Can you over do diabetes management? I test 4- 6x aday and if I do more then that I get told I’m being paranoid. I take medication 2x aday and if my numbers are good, I get told I probably don’t need as much. If I say no thank you to desserts or more food of any kind I get told I’m being to strict with myself and yes I can have it. This all from family and friends. Somebody told me yesterday, your overdoing it. I don’t think I am. Compared to some people here, I think I’m underdoing it? (is that a word?)
I feel ya… When these kinds of things happen, I tend to get so defensive… After all, I’m the one living with this disease, and not them! What the heck do they know, right? (And I start telling myself: this is why they have a belly going on, or high cholesterol, or some other flaw, to remind myself they know nothing…) heh 
And, while in many situations that might be true… I have to say, there are two sides to this story.:
- While I won’t tell people that they have to test or not test X amount of times a day, I will say this: If the testing is not leading to learning anything new, if it’s not helping monitor illness or sudden hypo or hyper symptoms, if it’s not done to monitor how medication or insulin is reacting to that meal, nor to ensure you are at a healthy level before doing exercise… Then that testing session was a waste of a strip, and unnecessary… and truly defeats the purpose of why we should test. While testing is great for peace of mind (and I won’t tell anyone they shouldn’t test just for peace of mind), testing for peace of mind is NOT why we test. We test to make decisions, to take action, to control or curb situations, to learn new things that we may need to change or modify from certain meals, etc. If I tested for peace of mind, well… I’d probably be bankrupt pretty quickly; at some point, I have to let go a little bit, and trust my body. But, testing is as individual as are our thumb prints, and what helps us manage our condition best, will always be the best… Not based on what others say.
*As far as diet issues are concerned, well… it depends on the kind of family you have. Some families are open to learn new things, and being supportive throughout the process… and it becomes beneficial to give them literature, help them understand what the diabetic lifestyle is all about – portion control. Some, well, are not as open minded to those things. For my family, they are kind of a hybrid of these two combos. They care and pay enough attention for maybe 5 minutes, and then I lose them. They don’t care anymore, and retort to their old notions. So, I give them small tips meal by meal, and keep the info small, and to the point… or I may leave literature laying around, so that they think they learned it on their own, and it had nothing to do with me lecturing… I also sometimes have to take a stand… and tell them how I manage my Diabetes is my own choice, and that when they get it, they can make their own choices, too. lol Of course, they don’t ever think they’re gonna get it… heh Life is such a random lottery sometimes, isn’t it?
Also… not to give them any credit… but if you are depriving yourself of things that you could potentially have, with some portion control, because you are very afraid of sweets, or sugar in general… Then it is a good idea to try to be a bit more daring, and put that glucose meter to good use. While we are all different, many of us are so talented at making sweets with splenda, or stevia, or cookies and other baked goods with these. Heck, I’ll have half a real cookie, sometimes… Or one, if it’s small enough, and doesn’t have a lot of extra stuff on it. Though our lives are not about second or third helpings, they’re not about deprivation either… It’s all one crazy balancing act of portion control.
While sometimes we need tweaking here and there, I don’t think you are overdoing or underdoing your Diabetes care, at all… You’re just doing what is right for YOU, and to keep your own peace of mind, and control. In 20 years we’ll see who’s healthier than who, right? 
Good Luck,
Liz
I do what is right for me. I test ALOT and I dont let it bother me when somebody makes a comment in regards to my “over testing” It makes me feel comfortable and in control. The same goes for my food choices…I know what I can have and cant. Do what you want, dont let others make you question your own good management.
You need to give yourself a pat on the back for taking care of yourself, Your way.
hb,
Some family and friends may need to be told that you would prefer to remain as free of diabetes related complications as possible.
Keep up the testing, take care with your medication and keep control of your diet!
Cheryl
persons w/o diAbetes don’t “get it”…& I spend too much time trying to explain myself. I am a brittle type I & yestrday ck’d 9 times. Do what u have to do. And sometimes even tho we shouldn’t focus on lettiing diabetes control us, it does!!!
Are you happy with how things are going for you? Pleased with your A1C? If you’re comfortable and happy with how things are, then stick with your program. If you think you need a tweak, then do so.
I do my best to not let others tell me what I should or shouldn’t be doing, esp. when they are not living with diabetes. I can only do my best, and I’m the judge of how things are going (along with my doc, don’t get me wrong).
I think people can over do it and others under-do it. Find whats good for you and make it your habit.
Good luck!
I agree with what is generally being said here. “Over-doing” it sounds like a way for others to say, “hey, we’re uncomfortable with you changing and having to address something restrictive”; they probably want the old you back. If you test in the morning when you get up, before and after meals, when you feel something is off and before you go to bed, that’s going to be around if not more than 6x. That’s my opinion. When it comes to food, I have to fight with myself to say no to some things, so I stay away from temptations I will give in to. I’m T1 but don’t think that matters that much, again my opinion. My mother told me as I was growing up, “if you don’t take care of yourself no one else will”. I owe her for having a much better life 27 years later than I could have. There are groups here that support one another on family issues; take advantage of them. There’s one goal in this community: to help each other live the fullest and healthiest lives we can. I wish you much success with your D and your relationships.
Hi HB!
Let me start by telling you that I am also T2. I test about 4x a day and sometimes more. You shouldn’t let anyone tell you when and how many times you should test – this is actually for your benefit – to make sure you’re not too low or high. Nor should they tell you what you can and cannot eat, afterall, it is you who have diabetes and not them.
Fortunately, this all comes down to understanding diabetes and managing it. There is no such thing as “taking too much care of yourself.”
I’d rather be safe than sorry – in fact, follow what is best for you and what you are comfortable with!
=) Hope this helps you out!
This all helps. Thank you. By the way I am not officially type 2 yet. I am type freak. I fascinate my doctors bacause I don’t LOOK like a type 2 and didn’t need as much insulin as a type 1.Blood work hasn’t confimed anything either. I test more when I am sick or working.People can be so annoying. I can afford test strips enough to test up to 10x aday if I want to. I have tested more then 10xaday, but that was ordered by dr. and I had to call him everyday with numbers for 4 weeks.otherwise I have not tested more then 8x aday unless I felt I needed to. Not happy with A1c’s it has been going up this past 8 months. I have been given option to test 2x a week by dr.s if I really wanted. They respect my choice and are fine with it all. My food choices are good and I am happy with it ALL! (except the A1c.) I don’t think I am overdoing it at all but some times it helps to here how other diabetics do things so I know I am not crazy paranoid. Thank you.
Hello hb. I test 12-15 times per day; keep very thorough charts of all my tests, my carbs, exercise, insulin dosages, and more; carry the Calorie King book with me every time I go out to eat so I can count carbs; use an insulin pump; and much more. I even take slices of 8 carb bread with me when I eat at McDonalds so I won’t eat the buns on their burgers. That gives you an idea of how careful I am. I do not think I am overdoing it at all. By doing all these things I have lived for 64 years with my diabetes and I have no complications. My A1c is consistently below 6.0 and I have great control.
Now you can say you definitely do NOT overdo it. You might even think you are under-doing it. Lol!
P.S. I have written a book about my 64 years of diabetes. It is called “Beating The Odds: 64 Years Of Diabetes Health”. My amazon.com page should be available by wed, march 17.
I think diabetes management is definitely a balancing act, and we all have to figure out where to draw the line for ourselves. It differs for Type 1 and Type 2, but more important, it differs for individuals. I think we all know people who “underdo” it by not taking care of their diabetes. That is usually easy to recognize because not only do they eat poorly, not exercise and not take meds as prescribed, but they have the results to show it: high blood sugars and high A1Cs. But I think overdoing can definitely be a problem as well. It’s when we are so obsessed that we are anxious all the time and our lives have narrowed to nothing but diabetes control. It’s when we are so perfectionist that we aren’t happy no matter how good our blood sugars are, but freak out over each tenth of a percent A1C and each number over our target. It’s when we are eating a deprived diet and get no pleasure at all from our meals. Overdoing it may have good results blood sugar wise but it also entails being emotionally stressed and miserable. Not good! But only I know when I step over that line for me, and only you know when you do so for you. And only I know what my cost/gain balance sheet reads. For example, I’m a vegetarian and a foodie and love to cook. I also have 16 years recovery from an eating disorder and one of the things I learned is to allow myself to enjoy my food. So those things are pretty important in my life. I eat moderate carbs (around 100 a day). If I ate lower carb I would have a better A1C but I’m ok with where I’m at in the equation. For me.
Not paranoid at all… I try to keep my testing down to 2, cus I can’t afford it right now… but I’ve been known to test 4-6 times a day. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do…
Test, eat & do what’s best for you. Your health is in your hands, even when friends & family mean well because they think we’re not enjoying ourselves…
Either we’re told we are not taking care of ourselves or being criticized for taking too good care of ourselves. The food & testing police come from both ends of the spectrum.
I test a lot & would test more if insurance allowed. Anyone who told me I was overdoing it, would get an icy stare.
Smart A$$ You are so very witty, Mark. (smiling)
Im also a type2… and I test 4-6 times a day. I tested more when I was newly diagnosed. Sometimes I test more if I will eat a certain foods that Im not familiar of its effect on my bs yet. When in circumstances that I do not feel good…I test again. I just want to be sure. And when in doubt…and if its our health that’s at stake…I think we should do what we think is the best for ourselves.
I get so tired of having to be in control and sometimes eat things I know I shouldn’t but if you don’t have any fun you might as well be dead. I’ve had diabetes for 53 yrs. and my first doctor told my mom don’t let her have too much candy. Haha. At least now you can substitute a cookie for some of your carbs. When I was a kid I couldn’t have any sugar unless I had a low bs. When I have a low bs I eat chocolate and part of a soda. Why should I have to eat a horrible glucose tablet. I eat something I normally don’t eat. What a PIA. People who don’t have diabetes don’t know how restricting diabetes is. Oh well I have had. I also have birthday cake without the frosting. This is how I cope with restrictions.