Diabetic anyone?

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Lady Pamela

Today I was told I have this
"Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes"

Seems like everytime I go in they find something..anyways it is good to know what I have atleast.
Also why I have gained weight. That frustrating me more than anything.

Does anyone have any ideas or info that will help me with this?

Thanks so much
Blessings


.

The first thing "I" would do is talk to a nutritionist regarding food to avoid or add to your diet, get more low-impact exercise (swim, walk, move to music, bicycling), and read read read.

The internet has so many good sites for reliable information, and some answers may just be a click away.

Blessings to you

[Lady Pamela]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

The first thing "I" would do is talk to a nutritionist regarding food to avoid or add to your diet, get more low-impact exercise (swim, walk, move to music, bicycling), and read read read.

The internet has so many good sites for reliable information, and some answers may just be a click away.

Blessings to you

Thank you...smiles
I will definately be googling...ha


.

[o222Good]

Originally Posted by Lady Pamela

Today I was told I have this
"Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes"

Seems like everytime I go in they find something..anyways it is good to know what I have atleast.
Also why I have gained weight. That frustrating me more than anything.

Does anyone have any ideas or info that will help me with this?

Thanks so much
Blessings
.

Well, this is my life also. It seems doctors are real quick to put us on the insulin pump these days, and I was determined not to go on insulin. My A1C was over 8.6 a couple of years ago. Now, I am not even diabetic, just in the high risk category. The best advice I can give has two parts. First, test your blood two hours after every meal to see what foods your body can tolerate. For me, I can never, and I mean NEVER, eat potatoes or rice. I'm a label reader to be sure they are not in anything. Some foods actually lower my sugar! Like Ezekial Bread, which is a sprouted wheat bread you can even get in the supermarkets here in NYC. Cruciferous veggies are very good for us, like brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli.

This website is a great help. Stick to foods with a low glycemic load and are non-inflammatory.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/2363/2
Also, I get a great protein powder, with no sugar or artificial sweetener, called About Time from GNC.
http://www.gnc.com/search/index.jsp?.../13200328&sr=1

Which leads me to Part Two. Muscle development helps your body's cells use the insulin your body produces. When you lift weights, you become less insulin resistant, even to the point of controlling your diabetes. I see you call yourself a girly girl, but you can still lift weights! 3-4 days a week, skipping a day or two in between. Have protein after you lift, because your muscles will just consume themselves for protein if you don't! I'm sure some Butch in your neck of the woods will help you get started! Good luck to you, Lady Pamela!

PS Sugar is the devil!!

[Lady Pamela]

Originally Posted by o222Good

Well, this is my life also. It seems doctors are real quick to put us on the insulin pump these days, and I was determined not to go on insulin. My A1C was over 8.6 a couple of years ago. Now, I am not even diabetic, just in the high risk category. The best advice I can give has two parts. First, test your blood two hours after every meal to see what foods your body can tolerate. For me, I can never, and I mean NEVER, eat potatoes or rice. I'm a label reader to be sure they are not in anything. Some foods actually lower my sugar! Like Ezekial Bread, which is a sprouted wheat bread you can even get in the supermarkets here in NYC. Cruciferous veggies are very good for us, like brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli.

This website is a great help. Stick to foods with a low glycemic load and are non-inflammatory.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/2363/2
Also, I get a great protein powder, with no sugar or artificial sweetener, called About Time from GNC.
http://www.gnc.com/search/index.jsp?.../13200328&sr=1

Which leads me to Part Two. Muscle development helps your body's cells use the insulin your body produces. When you lift weights, you become less insulin resistant, even to the point of controlling your diabetes. I see you call yourself a girly girl, but you can still lift weights! 3-4 days a week, skipping a day or two in between. Have protein after you lift, because your muscles will just consume themselves for protein if you don't! I'm sure some Butch in your neck of the woods will help you get started! Good luck to you, Lady Pamela!

PS Sugar is the devil!!

Thank you so much for all the info.

[Hollylane]

A month or so ago, during pre-op, I received the third degree about my blood sugar being around 270, and my refusal to take any meds. I told the nurse, Grace, that I had not been behaving myself, but that I know how to fix it, and that I would. Grace gave me her email address, and said that if I was so sure I could fix it without medication, I could email her my morning blood sugar average weekly. She was just certain that I couldn't accomplish this and lowering my blood pressure, without the long list of meds recommended by the association.

I got back on track with my diet and exercise after that conversation, and as of this morning, it is down to 158. With just a little more effort, I am certain that I can get it down to 100 by the the end of April. Additionally, my blood pressure has returned to a normal average.

I just sent off an email, with a smirk on my face. I ended the email, thanking her for her concern, but what I really wanted to end it with was..."In your face, Grace!"

[VeganDebbie]

First time stumbling across this thread. I am a Type one Diabetic, been one for 35 years..........

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by VeganDebbie

First time stumbling across this thread. I am a Type one Diabetic, been one for 35 years..........

I am a Vegan/no oil eater...just found out I am severely Vitamin D lacking and have been put on a once a week pill for 8 weeks. I mention this because vitamin D can also affect Diabetes and other health issues like heart disease and bone/muscle/memory problems.

[JustBeingMe]

I"m diabetic and having been put on metformin, I've been able to control my bloodsugar level better. I also have high blood pressure that I was recently put on meds for.
I was put on abilify for my mood because of my depression several months ago and it's caused me to gain 15 pounds since Oct. I am now changing my eating habits more and more to be more of the lowcarb meals. Because a diet high in carbs can be a huge no no for me.
I would suggest that you pick up a Diabetic Living Low Carb magazine or check out the website. They have some very delicious high protein low carb recipes for you that you may like. It's also a good idea to even try weight watchers meetings is what my doctor said, they can help you learn more about nutrition wise what foods you can intake and help you with portion control. I don't have an issue with portion control so much as what I can afford to purchase to eat and get bored eating the same foods all the time. So my dad, bein an insulin dependent diabetic, helped me learn some things as well, like stayin off bread and potatoes which starches that your body turns to sugar and other carbs that aren't good for me. He also bought me the diabetic living low carb cookbook magazine for me to try some new recipes.

I have trouble exercising because of my discs being ruptured in my back, but now that it's warmer outdoors, I tend to walk as much as I am able during the day for exercise that I can tolerate, outdoors. I also have a low vit. D level for which I take 5000 IU"s a day to keep my level up, doctor ordered over the counter vitamin. I also drink milk more than I used to.
There is also a high protein low carb thread too, here's the link that you can get some information from as well for diet change : LINKYLOO

[Loren_Q]

Yup, that would be me too.

When my doctor told me she said I was in an uncommon category. I wasn't overweight, I exercised regularly, ate well (lots of veg, not so much meat) and, other than fruit, didn't often eat sweets. My dad was also type II, he was thin but muscular and pretty much a vegetarian, so it looks like genetics played the biggest role for me.

The doc wanted to start me on medication because I was already doing most of the lifestyle changes recommended. But I didn't want to go that route.

So I changed my exercise to more weight training and started keeping a closer eye on what I eat and when I eat it.

The hardest part was not eating fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit is my favorite snack, but now I eat some healthy fat/protein before I chomp on whatever fruit is in season. Usually some type of nut butter that will go well.

When I changed the exercise and what/when I eat, my fasting blood sugar dropped to a consistent 110 (from 120). BTW I do fasting blood sugar because I had a few years of existing records.

The the end of last year I made 3 changes and now my fasting blood sugar is consistently 101.

Those 3 changes were:
-Increasing my vitamin D
-Adding a niacinamide supplement
-started using e-cigs for smoking cessation.

I have no idea if any (or all or some combination) is what really made me turn the corner, but whatever it is, I'm just going to stay the course.

[VeganDebbie]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

I am a Vegan/no oil eater...just found out I am severely Vitamin D lacking and have been put on a once a week pill for 8 weeks. I mention this because vitamin D can also affect Diabetes and other health issues like heart disease and bone/muscle/memory problems.

Ironically my vitamin intake is normal; according to my Dr. I do take a multi-vitamin, and 2 cinnamon pills daily.

[Hollylane]

Here it is, the end of April. I did not make my goal, but I have brought down my average fasting blood sugar a bit more, to 135. I suspect that the reason that I did not reach my goal, was because for nearly 2 weeks this month, I was not able to exercise, due to pain/medication related to my gastroparesis. I haven't given up yet, not by a long shot. I'm feeling much better now, and am back on the warpath.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Hollylane

Here it is, the end of April. I did not make my goal, but I have brought down my average fasting blood sugar a bit more, to 135. I suspect that the reason that I did not reach my goal, was because for nearly 2 weeks this month, I was not able to exercise, due to pain/medication related to my gastroparesis. I haven't given up yet, not by a long shot. I'm feeling much better now, and am back on the warpath.

I'm not a doctor...far from it.

That being said, even small elevations of blood sugar long-term can do serious harm to your blood vessels, kidneys and nervous system. I wish i had practiced better monitoring, because having a heart attack at 40, and a triple bypass at 46, i learned the hard way that there are far worse things than taking a mild pill to keep the sugar under 100, which is more like the recommended number.

Good luck to you whichever way you choose to go, as it will probably be something you have to work hard at your whole life.

Blessings, Cindy

[Hollylane]

Thank you for you input Cindy, and I do appreciate your concern. I'm sorry that you have experienced those major health issues. You're right, monitoring is extremely important, and something I am diligent about.

Forgive me, but I am passionate about this topic, because it is something I have to think about on a daily basis. So, I tend to go on about it, because I have spent so much time, effort, sweat, blood, and tears on the ongoing project that is my health.

I'm assuming that the mild pill you're talking about is Metformin. Metformin generally does not cause side effects for most users, and works well to reduce blood sugar in most type 2 diabetics. For me, it did nothing to reduce my blood sugar, and was responsible for an immediate acute case of pancreatitis, which resulted in pancreatic lesions, and a lovely extended hospital stay. I also had severe adverse reactions to the general regimen prescribed by most primary care doctors (commonly prescribed by physicians under group health care programs) for Type 2 diabetics (statin drugs when there was no evidence of high cholesterol, and blood pressure meds prescribed with no history of high blood pressure).

At one point, my blood sugars averaged somewhere around 370, but through very hard work, better management (through extensive self advocacy, research into my condition, and finally locating a rare specialist) of my gastroparesis, I was averaging a 95 blood sugar for more than 3 years. The diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was even removed from my health records until just recently.

I have had recent issues with the progression of my gastroparesis, surgical recovery, and the associated small amount of weight gain from inactivity following those surgeries. Then I had issues with my body adjusting while I attempted vegetarianism (due to how I feel about the horror that is the meat industry), and then realizing a better option for my health, would be pescatarianism.

Since putting my nose back to the exercise grindstone (as often as possible, with as much effort as possible), and adjusting my diet to suit my health needs, I have, once again, made very significant progress in bringing my blood sugar down without medication, and the extra weight has begun to drop off again.

As long as I am able to do this, my doctor agrees wholeheartedly with me, about staying away from any and all diabetic medications. He tells me that he admires my accountability, and celebrates my efforts and successes. He told me recently that when he tells other patients and doctors about my progress, that it generally falls on deaf ears.

My doctor and I also agree with the fact, that The ADA is an "association", and not a non-profit organization. They receive BIG $$ from major pharmaceutical companies (along with federal funding, and private donations). The ADA is not all bad, but big funding, from big pharma, notoriously leads to skewed information.

I'm not saying that what I am doing works for everyone, or will even always work for me. But, for some people, it is possible to stave off, or even avoid entirely, the progression along the path to the requirement for diabetic medication. Frankly, though it can be frustrating at times, I work hard at it, and will continue to do so for as long as I am able, because I am worth it.

My 86 year old grandmother is living proof, of what is possible for some people. She has been considered pre-diabetic (100-125 fasting glucose) for more than 50 years, and has steadfastly refused diabetic medication, as well as the diabetic dietary recommendations. She has no indications of diabetic associated health conditions (eye problems, circulation, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidneys/heart problems, stroke, etc...). She is still thriving, active, living alone (with her goats, cats, and dog), and just as sharp as ever.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Hollylane

Thank you for you input Cindy, and I do appreciate your concern. I'm sorry that you have experienced those major health issues. You're right, monitoring is extremely important, and something I am diligent about.

Forgive me, but I am passionate about this topic, because it is something I have to think about on a daily basis. So, I tend to go on about it, because I have spent so much time, effort, sweat, blood, and tears on the ongoing project that is my health.

I'm assuming that the mild pill you're talking about is Metformin. Metformin generally does not cause side effects for most users, and works well to reduce blood sugar in most type 2 diabetics. For me, it did nothing to reduce my blood sugar, and was responsible for an immediate acute case of pancreatitis, which resulted in pancreatic lesions, and a lovely extended hospital stay. I also had severe adverse reactions to the general regimen prescribed by most primary care doctors (commonly prescribed by physicians under group health care programs) for Type 2 diabetics (statin drugs when there was no evidence of high cholesterol, and blood pressure meds prescribed with no history of high blood pressure).

At one point, my blood sugars averaged somewhere around 370, but through very hard work, better management (through extensive self advocacy, research into my condition, and finally locating a rare specialist) of my gastroparesis, I was averaging a 95 blood sugar for more than 3 years. The diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was even removed from my health records until just recently.

I have had recent issues with the progression of my gastroparesis, surgical recovery, and the associated small amount of weight gain from inactivity following those surgeries. Then I had issues with my body adjusting while I attempted vegetarianism (due to how I feel about the horror that is the meat industry), and then realizing a better option for my health, would be pescatarianism.

Since putting my nose back to the exercise grindstone (as often as possible, with as much effort as possible), and adjusting my diet to suit my health needs, I have, once again, made very significant progress in bringing my blood sugar down without medication, and the extra weight has begun to drop off again.

As long as I am able to do this, my doctor agrees wholeheartedly with me, about staying away from any and all diabetic medications. He tells me that he admires my accountability, and celebrates my efforts and successes. He told me recently that when he tells other patients and doctors about my progress, that it generally falls on deaf ears.

My doctor and I also agree with the fact, that The ADA is an "association", and not a non-profit organization. They receive BIG $$ from major pharmaceutical companies (along with federal funding, and private donations). The ADA is not all bad, but big funding, from big pharma, notoriously leads to skewed information.

I'm not saying that what I am doing works for everyone, or will even always work for me. But, for some people, it is possible to stave off, or even avoid entirely, the progression along the path to the requirement for diabetic medication. Frankly, though it can be frustrating at times, I work hard at it, and will continue to do so for as long as I am able, because I am worth it.

My 86 year old grandmother is living proof, of what is possible for some people. She has been considered pre-diabetic (100-125 fasting glucose) for more than 50 years, and has steadfastly refused diabetic medication, as well as the diabetic dietary recommendations. She has no indications of diabetic associated health conditions (eye problems, circulation, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidneys/heart problems, stroke, etc...). She is still thriving, active, living alone (with her goats, cats, and dog), and just as sharp as ever.

If I came off as a know it all or someone who knows better than you, I'm sorry for that Hollylane; it does indeed sound like you know yourself well.

Funny you should mention Metformin. All these years I have taken Glucotrol and recently my doctor asked me to try Metformin in an attempt to reduce the amount of Insulin I take. I have to say I have felt fairly sick since I began taking it Friday, with no noticible changes in my levels.

Thank you, I will have to give him a call.

[Hollylane]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

If I came off as a know it all or someone who knows better than you, I'm sorry for that Hollylane; it does indeed sound like you know yourself well.

Funny you should mention Metformin. All these years I have taken Glucotrol and recently my doctor asked me to try Metformin in an attempt to reduce the amount of Insulin I take. I have to say I have felt fairly sick since I began taking it Friday, with no noticible changes in my levels.

Thank you, I will have to give him a call.

Oh no, not at all Cindy. I just get so passionate about this subject, and the approach to diabetes management being the same for every patient. Blindly following my doctors orders nearly killed me, so I feel it is important to share what I have learned, and continue to learn about what having diabetes means for me. I truly did appreciate your concern, and I understand the place you were coming from, when you responded to my post.

I hope that you find something that works for you, I know that when I was at my worst (averaging 370 blood sugar), I was using 2 different types of insulin, one of which was considered a "designer" insulin, and injecting 6 times per day, with no positive results. I found it absolutely maddening. Though having more food choices was nice, I actually find that what I am doing now, is actually much easier, and makes much more sense to me.

[Loren_Q]

I'm echoing Hollylane's sentiments. Managing diabetes is personal, but one thing I believe we should all have in common is a good dose of self-advocacy.

My doc insisted I go on medication, and I was just as insistent to *not* use medication. Also like Hollylane, I've had adverse reactions (not as severe though, geez). And I also think big pharma is the devil's spawn.

I did a ton of research, tried and dropped various regimens until I found something that worked *for me*. Monitoring my blood sugar was key, as is the discipline to maintain my regimen.

Mine is a combination of diet (what and when), supplements and exercise. It's not terribly rigid, or maybe I'm just used to it now.

My doc is impressed with my results and perhaps less skeptical now.

[Arwen]

I'm juiced!

My A1C came in at 6.7. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Exercise, diet, Metformin as Rx have been key. I also think the new supplements I've been on for about 5 weeks have been HUGE in helping me lose weight and have more energy. If you are curious, I started with the 24 Day Challenge here. (this IS an affiliate link but it is NOT mine. It's my best friend. Took her 2 years to convince me to try this out. Sorry I waited now. ) It's pricey but, for me, it's been worth it.

6.7, y'all! That's down from 9.3 a year and a half ago.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Arwen

I'm juiced!

My A1C came in at 6.7. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Exercise, diet, Metformin as Rx have been key. I also think the new supplements I've been on for about 5 weeks have been HUGE in helping me lose weight and have more energy. If you are curious, I started with the 24 Day Challenge here. (this IS an affiliate link but it is NOT mine. It's my best friend. Took her 2 years to convince me to try this out. Sorry I waited now. ) It's pricey but, for me, it's been worth it.

6.7, y'all! That's down from 9.3 a year and a half ago.

Way to go!!!!

[MsTinkerbelly]

Well despite my cholesterol going down as well as my weight, I had another blocked artery and another heart attack. God damn diabetes!

[Hollylane]

My diligence is paying off. Still without meds, but with diet & exercise, I now have a fasting blood sugar of 98 average. I gained a small turkey, then lost a big turkey in the last 20 days (gained 10 because of water bleeding into my cells, and then lost 15 once I learned how to add the right electrolytes into my water intake).