[rin2809]

I am hoping that someone with a little more experience with diabetes treatment can help me.

My husband was recently (November) diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. His preliminary fasting sugar was almost 400 and he is only 28. He was put on Metformin twice a day, Lantus, and a cholesterol drug from his doc with instructions to test 4 times daily and monitor his insulin dosage based on his morning results. We visited a dietitian and have been eating healthier/exercising etc. and his sugar had been managable.

Suddenly, after a vacation at the beginning of last month, things seem to have gone downhill. He has stopped testing (only tests 3 days a week now) and when I call him on it all he says it "what does it matter, the only direction the insulin is going to go is up." Admittedly, I have been slacking a little as I usually prepare and portion dinners and we haven't been paying as close of attention as we had before going on vacation, but I am getting concerned about him even if he is not concerned about himself. There is a history of diabetes in his family and a history of not properly following treatments. It makes me nervous that he is following that example.

Has anyone had a similar experience with their own treatment (wanting to give up)? Is there anything that I can do to get through to him and convince him that if he ignores his treatment the problem is not going to just go away on it's own? Any support that you got from someone that really keeps you going?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated (and if this is in the wrong thread, I apologize, this is my first time on the forum)

 

[Richard157]

Hello, and welcome! Newly diagnosed diabetics almost always have a difficult time accepting their new state of being. Denial for an expended period of time, and not trying to get good control, can lead to terrible complications. Damage to the eyes, kidneys and nervous system can result. Damage to the heart is common with poor diabetes control. All these complications result from having high blood sugar for a long time.

Your husband should see an endocrinologist (diabetes specialist) and get the best possible treatment prescribed. After getting good control and not having so much high blood sugar, he can have a long, healthy life. I have had diabetes for 64 years and I am very healthy.

Richard

 

[Shanny]

Hello rin . . . and welcome to our community. I agree with Richard, and I want to add that if your husband is worried about using increasing amounts of insulin, that isn't necessarily a bad thing, nor is it always the case. He can control what is needed to quite some degree.

You have already made changes in diet and portions, so maybe it won't be a huge leap to tweak it a little more. By reducing the fast-acting carbs you reduce the high glucose levels and that means less insulin is needed to maintain safe levels. And there is no need to go hungry - he can load up on proteins and fats without causing elevated blood sugars.

Given his age, I wonder if any tests were done to determine specifically what type he is. There are a couple of tests which can show decisively if he is a type 1, or perhaps type 1.5 or LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults).

Your doctor seems to have risen to the occasion better than some, and I wonder if you could discuss with him the possibilities here?

 

[breezeonby]

I am hoping that someone with a little more experience with diabetes treatment can help me.

My husband was recently (November) diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. His preliminary fasting sugar was almost 400 and he is only 28. He was put on Metformin twice a day, Lantus, and a cholesterol drug from his doc with instructions to test 4 times daily and monitor his insulin dosage based on his morning results. We visited a dietitian and have been eating healthier/exercising etc. and his sugar had been managable.

Suddenly, after a vacation at the beginning of last month, things seem to have gone downhill. He has stopped testing (only tests 3 days a week now) and when I call him on it all he says it "what does it matter, the only direction the insulin is going to go is up." Admittedly, I have been slacking a little as I usually prepare and portion dinners and we haven't been paying as close of attention as we had before going on vacation, but I am getting concerned about him even if he is not concerned about himself. There is a history of diabetes in his family and a history of not properly following treatments. It makes me nervous that he is following that example.

Has anyone had a similar experience with their own treatment (wanting to give up)? Is there anything that I can do to get through to him and convince him that if he ignores his treatment the problem is not going to just go away on it's own? Any support that you got from someone that really keeps you going?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated (and if this is in the wrong thread, I apologize, this is my first time on the forum)

I am T2 and have had it for over 10 years. I was in denial when I was first diagnosed. My fasting blood sugar was 126. I felt that I was borderline but the doctor that I was seeing at the time didn't make the borderline diagnosis. I was put on Glucotrol XL. I couldn't deal with the side effects of Metformin. I only tested a couple times a week. I watched my carb intake and exercised as much as possible, I was working 14 hour days sitting at a computer. In 2005, my vision got very blurry and I had terrible headaches. I called my doctor when I tested over 300. I had to start using insulin. In 2006, I lost my job and insurance and stopped treating and testing. In late 2009, after dropping 60 pounds in 6 months and having urinary problems, yeast infections and on and on I finally went to the ER with my blood sugar readings over 400. I have some complications and I believe they are from not taking care of my blood sugar. They are small problems, but ones that can not be reversed. They do affect my life on a daily basis. I am on insulin and the doses are high. It is simply what I need to do to survive. Not everyone needs high doses of insulin, some just need a little extra help. I am hoping that your husband can turn around and start taking care of the diabetes again. He is young and can get good control of the diabetes. I wish I could go back and do things different and make a better choice when I stopped treating and testing, but that is in the past and all I can do is move forward. I can't give up again, it is just too risky. The complications was a wake up call for me. I have nerve damage that affects my digestion and I have pain and burning in my feet and hands and I have retionopathy and cataracts. Take care.

 

[Richard157]

Breeze, thanks for telling us about your diabetes history. I am glad your complications are not very serious. With good control there may be some reversal of the complications.

 

[breezeonby]

Richard: I hope and pray everyday that I can reverse some of my complications. Most of my doctors seem to think that the damage that has been done can't be reversed. I have accepted that and plan to do everything in my power to avoid any more complications. Like I said, I just have to move forward. I am thankful that I do not have anything of a more serious nature. You are living proof that you can have diabetes and live a comfortable life, you are a very pleasant and intelligent man. I am glad I found this forum, when I have a question, I know that I can ask you and Shanny!