Guest guest Posted March 21, 2001 Report Share Posted March 21, 2001 Gregg Norwood wrote: << diagnosed for 10 years with type 2. was on glucotrol xl 20mgs. last year have not been good about testing. when i went in for physical my dr. said i was at 278. she put me on amaryl 8 mgs daily. i am now testing between 190 and 230. am trying to watch carbs and have started exercising. however my dr. is not pleased with the high readings. >> Gregg, I can tell you about my sister. She was diagnosed type 2 nearly a half-century ago. She was on sulfonylureas (e.g., Glucotrol) for much of that time. You would think her pancreas would be toast by now, but she was able to revive it by quitting the sulfs and low-carbing and taking up a regular exercise program. Your Amaryl is just another sulfonylurea. Your doc is following the same dismal scenario we have heard for years ... put the type 2 on a sulf, and eventually then overworked pancreas fails, and then put them on insulin. Two-thirds of insulin users are type 2's. You don't necessarily have to follow that pattern. But it will take hard work - weight loss, regular exercise, and kicking the sulfs so that your pancreas can get a much-needed rest. Better pills would be those that increase your insulin sensitivity. Thanks for joining our group, Gregg! We would like to hear what you decided to do. << dr. said that liver function tests keeps me from going on other diabetes oral meds. any help appreciated. >> Often you will find that if your diabetes is not in good control, your liver results will be high, because you are on what we call the " glucose rollercoaster, " with your readings going both high and then low (when you have rebound hypoglycemia, from eating carbohydrates). Your pancreas and liver work as a tag-team, trying heroically to keep your numbers steady. Once you stop the hypers, oftentimes you also stop the hypos, and your liver rests right along with your pancreas. << also is there any place on the web that gives a good list of carbohydrates to stay away from without having to buy a book? >> Look at the nutritional labels on the foods in the stores. The biggest problems for most of us are potatoes, rice, pasta (the grains), and of course sweets - unless you are positive they are made from artificial sweeteners. Even " sugar-free " products are suspect. Check the labels. Set a limit for yourself, such as 10 grams/serving or 15 grams/serving. If you bring the " bad foods " into your house, you WILL EAT THEM. It's a fact, Jack! Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2001 Report Share Posted March 21, 2001 >also is there any place on the web that gives a good list of >carbohydrates to stay away from without having to buy a book? >Thanks..... Try www.atkinscenter.com once there click on the magazine link and there you'll find what you're looking for. Meenie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2001 Report Share Posted March 21, 2001 Gregg Norwood wrote: > > i am new to the list. have been diagnosed for 10 years with type 2. was on glucotrol xl 20mgs. last year have not been good about testing. when i went in for physical my dr. said i was at 278. she put me on amaryl 8 mgs daily. i am now testing between 190 and 230. am trying to watch carbs and have started exercising. however my dr. is not pleased with the high readings. she wants me to go on insulin or see a specialist, an endocrinologist(sp?). probably a myth but i have thought if i go on insulin i will gain more weight and will not be able to get off insulin. dr. said that liver function tests keeps me from going on other diabetes oral meds. any help appreciated. also is there any place on the web that gives a good list of carbohydrates to stay away from without having to buy a book? Thanks..... Hi Gregg, First and formost, even before thinking about the weight situation is to get your numbers down. That's primary. I'm a type 2 on glucophage, and fairly recently added insulin (NPH & H) to combat rising morning readings, and PP breakfast and dinner readings. I am 20 lbs overweight, and since starting insulin I've actually lost 5 lbs. Most likely because I'm watching carb intake more closely to match up the insulin requirements. IMHO, I would worry about getting the numbers down to normal readings to reduce permanent damage, and work on reducing your calorie & carb intake to get the weight down, which will help you overall. Can't help you with the online reference for carb listings, but if you look in the URLs at the end of this message I'm sure that one of the links will take you to a good place. Good luck, -- Dave - 3:59:28 PM T2 - 8/98 Glucophage, NPH, H - Davors Daily Aphorism: I tried being reasonable once. I didn't like it. -- Visit my HomePage: http://dorcutt.homepage.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2001 Report Share Posted March 21, 2001 O.K. Gregg, this has been my experience. I am now on Actos but I'm also on insulin. The longer I'm on Actos the lower my BG's go and I believe I'm going to have to cut back on the insulin. Right now I'm taking 15 mgs Actos before breakfast and 45 units of NPH 70/30 2 x daily. Sunday my BS dropped to 51 and Monday it went down to 49. Most of the time it runs between 80 and 120 (which is doggoned near perfect). I have a friend who was on the very same medication as I am and she has had to cut her insulin so far back and now sometimes doesn't even take it at all. It's all due to the wonderful results of Actos. I also have a cousin who had been on insulin for over 20 years. She lost a bunch of weight and the doctor told her to stop the insulin and EAT SOME ICE CREAM AT NIGHT! See there, you CAN get off of insulin if you get your BGs under control. It sure would be nice if my doctor told me to eat some ice cream. <grin> The insulin isn't so bad. I was " needle phobic " and cried like a baby when I had to start. Now it's just routine. No big deal. Tootie new i am new to the list. have been diagnosed for 10 years with type 2. was on glucotrol xl 20mgs. last year have not been good about testing. when i went in for physical my dr. said i was at 278. she put me on amaryl 8 mgs daily. i am now testing between 190 and 230. am trying to watch carbs and have started exercising. however my dr. is not pleased with the high readings. she wants me to go on insulin or see a specialist, an endocrinologist(sp?). probably a myth but i have thought if i go on insulin i will gain more weight and will not be able to get off insulin. dr. said that liver function tests keeps me from going on other diabetes oral meds. any help appreciated. also is there any place on the web that gives a good list of carbohydrates to stay away from without having to buy a book? Thanks..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2001 Report Share Posted March 30, 2001 Hi, E, sorry about your dad. Did you know that stress can raise your BGs? You've got the right idea...eat and test, find what works for you. Write everything down, that'll help. And bear in mind...things change. Diabetes is sorta a moving target a lot of the time. I was surprised to learn that foods that worked one way in the morning maybe didn't work the same way at dinner. Learned that from testing. I think things are settling down again. This is basically a good group of caring people. You can learn a lot here. Take care, Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2001 Report Share Posted March 30, 2001 In a message dated 01-03-30 21:44:10 EST, you write: << I had terrible sweats, >> This could possibly be a sign of hypo.(Anything below 65). Next time it happens check your BG. And have glucose tabs around to treat lows...better than using food. Each tab raises BG about 20 points. Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2001 Report Share Posted March 30, 2001 In a message dated 03/30/2001 10:39:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, RainbowFarm@... writes: > Sounds like you're on the right track, > Barb t2, 100 carbs, insulin, hard work > whose Dad is dying too - he has about another month. I'll see him next > weekend. > Oh so sorry you guys!!! What is this? My dad was just diagnosed with colon cancer, he has the surgery, but will need chemo for a year!! carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2001 Report Share Posted March 30, 2001 Hello, . Welcome. What you are doing is right on the money - test, test, test to see what foods do what to you. That's great. The side effects of Glucophage go away for a lot of people in a couple of weeks. Are you taking it with meals? There is a great glycemic index at www.mendosa.com which shows which complex carbs are less likely to spike you. This is very helpful. I suggest to all newly dx'd folks that they lower their carbohydrate intake to get bg's in control, weight down, and try to figure out how their individual body works. Sounds like you're on the right track, Barb t2, 100 carbs, insulin, hard work whose Dad is dying too - he has about another month. I'll see him next weekend. > Hi- I have been on this list for about 10 days or more. I just found out I > have diabetes about a month ago. I have lots to ask but I found this post > close to my heart. I need to hear all sides. As I started testing I found > coffee with equal and fake creamer sent me high and 1/2 of a bagel did the > same. A three egg omlette with cheese and bacon did nothing to me. I have > found so much in common with people on here- bad doctors/no info etc... I > feel so far there is no " one " way and hearing all sides is so helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Hi , sorry you're having a downer right now. Please do be aware that as your BGs come down, your depression may lift and your BP may improve. Also, your symptoms of neuropathy will definitely improve. This is a goal worth working for. So...if you haven't yet, read the Bernstein book -- check out his website -- and start working on lowering those carbs. I can practically guarantee things will get better. And hang in there. We're all here for you. Hugs, Vicki In a message dated 01-04-01 09:51:50 EDT, you write: << I wonder how long I have had this illness as my toes and fingers already have numbness and tingling. I am only 44 and my hair is falling out. Life can't get much worse right now. Sorry to be such a downer... E >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Hi Vicki- Thank you. Yes- I read that stress can do that. I also have high blood pressure which I don't even want to check these days. I am really depressed right now and don't want to deal with this illness. I have been meaning to write my #'s and schedule to the list but I never seem to get to it. I feel like I am floundering. I don't really have a doctor as I go to a health plan that you end up seeing different people all the time. Without the info from this and other lists I'd be totally clueless. The dr gave me some pills and a pamphlet and that was about it. I wonder how long I have had this illness as my toes and fingers already have numbness and tingling. I am only 44 and my hair is falling out. Life can't get much worse right now. Sorry to be such a downer... E ---------- Hi, E, sorry about your dad. Did you know that stress can raise your BGs? You've got the right idea...eat and test, find what works for you. Write everything down, that'll help. And bear in mind...things change. Diabetes is sorta a moving target a lot of the time. I was surprised to learn that foods that worked one way in the morning maybe didn't work the same way at dinner. Learned that from testing. I think things are settling down again. This is basically a good group of caring people. You can learn a lot here. Take care, Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Oh, , I am so sorry for your troubles. The good news is that as soon as you can get your bg's under control, some of your other symptoms will lessen, and may even disappear in time. Have you read Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, and are you testing your bg's frequently? If you keep a diary of your testing and your food, you'll soon see how your body reacts to different meals. This will help alot with your future food choices. The learning curve does take a little time, but there is definitely hope here. Can you reduce your carbohydrate intake and maybe exercise starting with a little and increasing. This will all make you feel much better - it really well. I know it's a lot to take in at once - one step at a time works. We are here for you. Barb > I have been > meaning to write my #'s and schedule to the list but I never seem to get to > it. I feel like I am floundering. I don't really have a doctor as I go to a > health plan that you end up seeing different people all the time. Without > the info from this and other lists I'd be totally clueless. The dr gave me > some pills and a pamphlet and that was about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 E have you by chance had you thyroid levels checked out? ok a few questions, are you cold, are you temps low when you take your temp is it lower than 97.6 with your hair falling out i wonder if your thyroid is stuggish, i would ask a few more questions but, we have guys on the list so can't ask those questions.hope this helps a bit glenna http://www.geocities.com/barnie_64/FAMILY.html Re: New Hi Vicki- Thank you. Yes- I read that stress can do that. I also have high blood pressure which I don't even want to check these days. I am really depressed right now and don't want to deal with this illness. I have been meaning to write my #'s and schedule to the list but I never seem to get to it. I feel like I am floundering. I don't really have a doctor as I go to a health plan that you end up seeing different people all the time. Without the info from this and other lists I'd be totally clueless. The dr gave me some pills and a pamphlet and that was about it. I wonder how long I have had this illness as my toes and fingers already have numbness and tingling. I am only 44 and my hair is falling out. Life can't get much worse right now. Sorry to be such a downer... E ---------- Hi, E, sorry about your dad. Did you know that stress can raise your BGs? You've got the right idea...eat and test, find what works for you. Write everything down, that'll help. And bear in mind...things change. Diabetes is sorta a moving target a lot of the time. I was surprised to learn that foods that worked one way in the morning maybe didn't work the same way at dinner. Learned that from testing. I think things are settling down again. This is basically a good group of caring people. You can learn a lot here. Take care, Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 - Did the depression come before the Diabetes? That may seem like a strange question. Getting on medication for a low-normal thyroid and medication for depression raised my *normal* body temperature from 97.4 to 98.6. I used to always be cold and sluggish. I feel a lot better now and have more energy. The hair falling out could also be a symptom of a thyroid problem. Anne P.S. Some doctors try to screen for thyroid problems with one cheap thyroid test which doesn't always catch problems. I'm not an expert, but I know that there is a panel of tests that includes things like t3, t4, tsh... maybe someone else here can give you better guidance so you can ask your doctor and be sure he orders the better tests. > Re: New > > > Hi Vicki- Thank you. Yes- I read that stress can do that. I also > have high > blood pressure which I don't even want to check these days. I am really > depressed right now and don't want to deal with this illness. I have been > meaning to write my #'s and schedule to the list but I never seem > to get to > it. I feel like I am floundering. I don't really have a doctor as > I go to a > health plan that you end up seeing different people all the time. Without > the info from this and other lists I'd be totally clueless. The dr gave me > some pills and a pamphlet and that was about it. I wonder how long I have > had this illness as my toes and fingers already have numbness and > tingling. > I am only 44 and my hair is falling out. Life can't get much worse right > now. > Sorry to be such a downer... > E > > ---------- > > > > Hi, E, sorry about your dad. Did you know that stress can > raise your > BGs? > > You've got the right idea...eat and test, find what works for you. Write > everything down, that'll help. And bear in mind...things change. Diabetes > is > sorta a moving target a lot of the time. I was surprised to learn that > foods > that worked one way in the morning maybe didn't work the same way > at dinner. > Learned that from testing. > > I think things are settling down again. This is basically a good group of > caring people. You can learn a lot here. Take care, Vicki > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Hi Barb- Thanks. I was feeling really crummy this morning. I have read that people with high bg can feel like they are having a " low " even with high numbers. That is what happened to me this morning I believe. My numbers were: 5 am -146 6 am-173 7:30 am-149 9:00 am-160 from 5-9 am all I had was diet coke. Then I started to feel weak, shakey, like I couldn't focus, barely could stand up with out feeling off balance. It was really scarey. At 10 am I thought food might help so I had one piece of american cheese (2 carb grams) and 2 slices of bologna (2 carb grams). It didn't help at all. I was still really shakey. I retested and my numbers were: 10:30 am-172 11:00 am-171 11:30 am-162 Because I have been eating almost no carbs I thought perhaps it was too drastic to go from lots of carbs to very low in less then a week. I started the low carbs last tuesday but I was very strict yesterday and friday. So I made myself a small portion of angel hair spaghetti with meat sauce. I ate it at 11:30 and I felt like I could barely hold the fork. My numbers were: noon-203 12:30pm-211 1:00pm-198 I immediately started to feel better. By 1 pm I felt like my normal self. I take glucophage 500 2x a day. Because I don't eat first thing I have been waiting to take it at around 10 am when I usually eat breakfast. Then I take the other dose around 7 pm with a small snack like a few peanuts(I don't eat dinner). My main meal of the day is about 2 pm. So really I am not taking the pill when I am eating my " big " meal. Does that matter? This morning I took the pill at 6am on an empty stomach. Do you think that could have made me sick? So many questions. I was exercising @1/2 hr a day till my Dad died then it went out the window. I was going to start back up after the funeral but on friday I got my period and I have severe cramps. I can barely stand up the first 3 days so the thought of walking on my treadmill was impossible. I will get that book today at Amazon. I do keep a full diary of everything that I do, eat, bp, pills,etc. The weird thing is - is that my numbers were alot lower the last couple of days and I didn't get shakey like today. Saturday's numbers: 7:30am-125 had diet cokes 9:45am-138 9:45am-2 slices bologna/1slice cheese 10:15-Glucophage 500mg 10:45am-153 noon-159 12:15pm-egg salad with mayo and celery 1:15pm-127(very low for me) 1:30pm-1/8th of a bagel with tad of cream cheese(about 7 grams for the bagel) 2:15pm-130 3:15pm-7 shrimp sauteed in butter and hot sauce(tabasco) 3:30pm-129 4:15pm-158(is shrimp high in carbs? I was surprised to see it leap from shrimp) 5:15pm-176 Friday I ranged from 138 to 188. I would appreciate any and all the feedback I can get. I live alone in the country and this morning was really scarey. If I fall down nobody would know for a while. My mother is usually my biggest caregiver but being that we just lost Dad (they were married for 52 years) I don't want to add to her stress. So I have been down playing my illness to her. Thank goodness for the internet and people on these lists!! Final note- my 14 year old dog stopped eating yesterday. I have been cooking boiled chicken, mac and cheese,scrambled eggs etc to keep her eating and now she won't even look at any of it. I know from ultrasound that she has a tumor on the spleen but decided not to put such an old dog thru such a huge surgery. So I fear I will lose her this week. When it rains it pours :-( Thanks for listening- I hope I haven't rambled on too long. E PS- I forgot to say that when I was diagnosed a month ago my fasting # was 275. Oh, , I am so sorry for your troubles. The good news is that as soon as you can get your bg's under control, some of your other symptoms will lessen, and may even disappear in time. Have you read Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, and are you testing your bg's frequently? If you keep a diary of your testing and your food, you'll soon see how your body reacts to different meals. This will help alot with your future food choices. The learning curve does take a little time, but there is definitely hope here. Can you reduce your carbohydrate intake and maybe exercise starting with a little and increasing. This will all make you feel much better - it really well. I know it's a lot to take in at once - one step at a time works. We are here for you. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Hi Anne- I am not usually depressed but I would say the last 6-9 months (it's hard to remember exactly) I haven't felt right. Very tired after eating. The lack of energy made me wonder if I was depressed or just getting lazy. I live on 20 acres and last summer for the first time I couldn't face doing all the mowing myself. I used to mow 3 hours a day/7days a week just to keep up with it. Three years ago I had a string of bad stuff happen that made me feel depressed but I don't think I am clinically depressed. How would I know? Like I don't cry tons and I was running my own dog boarding business all by myself. Very busy all the time taking care of up to 40 dogs all by myself. Now I am lucky to get my house cleaned and the dogs I own (20) fed. I have stopped boarding dogs for now till I can get my energy back. Since my father just died I feel very sad and today when I was feeling so shaky and sick it all just came tumbling down. The enormity of what I am facing and how my life has changed. I think the diabetes came first. I am definately going to get my thyroid tested and I will get the good one. Do you have more energy from the thyroid med ? What are you on? Did your hair get thin? Thanks- - Did the depression come before the Diabetes? That may seem like a strange question. Getting on medication for a low-normal thyroid and medication for depression raised my *normal* body temperature from 97.4 to 98.6. I used to always be cold and sluggish. I feel a lot better now and have more energy. The hair falling out could also be a symptom of a thyroid problem. Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Hi - The tired after eating feeling is probably from the diabetes and having your BG high. Having mine go up even to 160 makes me feel tired. I didn't have my hair thin out, but I did have very dry skin as well as the low body temperature. My skin is still dry, but nothing like it was before, and my body temperature is normal most of the time. I do have more energy, though I'm still fighting the depression problems. My history is different from yours because I've had significant depression symptoms since childhood and I've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder as an adult. I'm 39 now. Clinical depression doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be crying all the time. In a lot of people it appears as a loss of interest in activities they used to like to do, lack of energy or enthusiasm, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness and despair. If feelings like that persist for more than a few weeks, it is worth seeing a doctor about them, because people don't just suddenly become lazy after years of working hard. And it is fairly common for someone who is depressed to blame themselves for not feeling up to doing their normal activities. The thyroid med that I am on is called Cytomel. It is a T3 stimulator. From what I understand, Cytomel stimulates T3 which in turn stimulates T4. The other common thyroid medication is Synthroid which stimulates T4 directly. I'm not sure why my doctor chose the one he did. T3 and T4 are both some kind of thyroid hormone. Anne > Re: New > > > Hi Anne- I am not usually depressed but I would say the last 6-9 months > (it's hard to remember exactly) I haven't felt right. Very tired after > eating. The lack of energy made me wonder if I was depressed or > just getting > lazy. I live on 20 acres and last summer for the first time I > couldn't face > doing all the mowing myself. I used to mow 3 hours a day/7days a week just > to keep up with it. > > Three years ago I had a string of bad stuff happen that made me feel > depressed but I don't think I am clinically depressed. How would I know? > Like I don't cry tons and I was running my own dog boarding > business all by > myself. Very busy all the time taking care of up to 40 dogs all by myself. > Now I am lucky to get my house cleaned and the dogs I own (20) fed. I have > stopped boarding dogs for now till I can get my energy back. > > Since my father just died I feel very sad and today when I was feeling so > shaky and sick it all just came tumbling down. The enormity of what I am > facing and how my life has changed. I think the diabetes came first. I am > definately going to get my thyroid tested and I will get the good one. Do > you have more energy from the thyroid med ? What are you on? > Did your hair get thin? > Thanks- > > > > - > > Did the depression come before the Diabetes? That may seem like a strange > question. Getting on medication for a low-normal thyroid and > medication for > depression raised my *normal* body temperature from 97.4 to 98.6. > I used to > always be cold and sluggish. I feel a lot better now and have > more energy. > The hair falling out could also be a symptom of a thyroid problem. > > Anne > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 , in reference to feeling like your sugar is low even when it is high... I can only share my experience. When I was first diagnosed and put on medicine my fasting blood sugars were ranging around 240, which " felt " fine to me. If my sugar got over 300 in the afternoon I would get tired and need a nap but because I felt so good under 300, I had no idea that I was so high I until I started testing. Little by little my fasting sugars came down. When they were 75 I thought I was going to die from starvation. I found that I was uncomfortable with anything under 120. My endo explained to me that it would take a while for me to adjust to feeling " normal " when it was below 120 because I was so used to being so high. I often get " low " symptoms when my sugars are normal. Also some people are affected by diet coke. I had been on Atkins about a year and half ago which was my first introduction to low-carb eating. In his book he mentioned that some people just can't handle aspartame and that their bodies react as if it is sugar and crave food. I also have found that caffeine without food increases my hunger. I am trying to cut down and limit myself to my coffee with breakfast and Diet coke with a meal if I am out or on the run. I am trying to wean myself off the Diet Coke because I really know that it is no good for me. But it is the one sweet " treat " that I do enjoy. Re: New Hi Barb- Thanks. I was feeling really crummy this morning. I have read that people with high bg can feel like they are having a " low " even with high numbers. That is what happened to me this morning I believe. My numbers were: 5 am -146 6 am-173 7:30 am-149 9:00 am-160 from 5-9 am all I had was diet coke. Then I started to feel weak, shakey, like I couldn't focus, barely could stand up with out feeling off balance. It was really scarey. At 10 am I thought food might help so I had one piece of american cheese (2 carb grams) and 2 slices of bologna (2 carb grams). It didn't help at all. I was still really shakey. I retested and my numbers were: 10:30 am-172 11:00 am-171 11:30 am-162 Because I have been eating almost no carbs I thought perhaps it was too drastic to go from lots of carbs to very low in less then a week. I started the low carbs last tuesday but I was very strict yesterday and friday. So I made myself a small portion of angel hair spaghetti with meat sauce. I ate it at 11:30 and I felt like I could barely hold the fork. My numbers were: noon-203 12:30pm-211 1:00pm-198 I immediately started to feel better. By 1 pm I felt like my normal self. I take glucophage 500 2x a day. Because I don't eat first thing I have been waiting to take it at around 10 am when I usually eat breakfast. Then I take the other dose around 7 pm with a small snack like a few peanuts(I don't eat dinner). My main meal of the day is about 2 pm. So really I am not taking the pill when I am eating my " big " meal. Does that matter? This morning I took the pill at 6am on an empty stomach. Do you think that could have made me sick? So many questions. I was exercising @1/2 hr a day till my Dad died then it went out the window. I was going to start back up after the funeral but on friday I got my period and I have severe cramps. I can barely stand up the first 3 days so the thought of walking on my treadmill was impossible. I will get that book today at Amazon. I do keep a full diary of everything that I do, eat, bp, pills,etc. The weird thing is - is that my numbers were alot lower the last couple of days and I didn't get shakey like today. Saturday's numbers: 7:30am-125 had diet cokes 9:45am-138 9:45am-2 slices bologna/1slice cheese 10:15-Glucophage 500mg 10:45am-153 noon-159 12:15pm-egg salad with mayo and celery 1:15pm-127(very low for me) 1:30pm-1/8th of a bagel with tad of cream cheese(about 7 grams for the bagel) 2:15pm-130 3:15pm-7 shrimp sauteed in butter and hot sauce(tabasco) 3:30pm-129 4:15pm-158(is shrimp high in carbs? I was surprised to see it leap from shrimp) 5:15pm-176 Friday I ranged from 138 to 188. I would appreciate any and all the feedback I can get. I live alone in the country and this morning was really scarey. If I fall down nobody would know for a while. My mother is usually my biggest caregiver but being that we just lost Dad (they were married for 52 years) I don't want to add to her stress. So I have been down playing my illness to her. Thank goodness for the internet and people on these lists!! Final note- my 14 year old dog stopped eating yesterday. I have been cooking boiled chicken, mac and cheese,scrambled eggs etc to keep her eating and now she won't even look at any of it. I know from ultrasound that she has a tumor on the spleen but decided not to put such an old dog thru such a huge surgery. So I fear I will lose her this week. When it rains it pours :-( Thanks for listening- I hope I haven't rambled on too long. E PS- I forgot to say that when I was diagnosed a month ago my fasting # was 275. Oh, , I am so sorry for your troubles. The good news is that as soon as you can get your bg's under control, some of your other symptoms will lessen, and may even disappear in time. Have you read Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, and are you testing your bg's frequently? If you keep a diary of your testing and your food, you'll soon see how your body reacts to different meals. This will help alot with your future food choices. The learning curve does take a little time, but there is definitely hope here. Can you reduce your carbohydrate intake and maybe exercise starting with a little and increasing. This will all make you feel much better - it really well. I know it's a lot to take in at once - one step at a time works. We are here for you. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 there is also armor thyroid it is t3 and t4 hormone combinded its an oldy but goody glenna http://www.geocities.com/barnie_64/FAMILY.html Re: New > > > Hi Anne- I am not usually depressed but I would say the last 6-9 months > (it's hard to remember exactly) I haven't felt right. Very tired after > eating. The lack of energy made me wonder if I was depressed or > just getting > lazy. I live on 20 acres and last summer for the first time I > couldn't face > doing all the mowing myself. I used to mow 3 hours a day/7days a week just > to keep up with it. > > Three years ago I had a string of bad stuff happen that made me feel > depressed but I don't think I am clinically depressed. How would I know? > Like I don't cry tons and I was running my own dog boarding > business all by > myself. Very busy all the time taking care of up to 40 dogs all by myself. > Now I am lucky to get my house cleaned and the dogs I own (20) fed. I have > stopped boarding dogs for now till I can get my energy back. > > Since my father just died I feel very sad and today when I was feeling so > shaky and sick it all just came tumbling down. The enormity of what I am > facing and how my life has changed. I think the diabetes came first. I am > definately going to get my thyroid tested and I will get the good one. Do > you have more energy from the thyroid med ? What are you on? > Did your hair get thin? > Thanks- > > > > - > > Did the depression come before the Diabetes? That may seem like a strange > question. Getting on medication for a low-normal thyroid and > medication for > depression raised my *normal* body temperature from 97.4 to 98.6. > I used to > always be cold and sluggish. I feel a lot better now and have > more energy. > The hair falling out could also be a symptom of a thyroid problem. > > Anne > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2001 Report Share Posted April 10, 2001 In a message dated 4/10/01 8:42:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time, hgowans@... writes: << At the moment he is only using exercise and diet to control the diabetes, but the doctors are talking about putting him on some meds. I would prefer if I could help keep him off the meds, but I'm not sure if this is going to be easy. I have purchased the Dr Bernstein book as it seems to one that is recommended and seems to be a good start. I hear that type 2 diabetes can run in the family so I'm a little worried about my future. I hope I'm not intruding on the group as I'm not a diabetic, but I really want to learn. >> Welcome, i'm pretty sure i'm right in saying that all are welcome, that you do not need to be diabetic yourself, but having a family member is surely a good reason imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2001 Report Share Posted April 10, 2001 Welcome, Hamish! I didn't think I was diabetic when I joined either. I may still not be, but I'm at least hypoglycemic, and starting to eat like a diabetic can help to either stop or slow down the progression of the disease, I'm told. It will be Monday before I will have my glucose meter to test and see what my blood glucose really runs. This is a really supportive, well-educated and helpful group... ask all the questions you can think of, and you'll find lots of people will jump in and answer you. Also go to the archives from the URL at the bottom of this message. Lots of good info there. I haven't had time to check out much of it, so I'm peppering people with unnecessary questions some of the time, I'm sure, but as I do read them, I learn a lot. ) Jump in! BarbCat =^..^= Peace, Love and Light... http://www.wiredwizard.com/peacejoy !!! http://sleekcat.webjump.com New > > > Hi guys > > I'm new to the group, however I'm not diabetic (yet?). The reason I joined > this group is that my Father has just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes > and I want to find out as much about the disease so I can help support him > and understand the disease myself. At the moment he is only using exercise > and diet to control the diabetes, but the doctors are talking about putting > him on some meds. I would prefer if I could help keep him off the meds, but > I'm not sure if this is going to be easy. I have purchased the Dr Bernstein > book as it seems to one that is recommended and seems to be a good start. I > hear that type 2 diabetes can run in the family so I'm a little worried > about my future. I hope I'm not intruding on the group as I'm not a > diabetic, but I really want to learn. > > Cheers > > Hamish > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2001 Report Share Posted April 10, 2001 The key word is it CAN run in families. I am the first person in my family to get diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Take a look at http://www.tcoyd.org and if it is near you (or you want to take a vacation like I did) and attend. If you don't attend, at least get Dr. Edelman's book too. Dr. Edelman has had Type 1 diabetes since he was 15. I also recommend " A Diabetic Doctor Looks at Diabetes - his and Yours " , which is among the books I have for sale (Amazon.com does the shipping and billing). See http://home.austin.rr.com/beastman/books.htm for all the books I have. New Hi guys I'm new to the group, however I'm not diabetic (yet?). The reason I joined this group is that my Father has just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I want to find out as much about the disease so I can help support him and understand the disease myself. At the moment he is only using exercise and diet to control the diabetes, but the doctors are talking about putting him on some meds. I would prefer if I could help keep him off the meds, but I'm not sure if this is going to be easy. I have purchased the Dr Bernstein book as it seems to one that is recommended and seems to be a good start. I hear that type 2 diabetes can run in the family so I'm a little worried about my future. I hope I'm not intruding on the group as I'm not a diabetic, but I really want to learn. Cheers Hamish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2001 Report Share Posted April 10, 2001 Welcome Hamish. We have a lot of great information on our website, which url is at the bottom of each message - books and websites. Some of us control our diabetes with diet and exercise, and some of with meds, and some of us with insulin, or any combination of the above. What is immediately important is for your father to get his bg's (blood glucose) under control. I aim for bg readings as close to 5.7 as I can be. One great method of lowering bg's is lowering carbohydrate intake, like Dr. Bernstein says. The reason is that it's the carbohydrates that spike the blood sugar, so less carbs equal less sugar spike. And exercise helps a great deal as well. This would be a good start, plus, of course, a blood glucose meter, so he can test 2 hours after meals (occasionally one hour) to see how the foods he eats effect his blood sugar. If his pancreas is still functioning to some extent, careful control as outlined above might keep him off medication. But the most important thing is for his bg's to be in good control to avoid the many complications of high blood sugars. Barb in Colorado, USA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2001 Report Share Posted April 11, 2001 In a message dated 01-04-10 20:42:12 EDT, you write: << abetes can run in the family so I'm a little worried about my future. I hope I'm not intruding on the group as I'm not a diabetic, but I really want to learn. >> Hi, Hamish, of course you're not intruding. You made a good start on learning by reading Bernstein. Feel free to ask any questions. Does your father have a meter and is he testing frequently? Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2002 Report Share Posted April 7, 2002 Kim welcome to the group, congrats on taking the first step to to the other side. You find a lot of information on this group. A lot of support, love, and laughter. We are a large group and sometimes questions and comments are missed please don't take it personally. We are a very large diverse group and speak about a lot of things. If your not comfy talking on the board find someone you connect with and email privately. Even the older members do this still. Feel free to ask any questions and comment on anything.. no matter how far back it goes everyone is always open to comments and questions. Taking your life back is the biggest accomplishment I have ever done and never once regretted it. Its a hard road we have traveled and it will be a harder one to finish but so well worth the out come!!!! Best wishes! Theresa ~For today is tomorrow and tomorrow is today so live as if it was yesterday!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2002 Report Share Posted April 12, 2002 ~For today is tomorrow and tomorrow is today so live as if it was yesterday!~ I think I have missed saying welcome to some people, sorry its not personalized but directed to everyone who has joined a great group. We strive to give the support everyone needs to succeed in their new journeys. We strive to be good friends. We are a big family here, and we agree to disagree on issues and that's what makes us so special because we are all here for the same reason and that we don't disagree on. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here online, they have done their research and have made it their goal (work) to help others out. Don't claim to be specialist, dr, nurses or have a degree, just know from research, and experience. Do as the dr's tell you, follow directions to the tee. They know best! We talk about everything. We are who we are and love each other for that. No question is ever dumb so ask as many time you need until you feel you have grasped at it. I still ask questions that I was told 8 months ago and I should know already. I personally wish you all the love and success in your new journey its a cross road to having your life long dream fulfilled!!!! I admire you for fighting back and taking control of your life as many have done and many will do. For you suggestions and comments will help the next newbie. Love, Theresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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