[Guiness187055]

Originally Posted by Marylin

I went to see the diabetic nurse yesterday.She was pleased,my blood sugar levels have come down from the 360's to around 180.I also lost 15 pounds in weight,so I and the nurse were really pleased.So the blood sugar levels should come down even more as I lose weight,I am on the right track,so I got to stick with the program.It is so satisfying to see the numbers for both the scales and the blood sugar readings come down.

Thats great to hear!!!

[possum220]

Just me thinking inside my head. I know some-one who is 61. They have diabetes and also smoked heavily since they were in their teens. They are starting to lose sensation in a foot. How much does smoking affect diabetes.

Will a diabetic who has never smoked and maintained a decent bsl stay symptom free?

[Guiness187055]

I was told the most dangerous thing you can do is smoke with diabetes. I had a doctor say I was a ticking time bomb.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by possum220

Will a diabetic who has never smoked and maintained a decent bsl stay symptom free?

I think what happens is that it becomes harder to maintain a decent bsl, as diabetes is a progressive disease. I think what im eating now would have earned me beautiful numbers 5 years ago. Now, not so much.

[possum220]

Ah what do doctors know Guiness? This person was also told they would be dead due to alcoholism two decades ago.

What you say unaluna rings true in my mind. I used to get away with much more. Not so much now. I really don't know enough about this disease. It seems so common place now so it can't be that bad??? Even though I am diabetic i know very little about the down falls. If it was something to do with another part of my body I would be more proactive. I am complacent. This does not bode well.

[Marylin]

Diabetes has a lot to do with fat in the abdominals,fat surrounds on the liver and pancreas,and they turn to fat,losing fat from the liver and pancreas gets them talking again and working together and then the insulin production goes back to normal.So losing fat is a key factor in reversing diabetes.

Also when you have diabetes and your leg goes numb that neuropathy,the sugar in the blood affects the nerves and you lose feeling,it can come and go but eventually you can end up completely numb in the legs,getting your blood sugars down helps with this.

[unaluna]

Thanks for that explanation, marylin. Ive been noticing my liver isnt sticking out as much. Ive seen alcoholics with real liver issues, its not as bad as that, but maybe its because that woman was thin and i am NOT.

I seem to be losing my taste for carbs. I stopped eating bread with my tuna, using puffed corn cakes instead? Now i would rather eat a plain can, the starch seems to detract from the fish. Or have some cherry tomatoes with.

[Marylin]

I am eating less bread too!My taste buds have changed.Last night before bed my blood sugar reading was 120 or 6.7,so that is good.This morning it was 180 or 10.0,also not bad.Improvements all round,I lost more weight,my waist is 3 inches smaller since I started dieting at the beginning of this month.Only thing that is slightly worrying I am feeling vertigo,like my head is dizzy and I can't keep my balance,hopefully that will pass.

[Guiness187055]

Sounds like you are doing great. Keep up the good work!!!!!!

[Gr3tta_0]

Sounds like lots of great work here
My wife was in the hospital again recently but is feeling better. We've had a huge insurance struggle, but may have finally got the right person at the insurance company on the phone yesterday. She called the endocrinologist and walked their prior auth person through what to say on the form so everything would be approved.
Keep up all the great work! 😊

[Calypso2632]

Hi! New to this thread. I just found it. I've been a diabetic for around 8 years. Started a new med around 3 months ago that keeps my sugars fairly down. Fasting around 140 in the morning. Not where I want it but better than it was prior to this med. (450)
Last A1c was around 9 something my doc was not impressed but I had told her I had no insurance, was off meds, and needed a prescription assistance program medication. When I called reporting sugars over 400 they finally did something. I do get out and walk most days. Lots of fruits veggies and lean meat. Hardly any bread or potatoes or pasta. But I do snack on sweets here and there and Pepsi is my drug of choice. I refuse to use artificial sugars. I'll not pollute my body with that poison. My doctor is well aware and supports my decision. I do have some neuropathy in my left foot. Mild persistent numbness and tingling. Seems extra sensitive. Sometimes I get pins and needles feelings in both my feet like they have fallen asleep and are waking up but much worse and it lasts longer. Not fun. My mouth is always dry and I'm always thirsty but I check my sugar and it's never very high. It's under control now compared to when I started and was being put in the hospital for insulin drips with sugars over 700. And it's weird I can't feel it when my sugar goes too high. I don't have any obvious symptoms. But when it goes too low I get dizzy and light headed and shakey. I'm wondering if I should talk to my doctor about adding glipizide back into my mix on top of the Janumet. Just to lower my numbers a bit more... I'm seriously glad I'm not on insulin anymore. Needles really freak me out, and even understanding I needed my medicine every day was a struggle. I was on a long acting insulin, Lantus, once per day. But once was more than enough!! I wish I didn't like sweets and soda but it is what it is I guess..

[possum220]

I am pleased to hear that you finally got onto the right person Gr3tta for the insurance. Maybe this will help smooth things out.


Welcome Calypso. Good to hear that you are being proactive with exercise and choosing vegies and good meats. I wish I could be more proactive like you.


Normally I dont check my bsls because the govt here has increased the cost of testing strips to $60 dollars. Maybe I just use that as an excuse to not do it. Me thinks I have royally lost the plot. I took a course of Vyvanse to see if it would stop my binging. It didn't. I am have not been on that med for 15 days.

My binging has been out of control for months now. Who knew that Binging was a side effect of diabetes. I did take my bsl before I came on PC. It is 15.3 which is double the acceptable rate. Doctors like it to be at the most 7.

My body is struggling. My gum wont heal. I had a hernia operations late last year. The doctor put in some mesh. It is causing me pain. I have no motivation at all. I am supposed to get my bloods done in March. Also an iron test. Living on my own with no job has done my head in.

Maybe it's a case of my diabetes is starting to win. When I was on a much higher rate of Lovan my weight was much less but I was falling over due to a loss of balance. Am I better off going back onto the higher dose of 60 mg and improving my mood.

I have never been on Insulin. Is that something that needs to be adjusted according to what your levels are? I dunno.

Sorry for the grizzle folks.

[Marylin]

Insulin gave me a ravenous appetite and I ate all the forbidden foods at an alarming rate when I was on it,I gained 3 stones in weight,42 pounds.My readings are also 15 at this time,double what's acceptable but the nurse is pleased cos it was double that before,30.I am working on getting it down more,I think to do that I have to make my meal portions a lot smaller which I can do and that will help me lose weight too which will bring my sugars down even more,So I am sticking with it and staying off the forbidden foods.I like pepsi too but have the one with the sweeteners and zero calories no sugar,but I know that the artificial sweeteners are bad so I am going to switch to carbonated water.I wish you good luck with it Calypso and welcome to the forum!

[possum220]

My appetite is bad enough without insulin making it worse. More weight would be a disaster. This is not good news.

[daggy]

Oh joy another year of trying to get my levels down.its always a pain when my dr rings me. And yes i saw him testerday and yes he chaned pills on me and told me to up the insulin.
So for the next 3 weeks its a wait and see.
Now i have a stick i cant go running or swimming( stuffed left arm). Or even bedroom stuff .
Plus eating . Or not eatung a whole lot
Its catching ip to me

[Marylin]

I was hoping my blood sugar levels would be down to 8.0 by now,that is 144,instead they are 15.0,that's 270.But the nurse said to go slowly,so as not to put strain on the heart.I just have to keep going with the diet and watch what I eat,the weight will come off and the blood sugar levels will drop accordingly.Next tuesday I am going to weigh myself on the large scales at the pharmacy.

[Gr3tta_0]

I can see a lot of struggles, but many victories too! Please don't get disheartened at small set backs. I admit fully to being less educated in type 2 and some of the medicines vs type 1, but many of the symptoms and side effects overlap. Any win is a HUGE win in diabetes. Keep at it. And keep at it with insurance companies and providers to get what you need. Often, if supplies fall in the category of "life sustaining" they cannot be cut off due to finances/benefits. At the insurance company, sometimes the key phrase is "pharmacy claims." Gets you better staff for meds/supplies.
Be your own best advocate, always forgive little errors, always celebrate wins.
Hope all are well
P.S. We totally ate baked potatoes tonight which are a double no-no for my wife's dialysis diet, but as a special treat are okay.
P.P.S. Mine had too much salt....ssshhh....

[daggy]

Went out today.
Was super good nut having to sit and watch all the other orders come out then my plain coffee and little sandwich
Sure it was good and healthy but as the rest of me falls apart I'm doubting whether it is going to make a difference in the long run.

[Calypso2632]

Called my pharmacy to fill my script for glipizide. To take with the Janumet. I want to see my sugars get lower and I'm hoping my A1c will be down a whole lot from what it was. Snow coming in tonight and I have to harass my doc office for the medication they offered me on Wednesday for my pain. Wednesday!!! I called them on Friday like hey where is it and still no pills by end of day. It's lyrica not oxies for God's sake. Any who. The sugar struggle continues!!

[possum220]

Good luck with the new medications in getting your bsls down Calypso.