i was recently diagnosed about a month or so ago with type 2. I must say this has to be one of the biggest most confusing challenges of my life. I was eating great, exercising almost daily...cardio and weight training. I was taking supplements..ironically most of which r said to help prevent getting diabetes....and over the last year had lost 25 pounds. My weightloss put me at the low end of normal for my bmi. I was absolutely shocked when my dr gave me the tragic news. Luckily for me I have found that I have needed to change very little of my eating to adapt to this new lifestyle I have been dropped into...but I cant shake the feeling that my body has betrayed me. I find myself angry and frustrated most days. There are foods like chocolate which i am grieving like the loss of a loved one..lol...oh and pizza. I am trying to embrace the challenge of new ways of cooking but am sad because i feel now as though i will have to opt out of many things in life. My question to you is how long does it take til u dont cry on a daily basis? and has anyone found a place for realible info on controlling bs levels...mine r still a bit high even though i am on met x4 a day and a number of supplements which thru my research are supposed to help. While my dr has been great she has limited knowledge i find and the registered nurse and dietican for diabetes have been NO help...i am so frustrated with the lack of concrete education available to people like me. Thanks for adding me here and for the info that i have found :)
I'm sorry, harleychick, you are having such a hard time. We all react differently to diagnosis, but the best thing is to plunge into the solution. Here are my thoughts: You need to make an appointment with an endocrinologist ASAP and have a full body of antibody tests as well as a c-peptide. It is entirely possible you are, in fact, a Type 1. That would explain why you are still having trouble controlling your blood sugar with metformin. As you say your doctor has limited knowledge and some people assume any adult has type 2. Not so. And you weight loss and current "low end of bmi" also speak to the possibility. Do you have any other autoimmune disorders, such as thyroid? Anyway, that is my recommendation; then you can go from there.
Hi,
I totally agree with Zoe, get to an endo and get all the testing needed to get a correct diagnosis. See if you can get your PMD to order C-peptide, GADA, ICA, IA-2 and ZnT8 auto antibodies. The wiki link shows you the list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_1
I was 60 at presentation, with a normal BMI, fit and active and was presumed by the ER to be a T2 simply because I was NOT a kid dispute my symptoms and response to treatment in the ER. Was sent out on T2 meds and did not respond. Fortunately I did my online reading and knew I was not a T2. Had to do some gentle arm twisting with the PMD but had the lab results come back with low C-peptide and ICA antibodies. This defined me as T1, and changes the whole ball of wax as far as treatment plans and insurance coverage.
Once you get a correct diagnosis and on the correct treatment, then you can focus on feeling better.
Be aware that it is totally normal to go through an adjustment/grieving phase. This is a game changer. BUT you can still have all the dreams and accomplish all that you wanted to before your diagnosis. One day at a time, do your home work, come to all the various boards in the online comunity, ask, read, learn, do. You will still be able to enjoy life.
Good reading can be found in hardback and as an ebook
This has good information written for the newbie lay person - I uses this and the second link as my bibles!
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Pancreas-Practical-Insulin-Complet...
And when you begin using insulin therapy
http://www.amazon.com/Using-Insulin-Everything-Need-Success/dp/1884...
Harley, here's a couple of good posts about possible misdiagnosis
Let us know how you're doing. there are lots of good resources here. a small piece of dark chocolate is ok!
Marie B,
Thanks for pulling up the link I could not find!
Harley,
Always good to have things other than wiki that you can print and bring to your PMD to use as leverage to advocate for the full testing panel. Scientific citations to prove your point can go a long way with a good clinician, and if your clinician blows you off when you can support your case then it a time for a new doc!
Sorry to learn of your diagnosis. Your story is quite similar to mine (T2 @ 48).
I had lost 10+ lbs the year prior to dx & I attributed it to diet & exercise--rather it was undiagnosed diabetes. Re the slow drop of your bs levels, realize that it takes a while for metformin to take effect.
I would not stress out about perfect numbers right now. Educate yourself, get used to the changes you need to make. I didn't cry much, but I was angry & frustrated as hell . . . for about a year.
And I recommend Gretchen Becker's book: The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
thanks everyone i have a dr appointment tomorrow and apparently lots of questions..my levels have gone from 20 down to 10-11 within this month since finding out.
Hi HC: I am glad that you have a doctors appointment tomorrow. IMO, your symptoms/situation sound like typical adult-onset Type 1 diabetes, not Type 2 diabetes. Good luck, be your own best advocate! It is really important to get a correct diagnosis and treatment.