Hello from a new diabetic

2687 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Wink, Sep 23, 2010

Wink

Discussion Starter · Sep 16, 2010

Hi,

I've been reading here since 9/3 - the day they told me my routine blood test showed high glucose. Shanny, would you consider moving to Tacoma, WA and be my new best friend? I just love your caring, positive, down to earth and reality check attitude.

I hadn't even been to a doctor in 8 years.. I never get sick and just figured at 53 I should get a mammo and such. Then the routine blood test and then I "failed" the three hour test on 9/8 and bought a meter that evening. Doc made it official this morning. I'm in early stages - doc said we could call it pre-diabetes but I prefer to face it head on.

I'm lucky that they found it early. My A1C is 5.7. For my 3 hour test I had fasting of 155, after 1/2 hour 292, at one hour 348, two hours was 281 and 3 hours 106. I bought the meter and a bunch of eggs, ham,tuna, cheese, almonds, broccoli and avocados. I figured I had one week to log impressive enough numbers to convince the doc that I don't need medication right now.

I'm not as impressed with the 3 month average as I am with the fact that damage happens when you go over 140. My goal is to keep it under 140 at all times. Highest of 6 tests today was 135. My highest reading for the week was 171 and only had 5 spikes over 140 the whole week. My blood pressure and cholesterol are within guidelines....barely.

I'm averaging about 50 carbs per day and testing constantly to see how my body reacts to each food, different times of day, etc. I keep a log of everything.. food, sleep, exercise, and BG. I read everything and then do what makes sense to me like eating to the meter - so far, so good.

Doc agrees, no meds for now but he does think I'm obsessive. Might have to find a new doc if he doesn't realize this is my life we're talking about. Sheesh, you'd think he'd be happy that I'm taking this seriously. He thinks I should do Atkins (I'm 5'5" and a bit over 200 pounds) so I'm checking into that - I think I must be pretty close already.

My insurance is going to set me up with free diabetic education and I guess we just see how it goes.

I love this place... the information I've found here and the promise of support and understanding has already made a huge difference. You guys have given me hope that I can live a good life for a long, long time!

Vicky

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wallycorker

· #2 · Sep 16, 2010

Hi Vicky,

You sound to be exactly where I was ten years ago when I started my Type 2 journey - i.e with an HbA1c of 5.7%.

However, you are so obviously so much more tuned into what needs to be done to control this situation than I was back then. It took me eight years of getting slowly worse and receiving loads of very poor advice before I got to understand how I ought to be dealing with things. Things are very much more different today!

I can tell that you are already on the right track - stick with it!

Testing is important to see what happens when you eat different foods. You bought a whole lot of very good foods there.

Don't worry about the medications - my advice would be to try to keep off them for as long as you can. Hopefully forever!

You do sound to be a little bit on the obsessive side - I am too!

However, that isn't a bad thing as far as dealing with this situation.

Good luck and best wishes - John

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Richard157

· #3 · Sep 16, 2010

Hi Vicky, welcome! All the things you are doing are wisely chosen. Your attitude is first rate. I am sure you are going to take very good care of yourself, and therefore have very good control of your diabetes. Ask all the questions you want, there are many experienced diabetics here who will do their best to help.

Richard

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xdunlapx

· #4 · Sep 16, 2010

Welcome to the forum! I'm considered pre-diabetic, too. But my A1C is 6.2 and I regularly get spikes above 140. Not by much though. My doc put me on Metformin 500mg twice a day. I haven't seen as many spikes above 140 since a few days after starting it, but it'll take a few weeks to fully kick in. I was put on it a week ago tomorrow. You sound like you have a good handle on it. I'm proud of you. Testing an hour and two hours after eating will give you a great baseline to show your doctor. Keeping a detailed log is an excellent idea.

I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

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diabetes86

· #5 · Sep 16, 2010

Good for you Vicky

I think your on the right track, sounds like you have good handle on how stuff effects your diabetes.

Keep it up and ask questions.

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onaughmae

· #6 · Sep 16, 2010

Hi Vicky!

Welcome and so glad we could be of help. We are all here to support each other

I see absolutely nothing wrong with being obbssesive about our health. Thats what keeps us healthy! You have a great attitude and I see no reason why you cant live a healthy and happy life. I always tell people....I am going to die with diabetes...not from it

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Joshua Shorter

· #7 · Sep 16, 2010

Welcome. We are pleased to have you here. Sorry about the circumstances. You are definitely on the right track.
The one thing I always say is that this is a daily battle. You might have had a bad day yesterday but today is another day. I wake up every morning ready to fight. I might not go to bed that way though.

Please ask any questions and know that we are here to help and provide support.
Good luck,
Josh

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ThoseBackPages

· #8 · Sep 17, 2010

Wink, welcome to the forum!

Glad to hear that you have a great attitude going into this battle.

please feel free to ask anything that you'd like to, there are no "dumb" questions here.

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Wink

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 17, 2010

Thanks all for making me feel welcome.

I can't even imagine my doc being my only resource for info. We have to be careful to confirm everything but at least the internet gives us access to so many tools - another blessing to count.

"Knowledge is Power" and that's what keeps me grounded and (mostly) positive through this.. I have a feeling that I can make a difference in my own future so there's no helpless feeling.

I do have lots of questions, so I'll be posting them in the appropriate places.

Thanks again

Vicky

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wallycorker

· #10 · Sep 17, 2010

Wink said:
................"Knowledge is Power" and that's what keeps me grounded and (mostly) positive through this.. I have a feeling that I can make a difference in my own future so there's no helpless feeling..........................

I wish that every diabetic felt like that Vicky because, in my opinion, it is so true.

Given that diabetics are always being told, so wrongly in my opinion, that their conditions are "progressive" - i.e. that it will worsen no matter what they do about it - it is wonderful to see someone so early into their diabetic situation thinking like you do. Good on you!

Best wishes - John

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Shanny

· #11 · Sep 23, 2010

Vicky . . . thank heaven you posted again today, because your introduction was completely missed by me in the shuffle of a road trip last weekend! So sorry to be this tardy responding to your kind words! Tacoma is a long ways from Crocker Missouri, but if I ever get up there, I'll be looking for you!

Thank you for joining us. You have a tremendous no-nonsense attitude yourself, and it will stand you in good stead in the diabetes wars. It's really great having you with us.

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wish

· #12 · Sep 23, 2010

Hello and welcome! I could have been accused of being obsessive at the beginning, too, but if not for what I call being "vigilant", I would not have been diagnosed. I had a myriad of health issues and felt like they all had to somehow be related. Told one doctor that I was looking for the "one big thing." When showed him the results of my recent bloodwork and asked him about my BG level, he told me that I might have found my one thing. I am sure that I did. As I work on eating better, my health has improved. I am having a small setback right now die to stress, but I know to stay the course. Things will get better. We know our bodies best, right?

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Shanny

· #13 · Sep 23, 2010

You are so right, wish . . . and we need to have to courage of our convictions too, and stand up to the doctors when we know we're right.

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Wink

Discussion Starter · #14 · Sep 23, 2010

Thanks for the welcome. I had planned to do more posting but it seems like I never have a minute anymore. Food planning and prep is taking so much more time. And then all the research and dealing with the insurance company. Their idea of free diabetes education is a lady on the other coast who will send me some pamphlets.

I've got alot of things kicking around in my head from my reading and I need to throw some out on here. Maybe this weekend I'll be able to put two thoughts together again. If I do I'll share them.

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