Diabetes Type 2 Support Group
Type 2 Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not make efficient use of it. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert food into glucose, a sugar that the body uses for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose can accumulate in the blood, and can cause serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes and organ damage...
I am new to this board but have been lurking for a few days. I belong to another board here as well (pulmonary embolism). Any way I find myself in an odd situation. My old doctor said I was a diabetic, gave me a poor copy of a 1200 calories diet dated 1988 and said loose weight and come back in 6 months. This from a fasting number 113 and an A1C of 6.4. Well I didn't like his attitude and his quality of care was going down hill and fast. I think along with other issues I knew it was time to find a new doctor after 25 plus years with his practice. Now in between doctors I made a few dietary changes and actually lost about 15 pounds. So my new doctor repeats the labs and I come up with similar numbers. She explained a little more to me and wanted to repeat the labs 3 months later but in the mean time she wanted me to make some lifestyle changes. I did to a point but then slid backwards and gained about 8 of those lost pounds back. This time the labs were a little different with a fasting blood of 110 and my A1C of 6.7. Now she wants me to repeat the labs in 3 months but also wants me to check my glucose three times a week in the morning and once a week about 2 hours after dinner. We chatted and I also brought up my weight gain. We agreed some more dietary changes and exercise would help my numbers but if it did not then I was looking at starting a prescription med. I know I have to get more serious about this. I have been helping my husband control his glucose levels, as he is on a couple prescription meds plus insulin. He was starting to have some side affects of the disease. His feet were hurting extremely bad along with some other side affects. His fasting numbers are looking good now. He will repeat his labs again in a few months as well. So in the meantime I have started to make small changes. I decided to try to start walking. Watching my carbs and calorie intake. Reading lots of labels and looking for diabetic friendly recipes. I am going to ask for a referral to see a dietician to help out with educating me more about food choices. I have no clue if I am doing things right or not. I am hoping to control this and make the changes part of my life. I guess I am coming here to learn more and to be around others who have gone through this, are going through this and are willing to help a newbie. I am trying to learn as much as I can, get healthier and control this to the best of my ability. But have lots to learn. Hoping I am on the right track...
It sounds as if you are starting out great... keep going... I have been on insulin for 7 years and boy is it hard for me to lose weight...but I need too. My brother in law is diabetic also and when he was 60 years old the dr told him to lose weight ... he went walking about 4 to 5 miles every day so if you came to our town you would see him and his dog taking their daily walk... He lost the weight and the pills... his dr was so surprised!!!! I don't know what he really had to lose but I would say he lost a good 75 lbs. in about 7 or 8 months. He also started watching what he ate too. He still continues to walk 5 miles per day and doing great... He is 74 years old now.. I wish I had his will power. So it does pay to exercise and watch what you eat.
Good Luck!!!!
Glad you made a change in doctors, I know it is hard to leave one after so long, but your health was intrusted to him/her and if you didn't feel comfortable with them, yes do find another..I have fired 2 before.
Sounds like you are beginning down the right path and your numbers are not that far off but with some minor changes you will do fine and it will help hubby in the long round
Stay away from fried foods, the fats hold the numbers up higher and longer, plus not heart health. Watch the white breads, pasta,rice and potatoes, they have starches of course hold the numbers up, by making these changes and substituting broiled or baked, whole grain breads find the light versions, try to find dreamfields pasta since it is processed and geared towards diabetic friendly and try sweet potatoes.
Remember portion controls, very important. keep a food diary to see how many carbs you are eating, better yet try the online sites Sparkpeople or Lose it. they have a database of foods, you can add your own and it tracks your calories, carbs and other nutrients. Even after 17 years I still do this for a week each month to see if I am still on track. Aim for about 30-45 carbs a meal and about 15-20 for a snack.
Re monitoring your blood glucose, many of us test every morning before breakfast, and at night going to bed, and then one at another time during the day 2 hours after a meal. This is the way to see how the body is doing, how food affects our numbers, etc. and of course exercise is important, it helps also to control.
So don't lurk, jump right in and talk to us, ask questions, and join in...
I agree, you needed to get a new doctor. That's a good first step. Make the new one understand you're your own advocate and need to be a part of the treatment process, instead of just the object of it!
Our endocrinologist, many of whose patients are diabetic (naturally), has us on a prescribed low-carb and Primal diet. So far, it's resulted in over 150 pounds of weight loss for me and near complete cessation of meds for my T2D husband. He does still take the occasional dose of insulin, but only as indicated by his BG. It's almost always around 90-120, unless he's gone off-plan somehow.
You should learn to look at carbs as sugars. They're essentially just complex sugars. There are "good" carbs in veggies, and those are okay. Just avoid any processed foods. Just eat *real food.* Our Rx diet limits our carbs to about 50-80g per day. I can calculate that on a daily basis, but for diabetics, you have to break it down to meals, since your metabolism isn't working efficiently.
Stay away from grains (and don't fall for that "healthy grains" thing - there ARE no "healthy" grains).
Don't fear healthy fats. When you cut out calories from carbs, you should be replacing them with good fats. Those would be animal fats - saturated fats - the ones everyone likes to tell you will kill you. Not so.
Don't worry about the cholesterol. More heart disease has been attributed to LOW cholesterol than to high, and there's been no causative correlation between blood cholesterol and heart disease.
Use coconut oil, EVOO (for already-cooked or cold drizzling), bacon renderings, real butter; clear your fridge and pantry of anything labeled low fat-reduced fat-no fat. When they remove fats, they add in lots of other things that are far worse for you. And please stay away from any margarines or "spreads", no matter what supposed "healthy" remarks are printed on the packaging!
You CAN manage diabetes with diet. Best of luck to you in finding your road back to health!