I've been a type 1 diabetic for 20 years. My husband was just diagnosed with Type 2.
I am trying to help him cope with this diagnosis. For the most part, I think it can be managed through weight loss, diet and exercise unlike my needing to use an insulin pump.
Any suggestions are welcome!
I wish I could tell you that you could just manage T2 with weight loss, diet and exercise, but life is complicated. But your husband did not get T2 because he was overweight and didn't exercise, he got T2 because he was just dealt a "sucky" set of cards. My experience is that a low carb diet and exercise really helped my control, but in the end, we need to use whatever medications are necessary. So these days, I am on an intensive insulin regime, and that is ok, I have good blood sugar control.
Brian posted the guy's name but this article explains some of the roots and challenges, and also alludes to the potential for mis, or undertreatment which seems to occur in many of the "case studies" people have shared here at Tu. In some ways, I think T2 may be more difficult to manage than T1, since you have to deal with the massive, public campaign saying "diet and exercise." That can work in many cases but, on the other hand, it doesn't *always* work and I think, again from hearing people talk, since I'm T1 and don't exactly know that much about the experience, that it can be very challenging to wheedle test strips out of doctors and insurance companies to keep an eye on things. You should get Mr. cbaj49 to sign up himself, in case he has questions. It may help to have another source instead of having him depend on you for answers?
Hi cbaj43: Oh, I am so sorry! I think the hardest part of being newly diagnosed is the emotional aspect. So if you can be there for him, be supportive, allow him to vent if he needs to, and not be the diabetes police, you will do so much good for him. Let us know how it goes....
Yor husband needs what you need. Understanding of his disease. Type 2 can be almost or maybe as difficult to manage as Type 1. I know that being insulin dependent is hard, I know because I am T2 and I use an insulin pump. I have been both insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent and I'll have to say neither way is a piece of cake.
For most T2's sucessful treatment means prevention. If you or I are having high BG we have the means to correct it. For your husband the only thing that can correct his high bg is time. So a good diet and exercise is very important for him because he has to prevent high BG.
There is a lot of stigma attached to being T2 everyone thinks they did it to themselves. Being overweight did not cause his disease but losing weight is one of the best treatments for it.
It will be easy for your husband to dismiss his type 2 as not being as serious as your T1, please don't let him think so because in the end T2 can be just as damaging if not treated properly.
My best advice is not to pressure him, instead ask him to join you in this diabetes lifestyle because what he needs is what you need, minus the insulin of course.
Weight loss, diet and exercise will most definitely help, but there are various T2 treatments that may help your husband manage his condition more like insulin and oral medications.
This situation maybe an opportunity for you and your husband to share things in common:
- Emotional support: assure your husband that the condition is not his own doing. Studies show that there are numerous variables why a person develops T2 diabetes other than lifestyle.
- Count carbs together. Common concerns of some households are preparing meals for family members with and without diabetes. Eat healthy together and discover food and dishes appropriate for you guys.
- Its more fun to do exercises when you're not alone. You both can motivate each other in this aspect.
- Educate each other. Encourage him to find out various things and news regarding both of your conditions.
- Assure your husband that he is not alone and that many people understands... Maybe you can invite him to join us here at TuDiabetes?...wink :)
Stay flexible and try a diffrent approach if what your doing is not giving you the results your looking for. My brother and I are both diabetic's, he is a very skinny T2 and I'm a T1. I have displayed all of the standard symptoms and my insulin production is zero. My brother on the other hand shows no signs of being a T1 and makes loads of insulin that his body refuses to use and he has to give himself supplemental insulin injections. He started with diet and moved to pills then insulin. Looking back now he says that he would have been better off if he had started using insulin early on. Doctors seem to drag their feet for years waiting for the individual to ask for the insulin. My brother has a harder time regulating his BG than I do because he never knows how much insulin his body is going to make. His A1c's range from 7 to 8.5 and mine are never over 5.8. We work together and travel together many days eating the same food for each meal and his outcome is never like mine.