Anyone with type II diabites?
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Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
Insulin, metformin, carb aware, diet, exercise and testing my levels at least 4x each day. It's a progressive desease and so important to get treatment.
sfmini
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I have been a type 2 diabetic for many years and I am a bad girl.
I do take my meds as directed with is Avandamet 2x per day.
I rarely test, tho I sure was poked a LOT in the hospital and nursing home. My sugar went a bit nuts then, and they were sticking me with insulin, first time in my life for that.
Why am I a bad girl? As long as my A1c test shows low which it does, I am pretty lax about testing as well as my diet. The last one was 6.1 which is excellent. I should be testing more often now, but haven’t since the sugar levels went back down.
I have the triple whammy, I am FAT, father had it, so did my maternal grandmother.
My levels have been so good that my doc only sees me every six months now instead of every three. She did send me to a Podiatrist for the first time, and I am religious now about going to see him. Her timing was good as a person I work with wasn’t very good about it and he is now minus half of his foot. Gotta watch those feet!!!
I do take my meds as directed with is Avandamet 2x per day.
I rarely test, tho I sure was poked a LOT in the hospital and nursing home. My sugar went a bit nuts then, and they were sticking me with insulin, first time in my life for that.
Why am I a bad girl? As long as my A1c test shows low which it does, I am pretty lax about testing as well as my diet. The last one was 6.1 which is excellent. I should be testing more often now, but haven’t since the sugar levels went back down.
I have the triple whammy, I am FAT, father had it, so did my maternal grandmother.
My levels have been so good that my doc only sees me every six months now instead of every three. She did send me to a Podiatrist for the first time, and I am religious now about going to see him. Her timing was good as a person I work with wasn’t very good about it and he is now minus half of his foot. Gotta watch those feet!!!
Marylou
Well-Known Member
Thanks to all the meds I've had to take, am now type 2. Test before every meal and 5 shots a day. 2 Levemir-50 units and 3 Novolog-23 units. Have the reckless truckdriver to blame. Never had problem before accident. :no:
Marty,
My dad was a type 2.....Initially, he was given meds and strict diet instructions. He was told if he followed them, he'd not need the insulin. Well.....he got disgusted with all the rules and broken them and ended up on the insulin.
Just for the record, it's important to have a family member be educated on the subject. We learned how important it was when my dad needed some juice vs when he needed to be given insulin.......and I learned how to do the shot for him. It came in handy a couple of times.
MA
My dad was a type 2.....Initially, he was given meds and strict diet instructions. He was told if he followed them, he'd not need the insulin. Well.....he got disgusted with all the rules and broken them and ended up on the insulin.
Just for the record, it's important to have a family member be educated on the subject. We learned how important it was when my dad needed some juice vs when he needed to be given insulin.......and I learned how to do the shot for him. It came in handy a couple of times.
MA
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
Being tired is a symptom. I was tired for years in hindsight............
As to watching the sugar, that as I learned isn't really "it". It's the carbs. A dinner roll will probably spike your blood sugars as much as a glass of pepsi. It's so important to watch the carbs, to exercise, and to keep checking your numbers. If you are borderline diabetic, that means you're on your way. It's a progressive illness. You can do things to make it better, but over time, no matter what, you will need meds and more of them, etc., as your body becomes progressively resistant to what amount of insulin you can make yourself.
Also, insulin is being used more and more earlier into knowing a person is type 2. I went on it quickly because I couldn't try and get pregnant on the oral meds. I'm happy I did though because it makes controlling my numbers MUCH easier. I don't feel the shots at all. The finger tests hurt 100x more than an insulin shot.
As to watching the sugar, that as I learned isn't really "it". It's the carbs. A dinner roll will probably spike your blood sugars as much as a glass of pepsi. It's so important to watch the carbs, to exercise, and to keep checking your numbers. If you are borderline diabetic, that means you're on your way. It's a progressive illness. You can do things to make it better, but over time, no matter what, you will need meds and more of them, etc., as your body becomes progressively resistant to what amount of insulin you can make yourself.
Also, insulin is being used more and more earlier into knowing a person is type 2. I went on it quickly because I couldn't try and get pregnant on the oral meds. I'm happy I did though because it makes controlling my numbers MUCH easier. I don't feel the shots at all. The finger tests hurt 100x more than an insulin shot.
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
You have a PM.
I was so scared before I did the first insulin shot, but it is honest to God not painful. I do not feel them. I don't even know what I could compare it to to explain how it feels. I would say a pinch would hurt 100x more than the shot hurts (I take 2 a day).
I have these two books that I read, and H read, and they helped A LOT and I still look things up in them. They've got charming names -- The Complete Idiots Guide to Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetes for Dummies. There are also message boards about diabetes -- this one is very imformative: http://www.diabetesforums.com/ . I just read a lot when I found out and I see my doctor ALL the time. I used to see him every 2wks when I started on insulin. Now I see him 1x a month. Just read and learn and if your doctor's telling you to cut out the sweets -- really -- find a new doctor. You could have your sugars SKY high not eating or drinking any "sugar" but just having pasta and bread. The books really explain it so it's easy to understand the basics of what is going on, how it is progressive, and the things you can do to help yourself.
If you do have a problem, avoiding dealing with it (in terms of lifestyle, meds and education) hurts so much. It takes years off your life.
I was so scared before I did the first insulin shot, but it is honest to God not painful. I do not feel them. I don't even know what I could compare it to to explain how it feels. I would say a pinch would hurt 100x more than the shot hurts (I take 2 a day).
I have these two books that I read, and H read, and they helped A LOT and I still look things up in them. They've got charming names -- The Complete Idiots Guide to Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetes for Dummies. There are also message boards about diabetes -- this one is very imformative: http://www.diabetesforums.com/ . I just read a lot when I found out and I see my doctor ALL the time. I used to see him every 2wks when I started on insulin. Now I see him 1x a month. Just read and learn and if your doctor's telling you to cut out the sweets -- really -- find a new doctor. You could have your sugars SKY high not eating or drinking any "sugar" but just having pasta and bread. The books really explain it so it's easy to understand the basics of what is going on, how it is progressive, and the things you can do to help yourself.
If you do have a problem, avoiding dealing with it (in terms of lifestyle, meds and education) hurts so much. It takes years off your life.
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Izzyantheminis
Well-Known Member
Here's a question.
I bought a glucose monitar a couple of years ago and have tested myself pretty much daily.Both my mother and brother have type 2 so I wanted to watch myself.I was also well within the normal range until about 6 months ago.
I noticed that the readings have been getting higher each morning.I test when I get up.I have now crossed the line from pre diabetic to diabetic.Not high numbers but still past pre diabetes. Yet what has me confused is that the rest of the day my readings are normal. In fact the numbers frequently go down a lot after I eat!
Why should the numbers be so much higher after fasting for 8 hours?
I bought a glucose monitar a couple of years ago and have tested myself pretty much daily.Both my mother and brother have type 2 so I wanted to watch myself.I was also well within the normal range until about 6 months ago.
I noticed that the readings have been getting higher each morning.I test when I get up.I have now crossed the line from pre diabetic to diabetic.Not high numbers but still past pre diabetes. Yet what has me confused is that the rest of the day my readings are normal. In fact the numbers frequently go down a lot after I eat!
Why should the numbers be so much higher after fasting for 8 hours?
Yes, it just creeps up on you. Do you have any family history of type2 diabetes? I take metformin and Byetta ( which is NOT insulin) it is a shot though. I have had diabetes for 7 years.I started the same way dizzy and lightheaded and tired all the time. I should have known since it ran in my family. You have to diet and exercise and count your carbs. Most people don't get serious enough and end up with complications and damage from high counts. You are lucky to catch it early.
What really scares me is I had a doctor years ago tell me I was borderline diabetic. Then when I was diagnosed in May this Doctor told me there is no such thing as boarderline. You either are or aren't. You just have the diabetes rearing it's head sometimes depending on the time of day and what you've eaten or not.
Izzy watch your carbs, diet and exercise and you may not have to go on medication for a while. I had thought about getting a monitor 5 or 6 years ago but didn't as I have diabetes in my family. Wish I had now!
Yes there is a pill. Mine is called Metformin. I take 1000mg morning and night. This seems to be holding
me. I'm not having the spikes I was. I know there is another pill out there not sure what it is.
Izzy watch your carbs, diet and exercise and you may not have to go on medication for a while. I had thought about getting a monitor 5 or 6 years ago but didn't as I have diabetes in my family. Wish I had now!
Yes there is a pill. Mine is called Metformin. I take 1000mg morning and night. This seems to be holding
me. I'm not having the spikes I was. I know there is another pill out there not sure what it is.
Marty, I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes also. Lightheadedness was the reason I went in to the doctor to begin with.
I am hoping to control with diet and exercise but will probably end up on meds next month. Not fun getting older....
I am hoping to control with diet and exercise but will probably end up on meds next month. Not fun getting older....
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
This is something that has me ready to SCREAM some mornings and it is like classic type 2 diabetes stuff. It's called "the dawn phenomenon". I can go to bed and the number be 100 or less before bed but it is always higher in the morning. I'm not sure of the "why" but it's typical for type 2 diabetics to have high morning (pre breakfast) numbers. I've woke up before like at 1am, been low, and then woke up again around 3 or 4am, and in me, that seems to be when the numbers start going up for me. It is something that I think far more type 2 diabetics experience vs. not (but I do not think this is typical of type 1 diabetes). For the numbers to gradually come down after breakfast is also typical....
When I first started dealing with this, I would wake up and test my levels, then exercise (which should bring numbers down) and then take a shower and test before eating breakfast and my numbers would be up over what they were when I first woke up (and they were too high first thing in the morning, too). It was just SOOOOOO frustrating that I'm not eating, I'm exercising and my numbers were going UP (it was the dawn phenomenon).
One of the meds I take, Meformin, is supposed to help these numbers. It helps your liver to release less glucose and also helps your muscles be more receptive to insulin.
I would think that your higher morning numbers are actually significant and it would be good to tell your doctor about this change. I think it does signify a change in your level of progression.
Marty --
There are pills. As was said, Metformin is one and I think it's pretty much the first one doctors put a person on. It works to get your liver to pump out less glucose (sugar) and to make your muscles better receive the insulin your body makes.
Other types of pills try to make your pancreas produce more insulin.
In Type 2 diabetes, you have two problems. One is your body isn't making as much insulin as you need and the other is your muscles have become resistant to the insulin you do make (and this becomes progressively worse).
From what I understand (mostly from the diabetic magazines I get), Doctors are using insulin now way sooner than as a "last resort" because it's basically giving your body directly what it needs, vs. trying to make your body make something it's been struggling (probably for many years) to make more of.
I wish I could show people here who maybe should consider insulin what my insulin pen is like and how I do not do not do NOT feel the shots. I just can't stress enough how I don't feel the needles. Like a bite from a gnat hurts tremdously more. I just feel it's important because I think a lot of doctors want their type 2 patients on it, but the emotions of the patient over ride.
When I see these commercials on tv lately for the inhaled insulin (scared to say the name for liability!), I think each time "THIS is targetted to someone who never had an insulin shot." OMG. I'd take 100 of these shots each day before breathing some darn powder into my lungs!!!! it's just so easy and helps me so much.
Jill
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Mona
Well-Known Member
I am also one that needs to eat properly and exercise because I was diagnosed with what they termed as Hyperinsulinemia. It is a "prelude" to Type 2 Diabetes. It is not a question of IF I will get Diabetes, but when. Unfortunately, I have not been taking this seriously. I am not on any medication, and was told to eat several small portions throughout the day, and to watch for sweets. Nothing was told to me about carbs, and I even saw a dietian which I felt was a waste of time anyway! Now I KNOW it was!
: So one thing I do want to ask...I have a little carb counter book here that I bought one time when I was going on a low carb diet. Is there anything I need to know to use this inn conjuction with the diabetes part of it? Or do I just stay away from high carbs, or carbs altogether? Also, is there a "number" to not exceed when counting carbs? Maybe it is time I became more serious about this all. I have done a LITLLE better than I used to, but always tell myself "no" to something, and then buy 4 of them instead of listening to myself! 
I keep thinking something terrible is going to have to happen to me before I take it all serious enough, and then when that time comes, I may be kicking myself for not doing as I knew I should all along!
I keep thinking something terrible is going to have to happen to me before I take it all serious enough, and then when that time comes, I may be kicking myself for not doing as I knew I should all along!
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
Mona --
Everyone's different and it's hard to say how this or that will effect you because I'm thinking you're not checking your blood sugar with a meter. With me, if I eat something that is only carbs (or almost only carbs) like hard candy, bread, plain pasta -- it will spike my numbers way higher/faster than if it has protein and / or fat with it. And fiber is good too. What would be better than a strict carb counter book would be one that shows the glycemic index (which shows how fast different foods are converted to glucose -- for example a white potato is higher than a sweet potato, though you'd "think" it would be the oposite).
Jill
Everyone's different and it's hard to say how this or that will effect you because I'm thinking you're not checking your blood sugar with a meter. With me, if I eat something that is only carbs (or almost only carbs) like hard candy, bread, plain pasta -- it will spike my numbers way higher/faster than if it has protein and / or fat with it. And fiber is good too. What would be better than a strict carb counter book would be one that shows the glycemic index (which shows how fast different foods are converted to glucose -- for example a white potato is higher than a sweet potato, though you'd "think" it would be the oposite).
Jill
sfmini
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There is actually a book called the Glycemic Index that is really good. It does pay to get educated, you would be suprised at the foods that are high in sugar, like corn, peas, carrots, ketchup, bar b q sauce, pasta is tough. Those high glycemic foods that digest fast are the ones that can cause you grief.
Mona
Well-Known Member
Ketchup seems to be a killer for me. Makes me lightheaded after I eat it...or even tomato sauce etc.
