat more food per day by eating small amounts for three meals and three snacks and still loose weight. This works because eating one large meal a day presents too much food at one time so the body stores the excess instead of burning up what has just been consumed.

Good Luck and remember the experts disagree with each other so be good to yourself.

[decimaldancer]

The nurse I saw was a CDE. She seems nice enough. I am just frustrated with meal planning and the servings aren't the same as on the package and when I am cooking I am trying to do math such as:
"if I use one Tbsp olive oil and 1/2 Cup onion and peppers and a clove or two of garlic then I have to divide each by 5 to get my serving if 5 people are eating the dish. "

Math has never been my strong talent so I came on with a bit of a rant.

Thank you for the welcome. I hope someday I can help someone else instead of panicking every other minute.

How does one plan meals and how does one figure servings when one is cooking? Should I get a calulator?

The CDE gave me a sheet with instructions but if you have never thought in terms of "6 starches spread throughout the day" it is a little daunting. Especially as I thought that I was suppose to avoid starch.

So much to learn.

I have mostly figured out that I need to:
Exercise more,
Drink water more, (even though I have been peeing every 15 minutes)
Exercise more
Eat more of the right kind of carbs (in other words, lay off the chocolate)
and exercise more.

Do I have it right?

Thanks again for the welcome.

[mg_2204]

Hello DécimalDancer!

And welcome to the BEST place ever on the Internet :)

I've been T2 for 10 years, diet controlled only for all those years, just started medication 12 days ago. I've had 3 diabetic pregnancies before being officially diagnosed.

You've had very good advice from the pros so far. And many will add to this thread, just hold on.

You have every reason to be angry and upset. It's a shock being told you're diabetic. You're bound to feel lost...

It seems you're on the right track, yes. Let me suggest you see a dietician. That was my mistake, all those years ago; didn't go see one. The dietician who's part of my health care team doesn't give me maths to do. She speaks a language I can understand :)

The more you know about diabetes, the better you'll be able to take care of yourself.

The key to your success is -s-u-p-p-o-r-t-! It makes a world of difference, let me tell you. At one point, I joined a self help group who would meet once a month. We'd have a guest speaker but what I liked most about those meetings was... meeting other people having the same probs as me! This forum is also a great place for support, advice and great tips. You won't have the impression you're walking alone...

Take good care now,

Marie
:)

[HeatherP]

Cooking can be a bit tricky. Generally, one serving of "starch" equals 1/2 cup. Rice is 1/3 cup. Either of those is 15 gms/carbs. Things like olive oil and onions are pretty carb free. Measure the portions and add up the total carbs in the meal, then divide by how many are eating, or how much you plan to eat.

Many cookbooks nowadays have the carbs and other nutritional info listed. Of course, if you're using a "family" recipe it's not as easy to figure that out.

Measure your portions so you can learn to "eyeball" the amount of carbs you're eating.

You'll get it, give yourself some time!
HeatherP

[koblenz]

Hi DD and welcome. Some great advice by the other folks here and I will throw in my 2 cents by saying that you should also get your CDE or doctor to refer you to a Dietitian! There should be one associated with your doctors office or they will know of one to speak with.

This helped me tremendously!

When first diagnosed, I didn't know what to do or eat either. My dietitian put me on a simple meal plan (if not boring) at first. She did this to make it easier for me in the beginning. Then after about two months, I went back, and she spent a lot of time with me asking questions and tayloring a plan that fit ME! It took time and it was not a cake walk (oh, I probably should not have said "cake"...) :eek: :D , but things have fallen into place for me.

Remember, it takes time, and what you are going through has been experienced by the folks here (each to their own degree) before; so ask questions and lean on us for support when needed.

[KLD]

Things like olive oil and onions are pretty carb free.
While you're right about olive oil, onions, unfortunately, are not carb free. According to my carb counter, they contain 7.34 grams carb per 100 grams of chopped onion. I eat them as small amounts for flavouring but not as a vegetable. Green onions (spring onions, scallions) are slightly lower in carbs at 7.34 grams.

Karen

[HeatherP]

My list indicates 1/2 cup cooked = 5 gms, 1 cup raw is 5 gms/carbs.

HeatherP

[KLD]

Maybe it depends on the kind of onions - mine doesn't specify a kind - just says "onions. chopped, raw." The only other count it gives is for the green onions. Also, I have no idea how many grams of onions are in 1/2 cup, do you? The carb content my book gives is for 100 grams. I hate metric!

In any case, since I limit my meals to 12 grams of carbs, even 5 grams would be too much for me.

Karen

[Jenny]

Welcome DecimalDancer
It is totally normal to be frustrated and angry after diagnosis. There is a lot of useful info here on this site. It you talk to your doc/dietician they should also be able to provide you with a personal plan and info packets.

[HeatherP]

Agreed Karen. For someone who limits their carbs as tightly as you do, 5 gms/carbs would indeed be a significant number.

My list has okra, onions, greens & green onions as being equal in values.

According to the little booklet that came w/ my food scale, raw onions 1 cup of chopped is 160 grams, sliced is 115 grams. 1 cup cooked & drained onions is 210 grams (whole or sliced). I don't have anything about different kinds of onions.

Hope that helps you,
HeatherP

[KLD]

It does indeed, Heather. When you think about, it makes sense that different kinds of onions would have different carb counts - think of spanish onions that are much sweeter than many other kinds.

Karen

[kctowers]

Hi DD,

This is the place to come for a little bit of TLC. It's funny how differently people react to the news that they have this disease. I treated the news as though it were no more than a common cold and it would soon clear up, with a couple of pills or a course of antibiotics - I guess you can call that my denial period. Since then, and talking to all these wonderful people on these boards, I realise that to get on top of it takes a little bit of work and a small change of lifestyle. Actually, for T2D sufferers anyway, the changes to lifestyle are not such a bad thing. Yes! One needs to watch diet, keep a control of bg levels, and look after the body through exercise. Now is that bad thing I ask myself? Getting T2D is a wake-up call to be a fitter person. No one likes change - it takes effort - but DD, look at it as though you going on a journey to a fitter and better you.


:thumbsup:

Lots of luck.

Keith

[kctowers]

PS. for DecimalDancer

My dietician told me to eat loads of pasta - I hate the stuff - bread with every meal and potatoes. She told me to avoid fatty meats and fat in general. Well! What does she know about BG levels, her main aim was to get me to lose weight? My advice is: cut out all the junk that isn't necessary- chocolate, potato chips etc, stop any picking between meals or eat an apple if you must, look at the rest of what you eat and cut down on the portions. I know loads will hate me for saying this, but eat a cookie or a small piece of cake only as a treat. Cut out all sugar put on, or in, cereal or beverages, or use Candrel or similar product to replace it. Coke is a Joke, unless it’s the lite/diet type. Shredded wheat has no added salt or sugar and is great with low-fat organic natural yoghurt and a piece of fruit for breakfast.

Hope this helps a little.

Keith

[KLD]

My dietician told me to eat loads of pasta - I hate the stuff - bread with every meal and potatoes.
In my opinion, a dietician who would give a diabetic that advice has lost touch with reality. Even a tiny serving of pasta or a single slice of bread would cause my blood sugar to soar. Did you know that one medium-sized potato contains the equivalent of three tablespoons of sugar?

Karen

[mg_2204]

Karen, my dietician told me the same thing! Eat plenty of whole wheat pasta and bread. Eat your potatoes baked preferably. She said 4-5 servings of it per day. I'd usually have 5 a day, sometimes 6.

Now that I've read a lot about the GI index and used it on many occasions... now that I've read lots about low carb diets and the likes... needless to say I am looking forward to see the dietician again :-


Marie
:)

[KLD]

It really boggles the mind, doesn't it Marie, the advice that so many of the so-called "experts" continue to give us. In my experience, more and more doctors are coming around to at least a lower, if not low carb, way of thinking, or a low GI one, but the dietitians tend to be the most resistant to it. My guess is that they've spent all those years learning the high carb method of managing diabetes that they're not about to let research or the experience of their patients change their minds. No wonder diabetes complications continue to be such a huge problem.

Karen

[kctowers]

Frankly speaking, I have gained more understanding of, and how to treat my Diabetes from the advice given on these boards. It's first hand and I'm glad I found them.

Keith