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Newly diagnosed- 8/9/10

3884 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Chesney, 
C
Hi my name is Mindy. I've been reading the forum for the past few days and have found some helpful information.

I first found out during a visit to the ER for severe leg pain from sciatica. They did blood work and my bg was 343. They did an a1c the next day and it was 11.4. I had to wait until Monday to see my pcp and they did another a1c and it was 10.8. They were confused why I have it because I'm skinny and have no family history of diabetes. I have not always been skinny though... I have lost 60 lbs over the past three years...i stopped eating a lot of junk food and was more physically active. My pcp said I had T2 and put me on 500mg x2 a day and to watch my diet... Thought we were doing good...but wasn't really carb counting...yet...was mentally doing okay with the diagnosis...went back to pcp 3 weeks later and my a1c was 10.7...so he immediately mentioned the "I" word and I flipped...I have a fear of needles...thank god for my husband... He's a very good nurse... I know I'll have to do it myself one day and I'm not looking forward to it...right now I'm on levemir once a day...I'm still all over the place but my numbers are slowly coming down. I've started supplements the past few days and pray they help. I'm also trying to keep my carbs below 140.
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S
Welcome to DF, Mindy. Keep us posted on your progress - it all seems overwhelming at the beginning, but if you can just take one thing at a time & whittle it down to manageable size, you'll be able to give your own injections too. As you say, you'll have to take over yourself soon, and you'll be up for it - we all just do what we gotta do, right?! ;) If you're testing your sugars throughout the day, you may find that the finger prick is actually worse than injecting.

I am curious why your doc is doing so many A1c tests, given that each test shows a 90-day "picture" of your glycosylated hemoglobin, so there won't be a great deal of difference from one week to the next.
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D
Chesney said:
Hi my name is Mindy. I've been reading the forum for the past few days and have found some helpful information.

I first found out during a visit to the ER for severe leg pain from sciatica. They did blood work and my bg was 343. They did an a1c the next day and it was 11.4. I had to wait until Monday to see my pcp and they did another a1c and it was 10.8. They were confused why I have it because I'm skinny and have no family history of diabetes. I have not always been skinny though... I have lost 60 lbs over the past three years...i stopped eating a lot of junk food and was more physically active. My pcp said I had T2 and put me on 500mg x2 a day and to watch my diet... Thought we were doing good...but wasn't really carb counting...yet...was mentally doing okay with the diagnosis...went back to pcp 3 weeks later and my a1c was 10.7...so he immediately mentioned the "I" word and I flipped...I have a fear of needles...thank god for my husband... He's a very good nurse... I know I'll have to do it myself one day and I'm not looking forward to it...right now I'm on levemir once a day...I'm still all over the place but my numbers are slowly coming down. I've started supplements the past few days and pray they help. I'm also trying to keep my carbs below 140.
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Hi Mindy,
Welcome to this forum. I know it must have been quite a shock to find out you have diabetes. Are you seeing an Endocrinologist who specializes in Diabetes? I would certainly ask for a referral to one. You will become to the blood sugar testing and injecting insulin over time. It does take time to make that first test. I sat on the side of my bed for the longest time going "Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No..." before I took that famous plunge and have not looked back since.
Eventually you will be a pro offering others advice and encouragement as well.
From another Washingtonian.
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C
I have to do it on monday because he is on duty and has to work that night... So i hope I'm ready...lol the finger pricks usually don't bother me...and normally i can't feel it but i can feel the needle everytime...

I'm not sure why he's doing so many...good question...when I go back next week I'm going to ask for a referral to an endocrinologist

Deafmack...lol...that will be me
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ThoseBackPages
WElcome to DF!

I'd recommend cutting your carbs to 40-50 if not less
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C
Well I did it...took me over an hour...a call to my husband in tears trying to figure out what I was going to do...then I remembered ice numbs the skin..hopefully the dr is happy with my progress tomorrow and doesn't add more
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S
Good for you, Mindy . . . don't give up and it'll get better. Let us know how the doctor visit goes and I hope you get the referral to an endo.

Again, congrats on giving your own injection . . . one more step in the right direction! You can do this - I have faith in you!
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C
Well I have come to the conclusion my pcp has no clue what he is doing...thankfully he's referring me to an endocrinologist. We discussed my levels and he decided to add humalog with meals but said start at 2 units and adjust from there...I'm so confused...
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S
Very glad to hear you have a referral . . . so many PCPs just can't keep up with the complexities of diabetes. Since I don't use insulin, I don't normally comment in these discussions, but it's become quite clear to me that using a fast-acting insulin at mealtime requires matching it to your carb consumption for that particular meal. Others will have to explain how this is done. :D
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breezeonby
Chesney said:
Well I have come to the conclusion my pcp has no clue what he is doing...thankfully he's referring me to an endocrinologist. We discussed my levels and he decided to add humalog with meals but said start at 2 units and adjust from there...I'm so confused...
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If you don't eat any carbs at meal time, then you don't need the Humalog, you will end up going low. I want to suggest that you read Using Insulin by John Walsh. This book will guide you through the process of finding your carb ratio and your insulin sensitivity factor. You need to be counting your carbs and test before meals. You can take 2 units of Humalog at meal times but not knowing what it is doing and how to find out if it is working to its advantage, you might as well not take it. Your PCP is doing you a big favor by sending you to an endo, it doesn't sound like he has a clue to what he is doing. A diabetes self-management class would also be a huge help, see if there are any in your area-most hospitals offer something, start by checking with the hospitals.
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C
Thank you breeze... I'll check into all of that
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Joshua Shorter
I know that for me, instead of using an insulin to carb ratio I simply eat the same amount of carbs at each meal each day (breakfast = 45 g., lunch = 60 g., and dinner = 30 g.) so that I simply use the same amount of insulin each meal and I do not even have to think about it. Good luck and you will get used to giving injections. It will get better with time.
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C
Thought I would update...I've been on humalog for 2 weeks now and it is helping a lot...I started out with 3 units and didn't notice it helping so went up to 4 units. That seems to be the magic number. My fasting bg has been in the high 70's to low 80's most mornings. I eat so few carbs for breakfast that I usually don't take the humalog before breakfast. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist on October 20 so we'll see how that goes. I go back to my PCM next week for my a1c.
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C
I went to the drs tonight and my a1c was down to 7.6... Down 3 points from 26 days ago.

Got my flu shot too and my arm still hurts :(
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