accepting diabeties: now what?!

[cancaz]

For a good fifteen years or so now I had been told I was "pre-diabetic" by my very non-assertive, non-commited doctor. I was given meds to control my high BG's and handed some cartoon pamphlets.

I continued to live my life to excess, popping my "high sugar pills"; figuring all was good...

Now I am older & wiser and beginning to show symptoms of diabetic related problems. I have a new doc and have begun checking BG levels with my new moniter thingy. I am consuming various books recommended to me by the ADA web site...trying to learn all I can about what I now know is a DISEASE...

Lots of life changes; lots of conflicting information. I thought maybe in this thread we could discuss coping mechanisisms and discoveries...like, for instance, what do you do to control "Dawn Syndrom?" (high BG levels upon waking)

[donna6171]

My husband was told he had diabetes almost 3 years ago. It was a lifestyle change, but a change for the BETTER. We now eat healthy - lots of veggies, cut back on sugary foods. He is on insulin, one shot a day. He doesn't check his BG levels as he should. Our doctor gave us the best advice-you control the diabetes, don't let it control you. Check with your doctor about a diet and excerise. All my children and my parents follow the diet that DH is on. He does a calorie and low carb diet. I've even lost wieght on it!!

Good Luck!

[SmallSpaz]

I also am diabetic, however I have not yet accepted it and know I need to. My mother passed away 2 years ago from this illness so I need to have a reality check and get on track. It is so hard, a total change in life. It's even harder for someone who works 2 full time job with a family. I have a hard time cooking healthy with little to no cooking time.
I am sorry to hear that you have this in your life. It can be a pain for sure but we will be ok as long as we take action against it! Good luck hun.

[sunsoaker]

I was diagnosed with diabetes about 5 yrs. ago. As is my nature, I read, read, and then read some more. I took the "class" at the local hospital and learned all about how this condition (I hate to call it a disease) works.. the causes and triggers, etc. Listened to the dietician, and their recommendations of 300 carbs per day :eek: ... went on meds to control the high numbers that the 300 carbs/day were causing...

Then I ran across and newsgroup for diabetics. The participants of the group were people that had been living with both Type I and Type II for years, some all their lives. Some of the stuff I read scared the living daylights out of me (lost limbs, failing organs, etc). But I also read about a lot of successes at controlling the "beast". The one thing that stood out in my mind from all those that were able to gain control was that they were a slave to their meter and controlled their carb intake. With the images of all the horror stories in my mind, I set out to gain control. At first I went way overboard and went totally low carb (almost no carb) for about six months. During that time, my cholesterol numbers normalized, my blood pressure problems dissapeared, my ibs and acid reflux dissappeared (within the first three weeks), and a host of other issues I had been dealing with improved or dissapeared. As a side benefit, I lost 80 lbs. in that 1st six months. I was able to get off the diabetes meds, blood presssure meds, and the meds I took for the acid reflux. At this point, using my meter as my guide, I learned what my body's carb intake tolerance was, and ate accordingly. I added in more normal foods, mostly more veggies (which I had pretty much quit eating - not good) and fruit. If I ever ate anything sweet, which was extremely rare, I made it myself, and used splenda. I was healthier than I had been in 15 years and felt great!

Note that I keep saying "was". In the past year, I have not maintained that regimen, and my health is showing it. The past year or so of my life has been very stressful and I have let the management of my diabetes slip. This is something I am going to have to get back into. I do not like the way I feel now.

Guess the moral of this is to get control now, and use your meter to learn what you can eat (everyone is different). Stay with non-processed foods and no transfats in your diet, drink lots of water. And once you have it figured out... stick to it... forever.

Sorry so long winded. Anyone who knows me will tell you that the subject of diabetes will cause that with me. I guess its cause it was such a tramatic thing for me at first, and then I "overcame" it and took control, which instilled a sense of pride and satisfaction in me. It can be done! Good luck!

Anyhow, read, learn,

[KyaMia]

I have been diabetic for over two years. I have changed the way I eat, therefore changing the way my DH eats also. The diabeties is still not under control, but I am working on it. Finding the right combination of medications and diet and exercise is key to controlling this disease. I have some diabetiec neuropathy, which means I have tingles in my legs, feet and hands. I also just found out that I have a cyst on one of my kidneys.

Good luck to everyone finding their own balance.

[blondgrl]

Dear Cancaz,
I do not have diabetes, but my dear husband is a juvenile diabetic from the age of 7 dependent on insulin. Yes, it's a life style change as the other wise women have posted. I think it's a matter of learning, reading, trying different things with your doctor and keeping a handle on things before they become major. Diabetes is a tricky thing and works different in people. He does have the type one (juvenile), but, from living with him and starting out not having anything but base line knowledge, I first got my hands on as much info as I possibly could, some things are conflictual as you have said. But, I think learning about nutrition/food values and how they work with you or against you is a good place to strart. I still am learning after all these years. He doesn't experience the lows in the mornings, but has the high blood sugar levels at night. He talks about how he refuses to "let this rule his life". I think this is what makes him stronger and feel more pro-active instead of at its mercy. Sounds like what you are doing too. One thing I just thought about was that most major hospitals have some type of "educational" library type of service. Those people really educated me, lots of free pamplets, magazines to subscribe to , most without cost. It can become a pain at times and it is a serious thing, but, just do what ever you can to be healthy and ask those questions, seek people out who are experts in the area, you may not find things all in one place, but it's kinda a trial and error thing. I'm sorry you are going through this as I live with it too through my husband. But, it sounds like you are on the right track...hang in there! Don't be afraid to ask those questions to your doctors, nutritionist, etc....they have heard all those questions before and we're all different....sending cyber hugs to you.

[kitnkat]

I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 in September of last year. Since then, I have taken the course at the local hospital. I have it under pretty good control having lost over 30 pounds and I'm trying to eat well and keep the carbs down. I do fall off the wagon every once in awhile, but blood sugars don't go berserk like before. The only problem I have is exercising....I just can't get into it. Went out two weeks ago and bought the big exercise ball, had fun for two or three days, felt great but gave up. I'm a lazy couch potato and I'm really having a hard time getting motivated. I read all I can about the disease. It gets me very depressed at times, but the best I can do is deal with it. Hope all is well with everyone else :)

[friendly1]

For everyone dealing with diabetes, I want to say that I admire your abilities to make the necessary changes. My husband was diagnosed with Juvinile diabetes five years ago. He went from partying all the time (he was in college) to changing his eating habits, having to eat on a regular timetable, having to carry his medicine everywhere he goes, writing down everything he eats, taking medications like crazy, giving himself shots 4 times a day, and constantly checking his sugar. In the past year he has started exercising on a regular basis and it is unreal how much that has helped stabilize his sugar level! I admire him so much for what he does, as I admire anyone handling their diabetes.

His specialist sends home pamphlets for me to read to help me understand some issues, and of course ADA online is great!

I wish you the best of luck :)