Dealing with Diabetes2 and remembering Goldi Community Group

A support group for individuals with Type2 diabetes. Encouragement, empathy, advice, and personal experiences from members dealing with the illness. A friendly environment with compassion and support as our main objective.

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brainoverload 04/18/2010

The Miss-leading portrait of a Diabetic

I never thought I was at risk for diabetes. I was only 10-15lbs over weight and very active. I was stunned with disbelief when I was told I had it. I was not like what the TV portrayed a diabetic to be; obese with a MacDonald's food bag in my hand. When the TV talked about not eating proper, they showed fast food as the demon. I was a good 40 miles from the nearest fast food, and too poor to buy it any ways. So how the heck can I get diabetes? I'll tell you.

I got it by having a family history of it and not eating for up to 3-4 days at a time, then gorging for 1-2 days. This was my eating habit for over 20 years. I still hate and resent food. I would have eaten differently if the TV had focused more on what was proper eating then just on the obesity. I know I'm blaming TV. but it was my only source of info.

So now I am just like every one else with diabetes, struggling to eat the right foods, the right amount at the right times.

Share your thoughts with me. Do you feel miss lead or signaled out by the portrait of a diabetic? Or do you feel blamed for doing it to your self?
Hoping to here from you. Sue

deleted_user 04/18/2010

You are very right, Sue. The media portrays a diabetic as being obese and eating junk food all the time. Also not exercising at all. I also was very active. I swam for two hours every day and rode or trained horses the rest of the day and then sometimes went bike riding or walking or playing tennis in the eveining. I also had a family history of diabetes, but never thought I would get it because of my lifestyel. I also was wrong and now we have to pay for that mistake. I do blame myself though for not looking in to it more carefully and allowing it to happen to me. Maybe if I had not listened to the tv , I also could have avoided the deadly diagnosis.

brainoverload 04/18/2010

Goldilox please don't blame your self. You and I didn't get the right kind of info about it. We can not go chasing down ever possible disease we "might" get. There's just too many of them, and family history is only a small part of getting a disease, it's not a guaranty. I think we have just as good a chance of being hit by a distracted driver.
I have 3 brothers and 3 sisters. ranging from 44-57 years old. Out of the 7 of us only 3 have diabetes. And out of the 3 only 2 are known for certain. So it's just the luck of the draw sometimes.
((hugs)) Sue

deleted_user 04/18/2010

I know, Sue. You are right, but sometimes you just blame yourself anyway. I still wish I would have gotten the right information too. I know heredity is part of the problem, but there are other factors too, I guess, that are uncontrollable. I guess all we can do now is eat right and exercise and just hope for the best.
Thanks so much for the support :)

Vernonbro 04/19/2010

I heard that there might be a connection between Fungus, Mold and another word related to these and many 'Medical Experts' can be confusing between Fungus, Mold or the other word with Cancer and Diabetics. If I had the word we were talking about, this message would have been much more clear here. If someone knows more about this, please share, but I know I didn't know there was any good bacterial since I only heard of the bad and now I am smarter. I am saying that here since it might explain the problem and not so much with being overweight although I agree, that's all I hear, if your slim, treat and such, you will never get diabetes.

brainoverload 04/19/2010

Your so right about being slim part Vernonbro. I never thought of my self as thin, but as chunk or pleasantly plump. I carry my fat in the front and always look pregnant, even as a skinny teen. I figure I had diabetes for 4 years before I was told I had it. Every 3 months for 3 years, I complained to my doctor about being tired and having a dry mouth and throat. He did a thyroid test on me and it came out good. Now what makes me angry is, in my medical file it says that they is a family history of diabetes but not a thyroid problem. he never checked for diabetes. I found out when I had my 2nd miscarriage. The hospital told me. I feel that my doctor at the time didn't bother to check for diabetes because I was not obese. So I feel that if we are obese, we get targeted. And if we are not obese, we get neglected.

Damed if you do, damed if you don't.
Sue

deleted_user 04/19/2010

That would make me angry too, Sue, if family history of diabetes was on my medical file and the doctor didnt do anything about it. That is a crying shame. If he had checked, maybe you would have been able to keep it at bay a while longer.
My doctor was the same doctor i had all my life, and knew of the family history and checked, but I was always ok. When I moved here and got a new doctor, he didnt know my medical history By the time my files came and he tested me, I was diabetic.
You are right Sue.. sometimes you are damned if you do and damned if you dont.

deleted_user 04/20/2010

Vernonbro,
While some bacteria are bad for us â think e. coli â other bacteria are very good for us. Inside our bodies these good bacteria help keep the bad guysâ numbers down.
"The good bacteria in our gut are called probiotics.
If you have diabetes, chances are good you will also have problems with a bacteria known as candida. Why is there a connection? Because every living human has candida in his or her system. Usually the "friendly bacteria" keep the non-friendly candida at bay, but certain factors can allow the candida to flourish -- factors that are often brought on by diabetes."
"Candida is a bacteria that can grow into a full-blown fungus, and the entire body is susceptible to it."
http://ezinearticles.com/?Candida-Linked-To-Diabetes&id=412910

deleted_user 04/20/2010

ooH YES and candida is not fun when it becomes full blown.
I eat a lot of yogurt to prevent this from happening. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

deleted_user 04/20/2010

Candida can cause leaky gut syndrome,

deleted_user 04/20/2010

Yukl! That sounds terrible. What is that?

brainoverload 04/20/2010

Thank you barbou for the candida link. I want to it and read it. I have never heard of candida before. I t is good info to have.

deleted_user 04/20/2010

I wasn't the stereotypical diabetic either before I developed diabetes. I wasn't obese, I was very active and I was always on a low carb diet. I have always drank diet cola and didn't eat bread at all. And there wasn't any history of diabetes in my family. My blood sugar was monitored routinely because I had hypoglycemia I saw my doctor every 4-5 months for my hypertension and between check ups I became a full blown diabetic and was put on insulin. Diabetes in on the rise in this country. Testing for diabetes should be included in routine blood work imo. AND BTY i have gained 30 pounds since I became diabetic and have a very difficult time losing weight. Where as I use to could drop 5 pounds in a weekend.

brainoverload 04/20/2010

NANNYGP23 your story adds back up to my paranoia about our environment (air,water,food) being tampered with more then we know.

deleted_user 04/20/2010

Wow Nanny.. that must have been a shock for you. Just goes to show you.. anyone can get diabetes. I think too that it should be a routine check when you get your physical done at least once a year.

I have heard that diabetics are more prone to candida that others.. especially women with yeast infections (candida) I try to eat lots of yogurt, which i heard helps this. Bladder infections are also easier for us to get.
I have heard that insulin puts on weight, Nanny, so maybe that is why the weight gain?

I agree Sue... we never know what we are eating, drinking or breathing

Vernonbro 05/06/2010

I think that the people are starting to make more and improved probiotics although it wasn't long at all when I thought ALL or 100% of the bacteria was bad for health, and when I took it I didn't have as near as much of a problem with gas and the 'trots' and so I wish I had it, they are now up to 10 Billion parts of it per pill although it does go down without too much time, but few of them need to be cold and you can swallow some and it will get rid of the heart burn, which is better than all of the drugs which are over the counter and drugs RX since they are only a quick fix and cause more problems over a longer term. Thank-you for sharing about this since I like others to know about things I only learned about 12-18 months ago.

When I think of the terrible sounding Candida, I am reminded of the song by Tony Orlando. I found out about the germ from the TV show I love to watch and he is not talking like he swallowed a dictionary now.

Whoa Candida....We could make it together
The further from here girl the better
Where the air is fresh and clean

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