I'm a horrible diabetic

[jvwcu2008]

Hey folks,

I was diagnosed in August 2006 with Type 2 diabetes. I've ignored it, thinking I feel fine, and that high blood sugar wouldn't affect me.

I went to a highly regarded diabetic specialist yesterday, and he told me that I was the worst diabetic he'd ever seen. My last A1C a year ago was 12, and he told me I was "barely living." He called me a non-compliant diabetic, and that if I continued to be non-compliant, then I would be discharged as a patient.

I need the drill sergeant mentality in a doctor, but it was very difficult to hear that yesterday. He prescribed 500mg metformin to start. My fasting blood glucose level this morning, after taking the meds last night, was 323.

I'm scared. Any ideas/help would be appreciated. I need to get this under control before I'm permanently damaged. Doc thinks there's a high possibility the damage is already done.

JVW

[Subby]

Sounds like the doc overdid it to me, unless he has actual signs of complications I don't think such overwhelming negativity is warranted. Or to put it another way, some docs have tried that with me over the years, and all I learnt was to be more fearful, ignore things more, and learn not to trust their judgement once I realised they had overstated. I for one need to feel there is a good reason to be positive. I guess others might be different.

Another point I will raise is that if the doc "thinks the damage may already be done" has he also followed this up with a battery of blood tests, and a visit to the opthamologist?

But I digress. If the harsh mentality has served to kick you up the backside, use it. There is one thing likely, constant A1cs of 12+ and I doubt you would have that many fun years left. I wish you every luck in adjusting your lifestyle, your diet, and your meds, in gaining control. I've seen it occur many times here, type 2s frightened and in the dark, reign things right in and get a sterling improvement in control (as well as feel a whole lot better). I bet there will be lots of really good advice for you to chip away at that fbg and your control in general.

[Searchy]

I was diagnosed last week, while I don't have many answers in regards to diabetes, since I'm just in the process of learning what it is and what it can do to me.

The only thing that's motivating me to make the changes I need to is my 10 year old boy. I lost my mother to diabetes when I was 13. I've generally been pretty healthy, so T2 kinda snuck up on me. (had bloodwork done 6 months ago and everything was fine) ... Had a BG level of 409 last week when I was in the hospital.

Anyway, I remember what it was not having my parents around when I was kid, and it wasn't all that much fun, so I don't want that to happen to my son.

If you have any family(and everyone has to have some kind of family, friends are family too!), do it for yourself, but them also.

[Hammer]

The metformin can take as long as 4 weeks before it starts to work, so one day isn't enough to know anything. The Glucatrol (glipizide) you are taking should help as soon as you take it.

How often do you test your blood glucose?(BG) You should test before each meal, and two hours after the meal, so that you can see how the food affected your BG levels.

You should avoid the "white" foods....rice, potatoes, pasta, breads and all flour products, and try to keep your carb intake down, and see how that works. Also, exercise will get those numbers down. Maybe go for a 30 minute walk, twice a day. Doing all of these things will reduce that BG level. ;)

[jvwcu2008]

Sounds like the doc overdid it to me, unless he has actual signs of complications I don't think such overwhelming negativity is warranted. Or to put it another way, some docs have tried that with me over the years, and all I learnt was to be more fearful, ignore things more, and learn not to trust their judgement once I realised they had overstated. I for one need to feel there is a good reason to be positive. I guess others might be different.

Another point I will raise is that if the doc "thinks the damage may already be done" has he also followed this up with a battery of blood tests, and a visit to the opthamologist?

But I digress. If the harsh mentality has served to kick you up the backside, use it. There is one thing likely, constant A1cs of 12+ and I doubt you would have that many fun years left. I wish you every luck in adjusting your lifestyle, your diet, and your meds, in gaining control. I've seen it occur many times here, type 2s frightened and in the dark, reign things right in and get a sterling improvement in control (as well as feel a whole lot better). I bet there will be lots of really good advice for you to chip away at that fbg and your control in general.
He drew 11 vials of blood yesterday, doing tests like A1C, hepatic function, CBC, basic metabolic panel, T4, TSH, Vitamin D, etc...

The phlebotamists were fighting over me...ha!

He wanted to get the blood tests back before taking a course of action. He also demanded my wife come with me on Monday. He said we needed to fully understand the gravity of the situation...

Thanks for the help!

[jvwcu2008]

If you have any family(and everyone has to have some kind of family, friends are family too!), do it for yourself, but them also.

I have a wife and two beautiful stepchildren. I want to live to see my (eventual) greatgrandchildren grow up and get married, too...

Thanks for the motivation...

JVW

[jvwcu2008]

The metformin can take as long as 4 weeks before it starts to work, so one day isn't enough to know anything. The Glucatrol (glipizide) you are taking should help as soon as you take it.

How often do you test your blood glucose?(BG) You should test before each meal, and two hours after the meal, so that you can see how the food affected your BG levels.

You should avoid the "white" foods....rice, potatoes, pasta, breads and all flour products, and try to keep your carb intake down, and see how that works. Also, exercise will get those numbers down. Maybe go for a 30 minute walk, twice a day. Doing all of these things will reduce that BG level. ;)

Thanks for all the great advice! Knowing the metformin can take a while makes me feel better.

I had 1 slice of whole wheat bread with 1 tsp mustard and 2 slices of turkey breast for breakfast, along with 8 fl oz. of low-sugar orange juice. Yikes. This is going to take some getting used to.

JVW

[Josselyn]

While damage might well have already been done, it might be possible to reverse some or all of it...and prevent more from occurring. See an opthalmologist to investigate whether there is eye damage or not...also can be reversible.

In my opinion, address the diet first. Eliminate the "white stuff" like sugar flour (and items containing sugar and flour), potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta. You'd be mortified to see what these things can do to many people's blood glucose levels.

Test before meals for a baseline, and about 90 minutes after your first bite for your peak BG, and if enough strips are available to you, at two hours to see where your BG has returned post prandial (pp). It'll quickly give you a sense of which foods negatively impact on your BG.

Move around more...walking is great.

323 for a morning number is high...although morning numbers are typically higher than their usual for people with D. Can you recall what you ate yesterday?

Consider that Metformin takes weeks to enter your system in any meaningful way, and also must be helped along by diet changes and more exercise. Your Met dosage seems low, but I have to believe the MD knows what he's doing.

You can do this. Let the fear motivate you instead of paralyze you. I'm fairly new here, and I have gotten more helpful info here than I have from any medical personnel...because here we have the many voices of experienced, caring people.

Welcome, jvwcu2008. Come here often. You'll learn much, and will later have much to share.
You'll likely be okay, IF you address these things now.

[jvwcu2008]

You can do this. Let the fear motivate you instead of paralyze you. I'm fairly new here, and I have gotten more helpful info here than I have from any medical personnel...because here we have the many voices of experienced, caring people.

Welcome, jvwcu2008. Come here often. You'll learn much, and will later have much to share.
You'll likely be okay, IF you address these things now.

Thanks, Josselyn! Knowledge is power! I've denied and ignored this disease for too long. It will not defeat me, at least not without a fight!

John

[ShottleBop]

Go to the website Blood Sugar 101 (Google it), and click on the link (in the top row) for "How To Get Your Blood Sugar Under Control." Follow that advice. Then poke around that site, and soak up some of the other information, like "Research Connecting Organ Damage with Blood Sugar Level."

For the short term, at least, I'd recommend avoiding juice, in any form.

Pick up a copy of Gretchen Becker's The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes, and read that.

Dr. Richard Bernstein's The Diabetes Solution or The Diabetes Diet is very good, as well, if you can tolerate an Atkins-like low-carb diet. That, near-daily exercise, and judicious use of red wine have helped me control my blood sugars for a year and a half, now.

[jps]

You may have ignored it and been a "bad diabetic" but there's still alot you can do. The power comes from within. It won't be easy, but ultimately, it is up to you.

Learning a completely new lifestyle doesn't have to be a bad thing. You'll still be able to enjoy many of your favorite foods, you just need to learn how to do it. This isn't a death sentence, it's an opportunity.

Tons of information here on this site.

[yannah]

test. test before you eat, test 2 hours after you eat. look for downward trends. also test fasting in the morning. test alot for ahile till you get the hang of what you can eat.

personally I could never eat bread and low sugar orange juice for a meal. skip the orange juice. infact stick to water for awhile because water is your friend right now.

skip the bread, find low carb tortillas.

count carbs for awhile I try to stay under 50 a day. but we are all different.

met will take a few weeks. but even with the met, this is up to you. met won't save you.

take long walks. get moving.

don't freak out. this is going to be a better life, NOT a worse life. new foods, new lifestyle. less guilt, and physically you will feel so much better.

eat to your meter and test. stop being a bad diabetic cuz that is for sure not fun.

[bunbury]

It takes a bit of work and dedication to get control, BUT: It's worth the effort.

You'll feel better and have more energy. You'll live a longer, fuller life. You'll have drop some familiar foods, you'll find some new ones, and you'll realize that some of the junk you've stopped eating was never food in the first place.

IMO keep it simple, buy a meter and test, test, test. The meter will tell you what foods you can eat and what you can't - you'll find the mix of diet, exercise and meds that will deliver results for you. It will also tell you when you're winning the battle against T2.

welcome :thumbsup:

[Granny Shanny]

Welcome, JV! While your doc may be a little over-the-top in his assessments (you're the worst) and demands (bring your wife, straighten up or find a new doc), it looks like he's taking the bull by the horns here, and I'm beginning to see why he's highly regarded, although that isn't always necessarily a true gauge of quality (being in essence, that fickle "public opinion", as it were).

I hope you've gotten past being scared & now realize that you can take control and keep this thing corralled most of the time. The name of the game is lower bg, and that is achieved with diet/meds/exercise - all things well within the capabilities of a strong young feller like yourself.

Watch out for that orange juice, and even the "healthy" breads are suspect until you've actually tested several times & KNOW it won't cause a spike. It takes a lot of testing, especially at first, and strips are expensive, but it will help you understand a lot, and a lot more quickly.

Good luck to you & your family . . . you've found a trove of information, wisdom, experience & support here at this forum, and I hope you'll stick around. These DF folks are the best!

He drew 11 vials of blood yesterday, doing tests like A1C, hepatic function, CBC, basic metabolic panel, T4, TSH, Vitamin D, etc...

The phlebotamists were fighting over me...ha!

He wanted to get the blood tests back before taking a course of action. He also demanded my wife come with me on Monday. He said we needed to fully understand the gravity of the situation...

Thanks for the help!

[Dis-N-Dat]

Hi JV:

I ignored my doc's warnings for a couple of years as well. Despite seeing family members die cruel deaths, despite watching my dearest aunt loose both her feet, go blind and suffer horrible Neuropathy.

I'm writing to you now from a wheelchair from which I may never get away form. I'm nearly blind (legally I'm already blind) and my neuropathy is estremely painful...EVER SINGLE MOMENT OF MY WAKING EXISTANCE.

In July I gave up my denial and got on board with a complete lifestyle change. My BG is now routinely in the 70s and 80s. I've lost over 40lbs and feel so much better! The funny thing is, I didn't feel "sick" when I was in denial, but now that I feel so much better, I can't imagine how I lived for so long feeling like I used to.

You can take control, you must take control. Trust me, you'll feel a thousand times better and you won't to have to end up like me. Hang onto this forum for dear life, read, post and take to heart all the support, butt kicking and help available here...it's priceless. You're famly needs you and you deserve to enjoy them for many, many years to come.

Georgia

[georgepds]

Hey folks,

I was diagnosed in August 2006 with Type 2 diabetes. I've ignored it, ...I went to a highly regarded diabetic specialist yesterday, ...He prescribed 500mg metformin to start.


Well there are several good suggestions here, but there's something I don't get.. the "500 mg of metformin to start". Though it is never to late to start, what were you taking for meds the last three years?

The other question I have is the dosage. The max dosage of metformin is 2500 mg/day. I'm surprised such an "aggressive' doctor did not at least start you at 500 mg 2x /day

Some things that might put it in perspective is your age and weight.

[princesslinda]

Welcome JV! You may have been a "horrible diabetic," but you don't need to continue to be one. Each day is a chance to start over. As of today, you're just a diabetic.

Until your number start to come down, i'd encourage you to leave of the bread and orange juice. Have a couple of scrambled eggs and bacon...or eggbeaters (egg substitute) and turkey bacon..no toast or OJ. If you like apple juice, Walmart has a good value brand of apple add-in's that are VERY close to regular apple juice. Crystal light has an orange drink that tastes like tang, and Tropicana has a sugar free Orange ade that is really good.

Watch the "white foods" such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread...eat lots of salads, green veggies, grilled meats (no breading or sweet sauces), and sea food (again, no breading or sauces). Have s/f jello when you want something sweet, pork rinds when you feel a chip craving.

Time to exercise as well. Metformin works by helping you better use the insulin you are making...it works best with a good diet and regular exercise.

Glad to hear you're motivated to make some important changes. My mom was a very non-compliant T2 diabetic, and she ended up suffering from most of the very complications we all try to avoid. She ignored her diabetes for about 15 years. You absolutely don't want to put yourself or your family through that.

So..today's a new day for you. Take time to read through some of the old posts, you'll learn a lot!

[yannah]

Hi JV:

I ignored my doc's warnings for a couple of years as well. Despite seeing family members die cruel deaths, despite watching my dearest aunt loose both her feet, go blind and suffer horrible Neuropathy.

I'm writing to you now from a wheelchair from which I may never get away form. I'm nearly blind (legally I'm already blind) and my neuropathy is estremely painful...EVER SINGLE MOMENT OF MY WAKING EXISTANCE.

In July I gave up my denial and got on board with a complete lifestyle change. My BG is now routinely in the 70s and 80s. I've lost over 40lbs and feel so much better! The funny thing is, I didn't feel "sick" when I was in denial, but now that I feel so much better, I can't imagine how I lived for so long feeling like I used to.

You can take control, you must take control. Trust me, you'll feel a thousand times better and you won't to have to end up like me. Hang onto this forum for dear life, read, post and take to heart all the support, butt kicking and help available here...it's priceless. You're famly needs you and you deserve to enjoy them for many, many years to come.

Georgia

awwweee Georgia. I am so glad that you always share this information. and so sad everytime I see it. you deserve more.
we all do. love. to. you.

[jvwcu2008]

The other question I have is the dosage. The max dosage of metformin is 2500 mg/day. I'm surprised such an "aggressive' doctor did not at least start you at 500 mg 2x /day

I guess I should clarify. He has me taking 2 500mg Metformin twice a day, and he just called to add Actose (not sure of the dosage) once a day.

Does that make more sense?

And I'm 6'4" and about 285lbs.

John

[Granny Shanny]

I guess I should clarify. He has me taking 2 500mg Metformin twice a day, and he just called to add Actose (not sure of the dosage) once a day.

Does that make more sense?

And I'm 6'4" and about 285lbs.

John

That's more like it . . . keep us posted.

[Baylor1970]

I was dx'ed two weeks ago and my Dr. told me to go on the South Beach diet. I have never been on a diet in my life so it took some getting used to, but I got there and my carb input is low. I like this diet because I can eat all the chicken, fish, beef I want to on this diet so I am not hungry at all.

[flowerbabe68]

Hello, welcome to the gang. We all have needed the proverbal "slap along side of the head", just to get our attention and make us realize that we have to get serious about this thing. It looks like your Dr. has gotten off to a good start by ordering all the tests you will need to begin with to see just where you are with your diabetes. My understanding of diabetes is that once you can get your blood glucose under control, there is expected to be improvement in how you feel. It's finding out what it will take to accomplish this that takes the time. It is not instant,and not the same for all of us.As far as what to eat, the advice you have already received about avoiding the white foods, as they are too high in carbohydrates and will cause your blood sugars to rise too high, checking your blood sugars on a regular basis is excellent advice also, do you have a meter at home to use? The website,"Blood sugar 101", is also a wonderful explanation of how everything works. It takes a while to accept the diagnosis.But once you understand what to do, it isn't so bad. You will soon be able to identify what foods to eat and which to avoid. Most of the forum members follow a low carbohydrate diet and are willing to share a great ,new recipe they have found or created to give us something new in our diet. Keep in touch with this forum, you will learn much and find out that there are many caring helpful people here who know how important a little TLC can be,until you can grasp the changes that are necessary. How do I know? It took me weeks to digest what the Dr. was telling me. Hang on, you are not alone.:flowers:

[bunbury]

Hi JV:

I ignored my doc's warnings for a couple of years as well. Despite seeing family members die cruel deaths, despite watching my dearest aunt loose both her feet, go blind and suffer horrible Neuropathy.

I'm writing to you now from a wheelchair from which I may never get away form. I'm nearly blind (legally I'm already blind) and my neuropathy is estremely painful...EVER SINGLE MOMENT OF MY WAKING EXISTANCE.

In July I gave up my denial and got on board with a complete lifestyle change. My BG is now routinely in the 70s and 80s. I've lost over 40lbs and feel so much better! The funny thing is, I didn't feel "sick" when I was in denial, but now that I feel so much better, I can't imagine how I lived for so long feeling like I used to.

You can take control, you must take control. Trust me, you'll feel a thousand times better and you won't to have to end up like me. Hang onto this forum for dear life, read, post and take to heart all the support, butt kicking and help available here...it's priceless. You're famly needs you and you deserve to enjoy them for many, many years to come.

Georgia

Hi Dis-n-Dat, Sometimes I read something here that pulls me up short and makes me stop and take a long hard look at life with the Big D. I'm not confident that I have the words to say this properly, but your post is very, very special. It's inspirational - and you just kicked my butt! Thank you :)

Good luck and congratulations. Having me think of you won't change a thing :o , but I'll do it anyway.

Thanks for your inspirational words. :)

[CarrieOakey]

It's so overwhelming, isn't it?

I've been diabetic for a few years now and I'm still learning, still making mistakes, still trying hard to figure out what works for ME. It's a constant battle but you know what? YOU are worth it. And as you said you want to see the kids get married, you want to become a grand-parent, etc. So many good reasons to take good care of yourself.

Never forget : Rome wasn't build in one day!

I tried to change everything all at once. Mission impossible. I fell off the wagon oh so many times because I got discouraged. And who wouldn't? I've learned that it's better to do little things, take little steps, baby steps if it's all I can manage. Little things do add up! I started to feel better, and the more I felt better the more I could make changes in my life. It was easier! Those changes became permanent. I didn't feel deprived in any way. My progress was steady. I found out that being scared of complications is not a great motivator (it only works a while until you become so depressed you just give up) but steady progress and improvement are indeed the greatest incentives.

There is strenght in help and support. You'll get that here and from your family. Support is the back bone to it all. Never forget this.

Knowledge is power. If you haven't started read read and READ and know everything there is to know about diabetes.

Your meter will become your best friend.

You're allowed a bad day. If you're having a bad one... well have one! Tomorrow will be better. Forgive yourself. Since I've adopted that philosophy I always find the strenght to carry on the next day instead of giving up.

Falling off the wagon will happen. Still hapens to me! That's when support is vital. I feel less and less guilty for falling off the wagon now. Guilt just hinders the process of getting back on tracks.

Doctors will say numerous things to you. One might say well done for lowering your A1C and another might tell you off because it's not enough in his/her opinion. I do my best to remind my doctors I am a human being, not just a bunch of test results.

There is no horrible diabetic. We are people.

Good luck on your journey.