Hello

Hey John. I’ve been a type 2 for bout 5 yrs. now. Guess I always knew I’d get it. (runs in my family) I’m 56 yrs. old. Prescribed metformin and avantia. I’ve progressed since then. Remember
diabetes is a progressive disease. Just watch your carbs (anything white), white bread, rolls, rice, pasta, etc. Get together with a endocrinoligist if u haven’ t already. There’s more to my story
if u care to hear it…

Hi Elizabeth,.
Has your doctor tried to order these classes? If so, perhaps an APPEAL to the insurance company is in order. I find that most of the time my doctor gets better results. Classes are too important to just let go. When we are diagnosed, we are usually told practically nothing. These classes are a good foundation to build our knowledge upon. My CDE ran my classes and really helped to get me up and running. We even had a few people taking a refresher course. Insurance companies; they never cease to amaze me. Well, good luck.
Jim

No need to apologize. That’s why we are all here, to help each other.

Thanks folks for all the replies… I was told to go on insulin and refused!! I will do anything to keep off of those shots. I did cut my carbs out and found out that did not work real well. I have to have some but I am on a strict diet and I wear the tread mill and basketball court out because I am determined to get to 210 pounds. My numbers have been good lately between 70 and 130 usually. When I cut the carbs out completely I was having trouble with my numbers going low and that is worse than them being high as far as I am concerned…

The pills and diet and exercise seem to be working and I am taking classes and I will see a nutritionist this week.

Thanks for all the help folks!!! It means a lot to me!!!

you go Jbird. But if it comes down to having to go on insulin it’s not a sign of failure. That’s what i thought at first but i did all i could do before i went on insulin. it really isn’t all that bad. But the good thing is being T2 you don’t have to spend the rest of your life on insulin.

Have your doctor write a letter of necessity to the insurance company stating how it would be cost effective to them to have you attend the classes. My classes cost my insurance company over $1200.00. I would have preferred a one on one class for that cost. Start with your library and see if they have any books on diabetes. I have actually learned more from this website than I did my drs and the classes.

Elizabeth, I will share all I learn in the classes as I am keeping good notes. I do not eat until I am full anymore I only eat until I am not hungry if you know what I mean.

This may sound wierd to some of you but diabetes is making me do what I should have been doing all along… It is making me eat healthy and exercise differently. I was in to the weights but cardio seems to be doing my body much better.

I look forward to learning from you all and helping as much as I can… I will post the information from these classes very soon I promise!!!

Thank you very much…you can also email me @ sleepyhead053@aol.com

Hey John! Welcome to the group!

As you can see from all the great comments and advice you’ve gotten so far, we’re all here rooting for you! I’m not going to bore you with my story – you can check my profile for that. Here’s my two cents, though:

The most common thought I have about being diabetic is “this sucks!” Yeah, it feels rotten when your spouse has a chocolate chip cookie, or a second helping of something, and you can’t. But if you dwell on that, it’ll overwhelm you.

So instead I focus on the GOOD things being diabetic has done for me:

  1. Because of the control I maintained and care I received when I was pregnant (dx when I confirmed the pregnancy), I now have an incredible, smart, funny, beautiful daughter (she’s nearly 11 now) who I wouldn’t trade for the world… and would gladly go through it all again for her.

  2. Because I’m more aware of what I eat, overall I’m healthier and in better shape at (nearly) 40 than I was at 25!

  3. Because I know I can’t load up on chips, candy, or baked stuff on a regular basis, when I do have a chocolate chip cookie it’s a treat (and I only eat one, and account for that in my daily carb intake) and I enjoy it WITHOUT GUILT! It also means when I do “splurge” on a treat, it’s going to be the best I can find… why eat Chips Ahoy when I can get a fresh, warm, soft cookie from a bakery?

  4. Because I’m careful of what I eat, I’m teaching my daughter these habits now, so she learns a healthy lifestyle from the beginningl

  5. Because I wear an ID bracelet, and am open about testing and meds, I have many “educational opportunities.” If I’ve convinced one person to be tested, and helped them to be diagnosed and turn their health around, then it’s worth it.

So, anyway, that’s my 2 cents worth!

Hi John! I am also new to this diabetes stuff. I was diagnosed on Nov 1st. For me it was a complete wakeup call. I am glad you found this website. I have learned so much in the 6 weeks that I have been on this site!

I have T2 and taking oral meds. My numbers are all over the place, mostly high spikes and high fasting numbers. I am very active during the day, numbers are ok. They are talking about starting me on small dose of insulin in the evening. probably with a pen. I am a little apprehensive about this. Does the injection hurt, probably the 5mm neddle (smallest one)? I am not much over weight, maybe 7-10 #, I don’t want to use the newer oral meds out there… What about different types of insulin?

I think it is safer to use insulin than some of the newer meds. I didn’t want to take Januvia because it just hasn’t been tested enough. I find the injections hurt less than glucose testing with a lancet. Is your doctor thinking of starting you with a basal insulin? Basal insulin is long lasting and can help with fasting numbers but will not help much with the spikes after eating. For that, you need a more rapid insulin that gets into your system in a larger amount at once. Humalog or Novolog are the most common, but some people like regular insulin (Humalin-R or Novolin-R) which is gentler and lasts a bit longer.

I am a type 2 and have been on insulin for the past three months. The injections really don’t hurt. The needles are very tiny and slide right into the skin with ease,. The biggest thing you notice is how much better you feel with your blood sugars under control. If the pills aren’t working their best for you giive it a try. Nothing is set in stone. You can change any medication, but you often can’t change the damage to your body if you don’t keep the blood sugar under control. Trial and error are the best methods of learning. to see how your body works with anything. I use Humalog insulin for meal times, It is a faster acting insulin. I also use a shot of Lantus in the morning and in the evening. This is a slow acting insulin that covers me all day and all night. For some of us type 2’s the insulin that our body’s make simply isn’t available to us no matter what we use. For that reason some of us need the insulin. I think it is scary for all of us when we start any medication. Remember to log everything. That way your doctor can follow your progress every day. Make sure you eat three meals a day. Don’t skip a meal and think it will make your blood sugar better. That only messes with your metabolism. Have the snacks you need. You will find that after awhile when you are able to keep your blood sugar under control better, you won’t even miss the higher carb foods. The eating healthier will become much more automatic. When I go out for the day with busy things I pack my cold pack with my insulin. a diet soda and my safe food. I keep pretty close to a schedule becasuse it works for me. When I am home, I drink plenty of water, exercise and have a great support team . I love coming on here and reading all the caring and supportive posts from everyone. I think it is wonderful to have such a large group of people who understand and clearly want to help. My best to you . I hope this is helpful.

Melissa,

Congratulations on a very sensible and responsible response. I’m tired of seeing advocates of extreme low carb diets suggesting them to the newly diagnosed. (No, not in this forum.) I recently curtailed my participation in another forum since the moderators and other frequent posters were adamant that newbies should be pointed to Dr Bernstein and his ilk as their only references. What hope does any newly diagnosed diabetic have of successfully following a 42 g of carb per DAY diet?

Welcome to the CLUB, John!

Start by planning to get a meter coz you will need it. Most of T2’s prefer a small
meter for the simple reason of portability.

John-

Hello! I know you maybe overwhelmed with all of the responses you’ve received along with all of the advice. I was a tad bit overwhelmed reading them myself.
The only thing I want you to know is…Even though we all have Diabetes or bodies react to treatments,diets and exercise a lot differently. You do have to eat;) What I would recommend doing is calling your Physician, let him know you can’t get in to the diabetic class until Dec. Let him know your nervous about eating. Your Primary care knows your health a lot better than any of us. Maybe he can give you a temp meal plan until Dec. If you have any questions please ask. Just becareful and make sure you eat:)

Cherise