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Seriousness of Type 2 please

4K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  keithrube1 
#1 ·
49, male, narcolepsy, Hashimotos Thyroid and now type 2 and Victoza metformin. I'm lost. Any advice I'd be grateful. Thanks


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#4 ·
Eventually, as I'm not sure when someone new here can add a "signature"; that you include the other things that you're dealing with in your questions. We're not doctors...but every bit of info helps.

As to your Type 2 medications...both work well if adjusted (titrated) properly. Should those not work well...there are other options. What you eat and how often you test to see how 'what you eat' affects you is key.
 
#5 ·
Hey Keith, I'm also new. I was diagnosed this week :(

I hope you keep posting here. There are some fantastic and knowledgeable people here. They have welcomed me with open arms and have made me feel very encouraged.

As a daughter of parents with T2 diabetes, this disease is to be taken very seriously. It can wreck havoc with your organs, feet, and eyes if you do not properly manage the disease. I am scared as a rabbit, and the day I got word that I needed to see my doctor for my lab results, I found this wonderful and informative website.

Ask a lot of questions! Keep coming back. I wish you the very best.
 
#6 ·
Thank you both very much for the kindness. Same news this week? I'm sorry. I don't understand how this site quite works with posting and responding and signatures but I'll figure it out. What's challenging for me with this is how does one know they truly have type 2? Thanks again


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#7 ·
basically you have diabetes if you have too much sugar in your blood that insulin is not handling right (could be for different reasons)

I believe they consider prediabetes at 110 - 124 and diabetes at 125 . this is fasting reading. I might be slightly off but this is what I remember

please read the links in my signature that will explain in detail and give you ideas on how to keep your blood sugar low

dont hesitate to ask any questions you have. we are here to assist :vs_cool:
 
#8 ·
There are two main tests that can indicate diabetes. Both involve testing the blood for glucose.

The A1c test is basically an average of the level of glucose in the blood over a three month period. It is usually part of the lab tests. A level over 6.4 is considered diabetes.

The fasting test uses a drop of blood and measures the amount of glucose in that drop. Everyone has some glucose in the blood, but if it exceeds a certain level, one is diagnosed with diabetes. Non diabetics will have a fasting below 100 mg/dl. The range indicating diabetes begins somewhere above that, I think over 100 is considered pre-diabetes and somewhere above 115 or 120 is full diabetes.

Since your doctor put you on medication, I'm sure your tests showed levels well in the diabetic range.

You might find it enlightening to read through Blood Sugar 101 We have come to trust this site to have accurate information. Take a look at the section "How To Lower Your Blood Sugar" which is a testing method that work very well for determining what foods one eats that cause blood sugar to rise - which one would then avoid in order to maintain lower blood sugar levels.

About this site - after a new member makes 5 posts, they will be able to make changes to their profile, which includes the signature area.
 
#9 ·
You all are very helpful. I've been in the avoidance mode. My numbers are clearly above 6.4 and 100 or what it was. So odd as it went from pre diabetic for so many years to type 2. Like overnight it seems. Someday I'll be of service to you. Thanks again. I will look at the blood sugar site.
 
#10 ·
Welcome to the forum keithrube1.

Bloodsugar 101 is a great place to learn.

The forum is a great place to answer any questions you might have, answers from the real world of diabetes.

I was told I was border-line for several years. Then a doctor told me that diabetes was like being pregnant, you is or you ain't. There is no "a little bit pregnant" or "a little bit diabetic", and you is.
 
#11 ·
Welcome to the forum keithrube1.

Bloodsugar 101 is a great place to learn.

The forum is a great place to answer any questions you might have, answers from the real world of diabetes.

I was told I was border-line for several years. Then a doctor told me that diabetes was like being pregnant, you is or you ain't. There is no "a little bit pregnant" or "a little bit diabetic", and you is.
 
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#13 ·
Keith,
Welcome aboard! You have just surrounded yourself with a very large group of fellow diabetics, many of which have traveled a similar road you are now on. We can share our experiences and tell you how we are taking control of our diabetes.

In the initial phase of learning how to take control of diabetes, and we actually do, gaining knowledge is the first and most important step. Go on the website already recommended, Blood Sugar 101, and read through it! By doing that you will then have the basic knowledge that all of us have. Therefore when we talk about steps we have taken and how we did it, you will clearly understand what we did and why it worked. Without this knowledge it would be very confusing....

Most all of us on here have taken control of our diabetes taking the very minimum amount of medications. We have not done this by dieting, but instead by changing what we eat!

Good luck and I will look forward to seeing you ask questions that come from reading the website.....
 
#14 ·
Thanks for the kindness

Thank you. I still hope that I am doing this properly. I wanted to thank you and others as well as ask, how do we know if we have type 2 diabetes. My Endocronologist who I see for Hashimotos Thyroid has been calling me pre diabetic but out of the blue called into the pharmacy this Victoza which Ive been working with for a week. His nurse said Im pre diabetic in the email but he said type 2. Just curious. Thanks
 
#15 ·
Thank you. I still hope that I am doing this properly. I wanted to thank you and others as well as ask, how do we know if we have type 2 diabetes. My Endocronologist who I see for Hashimotos Thyroid has been calling me pre diabetic but out of the blue called into the pharmacy this Victoza which Ive been working with for a week. His nurse said Im pre diabetic in the email but he said type 2. Just curious. Thanks
I don't know what's up with some Endos who don't want to call it what it is. I was diagnosed on 9 May. Since then, I have been telling close friends about it. I'm surprised that some of my close friends have also been diagnosed with "pre" or "borderline" diabetes. But because they are not on any form of meds, they just blew it off. In their minds, they are not diabetic.

One friend's A1Cs is 6.5. Her Endo didn't even tell her she was "pre." She said that her Endo just told her to follow "this" diet, which turned out to be a diet from the ADA. She doesn't consider herself "diabetic" because, well, her Endo didn't say she had it.

I read someone's post here on this forum who talked about their wife's Endo who didn't consider the wife a diabetic even though her numbers were higher than her diabetic husband.

Keep coming back. People here are so encouraging.

Peace and Love.
 
#17 ·
Keith,
Many on here believe in the concept of pre-diabetic. Most educators and doctors use that term that is based on blood tests and reading that are abnormal, but not quite over the top.

My experience with the term pre-diabetic is that it is like calling a woman partially pregnant. It is misleading and suggests that you can be cured, which you cannot.

Diabetes is a progressive disease that will kill you if you do not take control of your blood sugar levels at all times. By doing this you can slow and/or stop the progression of the disease, but you have to maintain this control throughout your life or over time you will see symptoms that the disease is progressing.

Most of us on this website use what we eat and do not eat (Low Carb High Fat), coupled with medications to keep our blood sugars below 140 at all times. Studies show that this level of blood sugar in our system is when cells begin to be destroyed starting the damage this disease can do within our bodies.

Hope this helps some....the key point here is that we do have a way to control this disease, but you have to learn by doing the reading....then you will understand better how this works...

Good Luck
 
#18 ·
Div2liv thanks for the words of wisdom. I'm love that mindset. Why do Physicians and others use the term "Pre Diabetic" yet prescribe injections and metformin 2x daily. It makes sense now what you said. Like another condition I have, Narcolepsy, one can't be pre narcoleptic. Haha. I have lost 6 lbs in a few weeks and cut out all junk. Exercising when my body can 4 days week usually and reading like crazy. So bottom line it really doesn't matter if the nurse says pre and the doc says type 2. Sounds the same. Online a scary place at times all over tell me pre can be reversed. Darn. Thanks again.
 
#19 ·
Keith....
Great attitude and with all you had to deal with, you sound like you are on a good path. The big difference between diabetes and other health issues, is you can control diabetes by eating differently and taking metformin and insulin! By the way those two drugs are our favorite on this website (most agree on this), because they are tried and true and the side affects are minimal if any! So you doc started you out correctly.

Metformin may give you gas and/or stomach upset for a few weeks, but in most cases it will pass. Taking it with meals may help reduce these side affects.

Exercise is a good thing, but you will notice when you work out you blood sugar will spike! If it goes over 140 following a work out, you might consider reducing the intensity and/or length of your work outs....in time you body may adjust and you can slowly increase your work outs....

Keep on 'truckin' and I am glad you are now part of our group...in a few months you will be reaching out to newbies and sharing your experiences and knowledge...that is how this all works!
 
#21 ·
Alamogirl- thanks for checking in glad you got the Ringo reference. And I'm sure you're sincere. I try to keep a positive day at a time attitude and just accept what is. The diabetes is a little challenging as I'm just now facing facts of the potential downside if dont lose weight, change eating take MED's etc. This isn't great group and I'm committed and my goal is to be of service eventually. Thanks to
 
#22 ·
I feel the same way too. I'm trying to stay positive and coming here to this forum helps. I've been going to the gym and trying to stay active. I work full-time and sit at a desk, but I get up every 2 hrs to rest my eyes and move around. I find it challenging to prepare lunch, since lunch used to consist of sandwiches, Lean Cuisines, or Mexican!

Good to hear from you. We need to support one another :smile2:.
 
#23 ·
Alamogirl. I'm all about supporting each other. I sure could use it to Be fair. I have the absolute worst constipation so bad that I'm literally passing out for few seconds each time. This POTS also causes IBS etc like Diabetes can. Just a hot mess at the moment but it will pass. Hope you're great.
 
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