by Sunspot 28 Replies latest watchtower medical
Is there anyone here that is diabetic that could answer something for me? I am doing the finger sticking 4 times a day and have weird stuff happening. I am very new to this and cannot afford the "training session" that my doctor wanted me to go to......just found out my friend was just diagnosed about the same time I was....and SHE cannot afford the same session either!
Any help on what I think is a general question?
Annie
this is a specialized forum for health problems
I am a type 2 diabetic for ten years now. I am not sure if I can answer you questions but I am willing to try.
I have type 2 diabetes.
I check my blood in the mornings before I eat.
I use that as an indicator if the medicine is working ok or not.
My doctor wants me to test at different times, and after eating different things, to get an idea of what is the worst for me.
In the mornings, I have been around 140 for several months. Before I went on the medication I was around 200+ in the mornings.
I need to exercise and lose about 50 pounds. Probably wouldn't even have it then.
So much for self-control.
Brant
Thanks, WAC, I'll give those links a try!
Arwen.....I'm so new at this---I don't know a type 1 from a type 2.....I know some need insulin and others don't....that's about it for my knowledge LOL! A very nice poster PMed me and I am now awaiting an awnswer to my question....I DO thank you for your reply, and I may get back to you if I have more questions...
This board is just the BEST!
hugs,
Annie
Sorry, Brant---I didn't see your post before I wrote my last one. We seem to be on the same wavelength what with the testing at different times for results and all....
I ate a PopTart last week and my readings went off the roof! When I had my surgeries in June, I was so pleased I had lost 20 pounds (being very ill does have its up side).....but I didn't have the diabetes then.
Doc said I can't go without meals to diet (the only way I can DO it) so I put some of it back on having to eat when I really don't WANT to! I needed to lose 50 pounds too!
The absolute WORST is no carbs! I love pasta, potatoes, bread and rice.....and Doc said uh-uh on them (sigh).
Thanks for the reply....
hugs,
Annie
Sunspot
Not all carbs are "evil" when you are diabetic. In fact, not all carbs are created equal. There are some that cause a big jump in blood glucose very quickly, and there are others that are slower digesting that do not impact your blood glucose as much. These foods are categorized in what has become known as The Glycemic Index. The following website gives a table of various carbohydrate foods and their respective Glycemic Index (GI) number. The higher the GI number, the more readily your body breaks it down and causes an increase in blood glucose levels.
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food_diet/glycemic_index.php
You can get books and charts that give values for a wider variety of food, so you can enjoy the things you like in small amounts and make the healthiest choices possible among a given type of food.
The main difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is the body's ability to produce or utilize its own insulin. In type 1 diabetes, the person does not produce insulin, and the person needs to take insulin injections in order to manage the illness. In type 2 diabetes, the person does produce insulin, but their body has developed a resistance to the insulin it produces. In some cases, insulin levels are actually higher than normal, but the body cannot and does not utilize the insulin it produces.
There has been some research in the last 5 years or so that speculates that there may be as many as 8 or 10 different "types" of diabetes. The research is trying to ascertain the exact root cause of insulin resistance in the insulin resistant types - and there are many different factors that can influence insulin resistance, including being overweight, hormone imbalances, sedentary lifestyle, heredity, and so on.
Yes, I am diabetic, and use the tester all the time.
Type 1 is normally childhood onset, and requires insulin. Type II does not need insulin, because the problem is with the cells rejecting insulin. Type II requires weight loss and medication to get the cells to permit insulin into them. Exercise helps too. Some people can cure type II over time. Type I can never be cured.
Type II medication also help the liver to reduce sugar production. But, diet and exercise are the best ways to reduce excess blood sugar for most Type II. I take both kinds of medicine, and I am trying to lose weight and exercise. I can't until I get past the damage caused by my car collision last Friday.
You may also e-mail me at: [email protected]
Jim Whitney
I am glucose intolerant. I watch what I eat and check my sugars so I WON'T need a pill or an injection. All diabetics need to eat regular, balanced meals. It' all in the timing and measuring. Time your meals, measure your portions. That keeps the insulin in your system from spiking or dipping. You want to avoid all spikes and dips. So pop-tarts are definitely off your list. Baddies for me are THREE slices of pizza (two are OK), and white rice. I only cook brown rice now. When I started to associate sugary foods with how I felt an hour later, it wasn't so hard to give them up. They look beautiful, but for us, they are poison. Imagine those treats as poison mushrooms in disguise.
The BEST picture of a balanced diet, that really helped me visualize my portions, is the UK "plate". So much easier to imagine than the American pyramid and the Canadian columns. Now, on the buffet line, I fill up half my plate with vegetables first. A portion of meat is no bigger than a pack of cards. You'll notice the carbs portion is still there. Just watch the KINDS of carbs, as has been mentioned. Whole grain when you can.
You might be getting weird numbers because you might not be testing at the right time of day. Test first thing in the morning for your fasting number, and then two hours after your major meals. This will be long enough after the glucose spike right after you eat.
See the difference?
