[Gus1234U]

tho some days feel like this, we are still alive~!

please help us grow a support thread with many people in it.
be kind if you reply to a post; be positive about our efforts.
if you want to rant, start a separate thread - we'll read it.
i still hope we will get a sub-forum of our own, where we can be found easily.
best wishes to you all, and good management~!

Hello! I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant with my third child. Three years later (1996) I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I have been taking prednisone for over 27 year and it is the cause of my diabetes. I inject insulin. My last A1C was in the 6's.

[Gus1234U]

diabetes is not a 'stand-alone' condition~! because my doctor mistreated me, i am developing glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes), a major cause of blindness in people with diabetes. i am also dealing with neuropathy, also commonly seen with diabetes.

i had been controlling my blood sugar for 4 yrs, til i got this new doc, who believes higher is better~! he is so ignorant, and i don't know how to educate him~ and yes, this is all contributing to a return of my depression, which i had eliminated for 7 yrs. thank you all for your support and understanding~!

[possum220]

Thanks for getting this a Diabetes support thread going Gus. Kudos to you Gus.

Higher is better? What kind of a doctor are they? I am sorry that you have issues with your eye pressure. Is that level being brought down somehow? Neuropathy too? Wondering if seeing a different doctor might be helpful all round? Are you able to control your bsl levels at the moment?

Welcome to WhatItsWorth2u. Thanks for joining the party.

As for me I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It runs in my family but only got this diagnosis after a couple of years on Seroquel. Currently my bsl levels are stable and in the average around 5.5 per day. Last checkup with the optometrist showed a change in the back ground of my eyes. It's hard to work out if it is a result of long term use of meds or diabetes or the aging process. Could be a mix of all three.

Happy to be here.

[Gus1234U]

thanks for your post, Possum, and thanks for the support. it's hard for most people to understand what it's like to live in so rural a part of the country that one Social Security Office serves 3 counties and has 7 employees. O.O

we only have one clinic of doctors here, and they are like siamese demi-gods:
so says one, so say they all. any serious AMA review of practices would put them out of business and leave the whole county with nothing.

i have rejected my doctor's orders and am once again eating and medicating like i need to. i have regained almost 30 of the 60 lbs i lost, and due to other health problems, have been substantially inert for at least 3 months, if not 9. this is not a good thing. but i am adamant in not abusing myself for being less than.... perfect. i do what i can, when i can, and that is good.

i am hopeful that this is a place where i can come to understand better how to tolerate what i cannot change, change what i can, and come to know the difference ~ i look forward to sharing this place and time with all y'all.

[luvyrself]

Originally Posted by Gus1234U

diabetes is not a 'stand-alone' condition~! because my doctor mistreated me, i am developing glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes), a major cause of blindness in people with diabetes. i am also dealing with neuropathy, also commonly seen with diabetes.

i had been controlling my blood sugar for 4 yrs, til i got this new doc, who believes higher is better~! he is so ignorant, and i don't know how to educate him~ and yes, this is all contributing to a return of my depression, which i had eliminated for 7 yrs. thank you all for your support and understanding~!

—-Change doctors immediately. This guy is a fool in allowing hi A1C levels. Tho neuropathy is common, it can also be PAD, vascular problems common in diabetics.

[Gus1234U]

i have a new doc, and for the first time in years i really like and respect her. she lets me make decisions about my health, and is not a 'control freak',, i am very conscious of my body's needs, and have been using licorice to help control my blood sugars,, which is odd, since it's considered a candy, but i found an organic brand, Panda, which is very good for the gut and digestion.

[possum220]

Anybody home? Hiya. In a bid to increase my strength I have embarked on doing a stint of exercise each day. Last week I did it for 4 out of seven days. This week I am four for four so far. I had an operation last year. This year I have had surgery to remove a fractured and infected tooth in June. Today I went for a walk. It was not long at all My back hurt so much. 15 mins max.

Hmmmm. I used to be able to go heaps further than today. It was so easy to let my level of fitness drop without realizing.

Hope the rest of you are doing okay with your journey with the great D.

[unaluna]

Yeah summer was not good.

I saw my dr last week. I have not been feeling well, i finally got my test results back. It looks like im dumping protein into my urine? But my h1ac was down from 7.8 to 7.1, so he was happy, and i had lost 5 lbs, tho not the ten he had wanted.

So this past sunday i started exercising and watching my diet more. After i saw this thread, i measured my fasting blood glucose and it was down 20 points from last week, so thats good!

I will never miss another day of exercise. Period.

hi, thanks gus for making this thread! I became type 2 diabetic likely during my second pregnancy, but not diagnosed for another year. I was also affected, I believe, by seroquel a few years before I got the diagnosis. I have total metabolic syndrome, thyroid, blood pressure, and diabetes that is controlled with metformin and glyburide. I have a hard time sticking to regular excerise and it's often too cold and icy to enjoy a walk. I'm still taking a few meds for depression, which aren't actually good for my health, heart wise, and other things. I'm doing my best but could make more effort to eat at regular times. hugs all.

[possum220]

Down with the demigods.... especially when they come in the form of doctors....

The best we can do is the best we can do and try not to beat ourselves up because all the co morbidities that go along with mental illness and diabetes and whatever else a person is struggling with.

I am grateful for a doc that takes everything into consideration and does not harass me to have all my ducks in a row all the time. Especially when one or two of the little beggars start to wander off all on their own.

I would much rather get exercise in the form of gardening - raking weeding and planting. Then there is always cleaning inside.....

[Guiness187055]

I became diabetic shortly after the start of seroquel in my mid 20's. I am now 40 and take humalog, lantus, and metformin.

[Marylin]

I am making progress gaining control of what I eat and slowly lowering my blood sugars.Diabetes is a long term condition with a long term solution.Diet what we eat and how often is part of it,as is weight management.I am slowly achieving my weight loss goals.Gus diabetes can have many health complications.I have had laser eye treatment for glaucoma but that is hereditary too my mother has it.But yes it can cause eye damage too.Do you have your eyes checked regularly for diabetic retinography?

I have weight management class on Monday,I missed last week due to having the flu.
I am alone at home tonight,I just did the dishes put them away and cleaned the fridge.
I am lonely again...having health problems makes me feel even more alone...but I am trying to stay upbeat and cheerful.

Next week well Monday I am going to eat even more healthily and I am going to lift weights and start doing yoga and so some dancing to the radio for exercise,see how much weight I can lose.

I very much like to support people so message me anytime if you want to talk about your journey healing from diabetes.

[Gus1234U]

about 7 years ago, i went thru the final stages of a 'metabolic meltdown'. one of the results was diabetes, but i also have a rare form of hypoxia (low oxygen), sleep apnea, and had a candida infection for so long it got into my blood stream, i was running a 4 degree temp. for at least 2 years. my doctors told me to put corn starch on it. O.O

i can so rarely find something nice to say about docs, they have a long history of malpractice with me; but i'll try to work around that subject. one thing i have found is that listening to my body is much smarter than listening to a doc or a list or a blog,,, whatever. no one knows me like i do, when i pay attention. my blood sugars are such a bad joke; my new doc doesn't think A1c's are necessary or good for anything. my daily testing is done 3 times a day, because i can't do the math (calories+time+meds+exercise) just too complex for me. and then i tend to test before i eat, rather than 2 hrs after; mostly because my meal times are very irregular; my sleep is irregular; i rarely exercise, and when i do my blood sugars spike (UP), rather than down... O.O i asked the pharmacist why that was, and she said: "because you're weird." we laughed and laughed,, she's a hoot. i found out yesterday that she's semi-retired now and only on-call.

well, i've been indulging in a long-forbidden treat: root beer floats. if i use the small glass, i can have a small one for around 100 calories. i r soooo happy. i have between 350 and 450 cals per meal, 500 mg of metformin and 10 mg of glipiZIDE. this seems to keep me on the straight and narrow, at about 1100 cals per day. it's a good thing i can't afford to buy fast foods.

i have learned to cook tasty and nutritious low-cal meals. i cook enough for about 5 meals, and do that 2x a week, so i eat the same 2 things for a week, with a little change in sauce or spices or bread to diminish the monotony. mostly, i believe, it's necessary to listen to what the body wants to eat, varying my foods to please my body. it seems to work for me~

it sure was good to come online and see so many posts~!

[possum220]

Have to wonder about the accuracy of self testing bsl. If I take it after I have washed my hands with soap it is much higher than normal. No soap and it seems to be better. Go figure.

[Guiness187055]

Originally Posted by possum220

Have to wonder about the accuracy of self testing bsl. If I take it after I have washed my hands with soap it is much higher than normal. No soap and it seems to be better. Go figure.

I use hand sanitizer and let it dry before checking my sugar.

[possum220]

Thanks for that Guiness. I will see if that helps. Does anybody wipe their fingers with alcohol?

Eating my vegies and fruit might help too. Today I went grocery shopping and didn't buy any chocolate. Yay Me.

[luvyrself]

I am overwhelmed caregiver for my ex who smoked until he was 50. Now he has the whole galaxy of ailments. A1C is critical to all of them. I finally learned that only significant exercise (not a stroll down the block) can get his A1C down to 7 along with minimal stress, and lots of vegetables and fruits.
What are his conditions? Cardiomyopathy, problems with heart fibrillations top and bottom of the heart only once, so he has a 3 yr monitor inserted. Retinopathy, Serious vascular problems more with his legs because he sits all day despite my urgings: one angioplasty cardiac, 5 angioplasties his legs (there is now a chain of vascular offices called Modern Vascular across the southern US that do the new knee to toe angioplasties which can save their limbs and feet. Learn the signs of PAD, leg and foot pain is not always neuropathy folks. Guessing, and unaware doctors ("thats not my specialty" guys) can cost you your feet. YOU have to research things, find the right specialist.
The best thing is that he is getting a blood level sensor for his arm that will tell him when his sugar is off. It is very hard to tell when confusion is from low sugar, low bp, or vascular problems. MUCH BETTER TO AVOID GETTING THIS, ISNT IT?
I gave up nagging about the smoking until we used Chantix w Wellbutrin. Works but can make them crabby. Men can be such brats, right ladies, or are you non compliant yourself? Have a strict talk w yourself, nip things in the bud!

[possum220]

@unaluna I am sorry that the med fill freaked you out. exhausting. The flu shot in itself knocks me about for a couple of days too. My arm gets really sore for a few days. I have to think what side to have the injection in as I prefer to sleep on my left side. Does your arm get swollen?

Nobody like talking about poop but it is unpleasant when our bodily functions are out of whack. Glad you are back on track.

@luvyrself I had not heard of a blood sensor for the arm. That would be helpful. Better not to need it though. I do struggle with exercise. It has fallen by the wayside the past week. Grrr. What is PAD? I live in Australia. Luckily I have never smoked or drunk alcohol. Just don't like the taste. My dad had diabetes but was always very good about what he ate and getting exercise, like rowing and taking our dog for a walk. He was very fit despite having diabetes. I wish I was like him.

[*Beth*]

Hi I've been having A1C tests done, a few over the summer. Today's result was 6, so my GP has prescribed Metformin. Over the 7 years I was on Seroquel I gained 147lbs (I started at 110lbs). I finally was able to persuade my pdoc to stop the Seroquel. I am now on Zyprexa. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm here to ask for any experiences with taking Metformin. Doctors never seem to know the truths of medications that patients know.