About a year ago I had one FBS of 103 (you need two to be diagnosed with pre-diabetes). That was my wake-up-call. I just decided I would NOT become diabetic, that it was not an option for me. I found that going cold-turkey primal and just limiting myself to proteins and veggies (and whatever natural fats came along with them plus butter, olive and coconut oil) would be the answer. Immediately, my FBS plummeted and now usually comes in around 78 or 79. My a1c is 4.9. I find that I no longer crave the bad stuff (although I certainly could eat it but it is no longer a *siren call* to me. I believe that by cutting out the bad stuff I have cut off the addiction pathways that cause a physical craving in my body. I know I can't go back without re-igniting that addiction. I do not want to fight with my body, I want to care for it.

I know that all sounds goofy, but it's all true. I have taken a hard-line stance with myself and it is *really* not that hard once you get past the craving stage of it all. I like that I can eat as much as I want of the *good* stuff and not feel deprived. I wish I had discovered this way-of-eating years ago. I always wondered how I could lose weight and now I know.

I'm almost crying reading of your stories because about all of them could have been written by me!! Personally, I found serious shame in a diagnosis of T2. It's not like I didn't have plenty of warning that I was going to get it; my diabetic father ate and drank himself to death by age 64, I had gestational diabetes and plenty of time as a "pre-diabetic." So when the time came to go on Metformin about five years ago, I just poo-poo'd all offers of counseling and classes from the health plan and set out to eat myself to death. Just horrible food choices, no testing and of course, no exercise. There's only one person to whom I've ever said the words "I have" and "diabetes" to (my husband), but you'd never know from my previous lifestyle that it was even on my radar. I've had to double my meds to keep my A1C in a somewhat acceptable range. A couple of times, I'd get back on the healthy wagon, only to fall off within a few weeks and redouble my efforts to forget I had a problem.

I have no idea what is motivating me now, but for three months, I've really made an effort to mend my evil ways and one of the great rewards has been morning readings below 120! I almost can't wait for my next annual doctor's visit, can't wait to get on the scale (when has that ever been a pleasure?!) I think that the lack of symptoms is one reason why it's so easy to deny diabetes, the lack of outward signs. I just hated that I was beholden to someone, something for my eating. Damn it, I will not let anything dictate to me what I can or can't eat! It's crazy what things a person needs to hold on to, but that was me.

I don't want to die as young as my dad (jeez, that would be about 10 years from now), or go blind, or be confined to a wheelchair. Although I don't use my condition as much as a motivator as I should, I don't think I'm denying it as much either. That's pretty OK!

Good luck to you all. Your truth telling helps.

I am exactly there right now. I just started really researching and planning a diet and exercise plan. Boy, do I need help. This is going to be rough!

I was diagnosed a pre diabetic 3 years ago. I was told to loose weight, exercise and watch my diet. I lost the weight and watched my diet and then was still diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I do really well for a while and then kind of fall off of the wagon. Not completely mind you as I do take my medicine (metformin) every day or at least almost daily unless I happen to forget to take my meds. My last hgbA1c was 6.9 and this was the first time my dr asked if I was checking my blood sugars and I told her no. I used the excuse that it was expensive. Up until then she had let me come in every 6 months but this time I was told to come back in 3 and that If my A1c was higher she would need to change my meds. That was almost 3 months ago as my appt is Tuesday. On June the 28th I made another promise to excercise, watch my diet and eat better and check my sugars. I have kept that promise since then. It has not been easy and is a daily struggle for me. I may not have started soon enough but I figure now is better that later. I will accept it if she needs to change my meds but I am sticking with the other things I have changed. This site has been a god send for me especially with my exercise. I feel that when I log in each day that I am accountable to more that just myself. Sorry about the babbling. But maybe this will help someone.......

for some of us, even if we do everything right, we will still get diabetes. Its not necessarily anyone's fault. And once its here, self blame and denial are not helpful. The best we can do is do our best.
I am better at exercise than I used to be, but am not "perfect". I do work hard at the diet, but in the beginning, I had to experiment ALOT to see what spiked my blood sugars and what didn't.
You will find your way, just don't give up and go back into denial.

Hello, everyone!
I suppose you could say I'm a denier, too. I had gestational diabetes with my second child (he is 6 now). I took a FBS reading 2 years ago and it was 99, so I thought it was okay. I was worried about getting type 2, but I think I was so worried about actually having a problem, I just ran away from it and haven't tested again until now.

Last week I had a strange allergic reaction to something. I still haven't figured it out. They put me on Prednisone and told me it could raise my BS. I've been checking it every day, and I don't like what I am seeing. I'm not sure if it is the med, or if I really have a problem. My first FBS was 101, and after supper the first day, it was 194! Wow! Anyway, I adjusted my diet and was able to bring it down, and my FBS today was 95, and that is the lowest it has been (101 being the highest). I will continue checking to see if it gets better now that the meds are done, but the first FBS reading was taken before I started the predisone. Anyway, here I am. I don't want to have diabetes. I saw what it did to my grandfather, and I need to be around for my children.

I'm in denial too. I have been for half of my life now. I am a type 2 diabetic, but my family would never know it. I dont take care of myself. I'm addicted to diet coke and sugar. I dont exercise and have no libido much to my dh's horror. I pretty much hate myself these days. Its in the family too, an aunt and 2 great uncles have/had it. The uncles died from it. I look horrible, I'm now short sighted. No one understands, except for perhaps you girls. I dont want to be like this anymore.

I think about this every time someone posts another "cheat" thread. I'm a nurse and see this all the time.
JL just thought his doc was full of s$!& until we had to remove both his legs.
BS thought ginger ale and just a bit of chocolate wouldn't hurt until we had to remove her toes.
KG let his wife administer his insulin right before he walked to the donut shop. Well, he walked to the donut shop before we cut off his toes.

I often wondered if folks just didn't read. There's certainly enough info out there about diabetes and it's effects. But I guess that in order to read it, you'd have to think it applied to you.

BTW ... I don't see this happening with folks who are type 1. Interesting ...

It took me a while to smarten up. Don't wait as long as I did.

I guess I was in denial for the past 3 years. Up until then I had lost about 70 + lbs and the diabetes was gone. I just lost it the past 3 yrs and gained a lot of the weight back and back came the diabetes with it. I am back on track now. I've decided that nothing I might want to eat is as important as my being healthy. Like someone else said here, once the cravings are gone it is much easier. It just takes a while to get my numbers back down. I know from previous experience that exercise would help that a whole lot.

Susan B, you are right. I know the risk is there for me, and I'm finally ready to accept it. I just hope I haven't done too much damage in the process of my denial. You are right about the type 1 people, too. I have a friend who has it, and he does fine. His dad had it, and it was always just a part of life for him. I feel like my freedom is being taken away. He never had that freedom to begin with.
So far, though, I don't really feel deprived. I'm not starving or anything. I just don't want my parents to find out. Yes, I am an adult, but my dad would go nuts if he found out. I would never hear the end of it. It was his mom and dad who had type 2. His mom died young of a stroke, in her late 50's, and his dad's death was long and painful. I don't want to go that way.

I know the effects too. I think that often it seems like my freedom is being taken away too. For me its finding an eating plan that I can stick to and an exercise plan.

I remember going through a terrible time when I was first diagnosed, telling my mother I'd rather have Chronic Fatigue Syndrom that diabetes, she was shocked, but I still feel that way.

Kathy, I am sorry you are having such a hard time. I am thinking you should see your doc and discuss the problems you are having, and try to get on track. I am sure the doc will want you to see diabetic educators, maybe want you on meds, and maybe include something to help your sadness. It sounds overwhelming for you. I am sure there is a lot of help for you available. It is time.
We are here for you.

It can definitely be a life-changing disease, and it is progressive. Even very tight monitoring and maintenance of blood sugars can sometimes only push back the progression.

That being said, there's a lot you CAN do to control/maintain your disease. And it is YOUR disease, not your doctor's or your father's. Only you can make the decisions and take the actions necessary to lessen the possible side effects.

I learned a great deal from the Blood Sugar 101 site about monitoring and keeping my BG within acceptable limits. I read on two or three diabetes-specific boards to get ideas for food and exercise, and like here, to get support when I'm discouraged, frustrated, or about to give up again.

I think the support aspect of the disease is integral to feeling confident to face and manage it. We're so lucky to have this disease in the era of the Internet. Sure, there's a lot of bad info out there, too! But it is outweighed by the loads of good info, and the thoughtful, supportive people out there who are going or have gone through the same struggles you are, and can help you get through them, too.

Synger! this blood sugar 101 page is wonderful!
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
Thanks for the tip!