Brand new to Diabetes

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2003
Brand new to Diabetes
3
Fri, 09-03-2004 - 2:23pm
Hello, I was just told I have Diabetes 2 my count was 6.5 and I don`t understand too much of any of it. No one in my family has this that I know of. The doctor feels I can control with a better diet and exercise, I`m not on medication as of yet. I have to prick my finger when I first get up and 2 hours later after I eat? Can anyone tell me what my numbers should read. I have been on the Low-Carb eating plan since last October and still new to that. I have to start classes next week and have no idea whats ahead of me.Please,Please could someone help me here??? I`m not really handling any of this very well. Thank You
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anonymous user
Fri, 09-03-2004 - 10:27pm
Relax! The tests you are taking are setting down a history for the class instructor to use next week. Testing before the am meal is call a "fasting bs" usually taken after the longest period of non-eating in a 24 hr day (you don't get up and eat in the middle of the night...right?) The tests you do 2 hrs after a meal also are setting data for the class instructor. Keep good records and do your checks at the same times. Also try to eat meals at the same times each day. Your meter (glucose machine) will also keep this info in it's memory bank. The classes are fun, and very informing! You will learn much more about your diabetes treatment there. You may be asked to keep a food diary, which will then be compared to the bs test history. You'll be taught how to see a pattern between the foods and the bs levels. Since you don't take meds now...the control of your bs will be done with diet and exercise... losing weight when bs's are high can be very difficult! Extra sugar in your blood is stored as fat by you ever so thoughtful body...thrilling, isn't it!

Working a 12 hr day is going to be a major hurdle to get over as far as coming up with a consistant exercise plan. They will want a combo of aerobic and weight training...I've found that water aerobics gets me both of those types of exercise done all at once.
Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 09-04-2004 - 2:39am

Hi and welcome to the board. My name is Mary Frances and I am one of the community leaders for this board. I am a type 2 diabetic and a registered nurse. Any advise I may give you is not a substitute for seeking medical advise from a health care practitioner of your choice.


You have already been given a wonderful explanation and I don't want to repeat that. There are just a few additional comments that I would like to make. I don't know why this occurs, but over and over again I have seen people be successful in losing weight when they eat a diabetic meal plan. It would seem that any meal plan which controlled the amount of carbs and fats should lead to weight loss. But for diabetics I have seen the weight really come off when they eat the diabetic version of the meal plan. I have even lost some of the weight I gained after being started on insulin after the dietitian re-arranged what I was eating. It has something to do with establishing a balance between the amount of calories that you need to supply your blody with proper nutrition and the amount that you are eating and then throw in your exercise level and then you get better utilization of your food.


Every diabetic reacts individually to the foods they eat. My husband for example can't eat rice without his blood sugar going sky high. I can't eat potatoes without the same problem but I can eat rice. Neither of us would know how our blood sugars react if we hadn't been testing.


So please pull up a chair and join our conversation. All of us have walked in your shoes! Your are amoungst like souls.


A cheer,

Mary Frances


cl-maryfrances40

Co-CL Diabetes Board


Avatar for cl_d_minnick
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sun, 09-05-2004 - 2:25am

Hi and welcome to the board. I am one of the community leaders for this board who has been

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