My doctor has pronounced me pre-diabetic. My Fasting was 94, just 5 points under what they would consider type 2. My serum insulin was 64! it should be <5! so basically my pancreas is pouring out insulin. My doctor tells me that i will likely be diabetic in the very near future, as the pancreas can't continue to perform at that level for long. I haven't had a 2hr GTT yet--fastings are the last measure to show diabetes--but I want to start checking my pre- & post-meal numbers NOW so I can see if my sugar is spiking badly. Besides, I have to pee every 30 minutes.
This has scared the snot out of me. I have a strong very history of diabetes, both type 1 an type 2, my triglycerides have been sky high, I'm over weight. I cannot believe I have let myself go this far, but you can bet I'm doing something about it now. I'm tracking cals,fats, fiber, and keeping my carbs under 100mg/day, successfully I might add. I have lost 34-lbs,but I have about 50-lbs to go.
So if you're using a great meter, tell me all about it. comfort of sticking would be high on my list.
"Those who dwell...among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."--Rachel Carson, environmentalist, 1956
Gezzer has been diabetic for over 20 years. First thing you want to do is schedule time with a Diabetic Educator. Your doc should have sent you to see one right away.
The Educator can help you with a glucometer (she gave Gezzer his at no cost) and will show you how to use it. They can also help you with your diet and exercise program. They are really pretty handy to have around.
Gezzer has a One Touch Ultra 2. You can use your arm for your sticks but he prefers to use the sides of his fingers. It is small - lightweight - easy to use. He gets his syringes and test strips from WalMart.
I also use a One Touch Ultra. Often the doc or educator has meters they will give you. The mfr do this to get you to buying their supplies. Also, note Gezzer's comment about using the side of your finger tip...not right on the tip itself. Much less painful.
If doc hasn't suggested it, get an eye exam and tell examiner about situation. Plan on annual eye exams.
hotbyte wrote: I also use a One Touch Ultra. Often the doc or educator has meters they will give you. The mfr do this to get you to buying their supplies. Also, note Gezzer's comment about using the side of your finger tip...not right on the tip itself. Much less painful.
If doc hasn't suggested it, get an eye exam and tell examiner about situation. Plan on annual eye exams.
I just had an eye exam a couple months ago and everything is okay. I haven't noted any changes lately. All this has happened in the last week. I'm calling the nutritionist in the morning. I'll see my regular doctor(this was my weight loss specialist who diagnosed me) so I'll pursue the GTT with her. I just feel like I need to be VERY proactive with this. If I am truly just pre-diabetic, then I might be able to turn this around or at least hold off full-blown diabetes for a little while and not incur diabetic complications.
My mother's doctor didn't take hers seriously AT ALL. She ran around with a 9.1 A1c for a year! Her fasting was 150! He wanted her to "try the diet and exercise." Meanwhile, she lost all feeling in both feet! Now she's on Metformin and running sugars of 200, when she decides to check it at all. She says she doesn't check her sugars because "I eat all day and I know its going to be high, so what's the point?" Huh?
The really bad part is she's a nurse! Well, I'm a nurse too and you can bet your last dollar I am NOT going to lay down and take this. My DD16s best friend has has type 1 diabetes since she was 6. That kid goes camping with us, kayaking, she dances 10 hours a week, holds a job and makes straight As. And her A1c stays in the 5s. By golly, if she can do it, I can do it.
I am not a usual RV Net user, my partner shared your message with me, I am a retired Diabetes Educator and a 46 year duration Type 1 diabetic. The One Touch meter is a good one (I use it also) but there are other meter brands that also allow "alternate site testing". I think the advice of getting together with an Educator a few times, is great advice...it sounds like what you are currently doing is working for you as far as weight loss, but if you are wanting to check your pre and post meal blood sugars, you should have a plan for what to do with that information, and an Educator can help you with that. Increasing your activity level in addition to losing weight will both help to increase your glucose sensitivity which should slow down your pancreas' extra insulin production.
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Judy is so right, get to a educator and learn all that you can about how to control you food intake and the meds you need. I found out that you can not take metformin for a long time, you wind up having kidney failure if you do. Your insurance will pay for the schooling on this so don't wait to long to get going with treatment and education.
My DH was diagnosed in 1996. I am the one who does the shopping, cooking, etc. and went with him to the VA when he had an appointment with the nutritionist. Her attitude was why was I there. I told her I was the cook and shopper and needed to know what to do.
We found comfort, information and friendship by attending the Diabetes Support group meetings that one of the hospitals in Austin, TX had. We had peer support as well as the educator and dietician's help. Instead of trying to remember everything, we would cover things monthly, especially how to survive the holidays and still keep your blood sugar in line.
A college professor complained she couldn't take time for lunch and someone asked her who set her schedule, her or the school? Then she thought about it and decided she could change her schedule to accomodate her needs and was able to get things in comtrol.
It was also good to learn what to do if we were eating out, some of the people were hunters and needed to know what to do. We would have dinners sometimes and also sometimes meet at a resturant to learn how to eat healthy.
When my DH had a low, I remembered what I needed to do as if they were coaching me.
If you are diabetic and receive a new medication, make sure to double check with the doctor and pharmacist (who should know all that you are taking) because my DH had a low blood sugar because of an antibiotic for a kidney infection. Gatofloxin supersized his glyberide and caused him to have a low of 45. After 8 yrs of sugar free stuff, he was in the hospital and having regular sodas until they could get the meds flushed out of his system.
The dietician will also teach you how to read labels to know what is good for you and what is not. Keep a notebook of what you eat and also keep a couple of sheets of sugar free foods and where you found them. Make notes in case you have a reaction to the food. It maybe because of one of the sugar alcohols. We know my DH can have food with manitol or mallitol, but he cannot have food that has both of them together. By keeping notes, you know where you got it, the price and whether you liked it or had a bad reaction to it. Also the dietician may have samples of all of the sweeteners you can try. My DH gets headaches with the pink one and sometimes the blue one upsets his stomach. He has tried some of the green one (truvia) and likes it but you cannot bake with it. It is a whole new education for you and your family.
Also, don't forget to get a medic alert bracelet or necklace so the EMS will know about your diabetes, even if you get it controlled by diet and exercise.
Good luck. With time things will work out. Hope you can find a support group. If you have a spouse, encourage them to go with you because diabetes doesn't just affect you, but the whole family.
Chock Full o' Nuts wrote: My doctor has pronounced me pre-diabetic. My Fasting was 94, just 5 points under what they would consider type 2. My serum insulin was 64! it should be <5! so basically my pancreas is pouring out insulin. My doctor tells me that i will likely be diabetic in the very near future, as the pancreas can't continue to perform at that level for long. I haven't had a 2hr GTT yet--fastings are the last measure to show diabetes--but I want to start checking my pre- & post-meal numbers NOW so I can see if my sugar is spiking badly. Besides, I have to pee every 30 minutes.
This has scared the snot out of me. I have a strong very history of diabetes, both type 1 an type 2, my triglycerides have been sky high, I'm over weight. I cannot believe I have let myself go this far, but you can bet I'm doing something about it now. I'm tracking cals,fats, fiber, and keeping my carbs under 100mg/day, successfully I might add. I have lost 34-lbs,but I have about 50-lbs to go.
So if you're using a great meter, tell me all about it. comfort of sticking would be high on my list.
I have been a type 2 diabetic for few years my diabetic doctor helped my off meds What i did is what the diabetic and got me on exercise program i went and bought a Wii and the Wii Fit and some programs as well i get my blood tested every three months
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