Newly diagnosed and confused...

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
Newly diagnosed and confused...
13
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 9:01pm

I am recently diagnosed with diabetes.  My questions is when you are testing your blood, what is the normal range for a person??  When is it too high??  Plus what's a good diet to follow?? 


Thanks in advance for the help/info!


 


Kat                                     

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Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-08-2004 - 11:31am

Hi Kathi;


I can understand your complaints. Boy is this hot weather miserable! I guess I am too use to the sea breezes and now any wind that we get is coming from the hot Sacramento Valley.


To answer your question. All type 1 diabetics have to be on insulin for the rest of their lives because they don't make insulin anymore. There is much research going on in this part of diabetes care and we may soon have a break through in this area. This is why we need stem cell research for diabetes.


Some type 2's have worn out their beta cells in their pancreas and they must be on insulin. Sometimes they are called type 1A's. Because of the issue of insulin resistance they must take larger doses of insulin, so they are really just a type 2 on insulin.


Some are like me, having been a diabetic for a long time and their beta cells are getting tired but still make some insulin. We need to be on a long acting or basal insulin.


Some type 2 diabetics are like you and need to be on medication. First one and then two and possibly three or a combination of two or three drugs. Research right now is trying to figure out if Actos and/or Avandia will preserve the diabetics ability to produce insulin as well as breakdown insulin resistance and lower the blood sugar.


Ideally all diabetics are on medical nutritional therapy and exercise. For 90 percent of us the problem is too much weight and not enough exercise.


When you feel "funny" test your blood sugar. You already know that you can't read your blood sugar by how you feel. For example you get very sleepy when your blood sugar is too low and too high. Because dehydration is an issue for you, when you feel like you are going to hit the deck unless you have something to drink, have some water or a diet drink.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Thu, 09-09-2004 - 4:38am
MaryFrances~

I'm getting really frustrated with these "periods". Had another one at Walmat tonight. It's embarrassing and kind of scary. Asked my internal medicine doc yeterday about it thinking maybe my heart was going crazy. He said to start carrying my meter with me whenever I go out. Still think it my the dehyration. I've been sleeping a lot during the day. My sleep cycle is messed up again.

Well, anyway...hope your birthday was really good.

Kath

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-11-2004
Sat, 09-11-2004 - 11:35am
My 1 year old was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. What kind do you have? For him a good blood sugar will be 80 to 150. I do know it is different for adults. A good diet for people with diabetes, of course low carb foods, depending on what your blood sugar level is too. Vegetables, fruits,protien. most foods are o.k. you just have to watch the carbs depending on your blood sugar level at the time. When our baby is low we have to give him things with sugar. When it's high we have to use splenda, and give him diet drinks and such. We were just diagnosed four months ago, and already he had a very bad low while shopping. Before we left his blood sugar was 500, usually it doesn't get that high. So we gave him 1 unit of Novolog, that he was supposed to have at that time anyhow. In the store it dropped to 25, we had to call 911 and squeeze that clear frosting down his throat. We at that time, decided without drs. advice to stop giving him the novolog, and only give him his NPH 2 times a day. It has worked out great this way. We always have to watch his foods, and test him at meal times. Good Luck with your diabetes. It does get easier, but always has to be taken very seriously. If blood sugar drops too low even once a person could end up in a coma or blind. I know this is true because it happened to my friend, both things, she ended up in a coma, when she woke she was blind and couldn't walk, after about 4 years at age 26 she died. Always call your Dr. with any questions!!

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