Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 In a message dated 8/19/2004 5:17:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, saltillo@... writes: > I dissagree with your doctor about your weight. I think you > can loose weight because I have and I have a friend who lost over 30 > lbs. We both did it by going on Armour thyroid, not Synthroid. The > typical Armour dose to is usually between 3 to 5 grains to get > relief from hypothyroid symptoms. Today, however, many doctors put > patients on doses from 1 to 2 grains I'm in agreement here. I only had gained around 10 lbs...but it wasn't until I got up to 3 grains that I lost 5 lbs. of it...and when I got to 4 1/2 grains..the other 5 dropped off. I am convinced you HAVE to be at an optimal level of Armour to lose weight. Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Hi there and welcome!! , there is a very good reason why this is a natural thyroid group. Because the vast majority of us found that T4-only meds did NOT do the job. They are inadequate, and you will be left with symptoms your ENTIRE life that are the result of being on a T4-only med. T4 is a storage hormone. It's main function is to convert to the active hormone T3. But in the majority (if not ALL) users, it fails to convert to ENOUGH T3 to rid you completely of symptoms. Armour, on the other hand, contains EVERYTHING your own thyroid would be giving you--not just T4, but DIRECT T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. Calcitonin is what keeps the calcium from leeching out of your bones. Check out the FILES section of this site and read, read. And if you want to get on Armour, go to the Armour site and find a great Armour doc. In the LINKS section are places to find an Armour doc. And , don't hesitate to ask any questions at any time. Janie ) > hi, i am new to the group and thanks for letting me join. I was just > diagnoised with Hashamotio's and my dr put me on.50 synthroid and > sent me to a endro dr and he raised it to100of synthroid.I got a > copy of test results and dont understand any of it.when i went to > endro dr I asked him if i could lose any of the weight I have gained > in the last yr or so and he told me " NO " . well i have been on the > thyroid med for a month and I still feel as lousy as i did before, > nothing has changed, still tired, moody, cry alot, achy joints,etc. > if this is what i have to look forward to for the rest of my life, > something is going to have to change somewhere. I also go for ultra > scan on thyroid tomorrow. right now dr is saying i have " warm " > nodules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 First, I think your thyroid dose is way too low. I have been researching thyroid doses before the TSH test and the average Synthroid dose before around 1975 was 300 to 400 mcg. This totally supresses TSH in most people because T4 in synthroid is very suppressive of the pituitary. When they were beginning to use a lot of Synthroid, they adjusted doses as they had done with Natural thyroid (Armour). This was by symptom relief and they found that people needed 300 to 400 mcg for this. Second, I dissagree with your doctor about your weight. I think you can loose weight because I have and I have a friend who lost over 30 lbs. We both did it by going on Armour thyroid, not Synthroid. The typical Armour dose to is usually between 3 to 5 grains to get relief from hypothyroid symptoms. Today, however, many doctors put patients on doses from 1 to 2 grains. This is far too low for most people in my book. In the past 73 years before the TSH test, doses were between 3 and 5 grains a day. The other thing that could be going on is that you are not converting your Synthroid into T3 the thyroid hormone that does most of the work of making energy. Synthroid is T4 and this is relatively inactive. It must be converted by the body to T3 and other thryoid hormones. The healthy thyroid makes around 10% T3 and about 2-5% T2, T1, and T0. These all play important role in increasing metabolic rate. If your body is hampered in it's ability to do this, then you will not be getting the full amount of energy from your Synthroid. A really good and well researched article on this is at: http://personal.bellsouth.net/w/u/wurmstei/ My advice is to go to http://www.thyroid.about.com and go to their Top Doc list and see if you can find one that prescribes Armour and doesn't rely only on the TSH test. Also, consider seeing a D.O. instead of a regular doctor. They are more used to using natural thyroid replacement. You can also treat yourself by ordering out of the country. There are pages on the web on how to convert Synthroid to Armour. In the past, thyroid dose was determined by symptoms and adjusted slowly up until symptoms went away. Osteoporosis is not a big concern with Armour as it contains Calcitonin, which regulates bone turnover. Tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Welcome . Janie gives very good advice. Where do you live? Debbie K. Re: new here Hi there and welcome!! , there is a very good reason why this is a natural thyroid group. Because the vast majority of us found that T4-only meds did NOT do the job. They are inadequate, and you will be left with symptoms your ENTIRE life that are the result of being on a T4-only med. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Tish, great post. Also, just to let everyone know that you can go to the LINKS right on this site and find links to find a doc, plus where to find Armour without prescription. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormones/links Janie ) > My advice is to go to http://www.thyroid.about.com and go to their > Top Doc list and see if you can find one that prescribes Armour and > doesn't rely only on the TSH test. Also, consider seeing a D.O. > instead of a regular doctor. They are more used to using natural > thyroid replacement. > > You can also treat yourself by ordering out of the country. There > are pages on the web on how to convert Synthroid to Armour. In the > past, thyroid dose was determined by symptoms and adjusted slowly up > until symptoms went away. Osteoporosis is not a big concern with > Armour as it contains Calcitonin, which regulates bone turnover. > > Tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 It's great to have this list as a starting point, but some have been to these docs and have been disapointed. There could easily be some self promoting going on here. Blessings, Debbie K. > My advice is to go to http://www.thyroid.about.com and go to their > Top Doc list and see if you can find one that prescribes Armour and > doesn't rely only on the TSH test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 In a message dated 8/20/2004 9:03:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, saltillo@... writes: > Keeping a patient just a little > undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat > you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, > cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just > by keeping you a bit undertreated. > > YES....I tell everybody I know this very same thing....but so many folks just will not believe this. It's almost as if they prefer having 1/2 dozen different specialists to treat their various (thyroid related) ailments. Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 In a message dated 8/20/2004 9:52:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, marianne@... writes: > I wonder if we could get a poll of supposedly unrelated ailments that > people > have rid themselves of with optimal thyroid replacement. > > My list is unbelieveably long...everything from asthma to excess ear wax. cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 > It's great to have this list as a starting point, but some have been to > these docs and have been disapointed. There could easily be some self > promoting going on here. > Blessings, > Debbie K. __________________ I am in total agreement here. I am a self medicator and haven't been to a doc in over 2 years. But, I have this notion that most people are afraid to do this. Doctors have so trained patients to turn over their health decisions to them and to be afraid to take responsibility and charge. They spout out dire warnings about osteoporosis and heart attack and how dangerous thyroid medication is. They are so vague about test and health information in order to leave the patient thinking it is all away bove their heads and that danger lurks for the poor soul who does anything without their blessing. Thyroid therapy is hardly rocket science. It's real simple with Armour, You start out low, amd move up slow and gradual, increasing your dose untill you feel best. You may go over what you need for a while in order to find out what this point is. This is not dangerous for a few months, though it may be hard on you. But it may be the only way to find your optimum dose. You have to pay attention to how you feel, your temperatures, and pulse. You have to be aware of adrenal fatigue problems. That's all part of being responsible. Doctors don't want people to know that thyroid therapy is so simple. Keeping a patient just a little undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just by keeping you a bit undertreated. Tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 > Keeping a patient just a little > undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat > you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, > cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just > by keeping you a bit undertreated. > I wonder if we could get a poll of supposedly unrelated ailments that people have rid themselves of with optimal thyroid replacement. I for one have gotten rid of TMJ, that I had for 30 years. Who would have ever connected this to thyroid? My top doc wasn't surprised at all though. nne > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Yes, and those who really get their tails over the dashboard about it, consider all these doctors their " father " and " mother " figures. Please take care of me doc, tell me how to do it doc. Tell me I'm being bad doc. Tell me how well I'm doing doc. When, all the time, this is the doc's profession, and you are in a sea of people. The truth is that the one that loves us the most is ourselves, and we have to be responsible enough to stop this silliness. Now, I've got to admit that, in a lot of cases, it will only be a doctor who can order certain things for a person, but to consider him/her a god is just ridiculous. Why don't we ever think that we could possibly be right? It took me yrs to discover this, and I was very heavy into doctor worship, noone more than me. Re: Re: new here > In a message dated 8/20/2004 9:03:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, > saltillo@... writes: > > > Keeping a patient just a little > > undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat > > you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, > > cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just > > by keeping you a bit undertreated. > > > > > > YES....I tell everybody I know this very same thing....but so many folks just > will not believe this. It's almost as if they prefer having 1/2 dozen > different specialists to treat their various (thyroid related) ailments. > Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Yes, and those who really get their tails over the dashboard about it, consider all these doctors their " father " and " mother " figures. Please take care of me doc, tell me how to do it doc. Tell me I'm being bad doc. Tell me how well I'm doing doc. When, all the time, this is the doc's profession, and you are in a sea of people. The truth is that the one that loves us the most is ourselves, and we have to be responsible enough to stop this silliness. Now, I've got to admit that, in a lot of cases, it will only be a doctor who can order certain things for a person, but to consider him/her a god is just ridiculous. Why don't we ever think that we could possibly be right? It took me yrs to discover this, and I was very heavy into doctor worship, noone more than me. Re: Re: new here > In a message dated 8/20/2004 9:03:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, > saltillo@... writes: > > > Keeping a patient just a little > > undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat > > you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, > > cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just > > by keeping you a bit undertreated. > > > > > > YES....I tell everybody I know this very same thing....but so many folks just > will not believe this. It's almost as if they prefer having 1/2 dozen > different specialists to treat their various (thyroid related) ailments. > Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Yes, and those who really get their tails over the dashboard about it, consider all these doctors their " father " and " mother " figures. Please take care of me doc, tell me how to do it doc. Tell me I'm being bad doc. Tell me how well I'm doing doc. When, all the time, this is the doc's profession, and you are in a sea of people. The truth is that the one that loves us the most is ourselves, and we have to be responsible enough to stop this silliness. Now, I've got to admit that, in a lot of cases, it will only be a doctor who can order certain things for a person, but to consider him/her a god is just ridiculous. Why don't we ever think that we could possibly be right? It took me yrs to discover this, and I was very heavy into doctor worship, noone more than me. Re: Re: new here > In a message dated 8/20/2004 9:03:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, > saltillo@... writes: > > > Keeping a patient just a little > > undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat > > you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, > > cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just > > by keeping you a bit undertreated. > > > > > > YES....I tell everybody I know this very same thing....but so many folks just > will not believe this. It's almost as if they prefer having 1/2 dozen > different specialists to treat their various (thyroid related) ailments. > Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 , Famial Oedipus? I wouldn't doubt it. In answer to your question: It's likely because of a fundamental illusion in man: that the Other knows more than we do. This is nicely represented in a work by the artist Klee. It's the one that depicts two gentlemen meeting and shaking hands, except that each is unsure of the other's social status, so they are each bowing, bowing, so low as to make the viewer think that indeed, they will eventually butt heads! Delirious. CH > Yes, and those who really get their tails over the dashboard about it, > consider all these doctors their " father " and " mother " figures. Please take > care of me doc, tell me how to do it doc. Tell me I'm being bad doc. Tell > me how well I'm doing doc. When, all the time, this is the doc's > profession, and you are in a sea of people. The truth is that the one that > loves us the most is ourselves, and we have to be responsible enough to stop > this silliness. Now, I've got to admit that, in a lot of cases, it will > only be a doctor who can order certain things for a person, but to consider > him/her a god is just ridiculous. Why don't we ever think that we could > possibly be right? It took me yrs to discover this, and I was very heavy > into doctor worship, noone more than me. > > > > > Re: Re: new here > > > > In a message dated 8/20/2004 9:03:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, > > saltillo@g... writes: > > > > > Keeping a patient just a little > > > undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat > > > you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia, > > > cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just > > > by keeping you a bit undertreated. > > > > > > > > > > YES....I tell everybody I know this very same thing....but so many folks > just > > will not believe this. It's almost as if they prefer having 1/2 dozen > > different specialists to treat their various (thyroid related) ailments. > > Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 The dr who kept me on atd's, for about 9 months was on that list. He may be okay for somebody who was hypoT, but I'd never direct anybody to him after my mismanagement for hyperT/Graves. I'm also thinking somebody in his office gave him a plug on 's site. They finally removed his name as a top doc. SandyE~Houston RE: Re: new here It's great to have this list as a starting point, but some have been to these docs and have been disapointed. There could easily be some self promoting going on here. Blessings, Debbie K. > My advice is to go to http://www.thyroid.about.com and go to their > Top Doc list and see if you can find one that prescribes Armour and > doesn't rely only on the TSH test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Hi, , Welcome to the group! Glad to have you join us! It takes time and patience to get your dosage optimal. Could you post your test results with normal ranges? If you already have, never mind. I'll find it eventually. You might find Armour Thyroid to be superior to Synthroid. I " m sure you've gotten great posts on this already. Keep us posted on how you're doing and what your doctor says! in Va. hi, i am new to the group and thanks for letting me join. I was just diagnoised with Hashamotio's and my dr put me on.50 synthroid and sent me to a endro dr and he raised it to100of synthroid.I got a copy of test results and dont understand any of it.when i went to endro dr I asked him if i could lose any of the weight I have gained in the last yr or so and he told me " NO " . well i have been on the thyroid med for a month and I still feel as lousy as i did before, nothing has changed, still tired, moody, cry alot, achy joints,etc. if this is what i have to look forward to for the rest of my life, something is going to have to change somewhere. I also go for ultra scan on thyroid tomorrow. right now dr is saying i have " warm " nodules. any help or ideas will be greatly appreciated nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Janet, welcome to the group, tho sorry you have to find yourself here. Tell us a little more about your husband: Is he on medication? Do you have a blood testing meter? Have you made any changes to diet? Does he want to lose weight? And what kind of numbers are you seeing? Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Janet wrote > My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing > research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but > I'd like to get them even lower. > > BTW, what is White Tea?> Janet white tea is unfermented - rather like green tea made from the tips of camelia senesens. It has many compounds init that are beneficial for health. One of which is that it helps reduce insulin resistance. There are many products sold as green or white tea - but made from other plants. they may have health benefits too - but they are not the same. Mendosa has an article about white tea at his web site http://www.mendosa.com Bea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Janet, welcome to the list. I have a sort of " standard newby letter " that I'll post below. I hope you'll find it helpful. (Just substitute the words " your husband " everyplace I wrote " you " .) And the rest of you who've already read this..you can blip this and move on to the next post... Vicki << First of all, let me refer you to two of the best books about diabetes. Read 'em and you'll learn a lot: The first one is called " The First Year, Type Two Diabetes, An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed " by Gretchen Becker. Gretchen is a list member and her book is an excellent guide. It's in paperback and available online from Amazon if your local bookstore doesn't have it. The second book is called " Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutions " by K. Bernstein, M.D. You can get it from the library but it's such a good reference that you really should have it in your home library. Dr. Bernstein is a longtime type 1 who controls his diabetes using a lowcarb diet as well as insulin.. Many of us - both type 1 and 2 -- on this list have found great success using his plan or a modified version thereof. . And here's the URL to Dr. Bernstein's website, where there's lots of good stuff: http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/index.shtml These two books will give you good basic information on the ins and outs of diabetes management. I would further refer you to an excellent informational website titled " " What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes " http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ If it isn't there for some reason, let me know and I can email you the contents -- I have it in my archives now. I would also refer you to (formerly Rick) Mendosa's website, where there's a wealth of diabetic information and good links. He also has an online diabetes newsletter which is very good. www.mendosa.com Cutting high GI carbs is an excellent way to control your BGs and the more you cut, the better. Most of us find that the " whites " -- breads, cereals and pastas, in fact anything made with grain - will raise our BGs. Also, rice and potatoes will do the same. And of course, cakes and cookies and sweets of all kinds, including fruits and fruit juices. Watch out for " low calorie " foods; often they're higher in carbs. Learn to read food labels. Dr. Bernstein recommends about 40 carbs a day total. This is really only for the dedictated low carber and IMHO hard to maintain over the long run. However, I've read that the average American eats about 300 carbs a day, so the truth is somewhere in between. The best thing you can do for yourself (if you haven't already) is buy a meter and use it FREQUENTLY. At the beginning you want to learn how different foods affect your BG and to do this you need to eat one food at a time, testing first...then test one and two hours afterwards. Weigh out the amounts and keep good notes. You'll use up a lot of strips in the beginning but the rewards are definitely worth the expense and bother because in the end, you'll know what foods to avoid and which are okay. Diabetes is a very individual disease and we often say " YMMV " - what works for one may not work for another. You want to aim for postprandial (two hours after meal) BG of 120. Keeping your BGs between 70 and 140 are your goals. If you can do this longterm, you can probably avoid the dreaded consequences of longterm poor BG control...and I'm sure I don't have to list those for you. (I will if you want, though). Here's my own list of pretty lowcarb veggies: Spinach Cauliflower Broccoli Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck) Spaghetti squash Mushrooms Asparagus Greenbeans Cabbage Sauerkraut And of course lettuce and avocados which aren't a veggie but a fruit .but they're definitely lowcarb. I have a large mixed lettuce salad with avocado every night with dinner. You can eat a reasonable portion (4-6 ounces) of meat, chicken, fish without problem; it's all protein, no carbs. Berries are the lowest carb fruit but even so, you should eat them very sparingly. Here's the website of the USDA, which you'll find very helpful. It has carbs, calories, protein, etc. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl It's helpful to have a food scale. A cup measure isn't nearly so accurate. I use a Salter scale. It weighs in both grams and ounces and cost me somewhere around $35. I got mine at a local gourmet shop but they're available online too. Just do a Google search for " Salter food scales " . The A1C is a test that measures your average BG for a three-month period with slightly more weight given to the latest month. All diabetics should have this test every three months. And you should ask for, and keep, copies of all your lab reports. Good luck. And keep those questions coming. There's a really steep learning curve at the beginning of your diabetes education but hang in there -- it will all make sense eventually. And remember -- the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask. Vicki, diabetic since 1997, A1Cs comsistently under 6 for a long time, no complications, planning on forever no complications, smile. New here > > > My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing > research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but > I'd like to get them even lower. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Janet, welcome to the list. I have a sort of " standard newby letter " that I'll post below. I hope you'll find it helpful. (Just substitute the words " your husband " everyplace I wrote " you " .) And the rest of you who've already read this..you can blip this and move on to the next post... Vicki << First of all, let me refer you to two of the best books about diabetes. Read 'em and you'll learn a lot: The first one is called " The First Year, Type Two Diabetes, An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed " by Gretchen Becker. Gretchen is a list member and her book is an excellent guide. It's in paperback and available online from Amazon if your local bookstore doesn't have it. The second book is called " Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutions " by K. Bernstein, M.D. You can get it from the library but it's such a good reference that you really should have it in your home library. Dr. Bernstein is a longtime type 1 who controls his diabetes using a lowcarb diet as well as insulin.. Many of us - both type 1 and 2 -- on this list have found great success using his plan or a modified version thereof. . And here's the URL to Dr. Bernstein's website, where there's lots of good stuff: http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/index.shtml These two books will give you good basic information on the ins and outs of diabetes management. I would further refer you to an excellent informational website titled " " What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes " http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ If it isn't there for some reason, let me know and I can email you the contents -- I have it in my archives now. I would also refer you to (formerly Rick) Mendosa's website, where there's a wealth of diabetic information and good links. He also has an online diabetes newsletter which is very good. www.mendosa.com Cutting high GI carbs is an excellent way to control your BGs and the more you cut, the better. Most of us find that the " whites " -- breads, cereals and pastas, in fact anything made with grain - will raise our BGs. Also, rice and potatoes will do the same. And of course, cakes and cookies and sweets of all kinds, including fruits and fruit juices. Watch out for " low calorie " foods; often they're higher in carbs. Learn to read food labels. Dr. Bernstein recommends about 40 carbs a day total. This is really only for the dedictated low carber and IMHO hard to maintain over the long run. However, I've read that the average American eats about 300 carbs a day, so the truth is somewhere in between. The best thing you can do for yourself (if you haven't already) is buy a meter and use it FREQUENTLY. At the beginning you want to learn how different foods affect your BG and to do this you need to eat one food at a time, testing first...then test one and two hours afterwards. Weigh out the amounts and keep good notes. You'll use up a lot of strips in the beginning but the rewards are definitely worth the expense and bother because in the end, you'll know what foods to avoid and which are okay. Diabetes is a very individual disease and we often say " YMMV " - what works for one may not work for another. You want to aim for postprandial (two hours after meal) BG of 120. Keeping your BGs between 70 and 140 are your goals. If you can do this longterm, you can probably avoid the dreaded consequences of longterm poor BG control...and I'm sure I don't have to list those for you. (I will if you want, though). Here's my own list of pretty lowcarb veggies: Spinach Cauliflower Broccoli Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck) Spaghetti squash Mushrooms Asparagus Greenbeans Cabbage Sauerkraut And of course lettuce and avocados which aren't a veggie but a fruit .but they're definitely lowcarb. I have a large mixed lettuce salad with avocado every night with dinner. You can eat a reasonable portion (4-6 ounces) of meat, chicken, fish without problem; it's all protein, no carbs. Berries are the lowest carb fruit but even so, you should eat them very sparingly. Here's the website of the USDA, which you'll find very helpful. It has carbs, calories, protein, etc. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl It's helpful to have a food scale. A cup measure isn't nearly so accurate. I use a Salter scale. It weighs in both grams and ounces and cost me somewhere around $35. I got mine at a local gourmet shop but they're available online too. Just do a Google search for " Salter food scales " . The A1C is a test that measures your average BG for a three-month period with slightly more weight given to the latest month. All diabetics should have this test every three months. And you should ask for, and keep, copies of all your lab reports. Good luck. And keep those questions coming. There's a really steep learning curve at the beginning of your diabetes education but hang in there -- it will all make sense eventually. And remember -- the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask. Vicki, diabetic since 1997, A1Cs comsistently under 6 for a long time, no complications, planning on forever no complications, smile. New here > > > My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing > research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but > I'd like to get them even lower. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Janet, welcome to the list. I have a sort of " standard newby letter " that I'll post below. I hope you'll find it helpful. (Just substitute the words " your husband " everyplace I wrote " you " .) And the rest of you who've already read this..you can blip this and move on to the next post... Vicki << First of all, let me refer you to two of the best books about diabetes. Read 'em and you'll learn a lot: The first one is called " The First Year, Type Two Diabetes, An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed " by Gretchen Becker. Gretchen is a list member and her book is an excellent guide. It's in paperback and available online from Amazon if your local bookstore doesn't have it. The second book is called " Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutions " by K. Bernstein, M.D. You can get it from the library but it's such a good reference that you really should have it in your home library. Dr. Bernstein is a longtime type 1 who controls his diabetes using a lowcarb diet as well as insulin.. Many of us - both type 1 and 2 -- on this list have found great success using his plan or a modified version thereof. . And here's the URL to Dr. Bernstein's website, where there's lots of good stuff: http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/index.shtml These two books will give you good basic information on the ins and outs of diabetes management. I would further refer you to an excellent informational website titled " " What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes " http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ If it isn't there for some reason, let me know and I can email you the contents -- I have it in my archives now. I would also refer you to (formerly Rick) Mendosa's website, where there's a wealth of diabetic information and good links. He also has an online diabetes newsletter which is very good. www.mendosa.com Cutting high GI carbs is an excellent way to control your BGs and the more you cut, the better. Most of us find that the " whites " -- breads, cereals and pastas, in fact anything made with grain - will raise our BGs. Also, rice and potatoes will do the same. And of course, cakes and cookies and sweets of all kinds, including fruits and fruit juices. Watch out for " low calorie " foods; often they're higher in carbs. Learn to read food labels. Dr. Bernstein recommends about 40 carbs a day total. This is really only for the dedictated low carber and IMHO hard to maintain over the long run. However, I've read that the average American eats about 300 carbs a day, so the truth is somewhere in between. The best thing you can do for yourself (if you haven't already) is buy a meter and use it FREQUENTLY. At the beginning you want to learn how different foods affect your BG and to do this you need to eat one food at a time, testing first...then test one and two hours afterwards. Weigh out the amounts and keep good notes. You'll use up a lot of strips in the beginning but the rewards are definitely worth the expense and bother because in the end, you'll know what foods to avoid and which are okay. Diabetes is a very individual disease and we often say " YMMV " - what works for one may not work for another. You want to aim for postprandial (two hours after meal) BG of 120. Keeping your BGs between 70 and 140 are your goals. If you can do this longterm, you can probably avoid the dreaded consequences of longterm poor BG control...and I'm sure I don't have to list those for you. (I will if you want, though). Here's my own list of pretty lowcarb veggies: Spinach Cauliflower Broccoli Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck) Spaghetti squash Mushrooms Asparagus Greenbeans Cabbage Sauerkraut And of course lettuce and avocados which aren't a veggie but a fruit .but they're definitely lowcarb. I have a large mixed lettuce salad with avocado every night with dinner. You can eat a reasonable portion (4-6 ounces) of meat, chicken, fish without problem; it's all protein, no carbs. Berries are the lowest carb fruit but even so, you should eat them very sparingly. Here's the website of the USDA, which you'll find very helpful. It has carbs, calories, protein, etc. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl It's helpful to have a food scale. A cup measure isn't nearly so accurate. I use a Salter scale. It weighs in both grams and ounces and cost me somewhere around $35. I got mine at a local gourmet shop but they're available online too. Just do a Google search for " Salter food scales " . The A1C is a test that measures your average BG for a three-month period with slightly more weight given to the latest month. All diabetics should have this test every three months. And you should ask for, and keep, copies of all your lab reports. Good luck. And keep those questions coming. There's a really steep learning curve at the beginning of your diabetes education but hang in there -- it will all make sense eventually. And remember -- the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask. Vicki, diabetic since 1997, A1Cs comsistently under 6 for a long time, no complications, planning on forever no complications, smile. New here > > > My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing > research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but > I'd like to get them even lower. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 At 03:35 PM 12/28/04, janet_deforest@... wrote: >My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing >research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but >I'd like to get them even lower. Janet, I'm glad to see you here. Folks, Janet and I met a long time ago through a BBS (bulletin board system...popular before the Internet got so big) in Illinois. We finally met in person and liked one another. Over the years she's moved and I have too, but we maintain contact. When she told me her husband had been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 I got bossy and told her to join this list because of the friendly folks and all of the good information available. -=sky=- Type 2 dx'd 9/04. Low Carb, Metaformin XR (1500mg). Supplements: B50, CoQ10 (200mg),Omega 3 (1000mg) Also: 20mg Lipitor, 100mg Cozaar, 175mcg Synthroid, and 25 mg Hydrochlorothiazide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 At 03:35 PM 12/28/04, janet_deforest@... wrote: >My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing >research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but >I'd like to get them even lower. Janet, I'm glad to see you here. Folks, Janet and I met a long time ago through a BBS (bulletin board system...popular before the Internet got so big) in Illinois. We finally met in person and liked one another. Over the years she's moved and I have too, but we maintain contact. When she told me her husband had been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 I got bossy and told her to join this list because of the friendly folks and all of the good information available. -=sky=- Type 2 dx'd 9/04. Low Carb, Metaformin XR (1500mg). Supplements: B50, CoQ10 (200mg),Omega 3 (1000mg) Also: 20mg Lipitor, 100mg Cozaar, 175mcg Synthroid, and 25 mg Hydrochlorothiazide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 At 03:35 PM 12/28/04, janet_deforest@... wrote: >My husband was diagnosed recently with type II diabetes. We're doing >research and stumbling along. His numbers are so much better, but >I'd like to get them even lower. Janet, I'm glad to see you here. Folks, Janet and I met a long time ago through a BBS (bulletin board system...popular before the Internet got so big) in Illinois. We finally met in person and liked one another. Over the years she's moved and I have too, but we maintain contact. When she told me her husband had been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 I got bossy and told her to join this list because of the friendly folks and all of the good information available. -=sky=- Type 2 dx'd 9/04. Low Carb, Metaformin XR (1500mg). Supplements: B50, CoQ10 (200mg),Omega 3 (1000mg) Also: 20mg Lipitor, 100mg Cozaar, 175mcg Synthroid, and 25 mg Hydrochlorothiazide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 I have posted once. I dont know if it went through or not. As my surgery date gets closer I am wondering if I am making the right choice. Right now I am at 345 with a BMIof about 52. Things that I used to find easy to do are now very hard to do. I have seen the pictures of you people in here and you should all be commended for the awesome jobs you have done. But I dont know if my jitters are from never having had surgery before or what. Can someone please try and help me put some of these worries out of my mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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