[lee mcwilliams]

Hi my name is lee I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes on sept 1st!! I hadn't been feeling good for awhile, when I told my step-sister my symptoms. She checked my sugar. It was so high the meter couldn't read it. At the hospital it was 630!!! I take lantus twice a day 18 units at nite and in morning! Then humilin 3 times a day beffore meals! My numbers are in the 100 to 200 range now. The bad thing is I have no medical insurance. If anyone can give me ideas or advice I would appreciate it.

 

[Shanny]

Well hello, Lee, and welcome to DF where we're just full of ideas & advice. It's for sure many of us have come into this just as you have, very rudely and abruptly. There is light at the end of the tunnel, so just breathe deep & ask anything you want to know - there is much knowledge, wisdom and experience here to help you.

Take care & thank you for joining us.

 

[weaveroflight]

Hi Lee and welcome. No medical insurance must be hard. In my town we have a free medical clinic where specialists and doctors will see you and give free medicine if they have it. They also try to set you up with help to continue on with medicine.
I know how expensive insulin can be. Many drug companies are able to work with people who need their medicines. There is also the website of Promotional Products Association International which helps many people.
Good luck.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

sorry to hear youve joined the D Club

now that youre here, youve found a good place in this website.
a lot of caring people with good ideas.

since you are without insurance, pay these people even more mind.

tell us about yourself and your situation. Age, height, weight, location, all that need to know stuff

 

[Cadydid]

Welcome Lee! You have found a great place for support!

As for the medicine, you can try gping to the manafacturer and see if they can help you with the cost.

Do you have a meter yet? Most companies can get one for free.. the only drawback is the test strips will be expensive.

Walmart has their brand called Relion and the cost of the strips is not bad.

Please do not hesitate to ask anything.. Everyone here is really understanding and sympathetic.. the more questions you ask the better your knowledge.

 

[lee mcwilliams]

Thanks everyone!! This is all still new since there is no history in my family. The hospital discharged me before I even saw the dietician. I am going to a clinic they gave me all the samples of lantus they had. Wwhen I go back what do I do if they don't have any more samples? Thank God I have a great girlfriend who is helping me so much.

 

[John.in.France]

Hello Lee,

Sorry to hear you have to join us - but welcome to the club. Diabetes isn't funny but it can be managed if you work at it. As a non US resident, I can't comment on handling access to medical advice without insurance but many of the other forum members will hopefully be able to guide you there.

If it's any consolation, getting dumped on the street with a minimum of advice and guidance isn't a peculiarly American problem. When I was diagnosed last August, I was given a prescription for Levemir and Prandin, told to adjust my Levemir dose up if my blood sugar went over 120, and down when it went below 80. Guidance on the Prandin - nothing!

I was told to get myself a GP - which I did. All he's done so far is arrange my quarterly blood tests and issue prescriptions for test strips. Specialist follow up - none!

Despite that, I've managed to get out from under the medication and kept my Blood Sugar in normal ranges - my HbA1c (which you'll hear lots about) is down from a high 8.2%, to a normal 5%.

Your girlfriend's support will be invaluable - I am also lucky - my wife - a proper little bully has kept me on the dietary straight and narrow - despite my grouses!

Good luck.

John

 

[lee mcwilliams]

My a1c numberr was 13.9. Hey I was always told if yur gonna something you shood do it. Right

 

[lee mcwilliams]

I just turned 38 I'm 5ft 7 and 190 pounds. No family history of diabetes. I'm worried that I will pass this on to my 5 month son!? And my a1c number was 13.9 is that high and what does it mean

 

[John.in.France]

I just turned 38 I'm 5ft 7 and 190 pounds. No family history of diabetes. I'm worried that I will pass this on to my 5 month son!? And my a1c number was 13.9 is that high and what does it mean

Ok - I'm not a doctor - just a poor sod in the same boat as you but with a year's more experience. Here's my two penny worth!

Like you, I've no family history of diabetes (that I know of).

Like you, I was a bit overweight (5'9" and 183lbs). So we're not too far apart on those.

Unlike you, I'm a bit older (now 64) and I've no children to worry about passing the issue onto.

However, there does appear to be a genetic component to this sodding disease and I understand there are tests that can be done to see whether there's a chance you could pass it on down the line. Have a look at www.bloodsugar101.com where you might find some ideas on this. I suspect the issue is the tests cost money and your current priorities are possibly a bit more selfish?

For yourself, your HbA1c is significantly higher than mine was and that suggests you're running around pretty hyper most of the time.

Task one is therefore to cut that back to something approaching a more normal value but here, you'll need to make haste slowly unless you're prepared to put up with the issues of false hypoglycaemic attacks, carb flu and other short term complications. Back to BloodSugar101 - The section you want to look at here is http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php


Track down a meter so you can track your blood glucose and start logging your food intake. Ideally you need to test a lot more than your economics will allow you to - these d...m test strips aren't cheap

Look very hard at any carbohydrate snack you eat - why are you eating it? What does it give you that a handful of nuts wouldn't? Are you snacking out of habit or boredom?

It will be hard work, but any other course is a slippery slope to disaster.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

John, as always, is spot on.

i will throw in my two cents (deflated value, as it's US currency lol)

Lee, it's time to face facts. (what im about to type is not intended to offend or scare)

you're 38 and have no insurance. sounds like most americans. you CAN do this. it WILL be hard work. you WILL need strong will power.

all the advice you will get on this site is so vital for someone without insurance.

you need to stop eating crap. "but eric, i dont eat crap!"

are you so sure? Crap to diabetics isnt always what "crap" is to healthy people.
"Crap" to diabetics are man-made carbohydrates. pretty much anything white, do not eat it.

"Yeah, but i love bread, pasta, pizza, and all that stuff....so i will switch to wheat because its healthier"

WRONG. those are all bad for you, as they are carbohydrates

Lee, it's time to buckle down. it's time to get out the food scale, get out the measuring cups and it's time for you to start eating proper portions.

Lee, this will not be easy, but it is not impossible.

next, you must exercise each and every day. "why?" because diet and exercise are the keys to battling T2D

"but i cannot afford a gym" Yea, that's fine, there's no need for a gym. all you need to do is walk. i walk between 3 and 5 miles a day, everyday, unless it is raining too hard to walk safely.

if i can do it, anyone can do it.

i am not going to lie, this will be difficult.

 

[lee mcwilliams]

Thank you see this is what I need. I need people to tell me what I need to do. Or at least point me in the rite direction. One dr in the hospital told me to eat this. Then the lady from diabetes center told me that the glycemic index wasn't used anymore. So any advice is greately appreciated!!

 

[John.in.France]

Thank you see this is what I need. I need people to tell me what I need to do. Or at least point me in the rite direction. One dr in the hospital told me to eat this. Then the lady from diabetes center told me that the glycemic index wasn't used anymore. So any advice is greately appreciated!!

My wife's response to the statement - "it's about time they put that officially in the bin - the index was based on a completely useless (and invalid) concept!" (She's a trained nutritionist!)

As Eric said in his earlier post - the enemy for us is carbohydrate - especially those enhanced by chemical poisons - oh! - sorry - that should read "additions"

John

 

[Patdart]

John, you guys are doing so well, I'm not going to interfere, but I have a question.....what is a false hypo?

 

[John.in.France]

John, you guys are doing so well, I'm not going to interfere, but I have a question.....what is a false hypo?

Simple explanation - but I'm sure someone will be able to get more precise.

The body gets used to a level of blood glucose - for non diabetics, it should be something under 100 mg/dL. For untreated diabetics, it'll be higher - sometimes a lot higher.

When blood glucose drops significantly below the usual level, the body sends out hypo signals. For a non diabetic, this happens at somewhere below 70 mg/dL and you ignore these signals at your peril although the body will usually sort itself out without help.

With a diabetic, used to (say) 180 mg/dL the hypo warning can happen way above a true hypo value - perhaps 140. Without testing, you treat the "hypo" and back up the blood sugar goes, just when you were getting on top of it!

Jenny Ruhl discusses this beautifully in her book but I can't spot the details in her site - but it is there - honest.

Found it! http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2007/07/type-2s-understanding-false-hypos.html

John

 

[tony0611]

Simple explanation - but I'm sure someone will be able to get more precise.

The body gets used to a level of blood glucose - for non diabetics, it should be something under 100 mg/dL. For untreated diabetics, it'll be higher - sometimes a lot higher.

When blood glucose drops significantly below the usual level, the body sends out hypo signals. For a non diabetic, this happens at somewhere below 70 mg/dL and you ignore these signals at your peril although the body will usually sort itself out without help.

With a diabetic, used to (say) 180 mg/dL the hypo warning can happen way above a true hypo value - perhaps 140. Without testing, you treat the "hypo" and back up the blood sugar goes, just when you were getting on top of it!

Jenny Ruhl discusses this beautifully in her book but I can't spot the details in her site - but it is there - honest.

Found it! Diabetes Update: Type 2s: Understanding False Hypos

John

Patdart: Several days I wake up with a headache, feeling that my sugar is very low but's usually in the 80s. Its just been a month since my diagnosis. Initially, each time (even during the day) I had a reading in the 80s or 70s I had a headache and felt very weak. But I am starting to feel better now. I guess these were false hypos

------


Lee, Welcome to the group. You will be fine. It may take sometime to get to the lower numbers but you'll get control very soon.

You will be fine. Diabetes can be very scary and things will be difficult to start with. But diabetes is completely compatible with a long, enjoyable and healthy life. There are people on this group with decades of success in managing their Ds.

Over the last 45 days, I am starting to believe that managing diabetes is very scientific and you can do this by making several changes in your lifestyle (diet and exercise) with some help from medication, if required.

Dont worry !

Tony

 

[PedsRN]

Hello Lee I was just diagnosed yesterday so I know how you feel. This board is great and I have already learned some things. Again welcome aboard!!!