Re: Probability of going on insulin...

[Guest guest]

At 10:54 AM 1/12/00 -0600, you wrote:

>

>

[snip]

>Most T2s who have dm long enough, eventually need insulin, either because

>pancreas gives out or insulin resistance develops.

Sudden question hits:

Is Insulin Resistance reversible??? I.e., once you have it, can you get

rid of it with diet and other special controls??? (I suspect the answer

is " Yes " . But I don't *know*.

in Constable

[Guest guest]

(oh strong Viking man :-), it sounds like you're pretty aware of your

situation, anyway. And that's got to be a good start! Now, how about

lowering your carbs just a little, teeny bit at a time?

Barb

--------------

RAINBOW FARM UNLTD.

Breeding Premium Oldenburgs,

and fancy sport ponies.

http://www.rainbowfarm.com

Re: Probability of going on insulin...

>

>

>Vicky wrote:

>

>>, I don't have answer to your question but I do want to put in that

>>taking insulin is NOT the end of the world. It really doesn't hurt, it

>>doesn't change your lifestyle (much) and it will give you MUCH better

control

>> Along with almost everyone else I was terrified of having to use

>>insulin...but since starting last February my control has been MUCH

better... <snip>

>

>I don't have problems with taking insulin should it be necessary. No one

likes

>to have to inject the insuline, but I'm not afraid of that - I'm a viking

you know

>

>I'm glad to hear that you had so positive an effect of the insuline.

>My " problem " is that the metformin regulates my bg so well that I can

actually

>eat anything without the bg being affected so much. - Because of that I'm

tempted

>not to take the diet seriously enough. Maybe I'm only - I think it's called

borderline diabetic (?) or something like that. I think that the overweight

is the main reason and believe as my doctors that if I loose weight I can

stop totally with the meds.

>

> - And to continue to live with the overweight

>with tablet-controlled bg is false security, because it will have an

negative effect on the small

>blood vessels which I have some problems with in my legs.

>

>

>

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

Well I wish you all the luck there because I have tried all the diets and

every time I gain not loose untill now. I think my body has been out of sink

for a very long time. I hope as the bg's come down so does the weight for me

who could stand to loose 70 or 80 pounds easyily.

---

Carolyn D. Kaminski

TypeII

--

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[Guest guest]

G., that was a great list of 11 results of your new WOE . Quantifying

it like that could be a great motivator for those who are having a little bit

of trouble keeping on with the program! And congratulations! Vicki

[Guest guest]

Yes, I think that it would be a good idea to focus more on the carbs,

since so many of the group members have had good results with

this approach.

Regarding the survey, some larger surveys (that were statistical

representative for diabetics with overweight) have already shown that just

loosing about 10-20 lbs has a very positive effect on the bg.

Regarding eating plans we have already asked some questions on

this matter. Please visit onelist.com and click on past surveys.

Best regards

>

>

> (oh strong Viking man :-), it sounds like you're pretty aware of your

>situation, anyway. And that's got to be a good start! Now, how about

>lowering your carbs just a little, teeny bit at a time?

>

>Barb

[Guest guest]

Carolyn, thank you for your words. I have tried many times as well.

Is it the low-carb diet that you are using now?

>

>

>Well I wish you all the luck there because I have tried all the diets and

every time I gain not loose untill now. I think my body has been out of sink

for a very long time. I hope as the bg's come down so does the weight for me

who could stand to loose 70 or 80 pounds easyily.

>---

>Carolyn D. Kaminski

>TypeII

>

>

>

>

>--

>Join the most exciting community of women on the web!

>iVillage.com's FREE membership gets you private email,

>your own home page, special discounts and sweepstakes,

>and dozens of problem-solving tools.

>http://www.ivillage.com/frame/join_email.html

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

G, that was an excellent treatise! Thanks. I saved it for the next

person who needs it. Very inspiring.

Barb

--------------

RAINBOW FARM UNLTD.

Breeding Premium Oldenburgs,

and fancy sport ponies.

http://www.rainbowfarm.com

Re: Probability of going on insulin...

>

>

>> <<<You stated one of the seemingly most overwhelming problem - losing

enough

>> weight to control the blood sugars on less medication, and, of course, as

the

>> weight comes off, the body gets feeling better, can do more exercise,

etc. >>>

>

>Good point.

>

>I was at 242 pounds when diagnosed (1/4/99), my dietitian said losing

weight is

>#1 control mechanism, #2 is exercise & #3 is meds.. (I was on Amaryl

>immediately). I'd read that diabetics should only exercise for 40 minutes

at a

>time so I started out on my home treadmill...but could only make it for 38

>minutes... Got control of carbs (cutting sugar, most fruit, all soft drinks

and

>fast food) and started eating salads..and doing the treadmill 7 days a

week. The

>doc said I could do 4- days a week but with my usual lack of self

discipline I

>knew I'd take all my off days at once...and then start borrowing them from

the

>next week so I just decided 7 days a week.. Also, I realized how boring the

>treadmill was so I decided to only allow myself to watch my favorite

satellite

>tv channel (History Channel) from the treadmill..

>

>I started weighing myself daily and keeping a spreadsheet of BG's, weight &

>blood pressure twice a day. It also keeps track of my platelet donations,

trips

>to the doc, blood sugar lab readings etc. Daily weighing meant (to me) no

>cheating because I'd be wearing the results the next day. (I take this with

me

>to the doc every 4 months and he reviews it closely.. it also added

incentive

>early on to keep the weight under control because I knew he'd be looking at

the

>chart too)

>

>I cultivated a taste for salads, almonds, sugar-free popsicles, Klondike

bars

>and sugar-free jello chocolate pudding..

>

>I began losing a steady 4 pounds a week...without being hungry. At 216

pounds I

>was able to go off the Amaryl. The doctor said to go to 200 pounds..(I am

5'11 " )

>but when I got there I didn't feel right so I went to mid 180's and felt

great..

>

>I learned the following:

>

>1. Seeing weight loss daily reinforced my efforts.

>

>2. I didn't really understand what my doc meant by " lifestyle change " until

I

>could sit in my favorite restaurant (Chili's) eating a salad with chicken,

egg,

>bacon, chives, lettuce & tomato (got my own button on their register for

this

>custom salad here in Albuquerque) and watch someone else gobble down my

>previously favorite chicken-fried steak with corn on the cob & potatoes

without

>wishing I were them.

>

>3. Eating carbs made my hungry for more carbs.

>

>4. On the probably 6 days I didn't exercise during the weight loss period

>(usually because of work obligations) I never showed any weight loss on my

daily

>weigh-in.

>

>5. Going to the gym 3 days a week for the exercise machines kept my muscles

>going during the weight loss..

>

>6. I started feeling better as I passed through 200 pounds than I'd felt in

many

>years.

>

>7. Seeing BG numbers in the 90-120 range consistently after seeing 300-450

early

>on made me realize all this was working.

>

>8. Realizing I was out of " tomorrow's " when it came to starting to get

control

>of my life...

>

>9. Replacing my wardrobe because there was only so much the tailor could do

for

>me, felt good.

>

>10. Today, feeling that I'm not on a diet because I'm eating what I now

really

>enjoy, feels good.

>

>11. My doc says that with all the progress I've made I've reduced my

likelihood

>of complications by 2/3's.

>

>

>

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

> <<<You stated one of the seemingly most overwhelming problem - losing enough

> weight to control the blood sugars on less medication, and, of course, as the

> weight comes off, the body gets feeling better, can do more exercise, etc. >>>

Good point.

I was at 242 pounds when diagnosed (1/4/99), my dietitian said losing weight is

#1 control mechanism, #2 is exercise & #3 is meds.. (I was on Amaryl

immediately). I'd read that diabetics should only exercise for 40 minutes at a

time so I started out on my home treadmill...but could only make it for 38

minutes... Got control of carbs (cutting sugar, most fruit, all soft drinks and

fast food) and started eating salads..and doing the treadmill 7 days a week. The

doc said I could do 4- days a week but with my usual lack of self discipline I

knew I'd take all my off days at once...and then start borrowing them from the

next week so I just decided 7 days a week.. Also, I realized how boring the

treadmill was so I decided to only allow myself to watch my favorite satellite

tv channel (History Channel) from the treadmill..

I started weighing myself daily and keeping a spreadsheet of BG's, weight &

blood pressure twice a day. It also keeps track of my platelet donations, trips

to the doc, blood sugar lab readings etc. Daily weighing meant (to me) no

cheating because I'd be wearing the results the next day. (I take this with me

to the doc every 4 months and he reviews it closely.. it also added incentive

early on to keep the weight under control because I knew he'd be looking at the

chart too)

I cultivated a taste for salads, almonds, sugar-free popsicles, Klondike bars

and sugar-free jello chocolate pudding..

I began losing a steady 4 pounds a week...without being hungry. At 216 pounds I

was able to go off the Amaryl. The doctor said to go to 200 pounds..(I am 5'11 " )

but when I got there I didn't feel right so I went to mid 180's and felt great..

I learned the following:

1. Seeing weight loss daily reinforced my efforts.

2. I didn't really understand what my doc meant by " lifestyle change " until I

could sit in my favorite restaurant (Chili's) eating a salad with chicken, egg,

bacon, chives, lettuce & tomato (got my own button on their register for this

custom salad here in Albuquerque) and watch someone else gobble down my

previously favorite chicken-fried steak with corn on the cob & potatoes without

wishing I were them.

3. Eating carbs made my hungry for more carbs.

4. On the probably 6 days I didn't exercise during the weight loss period

(usually because of work obligations) I never showed any weight loss on my daily

weigh-in.

5. Going to the gym 3 days a week for the exercise machines kept my muscles

going during the weight loss..

6. I started feeling better as I passed through 200 pounds than I'd felt in many

years.

7. Seeing BG numbers in the 90-120 range consistently after seeing 300-450 early

on made me realize all this was working.

8. Realizing I was out of " tomorrow's " when it came to starting to get control

of my life...

9. Replacing my wardrobe because there was only so much the tailor could do for

me, felt good.

10. Today, feeling that I'm not on a diet because I'm eating what I now really

enjoy, feels good.

11. My doc says that with all the progress I've made I've reduced my likelihood

of complications by 2/3's.

[Guest guest]

WHIMSY2@... wrote:

> From: WHIMSY2@...

>

> G., that was a great list of 11 results of your new WOE . Quantifying it

> like that could be a great motivator for those who are having a little bit of

> trouble keeping on with the program! And congratulations!

Thanks Vicki...

[Guest guest]

I don't know the answer to this one! I think that weight loss would help,

but with all the extra insulin, I find this extremely difficult...even with

low carbs! My doctor said that she would try me on the new meds like Actos,

etc. combined with lower insulin doses, but so far, she has not done so. She

even gave me Xenical and it has not helped one bit. It works by keeping you

from absorbing 1/3 of the fat you consume. Since I consume very little fat,

it has not helped me at all. I get very discouraged, but I have seen this

initial weight gain in many T2s who began insulin therapy. I guess I was

lucky to gain only 35 pounds as I watched my father-in-law gain 67 in a

month! Toni

Re: Probability of going on insulin...

>

>

> At 10:54 AM 1/12/00 -0600, you wrote:

> >

> >

> [snip]

>

> >Most T2s who have dm long enough, eventually need insulin, either because

> >pancreas gives out or insulin resistance develops.

>

> Sudden question hits:

>

> Is Insulin Resistance reversible??? I.e., once you have it, can you get

> rid of it with diet and other special controls??? (I suspect the answer

> is " Yes " . But I don't *know*.

> in Constable

>

> ---------------------------

[Guest guest]

What WOE are you following to lose weight now, Carolyn? I think I, too, am

out of sync! Toni

Re: Probability of going on insulin...

>

>

> Well I wish you all the luck there because I have tried all the diets

and every time I gain not loose untill now. I think my body has been out of

sink for a very long time. I hope as the bg's come down so does the weight

for me who could stand to loose 70 or 80 pounds easyily.

> ---

> Carolyn D. Kaminski

> TypeII

>

>

>

>

> --

> Join the most exciting community of women on the web!

> iVillage.com's FREE membership gets you private email,

> your own home page, special discounts and sweepstakes,

> and dozens of problem-solving tools.

> http://www.ivillage.com/frame/join_email.html

>

> ---------------------------

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 00-01-13 09:14:45 EST, you write:

<< s Insulin Resistance reversible??? I.e., once you have it, can you get

rid of it with diet and other special controls??? (I suspect the answer

is " Yes " . But I don't *know*.

>>

, I don't know answer to your question -- I'm only guessing -- but I

'd guess it's not " reversible " - but I think it can be controlled, as you

say, with diet, etc. Our resident expert Susie ought to be back at her

computer soon and I'm sure she'll know for positive. Vicki

[Guest guest]

OK, folks. How about these maginificent success stories on our website as

inspiration for all of us - that weight can be lost, and bg's can be

controlled? It'd be great if you'd send 'em to Teri :-)

Barb

--------------

RAINBOW FARM UNLTD.

Breeding Premium Oldenburgs,

and fancy sport ponies.

http://www.rainbowfarm.com

Re: Probability of going on insulin...

>

>

>:

>You are my idol. Everything you said, almost, applies to me. I have

>lost 48 pounds so far and am down to 168. I am shorter than you, but I

>feel great and my HbA1c last check in November was 4.7.

>Good luck to you and to everyone else on the list.

> Erwin

>

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

:

You are my idol. Everything you said, almost, applies to me. I have

lost 48 pounds so far and am down to 168. I am shorter than you, but I

feel great and my HbA1c last check in November was 4.7.

Good luck to you and to everyone else on the list.

Erwin

[Guest guest]

and Erwin wrote:

>

>

> :

> You are my idol. Everything you said, almost, applies to me. I have

> lost 48 pounds so far and am down to 168. I am shorter than you, but I

> feel great and my HbA1c last check in November was 4.7.

> Good luck to you and to everyone else on the list.

Thanks Erwin...

My last A1C test was 5.7...

[Guest guest]

" Inquiring minds want to know " . I was just wondering the same thing. I

started out taking 5 units of insulin 2 x daily and they keep increasing it.

Now I'm on 37 units in the A.M and 34 at night. I'm trying to get an

appointment with the doctor for Monday but the doctor's offices are all

going crazy with all of the flu cases. I've been sick with it since before

Christmas but getting over it now. BG's are going through the roof though.

I'll let y'all know when I find out something.

Love to all,

Naomi

Re: Probability of going on insulin...

At 10:54 AM 1/12/00 -0600, you wrote:

>

>

[snip]

>Most T2s who have dm long enough, eventually need insulin, either because

>pancreas gives out or insulin resistance develops.

Sudden question hits:

Is Insulin Resistance reversible??? I.e., once you have it, can you get

rid of it with diet and other special controls??? (I suspect the answer

is " Yes " . But I don't *know*.

in Constable

---------------------------

[Guest guest]

At 08:51 AM 1/13/00 -0600, you wrote:

>

>

>I don't know the answer to this one! I think that weight loss would help,

>but with all the extra insulin, I find this extremely difficult...even with

>low carbs!

I don't understand about the " extra " insulin you speak of. My

understanding is that Insulin resistance means that your system has plenty

of insulin available but the cells cannot take it in to deal with the

glucose.

(I'm not on any meds.)

My doctor said that she would try me on the new meds like Actos,

>etc. combined with lower insulin doses, but so far, she has not done so. She

[snip]

in Constable

[Guest guest]

At 10:23 AM 1/13/00 -0800, you wrote:

>

>

even though I

>am not a bread/pastry person I am a rice/potato person. The worse part was

>giving up the best winter bedtime snack I know of a large baked potato

>smothered in mild salsa.

When I changed diets, I hardly missed the bedtime Better Cheddars & Beer at

all! (Just lucky, I guess.)

in Constable

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 00-01-13 21:44:21 EST, you write:

<< OK, folks. How about these maginificent success stories on our website as

inspiration for all of us - that weight can be lost, and bg's can be

controlled? It'd be great if you'd send 'em to Teri :-)

>>

Yes, G., how about posting that fine list that was here a few days ago?

(I'm sure you kept a copy!)

[Guest guest]

>

>

> <<<OK, folks. How about these maginificent success stories on our website

> as

> inspiration for all of us - that weight can be lost, and bg's can be

> controlled? It'd be great if you'd send 'em to Teri :->>>

Barb,

Sounds great... Off it goes this morning.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

> From: WHIMSY2@...

>

> In a message dated 00-01-13 21:44:21 EST, you write:

>

> << OK, folks. How about these maginificent success stories on our website as

> inspiration for all of us - that weight can be lost, and bg's can be

> controlled? It'd be great if you'd send 'em to Teri :-)

> >>

>

> Yes, G., how about posting that fine list that was here a few days ago?

> (I'm sure you kept a copy!)

>

Yep, sent it to Teri this morning with a couple additions.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Toni Fuller wrote:

<< ... Is it possible that you, like me and others, could be a carbohydrate

addict

and eat more than you should because the carbs make you hungry? Check out

the Heller's website at http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/ >>

Thanks for reminding the group of that excellent web site, Toni. I think

that soon the rest of our world will finally recognize just how widespread

carbohydrate allergy/addiction truly is ... and acknowledge the enormous

health complications and costs caused by our carbohydrate-laden modern diet.

Susie

[Guest guest]

Norgaard wrote:

<< The biggest problem is changing the eating habits. It certainly requires

discipline to stick to the diet. >>

That's why we lowered our carbohydrate intake, ... to smooth out the

spikes and crashes we had formerly on our high-carb food intake ... and to

get rid of those eating binges brought on by hypoglycemia episodes. Now is

an excellent time to revisit the low-carb approach, - to save your

remaining pancreas function and allow you to lose the weight you and your

doctor know is necessary to maintain good health.

Susie

[Guest guest]

Granger wrote:

<< ... 11. My doc says that with all the progress I've made I've reduced my

likelihood

of complications by 2/3's. >>

Another great post, . Your success is an inspiration to the rest of us

.... and you are quite the motivator with your effective communications

skills.

Susie )

[Guest guest]

in Constable writes:

<< Is Insulin Resistance reversible??? I.e., once you have it, can you get

rid of it with diet and other special controls??? (I suspect the answer

is " Yes " . But I don't *know*. >>

It certainly is, . We get rid of IR by using/manufacturing less

insulin. We do this by lowering carbohydrate intake, losing weight, building

muscle, and staying as physically active as possible. Insulin resistance is

like " stubborn waxy buildup " on our furniture. Each time we eat carbs, our

body needs more and more insulin to try to cope with the load, until

eventually our pancreas can just up and quit. As we reduce our need for

insulin (by the above methods), we can either lower our insulin shots or, if

still relying on our own beta cells, can allow our pancreas to finally take

a long-overdue rest. Soon, the excess insulin is depleted and our body is on

the road to a return to good health, if no permanent damage has been done to

our organs by being constantly bathed in insulin and glucose.

Susie