Hey folks my name is Justin Taylor, I'm a type-2 diabetic, and I screwed myself up on this one, I was in the forum a few months ago and I dropped off the map and fell back into old habits, long story short I checked it a couple of weeks ago and it was 280, I immediately started taking metformin and it came down to now about 150, sometimes it drops below 100 but climbs right back up whenever I eat anything. So I'm scared I'll have to go on insulin and I need your comfort now, I fell off the bandwagon and I'm just trying to get back on, but it won't stop for me...
Back again, and boy am I scared.
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Take a deep breath, Justin, and let us know what else you're doing for management besides taking metformin (how much met do you take, btw?). The fastest way to get your blood sugar down is to start exerising (brisk walking is good), and stop eating bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, anything made with grain/white flour/sugar . . . build your meals around protein & high fiber vegetables like leafy greens, artichokes, asparagus, spinach, etc. A couple of fruits make the cut - avocados and tomatoes, and MAYBE a few berries if your meter agrees - but most fruits are too naturally sweet to be helpful in lowering blood sugar. If you have any excess poundage, it may start melting off with the effects of metformin & a low-carb food plan . . . and weight loss will also help reduce your blood sugar.
Going on insulin isn't the end of the world, but it is expensive unless you're covered by insurance. On the other hand, insulin will provide very good control when used properly. The bandwagon WILL stop long enough for you to get on - once you make up your mind you'll eliminate for the time being, all the sodas/fast food/sweets/etc., and concentrate on developing the right diet.
Thank you for joining us (again!) and make yourself comfortable here - ask all the questions you want . . . we'll do all we can to steer you away from any high-carb shoals so you don't run aground again!
Going on insulin isn't the end of the world, but it is expensive unless you're covered by insurance. On the other hand, insulin will provide very good control when used properly. The bandwagon WILL stop long enough for you to get on - once you make up your mind you'll eliminate for the time being, all the sodas/fast food/sweets/etc., and concentrate on developing the right diet.
Thank you for joining us (again!) and make yourself comfortable here - ask all the questions you want . . . we'll do all we can to steer you away from any high-carb shoals so you don't run aground again!
Thank you I am calming down now...I take 1000 mg of Metformin a day, and I just checked my sugars it's down to 105...which is much better...I expect it to be normal below 100 by morning...A shame though I'm 320lbs, and I love food...and anything that tastes good has carbs...that really really depresses me...I don't think I'll have to go on insulin anymore...things are starting to look up now that my sugars have gone down, I think that if I start exercising again and get a good diet down I can stick with regular pills...
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Tell us more.
age? height? you mentioned 320lbs, thats all.
Time to "man up" brother and take care of this. You've ate the crap "that tastes good" for long enough, thats probably why you're where youre at right now
take care of this now
age? height? you mentioned 320lbs, thats all.
Time to "man up" brother and take care of this. You've ate the crap "that tastes good" for long enough, thats probably why you're where youre at right now
take care of this now
My experience is that metformin curbs my appetite, and believe me - that's quite a trick! I love to cook & I love to eat, and when you're first faced with eliminating the fast-acting carbs, it seems really bleak. BUT!!! Then you gotta remember there's bacon! There's sausage! There's ham! There's avocados! There's beef & pork & fish & chicken & wonderful cheeses & eggs & nuts of all kinds, & olives and and and . . . . there's butter & cream & mayonnaise & sour cream . . . all the wonderful rich full-fat versions that we've been taught were bad . . . they're perfect for diabetics! Fats are our best friend, and you can believe this or not, but I've lost 35# without ever limiting the fats in my diet. No limit on fats - honest. I'm still one very hefty old woman, but I'll be losing more as time goes on.
There are even substitutes for some of our more precious carb items - like these low-carb high-fiber tortilla wraps which I can't tell from any regular white flour tortilla! I take these along to Arby's and then I ditch the buns on whatever sandwich I order . . . I still drizzle with Arby & Horsey Sauce, and roll it up in one of these tortillas and it's a magnificent RB wrap!
And these cheese crisps which have more flavor and crunch than any ordinary chip! And meals like this one, which btw, we're having for breakfast tomorrow! There is so bloomin' much to eat in a low-carb plan . . . you'll never go hungry. I promise!
Yay! Eric's here already! Listen to this guy, Justin - he's made a remarkable turnaround just this year . . . he's walking 3¼ miles every day, and eating low-carb. And he's lost over 100 lbs.
You are gonna be so amazed! So c'mon - climb up here on the bandwagon! Come along with us!
There are even substitutes for some of our more precious carb items - like these low-carb high-fiber tortilla wraps which I can't tell from any regular white flour tortilla! I take these along to Arby's and then I ditch the buns on whatever sandwich I order . . . I still drizzle with Arby & Horsey Sauce, and roll it up in one of these tortillas and it's a magnificent RB wrap!
And these cheese crisps which have more flavor and crunch than any ordinary chip! And meals like this one, which btw, we're having for breakfast tomorrow! There is so bloomin' much to eat in a low-carb plan . . . you'll never go hungry. I promise!
Yay! Eric's here already! Listen to this guy, Justin - he's made a remarkable turnaround just this year . . . he's walking 3¼ miles every day, and eating low-carb. And he's lost over 100 lbs.
You are gonna be so amazed! So c'mon - climb up here on the bandwagon! Come along with us!
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Make sure you keep coming back to this site and let us know how you're doing. Locarb diets are great but we tend to go off them if we're only using them to lose weight. We can't afford to go off a locarb diet if we have diabetes. There's no saying that we'll cheat this once and then get back on the next day. Each day we need to choose this lifestyle so that we're here to make the same choice the following day. It's a shame you're so young, but there are worse things. You have the ability to control what you put into your mouth. We're all in this together and we know how hard this is for you. Just keep making good decisions one day at a time.
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Welcome back Justin,
You made the right move just by seeking out help when you need it
Sometimes a little wake up call is just what we need to get ourselves back on track when we need it. Cut back on your carb intake and just start with simple exercise like walking. You will be surprised at the difference it will make.
Thank you all very much, I appreciate your kind words, I'm really really frightened right now...and yes there is a history of diabetes in the family, my mom has it and my grandmother on my mothers side had it...so I'm next in line it appears...sometimes I don't know if I can do this ya know...I'm so young and it feels like my life has been decided already before I got a chance to live it...and it feels like I'm gonna die soon ya know...it just really freaks me out...
You like many here have been dealt a bad deck of cards. But you don't have to fear it. You can live an almost normal life if you put your head to it. First thing first is to understand you have diabetes and you will have it the rest of your life. I just got it 7 months ago at 54 years of age, I have gotten off of all my insulin but as soon as I miss a beat I will be back on. Yes your young, get rid of some of the weight by watching what you eat and the mostly the amount you eat. Get an exercise program going. Just an hour every three days starting out will make a big difference. You want something easy on your body, get a bike and start riding it.
Last thing don't fear life, you have many years in front of you to go, make the best of it.
The difference in your diabetes and your mom's/grandma's diabetes is that you are the one in control of it. You make all the decisions on what goes in your mouth, and how much exercise you get every day, and just exactly how strong a commitment you make to leading a long healthy happy life.
Just keep that meter in your pocket & test an hour after every time you eat. If something bounces your BG over 140, make a note to not eat that particular food very often, or eat only half of it. As soon as you start seeing results, I think you'll be more encouraged.
Are you much of a cook? Do you eat out a lot? What kind of work do you do? Give us an idea of the life you live & maybe we can help you find a few shortcuts & avoid a few pitfalls.
Just keep that meter in your pocket & test an hour after every time you eat. If something bounces your BG over 140, make a note to not eat that particular food very often, or eat only half of it. As soon as you start seeing results, I think you'll be more encouraged.
Are you much of a cook? Do you eat out a lot? What kind of work do you do? Give us an idea of the life you live & maybe we can help you find a few shortcuts & avoid a few pitfalls.
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Welcome Justin - Do you also have a support system in your family? I know that for me, the family history is extensive but no one ever took the time or energy to TEACH me things that would have helped me to stay a healthy weight to start with.
I have support from my family - but I have no example being set.
In fact, the more I have learned about diabetes since I developed it, the more I have realized that my parents tend to LIE to their children about having things under control.
Use this board, there are many of us who will try to help.
I have support from my family - but I have no example being set.
In fact, the more I have learned about diabetes since I developed it, the more I have realized that my parents tend to LIE to their children about having things under control.
Use this board, there are many of us who will try to help.
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First off....deep breath
I know its scary. Our lives are defined by the choices we make. Sure..you could die from complications of diabetes. But you could also die like many diabetics do...from other causes. I intend to die with diabetes...not from it. If you make the choices to manage your disease, you will be healthier than ever. Many diabetics I know are healthier than most people. Being a diabetic does not mean your life is over at all. You can still do anything you want. The fact that I am diabetic is sort of like the fact that I have red hair....just one more part of what makes me be me
You can do this Justin, when Shanny first wrote to you she said for you to calm down and then when you wrote back things were better. You are not going to "die soon". You're probably going to live a very long life and wouldn't it be a shame if 50 years from now you looked back and wondered how your life could have been different if you weren't living in fear each day. Commit yourself to a locarb way of living. As someone wrote on this site, recently, "diabetes is not a death sentence". You have a condition that can be controlled through diet, pills, and/or insulin. Read as much as you can and arm yourself with information. It will motivate you to do what you need to do to live a long and satisfying life. I'm wondering how your mother and grandmother handled their diabetes. If they weren't diagnosed early enough or if they didn't watch their diet, perhaps you're picking up on negative cues from them. I'll say it again, we are all here for you. You can do this yourself with support from those of us on this site who realize your fear. I do believe that information will help you put this into perspective and realize that you should be concerned but not afraid. Just remember, you are not going to die a young man from this disease unless you give up and give in to it. Fight , Justin. Play your hand, don't throw it in. That would be a shame.
Hi Justin,
You've received some really great advice. There were some real pearls of wisdom among them: "Be concerned not afraid." "I intend to die with diabetes... not from it" "you are the one in control" "get an exercise program going" "cut back on your carb intake and just start with simple exercise like walking"
There was also lots of good advice about diet. That post from Shanny listing all the 'good' foods made me hungry just thinking about it. I love bacon... and avocado... and a bunch of those other things. But as people have mentioned both the type of food and portion size will be important.
To help you get into good habits you may want to try posting your blood glucose levels and the exercise you've done on the respective threads over in the lounge section. Diabetes Forum Lounge - The Diabetes Forum - Building a New Community to Serve Diabetics Online
A good way to get into this habit may be to do it before or after you check your emails.
From my observation, people who manage their diabetes well tend to live full and happy lives. People who stick their head in the sand... more likely to get those nasty complications. Sounds like you want to be in the former category and are taking some steps to head in the right direction. Try and set yourself up with a good support network, and never let a bad day turn into a bad week... month... year. You can do it!
You've received some really great advice. There were some real pearls of wisdom among them: "Be concerned not afraid." "I intend to die with diabetes... not from it" "you are the one in control" "get an exercise program going" "cut back on your carb intake and just start with simple exercise like walking"
There was also lots of good advice about diet. That post from Shanny listing all the 'good' foods made me hungry just thinking about it. I love bacon... and avocado... and a bunch of those other things. But as people have mentioned both the type of food and portion size will be important.
To help you get into good habits you may want to try posting your blood glucose levels and the exercise you've done on the respective threads over in the lounge section. Diabetes Forum Lounge - The Diabetes Forum - Building a New Community to Serve Diabetics Online
A good way to get into this habit may be to do it before or after you check your emails.
From my observation, people who manage their diabetes well tend to live full and happy lives. People who stick their head in the sand... more likely to get those nasty complications. Sounds like you want to be in the former category and are taking some steps to head in the right direction. Try and set yourself up with a good support network, and never let a bad day turn into a bad week... month... year. You can do it!
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Great post! That's one of the coolest phrases I've heard:First off....deep breath
I know its scary. Our lives are defined by the choices we make. Sure..you could die from complications of diabetes. But you could also die like many diabetics do...from other causes. I intend to die with diabetes...not from it. If you make the choices to manage your disease, you will be healthier than ever. Many diabetics I know are healthier than most people. Being a diabetic does not mean your life is over at all. You can still do anything you want. The fact that I am diabetic is sort of like the fact that I have red hair....just one more part of what makes me be me
Justin, this is your chance to take control of your life. If you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for those that love you. Everytime I test and inject insulin I think about my family, mostly my wife and my kids. What scares me is the thought of seeing them at my funeral saying "he should have taken care of himself". Not only would they be crushed by my death, they would be mad at me. I don't want that! I want them say "he lived a full life and took good care of himself in spite of having diabetes". Maybe it's an odd way of looking at it, but it REALLY motivates me.
Justin, you'll be fine. You know what you have to do, so just listen to your doctor. May I ask why you fear insulin? There are far worse things and if it takes using insulin to regulate your sugar, just be grateful for it. We all fall off the wagon sometimes; in fact, I just joined this group tonight and I've been "off the wagon" for years, NOT a good thing. I'm an old woman and should know better. I'm a very responsible person except when it comes to staying on a low-fat, sugar-free diet. I know that by becoming part of this forum and listening to others who eat the correct foods, I'll learn to take better care of myself. Best of luck to you and please try to bear in mind that insulin isn't something you have to fear. I hope that, knowing this, it will put your mind at ease.
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