Looking for help not praise

Type 2
#1

I've worked hard...I mean really hard get my T2 under control. I have adopted a lower carb diet and have been exercising a lot. My goal is to reduce my insulin resistance by losing weight and controlling my diet. I have been fairly successful so far.

When I joined this group a little over a year ago. I had just started insulin on an MDI regime. My insulin requirements were massive at over 240 units a day. I was 20 or more pound over weight and had been T2 for 20 years. Today my daily insulin needs run around 40 to 50 units and my weight is at the upper end of the normal range for my height.

I have almost reached my goals but I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I can't maintain what I have achieved. With goals sometimes the easy part is getting where you want the hard part is staying there.

I can't go back so I'm asking how do you keep moving forward, How do you stop the backslide.

Gary S

#2

I only have T1, which is different, but if you've been exercising, maybe "transition" to doing goals that are "beyond" diabetes with exercising, do a walk for charity (maybe a non-D one, there's lots of things worth marching for...) or "treat" yourself to a gizmo to track your progress at whatever exercise you are doing and try to "race" yourself to new pace/ distance/ altitude achievements? Diabetes may always be there but I've enjoyed getting beyond diabetes to fuss about my (middle of the pack...) times or run farther than I ever thought I would.

#3

Well, am going to praise you anyway because you deserve kudos for your hard work & success. Amazing reduction in insulin! You can maintain it.

What keeps me moving forward is how much better I feel. I never want to return to the BG roller coaster of higher insulin doses.

#4

As trite as it sounds, maintaining better blood sugars is a one test, one meal, one walk at a time thing. We all hit bumps in the road, some even of our own making. The key thing is to look at the situation, take a deep breath and get back on track. Focusing on how you feel in the moment actually makes things easier. Having well controlled blood sugars is more comfortable than constantly running high or bouncing around. Just let your body speak to you.

Congratulations (I'm going to say it anyway) and good luck!

Maurie

#5

What's this "I only have T1" line. You and the rest of the T1's along with the highly movated T2's are where I have drawn my inspiration. Ya'll have taught me so much.

I guess I not asking how to carry my exercise to the next level. I'm asking how do you transition from intense to just right. How do you maintain the right attitude.

I see what you saying about going beyond and that might be the answer. Make this my lifestyle and not my goal. Make things be about my life and not about my D.

Gary S

#6

Time to post this on your bathroom mirror ...look at it daily and pat yourself on the back daily ...I bet it stops " back sliding " :)
Congrats Mr.Stemw!!!

#7

You have done great. And it has been a lot of effort. But you really should not fear consolidating your accomplishments. It happens as time passes and before you know it, you are stable. You have made changes and most importantly you have learned things. You don't just unlearn these things. Once seen, you cannot unsee.

And once you have made changes to your lifestyle for 3-6 months, it becomes your lifestyle. You are a new person today. This is not about backsliding. It is about why you would change back to the way you were. I don't think you want that change.

#8

Rather than getting to "a spot", I am always trying to fiddle around with stuff to do better, regardless of what my A1C or this BG test or that BG test, I'm going one test at a time and trying to "win" every one. And, if I get an "off test" (EG this AM...eek...), I work to do the best job I can fixing it and not letting it slow me down too much. If your "goal" is this and you get it, it's not time to slack off, set a new goal, raise the bar or whatever and keep doing what you've done and see how far you can push it!

#9

(Congratulations on all the hard work and success!)

You said you have reached a goal. It's the way you did it that I believe is important: you changed your lifestyle. What you are doing now is a new, healthier lifestyle, reaching your goal is a piece of that. I understand what you mean about reaching a goal feeling like the end of something, and it can be scary. So... the new goal is a forever one, to maintain the way of living that you've established.

#10

I completely agree with jrtpup. I also moved to low carb and more activity about a year ago. My husband also jumped on the low carb band wagon because he was diagnosed "pre-diabetic".

We're both finally at the point now where it no longer feels like a "diet". At some point, everything just clicked and we accepted that this is our new normal and this is our lifestyle now.

And major kudos for all your accomplishment. Everybody here knows how hard it is and how much work it took for you to achieve these goals so congrats!

#11

Absolutely the hardest part is the sticking!! Ive wondered the same thing. Your meter should help you stay the course. In a way we have a guard to help us. When/if I have higher than 140 1hrpp I know to watch it. To exercise and watch what I eat and to figured out what could have done it and stay awy from that item or at least lower the amount. May I suggest you go to bloodsugar101.com - so much great info on how to do this long term. Gary you can do this! You have no choice. We have no choice. Good on ya for the progress you have made. You are doing spectacular! Heads up and keep on swimmin

#12

Still working on getting to my weight & bg control levels so no advice and that front yet. On the other hand, I'm wearing one of my stem winders today, a blue dialed RGM 150 pilot, it's an older one, the current version is the 150P. ¿Y tu?

#13

Thanks for the good advice folks. I'm determined not to go back to where I was. I have never been an obsessive type but I think I'm becoming obsessed where my D is concerned. I believe that's a good thing.

Gary S

#14

I found what works for me, an insulin pump and limiting my carbs to 80 a day or less. I have been doing that for 5+ years now, with great results as far as weight loss and glucose control.
For me, it is not a diet, but a lifestyle change, and one that I can maintain for as long as I am in control of my life.

Find something that works for you and that you can continue indefinately.

-Lloyd

#15

Thanks Lloyd, I have thought about a pump. I don't know if I need it or if I would qualify for one. I have done real well on MDI with really good control. My only problems have been with lows which seen to run in bunches. I make adjustments and things run good for a while. With constantly changing weight with corresponding reductions in insulin resistance I expected such lows.

Gary S

#16

I wonder how many people would make the watch connection. Watches with a winding stem are for the most part a thing of the past. I guess I'm showing my age.

Thanks for making the connection.

Gar

#17

If you decide that you want the pump being able to document bunches of lows is one standard way of showing medical necessity.