I really need help. My GP has tried to help me but isn’t really up on diabetic problems. I have changed what I eat and in the past 3 years since I found out I am diabetic I lost about 70 lb and kept it off for 3 years. It came off fast by simply eating right, but still my count ranges from 60 to 180 in no time flat. I am not sure when all I should be testing and when I should be taking my metformin. The doctor said when I get up and about 4pm but the pharmacy said at bed time so I have been doing the 4. Still I am all over the place. My A1C is 6.0 and stays there.
They put me on metformin when out of the blue I felt funny and tested and was at 600. I drove to the hospital about an hour later and was admitted. Since then my high has been 300 but seldom that just once in a great while. Usually I am at 110. I just don’t know how to keep it there and when to test to know if I am doing it right. I do know 2 hours after eating but when else? Oh, my problems are that it goes up from stress and when I am sick. I don’t get sick often but I am always stressed. It is just my personality.
I know I put a lot down here but I am really lost and hope to find some answers here.
Thanks.
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Kay, it sounds like you should be seeing and endocrinologist. That person would be best to recommend meds, dosing, etc. I would say that checking blood sugars more frequently and keeping a record that you take w/ you to the endo, would be very helpful. There are many good resources online for recording blood sugars. Just split the column for 1hr postprandial to be 1 hr and 2 hr and use the comments section for meal info. So you are checking and recording blood sugars for at least a week at these times:
fasting (note time)
1 hr post meals
2 hr post meals
bedtime
any time you consume something higher in carbohydrate/sugars - this is like a glucose tolerance trial:) and it IS the holidays.
You may need to purchase extra strips to collect this info…because many docs do not order enough test strips for their T2s. Getting at least a few days of complete info will help you greatly…and there are ways to do it on the cheap. See low cost meters and strips…like WaveSense (Presto) carried at WalMart…that are very high quality test strips sold at fraction of price of most brands. Most pharmacies (Walgreens for example) have a lower cost, high quality store brand that would work to get some baseline data should you not get an increase in test strips through your doctor. In both cases…need a meter to go w/ the strips.
In T2 and early treatment…important to identify how well your pancreas is working (hence post meals are important)…the severity of your disease is determined by how quickly your pancreas can bring your BG back down to semi-normal levels. There are lots of options for controlling blood sugars and are based on your medical conditions and other risks. Diabetes is best managed by an Internal Medicine doctor w/ training in endocrinology or and Endocrinologist. An endo can help you get the best control possible and minimize your secondary health risks. Talk w/ your GP about this or if insurance allows, make an appointment w/ an endocrinologist at a teaching hospital in your area.
Just some thoughts that I hope help you. Good luck to you Kay:)
Find a very good Endo. and educate yourself as much as possible. The other members here are wonderful and you will get much support and suggestions that you cant find in a book or even from your doctor. It will all come together, just takes time. Baby steps, and just dont beat yourself up. I wish you well and we are all here for you. xo
Wow, great advice Patricia! xo
Thanks so much. Was was reading about meters earlier and did check consumers report. I think I will try a cheaper strip and meter until I get this figured out.
Thanks so much Robyn. I have always been healthy and this is all new to me. I have been diabetic since 2006 but I am not getting any better at controling things and I know I should be by now so I started looking for sites and found you guys and thought I would join in hopes of finding help and I think I made a great move joining because I already know about testing and had no clue how important it was before.
Kay, I have to agree with Patricia and Robin. My keyword is “strategize” - IDES (Insulin (medication), Diet, Exercise, Stress). I have been diabetic since 1959! Yes, it is a full-time job. I hope to hear from you soon. A.K.Buckroth
I have a infant daycare so I get tons of exercise and I also have 5 kids 3 are grown giving me 4 grandkids. Two teenage girls still at home and I do animal rescue and have a house full of pets. Exercise is covered and I changed my diet and lost 70 lb. fast and kept it off since 2006 so weight is ok too. I am on metformin and not sure if that is right or not as I don’t seem to be any better controled now. My biggie is stress. I am sure you guessed by my lifestyle listed above, that I am a caretaker big time and I worry about everyone all the time so stress is huge! My doctor says to slow down and stop stressing but that is simply who I am. Any suggestions on how to deal with the stress end of it?
By the way, you guys are great. I actually have hope that I will get a handle on this someday.
Sure, you get lots of exercise, but what kind? I mean, “smelling the roses” along the way. I mean strolling for yourself, by yourself, deeply breathing the beauty around you, nourishing your soul. Yoga? Meditation? Can you sit quietly, alone? Or lay on the floor of your bedroom, keep still, pray to occupy your mind, for 10 minutes? Breathe deep. Four deep, deep, breaths. Repeat affirmations: I am well; I can do this; I am attractive; I am slim, etcetera. Positive enhancements. Once you feel it, then you can pay it forward. AK.
Hi Kay, I agree with Patricia here. You need to get in and see an Endo or good internist that can lend a helping hand here. You want to preserve what beta cells you have. I wouldnt wait too long on this to seek help. Best of luck in 2010.
You also could seek out a good educator and nutrionist as part of your care team here to give ideas for dealing with your stress. As we all know stress can lead to junk food eating which is a killer for all of us. Again good luck
Everyone has given you what I think is very good advice. About all I would add is, relax, don’t stress, and do things one step at a time. When you make changes, you must make them one at a time and observe the results, or you will be “all over the place” and not know what works, and what doesn’t.
Test as was recommended for a few days or a week, depending upon availability of strips. Keep a good log book of what you ate, and how you tested. Always test before you eat.
Tell us what you eat, and when you eat it? Many cannot handle carbs early in the morning, so try to stay with eggs, bacon, sausage, and low/non carb foods in the morning.
If you post what you eat, we will be happy to critique it. Lol! No, really, many of us have tried a lot of things and have a handle on what is generally okay, and what is probably a bad idea. Everyone is different, but you need a baseline from which to proceed, and it doesn’t sound like you have that yet.
When I started, I ate the same thing every day, because testing showed that what I had chosen was the best for keeping the numbers down. I did this for several months, testing, recording, testing, and testing again. That way I knew for sure that what I ate was okay. Same with exercise. Some do it before they eat, others after, some at night, some in the AM. You have to try each combo, and record the results, but only make one change at a time or you will be chasing your tail for a long, long time.
Easy? No, but doable, and it will get your numbers down, and from there, you can expand your diet, one thing at a time, always testing, until you feel like you have a handle on what you can and cannot eat, including when, which really does matter.
The word was said elsewhere. Baby steps. One at a time. You won’t explode and die in the next month, so leave the stress out of it, and find what is good for you and what is bad, and work with it. Keep it simple and you won’t get frustrated.
Plus, post here often and vent or rejoice. That’s what we are here for.
John
I use to be very into meditation, but have been so busy the past 37 years that I gave up. Now that I am down to 2 kids at home of my own, I have a office to “be alone”, but that is a joke. I am in my office and in the time I have spend reading your kind note and replying to it, both girls have come in to chat and the youngest, 17, is still in here playing with the cat that is on my chair.
I tried walking my dog but found that my lab was limping because I had walked him 10 miles without noticing. Now the vet won’t let me walk him for more than a few minutes at a time. I know I have to find some way to cut the stress. I do pray a lot but once I am finished I am stressing again.
Thanks, my GP is out until the first of next week and I would like for her to suggest an Endo to me since she knows just about every other doctor in the area. She is a wonderful doctor, but she did admit that this is a weak area for her.
Thanks, the junk food part doesn’t bother me. I was amazed at how easy that was to give up. I don’t miss it. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even realize I was stressed until my doctor told me to check, and when I talk about just simple stuff that is just life for us here my numbers go up as much at 40 points and if I test after listening to music or going for a ride in the country my numbers can drop just as much. I think life style changes are more important for me than the medication is but I don’t really know how to change a 37 year old habit. I am so blessed and know it but as my friends always tell me I need to learn to say NO. My daughters that are home are wonderful and I couldn’t ask for better. I just never rest. I get about 4 or 5 hours sleep a night.
Thanks John, I know you are right and I have been changing to much at once and not knowing exactly what is doing what in the long run. I also have a problem remembering to eat. I am thinking of buying something that will go off and remind me to eat at the right times. Do you think that will help?
Kay, I am hardly the expert on the subject, but unless you get readings that are low, or fear you may go too low, you don’t have to eat on any strict schedule. The danger is slipping under 60 or so, but it doesn’t seem like that is an issue for you. It is not at all something I worry about, after so much testing.
Some people eat the usual 3 meals, others do 5 or six smaller meals. It really is personal, and up to you with what makes your life easiest to manage. Doing more, smaller meals lets you spread your total carb intake over a longer period of time, which keeps the numbers and spikes down. If you are only up for 3 meals, shoot, just eat three meals. Sometimes I will not eat breakfast for three or four hours after I get up. Other times, I eat breakfast, get caught up in a project and lose track of time and before I know it, its time for dinner.
Don’t force yourself to eat (again, test and make sure you are not in danger of going low) but instead, let your body tell you when its hungry. If you are doing low carbs, you will probably find your body will be happy to report hunger pangs at the proper intervals 
One thing that is beaten to death here, but excellent advice is to wash your hands with plain soap and water every time you test. Get the routine, and stick to it, Warm/Hot water helps get the blood flowing in your fingers, and making sure there is no foreign substance on your finger will insure consistent readings. Wash every time.
My cell phone has a timer in it, and I use it sometimes to remind me when to test after a meal. If you have one like that, or can find something convenient to use, go for it. Can’t hurt, but if it dominates your life, don’t bother with it. The terminology that is used in Engineering disciplines where I am from, (and in other places, I am sure) is KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid Not implying you are stupid, but its really good advice. KISSing is a good thing all the way around!
John
Congrats on your weight loss. That has probably been a big help in the fact the only med you are on is metformin (which, by the way, is now the standard of care for any person diagnosed with type 2–some docs don’t put people on meds, but most people who test in the “diabetes” range have had elevated blood sugars for years and have begun to lose some beta cell function in addition to the issue of insulin resistance).
I suspect that the consistent 6.0 A1C has your GP feeling pretty good about your care. Just about half the adults with diabetes in America are able to achieve an “in control” number of under 7% A1C.
But if you’re not happy with that, then you certainly should consult a specialist (endocrinologist). You’re the one who matters when it comes to your own health!
Are your other health measures good: blood pressure, cholesterol? Those are critically important for long-term diabetes care.
This may be a long-shot, but many people with type 2 also have sleep apnea, which can make blood glucose and blood pressure difficult to control. Some risk factors: being overweight or obese (although obese patients in one study who lost 22 pounds were mostly able to resolve their sleep apnea), having type 2, loud snoring, being tired and irritable.
I can see you’ve already heard from lots of people who care here at tudiabetes. I suspect there are some answers in your future! Best wishes.
LOL I love the KISSing thing. That is cute and simple. I do have a problem with lows when I forget to eat. I get busy and forget to eat and then I am dizzy and test low and then have to eat and sometimes eat the wrong things and end up high. But I am not sure about my testing because I think I was testing at the wrong times.
Outside the fact that I am diabetic I have no health problems. I am very lucky in that way. I just have stress issues. For example. My daughter and I went to a pet shop to get some stuff for her chins and they had puppies. Everyone loves puppies so we walked by the cages and now I am stressing because they were on in cages with wire on the bottom and nothing but the wire to stand on or lay on. Not so much as a towel. I did complain but don’t expect any changes. Anyway, I have recieved a lot of helpful ideas here and I think they will help. Thanks.