Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 , I don't know if this will help but a friend of mine's daughter is type 1(actually all four of her children are diabetic) but two are bi polar and one them has a very hard time controlling what she eats and may feel very much like you do Maybe the new drs will help,have you tried low carbing,high protein? How long have you been diagnosed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 , If being eccentric and hard to accept things are prerequistes to bipolar,I'm sending the rest of my family for diagnosis:) You hang in there til you see the new dr and we will go from there. Are you taking your meds for the bipolar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 , I've hesitated to reply to your post because I tend not to be the most diplomatic person in the world...but I'll try. This is very important: It's not enough to stay away from sugary foods -- the fried shrimp and french fries are just as bad for you...have you tried low carbing? If you're been on this list for a while you know a lot of us have had very excellent results with it. It will be hard at the beginning, you'll experience carb cravings but things will eventually come into line. I know a lot of folks on this list have been through this so maybe they can add something. I've found it helpful to think of the Awful Consequences of not keeping BGs under control...but I'm not bipolar, I don't know if this would be a motivator for you. Good luck! Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 ....and , don't be embarrassed about being bipolar...it's organic, nothing you did to cause it! Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 and, oh, yes, I've often thought if one could get fat from just THINKING about food we'd all be 4x4! (or worse!) Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 In a message dated 99-07-29 14:55:07 EDT, you write: << BTW: I forgot to mention before that even though the A1C test is considered a 3 month average...the latest month counts for 50% while the 2 months prior to that count for the other 50% of the result. >> Now, that's interesting, ; I didn't know that. Do you know why? Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 In a message dated 7/29/1999 4:11:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, WHIMSY2@... writes: << and, oh, yes, I've often thought if one could get fat from just THINKING about food we'd all be 4x4! (or worse!) Vicki >> I gain 5 pounds just for looking at a food ad!!! LOL Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 , Welcome to my world of denial! I know exactly what you mean. Been there, still there, want to get out of here. One thing I've learned from monitoring this list is how many health problems seem to come right back to the diabetes. Sometimes it feels like a never ending circle where I take care of one problem only to have another " pop " up. Somewhere, years ago, I heard about a list of factors that make someone at risk for diabetes.... the four F's which I turned into the 5 F's by adding one: 1. Family history of diabetes 2. Female 3. Fertile (pre-menopause) 4. Fair skinned and the one I added, 5. Fat. Why some of these things would make someone prone to developing diabetes (like being fair skinned) is a mystery to me. As for me, I fit all 5, darn it! So, about five years ago I lost 101 pounds in an effort to avoid diabetes. Of course, or should I say unfortunately, I gained it all back and, coupled with a big life stressor (at the time), I became a card carrying diabetic, type II. I'm just now tyring to really get a grip on it; time to leave denial behind and tame this beast before I develop serious side effects. I tell you all this because I know I have an eating disorder (not one of the fancy ones like anorexia or bulimia) but, none the less, a disorder. Its VERY hard to change eating patterns! At times, I've envied smokers who are trying to quit because they can walk away from their addiction, never having to physically touch a cigarette. But, we can't do that, can we? We have to eat to stay alive. And, trying to eat correctly to control the diabetes just adds, for me, more stress which triggers more eating. It must be particularly hard for you because of the bi-polar. One of my closest friends is bi-polar and, when it gets out of control, we have to basically (no literally) hit him with a 2x4 to get him to recognize that he's acting " off the wall. " For example, once he gets an idea (or impression) about something, it can be nearly impossible to break through his wall to where he can listen, and perhaps, accept another opinion. You have my understanding about what you're going through. I don't say " sympathy " because I'm taking a guess that that's not what you want or need. Good fortune fighting your denial; writing to this group is a good step in the right direction. Hope the visit to your doctor will give you something to hang on to (a ray of hope or new information) that will help. God bless. Sorry for being long winded. Your story touched me. Beth " N. Duff " wrote: > > > > i am not sure if any of you will understand this or not - i have decided > that i am NOT a diabetic - and am in complete denial again - this goes back > to my being bi-polar - tomorrow i have a blood test done (never had one - a > bunch of initials) and on Monday am seeing an endocrinoloigist(sp?) -- last > night we went to dinner and i had fried shrimp - with french fries - am > really staying away from sweets but its the bread that i crave -- i need > some help - my sugars are 240 or higher -- i just have it in my mind that i > am not diabetic and can eat what i what - never mind that i am a woman of > extreme size - for lunch had 3 sandwiches and am still craving food - last > night, we had this great dinner with appetizers and salad - the whole nine > yards - and on the way home, i was wondering what i could eat - i was > hungry but the hunger was distant -- i think that there is a problem here. > > I wrote because i wonder if anyone else has ever felt like this - maybe it > is all a mental state with me -- > nancy > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 Now maid in waiting of opps,you sound pretty diplomatic to me:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 hi beth -= thanks so much for your letter - it has helped me so very much to know that someone else understands - in fact, i have even forwarded your letter (hope it is ok) to my husband - he is very worried about me - and i don't think that he understands sometimes when i get an idea in my head - talk about a 2 x 4!! Eatting is the way that i cope with stress - am constantly thinking of that next meal - that next snack - when i found out that my mother and father were dying ( 3 and a half yrs apart) i would stuff myself all the time - i even sat eatting at their death beds - how awful - looking back on it - a friend of theirs has a haagen das ice cream store and she would bring sorbet for them to eat - guess who ate it - they didn't want it - and i would eat it straight out of the carton - i am talking too much - thanks for writing and for the help - i know that i am not alone but am skating on very thin ice here - also admitting to being bipolar is tough - nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > <<<i am not sure if any of you will understand this or not - i have decided > that i am NOT a diabetic - and am in complete denial again...>>> <<<...my sugars are 240 or higher -- i just have it in my mind that i am not diabetic...>>> , I know EXACTLY what you're saying. I've done it twice.. felt like the diagnosis was extreme and that, in my case, maybe I was diabetic at 232 pounds but at 195 I'm normal... Hey, I've got a 5.7 A1C, that's normal for a normal person... BUT, I still couldn't explain the " unusual " bg reading of 150-170... I really had myself convinced... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > <<< ... and I eat more carbohydrates than some of the " low-carbers " eat. But, > for me, this works. I find that if I keep my total carbohydrate intake beneath > 100 grams...>>> Susie, It seems that intake of carbs makes me want more carbs but intake of protein doesn't make me want more.. Have you ever noticed anything like that.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 this is hard - i am having the A1C tomorrow - and will see what it is - what exactly does that tell the docs? Can you explain it to me? thanks so much nancy At 12:26 PM 7/29/99 -0600, you wrote: > > > > <<<i am not sure if any of you will understand this or not - i have decided > > that i am NOT a diabetic - and am in complete denial again...>>> > ><<<...my sugars are 240 or higher -- i just have it in my mind that i am not >diabetic...>>> > >, > >I know EXACTLY what you're saying. I've done it twice.. felt like the >diagnosis >was extreme and that, in my case, maybe I was diabetic at 232 pounds but >at 195 >I'm normal... Hey, I've got a 5.7 A1C, that's normal for a normal person... >BUT, I still couldn't explain the " unusual " bg reading of 150-170... > >I really had myself convinced... > > > > >--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 Okay ya'll are going to think I know everybody but I'm oldish so I've met alot of people in my life. I knew someone that was in a pschy. hospital and told she would never leave an institution guess what folks she was hypo,they did shock treatments and everything you can imagine,today she is married and has a normal life with children,so I would give low carbing a chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > <<<this is hard - i am having the A1C tomorrow - and will see what it is - what > exactly does that tell the docs? Can you explain it to me? thanks so much>>> Hi , Susie can probably escribe it better but a bg meter gives you a snapshot of your bg at the time the blood is drawn (by your home meter), but the A1C test gives you a prior 3 month average of your bg. This removes the inaccuracies of home bg meters and the vagarities of not testing at high or low bg times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 so this sort of is an average of your blood sugars for the past three months? This should be pretty accurate right? How often are these tests supposed to be done? nancy At 12:36 PM 7/29/99 -0600, you wrote: > > > > <<<this is hard - i am having the A1C tomorrow - and will see what it > is - what > > exactly does that tell the docs? Can you explain it to me? thanks so > much>>> > >Hi , > >Susie can probably escribe it better but a bg meter gives you a snapshot >of your bg >at the time the blood is drawn (by your home meter), but the A1C test >gives you a >prior 3 month average of your bg. > >This removes the inaccuracies of home bg meters and the vagarities of not >testing >at high or low bg times. > > > > > >--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > <<<so this sort of is an average of your blood sugars for the past three > months?>>> Exactly. > <<<This should be pretty accurate right? How often are these tests > supposed to be done?>>> Good question. My first one was done 5 months after I was diagnosed...and at a point when we wanted confirmation that my numbers really were ok. It is recommended that the test be given at least twice a year to people not on insulin and 4 times a year to people on insulin. BTW: I forgot to mention before that even though the A1C test is considered a 3 month average...the latest month counts for 50% while the 2 months prior to that count for the other 50% of the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 Granger writes: << It seems that intake of carbs makes me want more carbs but intake of protein doesn't make me want more.. Have you ever noticed anything like that.?? >> Absolutely, ! Many insulin-dependent type 2's have described our relationship with carbohydrates as an allergy/addiction. I gradually built up a " tolerance " for carbohydrates, but now that I have broken that cycle, I become quite ill if I overindulge in what is, for me, a sort of poison. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 Granger writes: << BTW: I forgot to mention before that even though the A1C test is considered a 3 month average...the latest month counts for 50% while the 2 months prior to that count for the other 50% of the result. >> <pinning a gold star on ... > , you are doing a great job! You really know your stuff! Susie ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > <<<pinning a gold star on ... > , you are doing a great job! You > really know your stuff!>>> Hi Susie, Thanks, normally I don't get much into details but our lives are at stake on this stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 - You're more than welcome and, please, feel free to forward my email to your husband. I know just from dealing with my friend, its very difficult for someone who isn't bi-polar to understand someone who is! Its put a strain on our friendship, from time-to-time, and it must be even more difficult for a married couple. Would it be possible for your husband to talk to your doctor about it and/or get him a book about bi-polar? You've probably done this already, though.... As for eating... time to put the image of eating at your parent's death beds out of your mind and forgive yourself!!!! When we think back, we've all done things that make us cringe -- what's the saying... " its human to err " ? Its a little like being a child; we forgive children all the time for " transgressions " because we know that little ones don't know any better and need to be taught. I think the same concept applies to adults -- for example, if you didn't know you were bi-polar (or addicted to food), then how can you get mad at your behavior? It takes time to learn this stuff and even more time to practice new behavior enough for it to become second nature. Personally, my favorite emotion is food. You're not alone. If you have to look back, use it as a learning exercise, not an opportunity to beat yourself up! Keep the faith. Beth " N. Duff " wrote: > > > > hi beth -= thanks so much for your letter - it has helped me so very much > to know that someone else understands - in fact, i have even forwarded your > letter (hope it is ok) to my husband - he is very worried about me - and i > don't think that he understands sometimes when i get an idea in my head - > talk about a 2 x 4!! Eatting is the way that i cope with stress - am > constantly thinking of that next meal - that next snack - when i found out > that my mother and father were dying ( 3 and a half yrs apart) i would > stuff myself all the time - i even sat eatting at their death beds - how > awful - looking back on it - a friend of theirs has a haagen das ice cream > store and she would bring sorbet for them to eat - guess who ate it - they > didn't want it - and i would eat it straight out of the carton - > > i am talking too much - thanks for writing and for the help - i know that i > am not alone but am skating on very thin ice here - also admitting to being > bipolar is tough - > > nancy > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 writes: << You hang in there til you see the new dr and we will go from there. Are you taking your meds for the bipolar? >> I also want to add that a psych. wrote in my file that I was possibly manic-depressive. Doctors really have little understanding of diabetes! Once I got my glucose in good control, my emotional swings vanished. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > BTW: I forgot to mention before that even though the A1C test is considered a > 3 month average...the latest month counts for 50% while the 2 months prior to > that count for the other 50% of the result. > > > Ugh! I just had an A1C last week during my yearly physical. I remember telling the doctor that the month before I come to see him is when I seem to self-destruct when it comes to food! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Once again, I learn something here. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 > <<<Now, that's interesting, ; I didn't know that. Do you know why?>>> Yes, but I don't know if I can explain it.. Red blood cells live 2-3 months. They are continuously being born while other are dying.. These cells get marked by the amount of bg at the time they're born.. If you sample enough of these cells you'll get a very accurate reading...but since cells don't have a definite life expectancy you'll find the typical ratio being... yep, 50% are a month old or younger and 50% are 2-3 months old. (I just reread this and I don't know if this makes it any clearer but...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 1999 Report Share Posted July 29, 1999 In a message dated 99-07-29 16:34:38 EDT, you write: << Red blood cells live 2-3 months. They are continuously being born while other are dying.. These cells get marked by the amount of bg at the time they're born.. If you sample enough of these cells you'll get a very accurate reading...but since cells don't have a definite life expectancy you'll find the typical ratio being... yep, 50% are a month old or younger and 50% are 2-3 months old. (I just reread this and I don't know if this makes it any clearer but...? >> Yes, that makes it clear just fine! Thanks, Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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