Diabetic anyone?

[Leigh]

Good afternoon everyone,

I'm a Type 2 diabetic and have come here for support and to help get myself back on track. I will admit, because I trust everyone here, that I have been ignoring my diet pretty much since I got diagnosed last October and I've been reading this thread over the last day or two. This is a horrible disease for sure, I've seen the effects it can have on people and its not something to mess with thus I am here to not only get helpful advice and hints/tips from my friends but also because I really want to rein this in before it gets out of control ~ I look forward to being part of this group

[JustJo]

Been quite awhile since I've been in this thread, but some diabetic questions came up on the healthy weight loss thread, so I thought I'd give this a bump...

Lately, my biggest struggle has been with fatigue.

I have decided that it's really hard for non-diabetics to understand the intensity and depth of diabetic fatigue. It's not a constant thing for me, thankfully, but when it's going on I am exhausted....exhausted even beyond the point I was with a new baby with colic who didn't sleep through the night until he was 17 months old, plus a high stress job.

When it hits, I literally find it a struggle to keep my eyes open. The prospect of even the simplest activities can make me feel like all I want to do is sit (or lay) down and cry.

The problem, of course, is that it's not visible to anyone else. There's no wound....no temperature...no outward symptoms. And...because of my earliest training...I keep pushing through, keep doing what I need to do, even when I feel like I could easily either throw up or dissolve in tears.

It came to a real head for me today, when I posted on Facebook about my struggles with "the devil dogs"....and one of my oldest (as in elementary school) friends gave me a mini-lecture about how "all" they needed was a long walk every day.

As if I didn't freaking know that.

But I'm a strong woman, and independent, and....yes...a bit proud. And it hurts to say "really? so then what do I do when that's the last thing in the world I can do? what do I do when I struggle some nights just to make dinner for my son and clean up the kitchen? what about how I need to focus the energy I have on my job (since it's the only thing feeding us)...and struggling just to stay even on the filth and destruction they produce each day?"

I think people are so used to seeing me just keep on doing what needs to be done, that they don't give a second thought to how I might feel while I'm doing it.

And how I feel, all too often, is exhausted beyond belief, and on the verge of tears.

*end rant*

[Heavenleahangel]

U've never seen this thread before and want to share my experience. I started out as a Type II diabetic almost 25 years ago when my diabetes didn't go away after the birth of my daughter. I was told I had been diabetic for a while as my A1c was already 8. Fast forward the 25 years and I sooo wish I had listened way back when and learned everything I could have about this dreaded disease.
I consider this disease to be a sneaky bastard as I didn't *feel* sick for many years yet the damage was slowly gnawing away at my internal organs. But in the good ole south where tea has enough sugar to be considered syrup and everything is fried and covered in gravy, diabetes is soooo down played. My aunt always said "Oh you just got a touch of sugar". I didn't hear about the repercussions of sticking my head in the sand and how working 3 jobs was killing me slowly but surely.
I now know the strange relationship between high blood sugar and high triglycerides is a deadly combination. My sugar and triglycerides tend to go hand in hand and those delicate arteries in my heart and vessels just got clogged with the plaque and gunk which lead to coronary artery disease. Thank God I found it early and had to have 2 stents put in.
I also suffer from "painful diabetic neuropathy," I don't feel my feet like I should which lead to Charcot in both feet, I have gastroparesis or nerve damage to the nerves in my stomach which makes food digestion slower, and I get an actual shot of Avastin in each eye monthly. (Yes, the dr puts a needle in the outer corner of my eye each month.) The alternative is going blind. Diabetes is nothing to play with. Did I mention I am only 43 years old? I, like some people, just didn't listen. I wish now I had...

[NJFemmie]

My mother was a type II diabetic. I remember as a little girl, she would teach me how to inject her insulin in case of an emergency, and taught me the warning signs of a diabetic attack.

With that being said, I was recently diagnosed with type II diabetes, but fortunately do not require insulin. My A1c was not that high, but enough to categorize me as an official diabetic. *sigh* Gotta love genetics. I didn't want to admit this to myself at first, because the initial feeling when you hear something like this is - "I've failed myself". But, if it runs in the family, your odds of getting it is that much higher. In fact, my sister informed me that one of my brothers now has it, and he's on a ton of medications. I do not want to walk that path.

Good news is, with diet modification and daily testing, it seems that I am for the most part, within normal readings. I have yet to get the results of my latest A1c, but I am pretty confident that it's better than before if not close to or even normal. I am only on one dose of metformin, and my doctor feels no need to increase my medication. Yay for me. It's under control and that's the goal. My ultimate goal is to get off the meds and control it with diet and exercise because this CAN be reversed.

Carbs are the enemy. I am a carb maniac, so getting used to a diet with limited carbs and sugar is rough but doable. I don't drink soda anymore, eat very little carbs, and exercise regularly because exercise helps control the insulin in your body. It's overwhelming at first, but once you get a grasp on it, it's manageable. My mom died at a very young age and I certainly don't want to follow her footsteps.

For those ignoring their diet, I implore you not to. Diabetes is a silent killer and will damage your organs and nerves over time. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, heart and other organ failure... (you get the idea). Besides, purging the crap that only does your body harm makes you feel better all around. You can still eat the things you like (for the most part), but it's all about portion control. When I eat something that I know might spike my sugar, I'll work out afterwards. I find that it lowers my sugar and burns off some of those nasty calories.