Topic: You guys have any advice on dealing with adult-onset diabetes?
Topic Posted by: Mitch
Email: pmitch01@msn.com
Date Posted: Tue May 6 1:35:20 1997
Additional Comments:
I was recently diagnosed with this condition. Anybody have any experience with it? Any advice?
Posted by: The Professor
Email: None
Date posted: Wed May 7 11:06:20 1997
Message:
The first thing to keep in mind is to remeber that diabetics can live as long and as healthy a life as anyone else. All that is needed is a little more discipline.
Some suggestions I hope you will find useful:
1) Be sure to take your medication every day as presribed. Many people fail to do this because the disease is often asymptomatic. The problem is, however, that diabetes does its damage quietly, and the victim often is not even aware that he is ill. By taking medication as percribed you will go along way in avioding complications like eye, kidney, and feet problems
2) Be sure not to skip meals (especially if you are taking insulin). This is because you wan't to avoid having your blood sugar drop TOO LOW. Believe it or not, high blood sugar is not what causes most diabetics to have an emergency (high blood sugar does its damage over the long hall). The major problem is low blood sugar. This happens because insulin is designed to lower blood sugar to normal levels in cosideration of the fact that the patient has eaten normally. If, however, the individual fails to eat, his or her blood sugar will drop to dangerous levels very quickly. Usually, the individual becomes aware that this is beginning to happen because he begins to feel cold and starts to shake. This is a sign to eat immediately in order to raise the blood sugar. It is advisable to always keep some fast acting glucouse tablets on hand should this occur.
3) Exercise regularly and consistantly, but don't over do it. Exercise lowers blood sugar levels by burning off the sugars that the body uses for energy. Over doing it, however, especially if you are insulin dependant, can cause the low blood sugar problem I mentioned.
4) Avoid stress. For reasons which are not fully understood but thought to relate to the bodies "flight or fight" reaction, stress causes blood sugar levels to rise, sometimes dramatically. By the way, you do not have to avoid sugar completely. In fact, some amount of sugar is absolutely necessary since it is the bodies fuel source. What should be avoided, however, are foods with hugh sugar contents such as ice cream, cake, etc. (In the beginning you may find this harder to do than normal. This reason is because, as the body fails to properly matabolize sugar for energy, releasing it instead into the blood stream, your body will become, in essence, sugar starved. Thus your body will signal your brain to eat more sweets). In short, you may eat an occasional donut or cookie or so without any problem, but don't make a habit of it. Fruits are recommended to satisfy a sweet tooth. Also avoid eating foods overly abundant in carbohydrates, which the body converts in to sugar very easily.
Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions
Replies:
Thanks for the advice, Professor, I'm going to print it out and put it to good use....eom...Mitch
Also, Mitch....don't forget regular foot care...
Posted by: Juliette
Email: ophelia@maxinet.com
Date posted: Wed May 7 2:27:16 1997
Message:
Mitch, hope your second day goes better! My aunt has a really rare
form of diabetes. She produces too much insulin. There is medication for it
but she's managed to control it with diet and exercise. She eats absolutely
NO sugar ever. There's a cookbook she recommends to anyone who has to
go sugar free. I'll find out the title for you. She actually has some great recipes
that you'd never guess didn't have sugar in them. Her pumpkin pie is great!
Living without sugar isn't impossible, you just have to be creative!
Posted by: Mitch
Email: pmitch01@msn.com
Date posted: Tue May 6 23:59:35 1997
Message:
My first full sugar-free day! YAY!
What's next? A life of nothing but Linda McCartny Tofu Treats? ARRRRGGGHHH!
Posted by: Snoozin'
Email: Pacific Northwest
Date posted: Tue May 6 17:04:49 1997
Message:
What a timely topic! One of my almost-16-years old twins began taking insulin yesterday. He was diagnosed about 15 months ago and was able to contol it with diet and exercise for about a year, and then took pills until yesterday. This is VERY unusual for kids with diabetes. They ususally have to use insulin from the very start. My husband has had diabetes for 35 years. Of course, this has nothing to do with adult onset diabetes! But my step-mom has been a diabetic for about 6 years. She was able to control it with pills until about a year ago. She is dilligent about monitoring (4 time a day) her glucose levels. She is also very careful with her diet, and she has been very successful at keeping things controlled. I would suggest that you attend some diabetes education classes. Your doctor can probably help coordinate this. Most large clinics offer such a program. In the small town where I live, our hospital provides this service. A good program might run 3 to 5 days. It is DEFINATELY worth it! Many hospitals and clinics also offer support groups. There are several good magazines that focus on diabetes. If you're interested, I will try and find their phone numbers or address. If it's any consolation to you, I received a call from my doc, and he told me my cholesteral is high. It looks like I'll be joining the diet-exercise club. It's always something, isn't it? Sorry to have rambled on and on. Good luck!!
Replies:
Sorry, one more thing - my husband has always said that he controls the diabetes; it doesn't control him. Attitude is very important! Eom
Thanks, Snoozin....
Posted by: carin
Email: outasite
Date posted: Tue May 6 14:54:13 1997
Message:
I should probably get the test, I eat WAY to much sugar. It started when I quit drinking--can't I have ANY vices??? But i'm afraid if I don't cut back, I will develop hypoglycemia myself.
And I'm probably like Elizabeth Taylor, I heard someone say she was a lot more fun when she was a drunk!
Replies:
Elizabeth Taylor.....
Posted by: PEPPER
Email: AT THE MILL
Date posted: Tue May 6 11:09:09 1997
Message:
Dear Mitch, I found out recently I had diabetis, I have experience some weight loss .I found out that diet is the keys I have now control my diabetis ,however shopping for groceries takes a new meaning ,you will be surprise how much is out there that is ok to eat and taste good.by the way I am bear hunter significant other.
Replies:
Hey, Pepper. I know what you mean. Sugar's in everything. Also starch. Bread and pasta are my favorites right after sweets. At least we found out about it. Many don't. Thanks! Say hello to the big HO for me! eom Mitch
Posted by: Mitch
Email: pmitch01@msn.com
Date posted: Tue May 6 10:43:55 1997
Message:
Fellow posters, I think what surprised and amazed me the most is that 50% of the people, according to my doctor, with this condition don't know that they have it. I think everyone over 40 sould include a fasting glucose test with there physicals. (Thank you Dr. Mitch!)
This is supposed to be because the symptoms are often so subtle as to go unrecognised.
With me, I always drank a lot of water because I was dieting. I always had a sweet tooth and I figured the fatigue was because of work.
Boy, was I wrong!
Thanks for your kind and generous sharing of your experiences and help.
Posted by: Lacey
Email: N/A
Date posted: Tue May 6 10:03:33 1997
Message:
Heavens yes!!! I'm a home health RN & I go to people's
s homes & teach them about their newly diagnosed condition. What do you need to know? About the diet, the insulin, testing your blood sugar levels, signs & symptoms of hypo/hyperglycemia, whatever you need to know. Even how to cope with this life long disease. E-Mail me at sarahmc@bellsouth.net, & I'd be happy to give you any help or support I can. This is what I do for a living. Take care!
Replies:
Thanks, Lace. Will do.
Posted by: Leigh
Email: Dallas
Date posted: Tue May 6 2:24:14 1997
Message:
Like Sillywim, my dad has this condition. He developed this when he was 40. He is now 62. When he was younger, he would follow his diet and exercise, and he could go without insulin for the most part. After he got older, he gained weight and quit eating the right foods, so now he is on two 40cc shots of 70/30 insulin a day. If he would do what he is supposed to, he would not have to take that much. But he would rather take the stuff and eat what he wants. He has a real sweet tooth. Just try to stick to foods that don't attack your insulin supply, and I bet that you will be able to keep off the shots for a long time. The secret to this condition for my dad was to learn to eat when he felt faint. You really have to get in tune with what your body signals are telling you. If you feel dizzy or faint, you need to get some orange juice or candy in your system. It is just as dangerous for your sugar to be too low as it is too high. Get one of those home testing kits so that you can monitor your blood sugar levels, and that will help you know if you are following the right plan for you. Hope this helped. Let me know how you are feeling.
Replies:
Thanks, Leigh. Your post was reassuring. eom. Mitch
Posted by: BabyFuzz
Email: here
Date posted: Tue May 6 2:14:55 1997
Message:
Hi Mitch--Sorry for your diagnosis. What is your family history? Is your weight within normal limits? What's your blood pressure on average? Whay symptoms are you having? What caused you to be in the diagnostic situation? To what degree is your blood sugar not normal? Have you done a search on Medline? Keep us posted. :)
Replies:
Thanks, BF. Big family history of it. Weight about 15% above where it should be. Doc says I have blood pressure of 18 YO. Diagnosed because of chronic fatigue symptom. Fasting Glucose level at 125. What's Medline?
Mitch....
Posted by: Sillywim
Email: ew
Date posted: Tue May 6 2:03:14 1997
Message:
Sorry to hear that sweetie. My dad has high sugar levels and changing doctors and medication has brought it down tremendously. Are you at the point where you need insulin?
Replies:
Thanks, SW....