Diabetes #8

[jlea]

Hi,

Where has everyone gone? :D I hope you all made it through Christmas okay!

I had a nice Christmas, went to visit 2 of my kids right before Christmas and exchange gifts with them. We got back home in time for an ice storm!

I've been very careful with my eating this holiday season, and when I go to the doctor on January 8, I should have a good report. My blood sugar readings have been really good! This is such a change from a year ago.

I have lost 71 pounds now. :) My weight loss has really slowed down. I'm eating at the mid to high range of my points now so I'm losing very slowly. I never have officially started trying to maintain my weight, my body is doing it for me. It's been almost 8 weeks since I made lifetime at WW. This has been an amazing year for me! :)

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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[budette424]

Woo Hoo! Congratulations! You lost 71 pounds in one year? I did visit your homepage, and you really can motivate us by seeing how well you've done! Thanks for sharing your photos and stories. :)

Glad you had a nice Christmas. I had a nice one also. No snow, or ice storm. Glad your blood sugar reading is going well. My hubby's a diabetic. I think he's cheating on his eating! :mad:

Take care! :)

[LWEST]

HI JANET,
PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU CAN HAVE DIABETES AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT. I HAVE BEEN TRING FOR YEARS TO CONTROLL MY WEIGHT BUT I ONLY GAIN MORE WEIGHT. I KNOW YOU HAVE TO CUT THE SUGAR OUT OF YOUR DIET ,AND I DO THAT AND I STAY WITH IN MY POINT RANGE BUT STILL I CAN NOT LOSE TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT , TELL ME ANY THING PLEASE, I NEED YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU
HELP . LWEST

[jlea]

Hi LWEST,

Are you on insulin? Type 1 or 2? I'm a type 2. I have had diabetes for almost 18 years, and been on insulin for 8. I have had a lot of trouble controlling my diabetes and at the first of the year I was taking 140-170 units of insulin a day. Insulin will make you gain weight, plus the fact that I was overeating all the time because I felt hungry all the time!

When I started Weight Watchers, I cut back 10 units of insulin with my morning and bedtime shots the first day, and 5 units on my lunch and supper shots. Then every few days I would adjust my insulin again.

I have stayed within my point range every day since I started WW. My blood sugar does best when I don't eat a lot of carbohydrates, so I have smaller portions of rice, potatoes, and pasta, usually no more that 1/2 cup at a meal. I don't eat fried foods any more, except once a week or so I have a hamburger and 1/2 small order of tater tots from Sonic! :D That's the only time I eat beef too.

I ate at the low to mid point range most of the week, would use a couple of banked points on one day to shake things up. Now I'm eating at the mid to upper point range.

I don't know what to tell you, I think it was the fact that I was using portion control, less insulin, and walking that did it for me. I try to walk 5-6 days a week and do a toning tape 2 or 3 times a week--nothing hard and I don't walk real fast or anything.

Try cutting back on your carbohydrates and see if that helps you. The WW program recommends too many for a diabetic. And they turn to sugar, so it doesn't help your blood sugar.

I just try to focus on the things that affect my blood sugar. Milk products and fruit raise it too much so I don't eat fruit and I take calcium chews to get my calcium. Watch the carbs, but don't cut them out. I make sure I have at least 4 or 5 points of protein a day, and 3-4 points of fat. I eat lots of cooked vegetables. I can't eat them raw. I have nerve damage in my stomach from diabetes and they just sit in my stomach for hours. I take medication for it. I also have to eat a lower fiber diet because of it. I'm not crazy about water, but I drink it! :D The better my blood sugar, the less insulin I've had to take. I now only take 6 units at breakfast and 2 units at supper!

I hope I've been of some help. Don't get discouraged, if you're staying in your point range, the weight is going to start coming off!





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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[LWEST]

HI JANET,
THANK YOU FOR WRITING ME BACK IT REALY MEANS ALOT. IAM GOING TO PRINT OUT YOUR INFORMATION AND KEEP IT I THINK IT WILL HELP ALOT, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SAID I KNEW SOME I DID'NT. OH I AM NOT ON INSULIN.THANK YOU AGAIN AND I WIIL LET YOU KNOW HOW I DO.


LWEST


F

[jlea]

I'm glad I could help. Let us know how you are doing.

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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[ladydi]

Hi: glad to see things are picking up. My holidays were okay, I overate, I am trying to get back on track. I haven't tested my sugar lately, one reason is I am waiting for a free meter I ordered. I hate the Precision Meter I have now, there is nothing precise about it.
LW: I am type 2, I took glucotrol xl for years, trying to loose weight was a constant battle--it still is, but now I am on glucophage, it seems to not make me as hungry..Good luck on your journey.
Di

[jlea]

Di,

What kind of meter are you getting? I can't believe Aetna would give out so many of those Precision meters to diabetics-but they aren't very good so I guess that's why! :D

budette424,

Hi! I just realized I didn't post back to you. Thank you for the compliments! How long has your husband been a diabetic? Tell him not to cheat! I've got enough complications from doing that for too long-I'd give anything to be able to go back and do it over! :)

I've been adding more pictures to my weight loss albums. I plan on adding at least one every month. I'm also going to add an anniversary picture next month. Valentine's Day will be my 32nd wedding anniversary.

Have a good week!

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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[ladydi]

I am not sure what type of meter it is..I went to the site diabetes in control, they offer free meters, they give you a description of two meters you choose the one you would like,,,the one I picked sounds like your freesyle, I am not sure because I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE IT...I emailed them earlier this week, one person got back to me but said another person would let me know when I was receiving it,,the other person still has not responded to me,,,so I am patiently waiting..
Have a nice weekend.

[baboo]

Hi All - Glad to see the thread has been picked up again. I lost 3 pounds during the holidays - thank God! I ate what I wanted - just had very tiny amounts. Unfortunately, I finally got to see the endocrinologist and he put me on 12 units of Humolog 75/25 before dinner every day to help bring my sugar down in the morning. It has really helped - taking my BS from 180-190 down to 120-130 in the mornings. I use an insulin pen - so it's not too hard to do the shots - just kind of freaked me out at first! I go back to see him again at the end of January. Good news is that my BP has finally come down to the normal range - I'm hoping to get off one of my four meds soon! I joined the Y at the beginning of December and am trying to walk at least 5 days a week. We've had bad weather and lots of relatives so I've slacked off some. Well, let's keep this one going. Later - Barbi

[Tato]

Janet: CONGRATULATIONS on your successful year! I am lurking here today at this thread and am very impressed. This is a wonderful accomplishment and you should be very proud! Took a look at your pics and you look great! You are truly an inspiration, and now I think I really can reach my goal this year. (lost 28 in 2000, WILL LOSE 20-25 by October!). I hope you have a great year!

Tato
196.4/168/145?

[This message has been edited by Tato (edited 01-16-2001).]

[caras]

Hi everyone..I've been a mess for months but am now gathering my skirts and back to the business of living.
Janet...you go, girl! 71 pounds is so great. Unfortunately, I understand only to well the complications of years of "denialbetes" myself.
This January marks 39 years I have been an insulin dependent Type I diabetic. I have severe neuropathy (both hands and forearms and feet & legs to the knees) and am beginning to show signs of kidney involvment.
Glad to see folks posting again on this site. Pleased to know all of you.
Whatever happened to Ellie?

[jlea]

Hi everyone,

Tato and caras, thanks! I had my appointment with the endocrinologist on Jan. 8. My doctor was very pleased. My HbA1c was 5.5%. I don't think I've ever had one that low!

I've been very busy the past couple of weeks, but will try to get here to post more often.

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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[sami]

jlea-Why to go!!!!! I did well for awhile but the holidays killed me and now I am having trouble keeping my bs steady I am on the rollercoaster! It is so hard to get back on plan. But after reading your posts I am ready to pick back up!!!!!! Thanks for you words of wisdom! Sami

[jlea]

Hi guys!

Well, I had quite a scare Tuesday night. I had walked on the treadmill, then took a break while my husband did his walk. We started an exercise tape and was about 10 minutes into it and I started getting chest pains. I talked to my daughter on the phone, she's a nurse, and she said to take aspirin and go to the ER if I felt like I needed to.
The pain eased off, then started again and felt like a vice squeezing my chest and I couldn't breathe. So we headed for the hospital, they started me on oxygen and hooked me up to monitors. I was scared to death. My blood pressure was 183/94 when I got there. (it's normally really low) They started doing tests and by 3:30 a.m. had admitted me to a room. I was there until the next afternoon, after the last blood test was done and they got the results. It was not a heart attack. I had to go to the cardiologist's office for more tests the following morning and they called me yesterday with the good news that there was no problems with my heart, no blockages, no damage, everything looked real good. :)

It scared me to death, though! My dad died of a heart attack 4 years ago. I will be seeing my family doctor and endocrinologist and seeing if the chest pains are somehow diabetes related. Who knows! Anyway, I am back to normal, if I ever was normal, and back to exercising. My blood pressure was back to it's low range 30 minutes after I got to the hospital and calmed down. My blood sugar stayed crazy for a couple of days but is back to good readings again. What a week.

I'm still losing weight, slowly but surely. I've lost 73 pounds now. I'm still not off of insulin, but most days only taking one shot of 3 units of lente and 2 units of lispro. Some days I need an extra 1 or 2 units of lispro but not often.

I hope everyone's doing good.



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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[ladydi]

Janet: sorry to hear about your problem. You are very disciplined, I like reading your post because one day I hope to be as disciplined as you are. Just keep up your appointments until you get to the bottom of why it happened.
I am happy to report I bought the "freestyle meter",,I love it,no more finger pain, the forearm is a better place to test, thanks for the info.
I had to give up on waiting for the supposedly free one I was getting in the mail,it just never came.
My readings are not as good as when I was on glucotrol, I am glucophage now, 500 mg 2x a day, I think I need one of the starch blocker pills, I am going to discuss it with my doctor next month. I have never been to a endo. I think that is a option I need to explore also.
Everyone take care..
Di

[baboo]

Hi All - Things are going better for me. I'm up to 70 pounds lost now, my blood pressure has come down to normal and I was able to quit taking one of my 4 BP meds! I am still taking the Glucophage and 12 units of Humolog before dinner and my BS has been great! I increased my walking to 2 miles 5 days a week an am still losing and feeling great! Just a few months ago my BS readings were up in the 170-180 range, now I am in the 90 - 120 range. The only problem I have is that my triglycerides are real high and I had to start taking Tricor - which is making my joints ache! Oh well...
How is everyone doing? I hope that things are going well for everyone else. What happened to all the "chicks"? Come back and write and let us know how you are doing. Later - Barbi

[ladydi]

Hi everyone:

Barbi your progress is great, keep up the good work, I hope to get in your range one day, or should I say I will get in your good bs ranges soon.

[jlea]

Di, I'm glad you are enjoying the meter as much as I do!

Barbi, you are doing great! And I forgot to tell you-I didn't have any trouble when taking the tricor. Maybe you should mention it to the doctor.

I was down another pound at weigh-in Monday night! :) I've lost 74 pounds now!

I've been posting new pictures in my weight loss album for anyone that's interested. :)

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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[baboo]

Hi All - How is everyone doing? I started an exercise class last week using a weight bar and I am hurting! I have aching muscles where I didn't know I had muscles! http://www.3fatchicks.com/ubb//lol.gif
I am also still walking - I will continue to lose weight even if it kills me!

I have noticed that since I started taking the Tricor I feel bloated all the time. Does anyone know what causes your triglycerides to be high? Or is it just one of the many problems that comes with diabetes?

Later - Barbi

[Tato]

Janet, thanks for sharing about your Freestyle meter. My old meter is over 5 years old and takes forever to register the reading so my doctor wrote a prescription for a new glucose monitor, leaving the brand name blank so I could pick out the one I wanted. I was happy to discover my health plan pharmacy sells the Freestyle monitor so I got mine last night. It works great! No more sore fingers! I also like the averaging feature (my old one did not have this). Again, thank you!

[jlea]

Hi everyone,

Tato, I'm glad you like the meter. I love mine and would hate to have to go back to finger testing now!

I haven't been to this site to post much lately. Not much going on with me...just waiting for spring! I'm sick of this cold weather. :D I'm still losing weight slowly but I don't have another official weigh-in until March 5.



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Janet

www.picturetrail.com/janetlf (http://www.picturetrail.com/janetlf)

[jlea]

Hi everyone,

I hadn't checked the thread in a while and it has a whole new look.:)

How is everyone doing? Things are still about the same for me. My weight is still the same, maintenance is truly maintenance! I'm still at 74 pounds lost, trying for another pound to get another star at my WW meeting.

My blood sugar is staying in a good range and I see my doctor in about 6 weeks. I'm hoping for another good report. I don't think my A1c will be as low as before because I had some trouble getting my BS regulated after I was in the hospital in January. But it should still be okay!

I'm anxiously awaiting the birth of my new granddaughter in May. My daughter-in-law saw the doctor yesterday and her BS was a little high! I hope she doesn't develop diabetes during her pregnancy!

[ladydi]

Hi everyone:
Just checking in.
Janet seems like you have been doing okay since your hospital stay.
Congrats on you forth coming grand child.

I have been okay, my bs is still not stable. I saw a ad for the Atlast monitor so I bought one of those.
CVS had a sale, if you bought 50 strips for 35.00 you got the meter free, so now I have the Atlast and Freestyle, I am going to see which one I like best. The Atlast has everyone if one piece, the needle, testing strip and meter and all together, you test in your forarm or thigh.

I take glucopage, I am think I am going to try the new gucophage xr...I was considering taking a starch blocker but a email buddy told me the starch blockers gave him horrible gas..When I was on glucotrol xl my surgars were fine, but it made me gain weight so I am not going back on that. I think I need some type of combo, I have never been to endo. I think that should be my next step..
Take care. hope everyone is fine...Di

[baboo]

Hi All - I love the new look of the Message Board. Sounds like y'all are doing well. I'm doing pretty good - still losing a little at a time. My BS has been great! I'm usually between 85 - 110 every reading. I know it has to be because of the walking - if I skip a couple of days it starts going back up! I'm walking 2 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week. Plus I'm going to an exercise class on Tuesday and Thursday. This is the woman who could barely walk a half-mile without huffing and puffing just a year ago!:-) I feel so much better now and so much more energetic! Do I sound like a TV commercial? Haha!

The diet is going okay - I pretty much eat what I want, but really stay away from the sweets, rice and soda! Nothing can raise my BS more than just one Coke! I used to drink 2 or more a day!

I don't have another round of doctors until April - then I hit them all at once! Our clinic has started charging now to see the diabetes counselor - so I only see her once every 4 months now.

My fingers have started getting stiff and sore - I think I'll look into getting one of those new meters. I sure get tired of sticking myself!

Y'all take care - keep the thread going! Barbi

[Wisteria44]

Hello Janet:

I am a 44 year old lady with diabeteas. I am very overweight and I need to lose weight. I am starting a diet plan (sensible). I am on actos and glucotrol(plain) and I want to start an exercise plan but afraid of the lows in my blood sugar. Any suggestions?

kathy

[jlea]

Hi Kathy,

Exercise is great for your diabetes. Just remember to start slow and test your blood sugar so you know where your blood sugars are. I test before I start and about 1/2 hour afterwards.

I follow the WW program, with a few changes for my diabetes. My doctor says walking is the best exercise for a diabetic, so that is what I do the most. I also have a non-aerobic exercise tape I do for toning and I have recently started using light hand weights to help tone my arms. I don't do any formal exercise routine, your exercise can be very simple and really help lower your blood sugar. Don't be afraid to exercise. You will probably be able to lower your medication as you lose weight and exercise.

Welcome to our group.:) We will help you any way we can. Post often!

[jlea]

Hi everyone,

Boy it's been a while since we've posted on this thread! I hope some of you are still around. I've been very busy with family things--I'm a grandma again! The baby was about 4 weeks early, but she's doing great. She weighed 5 lbs. 11 oz. Her name is Madison.:) She was born May 8.

I'm still doing good with my maintenance and my diabetes. My last A1c was April 16. It was 6.0, slightly higher than my 5.5 from last time but the doctor said that was fine. My weight is still holding steady. The scales are trying to move down a little again, and I won't complain if they do! :D I've maintained within a pound since February at my WW weigh-ins.

That's about it for me!

Anyone else???

[QUEENY]

HI EVERYONE.

I'M NEW HERE AND JUST LEARNING HOW TO POST TO THIS SITE AND ALSO LEARNING HOW TO DEAL WITH MY TYPE 2 DIABETES. I HAVE LOADS OF QUESTIONS, AND HOPE YOU CAN HELP.

I AM ON DIET AND EXERCISE ONLY, AND MY BS HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD SINCE I WENT FOR MY COUNSELING WITH A DIABETES NURSE AND NUTRITIONIST. THEY PUT ME ON 45 GMS. OF CARBS FOR EACH MEAL AND 15 FOR SNACKS (2). IT'S BEEN PRETTY TOUGH TO DO THAT, BUT I AM TRYING. I AM LEARNING TO READ LABELS! I HAVE ALSO LOST ABOUT 12-15 LBS. SINCE I'VE BEEN DIAGNOSED.

YOU ALL SOUND VERY SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL. I HOPE WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU, AND WE WILL TALK SOON, I HOPE.

[jlea]

Hi Queeny,

Welcome to the group. I've never counted carbs with my diabetes. Is it hard to do? I just experimented with serving sizes until I know how much to eat--which isn't much!:D Really though, I do best with my blood sugar when I eat no more than 1/2 cup of pasta or rice at a time, or 4 oz. of potatoes. More than that and I have to take an extra shot. After having diabetes for a long time, I know my limits. I have gastroparesis and have to watch what I eat too--no potato skins or most raw vegetables, and I eat a more low fiber diet. (gastroparesis is a complication of diabetes, when you get nerve damage in your stomach and have trouble emptying your stomach after eating) Not fun sometimes!:) The higher your diet is in fiber, the harder it is to digest. I have to take medication daily.

Congratulations on the weight loss! Keep it up!