[Bowman]

Hello! I was diagnosed on Sept. 9. I was/am experiencing tingling/pain in my legs and feet and finally went to see a doctor. My A1C was 9.1. I am taking Metformin 2x/day. I am scheduled to see a nurse educator next week. I'm looking forward to it as I want to know what I need to do to keep on top of this disease.

 

[moon]

Welcome to the forum Bowman.

The doc prescribed metformin, did s/he also give you a meter or have you bought one? The first months after diagnosis I was a blood sugar testing freak and it did help me get in touch with, and learn more about, my diabetes and how to control it via seeing the effects various foods had on me.

A great primer on diabetes is bloodsugar101.com - you'll see a lot of references to it around here, and lots of people talking about how invaluable it was for beginning their education. I still refer to to it a lot.

Again, welcome to this great group.

 

[Bowman]

Hello Moon,
I'm supposed to get a meter next week from my nurse educator. I plan to test and do whatever is necessary to keep it in check. Thanks for the website tip, too.
Thanks for the welcome!

 

[Shanny]

Hello & welcome, Bowman. There are several good options for controlling our blood sugar levels, and by using them in different combinations, we can work out what works best for each of us individually. Our meters are the best tool for accomplishing this, since we can test after eating specific foods, and know exactly how that dish affects our BG. A good rule of thumb is to avoid or sharply limit the foods which bump your BG over 140 (7.7). Maintaining BG lower than this at all times gives us very good odds of avoiding complications in the future. After a few weeks of testing most of the foods you eat regularly - you'll have a list of "safe" foods which don't raise your BG, and can build menus around these foods. Any time you introduce a new food, just run the testing routine the first two/three times you eat it, to learn if it's safe or not.

 

[Bowman]

Hello Shanny,
Thank you for the welcome and the great information re: controlling BG. I know it has been a month but it isn't an easy thing to come to terms with when you've been relatively healthy throughout life. My mother had diabetes so it isn't a complete shock but it still is a tough thing to learn. I've heard a lot of horror stories but have read (from the local library) a great deal of positive outcomes when nutrition and exercise is followed. As I said I'm meeting with a nurse educator next week and I hope to have most of my questions answered.
Thanks again for your welcome and great advice!

 

[jwags]

Blood Sugar 101 is an excellent site and really turned my bgs around. My dietician gave me the ADA's bg ranges and told me 180 after meals were fine. As long as I followed that advice my bgs stayed pretty high. Once I read BS 101 and started to incorperate her advice my bgs started to fall. You deserve normal bgs
which are 70-120. Sometimes that may mean you have to give up some carby food like bread, cereal, rice, pasta and even fruit. Just because a food is touted as healthy does not mean it is good for our bgs. Also be prepared for you educator to tell you that you need at least 200 carbs a day for your brain. The truth is many of us consume far less 40-60 and are quite healthy.

 

[Jere]

Welcome Bowman, I am in the same boat. Getting started on Metformin and then the meter/educator. As previously posted, BS101 website was helpful. This website, I read every couple of days and I avoid the carbs. I can't cut them all out, but I have lowered a good bit.
I am not sure why my doctor didn't give me stronger meds, but I have a feeling that a slow drop is safer. The Metformin only took me so far. Something to keep in mind.

Anyway, I wish you success,
Jere

 

[Shanny]

I am not sure why my doctor didn't give me stronger meds, but I have a feeling that a slow drop is safer. The Metformin only took me so far. Something to keep in mind.

This is how it's supposed to work, Jere. The metformin is NOT a type of insulin that gives an immediate fix to the whole high glucose problem. It's meant to reduce insulin resistance and it works best with a low-carb diet since it isn't expected to cover carbs regardless of how many you eat. Dosage can be increased up to 2250mg per day, but the more carbs you eat, the less metformin is going to help - it isn't meant to work like that. There are other oral drugs which pound your pancreas to create more insulin, but this is a dangerous practice because eventually your pancreas is going to wear out completely and then you're going to be an insulin-dependent type 2. So if your doc offers "stronger" meds, ask questions. If they're in the sulfonylurea class, they're going to hammer your pancreas worse than it's already being hammered. Met is by far the safest one overall, if you don't have serious gastric side effects.

 

[Bowman]

Hi Jere,
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure how the Metformin is affecting sugars as I don't have the meter yet. I will have it next week and will monitor closely Shanny has mentioned.

Shanny: Thanks for the excellent info on Metformin. At least now I understand how it works and what to expect.

Alex

 

[etherea]

I know it has been a month but it isn't an easy thing to come to terms with when you've been relatively healthy throughout life. My mother had diabetes so it isn't a complete shock but it still is a tough thing to learn. I've heard a lot of horror stories but have read (from the local library) a great deal of positive outcomes when nutrition and exercise is followed.

Welcome to a great group! It sounds as if you had a normal reaction to your diagnosis. I think we all got mad, scared and then got determined. You're on the right track!

 

[Patdart]

Welcome to our funny, wise, talented group. Keep us posted and ask any questions you have as the only 'dumb' one is the one unasked. Luckily, I didn't have a diabetes nurse to mislead me, just wise folks and reading Dr. Bernstein's book and then Dr. Atkins diet to lose my pudgy belly!

Good luck,

 

[Bowman]

Thank you, Patdart! I'm reading the bloodsugar101 site and lots of posts on this website and have learned a lot in the last few days. Thanks to this wise group I'll be prepared when I see my nurse educator. And I'll have the right questions to ask.
Thanks for the welcome. I like it here!

 

[naynay]

Bowman, be careful with the Nurse Educator when you meet with him/her. I had CNP told me I should be eating 3 servings of carbs with each meal (15 grams is 1 serving of carb). This would mean I should be taking in 105 grams of carbs with 3 meals a day, not including snacks! WAY too much! She told me to eat brown rice instead of white rice. I told her I can't eat rice at all. She asked why? I said because brown rice spikes me just as much as white rice does. She didn't know what to say to that. I mentioned that I was using coconut oil, and she just stared at me like I was an idiot! They believe in the ADA's diet plan, and it just does not work. It continues to keep people actively diabetic, and continues to worsen their diabetes as time goes on. I've been diabetic for alot of years now, and trust me when I tell you what they want us as diabetics to do does not work. I've done it...and yet here I am with a LC/HF diet working better for me then the ADA's recommendations. So, just beware of what they will instruct you with eating. I'm not telling you what to do, but just a warning. Good Luck!

 

[Bowman]

Bowman, be careful with the Nurse Educator when you meet with him/her. I had CNP told me I should be eating 3 servings of carbs with each meal (15 grams is 1 serving of carb). This would mean I should be taking in 105 grams of carbs with 3 meals a day, not including snacks! WAY too much! She told me to eat brown rice instead of white rice. I told her I can't eat rice at all. She asked why? I said because brown rice spikes me just as much as white rice does. She didn't know what to say to that. I mentioned that I was using coconut oil, and she just stared at me like I was an idiot! They believe in the ADA's diet plan, and it just does not work. It continues to keep people actively diabetic, and continues to worsen their diabetes as time goes on. I've been diabetic for alot of years now, and trust me when I tell you what they want us as diabetics to do does not work. I've done it...and yet here I am with a LC/HF diet working better for me then the ADA's recommendations. So, just beware of what they will instruct you with eating. I'm not telling you what to do, but just a warning. Good Luck!

Hello and thanks for the advice. My educator was very realistic and open to adjustments such as you mentioned. I guess I was lucky.

I've gotten great advice from all on this forum and great care from my healthcare team. My sugars are going down and my neuropathy is being controlled. I thank everyone for all the comments and advice.

 

[naynay]

So glad to hear that you found a great group of educators who obviously are open to the idea that the ADA doesn't always work. I'm also very glad that your sugars are going down and that your neuropathy is resolving. That is wonderful news! :cheer2::amen::high5:

Keep updating us as to your status. Good Luck!