I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, does anyone have any advice?
Asked by
Yesican (
28
)
August 31st, 2008
why do I feel sluggish all of a sudden , what to eat and why,should I test my own blood sugar ,how dangerous is this condition etc…
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
14 Answers
Your doctor is the best source for the advice you seek. I will say that seeing a nutritionist to come up with an eating plan that suits your needs will help you immensely.
Yes.
Find yourself a physician who specializes in that affliction, and do EXACTLY what s/he tells you to do.
August 31, 2008, 7:56 PM EDT
Diabetes type 2 is a disease that can be managed over a long period of time without too much difficulty.
Jackadams is spot on. Find an endocrinologist who specializes in this disease and follow his or her advice. If you are not comfortable with the first one you find, find another one.
From your profile it seems that you live in a metropolitan area that will have tons of physicians for you to choose from.
No one really knows what goes on with type 2 diabetes. Either your body has stopped producing insulin or your cells have developed a resistance to insulin. This results in an uncontrolled level of glucose in your bloodstream. High blood sugar will just make you feel lousy, headache-y, sluggish is a good description and there is nothing you can do about it other than take a shot of insulin or wait for the sugar levels to subside.
Low blood sugar is a lot more dangerous, at least at the moment it occurs, because you are not providing your organs with enough fuel and as these organs begin craving sugar they compete for what is in your blood stream or they tell your liver to start producing more glucose. Very low blood sugar can be life-threatening if it goes too low. It can be corrected by simply chewing two glucose tablets, or drinking 4 oz of orange juice or anything else to get sugar back in to your bloodstream.
You are testing for several reasons: to see what your readings are over time, such as when you wake up or just before lunch, etc; to show you how your body reacts to certain activities like heavy exercise or a big meal, to see how your body is taking sugar into the bloodstream 30 or 60 minues after a meal. Your readings are going to fluctuate as you eat, digest and metabolize your intake of food. The readings are designed to let you know what is going on.
The other test you should learn about is the a1c or hemoglobin test that willl give you and your physician a reading of what your sugar level has been over the prior ten to twelve weeks.
The end results of uncontrolled diabetes are not pretty. If affects your organs, most notably your heart and can lead to heart disease. It can lead to losing circulation in your extremities (toes, feet and fingers) which in turn can lead to amputation.
Diabetes is hard on your kidneys too.
It also worsens progressively so whatever you can do to control your sugar levels will pay off in delaying these nasty end-results.
SRM
I recently found a great site called dLife that has LOTS of great info and seemingly endless forums. It can be located here
I have type 2 and when I lost weight from exercising more, it got better to the point that I no longer have to take medication for it. I just manage with diet and exercise. Check out the American Diabetes Assicuations website. They have a lot of info and a lot if great books you can order with info and cooking, diet, etc. Get yourself a medic alert
Sorry! My iPhone is being weird! Anyway, get yourself some medic alert jewelry and always carry some candy or glucose tabs with you. And test your blood sugar frequently! You can’t do that too much. Good luck!
My dad has struggled with his diabetes for years. Last year, he dropped to comatose levels 3 times within a span of 6 months (17, 19, and 20). One of those times, he called the paramedics just before he passed out on the side of the highway in his car at 11pm. He doesn’t even remember calling them.
Finally he went to a diabetic counselor, who discovered that his endocrinologist must’ve been trying to kill him. The insulin regimen he had my father on was completely wrong. The diabetic counselor recommended a good endocrinologist, who put my dad on an insulin pump. The newer pumps even test your sugar for you (YOU MUST STILL DO IT ON YOUR OWN it warrants the caps) and inputs the data. The pump then gives you a steady stream of insulin, so theoretically, you should never be too high or too low. Since then, my dad has only dropped twice (there was a kink in the tubing for the pump, and another time when he was sick, which, for a diabetic, can be perfect condition for your body to be more resistant to insulin than usual).
Long story short, be vigilant… be completely OCD about your blood sugar. Don’t forget. Don’t take more insulin to make up for the extra food. Don’t forget to eat. Don’t neglect to eat. Test often. Keep a written log of what you eat, how much, insulin, sugar levels, etc. every day, every test, every meal, without fail. Exercise. Do yourself a favor and see a diabetic counselor in addition to an endocrinologist, and a nutritionist.
This is not a great idea if you’re already on medicine for it, but my husband was able to stay off of medicine and control it for about 4 years with diet, exercise, and a suppliment that you can buy at the healthfood store called chromium picolinate. Chromium only works if chromium deficiencies are a contributor to your diabetes which doctors rarely tests for. But a lot of people find that it works very well for them. My sister also swears by the herb fenugreek. I’ve also heard very good results from diabetic friends using dandelion root.
I heard that cinnemon helps too.
Response moderated (Spam)
Response moderated (Spam)
Response moderated (Spam)
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
