Just what I needed....

[ChristinaM 0]

As if knowing that you've put on 60 pounds since you landed in the US wasn't bad enough, it feels REALLY, REALLY good to find out that you've given yourself Type II diabetes to go along with it. Add to that the fun of moving house and not knowing how you're going to pay the rent, work stress and taking your driving test in the afternoon (in the rain at school kicking out time) and my goodness, doesn't it make for a great Thursday.

Does anybody have any experience in dealing with diabetes on a day to day basis? I mean, I'm searching online and it's telling me to lose weight, exercise more, stop eating potatoes, hunt for low GI foods and stop smoking, and that all sounds pretty sucky to me. But how does diabetes impact your life in real terms?

I'm not expecting them to amputate from the neck down tomorrow or anything, right?!

Edited June 8, 2006 by clmarsh

[Fuzzness 2]

sorry you have to go through this chris. just look for low or sugar free foods i guess. and do what your dr tells you. you should be fine. millions of people have happy, normal lives, with type ii

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Wow, sorry to hear it

[thndrdancr 0]

I am pretty convinced that the immigration process (i.e. not working, the stress, etc.) also caused my husband to have borderline sugar highs as well. Sad that the things you can get from sitting around and worrying can give you. He was busy, but apparently not busy enuff.

Anyhow, I am also diabetic. Sometimes its really rough, to be honest. Starches are bad, really bad, they are worse than a piece of cake or most desserts even. So try to tone them down a LOT, you can still eat SOME, but the white vegetables, pasta, bread of the days of old, rice, forget it! No more BIG piles of spagetti with several pieces of garlic toast! So also corn and pototoes, tone them down. Carrots are not as high in sugar, but still have quite a bit. Just remember...GREEEEEEEN!

Every once in a while, I feel like ALL I can eat are green beans, or spinach, or lettuce. Those are totally free (free is something that has no sugar value, you can pretty much eat all you want without raising the sugars) Now I love them, but....I really dont wanna LIVE on them and I am NOT a rabbit! I think asparagus is another one, pretty much anything that is totally green.

Any vegetable with color, has a sugar content. Meat doesnt have much sugar content, but you have to watch that breading or anything like that that covers it. Just kinda think along the lines of Atkins diet, the stuff they recommend is also stuff with low or no sugars. Doesnt mean you have to DO the Atkins diet, but it gives you an idea of the stuff that has sugar as opposed to no or little sugars (or starch which TURNS to sugar).

Feel free to ask me any questions at all. It hasnt really impacted my life terribly, it HAS made me watch what I eat a lot more tho, and you have to be very careful about becoming dehydrated, especially if sugars are high, your body uses a lot more water to dry to drain it off (thus having to go to the restroom more). Its a pain, more potty trips, more water drinking, (I CANT do without my jug of water anymore), more being VERY careful what you eat, more exercising, and try not to stress too much, cuz even that can raise sugars. Also birth control pills, too, can raise it wayyyy high. The hormone estrogen causes that.

I dont mean to scare you. It is a life changing thing tho, and very scary (it was to me anyhow ), and even tho most people know about it, they dont understand how sometimes when you have to eat, you have to eat NOW! That kind of thing is what I have experienced. They are usually like, Ok, when we are done here kind of thing, and you are ready to faint in the Walmart aisle or some such thing.

Take care of yourself, I have had it for 13 years now and unfortunately finally had to go to insulin in the last couple of years.

[cheeky^Wolf 0]

I'm type 2 also, diagnosed last year and thankfully being controlled by diet and medication.

Before I left the UK i lost 25lbs and it really brought down my levels, so much so that my medication was cut in half. Only problem was, it put my cholesterol up!

I am a slave to water too now, you get used to the trips to the loo and I usually try not to drink any after 8pm so I'm not up and down through the night.

One good thing, it's really made me think about what I eat. I never had a sweet tooth before but now I really think about how much sugar is in everyday foods.

My doctor described it to me as I have the metabolism of someone from a third world country with the apetite and temptations of someone from the western world. Made sense to me!

Good luck.

Helen

[usarandyo 0]

I'm no PhD so take what I say only from what I know from College and what my Father and Mother endure.

Sweets are all but eliminated!

Even some food, as you mentioned potatos, are reduced or eliminated.

You must take care and watch bruises and what you used to consider "minor" injuries.

You will test yourself everyday for your blood sugar levels.

You will fall asleep like a little baby and get tired much easier.

You will not be as strong as you once thought you were.

You will exercise regularly and lower your body fat or else.

Diabetes is a horrible, horrible thing. It can be controlled and you will be ok if you are very strict. If you are not well I can assure that you will be like my father... he started out type II and is now type I. Why?? Because he thought he could just keep doing what he did before diabetes. Everyone in our family knew that if you wanted candy just sneak out to Dad's truck but we could not force him to change.

So if you are not strict and you do not watch yourself everyday. If you think type II is the worst you can get, well...

Oh and btw... this year my Mother was diagnosed with diabetes. How did that happen with no history of is in her family?? Ahh, well she would buy cakes and pies all the time for everyone. Well she would eat some everyday a couple times and probably alittle more than the rest of us ever knew. She would buy the stuff because my Father would raise a big fuss if he did not get the stuff after dinner. She said she knew that he was eating it away from home so why not give it to him at home so she can atleast know how much he eats. Yeah I know.... and i tried to explain the backwards logic but... now she knows and she now has diabetes.

Just be careful and be as strict as you can everyday. It won't be easy but I have seen many people live good lives while fighting this disease.

[raymaga 25]

I know that you can eat all the fish you want, so hopefully, you like fish. Of course, it shouldn't be breaded or battered.

I believe you can also eat all the eggs you want (of course, they're not good for cholesterol, though, so don't eat too many).

My son is a Type 1 diabetic and uses insulin, but now that he's in his 20's, I have kind of forgotten a lot of the eating habits when you are trying to keep blood sugar levels down.

Go to your local library and get books on diabetes and start reading, reading, reading. Also, go to the American Diabetes Association website. They have a wealth of information and you could probably even call them and talk to a Diabetic information specialist.

I have gained at least 15 pounds since I came to the U.S. as well. I think once the stresses of immigration stop, you stop burning as many calories.

Good luck.

[Dixie_Peach 1]

My mom was also diabetic...

she changed her diet, quit smoking, and walked in the evenings...

but, it was found too late because she developed the eye disease (macular degeneration - ?), and was considered legally blind...

At least you have found out now... and with the necessary changes, you can become healthy...

it doesn't mean that you can't EVER have sweets or starches... just have to cut back to less than your normal...

wishing you better health!

Lynne

[Jenn! 918]

I didn't realize you could "give yourself" diabetes by gaining weight. Is that really how it works? I always thought diabetes was genetic, but I definitely don't keep up to date on the health news front...

Sorry to hear!

[Nessa 23]

I'm not expecting them to amputate from the neck down tomorrow or anything, right?!

no, u're just gonna have to change your diet, follow your doctor's advice and you're gonna be ok.

[ChristinaM 0]

LOL @ Nessa!

Thanks guys, that's the kind of thing I wanted to know.

The really, really sucky thing is that I don't eat white bread, white pasta, a whole lot of candy or drink much soda. I eat a lot of green veggies, but also a fair amount of potatoes. My cholesterol is great though - under 150.

And I'm just whining really.

Edited June 8, 2006 by clmarsh

[springrobin 0]

my mom developed diabetes just this year (gained loads of weight too - part of Type II diabetes). She has been able to control with diet (although excersize is still a tough thing for her to do), and she monitors her sugars. She lost a bit of weight with that, and has found quite a few good diabetic cookbooks on the bargain table at Borders.

It does suck, as she is a terrific baker, and when she was my age (35) she was a stick and could eat anything. But, her priorities have been put in order, and luckily doesn't have to go on insulin - as long as she keeps the diet under control.

Good luck, and hang in there!

[Welshcookie 17]

awwwww what a bummer for you my eldest has had diabetes since a baby and is a strapping 19 yr old now but he is insulin controlled, you have a learning curve a head of you for sure. It is always a concern with me when I pile weight on as I worry about diabetes as it runs in our family. You will lose weight tho with your new diet......small consolation I know.....

Good luck and keep healthy

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I am pretty convinced that the immigration process (i.e. not working, the stress, etc.) also caused my husband to have borderline sugar highs as well. Sad that the things you can get from sitting around and worrying can give you. He was busy, but apparently not busy enuff.

Anyhow, I am also diabetic. Sometimes its really rough, to be honest. Starches are bad, really bad, they are worse than a piece of cake or most desserts even. So try to tone them down a LOT, you can still eat SOME, but the white vegetables, pasta, bread of the days of old, rice, forget it! No more BIG piles of spagetti with several pieces of garlic toast! So also corn and pototoes, tone them down. Carrots are not as high in sugar, but still have quite a bit. Just remember...GREEEEEEEN!

Every once in a while, I feel like ALL I can eat are green beans, or spinach, or lettuce. Those are totally free (free is something that has no sugar value, you can pretty much eat all you want without raising the sugars) Now I love them, but....I really dont wanna LIVE on them and I am NOT a rabbit! I think asparagus is another one, pretty much anything that is totally green.

Any vegetable with color, has a sugar content. Meat doesnt have much sugar content, but you have to watch that breading or anything like that that covers it. Just kinda think along the lines of Atkins diet, the stuff they recommend is also stuff with low or no sugars. Doesnt mean you have to DO the Atkins diet, but it gives you an idea of the stuff that has sugar as opposed to no or little sugars (or starch which TURNS to sugar).

Feel free to ask me any questions at all. It hasnt really impacted my life terribly, it HAS made me watch what I eat a lot more tho, and you have to be very careful about becoming dehydrated, especially if sugars are high, your body uses a lot more water to dry to drain it off (thus having to go to the restroom more). Its a pain, more potty trips, more water drinking, (I CANT do without my jug of water anymore), more being VERY careful what you eat, more exercising, and try not to stress too much, cuz even that can raise sugars. Also birth control pills, too, can raise it wayyyy high. The hormone estrogen causes that.

I dont mean to scare you. It is a life changing thing tho, and very scary (it was to me anyhow ), and even tho most people know about it, they dont understand how sometimes when you have to eat, you have to eat NOW! That kind of thing is what I have experienced. They are usually like, Ok, when we are done here kind of thing, and you are ready to faint in the Walmart aisle or some such thing.

Take care of yourself, I have had it for 13 years now and unfortunately finally had to go to insulin in the last couple of years.

The South Beach diet can help with diabetes and weight loss.

Good Carbs versus Bad Carbs

The Right Fat

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/landing/inde...0and%20diabetes

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

I'm not expecting them to amputate from the neck down tomorrow or anything, right?!

no, u're just gonna have to change your diet, follow your doctor's advice and you're gonna be ok.

I agree. I have no personal experience but know diabetics at work and they pretty much stick to their diet and exercise regimen and they do just fine. Amputations come from not caring for yourself or, worse, not being diagnosed until it is too late. You have an early diagnosis and you are young!

Try not to beat yourself up too much.