The Crazy Making Merry Go Round

Type 2
1

I am getting off the crazy making merry go round. I see these articles about people running themselves ragged trying to beat the disease with exercise. I see recipes. I see diets, carb counting, calorie counting, you name it.
I think my GP back in Indiana was right. No one knows what really causes this disease. Hence, no one really knows how to treat it. Which is why I never see "Here is what to eat, how much, etc."
No specifics. Just people trying things out, hoping their labs show a marked improvement.

Long ago, they thought people who had ulcers were high strung. They were urged to take control of their lives. Now, we know ulcers are caused by bacteria and are treated with antibiotics.

I don’t think diabetics are causing or curing this disease with what they eat or exercise.

Remember the old Woody Allen movie, “Sleeper”…when he said that in the future we found out that whipped cream and steaks were actually good for the body.

I am just tired of the racket. I am tired of exercising and not losing weight. I get told I have to eat balanced, but what IS balanced? I have not once got a specific on that. I don’t eat much in the way of carbs at all. Just vegetables.I am so tired of the same foods, I could scream.

Gee, what will it be today…Eggbeaters? Tuna or canned salmon? Another salad? Green beans? More green beans??? More fish and green beans for dinner.

Gee, I ate breakfast and now it is 2 hours past and I am starving. 2 more hours to lunch.

You get the drift. I bet if I were living off donuts, nothing would be different. And if I stopped the Metformin, I could live without fear of soiling myself in public.

Exercise has not had an effect on me in over 5 years. Nor has dieting. I just keep getting bigger, and nope, it isn’t my thyroid. My doctor says its the diabetes.

So if I am condemned to becoming a balloon and never being able to be sexy again, why should I starve myself and eat like this? Healthy lifestyle??? How am I healthier for it?

I have one life to live, and I am not living it if I am sick constantly, chained to the house at night by this drug, which I cannot take when I am on call at night.

If one size fits all, then why hasn’t anyone published a diet listing the calories and exactly what to eat? The ADA’s diet has more sugar and starches in it than I ever ate. I was like, “but aren’t donuts wrong for diabetics?” and they told me that is a myth. Okay, then we eat like everyone else???

See, it is all crazy making, and if I have to have this disease, and it can’t be cured, then I am going to get off the crazy merry go round and stop all that. I am tired and why should I be pushing myself to exercise. I am hungry, and why should I have to go without food?

It is all guinea pigging, in my opinion.

2

Dear Twiscookie. I can sympathise with your sentiments. This is all out war and when it lasts more than 5 years it is hard to keep smiling. But if you stop to analyze it in depth, life for all humans is the same. You are born. Need 20 years to learn enough to be useful. Work for 35. And then you are too sick, tired, obsolete or otherwise to continue. Now with the economic crash most people will not even have any money for their material comfort in their old age. In other words life is hard and then you die. A lot harder for diabetics. The one thing you must not allow is to loose your sense of humor. After all I think we exist as a sit-com for God’s enjoyment. Forward the light brigade.

3

Hi Twixcookie

I hear your anger and frustration loud and clear! It sounds as if you’re working really hard, but it doesn’t seem to pay off at all. I would also be tearing my hair out if I were in your position.

I would suggest that you take a holiday from D, instead of getting of the merry-go-round completely. You need some pampering and love and appreciation. Then, when you’re feeling ready, maybe you can try again with a different approach.

The Met clearly isn’t working for you and is making you miserable - so stop it. I was on 500mg once a day, which had very little impact on my BS (if any) but did make me feel nauseous, tired and drugged. If your doctor isn’t listening to you and giving you the support and medication you need, you may need to find another one. You spend far more time connecting with your body than he ever will, so you’re really an expert on what does work and what doesn’t for you. I had the same problem with my first doctor, and then discussed all the doctors with my support group and went to the one everyone recommended. He immediately told me to stop the Met, and said that at the dose I was taking I might as well have been eating an M&M. What a difference! I feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders! There are plenty of other drugs out there that are used to effectively treat D, and maybe you just need to try them out until you find the one(s) that work(s) best for you. I promise that you can live a happy and unhungry life with D. You will get there. Have your break, and take care of yourself. Your hard work deserves a reward.

4

But you write beautifuly,you see things in your own way,the snow is marvellous,becuase soon it will be gone.Life is a treasure,live your moments,your beauty is felt.

5

Twix, you sound exhausted, and you have been working so hard and with so little reward, I remember other posts and the struggles you have been having. It is diabetes fatigue, and it hits us all, in fact I’ve been dealing with it myself, although not to the same extent right now. Yes, take a little break from the struggle, just take the best care of yourself you can in the meantime, then soon you will be ready to get back on the horse and find solutions that work for you. As Gretchen Becker always says, YMMV (your mileage may vary), which is why what works for one doesn’t work for another, and it is truly exhausting finding what will work for us. But please, think of this as a break, not as giving up. Blessings to you.

6

To all who responded…thank you. I know some of you have been through this same thing.
And Anthony is so right here. Thanks to all of you, and Sohair, you had me turning red!

Imagine if George Constanza were a diabetic on Seinfeld. “I’m telling ya, Jerry…they want me to take this medicine that makes me like a loose cannon…from the other end!”

Kramer:“Uh,uh…uh…that’s not good” (Wheels around)

Jerry:“What’s up with that?”

George:" Jerry, my panc is whacked out. All that stuff my mom baked me when I was a kid. No, maybe my dad’s genes."

Kramer:“Your dad’s jeans look just fine…”

7

Thanks for what you said. I mean it.

8

It is my insurance. It is hard to find a good doc on this.
Do you want Dr. Frankenstein or Dr.“I have really mean front desk ladies”

I read a lot of the other drugs make us gain weight.

9

Ellie, thanks…
What gets me is…doctors act like we are the first diabetic they have met. They sound like they are clueless as to what to do.
You’d think after seeing so many of us, they would know.
I haven’t had one tell me what to eat yet.

10

I am going off my medication, because I can’t take it with the work hours I have. I won’t risk accidents.

My doctor’s office said I have to wait the 2 months before seeing him again, and I can’t go on 2 more months like this.

I am going to figure this out myself. I can get one diabetic ed session paid for, but since the ADA is recommending “50% carbs” in the diet, I know I am doomed on that one. My doc said the diabetic educators could tell me how to manage the symptoms from the Metformin, and they said they can’t. I wish people would stop messing around with me.

Now, I REALLY know why you guys have these forums. Because the help out there is minimal, and this is a life-threatening disease.

11

Dear Sohair. Snow is not marvellous at least not in Canada. In Egypt on occaision I bet the people would enjoy it. I have to go and make some sort of rake to remove it off a portion of he roof to prevent it from collapsing. Secondly my favorite female is insisiting that I remove it off the Toyota van. I told here we may not be able to get out of our street with this car because the snow is too dept. Have to leave now, female getting belligerent.

12

Dear Twiscookie. I also have a Dr with Elsa of the SS runing the show. Makes you feel that it is better to die that get medical help.

13

Dear Twixcookie. With your writting talent you should write a book: “Coping with diabetes a humorous approach”. This may offend some people. But I have been trying to loose one lousy pound of body fat for the last 2 years unsuccessfully. I am in a gallows humour mood. God should allow a vacation from diabetes. My wife may make yummy Swedish cinnamon buns and I would love to eat a tonne (2200 lb). A humorous way to look at this would be that the cinnamon is good for you as a diabetic.

14

And don’t forget to add that the buns would give you even nicer buns!

Some other puns, here goes:

“I’m trying to STICK to reading my blood sugars”

“Die-a-beat-us”

I have that gallows humor too, because its a matter of time before this kills me.
I am thinking of trying the Atkins diet.

15

My doc gives me 2 minutes of his time. They always seem so rushed. I wonder who gets the luxury visits.

I remember long ago, when Benny Hill did a skit on medical care, it was quite funny, because it was so true.

16

You are right Twixcookie; diabetes care need group discussion in the clinic then individual session to listen. For my clinic, I see 18 kids, I feel rushed, and each sees the educator, the dietician and then me. I decided to see my patients in my office Monday afternoon to discuss whatever they need. The care does improve and that make us satisfied. But still I am rushed with heavy duties, teaching and other.

17

So sorry for all the intense frustration & hopelessness you’re feeling. Does seem beyond endurance. Not bad enough & then to have to deal with bs & the ole run-around from the health care system. Truly sucks.

Hope your diabetic ed sessions are better than mine were. I left halfway through the second one. It was useless. When the dietician wheeled out her cart of plastic model food, I was outta there. I think everyone in the room knew what a slice of bread looks like without a visual aid. I split before the crayons & coloring books appeared. It was ADA party line & I didn’t eat that many carbs per meal before being diagnosed. My internist got my insurance to cover an appt with a CDE. Can’t say that she was better. Whatever questions I asked, she told me not to worry & we’d get to that later. What later? I wanted to know now.

I’m Type 1. I think Type 2s have a more difficult road. No party being Type 1, but taking insulin is a bit more straightforward than the meds you have to take.

Is taking small doses of insulin an option? Know you have to wait two months for your next appt & that’s hell. I know a couple of Type 2s & insulin has helped immeasurably when meds didn’t. They’ve expressed the same frustration as you–side-effects, feeling out of control, inability to lose weight.

Absurd that we all have to figure it out ourselves. Despite the millions of diabetics, doctors don’t really learn that much about diabetes in med school. They learn from pharm reps & that’s not always in our best interests.

For me, doing low carb helps. Hear you on eating the same thing, in the same portions all the time. Taking no enjoyment from food, lessens how healthy it is, I think. If you feel “ugh, I have to eat this,” what good can it do when it’s charged with negative feelings? I thought I’d hate low carb, but I actually like it & I’m never hungry. I try not to fall into a rut of eating the same thing constantly.

I think of that Woody Allen line from Sleeper all the time! Thanks for the smiles on that one & the others. Gallows humor–it works keeping us moderately sane.

18

My sister works in medicine, and she knows a doctor who quit because she felt so rushed with patients.
Medicine is being ruined by the bean counters. Medicine’s Golden Era was in the 1950s to the 80s, but that is gone. Our health is being managed by insurance companies. Doctors can’t practice medicine, because they have to prove everything they order.

I bet you are a great doctor though…

19

My feelings PRECISELY. I don’t need to know what a pancreas is or what it does. I have medical knowledge and I image these organs, so if they start that with me…
Oh, I agree about the ADA, I have blasted them on the phone and they KNOW who I am now. I don’t like them one bit. They try to come off as giving us information, but it’s a ONE SIZE FITS ALL approach. Ask them anything different, and they say they can’t give out knowledge on the phone. Then they end the phone call with, “If you have any other questions, please feel free to call us!” I say,“Oh, you bet, like you answered THESE questions I had…”

They want us to eat 50% of our food in carbs a day. They told me that this is the new findings (sic), that diabetics can eat far more carbs than they thought before. Maybe that is why so many diabetics are sick.

You know, years ago, I did Atkins…and lost weight without trying. I have to lose weight or my heart is gonna go. That’s the facts. My dad’s brother died at 42 of a heart attack. My dad, his parents, and my mom’s dad, died of heart attacks. My 2 aunts had massive strokes. My dad had strokes. So, the writing is on the wall.

Dieticians hate Atkins. They loathe it. “Not enough carbs,” they say. Well, if I am eating lettuce and vegetables like an elephant grazes, I’m sure getting plenty. I could add one bowl of oatmeal a day and get enough.

They are so sure no one can give up candy, cookies, cakes, and ice cream, that they have to insist you eat just a little, “…in moderation, honey…” I was told. I said, “I don’t eat that stuff now, why would I start, I don’t want to get sicker.”

Oh, but you can have it…it’s a myth diabetics can’t have sugar!</</b>i> Yeah, well, watch this one, I told them, because I don’t NEED it. People lived off the earth for centuries without cheesecakes, fondues, and casseroles. I won’t die without the two cookies they tell me to eat.

I like your sense of humor and would like to add you as a friend!

20

Honored to be your friend! I love your wit & directness.

Oh yes, they do start with “this is your pancreas,” & very dumbed down with simplified drawings. I was given a book to read & the counselor read it to us page by page. EEEKK.

You an ultra-sound tech?

But of course, I was also given the eat-anything-you-want crap. My first question was–other than the obvious things like sugar, bread, grains, what should or shouldn’t I eat? Evidently, what was obvious to me to be avoided wasn’t so obvious to them:) Don’t know if you’ve had the misfortune to be hospitalized & I hope you never are, but it’s amazing that any diabetics walk out. I was reprimanded for not eating rice, potatoes & pasta.

Oh yea, & I was told that low carb would kill my brain cells. Wanted to say, & I should have, you people are killing my gray matter with your idiocy.

Realize how paranoid this sounds, but they want to keep us sick. We generate billions, a bona fide industry, & no one wants to examine another approach. Typical human nature to avoid change, but really! Any huge organization like the ADA is never going to be an advocate for health, any more than the American Cancer Society is. They’re institutionalized & will never embrace another way. It’s all about the institution surviving.

Heart disease runs rampant in my family, too. Both sides of my family–oh, joy!

What gets to me is how we’re treated like children. The utter disrespect of the gate-keeping of the medical establishment. Sure, keep us ignorant & keep pumping us with drugs. We’ll blindly follow whatever you say because you are, after all, the gods & we’re mere sick mortals who are dependent on you. Yep, we’re too stupid & unable to give up certain foods, so treat us like infants & tell us it’s ok to eat junk.

Diabetics unite. We want better!